At sunrise, supporters of the Liberal Party of Benguet began slaughtering a pig.
This serves as an offering of thanksgiving and a plea for guidance for the candidates running in Benguet.
The offering was blessed by a ‘mambunong,’ ritual priest of the Igorot people.
The feast was then shared by the community members.
Here, the support and permission of the elders were also sought for the congressional run of incumbent Vice Governor Ericson ‘Tagel’ Felipe and his lineup.
They all performed the ‘tayaw,’ a cultural dance of the Igorots.
This dance symbolizes unity.
According to the tribe elders, these practices have long been a part of Benguet’s tradition.
The Federal Party expressed their gratitude to all their supporters.
They urged everyone to maintain respect for their fellow Benguet citizens during the election period.
After the gathering, they all filed their candidacies together at the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) – Benguet office.
**RHEN DE GUZMAN
