#Town of Pila Laguna Philippines

[pilalaguna]

Cleaning an Ancestral House Ceiling

Ancestral houses in Pila have high ceilings and the only way to clean off cobwebs and dust was to take a broom called a Walis Tingting, (a handmade broom crafted from the midribs of Buri leaves, a native palm species in the Philippines), attach it to a long pole, and scrub the ceilings.

[lebjaperal]

LA NOBLE VILLA DE PILA After Taal and Vigan, my third favorite heritage town in the Philippines is Pila, Laguna. The beautiful, colorful heritage houses surrounding the plaza made me feel like I truly trekked back in time. I first visited Pila back in 2016 as part of a visita iglesia with JB Tahum around the lakeshore towns of Laguna de Ba-i. JB and I were there for a really short period of time as we had other churches to visit. Fortunately, I got a second chance to visit Pila when Mr. John Silva and the Ortigas Foundation Library invited me to join them in a company tour a year later. Ms. Cora Relova, a resident of Pila and its most staunch heritage advocate, served as our guide. She is one of the founders of the Pila Historical Society Foundation, which fights hard to conserve the town as a National Historical Landmark. The Laguna Copperplate Inscription, which is believed to have been made around 900 CE, mentioned "Pailah." Pailah is said to refer to Pila. The oldest crematorium in the country was also excavated in Pinagbayanan, Pila. These show that Pila is one of the oldest settlements around Laguna de Ba-i. #lagunalakwatsa #thetimetrekker https://www.instagram.com/p/CDfEcUTBUnq/?igshid=ysufm3g0zymt

[pope-francis-quotes]

26th April >> (@VaticanNews By Robin Gomes) #PopeFrancis #Pope Francis As the new National Shrine of San Antonio de Padua of the #Philippines was inaugurated this week, #PopeFrancis sent his greetings, hoping it will continue to be ‘a centre of constant missionary outreach’.

Pope Francis urges new Philippine shrine be center of missionary outreach

The San Antonio de Padua Church in Pila, Laguna, was declared a national shrine during a Mass on April 23. Pope Francis sent a message for the occasion.

By Robin Gomes

As the new National Shrine of San Antonio de Padua of the Philippines was inaugurated this week, Pope Francis sent his greetings to the faithful hoping it will continue to be ‘a centre of constant missionary outreach’.

As San Pablo Diocese welcomed its first national shrine in the heritage town of Pila, in the Province of Laguna, the Holy Father said he was praying that devotees may all be renewed in the love of Christ”.

Archbishop Romulo Valles of Davao, the president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), presided over the Mass for the declaration of the National Shrine of San Antonio de Padua on April 23.

“May the shrine truly be a sanctuary where the thirsty come to drink in the midst of their journey and the centre of constant missionary outreach,” said the message of Pope Francis, read out during the Mass by Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines, Archbishop Gabriele Caccia.

The CBCP had approved the petition to elevate the church’s status during its plenary assembly last January.

The declaration came 17 years after St. Anthony’s Church was declared a diocesan shrine in 2002.

Popular saint

St. Anthony of Padua is one of the most popular saints in the Catholic Church with novenas celebrations organized in numerous parishes across the world ahead of and on his June 13 feast. Traditionally, bread is blessed and distributed among the faithful on this day.

However, few know that St. Anthony was a native of Lisbon, Portugal, and not of the Italian city of Padua, where he died on June 13, 1231, and by which name he is known.

One of the best-known disciples of the great St. Francis of Assisi, Anthony was born on August 15, 1195, and baptized Fernando Martins de Bulhoes. His parents apparently belonged to one of the prominent families of the city.

Renowned for his powerful preaching, knowledge of scripture and love for the poor and the sick, the Franciscan priest and friar was one of the most quickly canonized saints in church history. He was proclaimed a Doctor of the Church and is regarded as the patron saint of lost things. (Source: CBCPNews)

Topics

POPE FRANCIS

PHILIPPINES

CHURCH

26th April 2019, 15:56

[phgq]

Laguna under 'total’ lockdown after spike in Covid-19 cases

#PHnews: Laguna under 'total’ lockdown after spike in Covid-19 cases

LOS BANOS, Laguna – The fast-rising number of patients who tested positive for the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) has prompted Laguna Governor Ramil Hernandez to place the province under a total lockdown.

