People skilled for the performing arts

They are very religious and have brought along all their practices to Macau. Filipinos are music lovers. They like singing, dancing and enjoying their spare time after work. For them it is very important to relax after the work.
Currently the second largest non-resident community in Macau, three of the Filipino traditional festivals are included in the Macau Government Tourism Office annual events’ calendar.
Catholicism is the main difference between the Filipino and the other Asian communities.
“The Filipino community distinguishes itself for their people’s closeness. They are very helpful to each other. The Filipino community in Macau, especially the first group that came here, was bound together because of the religion”, Rodantes Quejano, the community’s leader said.
Philippine culture is a combination of Eastern and Western cultures. The Philippines share many cultural aspects with other Asian countries, with traditional Malay culture being its prime heritage, yet it also displays significant amount of Spanish and American influences. The Hispanic influences are evident in their literature, folk music, folk dance, language, food, art, and religion.
Traditional festivities known as ‘barrio fiestas’ (district festivals) to commemorate the feast days of patron saints are common. The Moriones Festival and Sinulog Festival are just a couple of the more well-known. These community celebrations are times for feasting, music, and dancing.
There are four main traditional Filipino festivals held in Macau. The first one is currently being celebrated.
For the Filipino, Christmas starts on October and is celebrated until December. “We start to send cards to our relatives and friends. Everyone is going back to their home towns. The celebration of Christmas is very important for the Filipino, because it is a family reunion holiday. We celebrate Christmas like a ten-day holiday”, Rodantes explained.
On January, it’s time for the celebration of Santo Nino, also known as the Sinulog Festival. It comprises a street dance parade, stage shows and performances and music contests. Santo Nino is a saint worshipped mainly in Cebu, but all Filipinos join the party.
Pahiwas is another holiday, similar to Thanksgiving Day, that pays homage to the San Isidro Labrador. It happens during the May Flower Festival, during which a food festival is also organised.
In September, the local Filipino community celebrates the Pna Francia. “The religious groups are celebrating in honour of Our Lady of Piat, Patroness of Cagayan Valley”, he added.