On a normal day, most Manilenyos would spend their time walking around the mall, watching movies, or just watching TV at home. Only few would think of heading to the nearest museum, since they would usually find it boring, and would consider it waste of time.
But a trip to Museo Pambata, located along Roxas Boulevard, proves that museums don’t need to be “dull” and “boring” after all.
According to their website, the Museo Pambata which was opened in 2004, is a “children’s interactive museum where children can use their total senses and learn various concepts at their own pace. It excites the minds of the young, inspires them to learn more, and most importantly revitalizes what child learning should be – fun and exciting!” (www.museopambata.org.)
The name “Museo Pambata” actually explains it all. It is a museum whose target audience are children – and kids of all ages. Unlike your usual museum which is filled with signs that says “Do Not Touch,” all five senses will be put into use at Museo.
As a kid, my dad often brought me to Museo Pambata. I never even thought that it was considered as a place for learning – all I knew was that I was having fun, and it was definitely better than your ordinary playground.
So I decided to re-visit the place, thinking of all the good memories I had in the museum. On my way to Museo, I was also bothered with a few thoughts: What if I’d just get bored? What if the museum wasn’t fit for my age anymore? I was afraid that the museum wouldn’t catch my interest as it used to.
Upon entering the museum, all questions were forgotten. I suddenly felt like a kid again. All hesitations and signs of maturity were left at the doorsteps. I just wanted to run inside and play with the items, and learn at the same time.
Museo Pambata features seven theme rooms. First stop: Maynila Noon.
This part of the museum gives the audience a chance to take a peek at old Manila. Board a Spanish galleon, ride the first ever train, walk inside a cathedral, and step into a Spanish house. Listen to the stories of different heroes from the heroes themselves! Manila Noon gives you a feel of history without boring you with the facts. I was actually running around this part of the museum, and jumping up and down the train!
Next stop: Kalikasan. Get a feel of nature in their “simulated rainforest and seabed.” Not only did I appreciate nature, but I even learned a few lessons on how to value nature as well.
Third theme room: Bata sa Mundo. This theme room offers a glimpse of children around the world! I enjoyed playing with different instruments and was really in awe of the dolls in different costumes! Bata sa Mundo also features a display which explains the rights of the children.
The fourth theme room, Katawan ko, is my favorite theme room. We had to enter a huge girl’s mouth, and crawl in its esophagus. Uber fun! I really enjoyed re-learning the functions of the different parts of the body, something which I thought was not possible. How I wish our biology professor would just teach us in this manner! I would have listened instead of spending my time daydreaming during biology class!
Next stop: Pamilihang bayan! I enjoyed running around, pretending that I was a fish vendor, a “panadero,” a pharmacist, an owner of a carinderia, a fire fighter, and a whole lot more. It gave me a chance to re-live the dreams that I had as a child!
Sixth theme room: Paglaki ko. This theme room gives the kids a chance to take a peek at their dream careers. They are featuring the life of an athlete during my visit. I wanted to try rock climbing, but it was just too low for me!
And lastly, Tuklas! which is the science room. Get a feel at how things work, enter a space craft, create a mini tornado, make balls fly, know how illusions work, and open the door to infinity! Any kid who enters this room would definitely love science… Well, even for a while.
Museo Pambata also has a mini library for kids, a mini playground, a gift shop, and a real helicopter!
It was an incredible day for a teenager. I have never wanted to return to childhood, as much as I did the day I visited Museo. This I say, is definitely, a fun, learning experience!
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Novo Ecijana Eka Nga!
“Taga-saan ka?”
“Taga-Cabanatuan.”
“Saan yon?”
“Sa Nueva Ecija.”
“Uh… Saan yon?”
This dialogue is part of my usual “first-time” conversation with people I have met here in Manila for the past four years. I used to get annoyed, but I soon understood their lack of knowledge for my hometown since it really isn’t known for a particular product or festival, nor does it create enough news to reach print or broadcast media.
But growing up in Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija is something that I am, and will always be proud of.
Agricultural Province
Nueva Ecija, which is also known as the “Rice Bowl of the Philippines,” could be reached from Manila via bus, since it is a landlocked province. The most common way of getting there is by the Manila-Bulacan-Nueva Ecija route, which would take about four hours, sans traffic. However, there is another way of reaching N.E., which is becoming popular among travelers since travel time would be an hour less – the Manila-NLEX-SLEX-Tarlac-Nueva Ecija route.
Nueva Ecija could be considered as a “semi-urban” province since buildings and rice fields could be alternately seen from the highway. It is known for being one of the top producers of rice, corn, and onions in the country. That is why it is no wonder, that the people of Muñoz, Nueva Ecija, the Science City of Central Luzon, have devoted a lot of their time and efforts to agricultural study and research.
The Central Luzon State University which is known for having one of the best agricultural research centers, also has an Agricultural Museum, which is “the first and only one of its kind in the country.” The museum aims to preserve and display those that would show the agricultural development in Central Luzon.
The “PhilRice” or Philippine Rice Research Institute, which is also located in Muñoz, is also the site for agricultural experimentation in the country.
Food, Food, and More Food
There isn’t much to see in Cabanatuan except three-story buildings, rice fields, and tricycles – making Cabanatuan the “Tricycle Capital of the Philippines” – but what I am most proud of, are the wonderful delicacies offered in my hometown.
We serve the most scrumptious garlic longganisas and chicharons. Our relatives from Manila would even ask us to buy some for them every time we’d go home. Also get to taste our yummy sisig – making it weird to outsiders since it is served with mayonnaise – but I can confidently say that it’s the best sisig ever! There is also point in coming to Cabanatuan, without trying our famous gising-gising, which could best be described as “spicy chopsuey.”
Be brave enough to try our ‘exotic delicacies’ such as, inadobong palaka, inadobong bayawak, and inadobong dagang bukid. It may sound gross but all of these are definitely tastier than your ordinary fried chicken! Yum!
Tourist Attraction
Although there is a lack of tourism promotion in our province, there are events and places that tourists could visit and enjoy in Nueva Ecija.
Every year, the people of Aliaga celebrate the “Taong Putik Festival,” which is a “practice that mimics a biblical myth about St. John who was believed to have done the same thing in his lifetime.” The devotees covered with mud and dried banana leaves ask for alms and candles which they offer to their patron saint.
Pantabangan Dam, which is the country’s first multi-purpose infrastructure, is also one of the most visited spots in the province. The dam which also offers a scenic view, is considered as a “phenomenon in Filipino engineering feats.” The Rubber Dam, which could be found in Llanera, Nueva Ecija, is also something to be proud of, since it is Asia’s first and only rubber dam.
Nueva Ecija also has its own Gross Ostrich Farm located in the town of San Leonardo. The farm imports and breeds ostriches, both for human consumption and tourism purposes. Site visits for students and professional alike are also organized for viewing these “big birds”.
Lastly, since Nueva Ecija is considered as the first in carabao production in Region III, the Philippine Carabao Center was also established in Munoz, Nueva Ecija which breeds and cross-breeds carabaos through artificial insemination. Carabaos play an important role in the province since they help farmers in their daily work. So it is no surprise that instead of having the usual horse races, Novo Ecijanos would have the “Carabao Race,” which is surely attracting a lot of tourists.
There is definitely a lot to see and enjoy in Nueva Ecija, and that makes me a proud Novo Ecijana!
References:
http://www.tourism.gov.ph/explore_phil/place_details.asp?content=description&province=11
http://www.tourism.gov.ph/explore_phil/place_details.asp?content=history&province=11
http://www.tourism.gov.ph/explore_phil/place_details.asp?content=famousefor&province=11
http://www.tourism.gov.ph/explore_phil/place_details.asp?content=thingstodo&province=11
http://www.tourism.gov.ph/explore_phil/place_details.asp?content=getthere&province=11
http://www.nuevaecija.gov.ph/index.php?id1=2&id2=2&id3=0
http://www.nuevaecija.gov.ph/index.php?id1=2&id2=1&id3=3
http://www.nuevaecija.gov.ph/index.php?id1=2&id2=2&id3=3
“Taga-Cabanatuan.”
“Saan yon?”
“Sa Nueva Ecija.”
“Uh… Saan yon?”
This dialogue is part of my usual “first-time” conversation with people I have met here in Manila for the past four years. I used to get annoyed, but I soon understood their lack of knowledge for my hometown since it really isn’t known for a particular product or festival, nor does it create enough news to reach print or broadcast media.
But growing up in Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija is something that I am, and will always be proud of.
