Yesterday, I went Tarlac to do an important task. I went there to become the godfather of a child. My friend Lany had come home from the US to have her Daughter dedicated here. Now as Pinoys would have it, Christian denominations other than Catholic also hold a "binyag."

You see for Pinoys, the significance of "binyag" or christenings aren't limited to the religious. It also has cultural aspects that define us as who we are. It's a thanksgiving of sorts to the God of your belief. You invite friends and family to participate in the ceremony and partake of the small feast you prepared. You cannot do away with food. Food is an intrinsic part of Pinoy celebrations. Feeding a small multitude is tantamount to an offering. That's how a feast for the saints (fiestas) work, that's how it is with a "binyag." So, Catholics have their christenings and most other Christian denominations have a dedication.

I went to Tarlac with my son, wife and mother and became a "ninong" for the 6th time in my life. It was an important role given only to the closest of friends. I was glad to have been remembered by this dear friend of mine that she wanted me to become a godfather to her child. It was a memorable day, and my son was there to witness it. The time will come when he too will become a ninong to someone's child, and he will remember that I taught him the impotance of tradition and friendship.