Why I keep coming back to Iriga

On her last term as mayor of Iriga City, Madeleine Alfelor Gazmen gathered the Irigueños once again to celebrate the Tinagba Festival.

Irigueños, who for the last several years supported the city by participating in the festival en masse, trooped to the grandstand adjacent to the town plaza to witness another spectacular Tinagba celebration.

Tinagba is held every year to thank the good Lord for a bountiful harvest. Each year, all of the city’s barangays, LGUs, private businesses, schools and universities gather together to mark the biggest festival in Iriga.

Unlike the previous year, participants to this year’s Tinagba were limited among Irigueños. There were no delegations from the nearby provinces and cities, like Masbate, which was the grand winner in the streetdance competition. It was a regional festival last year and Iriga City was its proud host.

Irigueños are a happy people. They are proud of who they are and they are content with what they have. It’s a kind of spirit that charms everyone who experiences Iriga.

A month ago, Iriga marked another Tinagba festival. And always, the people came in full force. They showed their best and the result was another dramatic and entertaining exhibition.

Mayor Gazmen was hands-on, as it has also been her style of governance in the past nine years she stood as mayor.

Madel, as we fondly call her, sat as the over-all creative director. Sometimes, she also took on the job as rehearsal director. Like a skillful conductor of an orchestra, Madel swung her baton dexteriously to create a beautiful display of sights and sounds.

Rain or shine, you see her on the street talking to participants, and making sure everyone is up to the task.

We have seen Madel work. When her people stay up late during rehearsals, expect her to be there as well.

One time, I sat as the chairman of Ms. Iriga pageant and did the Q and A portion as well.

Each time at the Tinagba Festival, traffic is at a stand still. Every corner of the city is occupied — from floats waiting for their cue to students rehearsing a number. The floats represented each barangay while students came from competing schools. It takes months to rehearse with an entire population as actors.

Last month, Crispina Belen, Walden Belen, Justin Mata, Dindo Balares and Almed Garcia judged the float and the streetdance competitions. Douglas Nierras, (now considered an adopted son of Iriga), Nonoy Froilan and Daniel Matsunaga also lent their expertise as judges together with lawyer Antonio Alfelor and Andrea Alfelor Macaventa.

Celebrities Matteo Guidicelli and Aljur Abrenica performed while the rock bands Peso Movement and Rocksteddy held a full concert the night before the Tinagba parade.

Iriga is one of the most progressive cities in the Bicol region. And Madel has been recognized for successfully steering the development of the city. She has won the 2010 CEO Excel awards where she stood side by side with Oscar M. Lopez, Marixi Rufino-Prieto, Mel Tiangco, among others. She has also been invited to various cities abroad to share her vision.

In Iriga, you can’t afford not to see the Gawad Kalinga housing project. It is beautifully nestled in the slopes of a mountain overlooking another mountain called Mt. Asog. Gawad Kalinga has beautiful, colorful houses. It is a sustainable community, complete with a livelihood program, a small school, a butterfly farm, vegetable and flower gardens. There is also a lodging house for transient guests of the city.

Iriga is on its way to getting wired. Internet is readily available in some parts of the city. And at the public library, Internet is free. Its public market has semblance to Serendra at The Fort — wide open spaces, lots of air and an area where you can walk or just sit around.

Iriga is also known as Nora Aunor’s birthplace. But the house where the superstar was born has long been gone except for the picket fence which is a reminder that the superstar once lived in this beautiful city.

And close to the superstar’s house is the railroad track, where she used to sell water as a child.

The rusty tracks still stand. But it has withstood the test of time and a visitor to Iriga cannot help but visit that landmark made famous by the superstar.

Iriga is beautiful. Iriga is mythical. Iriga seduces. It is the natural charm of the people that lets you go back to the place again and again.

Nora has not stopped to magnetize. She has not stopped making people in awe of her. She continues to be news and we never stop to follow her movements.

She is a chameleon and so is Iriga.

Iriga, I will see you again and again.