“Ipinag-uutos sa lahat ng awtoridad sa lalawigan ng Laguna ang implementasyon ng TOTAL LOCKDOWN ng probinsya at mahigpit na pagsunod sa lahat ng panuntunan sa pagpapatupad nito (All authorities in Laguna are directed to implement the total lockdown in the province and the strict compliance of all its guidelines),” Hernandez said on his Facebook page.

Hernandez also appealed to the public for cooperation and understanding during the lockdown implementation.

Other people authorized to be outdoors are employees of telecommunication and energy companies, emergency responders including the local government unit officials, members of security services, members of healthcare services including officials from the Department of Health, employees of funeral parlors, the officiating ministers, the family of the deceased patient, employees of water companies and sanitation employees.

As of 3 p.m. Saturday, Laguna has 23 confirmed Covid-19 cases in three towns and six cities despite being part of the Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine implemented by the national government to contain the coronavirus outbreak.

Pila was the latest to confirm a Covid-19 case on Saturday.

In a statement, Pila Mayor Edgardo Ramos said the patient is from Barangay Bagong Pook and was transferred to a certain hospital in the province. He did not give further details.

Meanwhile, Healthserv Los Banos Medical Center on Saturday confirmed its first positive case of Covid-19.

"The patient is currently isolated and in a stable condition," Healthserv said in a statement. “Rest assured that we have strict infection control measures in place to protect our patients, doctors, staff and the whole hospital.”

The hospital urged the public to wait for the official statements from the hospital and Department of Health for further updates. (PNA)

***

References:

* Philippine News Agency. "Laguna under 'total’ lockdown after spike in Covid-19 cases." Philippine News Agency. https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1098135 (accessed March 29, 2020 at 07:20PM UTC+14).

* Philippine News Agency. "Laguna under 'total’ lockdown after spike in Covid-19 cases." Archive Today. https://archive.ph/?run=1&url=https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1098135 (archived).

[kkjnr-blog]

Laguna is a province of the Philippines located in the CALABARZON portion of Luzon. Santa Cruz is the seat of its government and located in the southeast of Greater Manila, south of Rizal province, west of Quezon, north of Batangas and east of Cavite. Laguna is surrounded by Laguna de Bay, the largest lake in the country. The province captured its name from the word Lazarus, which means lakes.

Laguna is known as the birthplace of José Rizal, the national hero of the Philippines. Also known as the Talon of Pagsanjan, Pila Town of Laguna, the carved woods created by people in Paete and Pakil, hot springs in Los Baños on the slopes of Mount Makiling and the Hidden Valley Springs in Calauan.

 Laguna is the province of my parents they said that it is very beautiful in Laguna and if you are a type of person who loves to explore, Laguna is the best place for you. But due to insufficient financial support, they force to move here in San Mateo Rizal which is very near in Laguna. I grew up here, but we visit Laguna often because the Pagsanjan Falls there is very beautiful, and I want to go there over and over again. I hope I will live there again together with my family where the life is very simple, less stress, and breath the fresh air of a province.

We can be proud to show to everyone that this is our own province, so do not take a second thought, Come to Laguna, Tara!

[pilalaguna]

Pila Museum Restoration

Photo from Cora Relova

[distritouno-blog]

HISTORY OF LAGUNA

Laguna is a province of the Philippines located in the CALABARZON region in Luzon. Its capital is Santa Cruz and it is found south-east of Metro Manila, southern province of Rizal, west of Quezon, north of Batangas and east of Cavite. Laguna de bay, which is the largest lake in the Philippines, is almost surrounded by the whole province of Laguna. The province got its name from the Spanish word "lago", which means lake. Laguna is known as the birthplace of Jose Rizal, the national hero of the Philippines. Also known to tourists are the Pagsanjan Falls, Park Town of Pila, Laguna, The Woodcarvings of men in Paete and Pakil, The Hot Springs of Los Baños on the slopes of Mt. Makiling and the Hidden Valley Springs in Calauan.

