IT WAS a day of outpouring of Filipino pride as hundreds of mall employees, business partners and active member of the local government as well as community joined together to commemorate the 120th Independence Day at the SM Malls in Marilao, San Jose Del Monte, Baliwag and Pulilan.

Giving tribute to the country’s rich heritage and tradition, SM City San Jose Del Monte featured different Filipino traditional dances such as “Jota de Paragua” that originated from Cuyo in Palawan.

Named after the old name of Palawan, shoppers have a rare glimpse of the Philippine version of the Spanish dance. The dance showed our heritage influences and elements including the footwork, the shape of dancer’s arms and the frilly dresses. The dance allows women to wave their manton, or decorative shawl, while the gentlemen keep brisk pace with bamboo castanets. Apart from the dance, SM City San Jose Del Monte likewise showcase popular rendition of OPM songs.

SM City Marilao showed creativity and identity through its enormous 8-feet moveable interactive Rubik’s cube that feature Philippine Cultural Costumes worn in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. Each of the moveable parts showcases a plethora of traditional Filipino dresses and ensemble, reflecting the multifaceted lifestyles of Filipino men and women over the decades.

Among the ensembles that were showcased are Batanes’ Vakul, T’boli tribe’s T’nalak as well as the iconic baro’t saya. The unique Independence Centerpiece in SM City Marilao was complemented by a dramatic revolutionary performance of P-Squad El Presidente. The group wowed the crowd as it performed the Philippine Revolutionary History in a 15 minute theatre act.

At SM City Baliwag, a paper quilling mural graces the atrium of the mall. Using the old art form that involved using rolled strips of paper, hundreds of sheets were looped, curled, twisted and glued to create image. Special folding and rolling techniques were likewise carried out to different paper strips to fill the mural and form a unique centerpiece.

Apart from the simultaneous flag raising ceremony, various activities and presentations were also lined-up to add festivity. Students and active members of various civic groups in SM City Baliwag serenaded shoppers with renditions of classical Filipino songs.

The show in SM City San Jose Del Monte was also complemented by a festive cultural presentation of First City Provindential College Baliktanaw Performing Arts and vibrant musical entertainment by Bulacan X Factor, Famela Anne Aglabtin.

SM Malls in Bulacan celebrate Philippine Independence to give tribute to the country’s history stand made on June 12, 1898. This event is an annual celebration participated by employees, tenants and shoppers of the mall as well as the communities in which SM serves. (PR)