Wesleyan University-Philippines

Mabini Extension, Cabanatuan City

GRADUATE SCHOOL

Requirement
in (SS114)
Rural and Urban Sociology Development

Presented to:
Dr. Clarafe A. Gonzales
Facilitator

Presented by:
Abegail D. Reyes
Master of Education-Social Studies

BANATU FESTIVAL CABANATUAN CITY, NUEVA ECIJA

Part I - Biographical Narrative

I was originally born in Cabanatuan City, but in one of the rural barrio in Cabanatuan my
life is very plain, My father is a driver and may mother is a plain house wife. I am the eldest to
all my siblings and I’m the only girl. Being in the barrio is okay so that I don’t experience the
life in the city my childhood years is in our barrio because when I was little every Christmas is
the only time that we are going there after we have some aguinaldo’s given by our godparents to
buy some food, toys and to play . I studied in our barrio also after school hours I already went
home all my life is just like that, I have no time to play to my classmates because I have to do
chores and have to take care of my siblings and my father is very strict and if I won’t home early
he is mad and I have a slap in my butt. I don’t have a exciting life because all my life is school
and home scenario. I haven’t experience to be happy when I was a kid because all the decisions
are all depends to my fathers’ hand. All my life I have to obey to what he wanted.

When I was in high school. It’s the same my life stuck in our barrio because I am from a
poor family I have to study hard to have a better life For my college schooling, I experience to go
to school without any money in my pocket. I don’t skip class even when I am sick because I
want to learn. I have my childhood friends but we are not in the same sections but everytime we
are together I am very happy all the problems easily fade away because I don’t want to go home
because I only hear bad words and loud noise coming from my father so that I want to be alone
from home, I got the chance to study in Science City of Muñoz after passed the entrance exam.
But when I am in the situation that I wanted it is very hard for me because I haven’t experience
that I am in far place without my family and any of my friends, I have to strong because I am
alone. At first there’s I night that I am crying, I feel so homesick because that time I was staying
in the dormitory I feel so lonely I don’t know who they are and in the dormitory there’s a lot of
task we need to comply all of them before we are going home. I have to adjust a lot only to cope
to my new life. It is very hard for me after a month, I have decided that I want to transfer in the
University in Cabanatuan City because I will not survived to that lonely life. Being in the Munoz
is far from Cabanatuan because the school is far from the mall and leisure in short it is far from
distractions. The student have no time to go out to their dormitory they are all focus in their
study. The school have old buildings unlike in Cabanatuan they are all new the tuition fee is low
and very affordable place to place is very different. After the semester end I found myself
adjusted because of newfound friends. Days of schooling were serious, devoted to school work
but there were also days of leisure with these classmates and friends especially in going around
to the supermarket and walking to the university, had the frequent experience of dining out and
simply buying cooked food instead of cooking them like that at home. I experienced also the
Lantern Festival in the University All I remember is that the route from my school –Central
Luzon State University and my temporary home were accessed by me and my classmates very
easily because of having gotten used to tricycle rides and walking colleges by colleges. Before
we graduated we need to have a practice teaching and I was deployed at Talavera National High
School another place and another adjustment Talavera is like Cabanatuan there’s a lot of
establishment’s, easy access to the needs there’s a lot of fast food, they have parks, banks and
many more. My experience there is very convenient. After so many struggles and problem I
survived my college years , I graduated at CLSU with the degree Bachelor of Science in
Secondary Education Major in Social Studies.

After finishing college I went back home in my place , I worked in Child Care Center in
Cabanatuan City for a couple of months while I am waiting for ,board exam to become a
Professional Teacher because of the salary it can fit to the needs of our family because I was the
one to help I already need to resigned. In that time the SM Cabanatuan is about to open, I
decided to apply in any position although it is not align in my profession because my mind set is
to help my family. I applied at the cellphone store in the Cyberzone as Sales Staff and I need to
go on a training.

