The Filipino word “banderitas” came from the Spanish “banderita” meaning small flag or small pennant. Philippines was colonized by Spain during the reign of King Philip (where the country got its name from). Spain’s colonialization of the Philippines for about 300 years finally ended on June 12, 1898, the country’s independence day.

Banderitas are usually small flag-shaped pieces of paper or plastic that are arranged in a string and hung up during fiestas.

A Fiesta is a Philippine festival or gala which is an event ordinarily staged by a community, centering on and celebrating some unique aspect of that community and its traditions, often marked as a local or national holiday.

A fiesta is a special occasion of feasting or celebration, usually with a religious focus. Aside from religion, and sometimes folklore, another significant origin is agricultural. Food (and consequently agriculture) is so vital that many festivals are associated with harvest time.

Most fiestas occur on the month of May which supposedly coincides with the start of the rainy season. Nowadays, the rain starts on the month of June or July. May is no longer a rainy month in the country.

Text Source: Wikipedia – Festival, Tagalog Lang