Princely Gifts to the Town of Panguil

  

At first I thought what was referred to as the Santo Niño de la O was actually inside the Virgen de la O’s womb. Until I saw an image of the Santo Niño outside the church, here the infant Jesus stands in a circular halo mounted on a pole. 

 

  

According to Anita Feleo, the original piece consists of a circular halo made of silver, the outer silver is a sunburst whose rays are laced with floral vine; the inner circle which is more solid, is like a wreath. The entire halo rests on a single rod around whose upper end, close to the halo’s base, is wrapped a red velvet skirt trimmed with silver embroidery and pearls. Feleo explains that the halo represents Mary’s womb.

 

Is the circular radiance surrounding the image of the infant Jesus represent the other “O” of the promise? 

 

 

The images of Mother and Child were gifts from King Carlos III of Spain. When Carlos was still crowned prince, he stayed in the Philippines for two years. It was said that the prince would haunt wild animals in Pangil’s dense forest and swim in its river. The river is now called Bambang Hari in his honor.  A statue of Prince Carlos stands in front of the church to remember his presence in the small yet beautiful town of Panguil. 

 

 

Pangil must have been among his favorite places because after he was crowned king in 1764, he sent Pangil the images of the Virgen de la O and Santo Niño de la O as a thanksgiving for the town folks’ kindness. Stories have it that the Holy Infant’s crown is actually the crown Carlos wore as a child.

 

There are only two sets of these images found in the world, the other two statues are in Sevilla, Spain. However, I did not see the image of the Child Jesus in the Church. I was told that the original image of the Santo Niño de la O was under the care of a private individual. At that point, I was inspired to locate the original image of the Child Jesus.

 

Second of four parts. To be concluded.

Click here to view previous article.

 

The Pregnant Virgin of Panguil

  

  

The first time I saw an image of a pregnant Mary was during the Grand Marian Procession held last December in Intramuros. During the procession, young boys and girls danced with a bandana as a reenactment of the day when the images were brought to their town. It is said that as soon as the images touched ground after sailing through a casco from Manila, it began to drizzle. The town’s people began to cover their heads with their handkerchiefs.

 

 

My second encounter with this non-traditional image of Mary was during our Visita Yglesia via the Lake Towns of Laguna. The stone church in the lakeshore town of Pangil was built in 1611 and was dedicated to the Virgin of Nativity. It was at one time the biggest church in Laguna. It was in this town that a Spanish monarch sent princely gifts to its people for the hospitality they showed to him during his stay.

 

 

These gifts are the images of Mary and Child Jesus, venerated by the townspeople of Pangil as the Virgen de la O, the Virgin pregnant with the Son of God and as the Santo Niño de la O, is depicted as yet unborn, cradled in his mother’s womb. The Virgen de la O is enshrined on the left side altar of Pangil Church. The image of the Virgen de la O shows Mary with her arms raised and spread out as if she has been amazed and her eyes seem to be staring in disbelief at something quite improbable.

 

 

Anita Feleo reveals two explanations about how the image of Mary acquired this extraordinary name. The first must have been taken from every line of the litany recited during her feast days with “O”: O Maria, O Magandang Birhen, O Aming Ina… and so on.

 

The second explanation was taken from the Bible. When the angel Gabriel announced about Mary that she would bear a child who would be the Son of Man, the angel also told her that her cousin Elizabeth would have a child in her old age, “Elizabeth who is barren is now in her sixth month.” Mary rush off to meet her cousin Elizabeth.

 

Feleo noted that folk imagination had embellished that biblical account of Mary’s visit. The folks claimed that despite knowing beforehand of Elizabeth’s condition, Mary was filled with wonder just the same at the sight of her aged and supposed barren cousin now heavy with child, she must have said “Oh!” to express her Divine Surprise.

 

A third explanation was revealed to me by a local who said that the “O” is a confirmation to a promise. In Tagalog we say “Oo” which means Yes. But where is the other “O” of the “Oo”?

 

First of four parts

To be concluded.

Lumban Embroidery

 

  

Gemma Perez sits in silent concentration over her mid-afternoon labor, delicate hands tirelessly shifting the needle along the beginnings of a meticulously-embroidered piña fabric. Sheltered from the scorching afternoon sun by a small foyer of her home along one of the town’s narrow streets, she is joined by other women in neighborhood doing embroidery, their attention broken only by the occasional admirers who come to observe their fine handy work. 

 

 

In the town of Lumban in Laguna, embroidery has flourished as a major industry. Mang Pilo showed me around town where street after street are lined with bamboo frames called bastidor, upon which transparent cloth is stretch to dry after being washed with water and soap.  

 

 

In houses I’ve observed women execute decorative stitches on cloth ranging from the traditional jusi and piña made from banana and pineapple fibers to modern linen to silk blends.  