[devdhawal]

Dhaan Diwash ko Subhakamana, 15th Ashar

#Dhaan Diwash ko Subhakamana, 15th Ashar ..................Paddy field........... "Wet rice" redirects here. For the porridge dish, see Congee. "Rice field" redirects here. For the Rice University stadium in Houston, see Rice Track/Soccer Stadium. Traditional planting in northwestern Iran A paddy field is a flooded parcel of arable land used for growing semiaquatic rice. Paddy cultivation should not be confused with cultivation of deep water rice, which is grown in flooded conditions with water more than 50 cm (20 in) deep for at least a month. Genetic evidence shows that all forms of paddy rice, both indica and japonica, spring from a domestication of the wild rice Oryza rufipogon that first occurred 8,200–13,500 years ago South of the Yangtze River in present-day China.[1] However, the domesticated indica subspecies currently appears to be a product of the introgression of favorable alleles from japonica at a later date, so that there are possibly several events of cultivation and domestication.[2] Paddy fields are the typical feature of rice farming in east, south and southeast Asia. Fields can be built into steep hillsides as terraces and adjacent to depressed or steeply sloped features such as rivers or marshes. They can require a great deal of labor and materials to create, and need large quantities of water for irrigation. Oxen and water buffalo, adapted for life in wetlands, are important working animals used extensively in paddy field farming. During the 20th century, paddy-field farming became the dominant form of growing rice. Hill tribes of Thailand still cultivate dry-soil varieties called upland rice.[3] Paddy field farming is practiced in Cambodia, Bangladesh, China, Taiwan, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam, and Laos, Northern Italy, the Camargue in France,[4] the Artibonite Valley in Haiti, and Sacramento Valley in California. Paddy fields are a major source of atmospheric methane and have been estimated to contribute in the range of 50 to 100 million tonnes of the gas per annum.[5][6] Studies have shown that this can be significantly reduced while also boosting crop yield by draining the paddies to allow the soil to aerate to interrupt methane production.[7] Studies have also shown the variability in assessment of methane emission using local, regional and global factors and calling for better inventorisation based on micro level data.[8] The word "paddy" is derived from the Malay word padi, rice plant.[9] History Paddy and Hay in Mysore, India China Edit Rice paddies near Beijing in 1920 Archaeologists generally accept that wet-field cultivation originated in China. The earliest paddy field found, dates to 4330 BC, based on carbon dating of grains of rice and soil organic matter found at the Chaodun site in Kunshan County.[10] At Caoxieshan, a site of the Neolithic Majiabang culture, archaeologists excavated paddy fields.[11] Some archaeologists claim that Caoxieshan may date to 4000–3000 BC.[12][13] There is archaeological evidence, that unhusked rice was stored for the military and for burial with the deceased, from the Neolithic period to the Han Dynasty in China.[14] Korea There are ten archaeologically excavated rice paddy fields in Korea. The two oldest are the Okhyun and Yaumdong sites, found in Ulsan, dating to the early Mumun pottery period.[15] Paddy field farming goes back thousands of years in Korea. A pit-house at the Daecheon-ni site yielded carbonized rice grains and radiocarbon dates, indicating that rice cultivation in dry-fields may have begun as early as the Middle Jeulmun Pottery Period (c. 3500–2000 BC) in the Korean Peninsula.[16] Ancient paddy fields have been carefully unearthed in Korea by institutes such as Kyungnam University Museum (KUM) of Masan. They excavated paddy field features at the Geumcheon-ni Site near Miryang, South Gyeongsang Province. The paddy field feature was found next to a pit-house that is dated to the latter part of the Early Mumun Pottery Period (c. 1100–850 BC). KUM has conducted excavations, that have revealed similarly dated paddy field features, at Yaeum-dong and Okhyeon, in modern-day Ulsan.[17] The earliest Mumun features were usually located in low-lying narrow gullies, that were naturally swampy and fed by the local stream system. Some Mumun paddy fields in flat areas were made of a series of squares and rectangles, separated by bunds approximately 10 cm in height, while terraced paddy fields consisted of long irregular shapes that followed natural contours of the land at various levels.