So it is Looc fiesta. Horray for that. However, there are folks who are not so happy about the fiesta. They thought that the closed door policy ended when Admiral Mathew Perry forced Japan to open their doors to visitors. They wailed that Looc took the place of Japan. In fairness to Loocanons, it had not been that way before. We know because our antecedents were from that place and once owned valuable tracts of land in that locality. Long time ago, most of Loocanons was related to us either by consanguinity or affinity or family friends. Elder generations go there during bisperas to help out. At noon time in fiesta, it is not unusual for aunts, uncles, grandaunts and granduncles call from the windows to younger relations asking them if they have already eaten and it not drop by. Doors were always open anytime.

Then timers changed. After the war, younger original Loocanons moved away for upwards mobility. Sometimes they come back only during fiestas and sometimes not at all. Then the barrio was filled up with people from other places in order to make a living since Looc is the prime commercial center of Jagna. Although having resided in the vicinity for quite a while, they still retained old loyalties, celebrate feast days in their places of origin. If they celebrate Looc fiesta at all, they practice selective invitation, singling out persons to be asked in. Only politicians and public figures did not adopt the practice.

As the newcomers started to outnumber the originals, the practice of selective invitation became widespread. The barrio started to earn the reputation of being tightwads, card carrying members of the TBTK, Tanang Bol anon Tihik Kaajo. What helped out was the change in Church celebration routines. Formerly at the eve of the fiesta, the icon of the patron saint is brought to the church escorted by a local band. It stay there overnight and in the morning, the fiesta mass is celebrated. After that the icon is carried back to the home chapel escorted again by the local band. At the arrival, the bersos are fired off signaling that the tables are open.

These days, dining never start before the end of the fiesta mass, which is celebrated at noon of the fiesta. Open tables' hours are shortened to two or three hours. After three the fares changed. For the favored, dinner hour is extended. For the less favored, the visitor will have to be contented with painit. One will never starve if he goes to the Looc fiesta. If he only knows where to go to with whom he will go. Gate crashing is no longer profitable. The gate crasher is always at the losing end. The host has plenty of ammunition in his stare like; do I know you or are you lost or something while the crasher has no credible alibi. It always pays to plan the moves before embarking in a fiesta sortie.