My training is in the Head office that is located at Quiapo Manila, another place and
another adjustment life in the province is very different living in the urban life. The night is their
morning and the morning is their night. They are all awake at the evening and they are sleeping
at the morning. You need to be attentive all the time because if you wont be alert you are left
behind. Life in the urban is so stressful, crowded and tiring, you need to be wise to survived.
After 2 weeks of training we went back in Cabanatuan City treasuring are moments in Manila.
 After 5 months being the OIC of RULLS in SM Cabanatuan I resigned because I already
passed the Licensure Examination for Teachers. I wait for all my credentials I decided to apply
being a teacher in a public school. There’s a lot of process that we need to undergo.

After some months of waiting I landed in a more stable teaching career at Cabu National
High School, a public school. After 1 ½ year I already went home to my barrio my Alma Mater
at Marciano del Rosario Memorial National High School

Now, I am a single mother bearing my six months old baby girl and hopefully I survived
my motherhood and being the best mom for my daughter. I experienced living and facing the
adjustments in rural and urban life.

Currently, we are living here in Cabanatuan City , Nueva Ecija and I think it is here that I
want to settle permanently with my family. The experiences I have gone through in the places I
have been to now that is now taking me to a level of advancement with my graduate schooling
and with research work in the courses I am enrolled in.
Part II - Body of the Paper

One of the most celebrated events in the Philippines, both in rural and urban areas is
Fiesta or Festival. Fiesta is part of our Philippine culture; this is one of the traditions we adopt
from the Spanish colonizers.

My childhood was never complete without fiesta. When I was younger, I usually go to
peryaan or a carnival. I play color games with my friends or what they call ‘beto-beto’, have a
ride on a Ferris wheel, eat popcorn and street foods and of course just roam around in the Plaza,
enjoying the lights and music around the place. Not being in an urban area with malls and
amusement centers made me enjoy more going to a plaza.

We celebrate the “Banatu Festival” here in Cabanatuan City , Nueva Ecija. Banatu
Festival celebrates its founding anniversary as a chartered city. From its humble beginning in
2015, "Banatu Festival" aims to showcase the history, culture, talent, beauty and craftsmanship
of Cabanatueños.Longganisa Festival one of activities in "Banatu Festival" and is held in the
vicinity of the public market along Paco Roman Street. Apart from the local meat traders and
customers, tourists from nearby town are also joining the celebration. Highlights of this festival
are the cooking contests and the different preparations for longanisa (native sausage like
"batutay", "longanisang bawang" and "longanisang matamis"), including spaghetti and
“binagoongan”. The Grand Parade is held every 3rd day of February.

This festival is new to me because when I was hired at the public school teacher in the
Year 2016 it’s the second year that Cabanatuan is celebrating it. Theres a lot of contest some of
the contests are Steet Dancing, Miss Gay, Binibinig Cabanatuan, Zarzuela and many more.
Zarzuela is one of the highlight contest because it portray the theme of the festival every year
and the contestant of this are all the Secondary School in the Cabanatuan City it’s the first time
that I attend that festival because our school is one of the contestant.
Part III - Analysis and Conclusion

We can say that living in a rural area is different from urban area. From the way of living,
what we eat, how we spend our everyday routine to the places, transportations, businesses and
establishments.
 I think, there are also similarities between rural and urban areas. We have our own
products. We have also some places in our areas that we can promote to other people and can be
known to other places.

Our Banatu Festival this year is great , every year the event is evolve and gives new life
and happiness to the people . I say this because our school won 1 st place in Zarzuela For me, the
changes happened over the years in the way of celebrating fiesta in rural ang urban areas this
kind of celebration is proof that even small barrios can still follow to the innovations that the
cities are doing. Rural areas can celebrate festivals or fiestas on how urban areas are celebrating.

The innovation from a simple celebration of fiestas to a huge celebration – a a lot of

contest and big prices musical instruments around the place made an impact to the community
and it’s tourism. People here in our town are always looking forward for February 3 to come
every year since it has started.

Considering myself as a millennial person, I will always want to celebrate fiestas in a

modern way like Banatu Festival the innovation ang the happiness overload is great.

References:
 https://www.pressreader.com/philippines/manila-bulletin/20160131/281827167793607
 Cabanatuan City Nueva Ecija official Facebook page