[18][19] Mumun Period rice farmers used all of the elements that are present in today's paddy fields, such as terracing, bunds, canals, and small reservoirs. We can grasp some paddy-field farming techniques of the Middle Mumun (c. 850–550 BC), from the well-preserved wooden tools excavated from archaeological rice fields at the Majeon-ni Site. However, iron tools for paddy-field farming were not introduced until sometime after 200 BC. The spatial scale of paddy-fields increased, with the regular use of iron tools, in the Three Kingdoms of Korea Period (c. AD 300/400-668). Japan The first paddy fields in Japan date to the Early Yayoi period [300 BC – 250 AD].[20] The Early Yayoi has been re-dated, and it appears that wet-field agriculture developed at approximately the same time as in the Korean peninsula.[citation needed] Philippines In the Philippines, the use of rice paddies can be traced to prehistoric times, as evidenced in the names of towns such as Pila, Laguna, whose name can be traced to the straight mounds of dirt that form the boundaries of the rice paddy, or "Pilapil."[21] Vietnam Wet rice cultivation in Vietnam dates back to the Neolithic Hoa Binh culture and Bac Son culture.[22] Culture Top 20 rice producers by country—2012 (million metric ton)[23] China 204.3 India 152.6 Indonesia 69.0 Vietnam 43.7 Thailand 37.8 Bangladesh 33.9 Myanmar 33.0 Philippines 18.0 Brazil 11.5 Japan 10.7 Pakistan 9.4 Cambodia 9.3 United States 9.0 Korea 6.4 Egypt 5.9 Nepal 5.1 Nigeria 4.8 Madagascar 4.0 Sri Lanka 3.8 Laos 3.5 Source: Food and Agriculture Organization Panorama of the Longji terrace, one of the Longsheng rice terraces of Guangxi, China Although China's agricultural output is the largest in the world, only about 15% of its total land area can be cultivated. About 75% of the cultivated area is used for food crops. Rice is China's most important crop, raised on about 25% of the cultivated area. Most rice is grown south of the Huai River, in the Yangtze valley, the Zhu Jiang delta, and in Yunnan, Guizhou, and Sichuan provinces. Rice appears to have been used by the Early Neolithic populations of Lijiacun and Yunchanyan in China.[24] Evidence of possible rice cultivation from ca. 11,500 BP has been found, however it is still questioned whether the rice was indeed being cultivated, or instead being gathered as wild rice.[25] Bruce Smith, an archaeologist at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., who has written on the origins of agriculture, says that evidence has been mounting that the Yangtze was probably the site of the earliest rice cultivation.[26] In 1998, Crawford & Shen reported that the earliest of 14 AMS or radiocarbon dates on rice from at least nine Early to Middle Neolithic sites is no older than 7000 BC, that rice from the Hemudu and Luojiajiao sites indicates that rice domestication likely began before 5000 BC, but that most sites in China from which rice remains have been recovered are younger than 5000 BC.[24] During the Spring and Autumn Period (722–481 BC), two revolutionary improvements in farming technology took place. One was the use of cast iron tools and beasts of burden to pull plows, and the other was the large-scale harnessing of rivers and development of water conservation projects. Sunshu Ao of the 6th century BC and Ximen Bao of the 5th century BC are two of the earliest hydraulic engineers from China, and their works were focused upon improving irrigation systems.[27] These developments were widely spread during the ensuing Warring States period (403–221 BC), culminating in the enormous Du Jiang Yan Irrigation System engineered by Li Bing by 256 BC for the State of Qin in ancient Sichuan. During the Eastern Jin (317–420) and the Northern and Southern Dynasties (420–589), land-use became more intensive and efficient, rice was grown twice a year and cattle began to be used for plowing and fertilization. In circa 750, 75% of China's population lived north of the river Yangtse, but by 1250, 75% of China's population lived south of the river Yangtse. Such large-scale internal migration was possible due to introduction of quick-ripening strains of rice from Vietnam suitable for multi-cropping.[28] Localities in China which are famous for their spectacular rice paddies are Yuanyang County, Yunnan, and Longsheng County, Guangxi. India Paddy fields prior to planting in Andhra Pradesh, India India has the largest paddy output in the world and is also the fourth largest exporter of rice in the world. In India, West Bengal is the largest rice producing state.