Every November 1, millions of Filipinos flock to cemeteries for All Saints’ Day, a yearly tradition where people set candles alight for their parted loved ones. However, I was informed that the tradition of remembering the dead is being practiced differently in Sagada, a small town in Mountain Province, which I have visited three times. It is called Panag-Apoy, which several travel agencies outside Mountain Province advertise as a festival.
Due to my intractable curiosity, I decided to return to the highlands of Cordilleras. Still, before leaving our province, I made a solemn apology to my late relatives because, for the first time, I could not visit them because of my hunger for new knowledge.
Traveling to Mountain Province is challenging, as you must travel by land for 12 to 13 hours before arriving at your destination. There are two routes to travel via bus: the first is via Manila to Baguio, where you must ride another bus to Sagada; the second is a one-time ride from Manila to Mountain Province via Nueva Viscaya – both offer scenic routes showing the beauty of the Cordillera mountains. Bus companies like Coda Lines only offer two schedules every day, which are every 8 PM and 9 PM, so you need to plan your travel very carefully if you don’t want to become like me, who pleaded to the conductor to just sit on the steps of their bus’ rear end just to catch the last trip.
Visiting Sagada brought back many memories, but I must focus on observing the event. Yes, Panag-Apoy is not a festival like what travel agencies advertise. It’s a solemn tradition for the Kanka-ey people to honor the souls of their departed relatives—respect is a must, as the event is not meant for tourists like me. I was cautious while taking photos and kept asking for permission before clicking my shutter to avoid offending locals.
The tradition existed even before tourists discovered the beauty of Sagada, according to Dako Bagano, a resident and owner of a famous bed and breakfast in the place, Panag-Apoy, was already been observed by missionaries in Sagada 84 years ago. It was documented that Sagada people were already carrying burning pine torches, locally known as saeng, to the Calvary Hill or Campo Santo Cemetery from the Church of Saint Mary the Virgin as their way to keep the spirits of the departed warm—the exact reason why Filipinos are lighting candles in other places in the Philippines. Today, some families do not walk to the cemetery with burning pines; they ignite them when they arrive.
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Using pinewoods instead of candles is understandable, as the pine is more accessible. But Elvie Masferre Sana, the daughter of Eduardo Masferre, who’s considered the father of Philippine Photography, told me that pinewoods were not flourishing as much in their town during the old times as they are today. Pine trees are vital to the pre-electric Sagada people, and dedicating some of it is a gesture of sacrifice, using some of their limited timber supply to warm the souls of their departed loved ones once a year.
Panag-Apoy is a case of a cultural amalgamation resulting from the mixture of Anglican and Igorot cultures. It is a testament to how the Igorots, whom the Spanish never conquered and desperately wanted to convert to Catholicism, eventually accepted the inevitable when the American missionaries arrived in the 1900s. However, despite the Igorots’ acculturation, it is indisputable that the departed souls of their loved ones are not forsaken and are still remembered and respected.
