In ancient Phoenician, Egyptian, Arabian, and Greek mythologies, phoenix is a mythical sacred firebird that never dies. In Arabian myth, phoenix was a fabulous mythical bird, large as an eagle, with brilliant scarlet and gold plumage and a melodious song. From its home near a cool well, it would appear at dawn every morning to sing a song so enchanting that even the great sun god Apollo would stop to listen.
It was said that only one phoenix existed at any one time. It had a life span of 500 years, 1000 years, or even 12,000 years. As the end of its life approached, the phoenix would build a pyre nest of aromatic branches and spices such as myrrh, set it on fire, and let itself be consumed by the flames. After three days, the phoenix would arise from the ashes; in some myths, it was said that the phoenix arose in the midst of the flames.
And so, as the story goes, by rising from the ashes again and again after every definite long period of time, the phoenix bird lives on—it never dies.
During the dark days and darker nights of my beloved City of Angeles, soon after the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo, we roused the spirit of Angelenos to action with our rallying cry of Agyu Tamu! Angelenos from all walks of life responded to our call to action, and I distinctly remember the symbolism they adopted in those dark days of deprivation and want was the Phoenix bird rising from the ashes, a most fitting symbol as my beloved was practically buried in tons and tons of Mt. Pinatubo ashfalls.
Those were extremely difficult times, those were truly trying times—but the brave people of my beloved City rose to the challenge of the occasion with great faith and resolve to rise from the ashes, like the mythical phoenix bird, to live again the full life that my beloved City has, by God’s good grace, been blessed to live.
And so life came back soon enough to my beloved. We started the festival of TERAKAN TIGTIGAN KENG DALAN in celebration of the inspiring faith and courageous spirit that the people of Angeles City have shown in the face of calamitous events that could have broken the spirit of those with lesser faith. The portion of MacArthur Hi-way in Balibago rang with music and noise of rejoicing and laughters of people, of Angelenos young and old, students and professionals, workers and vendors, ordinary folks and rich folks—all coming in full celebration of hope afire, of faith ablazed, of much thankfulness for God’s abundant and tender mercies. Thank God for the inspiration of holding TERAKAN TIGTIGAN KENG DALAN in those fateful days of October, which we keep and hold every October of each year till now.
But since the last three years, many have missed the sounds of laughters, of joyous music, of noises of rejoicing in the streets of Angeles, much less in barangay halls and city offices. Where have the laughters and the music and the rejoicings gone? People come to me and ask.
The phoenix bird was also said to be a bird of great beauty; it created intense excitement and deathless inspiration. My beloved was a city of unmatched beauty. Neither ashfalls nor lahar floods must be allowed to defile its lovely face. With high resolve, Angelenos decided to launch a city beautification campaign. “Bakod mo, linis mo”, “Iligpit Basura”, “Linis Kalsada” cleanliness campaign slogans reverberated in the city, with the barangays and civic and professional and students groups actively seeing to it that the slogans did not remain mere slogans but active reminders for every Angeleno to do a civic responsibility—and to participate in the joyous task of restoring the beauty of this our beloved City of Angeles.
Soon enough, my Beloved regained its beauty and loveliness. The City of Angeles was given the award by the National Government as the “Cleanest City.” Now, my Beloved is a city that appears to have lost its charm, its great beauty seems to be fading away when not so long ago it was glorious and resplendent. Friends and folks come and ask why.
There was also a time, and it was not so long ago, when the spirit and energy were so high in my beloved City that it was the center of culture and the arts, of sports and recreation in Central Luzon and/or at least in our province of Pampanga, winning various awards and prizes in music and sports, in particular—apart from the general acclamation that from my Beloved’s womb come into bloom the great beauty of the province’s womanhood.
Angeles City has lost the lead in music and the sports and in the other arts to the City of San Fernando and the towns of Mabalacat and Magalang in particular. While I do not begrudge the people and leaders of that city and those towns, for they truly deserve the advancement they have worked so hard for, I moan the loss of the honored place that my Beloved had held before. But I am consoled, though, that from my City’s womb still blooms the beauteous grace of its womanhood.
