By Alexandria Dennise San Juan
To engage youth in joining church activities every Holy Week, an organization in Quezon City combined modern technology and traditional 'pasyon' and came up on doing 'online pabasa'.
(Alexandria Dennise San Juan / MANILA BULLETIN)
On this age of technology where the younger generation tends to use their gadgets often instead of celebrating traditional festivities, the T-Club of Jordan have come up with a way to gather the "techie youngsters" this Holy Week.
Equipped with computers, gadgets, and internet connection, the organization is making traditional pabasa more engaging to the youth.
T-Club, which means Tuesday Club as monthly meetings before were held only on Tuesdays, was formed with the main purpose of brotherhood and camaraderie, a case of people helping people in Novaliches, Quezon City.
Among the activities regularly held by the club are mass feeding programs, fun walks, Palarong Pinoy, anti-drug campaigns and the yearly pabasa or pasyon every Lenten season.
Twenty-eight-year-old Reymard Gutierrez, T-Club's youth leader, was the one who initiated the online pabasa which started this year's Holy Week.
Online pabasa, Reymard explained, is also a traditional pabasa but was broadcast through online platforms such as Facebook Live and Youtube Live.
"It is my way of modernizing the technique of how an individual can attend a solemn Lenten activity even when they are away," Reymard said, talking about people on vacation and the overseas Filipino workers.
Reymard shared that he experienced firsthand the feeling of missing important events in the country especially during Lenten season as he was once an OFW for a couple of years.
Being a devoted Catholic, Reymard said he was always joining the traditional pabsa since he was 11. Until the thought of a modern way of pabasa came in his mind.
Last year, Reymard started only on making a video of traditional pabasa. This Holy Week, he started adding video graphics, live prayer requests, and textline requests.
Aside from online pabasa, Reymard is also doing traditional rhythm and modern rhythm during pabasa. In 2015, Reymard's group, mostly youth, used the tune of John Legend's "All of Me" in their pabasa.
"I know some people will ask me if the Catholic church approves a more modern pabasa rhythm and based on my researches, as long as you do not make changes on what's written, it is okay," he explained.
With the emergence of modern technology combined with traditional pabasa, Reymard said it is widely accepted by the public after gaining a wide range of likes.
Asked about his next project for the Lent, Reymard is now thinking of making a videoke version of pabasa wherein lyrics will be projected on the screen.
"I am hoping more people follow my small footsteps into doing like this initiative to show our faith. Faith is important to everyone and importantly to young people," he said.
"If you don’t have faith in whatever you do, you will never be happy in your life. Without faith, you are nothing. Without faith, you are just someone who does not believe in goals. You can never achieve anything if you do not have faith in yourself and faith into our God. And whatever your religion is, always remember that faith is what drives you in your life," he concluded.