By Joel Mataro

Rhiya Raymundo Catacutan, a lenten Emergency Medical Volunteer of the Parish of San Juan Nepomuceno presses tightly a fistful of boiled guava leaves to clean and stop the bleeding of a penitent’s self-inflicted wound. She is on a lenten vow or “panata,” a tradition passed on from her forebears of Malibay in  Pasay City.

On Good Friday, they serve as Medical Volunteers and  Flagellants at the same time.

Magkaiba man ang dahilan ng panata, iisa naman ang panata ng pananampalataya.

Amid the distinctive melodic prayer chant of “Pabasa” in the background, flagellants in Malibay follow a ritualistic process on Good Friday, mirroring broader Philippine Holy Week traditions, starting with the spiritual preparation and ending at around 3 o’clock in the afternoon.

The Church discourages these extreme acts, but participants view them as personal vows (panata) to emulate Christ’s suffering.

As Rhythm continues with hymns; blood drips after lashes intensify, the ever-ready team of Medical Volunteers, up their game to match the energy and dedication of
the flagellants.

Penitents prepare spiritually by reciting prayers at a cemetery or at home, often fasting beforehand. They don black hooded robes, with removed shirts and, at times, anoint skin with alcohol. The first person they go to is the “magkakadlit” (cutter) who uses a shared blade, knife, razor, or glass-embedded plank to make incisions on the back, chest, arms, and legs to draw blood.

Medical Volunteers boil large quantities of guava leaves, “pitong tiklis” place them in a large vat, say a prayer before carrying them near the “Pabasa’s” Altar of Repose and Contrition. They arrive at the Emergency Tent at 6:00 in the morning and stays until 12:30 noon which, Rhiya says, is not usually the case.

As Flaggelation March moves on, Penitents carry heavy wooden crosses and join processions, whipping their backs with burillos (bamboo sticks tipped with thorns/glass) or multi-thonged whips. That Good Friday, they were tied in heavy duty chains.

Penitents walk barefoot under the sun, stopping briefly at Stations of the Cross to pray, dance, or receive paddle strikes from assistants. With every stop, Medical Volunteers stand ready, patching, dressing, squeezing wounds with a handful of “Bayabas na Panglanggas.”

Catacutan has been doing this service for years. She says she inherited this from her forebears, and common for the “Taong Malibay” or people from the place to carry on with the tradition. She adds that despite the number of volunteers around (8-10), during Flagellation March, they still need more volunteers as volumes of visiting penitents increase.

More importantly, Catacutan says Medical Volunteers are not only tied with the cleaning and dressing of wounds, but they also cater to dizziness, high-blood pressure and other situations needing emergency medical assistance. An Emergency Tent is all geared up with two nurses and a medicine student stationed.

When asked whether the Emergency Medical Team has a name, she replied none, but they have a President who is now among the Flagellants.

Malibay is famous for hosting the oldest running Cenaculo (passion play) in the Philippines, which began in 1902. This dramatic reenactment of Christ’s life spans several days and has been an integral cultural activity for over a century.