APPLICATION LETTER
• The purpose of a job application or résumé cover letter is to improve your chances of being
called for an interview, by convincing the reader that you would be the best person for the job.
If your letter is poorly written, the reader will not likely take the time to look at your résumé. So,
your job application letter is a crucial chance at making a good first impression.
PARTS OF AN APPLICATION LETTER
• Inside Address—Include the name, title, organization, and mailing address. Spell the name
correctly to avoid offending the recipient—phone the company if you do not know to whom to
address the letter.
• Salutation—Begin your letter with “Dear” followed by the reader's title and last name, ending
with a colon, not a comma.
• Four Paragraphs Minimum— Your letter should have at least an introductory paragraph, an
education paragraph, an employment paragraph, and a concluding paragraph.
• Complimentary Close—These are some standard phrases: Sincerely, Sincerely yours, Yours
sincerely, Yours very truly, and Very truly yours.
• Signature—Type your full name on the fourth line below the complimentary close. Sign in black
or blue ink above your typed name.
• Enclosure Line—The enclosure notation refers to the résumé.
FESTIVAL DANCES
Festival dances are cultural dances performed with the strong beat of percussion instruments by
the people in the community sharing the same culture. Festival dances may be religious or
secular in nature, but the best thing about festivals is that they add to the merry-making and
festivities of the place. The reason why they are called festival dances after all. Festival dances
draw the people’s culture by portraying the people’s way of life through movements and
costumes.
Filipinos do festivals primarily to celebrate unity amidst diversity of cultures. The value of
industry and hard work that brings about bountiful yield is also one of the reasons for the
celebration. Festivals have been a consistent crowd-drawing activity which in a way uplifts the
economy of one’s place due to its tourism and entertainment value.
NATURE OF FESTIVAL DANCES
A. Religious Festival Dance
These are dances characterized by movements showing reverence to a religious icon
believed to have interceded in their personal lives. This celebration is an expression of
thanksgiving for a bountiful harvest and for a favor or request granted to them through divine
intercession.
Ati-Atihan Festival (Kalibo, Aklan)
A feast held annually in January to honor the Santo Niño. The Ati-Atihan Festival refers
to an annual colorful and lively celebration in Kalibo, Philippines. It celebrates the Ati people,
indigenous inhabitants of the island, and their cultural traditions and way of life. The festival
also honors the Santo Niño, the child Jesus. On top of that, it serves as a way for the Ati people
to give thanks for blessings. During the festival, they ask for continued protection and guidance
as well. During the Ati-Atihan Festival, participants often shout phrases such as “Hala Bira!” and
“Viva Señor Santo Niño!”
Moriones Festival (Marinduque)
An annual festival held during Holy week; it refers to the masked and costumed
penitents who march around the town for seven days.
The Moriones first appeared in Mogpog in 1807 as initiated by the Parish Priest, Father
Dionisio Santiago. This week-long celebration is participated in by male penitents in costumes
who parade around town. The penitents wear masks and costumes similar to those worn by the
Roman soldiers as a way of atonement for their sins committed or for other similar reasons. On
Good Friday, they reenact the story of Longinus, a centurion, blind in one eye, who speared
Jesus’ side. Christ’s blood fell on his blind eye, miraculously restoring it, leading to his
conversion.
Dinagyang Festival (Iloilo City)
It is held to celebrate the arrival of Malay settlers in Panay. Dinagyang Festival is one of
the biggest and world-class festivals in the Philippines. It traces the history of devotion to the
Holy Child Jesus popularly known to Filipino devotees as Sr. Sto. Nino. The festival also
commemorates the arrival of the Malay settlers and the legendary barter of Panay Island from
the natives called Ati. The participants show impressive choreography with colorful tribal
costumes and striking props to present socio-cultural and religious tableaus depicting life in
Panay before the Spanish colonization and the advent of Catholicism in the country.
Sinulog Festival (Cebu City)
Sinulog Festival or Santo Nino/Sto. Nino Festival in Cebu is an annual religious and
cultural festival. The festival is thought to be the first of the most well-known festivals in the
Philippines. Sinulog is held in celebration of one of the country’s most famous historic relics: the
Santo Niño de Cebú. This was the statue of the baby Jesus that was handed to the Rajah
Humabon of Cebu by the Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan in 1521. This was one of the
most important events in the religious history of the Philippines as it paved the way to the birth
of Christianity in the country. At the moment of receiving the holy image, it was said that Queen
Juana, the main consort of Rajah Humabon, danced with joy holding this image of the child
Jesus. The other natives followed her example, and this event was regarded as the first Sinulog
dance. Sinulog comes from the Cebuano word “sulog” which means “like water current
movement” which depicts the forward-backward step of Sinulog dance. Sinulog Festival is held
every third Sunday of January in Cebu City.
