PHILIPPINES: Water buffalos festival honours patron saint of farmers

Record ID: 694649

  • Title: PHILIPPINES: Water buffalos festival honours patron saint of farmers
  • Date: 14th May 2014
  • Summary: VARIOUS OF WATER BUFFALOS BEING PARADED (SOUNDBITE) (Filipino) 52-YEAR-OLD FARMER VICTORINO PASCUAL SAYING: "Farming has always been our priority, which is why we always join." FARMER WHIPPING WATER BUFFALO TO KNEEL WATER BUFFALO KNEELING CROWD DURING PARADE WATER BUFFALO KNEELING WATER BUFFALO ON ITS KNEES
  • Embargoed: 29th May 2014 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Philippines
  • Country: Philippines
  • Topics: Arts / Culture / Entertainment / Showbiz
  • Reuters ID: LVAA2PTHDDPTWHGZU2WNKMR0X25I
  • Story Text: Water buffalos in a northern Philippine town knelt down in front of a Catholic church as part of a centuries old ritual to bring a good harvest on Wednesday (May 14).
    More than 600 water buffalos from the town of Pulilan, about 40 kilometres (25 miles) north of Manila, were herded by local farmers and made to kneel down in front of the town church using whips or ropes as a symbol of gratitude to the patron saint of farmers.
    Animals were decorated with paint or carried produce attached to a carriage in homage to Saint Isidro Labrador.
    They also used hoses to spray water on them to cool them off under the sweltering heat.
    Victorino Pascual, a farmer who has been joining the annual festival, hoped to have good harvest this year.

    "Farming has always been our priority, which is why we always join," he said.
    The town's annual ritual, which is held on May 14, the feast day of Labrador, has since gathered local and international audiences, boosting tourism in the predominantly agricultural town.
    Water Buffalos have been used by almost all of the farmers in the Philippines to till the land for planting crops.
    The Philippines, with 80 percent of its 94 million population are Catholic, is known to hold many festivals honouring patron saints that are believed to grant miracles.
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