Sayaw ng Pagbati: Parañaque’s enduring tradition honors the Risen Jesus every Easter

Amid the hustle and bustle of life in Barangay La Huerta, Parañaque City, a deep-rooted tradition that started in the 1900s lives on through the footsteps and graceful movements of the youth every Easter Sunday.

A celebratory dance to welcome the Risen Jesus Christ,  the Sayaw ng Pagbati (Dance of Greeting) is performed by children, mostly girls, who represent angels in the act of celebration.

Speaking to GMA News, Toots Espiritu, pastoral council president of The Cathedral of St. Andrew said the Sayaw ng Pagbati “depicts the glorious moment of angels in heaven when the Lord has risen.”

“During that glorious moment, umaawit ang anghel, sumasayaw ang anghel (the angels are singing and dancing),” Espiritu said.

Dressed in white garments adorned with colorful beadings and grand headpieces, the dancers move deftly while waving their small flags, portraying the joyful moment when the Lord Jesus Christ is risen.

For around six minutes, the brass band accompanies the dancers' rhythmic swaying, following a pandanggo-like beat that invites the audience to become a part of the celebration.

The unique Easter tradition began, not within the cathedral, but out on the streets, and was only adopted decades later by the Catholic church after World War II.

Performers of the Sayaw ng Pagbati begin performing when the images of the Risen Christ and the Blessed Mother meet, then resume after the Salubong Mass before proceeding through the streets of the five barrios.

“After the Salubong Mass, bawat (dancers of each) barangay promenades the streets of the five barrios, announcing the Lord has risen, with the image of the Blessed Virgin Mary behind them joining the Salubong,” Espiritu said.

(After the Salubong Mass, dancers of each barangay promenade through the streets of the five barrios, proclaiming that the Lord has risen, with the image of the Blessed Virgin Mary following behind them to join the Salubong.)

The five Parañaque barrios joining the Sayaw ng Pagbati are Don Galo, La Huerta, San Dionisio, Santo Niño, and San Antonio Tramo.

Preserving the tradition

Espiritu shared that the celebratory dance came to life after being choreographed by Carmen Rodriguez, his grandmother’s cousin.

Meanwhile, their cousin Francisco Rodriguez composed the song, which was first performed by their other cousins Emilia Rodriguez Hernandez and Avelina Rodriguez Carabeo.

From two dancers, the number of performers increased to 12, followed by 24. Now, each barrio has 30 dancers. In the late 70's, male dancers began to be included.

“These people (Rodriguez family) are religious people. Very active sa (in the) church,” Espiritu said.

“From a simple family of the Rodriguez clan, lumago siya ng lumago ng lumago. It flourished at naging tradisyon. It's already part of our culture. And kumbaga, deeply rooted na,” he added.

(Starting from a simple family in the Rodriguez clan, it grew and grew and eventually flourished into a tradition, becoming a part of our deeply rooted culture.)

Cheska Werica Macero (left) prepares for her perfomance with her fellow dancers. Photo: Mariel Celine Serquiña

A display of faith

Since she was two years old, Cheska Werica Macero could only watch the lively movements and colorful costumes of the Sayaw ng Pagbati.

Now 11, Macero is in her fourth year of performing to welcome the Risen Christ, dedicating each step to her prayers for herself and her family’s health and happiness.

“Okay lang naman po [mapagod], alay [din] ito kay Mama Mary (I don’t mind being tired since I also offer this to the Blessed Virgin Mary),” Macero said, adding that her grandmother and aunties also joined the traditional dance.

“So nung baby pa po siyang two years old, ay talagang nanonood na po kami, at talagang pina-practice niya. So sabi namin, isasali ko siya,” said Angelica, Cheska’s mother.

(At just two years old, she would watch the Sayaw ng Pagbati with us, and we even saw her practicing along. That’s when we decided for her to join.)

Following the steps of his mother and aunties, nine-year-old Rocco Zachary Araoja is one of the few male dancers performing this year’s Sayaw ng Pagbati.

“[My favorite parts of joining the Sayaw ng Pagbati are] meeting new friends and continuing the panata (devotion),” Araoja said.

For dance instructor Alfa Mateo Catilo, the long hours of practice and teaching are worth every second, as this is a legacy from her mother that she is determined to pass on to the next generation.

“‘Yung mommy ko, simula talaga pa lang siya, nagtuturo na siya. At ngayon, we want to make sure na ‘yung tradisyon na yun, na sineselebrate sa buong barangay ng Don Galo at sa buong Parañaque ay nape-preserve namin,” Catilo said.

A daughter of a dance instructor, Apfa Mateo Catilo began her journey with the Sayaw ng Pagbati when she accidentally became a dancer when she was four years old. Photo: Mariel Celine Serquiña

Passing the torch

A daughter of a dance instructor, Catilo began her journey with the Sayaw ng Pagbati when she accidentally became a dancer at four years old.

“Nagsimula akong sumayaw ng Sayaw ng Pagbati noong ako ay four years old. Nagkataon lang kasi noon na yung mananahi ng damit ng Sayaw ng Pagbati sa Don Gallo ay kailangang gumawa ng sample,” Catilo said.

(I started dancing the Sayaw ng Pagbati when I was four years old. It just so happened back then that the seamstress who made the costumes in Don Gallo needed to create a sample.)