The feast of Our Lady of Peñafrancia
Is celebrated on the third Saturday of September in Naga City, Bicol. The feast day is
preceded by a novena, nine days of prayer, in honor of the Virgin. On the first day, the image of
the Virgin, a copy of the Madonna in Peñafrancia, Spain, is brought from its shrine to the Naga
Cathedral where the novena is held. On the last day, the image is returned to her shrine
following the Naga River route. The colorful evening procession is lit by thousands of candles
from devotees in boats escorting the image. When the barge reaches its destination, the
devotees shout "Viva la Virgen" (Long live the Virgin!) and the image is brought back in a
procession to the cathedral.
According to locals, a Spanish government official from Peñafrancia, Spain, settled with
his family in Cavite in 1712. One day, his daughter fell ill and the family prayed for her recovery
to the famous Madonna of Peñafrancia, a picture of whom was in their possession. When the
daughter recovered, the father vowed to build a chapel in honor of Our Lady of Peñafrancia in
Manila. However, since he was being detained in Nueva Caceras, he built the chapel in that city,
now known as Naga, instead. The famous Madonna is believed to have miraculous powers. On
her feast day, pilgrims gather at her shrine to pay her homage for favors received.
Pahiyas Festival (Lucban, Quezon)
The Pahiyas Celebration in Quezon Province takes place on May 15th. It celebrates an
event to honor San Isidro Labrador, the patron saint of farmers. The Pahiyas Festival is a festival
of thankfulness after a bountiful harvest. ‘Pahiyas’ literally means “precious offering,” and the
practice dates back to the 16th century. Traditionally, the event was modest. However, in 1963,
a group of artists decided to put together an exhibit featuring crafts, folk dances, artwork, and
photographs from all over the Philippines. That is how the Pahiyas Festival came to be what it is
[Link] maintain the event’s seriousness, people did a procession. They did this for San Isidro
Labrador, in whose honor the festival got held.
The houses along the procession path are the most beautifully decorated with fresh
fruits and vegetables.
The Pahiyas Festival is still celebrated today. People think it keeps misfortune and
deprivation away from Lucban.
B. Secular or Non-Religious Festival Dance
These are the dances which are celebrated by the different communities to showcase
their different cultures and values of industry and unity. They perform along the streets
as they celebrate their bountiful harvest accompanied by indigenous instruments.
Lanzones Festival (Camiguin Island)
It is an annual thanksgiving celebration for the bountiful harvest of their sweet lanzones
during the third week of October. The Festival is held in Camiguin. Street dancing, parades, and
cultural heritage performances that honor the area’s rich past are parts of the festival’s opening
Maskara Festival (Bacolod City)
The MassKara Festival can trace its roots back to the 1980s and was born out of a crisis.
To lift the spirits of the locals and bring back the smiles on their faces, the MassKara Festival was
created. The smiling masks were a declaration of the people of Bacolod City that they will pull
through and survive the challenges and tragedies that they are facing. The celebration of
positivity or optimism in which the images of colorful and cheerful masks help the community
people to become resilient in their problems. The term came from the words ‘mass’ which
translates to crowd and ‘kara’ which translates to face. Hence, MassKara means masks for many
faces or the crowd. The term also translates to the Festival of Many Faces.
Ibalong Festival (Legazpi City, Albay)
Unlike many of the festivals in the Philippines, the Ibalong Festival doesn’t take off
religion or harvest. The festival is based on the Ibalong Epic, which tells of the story of Ibalon
who was joined by three legendary heroes, Batlog, Handyong, and Bantong. The three heroes
rid the town of monsters, saved the people from a great flood, and laid the laws of the land.
People parade on the streets wearing masks and costumes to imitate the appearance of the
heroes and villains, portraying the classic battles that made their way into history.
Kalilangan Festival (General Santos, City)
Basically, it’s a social gathering that is marked by the exchanging of gifts between allies,
elders, leaders, and subordinates. It’s also a time when traditions are passed from one
generation to the [Link] celebrates the tradition of sharing, hospitality, and altruism as the part
of the cultural heritage of Mindanao. Kalilangan is taken from the root word “kalilang” which
means celebration or commemoration in the Maguindanaon dialect.
Panagbenga Festival (Baguio City)
Panagbenga is an annual flower festival celebrated every February which takes place in
Baguio City, Philippines. The term “Panagbenga” comes from a Kankanaey term meaning
“season of blooming”. This festival reflects the history, traditions and values of Baguio and the
Cordilleras. It lasts over a month long and flourishes through community spirit [Link]
celebrates a tribute to the beautiful flowers that bloom in their community, further, a way of
expressing their gratitude by means of floral offering in which the floats are covered with
flowers to highlight the parade.