SANTACRUZAN. For the first time in the long tradition of the “Santacruzan” or the “Flores de Mayo” religious cultural festival in May, the Laguna police provincial command features the lady and male police officers and non-uniformed personnel in the procession of “Reynas” (queens) and “Sagalas” (maidens) escorted by cops in the Laguna capital town of Santa Cruz on May 25, 2018. (Photo courtesy of LPPO)
SANTA CRUZ, Laguna – What better way to celebrate the Maytime Santacruzan festival than in this town which was named after the age-old tradition of the search for the Holy Cross.
For the first time, however, it was staged mostly by police officers and non-uniformed personnel of Laguna police provincial command and its units.
In a report over the weekend, Laguna Police Provincial Director Senior Supt. Kirby John B. Kraft said he has initiated the police-led Santacruzan 2018 at the St. Michael the Archangel Chapel, Barangay Bagumbayan in this town last Friday as a way to engage the communities and barangay folks as part of their community relations.
The long-time tradition of the “Santacruzan” or more often called the parade of the “reynas” (queens) and the “sagalas” (maidens) with their male consorts in the religious cultural procession or parade that is popularly known as the “Flores de Mayo” (flowers of May) during the summer floral blooms.
Alternately known in most parts of the country as “Flores de Maria” (flowers of the Blessed Virgin Mary), the procession pays homage to the Virgin Mary and tribute to Queen Helena of the ancient Constantinople as “Reyna Elena” leading the search for the real cross of Christ and son Constantine The Great, the first Roman emperor to profess Christianity, who later recorded as saints in the late Byzantine liturgical calendar.
In observance of the tradition, the Laguna cops according to Kraft’s initiative, has incorporated the Santacruzan in their police units’ activities as a way of expressing faith.
“Behind these characters that the Reynas represent are the virtues that they exemplify which should be practiced in their daily lives in order that it may not only contribute for the betterment of the individual but for the entire organization and the community,” he explained.
A Holy Mass officiated by the Reverend Father Senior Supt. Jason D. Ortizo, director the Chaplaincy Service of the Philippine National Police (PNP) Headquarters in Camp Crame, Quezon City preceded the event.
The procession commenced at the St. Michael the Archangel Chapel to Barangay Sambat, Sta Cruz and went around parts of the town before converging at the provincial police command headquarters covered court here.
Leading the parade in their Santacruzan Filipiniana attire were Laguna police Deputy Director for Operations Supt. Meliton Salvadora Jr. and the Deputy Director for Administration Police Supt. Zeric L. Soriano with the police officials, chiefs of police and other non-uniformed personnel.
From the religious cultural procession that featured 32 beautiful lady cops as “Reynas” and “sagalas” and their equally handsome consort cops from the various police stations portraying the historical religious figures, the procession culminated to the search not only for the “Holy Cross” but the search for the Santacruzan queens.
The Reynas were later presented where they also offered flowers and prayers in front of the image of the Blessed Virgin Mary and were adjudged not only by their looks, but also for their embodiment of traditionally feminine qualities.
A non-uniformed police personnel of Pakil police station, Kelly Ann Morin Rayoso as “Reyna delos Angeles” was crowned “Ms. Santacruzan” of the Laguna PPO; PO1 Baby Dayne I. Lucas as “Reyna delas Virgines” from the 1st Laguna Provincial Mobile Force Company was adjudged first runner-up while Nagcarlan chief of police Chief Inspector Arlen Abastillas clinched second-runner up and “Best in Gown.”
The Bay Municipal Police Station, led by its chief of police Chief Inspector Jojo I. Sabeniano, romped off with the “Best Santacruzan Arc 2018.”
Kraft led the coronation with the panel of judges composed of lawyer Mia Antonette M. Quijano, Provincial Director of National Police Cmmission 4A; Maricar A. Palacol, Provincial Peace and Order Officer of Laguna Peace and Order Council; Jane N. Lopo, president of Hana Net Philippine Corporation, Inc. in Binan City; Ruth L. Baumann, president of Rotary Club of Sta Rosa City Chapter; Ericka G. Jimenez, Biñan City Councilor and Zaldy Espinosa, talent manager and International Events Director.
Gracing the police pioneering Santacruzan festivities here was Police Regional Office (PRO4A) Deputy Regional Director for Administration Chief Supt. Leonardo M. Cesneros, who emphasized the significance of the police-led event.
Senior Supt. Marvin M. Pepino, PRO4A acting Chief for the Drirectorial Staff, and Rev. Father Police Supt. Ronie B. Arong also attended the occasion. (PNA)
