SAN JOSE, Antique – A Halloween party dubbed “bagat” in the municipality of Sibalom, Antique won’t push through as a precautionary measure against the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
The “bagat”, a ghost haunting party, gathers teenagers who wear costumes and dance at the town plaza from the night of Oct. 31 until the wee hours of Nov. 1.
Sibalom Municipal Economic Enterprise and Development Office (MEEDO) chief Rodel Esler, who supervises the Municipal Tourism Office, said “bagat” has become a tourist draw in the municipality.
However, the Aglipayan Church that initiated the event decided to shelve it this year due to the pandemic.
An Aglipayan devotee, Yumema Villanueva, said they began holding the event in the mid-1980s when a group of young people decided to hold a Halloween party.
“Initially, the youth would walk around by groups in the town proper of Sibalom in their Halloween costumes and scare the spectators,” Villanueva said.
The youth enjoyed it,”Villanueva said, adding that they would even seek sponsorships for prizes for the best costume, which is awarded at the end of their party.
Meanwhile, the Antique Provincial Police Office (APPO) reminded those who are practicing the customary “trick or treat” for children to limit it within their families.
The previous practice was for participants to go house-to-house and gather locally-manufactured candies, chocolates, and other food treats.
“So far, there are no untoward incidents related to the early observance of All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day in Antique,” said APPO information officer Rossini Mena.
An estimated 500 people were monitored at the Sibalom Municipal Cemetery visiting their dead loved ones on Oct. 28, the last day cemeteries were open to the public before the closure starting Oct. 29.
Mena said police assistance desks in cemeteries in the 18 towns of Antique will remain until Nov. 3 or 4, depending on the directive of the local government units. (PNA)