Agricultural Province
Nueva Ecija, which is also known as the “Rice Bowl of the Philippines,” could be reached from Manila via bus, since it is a landlocked province. The most common way of getting there is by the Manila-Bulacan-Nueva Ecija route, which would take about four hours, sans traffic. However, there is another way of reaching N.E., which is becoming popular among travelers since travel time would be an hour less – the Manila-NLEX-SLEX-Tarlac-Nueva Ecija route.
Nueva Ecija could be considered as a “semi-urban” province since buildings and rice fields could be alternately seen from the highway. It is known for being one of the top producers of rice, corn, and onions in the country. That is why it is no wonder, that the people of Muñoz, Nueva Ecija, the Science City of Central Luzon, have devoted a lot of their time and efforts to agricultural study and research.
The Central Luzon State University which is known for having one of the best agricultural research centers, also has an Agricultural Museum, which is “the first and only one of its kind in the country.” The museum aims to preserve and display those that would show the agricultural development in Central Luzon.
The “PhilRice” or Philippine Rice Research Institute, which is also located in Muñoz, is also the site for agricultural experimentation in the country.
Food, Food, and More Food
There isn’t much to see in Cabanatuan except three-story buildings, rice fields, and tricycles – making Cabanatuan the “Tricycle Capital of the Philippines” – but what I am most proud of, are the wonderful delicacies offered in my hometown.
We serve the most scrumptious garlic longganisas and chicharons. Our relatives from Manila would even ask us to buy some for them every time we’d go home. Also get to taste our yummy sisig – making it weird to outsiders since it is served with mayonnaise – but I can confidently say that it’s the best sisig ever! There is also point in coming to Cabanatuan, without trying our famous gising-gising, which could best be described as “spicy chopsuey.”
Be brave enough to try our ‘exotic delicacies’ such as, inadobong palaka, inadobong bayawak, and inadobong dagang bukid. It may sound gross but all of these are definitely tastier than your ordinary fried chicken! Yum!
Tourist Attraction
Although there is a lack of tourism promotion in our province, there are events and places that tourists could visit and enjoy in Nueva Ecija.
Every year, the people of Aliaga celebrate the “Taong Putik Festival,” which is a “practice that mimics a biblical myth about St. John who was believed to have done the same thing in his lifetime.” The devotees covered with mud and dried banana leaves ask for alms and candles which they offer to their patron saint.
Pantabangan Dam, which is the country’s first multi-purpose infrastructure, is also one of the most visited spots in the province. The dam which also offers a scenic view, is considered as a “phenomenon in Filipino engineering feats.” The Rubber Dam, which could be found in Llanera, Nueva Ecija, is also something to be proud of, since it is Asia’s first and only rubber dam.
Nueva Ecija also has its own Gross Ostrich Farm located in the town of San Leonardo. The farm imports and breeds ostriches, both for human consumption and tourism purposes. Site visits for students and professional alike are also organized for viewing these “big birds”.
Lastly, since Nueva Ecija is considered as the first in carabao production in Region III, the Philippine Carabao Center was also established in Munoz, Nueva Ecija which breeds and cross-breeds carabaos through artificial insemination. Carabaos play an important role in the province since they help farmers in their daily work. So it is no surprise that instead of having the usual horse races, Novo Ecijanos would have the “Carabao Race,” which is surely attracting a lot of tourists.
There is definitely a lot to see and enjoy in Nueva Ecija, and that makes me a proud Novo Ecijana!
References:
http://www.tourism.gov.ph/explore_phil/place_details.asp?content=description&province=11
http://www.tourism.gov.ph/explore_phil/place_details.asp?content=history&province=11
http://www.tourism.gov.ph/explore_phil/place_details.asp?content=famousefor&province=11
http://www.tourism.gov.ph/explore_phil/place_details.asp?content=thingstodo&province=11
http://www.tourism.gov.ph/explore_phil/place_details.asp?content=getthere&province=11
http://www.nuevaecija.gov.ph/index.php?id1=2&id2=2&id3=0
http://www.nuevaecija.gov.ph/index.php?id1=2&id2=1&id3=3
http://www.nuevaecija.gov.ph/index.php?id1=2&id2=2&id3=3
The Tsinelas Industry of Gapan City
A pair of slippers is one of the things we would least think about, when it comes to talking about some of the most important things in our lives. Nearly everyone has at least one pair of slippers, yet they are often taken for granted, seeing that these slippers are always put into use, ever since the day that each of us has learned how to walk. It has served its purpose, yet we will never realize how important it is until we actually lose them.
But for the City of Gapan and its people, the most common “Protector of our Feet” is given due importance annually, through the Tsinelas Festival. Of course, the fact that Gapan City is one of the few places that gives time to celebrate the importance of the “tsinelas” isn’t really that surprising, especially that these slippers not only take care of the citizens’ feet, but it also provides a great industry for the City, that leaves them with something to be proud of.
A walk down memory lane
According to the City Planning and Development Office of the Local Government Unit (LGU) of Gapan, the Slipper making industry in Gapan City started in the early 1930s. During those times, slippers were crafted by bare hands, and with the use of needle and thread which is made of abaca. The slippers’ skin is usually made of Carabao’s skin, which is made available in Meycauayan, Bulacan. The finished products are sold in their own homes, also called “backyard industry,” or are sold and sent to distributors in Manila.
However, the government prohibited the slaughtering of farm animals such as the carabao, and it was then that the supply of its skin declined. Gapan slipper makers had no other option but to create their products using synthetic leather and rubber, which mostly came from China. These materials became famous to consumers and were soon widely accepted.
Now, a great number of slipper makers are found in Barangay Pambuan, Mangino, and San Lorenzo, and some of their products have already reached Visayas and Mindanao. Slipper making has already became a major industry in the City, that it generates an annual gross sales of about P500 million a year.
Because of this, City Mayor Ernesto Natividad, whose family is also one of the major distributors of raw slipper materials in Gapan, decided to have the Annual Tsinelas Festival, which began on the City’s first Anniversary. Now on its 7th year, the festival aims to showcase the unique slipper products of Gapan City, and to further improve this growing industry.
While Gapan has yet to prove that they are worthy of the title “Slipper Capital of the Philippines” seeing that they still have to compete against Liliw, Laguna which is also known for slipper production, they have definitely become the “Slipper Capital of the North.” In fact, Gapan City has competed with different towns in Nueva Ecija, and was able to represent Nueva Ecija in the One Town, One Product (OTOP) project of the Department of Trade and Industry. From there, Gapan competed against several other finalists, and the City became the OTOP Region 3 winner last 2006. For this year, the slipper industry of Gapan came in 2nd place, only next to Bataan’s Tuyo industry.
Gapan not only takes pride in the great quality of their products, but also in the affordability of these, where the price of slippers would range from P70 to P250. Because of this, the LGU has decided to use this theme for the festival’s 7th year: “Tsinelas ng Gapan: Mura Na, Matibay Pa!”
Tsinelas = Discipline
Here in the Philippines, it is part of our culture for parents to spank their children, or as we call it in Tagalog, “palo,” as a form of discipline, to correct their mistakes, or to make them realize the importance of doing what is right. The most common form of palo, is by using one’s hand. Next to this is by using slippers, particularly rubber slippers.
The people of Gapan definitely don’t need any spanking, since the slipper industry has already helped them become patient and disciplined citizens. Most of them not only sell the famous products in the City, but they also make them themselves.
Ramon Cabrera has been making slippers for 25 years now, and is one of the slipper makers of the City. He currently works for his sister-in-law who distributes the products to different places, particularly in Ilocos, Visayas, Mindanao, Cagayan, and Manila. Their company has no specific name since the names that they would print on their products would depend on what name the clients would want to use.
During the interview, “Mang Ramon” was sitting outside his house and was putting rugby on the rubber or “suwelas” of the slippers. He said that he could finish at least five dozen slippers in one day, but only three dozen for slippers with intricate details. During Christmas, he would even be able to finish about six dozen slippers.
According to Mang Ramon, some of the basic materials used in making slippers are rubber, fabric, and rugby. Sometimes, they were the ones who shaped the base of the slippers. But most of the time, they buy the rubbers ready-made, cut and shaped in different sizes.
After putting rugby on the rubber, the fabric is placed on top of it, and is cut according to the shape of the rubber. The fabric is then sewed unto the rubber. After which, the slippers are marked with a pen, to see where holes should be made. The holes are then made, and the upper part which has either ready-made designs, or are made by workers like Mang Ramon, are inserted in these holes, and are either stitched, or put into place with rugby.
The slippers are then set aside so that the rugby would be air-dried. After this, the slippers are hammered so to assure that the materials would all stick together. The heels are already ready-made so slipper makers just stick it with rugby on the rubber.
Slipper-making is definitely not an easy task, but Mang Ramon has remained patient and disciplined when it comes to his job, and it has already become a daily source of living for him.
