Mary Grace Malinao, 35, expertly cut the ends of the palm fronds with practiced ease, a skill she has perfected through years of crafting them. | CDN Photo/ Pia Piquero
CEBU CITY, Philippines — With every swift, practiced stroke, Mary Grace Malinao folds and cuts the slender palm fronds, her fingers weaving them into intricate shapes that resemble crosses, flowers, and hearts.
There is no hesitation in her movements, just muscle memory and grace refined over decades.
At 35, Malinao has been making palaspas, or decorative palm fronds used on Palm Sunday, for more than 30 years.
The craft is second nature to her. It is an inheritance, a livelihood, and an expression of devotion passed down by her late mother, who sold candles and palaspas outside the Basilica Minore del Sto. Niño in downtown Cebu.
“Mao na gyud ni’y kinabuhi namo sukad pa’s ako mama. Mao naanad na gyud ko ani,” Malinao shared.
(This has always been our life ever since my mother. That’s why I’ve really gotten used to this.)
Malinao was only 13 when she began accompanying her mother to the Basilica, both on regular days and during Holy Week.
While her mother sold candles, she helped weave palm fronds, eventually learning to craft them with the same fluid precision.
Originally from the town of Tabogon in northern Cebu, Malinao now lives with her family in Barangay Busay, Cebu City.
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Since 2018, she has formally taken her mother’s place as a member of the tig ‘Sinug.’
The ‘Sinug’ dancers are a group of candle vendors inside the Basilica who performs the Sinug, a ritual dance offered to the Santo Niño (Child Jesus).
The dance features prayers and specific movements that symbolize a spiritual dialogue and offering to the Holy Child.
When her mother passed away, tradition dictated that only a child or a close relative could inherit her place.
“Ako na’y nipuli sa ako mama pagkamatay niya kay ang pwede ra man mopuli sa pagka-miyembro kay anak, kanang pinakaduol nga paryente,” she said.
(I took over after my mother passed away because only a child or the closest relative is allowed to take over the membership.)
Her mother was a Sinug member for over 40 years.
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In recent years, Malinao said the price of palaspas has increased.
Between 2014 and 2016, she said a palm frond was sold for just P1 to P2 each. Now, they sell for around P15.
Though it helps earn a living, the job isn’t always easy. Makers like Malinao face competition, particularly from sellers from the mountains who sell their goods at a lower price.
Beside Malinao sits Jerralyn Delan, 20, who began making palaspas two years ago after she stopped attending school.
“Nieskwela ko sauna Grade 10 taman unya niundang ko. Naka-ALS man nuon ko pero kadiyot ra kay niundang ra sad ko,” she said.
(I studied up to Grade 10, then I stopped. I did try ALS (Alternative Learning System), but only for a short while because I ended up quitting that too.)
Delan now helps make palm fronds as a source of income. On regular days outside Holy Week, she sells bottled water on the streets.
“Lisod usahay kay naay taga-bukid nga mas barato ang ilang presyo. Inig anhi nila diri, moubos among halin kay mahal gyud amo presyo,” she said.
(It’s difficult sometimes because there are sellers from the mountains who offer lower prices. When they come here, our sales drop because our prices are really higher.)
Still, she finds meaning in the seasonal work, especially when buyers express gratitude for the colorful, handcrafted palaspas she makes.
As Holy Week draws near, both Malinao and Delan prepare dozens of intricately woven palm designs to meet the influx of devotees.
Their fronds are more than mere accessories, but are symbols of faith, tradition, and family legacy, painstakingly crafted by the hands of women who quietly preserve an age-old practice in the modern world.
Rooted in heritage and hope, their work continues to thrive in the heart of Cebu. /clorenciana