LUCENA CITY, Philippines?At the break of dawn Saturday, weavers of ?palaspas? (palm fronds) from the rural village of Palale in nearby Tayabas town flocked to this city and took their usual positions on the sidewalk near the St. Ferdinand Cathedral here.

There, they display their skills in braiding fresh palm fronds for Palm Sunday rites.

?We?ve been doing this since we were still children,? said Joyce Pureza, a fresh college graduate from the Southern Luzon State University in Lucban.

?This is a religious art legacy that has been passed on to us by our elders which we will also pass on to the next generation.

?Beside her is cousin Nolyn Caagbay, who was just starting her summer vacation after her first year in the College of Agriculture in the same state university.

?Some of us peddle braided palm leaves house-to-house. But we always just stay here on the sidewalk to wait for our regular buyers,? Caagbay said.

Rowela Raca and her 12-year-old daughter Ronalie have their own place on the sidewalk.

?This is my first time to sell palm leaves,? the shy girl said.Caagbay said their village has become famous because of palm weavers.

?The experts in our place can turn palm leaves into beautiful original designs,? she said.

Palm trees are common in Palale, about 20 minutes drive from Tayabas on the way to Mauban.

Palale palm frond vendors said the manner by which they braid palm leaves reflects their faith.

The palm fronds, one vendor said, should be worth more than what buyers were willing to pay for them.

?They (buyers) treat palm leaves as another item in the market,? said the vendor.

Some buyers, however, can see the artwork that went into preparing the palm leaves.

They pay more, said the vendor.

?Despite the hard times, the Filipinos still remain very religious,? said the vendor.

In Lucena City, Bishop Emilio Marquez of the Diocese of Lucena blesses palms not inside the Cathedral but in the parking lot inside the church patio.

After the blessing, the faithful bring home the blessed palm leaf.

This often becomes a fixture near the main door of the house and windowsills in the belief that the palm fronds could ward off evil spirits.