 

 

A few people realize how complex the making of barong tagalog designs actually is. I am not actually good at looking at these designs but even without a trained eye, I can appreciate the craftsmanship involve in the making of these fine fabrics. 

 

 

This involves pulling threads to create decorative warp into the fabric or insert a floral design into the fabric through the process called suksok. Gemma Perez who has been adept to this art since she was fourteen noted that it takes a full week to embroider a surface the size of medium size pizza dough. 

 

 

Although some embroiderers are now using machines for mass production, Gemma noted that hand made embroidery are still preferred by most of their clients. Embroiderers use métier a broder, or locally called as a tambor upon which the fabric is dragged out as tight as a drum’s skin on this round wooden stretcher while patterns are being stitched. 

 

 

The art of embroidery in the Philippines dates back since the Spanish colonial period. The Spanish nuns introduced embroidery to girls in the beaterios whose fine embroidery has made their way to Europe and America. By the end of the colonial period, the Spaniards made a bid to set against Philippine embroidery with French and Belgian lace.  

 

 

Anita Feleo explains that it is probable that the first embroiderers in Lumban where pupils from missionary school. Thus, this traditional art was passed on from generation to generation until it became a lively cottage industry in Lumban.

 

Gemma Perez can be reached at 0918.2902498

 

 

Plazas of Manila

 

 

When the Spaniards established their colony in the Philippines, they organized the towns where the church, the town hall and houses of key officials enclosed an open court or plazas. In the olden days, plazas were centers of public entertainment. It was in the plaza where a make-shift stage was set-up during town fiestas for street dramas like the cenaculo, moro-moro and the zarzuela. During Holy Week a kubol or an improvised shade is set-up for the week-long chanting of the pasyon. 

 

  

At a time when television was not available, it was in the town plaza where people gathered to witness a public execution or even bull fights after hearing the Sunday Mass for entertainment. Some plazas served as common venues for public celebrations as well as demonstrations and protests.  

 

 

As a public landmark, some plazas were attractively landscaped and the usual focal point could be a statue or a sculpture in honor of a person or in remembrance of a historic event of which the plaza was named after. Like old structures, street names, and other public landmarks in Manila, plazas reflect the city’s historical and cultural heritage.

 

Below is a list of some of plazas found in historic Manila:

 

Liwasang Bonifacio was formerly Plaza Lawton, was renamed after Andres Bonifacio whose bronze statue now stands in the area fronting the Post Office by the Pasig River. The former name recognized the highest ranking American officer killed during the Filipino-American War, General Henry Lawton who was killed in the Battle of San Mateo when he underestimated the capacity of the Filipino defenders whose command was under General Licerio Geronimo.   

 

 

Plaza Avanceña in Quiapo was named after Ramon Avanceña, revolutionary leader in the Visayas and became Chief Justice of the Supreme Court from 1925 to 1941.

 

Plaza Avelino in Sampaloc was named after Librada Avelino founder of Centro Escolar University.

 

Plaza Benavides is a plaza facing the main building of the University of Santo Tomas, with the Paris-made bronze statue of Archbishop Miguel de Benavides, founder of UST. 

 

Plaza Calderon dela Barca in Binondo. Facing the plaza is Binondo Church. The plaza is also referred as Plaza San Lorenzo Ruiz, after the first Filipino saint. 

 

 

Plaza Cervantes in Binondo was named after Miguel de Cervantes, the Spanish novelist who participated in the Battle of Lepanto and authored Don Quijote de la Mancha in 1605.

 

Plaza del Carmen was named after the Nuestra Señora del Carmen which is enshrined in the Church of San Sebastian.

 

Plaza del Conde is located in San Nicholas. It was named after Antonio Chacon y Conde, first commander of the Veteran Battalion of the Philippines in 1825 and author of the Great Days in the Philippines published in 1826.

 

Plaza Dilao in Paco commemorates the community of San Francisco de Dilao, the site of the Japanese community during the 17^th century.

 

Plaza de España in Intramuros was first known as Plaza Aduana after the structure facing the plaza. In 1897, the colonial government named it as Plaza de los Martires de la Integridad dela Patria to honor the Spanish soldiers who died during the Philippine Revolution. Its present name was given by the Americans in 1902. in 1982, the Intramuros Adminstration restored the plaza and in 2000 it was renovated with the statue of King Philip II. The statue was unveiled as part of the closing activities in Philippine Independence Centennial by the Spanish monarch, Queen Sophia.

 

Plaza Felipe Calderon in Sta. Ana was named after Felipe G. Calderon. He is known as the author and sponsor of the Malolos Constitution. He was also appointed as representative of Paragua (Palawan) to the Malolos Congress.

 

Plaza Isabelo de los Reyes was named after the man who established the Philippine Independent Church with Father Gregorio Aglipay. He founded the Union Obrero Democratico, for which he became known as the “Father of Philippine Labor Union.” The place was formerly called Plaza Guipit, Filipino for “constricted,” describing its tight space.

