JORDAN, Guimaras – Due to the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, the popular Lenten passion play “Ang Pagtaltal sa Balaan Bukid” is cancelled for the third consecutive year.
While the island province of Guimaras is already under Alert Level 1, Ang Pagtaltal sa Balaan Bukid Foundation Inc. still decided to forego the holding of the play due to the unpreparedness of its cast.
Foundation president Bartolome Togonon said this decision was arrived at together with the provincial government of Guimaras headed by Gov. Samuel Gumarin and the municipal government of Jordan headed by Mayor Ruben Corpuz.
“We have to cancel the play even if Guimaras is already under Alert Level 1. The cast members need more time to train as they were not able to prepare for the play since 2020,” Togonon told Panay News.
“Ang Pagtaltal sa Balaan Bukid” is the Guimarasnons’ interpretation of the Passion and Death of Christ. From being a purely religious event, it has evolved into a tourism-cultural attraction, drawing thousands of people not only from Western Visayas but also other parts of the country. This places the play at par with Manggahan Festival in terms of attracting tourists to the island province.
Data from the foundation showed that before the pandemic, over 45,000 devotees came to Jordan town every Holy Week.
The cancellation of the play notwithstanding, residents of Guimaras may still come to Balaan Bukid. However, devotees from other provinces and highly urbanized cities in Region 6 are still “off limits” to the area, said Togonon.
Togonon instead encouraged them to pray that the pandemic ends soon so that things can return to normal.
“Ang Pagtaltal sa Balaan Bukid” was previously known as “Ang Pagtaltal sa Jordan”? The year was 1975 when the now famous Guimarasnon play was first presented at Jordan wharf.
Aquilino Secusana, more commonly known by his nickname “Tay Quiling,” was the founder of the Lenten play.
Over the years, it improved as it developed its own narrative and set of characters. Jesus Christ was first played by one Arturo Segobre.
In the 1990s, the name of the play was changed from “Ang Pagtaltal sa Jordan” to “Ang Pagtaltal sa Guimaras” after the provincial government took it under its wing and helped in its preparation.
In 2007, then governor Felipe Nava ordered to transfer the venue of the play to Balaan Bukid. Its name was then changed anew into what it is called today: “Ang Pagtaltal sa Balaan Bukid.”
Balaan Bukid is a 558-foot mountain in Barangay Balcon Melliza, Jordan. This site has a church and a 60-foot tall cross both erected in 1954 and can be seen from Iloilo City’s coast.
Alongside the trail to the top are 14 Stations of the Cross (also called “Way of the Cross”) which depicts significant events in the life of Jesus Christ.
Pilgrims visit Balaan Bukid to be reminded of the suffering Jesus gone through to save mankind./PN
