According to this link - The pasyon is a verse narrative about the life and suffering of
Jesus Christ. The verses are structured in five-line stanzas, with each
line containing eight syllables. The pasyon is commonly sung during Holy Week,
starting Holy Monday. The reading of the pasyon is a traditional
religious practice in the Philippines and people gather around the
reader of the pasyon to listen and reflect. It is seen by many of its
practitioners as a vow or panata.
The tradition of chanting the pasyon is not rooted to the Spanish
language that the songs were originally written in. but is connected to
the singing of epics during cultural celebrations among indigenous
Filipinos. The pasyon is usually chanted a capella though occasionally
the chanters may be accompanied by guitars.