 

Plaza Lachambre in Binondo was named after Jose Lachambre Dominguez, one-time acting governor-general, believed by the Spaniards to have quelled the insurrection in Cavite in 1897.

 

Plaza Lacson in Sta. Cruz was formerly called Plaza Goiti in honor of Manila’s greatest mayor, Arsenio Lacson whose statue stands at the plaza. The former name was in honor of the conquistadore, Martin de Goiti.  

 

 

Plaza Liga Anti-Imperialista in San Miguel is formerly Aviles Plaza. It commemorates the efforts of Boston-based anti-imperialist league.

 

Plaza Miranda in Quiapo is referred as the “crossroad of the nation.” The square was a preferred venue for presidential debates as well political convocation. In 1971, a bomb exploded during the meeting de avance of the Liberal Party causing the death of nine and injuring 95 people. The infamous event is known in history as the Plaza Miranda Bombing.  The open square was named after Jose Sandino y Miranda, secretary of the Treasury of the Philippines from 1853-1854.

 

Plaza Moraga in Binondo was named after Augustinian Fernando de Moraga, who became the first parish priest of Sta. Ana in 1605. When he returned to Spain in 1619, he exhausted all means to persuade King Philip to reconsider the plan of abandoning the Philippines. 

 

 

Plaza Noli in Sampaloc was named after Jose Rizal’s novel, the Noli me Tangere.

 

Plaza Nuestra Señora de Guia in Ermita was formerly Plaza Ferguson renamed after the image of the oldest statue of the Virgin Mary found in the area by Spanish soldiers. The former Plaza Ferguson has a marble monument surmounted by a double life-size bust in bronze, in honor of Arthur W. Ferguson, appointed by President McKinley as Secretary to the Philippine Commission in 1900. On July 16, 1901, he became Executive Secretary of the Philippine Government.

 

Plaza Roma in Intramuros was renamed several times. First it was called Plaza de Armas to describe the bullfights held there in the 18^th century. Then the Americans named it Plaza McKinley in honor of President William McKinley. The last since 1961, when the first Filipino Cardinal was elected, Archbishop of Manila Rufino Santos, the authorities renamed it as Plaza de Roma after the Sacred College of Cardinals in Rome. The plaza is also the site of the monument of King Carlos IV of Spain, 19^th century monarch in whose  reign the medical operation was launced for checking and halting the rapid spread of small pox in the country.

 

 

Plaza Santa Cruz follows the name of the district where the plaza is situated. On the plaza stands the Carriedo Fountain, in honor of Don Francisco Carriedo for bringing potable water to Manila.  

 

Plaza Santo Tomas in Intramuros was meant to be a Dominican cemetery and garden. Fronting the entrance of original site of the University of Santo Tomas, the city government bought the plaza in 1861 as the place where the statue of Queen Isabel II would be erected. However, the queen’s monument was erected in Arroceros instead. In 1879, the university rector erected the statue of Miguel de Benavides, founder of UST. In 2002, the plaza was refurbished as part of the 400^th anniversary of the university. A replica of the Benavides statue was erected on the site. A marker was also placed to honor the 53 alumni who signed the Malolos Constitution.

 

Plaza Sulayman in front of Malate Church was named after Raja Sulayman, the ruler of Maynila. It was during his time that Martin de Goiti landed in what will be later known as Manila in 1570. He greatly resented the coming of the Spaniards and took great measures of defending his territory. However, the advance weaponry of the invaders prevailed over Sulayman and his defenders. 

 

 

Plaza Sampalucan in Intramuros was also known as Plazuela de Sta. Isabel, after the school that stood there fronting the plaza. It is said that it received because of the sampaloc (tamarind) trees that grew in the empty lot. Legend says that the sampaloc tree sprouted in the area as a reminder of the Bitter-Sweet Love Story (scandal) involving the governor-general, his wife and an ex-Jesuit that took place in 1621. Today, the sampaloc trees were replaced with a landscaped garden. A focal point is a sculpture by Peter Guzman called Memorare Manila 1945 in memory of the 100,000 lives lost during the Liberation of Manila.  

 

Plaza Vicente del Fierro in Tondo honors Vicente del Fierro, a staunch defender of press freedom. He wrote for several dailies such as the Tribune, Philippines Heralds, and many more. The plaza is in front of Tondo Church.

 

Information source: Daluyan

 

 

Our Viaje del Sol Experience Continues at Ugu Bigyan’s

 

 

Our experience at Ugu Bigyan’s in Barangay Lusacan, Tiaong Quezon is best described not in words, but in the images we’ve captured. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

Related links:

 

Art of Ugu Bigyan 

Our Viaje del Sol begins at Kusina Salud

The Bucolic San Pablo City and the Legend of Sampaloc Lake

The Calmness of Lake Pandin

Comfort Food at Kinabuhayan Cafe