Invitation to Bid

Apalit

Published on Tuesday, 19 March 2013 00:27

ANNUAL FESTIVALS AND EVENTS

June 28-29

Apung Iru Festival

The "Libad" --- the "Apung Iru" ( or "Grandfather Peter" ) fluvial procession which is annually held during June 28, 29 and 30, is the most widely recognized religious procession in the province of Pampanga. It is considered the Kapampangan equivalent of the Black Nazarene procession of Quiapo. Here the venerated ivory image of St. Peter the Apostle is paraded along the Pampanga River. "Apung Iru" has long been considered miraculous and he has devotees from all over the Philippines.
The history of the image of "Apung Iru"
The lifesize, seated image of "Apung Iru"/"San Pedro" Saint Peter the Apostle, is an heirloom of the Armayan-Espiritu y Macam clan of sitio Alauli, San Vicente, Apalit. The image, with ivory face and hands, dates from the last quarter of the 1700s. Family tradition has it that Don Pedro Armayan-Espiritu y Macam ( + 1904 ) --- or his parents Don Calixto Armayan-Espiritu and Dona Maria Macam --- acquired the image from an aunt, Dona Maxima Santos, in exchange for a considerable parcel of agricultural land in Apalit. It was during the Spanish colonial era that the Spanish friars shrewdly assigned the ownership of the town's patron saint to one of its wealthiest families so that they could be spared the expenses of its upkeep and annual "fiesta." The first "Libad" fluvial procession of the image was held in 1844.
The stewardship of the image of "Apung Iru" has since gone down the direct descendants of Don Pedro Armayan-Espiritu y Macam who married three times 1 ) Dona Dorotea Arnedo, 2 ) Maxima Santa Rita, 3 ) Ysabel Dungo y Nocom. Don Pedro originally bequeathed the image to his favorite, youngest daughter Dona Ysidora "Orang" Espiritu y Dungo ( Mrs. Jesus Justo Gonzalez ), but she did not want the responsibility of "camarera" so she passed it on to her elder, spinster sister Dona Aurea "Ondeng" Espiritu y Dungo. After Dona Aurea's early demise, the responsibility of "camarera" was assumed by Don Pedro's eldest daughter Dona Maria "Maruja" Espiritu y Dungo ( Mrs. Macario Arnedo ). In 1928, Dona Maria transferred the image of "Apung Iru" from the ancestral Armayan-Espiritu residence in sitio Alauli, San Vicente to the residence in barrio Capalangan, Apalit where she lived. The image of "Apung Iru" has remained there since.
Dona Maria passed away in 1934 and her second daughter Da. Ysabel "Tabing" Arnedo y Espiritu ( Mrs. Fernando Duenas Reyes ) assumed the responsibility of "camarera" until her passing in 1970. Dona Maria's richest daughter ( third ) Dona Rosario Lucia "Charing" Arnedo y Espiritu ( Mrs. Augusto Diosdado Sioco Gonzalez ) became the "camarera" until her passing in May 1977. Following Dona Rosario, the youngest daughter Da. Elisa Juana "Ising" Arnedo y Espiritu ( Mrs. Fortunato Kabiling Sazon ) became the "camarera" in 1977 until her passing in May 1987. Following Da. Elisa, her eldest daughter Dr. Erlinda Crispina "Linda" Arnedo Sazon ( Mrs. Enrique Espiritu Badenhop ) assumed the responsibility of "camarera" from 1987 until her passing in February 2008. After Dr. Erlinda, Dona Rosario's grandson ( son of her eldest son Augusto Beda Arnedo Gonzalez ), Mr. Augusto Marcelino "Toto" Reyes Gonzalez III, assumed the responsibility of "camarero," following a stipulation of Dona Rosario and Dona Ysidora made to the family in 1970.
In 1975, Dona Ysidora Espiritu de Gonzalez, Dona Rosario Arnedo de Gonzalez, and Dona Rosario's son Brother Andrew Benjamin Gonzalez, F.S.C. established Saint Peter's Mission Inc. with the stipulation that "Apung Iru" and the "fiesta" be maintained in the generations to come.

NATURAL ATTRACTION

Pampanga River River

(formerly known as Rio Grande de Pampanga -- Great River of Pampanga) is the second largest river inthe island of Luzon, next to Cagayan River and the third largest but most important river in the Philippines. It is located in the Central Luzon region and traverses the provincesof Pampanga, NuevaEcija,Bulacan, Tarlac and Quezon.

MAN-MADE ATTRACTION

Churches/ Shrines

Apalit St. Peter Shrine

It was not until 1597 when the Apalit Parish of Saint Peter was created after its separation from the Parish of Calumpit. Fr. Pedro de Vergara was appointed as the first Parish Priest to attend to the spiritual needs of the Catholic community of Apalit. In conjunction with the annual town fiesta, the traditional fluvial parade of Saint Peter was initiated by Capitan del Pueblo Don Pedro Armayan Espiritu on June 28, 1844.
With Father Pedro de Vergara as the first parish priest, the Apalit Catholic Community separated in 1597 from the Parish of Calumpit. The first Apalit church and convent was constructed during the time of Father Juan Cabello as parish priest in 1641 until 1645. Father Simon de Alarcia built another church made of concrete and tiles in 1854-1860 but it was destroyed by a strong earthquake in 1863. The present Neo-Classic church was built when Father Antonio Redondo was assigned as parish priest of Apalit in 1873 to 1886. Father Gallende wrote in "La Iglesia de Apalit" and I quote:
"Father Antonio Redondo, parish priest of Apalit from 1873 to 1886 laid the foundations of a new one in January 1876, following the plans of Don Ramon Hermosa, assistant officer to the minister of public works. The foreman was a certain Mariano Santos, a native of Guagua. After seven years of work, the church was finally completed in 1883. It was "the pride of Pampanga, an indelible tribute to Fr. Redondo and the people of Apalit."
It was officially inaugurated with solemn ceremonies held successively on June 28, 29 and 30 of the same year. The chronicler remarks that when there was no more sand or bricks, Fr. Redondo would ask the "fiscal" (sacristan) to go around town pealing the bells. Preceded by the town bands, he would lead the way towards the riverside with azafate on his head. Unquestioning, the whole town would follow him. In less than two hours, the masons would have enough sand for two months. "The whole town of Apalit helped either with monetary donations, personal service, or with their good wishes." The church measures 59 meters long and 14 meters wide. The painting was done by a native of Apalit, an industrious pupil of Alberoni. The church possesses the qualities of good construction: "solidity, capacity, light and artistic beauty."
The towers were completed under the guidance of Rev. Toribio Fanjul in 1896. In 1989, a major church renovation was initiated by Msgr. Rustico G. Cuevas.