Capitalizing on the musicality and dancing of the locals, the early Christian missionaries encouraged the community to participate in civic and religious activities such as performance in streets and plazas. Parades, processions, street pageantry and theatre are activities created for harmonious relation between church and the people.
In the town of Sanchez Mira located at the Northern most province of Cagayan, the church realized that children could be part of a play to make people listen and accept the doctrines of the church. Church festivals, particularly Christmas was the most appropriate time to employ the children in understanding the messages of the Christmas. Songs of praise to the new born King is sang in Cagayan's Ybanag dialect accompanied by a handful of harps. Elongated bamboo castanets that take place of the traditional Spanish castanets are clicked at counterpoint.
Families get involved in dressing up their children as infantes (Spanish for child) in red and white crispy lace dress with a fancy hat and a pair of white shoes. The boys are cute in white long-sleeved shirt and pants and a hat to match. Children between six to twelve are chosen from families of good standing in Sanchez Mira.
To help document and preserve the traditional Infantes and other Cagayan Folk activities, National Artist for Dance, Mr. Ramon A. Obusan sought the help of Mrs. Erlinda Cortez, the social and cultural consultant to her husband, Cagayan State University President, Armando Cortez. They invited him to witness the Infantes and the Tubtubong ensembles in Sanchez MIra campus of Cgayan in 1990.