“At syempre bilang ‘yung nanay ko ‘yung nagtuturo at ako ay nakakitaan na rin ng talento sa pagsayaw, sumali ako (I joined since my mom was the dance instructor then and they saw that I have a talent in dancing)," she added.

Now 44 years old, Catilo teaches the Sayaw ng Pagbati to the boys and girls following the footsteps, of her, her mother, Dolores Cabrera Mateo, and aunt, Flordeliza Cabrera Factor.

She recalled that she first started as her mother’s assistant.

“Siguro sinimulan kong tulungan si mama magturo nung mga late 20s, early 30s,” Catilo said. “Pero ngayon, bilang matanda na siya, 82 years old, ako na ngayon ang nagtuturo.”

(I started helping my mother teach around my late 20s to early 30s. But now that she’s 82 years old, I’m the one taking over.”

Regine San Agustine also first became an apprentice in 1991 for Barangay La Huerta before he was assigned as a dance instructor for Barangay San Antonio Tramo in 1999.

“Basta kaya ko pang magturo, siguro talagang given na sa blessing ako ni Lord na diyan ka lang,” said San Agustin, who is now on his 35th year of being a dance instructor.

(As long as I can teach, I will do so since maybe the Lord blessed me to become one.)

“Sa lahat ng group, lahat kami volunteer. Iyon nga, namanata talaga kami. Kaya talagang yung buong time namin, nilulubos namin,” he added.

(All of us instructors are volunteers. It’s our devotion. That’s why we go all out every single time.)

Both Catilo and San Agustin face the same challenge when teaching: How to get the dancers to move in unison.

“Kasi yung kabataan ngayon, hindi na alam kung ano yung mga folk dance eh so tuturuan mo sila from the beginning ulit (The young today do not know folk dance, so we have to teach them from the beginning)," San Agustin said.

But the challenges are worth it after seeing the children all dressed in full attire and enjoying what they rehearsed.

“Kapag nakita mo na silang nakatayo, nakabihis na sila, actual na, parang eto na eh, ay, ang sarap na feeling (It’s such a wonderful feeling once you see them standing in their full attire, that the moment we’ve been anticipating is right in front of us)," San Agustin said.

“The rewarding part is the spiritual fulfillment. ‘Yung pang nasayaw ka, you're spiritually satisfied without any service fee. When you say ‘panata,’ money is not involved,” Espiritu also said.

(The most rewarding part is the spiritual fulfillment. When you dance, you feel spiritually satisfied without any payment. When it comes to ‘panata’, money is not involved.)

Recruitment begins every January, but Catilo said they already have a list of participants until 2029, as parents approach them early on.

Currently, children aged eight to 12 years old can participate in the Sayaw ng Pagbati.

One of them is eight-year-old newcomer Pia Celestine Guevarra.

Pia shared that her participation in the Sayaw ng Pagbati was inspired by her mother, who encouraged her to dedicate the dance to the Risen Christ.

“[I joined the Sayaw ng Pagbati] to celebrate the Risen Christ,” Guevara said. “Dancing is fun.”

Pia’s mother, Chilet, recalled that she and her cousins once participated in the Sayaw ng Pagbati, and she hopes their children will carry on this cherished devotion.

“It’s a family devotion na panata talaga, na form of sacrifice,” she said. “Love for Jesus talaga, na everything we do, we need to offer it up to Jesus.”

(It's a family devotion, a form of sacrifice. It’s all for the love for Jesus, that everything we do, we dedicate to Him.)

“Makikita mo yung lola, the whole family itself, pinapanood ‘yung isang tao. The whole family manood, practice lang. Tapos yung aktual na sayaw, yung pag-iikot na sa barrio, kasunod pa rin sila,” San Agustin said.

(You’ll see the grandmother, the whole family, watching that one dancer. The whole family will watch even if it is just a practice. Then, when the performers parade, the family is also with them.)

Nine-year-old Rocco Zachary Araoja with his family during the final rehearsal on Black Saturday. Photo: Mariel Celine Serquiña

Devotion to the Risen Christ

Espiritu explained that when a parent promises their children to participate in the Sayaw ng Pagbati, it’s like promising their children to God to have a good life.

For Catilo, even when some children struggle to keep up with the steps, she takes the time to teach them, inspired by the belief that every step they take is a prayer offered to God.

“Isa siyang panata ng not just the dancers, pati na rin yung mga parents at pati na rin yung mga coordinators ng mga barangay,” Catilo said. “Alam namin na sa bawat pagpapractice nila at pagsayaw nila at sa pagikot sa mga barangay, ito ay kanilang panalangin at pasasalamat para kay Kristo.”

(It is not just the devotion of the dancers, but also for their parents and the barangay coordinators. We know that with every practice, every dance, and every turn through the barangays, it is their prayer and thanksgiving to Christ.)

This year, her prayers go for her family’s health, especially to her mother.

The same goes for Angelica, who shared that allowing Cheska to join is not just about honoring tradition, but also a devotion to the Blessed Mother and a way to grow closer to God.

Today, the Sayaw ng Pagbati is not only performed to welcome the Risen Lord, but also to honor special guests, like when Pope Francis visited the country in 2025, and to celebrate important occasions such as the anniversary of Parañaque’s cityhood. —RF, GMA News