PARANAQUE, PHILIPPINES - At dawn on Easter Sunday, usually around 4 a.m. or 5 a.m. children wearing white dresses gather in front of the St. Andrew’s Cathedral Parish. Holding their banderas (flags) that match their dresses, they perform the Sayaw ng Pagbati, a century-old tradition unique to Paranaque. Their dance steps and swaying movements are both waltz and prayer celebrating the Risen Christ;s meeting with the Virgin Mary. The dancers are children usually aged 7-12 years old representing rejoicing angels and celebrating Pasko ng Pagkabuhay (Feast of the Resurrection).
 
It originated first in La Huerta, a barangay in Paranaque in the early 1900s, the dance being crafted by Francisco Rodriguez and initially performed by two girls only. It’s name “Bati” (to greet), reflects a purpose - the angel's joyful greeting to Christ and his Mother Mary. The tradition soon passed to neighboring barangays - Don Galo, Sto. Nino, San Dionisio, San Antonio, and Tambo making it a shared heritage in the city.
 
Adaptation of the dance ensured its survival and tradition. It was originally dances during Easter and the Ascension but it was shifted to solely on Easter in the 1980s by Belgian priest Father Theo as the rainy season in May made outdoor performance unreliable. Today, the dance and tradition still remain, children in white dresses, sway-balance steps, and banderas celebrate the resurrection of Jesus. 
 
For Paraquenos, Bati-bati is a living tradition, a testament of faith and community celebration. In Easter, fluttering flags, marching bands and children dancing joyfully in faith.