Members of the Filipino community in Linden and their friends celebrated Noche Buena on Christmas Eve night.
Noche Buena is an annual tradition in the Philippines of commemorating the birth of the Messiah, in which families, relatives and friends gather and engage in feasting after attending Christmas Eve mass.
Catholic Priest Ronilo Rasco delivered the prayer to commence the feast, which was held at Hyacinth Bread and Breakfast on Manni Street, Mackenzie, Linden. According to him, 85% of the Philippines’ population is Catholic.
Over 25 people participated in the exercise, which included a karaoke in which participants sang in English and Filipino.
A well decorated table of dishes of the Philippines, laid out in a manner that accommodated buffet style consumption, was graced at the helm with an attractively prepared suckling that received, quick, voracious consumption.
The dishes included: chicken tenola; pansit (chowmein version of tenola); chicken and pork adobo, beef steak, Lechon (roasted pork); beef kalderita with the available dessert being macaroni salad, fruit cake and vanilla cake.
The occasion was planned and coordinated by Janette Campbell, Head of the Alternative Learning System (ALS) – a professional development institution, known for its expertise in teaching and mentoring children, particularly with special needs, learning disabilities and children with difficult circumstances. Campbell arrived in Guyana in 2007 as an international consultant to the Ministry of Education in relation to designing systems for children with learning disabilities and special needs.
