The Guinayangan Republic

Sa matandang panahon ang malayong baryo ng Dungawan ay dating bahagi ng kalakhang barangay ng Himbubulo. Upang marating ang lugar, kailangang ahunin ang mataas na bundok na may madawag na kagubatan. Mga Aeta ang mga unang nanirahan dito. Sila ay nabubuhay lamang sa pangangaso at paghahanap ng bungang kahoy at prutas. Sa paghahanap nila ng mga baboy ramo at usa, umaakyat sila sa mataas na puno at nagmamasid sa paligid-ligid na parang nanunungaw. Pinanununghan nila ang dagat sa ibaba kaya tinawag nila ang lugar bilang Dunga-awan ang malawak na kagubatang ito.

 Naging isang barangay ang malaking Dungawan (bago pa humiwalay ang Dungawan Pantay at Dungawan Paalyunan) sa panahon ng Presidente Municipal Antonio Marquez.
Mga taga Batangas ang ang naghawan ng madawag na kagubatan. Si Rufo de Jusay ang unang naging Tenyente del Baryo, subalit si Julio Balmes ang pinakamatagal na nakapaglingkod bilang Kapitan ng Barangay Dancalan Central.

Dahil sa pinalilibutan ng iba pang malalaking barangay, naging sentro ang Dungawan sentral sa bahagi ito ng Guinayangan. Humigit kumulang mga pitong daang katao ang naninirahan dito. May sariling Paaralang Pangsekondaryo kaya nagkameron ng mga komersyo sa paligid ng bayanan. Di hamak rin na malalaki at mas magara ang mga bahay kung ikukumpara sa mga karatig na barangay. Sanhi na rin siguro ng kasipagan ng mga tao kaagapay ang mayamang lupain. Naghatid rin ng karangyaan ang mga kamag-anakan na nagtatrabaho sa ibang bansa.

In the Tagalog region, this tradition of celebration started long time before as devotional Flores de Maria or Mariquit na Bulaclac. The whole month of May ay Inihahandog nang mga Devoto kay Mama Mary.


Flores, from Spanish flores or "flowers," also known as Flores de Mayo, [flowers of May], or alay (offering), may refer to the whole Flower Festival celebrated in the month of May in honor of the Virgin Mary.

The most colorful event and attraction is the one called Santacruzan for which beautiful young women held as Reyna Elena in many cities, towns and even small villages. May-time festivals are attended by movie and television personalities, participate in the events and are featured as major sagalas and escorts.

Small Kapilya Bayanihan

Kabataan decorating sayawan space

Parlor games

Ubusan ng Beer

In the far flung area in the Philippine, a small community situated in Southern Quezon, we have our own simple way of celebrating this occasion. We called our place Sitio Prinza, a small portion of Barangay Calimpac at the edge of Small River, town of Guinayangan Quezon. Type of livelihood can be considered as below poverty line due to insufficient availability of income generating resources.


Kapilya Bayanihan

However, people in this small Sitio possess very strong ties and almost everybody is inclined to support each other through the spirit of bayanihan, which until this time still exists, especially during the time of the season when we are celebrating Flores de Mayo festivities.We established “Samahan ng Kabataan at Magulang” wherein both are helping each other on the preparation lik

e constructing small Kapilya made of soft woods, bamboo and decorated by fresh flowers and ornamental plants. We don’t deny that our Sitio does not have the capacity to offer beautiful and expensive decorations but in the heart of our people, the spirit and devotion cannot be undermined. Kabataan are assigned for the preparation and decoration of space to be used as dancing floor (sayawan) in the night and children’s parlor games during the day.

I may want to add that the “Samahan ng Kabataan at Magulang” sa Prinza were instrumental for the construction of a small road the residence utilizes nowadays. The road was constructed in the year 2006 through Bayanihan, using manual system “mano-mano” and by the aid of Piko, Pala, Kalaykay and other manually fabricated tools. Later on, when our Barangay officials came to know the activities, they supported the Samahan by putting some gravel on the top of the road. This time, small road is still usable although it became a little bit unpleasant due to the absence of concrete, whenever rain comes; gravel gradually vanishes causing adverse effect on itself.

Bottom line is, one of the greatest characteristics of Filipinos we should not forget is the “Spirit of Bayanihan”.

by: Jethfrenz