Tsinelas = Travel
Our footwear helps us survive when travelling to different places. If only it could talk, it would tell of many stories about different journeys and adventures.
For Ruth Gervacio, it is her footwear shop in Barangay San Lorenzo that brings her to many places. She may not be wearing each pair of slippers that she brings on her journey, but selling these slippers became her main reason to see these different places.
Ruth started her business six years ago, with a small capital of P40,000. She has learned everything about the slipper industry through her mother-in-law, Purificacion Gervacio. Ruth began her business without a store, since she sells all the slippers that she makes in places outside Gapan, such as Baguio and Batangas. But she now also caters to the people of Gapan, as she opened up a store, named Gervacio Footwear, located near the public market.
Ruth buys the raw materials at Mayor Natividad’s store, where most products come from China. She has ten slipper makers, and seven designers. With this, Ruth is able to produce hundreds of dozens of slippers a week, and while she already has a store, she still travels to other places to sell her products, primarily because she sells them by the bulk, which make it easier to earn money for her. However, even though she could easily earn through wholesale, she sells less, since a pair of slippers with a retail price of P100, could be sold for P70 each when taken by the dozen.
Although she still earns by selling by the bulk, one major problem that she encounters are tough competitors who are willing to bring down the price of their goods to easily sell them.
“May sinusunod na presyo, pero yung iba binababa nila (yung presyo), kaya apektado kami,” Ruth said. “Kung tutuusin, mahal yung mga materyales ngayon… Kaya dadaanin mo nalang talaga sa sales talk.”
Ruth also said that while it would be easier to buy ready-made slippers rather than produce the products by themselves, they still choose the latter since they earn more money out of it. But there are days when they couldn’t produce the number of ordered slippers on time, especially during Christmas season, which leaves them with no other choice but to buy ready-made slippers.
The Gervacio Footwear store owner said that one of the best sellers last year for males are the classy rubber slippers, while for females, it was the Madrigal slippers which has a metallic-like skin. However, Ruth said that one type of slippers that has always been a best seller is the Bettina, a classy pair of sandals for females.
Ruth said that on most days, they earn P1,000 from the store. It reaches to about P3,000 on weekends. However, during the Christmas season and the Tsinelas Festival, their sales reaches up to P15,000.
Ruth found it difficult to answer if she would recommend this business to others. She said that she would only recommend it during the Christmas Season.
“Pero pag June to September, matumal, minsan malulugi ka pa,” the store owner said.
Tsinelas = Fashion
Next to the bag, the footwear is sometimes the biggest, and easiest accessory to use. Most of the time, especially for females, style is as important as comfort. Which is why it is no wonder that the emergence of Havaianas, Ipanema, and the weird-looking Crocs have been a hit around the world, even in the Philippines, even if they’re ridiculously expensive.
But footwear is no longer limited to being an accessory for the feet, as the Tsinelas became Gapan’s biggest accessory. Every year, starting the second Monday of August, until August 25, which is also the City Anniversary of Gapan, huge slippers are on display in Barangay Bucana, this becoming the highlight of the Tsinelas Festival. The smallest of these would be about seven feet, while the biggest of them all is 30 feet. Travelers would see them from the highway, and would definitely be amazed with slippers that would look good on a giant’s feet.
According to Nenita Abenales, City Accountant of the LGU, about 34 slipper makers joined the Grand parade, creating these giant slippers. Around 50 store owners have also participated by placing mini-stalls behind the huge slippers, to sell their products, and showcase the best of this industry. The LGU prepares this event yearly, where a great number of tourists, and even the citizens themselves, would take pictures of themselves beside these giant footwears, to probably prove that someone’s got bigger feet than theirs.
Tsinelas = Games
Here in the Philippines, one of the most famous street games is Tumbang Preso. A slipper is used to hit cans from a distance, and make them fall. With cheap materials like these, children were able to find a good source of entertainment.
The citizens of Gapan were also able to find entertainment in the Tsinelas Festival. While the Grand Parade is the highlight of the event, there are still other activities catering to the different sectors, making sure that they the activities are enjoyable for them.
Mrs. Abenales, who is also this year’s over-all coordinator of the events and organizer of the “Mutya ng Gapan” and the street dancing competition, gave at least seven events that were held within the two week period. One of these is the Children’s Day, where children from pre-school up to second grade go to the Plaza, and were given free cotton candy, candies, fishball, and hotdog. There were also some clowns, and jugglers to entertain them, and the kids also tried the free face paint.
There is also a Senior Citizen’s day, and the participants get to decide what they want to do for that day. For this year, a medical mission and an exercise program was held to keep them healthy and strong.
Next is the College Night, where students go on stage and showcase their different talents. There is also the “Mutya ng Gapan,” where the most beautiful ladies in the City compete for the title.
A street dancing competition was also held, where high school students from different schools compete. Aside from the honor that comes with it, a cash price was also given to the winning group.
There is also a day for sports, and this year’s sports competition is called, “Bakbakan sa Gapan.” A boxing match is held for the youth of different barangays, to show sportsmanship and athleticism. The sports event is different for each year, and for the past two years, a cycling tournament and a motocross was held.
“Iba-iba each year, sasabay ka sa trend. Kung ano ang uso, yun ang ibigay mo,” Ms. Abenales said.
Of course, the gay sector would not be forgotten, as a festival day is given to them. They also get to decide what they want to do, and for this year, they had a marathon in the morning, and a Ms. Gay pageant in the evening.
And lastly, a Battle of the Bands was held to show the talents of music lovers in the City.
Tsinelas = Protection
The primary role of slippers is to protect our feet. But in the case of Gapan City, it has not only protected the feet of the citizens, but it also protected the lives and jobs of the people.
During the Tsinelas Festival, it is not only the slipper makers or foot wear store owners who earn more money, but even nearly every person earns more money during that period.
According to Mrs. Abenales, who is also the acting Tourism officer of the City, a chain reaction happens during the festival.
“Pagkumita yung magtsi-tsinelas, kikita rin yung ibang sector. Dadami mga taong pupunta dito, siyempre kakain dito yan. Tricycle natin, mga sasakyan natin, kikita dito yan kasi dadagsa yung mga tao sa atin.”
The festival has brought a lot of tourists to the city, which raised the income of the people of Gapan. The Slipper industry has changed the lives of many people, and has even sent children to school. In fact, Mrs. Abenales said that she could not think any other product that Gapan could produce. Or if ever they could, it would not be as great as the Tsinelas industry. It has become a source of living for many of the citizens of Gapan.
However, as the saying goes, there is always room for improvement. Which is why the LGU is thinking of ways to improve this great industry, not only for it to be well known in the country, but also for it to attract buyers, financers, and the like. Once it has improved to a new level, the citizens will be able to earn more because of the Tsinelas Industry.
“Plinaplano naming na magkaroon talaga ng isang site, na puro yung mga magtsi-tsinelas, magkaroon ng showroom, display center,” Mrs. Abenales said. “Makikita talaga nila kung ano ang yari ng tsinelas sa Gapan.”
The slipper makers also created a Cooperative, which is willing to loan money to those who want to try the slipper business.
Tsinelas = Home
So maybe there isn’t a direct connection between slippers and home. But after everything that’s been said, the Tsinelas Industry reminds me of the magical shoes of Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz. But for the people of Gapan, there’s no need to tap their slippers together to bring them home. Because it is through these slippers, that the City became their perfect home. ###
References:
History and profile of Tsinelas Festival (c/o Gapan City Hall)
http://ph.news.yahoo.com/star/20080826/tph-giant-slippers-gapan-tsinelas-5994a93.html
But for the City of Gapan and its people, the most common “Protector of our Feet” is given due importance annually, through the Tsinelas Festival. Of course, the fact that Gapan City is one of the few places that gives time to celebrate the importance of the “tsinelas” isn’t really that surprising, especially that these slippers not only take care of the citizens’ feet, but it also provides a great industry for the City, that leaves them with something to be proud of.
A walk down memory lane
According to the City Planning and Development Office of the Local Government Unit (LGU) of Gapan, the Slipper making industry in Gapan City started in the early 1930s. During those times, slippers were crafted by bare hands, and with the use of needle and thread which is made of abaca. The slippers’ skin is usually made of Carabao’s skin, which is made available in Meycauayan, Bulacan. The finished products are sold in their own homes, also called “backyard industry,” or are sold and sent to distributors in Manila.
However, the government prohibited the slaughtering of farm animals such as the carabao, and it was then that the supply of its skin declined. Gapan slipper makers had no other option but to create their products using synthetic leather and rubber, which mostly came from China. These materials became famous to consumers and were soon widely accepted.
Now, a great number of slipper makers are found in Barangay Pambuan, Mangino, and San Lorenzo, and some of their products have already reached Visayas and Mindanao. Slipper making has already became a major industry in the City, that it generates an annual gross sales of about P500 million a year.
