They came in scarecrow style costumes, torn shirts over tattered denims over worn-out footwear, topped by “Balanggot” farmer hats with frayed open ends. Leaving the appointed meeting place, the Sariaya parish office, at about 5:30 that afternoon, the wacky-looking group already so amused at themselves, and still so conscious of the curious stares thrown their way, clambered noisily onto a waiting hired jeepney and rode about town in the gathering dusk, on a previously prepared route. It was October 30, 2005 and the Sariaya Tourism Council (STC) Officers and Board of Directors members were on their very first try at a fund-raising project to shore up on project contingencies. Mandated with the task of promoting Sariaya for tourism, the STC truly sank its teeth on its self-appointed role at spearheading the preservation and enhancement of Sariayahin local heritage.

The “Pangangaluluwa” in Sariaya is a tradition that old folks of today remember as more commonplace in their childhood years in the 1910s, 1920s and 1930s. November 1st was a much more solemn affair then as they reminisced it, as it was indeed a prayerful commune with the souls of dearly departed loved ones. No lighted electric bulbs on the graves and house-like mausoleums, no tent picnics or blaring sounds either, and none of the ultra festive atmosphere pervading nowadays as of yet. One old lady related that after bringing candles and flowers to the graves, she and her siblings trembled with dread at the thought of being awakened by their parents around midnight, to peek at the “Nangangaluluwa” from their windows. To the children’s eyes, they looked so hideously ghost-like because they were covered with white cloth from head down. Accordingly, they first prayed the “Ama Namin”, “Aba Ginoong Maria” and “Luwalhati”, in murmurs that resemble spine-tingling drones emanating from the grave. Then they sang the guitar accompanied traditional “Kaluluwang Tambing-Tambing”, with the mandatory giving of alms by the house owners towards the end. The alms collected reportedly went to the church for the masses that were intended for the good repose of all the souls, thus the rationale for the “All Soul’s Day” on the 2nd of November.