About: Putong

Putong or tubong is a ceremony occasionally performed in the Province of Marinduque, Philippines, in which visitors are honored and welcomed. The ceremony takes the form of the eponymous song which is a call for "thanksgiving, hope and prayer for a long, blessed life". The ceremony begins with the celebrants gathering around the home of the host, they begin singing slowly as they enter the house, accompanied by a guitarist. They women wear costumes such as a kimona or a saya, while the men wear a barong, and they carry baskets of flowers, palm leaves, or coins. Once in the home, the tempo of the song picks up until a crown is placed on the honoree's head. After being crowned, the honoree is then showered with the contents of the celebrant's baskets. The celebration ends with all the partic