CAPIZ FLASHBACK

The Start of Father’s Day Celebration

by BIENVENIDO P. CORTES

Last Sunday, June 17, 2012 the Philippines celebrated Father’s Day. In the US, this was initiated by a 16-year old daughter from Spokane, Washington, named Sonora Louise Smart Dodd. The idea  of celebrating Father’s Day came to her when she attended a Mother’s Day  Sermon in 1909. She told the pastor that if there is a day to honor mothers, then there should also be a corresponding day to honor fathers. She suggested that Father’s Day be held on June 5, her father’s birthday. But because there was not enough time for the pastor to prepare sermons, the celebration was deferred to the third Sunday of June. 

In 1913 a bill was introduced to make the holiday official. This was supported by U.S. President Calvin Coolidge and in 1966 U. S. President Lyndon Johnson legitimized the holiday by issuing first presidential proclamation honoring fathers by designating the third Sunday of June as Father’s Day. 

In 1972, U.S. President Richard Nixon signed into law making Father’s Day a permanent national holiday.

Here in the Philippines, particularly in the municipality of Batan, Aklan Father’s Day has been celebrated  since 1930 up to  the present. It was only interrupted for three years during the Japanese occupation of the country.  Father’s Day in Batan is celebrated with  pompous and gaiety every 31st day of December.

The Father’s Day celebration in Batan is attributed to Roman Patricio, Rufino Sucgang and Pedro Cortes. These three gentlemen met one afternoon in the store of Miss Ursula Rubiado in Sugod St. Batan. In the course of their conversation, Patricio brought the idea of why Father’s Day should not be celebrated in Batan in as much as there is a Mother’s Day celebration. “Certainly, mothers could not exist without fathers.” Patricio reasoned out. “Why not?” echoed the other two men.  They began selling the idea to other fathers.   It was readily taken up by Francisco del Rosario, Ciriaco Gonzales and Judge Juan Maravilla, especially when these men saw some mothers coming from a Mother’s Day celebration. And right at another street corner the group saw another father, Roman Patricio, whom they chose as the “Father” of that year.

With a minimal contribution of 50 centavos from the fathers in the Poblacion, Batan, the First Father’s Day celebration was held at the Batan Academy Building, Poblacion, Batan. Francisco del Rosario  contributed all the tuba gathered from his luxuriant coconut plantation in Dumaquit, New Washington.

The celebration started at 7:30 p.m. and ended at 12 midnight with torch parade around the town. Before the torch parade, there was an election for the Father who will manage the next year’s celebration. The elected Father was then presented with the head of the roast pig (lechon) decorated with flowers. This practice is copied from the Teutonic people who presented their chiefs with a boar’s head after a successful hunt.

The highlight of the affair, however, was the Rigodon de Honor participated in by prominient couples of the Poblacion to open the social dance. Many just come to see the dance, their heritage from Spain. It was a treat to see this number, what with the mothers in their “sayang de cola with nagwas de chites” and tapis in various colors. 

The fathers were equally impeccable in their ‘barong’ or Americana serada cone-shaped hats made of manila paper and trimmed with bright colored crepe papers. Years later, the hats of the venerable Fathers bore the year when they were selected ‘Fathers’. In 1951, in addition to the head of the lechon adorned with flowers, which was presented to the elected Father, a mahogany cane was also given.

Whatever the style of the celebration, the success of the affair up to the present seemed to have been measured by the number of dancers participated in by the old parents, the amount of food  and drinks consumed, and fun radiated. Let it be mentioned, however, that no bad incidents have yet happened during these celebration and every celebration develops in the celebrants a renewed hope and prayers that they be granted long life to witness many more  FATHER’S DAY  celebrations. /MP