But the day will come that the people of my City will see the face of my Beloved shining again in full glory, its beauty restored in full bloom, its joys and laughters regained, and its music and songs ringing in the air again.
Agyu tamu! See you again next week, and Mabuhay!
It was said that only one phoenix existed at any one time. It had a life span of 500 years, 1000 years, or even 12,000 years. As the end of its life approached, the phoenix would build a pyre nest of aromatic branches and spices such as myrrh, set it on fire, and let itself be consumed by the flames. After three days, the phoenix would arise from the ashes; in some myths, it was said that the phoenix arose in the midst of the flames.
And so, as the story goes, by rising from the ashes again and again after every definite long period of time, the phoenix bird lives on—it never dies.
During the dark days and darker nights of my beloved City of Angeles, soon after the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo, we roused the spirit of Angelenos to action with our rallying cry of Agyu Tamu! Angelenos from all walks of life responded to our call to action, and I distinctly remember the symbolism they adopted in those dark days of deprivation and want was the Phoenix bird rising from the ashes, a most fitting symbol as my beloved was practically buried in tons and tons of Mt. Pinatubo ashfalls.
Those were extremely difficult times, those were truly trying times—but the brave people of my beloved City rose to the challenge of the occasion with great faith and resolve to rise from the ashes, like the mythical phoenix bird, to live again the full life that my beloved City has, by God’s good grace, been blessed to live.
And so life came back soon enough to my beloved. We started the festival of TERAKAN TIGTIGAN KENG DALAN in celebration of the inspiring faith and courageous spirit that the people of Angeles City have shown in the face of calamitous events that could have broken the spirit of those with lesser faith. The portion of MacArthur Hi-way in Balibago rang with music and noise of rejoicing and laughters of people, of Angelenos young and old, students and professionals, workers and vendors, ordinary folks and rich folks—all coming in full celebration of hope afire, of faith ablazed, of much thankfulness for God’s abundant and tender mercies. Thank God for the inspiration of holding TERAKAN TIGTIGAN KENG DALAN in those fateful days of October, which we keep and hold every October of each year till now.
But since the last three years, many have missed the sounds of laughters, of joyous music, of noises of rejoicing in the streets of Angeles, much less in barangay halls and city offices. Where have the laughters and the music and the rejoicings gone? People come to me and ask.
The phoenix bird was also said to be a bird of great beauty; it created intense excitement and deathless inspiration. My beloved was a city of unmatched beauty. Neither ashfalls nor lahar floods must be allowed to defile its lovely face. With high resolve, Angelenos decided to launch a city beautification campaign. “Bakod mo, linis mo”, “Iligpit Basura”, “Linis Kalsada” cleanliness campaign slogans reverberated in the city, with the barangays and civic and professional and students groups actively seeing to it that the slogans did not remain mere slogans but active reminders for every Angeleno to do a civic responsibility—and to participate in the joyous task of restoring the beauty of this our beloved City of Angeles.
Soon enough, my Beloved regained its beauty and loveliness. The City of Angeles was given the award by the National Government as the “Cleanest City.” Now, my Beloved is a city that appears to have lost its charm, its great beauty seems to be fading away when not so long ago it was glorious and resplendent. Friends and folks come and ask why.
There was also a time, and it was not so long ago, when the spirit and energy were so high in my beloved City that it was the center of culture and the arts, of sports and recreation in Central Luzon and/or at least in our province of Pampanga, winning various awards and prizes in music and sports, in particular—apart from the general acclamation that from my Beloved’s womb come into bloom the great beauty of the province’s womanhood.
Angeles City has lost the lead in music and the sports and in the other arts to the City of San Fernando and the towns of Mabalacat and Magalang in particular. While I do not begrudge the people and leaders of that city and those towns, for they truly deserve the advancement they have worked so hard for, I moan the loss of the honored place that my Beloved had held before. But I am consoled, though, that from my City’s womb still blooms the beauteous grace of its womanhood.
But the day will come that the people of my City will see the face of my Beloved shining again in full glory, its beauty restored in full bloom, its joys and laughters regained, and its music and songs ringing in the air again.
Agyu tamu! See you again next week, and Mabuhay!
