Written by: Carolina
Edited by: Sofia
Tis the season to be with family, friends, and everyone you love for the holidays. What do you think of when you hear the word holiday? Presents? The Christmas tree? Home? Well, PCC, the Philippine Cultural Club has created the perfect day to celebrate this season!
Filipiniana or Pista is a big celebration in honor of ISM’s host country, the Philippines. With amazing food, colorful parades, and happy faces, Pista is a must-experience for new students or anybody in the Bearcat community looking to explore what our host country offers. Some amazing events include the annual Barrio Fiesta provided by PCC and the PCA, who set up shop in the Middle School Courtyard and decorated it to look like a local market with delicious food and Filipino delicacies. Other fun things not to miss are the Pista Parade and the Filipiniana Assembly with special performances from Dance Explore, Dance Advanced Dance Co, and other surprise guests. The Pista Parade is a colorful kickstart to the Pista Spirit, spreading it around ISM and filling the halls with traditional sounds and beautiful costumes.
Every year, PCC creates the theme of Pista, a different idea for the holiday to spark happiness and spirit with each decoration and color. This year, it’s Tahanan. Home. It’s the start of your journey and the place you return to at the end of the day. In the Philippines, home is one of the most important aspects of life because it can mean anything. Filipino culture centers around home and family values, prioritizing family above everything. For some, the Bearcat community is home, having people to rant to about deadlines or deciding how to go forward in the student body.
Speaking with one of the PCC Secretaries, Maxine, she shared how the council came up with Tahanan and how they think it will influence and uplift the community.
How did the council come up with the Tahanan theme?
After the pandemic, it was all about unity and bringing the community together in the Filipino spirit. This year, we wanted to create a relatable message to spread throughout the student body, and the one word everyone agreed on was Home.
How does the council think it will uplift the community?
Since it is relatable and home can mean many things, we hope everyone in ISM will feel the comfort and warmth of having a home in school with friends and teachers and doing all the fun things they love. We hope they can turn Tahanan into their own version of what they think it means and spread happiness and warm spirit all over Filipiniana.
If you want to spread the Tahanan cheer, merchandise is being sold in front of the FAT with a brand-new design based on the theme! Be sure to buy your shirts and merch soon!