Because of this, City Mayor Ernesto Natividad, whose family is also one of the major distributors of raw slipper materials in Gapan, decided to have the Annual Tsinelas Festival, which began on the City’s first Anniversary. Now on its 7th year, the festival aims to showcase the unique slipper products of Gapan City, and to further improve this growing industry.
While Gapan has yet to prove that they are worthy of the title “Slipper Capital of the Philippines” seeing that they still have to compete against Liliw, Laguna which is also known for slipper production, they have definitely become the “Slipper Capital of the North.” In fact, Gapan City has competed with different towns in Nueva Ecija, and was able to represent Nueva Ecija in the One Town, One Product (OTOP) project of the Department of Trade and Industry. From there, Gapan competed against several other finalists, and the City became the OTOP Region 3 winner last 2006. For this year, the slipper industry of Gapan came in 2nd place, only next to Bataan’s Tuyo industry.
Gapan not only takes pride in the great quality of their products, but also in the affordability of these, where the price of slippers would range from P70 to P250. Because of this, the LGU has decided to use this theme for the festival’s 7th year: “Tsinelas ng Gapan: Mura Na, Matibay Pa!”
Tsinelas = Discipline
Here in the Philippines, it is part of our culture for parents to spank their children, or as we call it in Tagalog, “palo,” as a form of discipline, to correct their mistakes, or to make them realize the importance of doing what is right. The most common form of palo, is by using one’s hand. Next to this is by using slippers, particularly rubber slippers.
The people of Gapan definitely don’t need any spanking, since the slipper industry has already helped them become patient and disciplined citizens. Most of them not only sell the famous products in the City, but they also make them themselves.
Ramon Cabrera has been making slippers for 25 years now, and is one of the slipper makers of the City. He currently works for his sister-in-law who distributes the products to different places, particularly in Ilocos, Visayas, Mindanao, Cagayan, and Manila. Their company has no specific name since the names that they would print on their products would depend on what name the clients would want to use.
During the interview, “Mang Ramon” was sitting outside his house and was putting rugby on the rubber or “suwelas” of the slippers. He said that he could finish at least five dozen slippers in one day, but only three dozen for slippers with intricate details. During Christmas, he would even be able to finish about six dozen slippers.
According to Mang Ramon, some of the basic materials used in making slippers are rubber, fabric, and rugby. Sometimes, they were the ones who shaped the base of the slippers. But most of the time, they buy the rubbers ready-made, cut and shaped in different sizes.
After putting rugby on the rubber, the fabric is placed on top of it, and is cut according to the shape of the rubber. The fabric is then sewed unto the rubber. After which, the slippers are marked with a pen, to see where holes should be made. The holes are then made, and the upper part which has either ready-made designs, or are made by workers like Mang Ramon, are inserted in these holes, and are either stitched, or put into place with rugby.
The slippers are then set aside so that the rugby would be air-dried. After this, the slippers are hammered so to assure that the materials would all stick together. The heels are already ready-made so slipper makers just stick it with rugby on the rubber.
Slipper-making is definitely not an easy task, but Mang Ramon has remained patient and disciplined when it comes to his job, and it has already become a daily source of living for him.
Tsinelas = Travel
Our footwear helps us survive when travelling to different places. If only it could talk, it would tell of many stories about different journeys and adventures.
For Ruth Gervacio, it is her footwear shop in Barangay San Lorenzo that brings her to many places. She may not be wearing each pair of slippers that she brings on her journey, but selling these slippers became her main reason to see these different places.
Ruth started her business six years ago, with a small capital of P40,000. She has learned everything about the slipper industry through her mother-in-law, Purificacion Gervacio. Ruth began her business without a store, since she sells all the slippers that she makes in places outside Gapan, such as Baguio and Batangas. But she now also caters to the people of Gapan, as she opened up a store, named Gervacio Footwear, located near the public market.
Ruth buys the raw materials at Mayor Natividad’s store, where most products come from China. She has ten slipper makers, and seven designers. With this, Ruth is able to produce hundreds of dozens of slippers a week, and while she already has a store, she still travels to other places to sell her products, primarily because she sells them by the bulk, which make it easier to earn money for her. However, even though she could easily earn through wholesale, she sells less, since a pair of slippers with a retail price of P100, could be sold for P70 each when taken by the dozen.
Although she still earns by selling by the bulk, one major problem that she encounters are tough competitors who are willing to bring down the price of their goods to easily sell them.
“May sinusunod na presyo, pero yung iba binababa nila (yung presyo), kaya apektado kami,” Ruth said. “Kung tutuusin, mahal yung mga materyales ngayon… Kaya dadaanin mo nalang talaga sa sales talk.”
Ruth also said that while it would be easier to buy ready-made slippers rather than produce the products by themselves, they still choose the latter since they earn more money out of it. But there are days when they couldn’t produce the number of ordered slippers on time, especially during Christmas season, which leaves them with no other choice but to buy ready-made slippers.
The Gervacio Footwear store owner said that one of the best sellers last year for males are the classy rubber slippers, while for females, it was the Madrigal slippers which has a metallic-like skin. However, Ruth said that one type of slippers that has always been a best seller is the Bettina, a classy pair of sandals for females.
Ruth said that on most days, they earn P1,000 from the store. It reaches to about P3,000 on weekends. However, during the Christmas season and the Tsinelas Festival, their sales reaches up to P15,000.
Ruth found it difficult to answer if she would recommend this business to others. She said that she would only recommend it during the Christmas Season.
“Pero pag June to September, matumal, minsan malulugi ka pa,” the store owner said.
Tsinelas = Fashion
Next to the bag, the footwear is sometimes the biggest, and easiest accessory to use. Most of the time, especially for females, style is as important as comfort. Which is why it is no wonder that the emergence of Havaianas, Ipanema, and the weird-looking Crocs have been a hit around the world, even in the Philippines, even if they’re ridiculously expensive.
But footwear is no longer limited to being an accessory for the feet, as the Tsinelas became Gapan’s biggest accessory. Every year, starting the second Monday of August, until August 25, which is also the City Anniversary of Gapan, huge slippers are on display in Barangay Bucana, this becoming the highlight of the Tsinelas Festival. The smallest of these would be about seven feet, while the biggest of them all is 30 feet. Travelers would see them from the highway, and would definitely be amazed with slippers that would look good on a giant’s feet.
According to Nenita Abenales, City Accountant of the LGU, about 34 slipper makers joined the Grand parade, creating these giant slippers. Around 50 store owners have also participated by placing mini-stalls behind the huge slippers, to sell their products, and showcase the best of this industry. The LGU prepares this event yearly, where a great number of tourists, and even the citizens themselves, would take pictures of themselves beside these giant footwears, to probably prove that someone’s got bigger feet than theirs.
Tsinelas = Games
Here in the Philippines, one of the most famous street games is Tumbang Preso. A slipper is used to hit cans from a distance, and make them fall. With cheap materials like these, children were able to find a good source of entertainment.
The citizens of Gapan were also able to find entertainment in the Tsinelas Festival. While the Grand Parade is the highlight of the event, there are still other activities catering to the different sectors, making sure that they the activities are enjoyable for them.
Mrs. Abenales, who is also this year’s over-all coordinator of the events and organizer of the “Mutya ng Gapan” and the street dancing competition, gave at least seven events that were held within the two week period. One of these is the Children’s Day, where children from pre-school up to second grade go to the Plaza, and were given free cotton candy, candies, fishball, and hotdog. There were also some clowns, and jugglers to entertain them, and the kids also tried the free face paint.
There is also a Senior Citizen’s day, and the participants get to decide what they want to do for that day. For this year, a medical mission and an exercise program was held to keep them healthy and strong.
Next is the College Night, where students go on stage and showcase their different talents. There is also the “Mutya ng Gapan,” where the most beautiful ladies in the City compete for the title.
A street dancing competition was also held, where high school students from different schools compete. Aside from the honor that comes with it, a cash price was also given to the winning group.
There is also a day for sports, and this year’s sports competition is called, “Bakbakan sa Gapan.” A boxing match is held for the youth of different barangays, to show sportsmanship and athleticism. The sports event is different for each year, and for the past two years, a cycling tournament and a motocross was held.
“Iba-iba each year, sasabay ka sa trend. Kung ano ang uso, yun ang ibigay mo,” Ms. Abenales said.
Of course, the gay sector would not be forgotten, as a festival day is given to them. They also get to decide what they want to do, and for this year, they had a marathon in the morning, and a Ms. Gay pageant in the evening.
And lastly, a Battle of the Bands was held to show the talents of music lovers in the City.
