CARD MRI joins San Pablo City’s 1st Yakap Lawa Festival

By: Jireh Pearl Casionan

San Pablo- CARD Mutually Reinforcing Institutions (CARD MRI) celebrates with San Pablo City, Laguna’s Yakap Lawa:City of Lakes Festival, featuring a fish lantern entry showcased during the festival’s parade on May 9,
2026.

The festival highlights San Pablo City’s seven lakes and its rich aquatic resources. This year marks its first celebration, launched by the local government as a new city tradition to promote environmental
appreciation and strengthen the community’s connection to nature.

CARD MRI Hijos Tours initiated its participation in collaboration with the CARD-MRI Development
Institute (CMDI) – San Pablo Campus.

“Before we opened our tour services in different areas of the country, Hijos Tours first started here in
San Pablo,” said CARD MRI Hijos Tours President Marilyn M. Manila. “Joining the celebration is our way of giving thanks to the city and looking back at how its rich heritage and culture led us to establish
CARD’s tour company,” she added.

While most lantern entries featured Tilfish, CARD MRI Hijos Tours, and CMDI highlighted the Biya fish in their lantern designs. “Through the biya (goby fish), we want to emphasize one of CARD MRI’s core values, which is humility,” said CMDI President Dr. Edzel Ramos.

Native to Laguna, the biya is a small fish known for its resilience and adaptability despite its simplicity.

President Manila also shared the same sentiment, saying, “We are inspired by the fish’s significance to
the local livelihood, while also reflecting quiet strength and a grounded character.” Found in the city’s
lake, the fish also represents the city's strong cultural identity. “We believe it is the perfect fish to
represent CARD while also honoring San Pablo,” she added.

More than 20 students from the school’s performing arts group worked together to craft the fish
lantern, while Hijos Tours facilitated and coordinated the activity. The students are currently on school break before the next school year. Upon learning about the collaboration with CARD MRI Hijos Tours, they volunteered to help create the lantern and showcase it during the parade.

The fish lantern was painted in shades of blue, orange, and yellow, vividly representing CARD MRI’s
appreciation for the city’s aquatic features and vibrant culture. To further highlight the strength and
resilience of the biya fish, students carefully crafted six fish lanterns with the same design in alternating
blue and orange. The lanterns were intentionally kept connected throughout the parade to symbolize
unity and collective progress.

“This biya fish lantern is designed to symbolize our commitment at CARD to environmental stewardship and the preservation of Filipino heritage,” expressed Dr. Edzel Ramos. “Through this, we want to inspire the San Pablo community to move forward sustainably while honoring their roots.”

The lantern was showcased during the parade from Rizal Avenue to the Sampaloc Lake boardwalk, with
the students carrying it in flowing, wave-like movements that mimicked fish motion. It was also
displayed throughout the festival’s evening celebration at the lake boardwalk.