In the Philippines, the month of May is not just a summer season—it is also a month of tradition, faith, and celebration.
Flores de Mayo is a month-long festival that honors the Blessed Virgin Mary. For the longest time, it has been deeply ingrained in Filipino culture since its introduction by Spanish missionaries in the 19th century. “Flores de Mayo” is a Spanish term that means “Flowers of May.” Flowers are central to this celebration because they symbolize spiritual truths about Mary.
Santacruzan is a pageant that is often held at the end of May to conclude the month-long celebration of Flores de Mayo. According to the Asian Journal Media Center (2025), it is a tradition that combines history, faith, and artistry. It honors the Virgin Mary through a colorful procession. Women who join the pageant are called sagalas. Each sagala is dressed to represent a biblical figure. Each woman walks beneath a floral arch, clad in a traditional Filipino gown.
Drawing inspiration from the Santacruzan, ISSI Corp paid tribute to this cherished tradition through the first-ever ISSI Gala 2026.
Held on May 30, 2026, at the Philplans Corporate Center, the event carried the theme “Flores de Mayo” and featured candidates from six clusters of the Operations Team. The participants showcased their artistry, creativity, and elegance as they competed to become the first ISSI Gala winner.
Hosted by John Gorres from the Learning and Development Department, the program kicked off with a parade at 7:00 AM. The candidates were composed of two participants from each cluster—one muse and one escort. Each candidate was dressed uniquely, yet all were equally captivating.
Cluster Lae was represented by Robel Marie Quidato and Paulo Reynoso. Through their white-and-blue-themed dress and arch, they said they wanted to express appreciation for the reason behind the celebration of Flores de Mayo. Their arch was a tribute to the Blessed Virgin Mary. According to them, it represented faith and purity.
Meanwhile, Cluster Jocelyn was represented by Kamille Ann Requina and Edison Racelis. Their muse portrayed Reyna Hustisya, a symbol of justice and human rights. Their theme differed from the traditional colorful Santacruzan. They intentionally chose a darker color palette. Instead of using vibrant colors, they chose red to symbolize blood. It was their way of calling for justice for the victims of the bloody Extrajudicial Killings.
Cluster Toni also impressed the audience through their representatives, Cathleen Joy Cabatingan and John Mirven Ramirez. Their dresses and arch reflected Filipino tradition. According to them, they wanted to represent the traditional Filipino sagala, and this was effectively executed through their artwork.
Cluster Red also showcased Filipino tradition and the culture of the sagala through its representatives, Joan Bagaslao and Ericson Fernandez. Their colorful facade reflected the richness of Filipino culture.
ISSI Corp’s blue-and-white colors were represented by Cluster John through their representatives, Menette-Ann Medalla and Joseph Osal Jr. To represent the vibrant community within the organization, they incorporated bright and colorful elements into their design.
Lastly, Cluster Ned and Shey were represented by Larch Malan and Julien Cruz. Their vibrant dresses and arch represented the colorful history of Flores de Mayo. Their arch featured banderitas that symbolized joy and community. According to them, it was not just a work of art—it reflected the spirit of celebrating faith and Filipino culture. Through their presentation, they aimed to bring hope and light to people.
The first ISSI Gala became even more meaningful as the dresses and arches used during the event were made from recycled items. Materials such as newspapers, plastics, single-use bottles, and even barbecue sticks were carefully crafted to demonstrate that beauty can go hand in hand with sustainability.
According to Cluster John, they wanted to prove that simple materials can be transformed into masterpieces. By recycling items from events held in 2024, they sought to show that humble materials could be turned into something elegant.
Meanwhile, Cluster Ned and Shey wanted to emphasize another aspect of Filipino culture: “diskarte.” This cultural trait reflects resourcefulness—the ability to create something meaningful from what is available. Through the use of eco-friendly and bamboo materials, they encouraged people to be resourceful while highlighting the value of recycling.
The recycled dresses and arches symbolized not only creativity but also resourcefulness. They demonstrated that simple materials can be transformed into something elegant. More importantly, they reflected resilience and camaraderie through the participants’ shared efforts.
The clusters were able to showcase their creativity while promoting sustainability. This initiative serves as a reminder that celebrating cultural traditions does not always have to be grand. Sometimes, elegance and purpose can be found in discarded materials that others may already consider waste.
Beyond pageantry and artistry, the ISSI Gala 2026 brought people together by fostering bonds, collaboration, and unity. There were stories behind every creation. Each dress and arch was made with love and collective effort. According to Cluster Red, the process of creating the gowns and arches helped strengthen their sense of community. It gave them the opportunity to bond, laugh, and spend quality time together.
The event concluded with Cluster Jocelyn securing the 2nd Runner-Up title. Their red-themed arch and portrayal of Reyna Hustisya served as a call for justice for the victims of extrajudicial killings. Cluster John was named 1st Runner-Up, impressing the judges with their creative use of recycled materials to demonstrate how simple items can be transformed into something remarkable. Finally, the winner of ISSI Corp’s first Sagala 2026 was Cluster Red, whose arch celebrated and reflected Filipino culture.
The first-ever ISSI Gala was a major milestone for ISSI Corp. Organizing an event that showcased the creativity and resourcefulness of its people was a significant achievement for the company. Beyond highlighting artistic talent, the event fostered a stronger sense of community by bringing people together. Amid the routine of the corporate world, it provided an opportunity for people to take a pause and step away from their daily responsibilities and engage in something creative and meaningful.
ISSI Corp is committed to creating initiatives for growth and connection building. Not only to showcase creativity, but also to cultivate a culture of camaraderie, collaboration, and resourcefulness among its people.
ISSI Corp is a business process solutions company that builds complex, high-value operations with precision, speed, and intelligence. Founded in 2010 and based in Manila, we bring 15 years of deep expertise in serving the insurance, SaaS, AI, and IT industries. Our core offerings include ModernCX™(Customer Experience), BackOffice+ (Back Office Support), and ContentGuard (Content Moderation).
Trusted by leading U.S. Life Insurers and managing over 1 million inbound calls annually, we blend seasoned human expertise with AI and digital technology to create revenue-generating customer experiences and operational excellence. ISSI Corp is your strategic partner for customer experience and growth enablement, delivering peace of mind built on trust.