Tsinelas = Protection
The primary role of slippers is to protect our feet. But in the case of Gapan City, it has not only protected the feet of the citizens, but it also protected the lives and jobs of the people.
During the Tsinelas Festival, it is not only the slipper makers or foot wear store owners who earn more money, but even nearly every person earns more money during that period.
According to Mrs. Abenales, who is also the acting Tourism officer of the City, a chain reaction happens during the festival.
“Pagkumita yung magtsi-tsinelas, kikita rin yung ibang sector. Dadami mga taong pupunta dito, siyempre kakain dito yan. Tricycle natin, mga sasakyan natin, kikita dito yan kasi dadagsa yung mga tao sa atin.”
The festival has brought a lot of tourists to the city, which raised the income of the people of Gapan. The Slipper industry has changed the lives of many people, and has even sent children to school. In fact, Mrs. Abenales said that she could not think any other product that Gapan could produce. Or if ever they could, it would not be as great as the Tsinelas industry. It has become a source of living for many of the citizens of Gapan.
However, as the saying goes, there is always room for improvement. Which is why the LGU is thinking of ways to improve this great industry, not only for it to be well known in the country, but also for it to attract buyers, financers, and the like. Once it has improved to a new level, the citizens will be able to earn more because of the Tsinelas Industry.
“Plinaplano naming na magkaroon talaga ng isang site, na puro yung mga magtsi-tsinelas, magkaroon ng showroom, display center,” Mrs. Abenales said. “Makikita talaga nila kung ano ang yari ng tsinelas sa Gapan.”
The slipper makers also created a Cooperative, which is willing to loan money to those who want to try the slipper business.
Tsinelas = Home
So maybe there isn’t a direct connection between slippers and home. But after everything that’s been said, the Tsinelas Industry reminds me of the magical shoes of Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz. But for the people of Gapan, there’s no need to tap their slippers together to bring them home. Because it is through these slippers, that the City became their perfect home. ###
References:
History and profile of Tsinelas Festival (c/o Gapan City Hall)
http://ph.news.yahoo.com/star/20080826/tph-giant-slippers-gapan-tsinelas-5994a93.html
The Turumba Festival!
The Philippines is known for having a great number of festivals celebrated in different parts of the country. Thousands of people gather for the occasion for these festivals, which is most of the time, a form of praise or devotion for Jesus, Mary, and different saints. There’s the Ati-Atihan in Kalibo, Aklan, celebrated every January and is one of the most popular festivals in the country, the Sinulog festival of Cebu which is done in honor of Sto. Nino, the Maskara festival of Bacolod City every October, and of course, the Feast of the Black Nazarene which is celebrated in devotion to, of course, the famous Black Nazarene of Quiapo.
While these are the famous ones and are well-known all over the country, there are those that are yet to be heard of, yet the people who gather for these festivities have the same type of enthusiasm and passion as those who gather for the popular festivals.
One of these, is the Turumba Festival in Pakil, Laguna. People, who are mostly from Laguna and Quezon, gather in one of the oldest churches in Laguna – the San Pedro de Alcantara Parish Church – to join the said festivity that lasts for about three months – one of the longest of its kind in the country.
330 Years of Faith
While the Turumba Festival is one of the longest festivals in the country, three months would seem too short, compared to the length of time that the San Pedro de Alcantara parish church has existed – 332 years to be exact.
It all began in May 12, 1676, when Fr. Francisco Barajas, a Franciscan who came to the Philippines for his missionary work, placed all his efforts in separating Pakil from Paete. Pakil used to be a visita of Paete, and the people from Pakil had to carry stones with them whenever they heard mass in Paete. Their way of helping in the construction of the church in the said town literally became burdensome for them.
However, Fr. Barajas efforts succeeded, which made him the first parish priest of the church of St. Peter de Alcantara. The church and the state were still considered as one during that time so it was also then that Pakil officially become a town, under the leadership of Diego Jorge. The first church was made out of nipa and bamboo.
Still, such fragile structure isn’t enough to bring all Paquileños together during a mass celebration. So in 1684, Governor General Gabriel Curruzualegui decided to put a halt to the collection of taxes in Pakil for the next five years, so as to be able to collect sufficient funds for the construction of a stone church. The people of Pakil were then involved in building one of the most important structures in their town. However, the said construction only began in 1732, under the supervision of Fr. Hernando Jaro.
The church was almost completely built in 1739 when it was unexpectedly brought to a stop, and the dreams of the people of Pakil for the San Pedro parish was suddenly reduced to ashes. At midnight of March 17 of that year, the sound of church bells was heard all over Pakil. Ironically, these beautiful sounds brought fear to the entire town.
Paquileños ran out of their homes and saw that their beloved church was on fire. Although they tried to save the church, some parts of it were damaged by this disaster.
Still, the fire was unable to burn the hopes of the people to have a fully built church. With the supervision of the government officials and the parish priest, the parish underwent a reconstruction, and was fully built in 1767. The efforts given by the people to rebuild the church pulled off since from then on, it was known to have a good and strong foundation, as compared to nearby churches.
With the continuous efforts of the Paquileños to improve the said structure, a belfry was erected ten years later. However, Pakil underwent another disastrous event as the convent that was located next to the church was damaged by fire in 1851. Still, the said fire could not match up to the burning passion of the people to again, repair the damage, as the church was restored three years later.
While the church has already suffered from many disasters, the worst has yet to come. This time though, fire had nothing to do with it.
In 1881, the entire town was literally shattered by an earthquake, and both the roof and the belfry was damaged. Still, the desire to repair the damages was unshattered by the disaster. Within two years after that incident, Fr. Juan de Dios Villayos and Fr. Paulino Camba had the damages repaired.
While most of the townspeople cared about the church, there was no specific group of persons that are held responsible for all the events happening within the parish. So in the 1900s, the organization Unidad Catolica was created. Coincidentally, it was also during that time that the church was separated from the government, therefore it was timely that a specific group was created to work for the church.
The group’s capability to help in the parish was soon put to a test as another earthquake created major damages to the said structure in 1937, with stones and parts of the roof falling off in shambles. The group was able to survive this trial by leading in the reconstruction of the church, together with then parish priest, Fr. Federico Diaz.
The church was further improved when the old altar was replaced by Fr. Joseph Regan in 1959 by the present marble altar which was made in Hongkong. It was consecrated in the same year by Bishop Alejandro Olaila. Further improvements were made in the years 1980-1984, when the tower and the roof was again reconstructed, under the supervision of the Parish Council of the Laity.
The beautiful sounds of four different church bells are heard all over the entire town every now and then. The first of these bells was placed in the belfry in 1796, and is dedicated to San Miguel Arcangel de Pakil, the second was in 1833, dedicated to Nuestra delos Dolores de Turumba, the third was in 1858, for San Pedro de Alcantara, and the last was placed in 1862, for Purissima Conception.
Over the years, the church has had more than 90 parish priests, three of which have already been bishops. Those that have become bishops are Fr. Joseph Regan, the church’s parish priest in the year 1952, Fr. Leoncio Lat, parish priest in 1960, and the last of which is Gaudencio Rosales, parish priest in 1963 and is now the Archbishop of Manila.
More than 330 years after the San Pedro de Alcantara Parish Church was established, it became far greater than the nipa and bamboo structure that it used to be. More than the improvement of the physical aspect of the church, the faith of a great number of people in Pakil is something that also brings pride to the parish. As the church was proclaimed a Diocesan Shrine of Nuestra Señora de los Dolores de Turumba by the Bishop of San Pablo, Leo Drona, SDB, DD, on October 2006, appointing Msgr. Jose Barrion as the Shrine Rector, more people have visited the said parish. Rev. Fr. Marcelino Ramos who took Msgr. Barrion’s place as parish priest and Shrine Rector on January of 2007, now assists this people who gather to practice their faith.
The parish celebrates three fiestas every year: every October, the people of Pakil celebrates in honor of their patron saint, San Pedro de Alcantara. There is also the Grand Turumba Festival Celebration held during the Sunday which is nearest to September 15, in honor of Our Lady of Sorrows. However, the Turumba festival which is held for three months and is the most famous among the three, brings a great number of people together, in their devotion for Our Lady of Turumba. The Fiestang Pakileñas is also celebrated every 12th of May, however, this is usually within the Turumba Festival.
Turumba!
“Maskilala yung parokya namin sa mahal na Birhen ng Turumba. Ang mahal na Birhen ng Turumba ay walang iba kundi ang Mahal na Birhen ng Dolos Dolores, Our Lady of Sorrows.” – Fr. Marcelino Ramos, parish priest of Pakil
While the San Pedro de Alcantara parish church has a great historical background, there is still a need to place great emphasis on the Turumba Festival, and tell its story, separate from the church’s history. For this festival, has made great impact on the Nuestra Señora de los Dolores’ devotees, and for this, it has already created a history of its own.
