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January 30, 2008
HCCA at the 2008 Dinagyang Festival
Miriam Tayabas
Talk about ingenuity in
making HCCA known! Our team will stop at nothing to proclaim to the public about
the company we all love and are proud of …even participating in a
widely-acclaimed street festival such as the DINAGYANG FESTIVAL in Iloilo City, Philippines.
The DINAGYANG FESTIVAL is an
annual celebration in Iloilo in honor of the Christianization of the natives of the province, where a
replica of the image of the Sto. Niño (child Jesus) was brought from
Cebu. They believed that since the arrival of the image, many
miracles have happened to them especially having been delivered in times of
famine and drought. Therefore, as a tribute to him and in appreciation of his
goodness, annually, the natives celebrate on the streets with gleeful dancing in
colorful costumes amidst rhythmic cracking of the drums as they shout, “Viva
Señor Sto. Niño!”
Over the years, the parade
has become bigger and more festive, thus attracting visitors and tourists from
all over the Philippines and around the globe.
Our HCCA family in
Iloilo
saw this as an opportunity to put HCCA’s name in the forefront. Thus, Ronald,
Ehmie and our Iloilo HCCA nurses hatched this brilliant idea of participating in
the parade. Why not? So, armed with great bursts of energy and an undying love
for HCCA, the group danced their way through throngs of spectators in a 4
kilometer parade as they proudly displayed their HCCA shirts, colorful banners
and authentic shields. Lest they get carried away by the festivities and forget
their foremost goal of marketing HCCA, they distributed fliers, answered
questions and posed for souvenir photos with interested onlookers.
What a day! Exhausting for
all… but would they do it again? I bet they would!
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