The Makatapak Festival is the signature festival of Bacolor, Pampanga, held every November during the town fiesta. “Makatapak” means barefoot in Kapampangan, and true to its name, participants in the festival’s street dancing and processions go barefoot. The festival is an expression of faith and resilience from a town that was buried by lahar flows after the 1991 eruption of Mount Pinatubo — Bacolor’s San Guillermo Parish Church still stands half-buried in volcanic debris. By dancing barefoot on their own soil, Bacoleños celebrate their hometown’s survival and spirit. These photos are from the Makatapak Festival in November 2012.
See also: Sabuaga Festival 2017
Robin Pinzon