In a book written by Gregorio Ybardolaza on the history of Pakil, it was on a Friday in the year 1788, when a missionary priest was in a casco along Laguna Lake, when a huge storm came and a painting that he brought with him accidentally fell into the water. The said image was spotted by some fishermen a day after and they were able to catch it with their nets. When they saw that the 9x11 oil painting was a picture of the Sorrowful Mother, they decided to bring it to the nearest church. However, they suffered from extreme difficulties during their journey since the current was too strong and was also against the direction they were going to. With great effort, they tried bringing it to other churches, but to their dismay, they experienced the same kind of difficulty. But when they decided to bring the image to the Pakil church, surprisingly, they were able to reach the town easily. It was already late in the afternoon when they reached Pakil, so the fishermen decided to leave the picture among the stones, hoping that someone would see the painting the following day.
It was a Sunday when some ladies walked by the stones and were surprised to see the Virgin’s image. They were amazed by the fact that the image remained to be dry even though the entire town suffered from a stormy night. They tried to lift the painting, however, no one could even budge it from its place. A big lady, which is said to go by the name “Mariangga,” also could not lift the picture. It was then that they decided to run to the church and tell the priest about the mysterious painting.
Upon hearing the story about the image, then parish priest, Fr. Miguel Soriano, assembled the people at the church and went down the lake while chanting the Litany of the Saints. Surprisingly, the priest was able to lift the painting with ease.
“Nang nagpunta doon (sa batuhan) yung pari, binuhat niya ito (imahe ng Birhen) papuntang simbahan habang nagsasaya yung mga tao. At doon nga ay nagsasayaw ang mga tao sa sobrang kasiyahan,” Fr. Ramos said.
Since the image was of the Virgin in tears, they have reached the conclusion that the woman in the painting was the Lady of Sorrows. Incidentally, that Sunday was on Sept. 15, which happens to be the feast of the Lady of Sorrows. Since then, the Turumba Festival was held annually.
The story of the origin of the Turumba Festival was also passed on through word of mouth for many generations, that most Paquileños could easily tell travelers, visitors, or foreigners the unique story of this festivity.
The word “Turumba” is used to refer to the wild dancing that people did for the festival, in devotion to the Lady of Sorrows. There is no direct translation for Turumba, however, most Paquileños would say that “Turum” in a foreign language would mean “to dance wildly.”
Since the image is too small for a procession, and could easily be damaged, a former Bishop of Spain looked for the real image of the Virgin and created an icon that was sent to Pakil, and is being used for the procession. The same icon is now placed near the altar, while the original image is kept at the church’s Capilla. During the later years, another icon was created, to be used for places beyond Pakil. During the procession, the devotees would sing and dance to the Turumba song, which was written by Julian Celis Balita in September 5, 1969:
Turumba, Turumba Mariangga
Matuwa tayo’t magsaya
Sumayaw ng Tu-Turumba
Puri sa Birhen Maria, Sa Birhen!
Turumba, Turumba sa Birhen
Matuwa tayo’t mag-aliw
Turumba’y ating sayawin
Puri sa Mahal na Birhen, sa Birhen!
Biyernes ng Makita Ka
Linggo ng i-ahon Ka
Sumayaw ng Tu-Turumba
Puri sa Birhen Maria, Sa Birhen (2x)
Turumba, Turumba sa Birhen
Turumba, Turumba sa Birhen
Turmba’y ating sayawin
Puri sa Mahal na Birhen
(Repeat Over)
The Turumba festival is similar to that of different chapters of a book, as it is celebrated with seven “lupis” or “folds.” These lupis symbolizes the seven sorrows of Mary. The first lupi, also known as “Pistang Viernes de Dolores,” is celebrated on the Friday before Palm Sunday. It opens and closes on that same day, then, the second lupi would open, and would also be closed, nine days after.
“Kaya ang festivals natin, hindi fixed ang date. Depende iyan sa kung saan papatak ang Friday before Palm Sunday,” Fr. Ramos said.
The second lupi would then be known as “Pistang Martes.” The routine goes on for the rest of the lupis, as each opens and closes, and they are as follows: “Pistang Viatico,” “Pistang Viernes,” “Pistang Linggo,” “Pistang-pagakyat,” which is usually associated to the ascension of Christ, and lastly, the “Pistang Pagpanaog,” which is said to be derived from the Pentecost.
One of the biggest of the seven lupis, is the Pistang Viatico, where people with different kinds of sicknesses, especially those with grave illnesses, gather enogh strength to head to Pakil to be anointed with the holy oil, and to receive Holy Communion.
“So sa halip na yung mga pari yung nagpupunta sa mga may sakit, sila yung dinadala dito for that purpose,” Fr. Ramos said.
During the first day of the Festival, a mass is held for the Nuestra Señora de los Dolores. After the mass, a procession is held and the image of the Virgin is brought around the entire town of Pakil for devotees to see and pray to. The scene is similar to that of the Black Nazarene festival, where people would try to get close to the image in the belief that they will be blessed and will be able to experience some kind of miracle in their lives. The procession ends in a pool which is blessed by the parish priest. The Virgin then is brought back to the church, where the devotees would get some of the flowers and take it to their homes. They would also buy some holy oil and use it with the wish to heal some of their illnesses.
Devotees who come during the Festival would not miss the chance to take a dip at the Doña Aurora A. Quezon – Nuestra Señora de los Dolores Swimming Pool, which is near the church and is said to miraculously heal the sick. The water comes from the mountains, and the pool was built in the year 1938. According to Ybardolaza’s book and the stories passed on by the natives of Pakil, one Friday evening, some people saw the water became very bright. Curious with what was happening right before their very eyes, they approached the water and it was then that they saw the Lady of Sorrows walking on top of the water. It is for this reason that the novena for the Virgin is done every Friday, the whole year round. Devotees would swim in the pool in the hope of being able to experience the miracles of the Virgin, especially for those who are sick.
“Sa katunayan ay bago sila umuwi sa bayan na kanilang pinanggagalingan, nangunguha sila ng tubig," said Bro. Reynaldo Sabeñano, former president of the Parish Pastoral Council.
However, Fr. Ramos said that there are those who come for the festival for the fun and celebration, but lacks devotion and faith in the Virgin.
"Yung mga tao, dahil hindi nacacathecize ng tama, hindi na nila alam yung ibig sabihin nung festival, pumupunta nalang sila dito para maligo," Fr. Ramos said.
Other miracles aside from what happened at the Laguna Lake are also said to have happened with the presence of the painting of the Nuestra Señora de los Dolores.
In the same history book that was stated earlier, Ybardolaza made mention of the great fire that the town of Pakil suffered from in the year 1851. This disaster has led to the damage of more than half of the church. Very few would things would have been spared in this tragedy, however, to the amazement of the people, 300 “estampas” of the Nuestra Señora de los Dolores which was inside the burning church, were spared from the fire, while the paper around these estampas were said to have burned. The estampas were then given to different churches, which led to a great number of devotees from different places.
While most devotees who seek to experience the miracles of the Virgin are those with illnesses, there are also those who pray to her so that they may be granted a child. This was mentioned by Dr. Jose Rizal in the 6th chapter of his book, Noli Me Tangere, where he says that most of the devotees are of women who ask the Lady of Sorrows for a child. Rizal was said to also be a devotee of Nuestra Señora de los Dolores, since his parents were also devotees of the Virgin. It is through his visits in Pakil for his devotion that he met his best friend, Nicolas Regalado, who was a resident of the town of Pakil.
The clothes of the Virgin are also given importance by the devotees since they are believed to protect them, once worn by the Virgin. The icon’s clothes is changed every once in a while, and the old ones are cut into pieces and given away to the said devotees who believe that holding on to a piece of that cloth, together with their faith, could result to their safety.
While there is no proof that carrying such piece of cloth would result to some sort of miracle, Bro. Sabeñano feels that it wouldn’t bring any harm for people to believe and hold on to it.
“Yun ay hindi anting-anting, ngunit natataon na kapag daladala yung damit ng mahal na Birhen ay nalalayo sa disgrasya,” Sabeñano said. “Maigi lamang na dala-dala sa katawan para maprotektahan.”
Most miracles that are said to have happened, consists of people being cured from grave illnesses such as cancer, or those who have been granted children after a long wait. Some devotees were said to be cured by their devotion and faith in the Virgin alone, while others would also rely on the piece of clothing, some on holy oil, while there are those who have found satisfaction in taking a bath in the miraculous pool.
While the people of Pakil give due importance to the Virgin and to the festival that brings pride to their town, Fr. Ramos said that those who live in nearby towns have yet to know what the Turumba festival is, since there are those who are still unaware of its existence.
“Ako'y naaamaze sa mga deboto na nagpupunta, kasi to tell you honestly, nung ako'y di pa parish priest dito, ako'y sa kabilang bayan lang nakatira, sa Paete. Pero hindi ko alam ‘tong Turumba. Ang alam ko lang, e naliligo yung mga tao kapag lupi. Ni hindi ko nakikita yung mahal na birhen ng Turumba,” Fr. Ramos said.
“Kaya yung isang goal ng diocese ngayon, is to promote the devotion within the diocese, kasi, ultimo itong diocese namin ng Laguna, ay hindi masyadong kilala itong mahal na Birhen.”
Being one of those with the longest festivals in the country, it would not be surprising if there would come a time that the Turumba Festival would be as famous as that of the Black Nazarene of Quiapo, where people would gather and come together, to practice their faith. ###
References:
Ybardolaza, Gregorio C. Kasaysayan ng Pakil. 1971.
Parokya ni San Pedro de Alcantara: Kahapon at Ngayon – Souvenir Program
Turumba sa Birhen Maria de los Dolores – Speaker’s Bureau Module. 2007.
http://www.geocities.com/alfred1023/pakil
http://www.manila.happyhost.org/ArticlesSearch2/article2.htm
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While these are the famous ones and are well-known all over the country, there are those that are yet to be heard of, yet the people who gather for these festivities have the same type of enthusiasm and passion as those who gather for the popular festivals.
One of these, is the Turumba Festival in Pakil, Laguna. People, who are mostly from Laguna and Quezon, gather in one of the oldest churches in Laguna – the San Pedro de Alcantara Parish Church – to join the said festivity that lasts for about three months – one of the longest of its kind in the country.
330 Years of Faith
While the Turumba Festival is one of the longest festivals in the country, three months would seem too short, compared to the length of time that the San Pedro de Alcantara parish church has existed – 332 years to be exact.
It all began in May 12, 1676, when Fr. Francisco Barajas, a Franciscan who came to the Philippines for his missionary work, placed all his efforts in separating Pakil from Paete. Pakil used to be a visita of Paete, and the people from Pakil had to carry stones with them whenever they heard mass in Paete. Their way of helping in the construction of the church in the said town literally became burdensome for them.
However, Fr. Barajas efforts succeeded, which made him the first parish priest of the church of St. Peter de Alcantara. The church and the state were still considered as one during that time so it was also then that Pakil officially become a town, under the leadership of Diego Jorge. The first church was made out of nipa and bamboo.
Still, such fragile structure isn’t enough to bring all Paquileños together during a mass celebration. So in 1684, Governor General Gabriel Curruzualegui decided to put a halt to the collection of taxes in Pakil for the next five years, so as to be able to collect sufficient funds for the construction of a stone church. The people of Pakil were then involved in building one of the most important structures in their town. However, the said construction only began in 1732, under the supervision of Fr. Hernando Jaro.
The church was almost completely built in 1739 when it was unexpectedly brought to a stop, and the dreams of the people of Pakil for the San Pedro parish was suddenly reduced to ashes. At midnight of March 17 of that year, the sound of church bells was heard all over Pakil. Ironically, these beautiful sounds brought fear to the entire town.
Paquileños ran out of their homes and saw that their beloved church was on fire. Although they tried to save the church, some parts of it were damaged by this disaster.
Still, the fire was unable to burn the hopes of the people to have a fully built church. With the supervision of the government officials and the parish priest, the parish underwent a reconstruction, and was fully built in 1767. The efforts given by the people to rebuild the church pulled off since from then on, it was known to have a good and strong foundation, as compared to nearby churches.
With the continuous efforts of the Paquileños to improve the said structure, a belfry was erected ten years later. However, Pakil underwent another disastrous event as the convent that was located next to the church was damaged by fire in 1851. Still, the said fire could not match up to the burning passion of the people to again, repair the damage, as the church was restored three years later.
While the church has already suffered from many disasters, the worst has yet to come. This time though, fire had nothing to do with it.
In 1881, the entire town was literally shattered by an earthquake, and both the roof and the belfry was damaged. Still, the desire to repair the damages was unshattered by the disaster. Within two years after that incident, Fr. Juan de Dios Villayos and Fr. Paulino Camba had the damages repaired.
While most of the townspeople cared about the church, there was no specific group of persons that are held responsible for all the events happening within the parish. So in the 1900s, the organization Unidad Catolica was created. Coincidentally, it was also during that time that the church was separated from the government, therefore it was timely that a specific group was created to work for the church.
The group’s capability to help in the parish was soon put to a test as another earthquake created major damages to the said structure in 1937, with stones and parts of the roof falling off in shambles. The group was able to survive this trial by leading in the reconstruction of the church, together with then parish priest, Fr. Federico Diaz.
The church was further improved when the old altar was replaced by Fr. Joseph Regan in 1959 by the present marble altar which was made in Hongkong. It was consecrated in the same year by Bishop Alejandro Olaila. Further improvements were made in the years 1980-1984, when the tower and the roof was again reconstructed, under the supervision of the Parish Council of the Laity.
The beautiful sounds of four different church bells are heard all over the entire town every now and then. The first of these bells was placed in the belfry in 1796, and is dedicated to San Miguel Arcangel de Pakil, the second was in 1833, dedicated to Nuestra delos Dolores de Turumba, the third was in 1858, for San Pedro de Alcantara, and the last was placed in 1862, for Purissima Conception.
Over the years, the church has had more than 90 parish priests, three of which have already been bishops. Those that have become bishops are Fr. Joseph Regan, the church’s parish priest in the year 1952, Fr. Leoncio Lat, parish priest in 1960, and the last of which is Gaudencio Rosales, parish priest in 1963 and is now the Archbishop of Manila.
More than 330 years after the San Pedro de Alcantara Parish Church was established, it became far greater than the nipa and bamboo structure that it used to be. More than the improvement of the physical aspect of the church, the faith of a great number of people in Pakil is something that also brings pride to the parish. As the church was proclaimed a Diocesan Shrine of Nuestra Señora de los Dolores de Turumba by the Bishop of San Pablo, Leo Drona, SDB, DD, on October 2006, appointing Msgr. Jose Barrion as the Shrine Rector, more people have visited the said parish. Rev. Fr. Marcelino Ramos who took Msgr. Barrion’s place as parish priest and Shrine Rector on January of 2007, now assists this people who gather to practice their faith.
The parish celebrates three fiestas every year: every October, the people of Pakil celebrates in honor of their patron saint, San Pedro de Alcantara. There is also the Grand Turumba Festival Celebration held during the Sunday which is nearest to September 15, in honor of Our Lady of Sorrows. However, the Turumba festival which is held for three months and is the most famous among the three, brings a great number of people together, in their devotion for Our Lady of Turumba. The Fiestang Pakileñas is also celebrated every 12th of May, however, this is usually within the Turumba Festival.
Turumba!
“Maskilala yung parokya namin sa mahal na Birhen ng Turumba. Ang mahal na Birhen ng Turumba ay walang iba kundi ang Mahal na Birhen ng Dolos Dolores, Our Lady of Sorrows.” – Fr. Marcelino Ramos, parish priest of Pakil
While the San Pedro de Alcantara parish church has a great historical background, there is still a need to place great emphasis on the Turumba Festival, and tell its story, separate from the church’s history. For this festival, has made great impact on the Nuestra Señora de los Dolores’ devotees, and for this, it has already created a history of its own.
In a book written by Gregorio Ybardolaza on the history of Pakil, it was on a Friday in the year 1788, when a missionary priest was in a casco along Laguna Lake, when a huge storm came and a painting that he brought with him accidentally fell into the water. The said image was spotted by some fishermen a day after and they were able to catch it with their nets. When they saw that the 9x11 oil painting was a picture of the Sorrowful Mother, they decided to bring it to the nearest church. However, they suffered from extreme difficulties during their journey since the current was too strong and was also against the direction they were going to. With great effort, they tried bringing it to other churches, but to their dismay, they experienced the same kind of difficulty. But when they decided to bring the image to the Pakil church, surprisingly, they were able to reach the town easily. It was already late in the afternoon when they reached Pakil, so the fishermen decided to leave the picture among the stones, hoping that someone would see the painting the following day.
It was a Sunday when some ladies walked by the stones and were surprised to see the Virgin’s image. They were amazed by the fact that the image remained to be dry even though the entire town suffered from a stormy night. They tried to lift the painting, however, no one could even budge it from its place. A big lady, which is said to go by the name “Mariangga,” also could not lift the picture. It was then that they decided to run to the church and tell the priest about the mysterious painting.
Upon hearing the story about the image, then parish priest, Fr. Miguel Soriano, assembled the people at the church and went down the lake while chanting the Litany of the Saints. Surprisingly, the priest was able to lift the painting with ease.
“Nang nagpunta doon (sa batuhan) yung pari, binuhat niya ito (imahe ng Birhen) papuntang simbahan habang nagsasaya yung mga tao. At doon nga ay nagsasayaw ang mga tao sa sobrang kasiyahan,” Fr. Ramos said.
Since the image was of the Virgin in tears, they have reached the conclusion that the woman in the painting was the Lady of Sorrows. Incidentally, that Sunday was on Sept. 15, which happens to be the feast of the Lady of Sorrows. Since then, the Turumba Festival was held annually.
The story of the origin of the Turumba Festival was also passed on through word of mouth for many generations, that most Paquileños could easily tell travelers, visitors, or foreigners the unique story of this festivity.
The word “Turumba” is used to refer to the wild dancing that people did for the festival, in devotion to the Lady of Sorrows. There is no direct translation for Turumba, however, most Paquileños would say that “Turum” in a foreign language would mean “to dance wildly.”
Since the image is too small for a procession, and could easily be damaged, a former Bishop of Spain looked for the real image of the Virgin and created an icon that was sent to Pakil, and is being used for the procession. The same icon is now placed near the altar, while the original image is kept at the church’s Capilla. During the later years, another icon was created, to be used for places beyond Pakil. During the procession, the devotees would sing and dance to the Turumba song, which was written by Julian Celis Balita in September 5, 1969:
Turumba, Turumba Mariangga
Matuwa tayo’t magsaya
Sumayaw ng Tu-Turumba
Puri sa Birhen Maria, Sa Birhen!
Turumba, Turumba sa Birhen
Matuwa tayo’t mag-aliw
Turumba’y ating sayawin
Puri sa Mahal na Birhen, sa Birhen!
Biyernes ng Makita Ka
Linggo ng i-ahon Ka
Sumayaw ng Tu-Turumba
Puri sa Birhen Maria, Sa Birhen (2x)
Turumba, Turumba sa Birhen
Turumba, Turumba sa Birhen
Turmba’y ating sayawin
Puri sa Mahal na Birhen
(Repeat Over)
The Turumba festival is similar to that of different chapters of a book, as it is celebrated with seven “lupis” or “folds.” These lupis symbolizes the seven sorrows of Mary. The first lupi, also known as “Pistang Viernes de Dolores,” is celebrated on the Friday before Palm Sunday. It opens and closes on that same day, then, the second lupi would open, and would also be closed, nine days after.
“Kaya ang festivals natin, hindi fixed ang date. Depende iyan sa kung saan papatak ang Friday before Palm Sunday,” Fr. Ramos said.
The second lupi would then be known as “Pistang Martes.” The routine goes on for the rest of the lupis, as each opens and closes, and they are as follows: “Pistang Viatico,” “Pistang Viernes,” “Pistang Linggo,” “Pistang-pagakyat,” which is usually associated to the ascension of Christ, and lastly, the “Pistang Pagpanaog,” which is said to be derived from the Pentecost.
One of the biggest of the seven lupis, is the Pistang Viatico, where people with different kinds of sicknesses, especially those with grave illnesses, gather enogh strength to head to Pakil to be anointed with the holy oil, and to receive Holy Communion.
“So sa halip na yung mga pari yung nagpupunta sa mga may sakit, sila yung dinadala dito for that purpose,” Fr. Ramos said.
During the first day of the Festival, a mass is held for the Nuestra Señora de los Dolores. After the mass, a procession is held and the image of the Virgin is brought around the entire town of Pakil for devotees to see and pray to. The scene is similar to that of the Black Nazarene festival, where people would try to get close to the image in the belief that they will be blessed and will be able to experience some kind of miracle in their lives. The procession ends in a pool which is blessed by the parish priest. The Virgin then is brought back to the church, where the devotees would get some of the flowers and take it to their homes. They would also buy some holy oil and use it with the wish to heal some of their illnesses.
Devotees who come during the Festival would not miss the chance to take a dip at the Doña Aurora A. Quezon – Nuestra Señora de los Dolores Swimming Pool, which is near the church and is said to miraculously heal the sick. The water comes from the mountains, and the pool was built in the year 1938. According to Ybardolaza’s book and the stories passed on by the natives of Pakil, one Friday evening, some people saw the water became very bright. Curious with what was happening right before their very eyes, they approached the water and it was then that they saw the Lady of Sorrows walking on top of the water. It is for this reason that the novena for the Virgin is done every Friday, the whole year round. Devotees would swim in the pool in the hope of being able to experience the miracles of the Virgin, especially for those who are sick.
“Sa katunayan ay bago sila umuwi sa bayan na kanilang pinanggagalingan, nangunguha sila ng tubig," said Bro. Reynaldo Sabeñano, former president of the Parish Pastoral Council.
However, Fr. Ramos said that there are those who come for the festival for the fun and celebration, but lacks devotion and faith in the Virgin.
"Yung mga tao, dahil hindi nacacathecize ng tama, hindi na nila alam yung ibig sabihin nung festival, pumupunta nalang sila dito para maligo," Fr. Ramos said.
Other miracles aside from what happened at the Laguna Lake are also said to have happened with the presence of the painting of the Nuestra Señora de los Dolores.
In the same history book that was stated earlier, Ybardolaza made mention of the great fire that the town of Pakil suffered from in the year 1851. This disaster has led to the damage of more than half of the church. Very few would things would have been spared in this tragedy, however, to the amazement of the people, 300 “estampas” of the Nuestra Señora de los Dolores which was inside the burning church, were spared from the fire, while the paper around these estampas were said to have burned. The estampas were then given to different churches, which led to a great number of devotees from different places.
While most devotees who seek to experience the miracles of the Virgin are those with illnesses, there are also those who pray to her so that they may be granted a child. This was mentioned by Dr. Jose Rizal in the 6th chapter of his book, Noli Me Tangere, where he says that most of the devotees are of women who ask the Lady of Sorrows for a child. Rizal was said to also be a devotee of Nuestra Señora de los Dolores, since his parents were also devotees of the Virgin. It is through his visits in Pakil for his devotion that he met his best friend, Nicolas Regalado, who was a resident of the town of Pakil.
The clothes of the Virgin are also given importance by the devotees since they are believed to protect them, once worn by the Virgin. The icon’s clothes is changed every once in a while, and the old ones are cut into pieces and given away to the said devotees who believe that holding on to a piece of that cloth, together with their faith, could result to their safety.
While there is no proof that carrying such piece of cloth would result to some sort of miracle, Bro. Sabeñano feels that it wouldn’t bring any harm for people to believe and hold on to it.
“Yun ay hindi anting-anting, ngunit natataon na kapag daladala yung damit ng mahal na Birhen ay nalalayo sa disgrasya,” Sabeñano said. “Maigi lamang na dala-dala sa katawan para maprotektahan.”
Most miracles that are said to have happened, consists of people being cured from grave illnesses such as cancer, or those who have been granted children after a long wait. Some devotees were said to be cured by their devotion and faith in the Virgin alone, while others would also rely on the piece of clothing, some on holy oil, while there are those who have found satisfaction in taking a bath in the miraculous pool.
While the people of Pakil give due importance to the Virgin and to the festival that brings pride to their town, Fr. Ramos said that those who live in nearby towns have yet to know what the Turumba festival is, since there are those who are still unaware of its existence.
“Ako'y naaamaze sa mga deboto na nagpupunta, kasi to tell you honestly, nung ako'y di pa parish priest dito, ako'y sa kabilang bayan lang nakatira, sa Paete. Pero hindi ko alam ‘tong Turumba. Ang alam ko lang, e naliligo yung mga tao kapag lupi. Ni hindi ko nakikita yung mahal na birhen ng Turumba,” Fr. Ramos said.
“Kaya yung isang goal ng diocese ngayon, is to promote the devotion within the diocese, kasi, ultimo itong diocese namin ng Laguna, ay hindi masyadong kilala itong mahal na Birhen.”
Being one of those with the longest festivals in the country, it would not be surprising if there would come a time that the Turumba Festival would be as famous as that of the Black Nazarene of Quiapo, where people would gather and come together, to practice their faith. ###
References:
Ybardolaza, Gregorio C. Kasaysayan ng Pakil. 1971.
Parokya ni San Pedro de Alcantara: Kahapon at Ngayon – Souvenir Program
Turumba sa Birhen Maria de los Dolores – Speaker’s Bureau Module. 2007.
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http://www.ncca.gov.ph/about-culture-and-arts/articles-on-c-n-a/article.php?i=24&subcat=13
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