[29] Paddy fields are a common sight throughout India, both in the northern gangetic plains and the southern peninsular plateaus. Paddy is cultivated at least twice a year in most parts of India, the two seasons being known as Rabi and Kharif respectively. The former cultivation is dependent on irrigation, while the latter depends on Monsoon. The paddy cultivation plays a major role in socio-cultural life of rural India. Many festivals such as Onam in Kerala, Bihu in Assam, Sankranthi in Andhra Pradesh, Thai Pongal In Tamil Nadu, Makar Sankranti in Karnataka, Nabanna in West Bengal celebrates harvest of Paddy. Kaveri delta region of Thanjavur is historically known as the rice bowl of Tamil Nadu and Kuttanadu is called the rice bowl of Kerala. Indonesia Water buffalos were formerly used to plough muddy paddy fields in Indonesia although the use of mechanised methods, such as small powered ploughs, has become much more common in recent years. Prime Javanese paddy yields roughly 6 metric tons of unmilled rice (2.5 metric tons of milled rice) per hectare. When irrigation is available, rice farmers typically plant Green Revolution rice varieties allowing three growing seasons per year. Since fertilizer and pesticide are relatively expensive inputs, farmers typically plant seeds in a very small plot. Three weeks following germination, the 6–8 inch stalks are picked and replanted at greater separation, in a backbreaking manual procedure. Rice harvesting in Central Java is often performed not by owners or sharecroppers of paddy, but rather by itinerant middlemen, whose small firms specialize in harvesting, transport, milling, and distribution to markets. The fertile volcanic soil of much of the Indonesian archipelago—and particularly the islands of Java and Bali—has made rice a central dietary staple. Steep terrain on Bali resulted in an intricate cooperation systems, locally called subak, to manage water storage and drainage for rice terraces.[30] Italy Paddy fields near Mantua Rice is grown in northern Italy, especially in the valley of the river Po.[31] The paddy fields are irrigated by fast-flowing streams descending from the Alps. Japan Paddy field scarecrows in Japan The acidic soil conditions common in Japan due to volcanic eruptions have made the paddy field the most productive farming method. Paddy fields are represented by the kanji 田 (commonly read as ta) that has had a strong influence on Japanese culture. In fact, the character 田, which originally meant 'field' in general, is used in Japan exclusively to convey the meaning 'rice paddy field'. One of the oldest samples of writing in Japan is widely credited to the kanji 田 found on pottery at the archaeological site of Matsusaka, Mie that dates to the late 2nd century. Ta (田) is used as a part of many place names as well as in many family names. Most of these places are somehow related to the paddy field and in many cases, are based on the history of a particular location. For example, where a river runs through a village, the place east of river may be called Higashida (東田), literally "east paddy field." A place with a newly irrigated paddy field, especially those during or later than Edo period, may be called Nitta or Shinden (both 新田), "new paddy field." In some places, lakes and marshes were likened to a paddy field and were named with ta, like Hakkōda (八甲田). Today, many family names have ta as a component, a practice which can be largely attributed to a government edict in the early Meiji Period which required all citizens to have a family name. Many chose a name based on some geographical feature associated with their residence or occupation, and as nearly three fourths of the population were farmers, many made family names using ta. Some common examples are Tanaka (田中), literally meaning "in the paddy field;" Nakata (中田), "middle paddy field;" Kawada (川田), "river paddy field;" and Furuta (古田), "old paddy field." In recent years rice consumption in Japan has fallen and many rice farmers are increasingly elderly. The government has subsidized rice production since the 1970s, and favors protectionist policies regarding cheaper imported rice.[32] Korea Paddy field near Namwon, South Korea, early June Arable land in small alluvial flats of most rural river valleys in South Korea are dedicated to paddy-field farming. Farmers assess paddy fields for any necessary repairs in February. Fields may be rebuilt, and bund breaches are repaired. This work is carried out until mid-March, when warmer spring weather allows the farmer to buy or grow rice seedlings. They are transplanted (usually by rice transplanter) from the indoors into freshly flooded paddy fields in May. Farmers tend and weed their paddy fields through the summer until around the time of Chuseok, a traditional holiday held on 15 August of the Lunar Calendar (circa mid-September by Solar Calendar). The harvest begins in October. Coordinating the harvest can be challenging because many Korean farmers have small paddy fields in a number of locations around their villages, and modern harvesting machines are sometimes shared between extended family members. Farmers usually dry the harvested grains in the sun before bringing them to market. The Chinese (or Sino-Korean) character for 'field', jeon (Hangul: 전; hanja: 田), is found in some place names, especially small farming townships and villages. However, the specific Korean term for 'paddy' is a purely Korean word, "non" (Hangul: 논). Madagascar Baobab and rice field near Morondava, Madagascar In Madagascar, the average annual consumption of rice is 130 kg per person, one of the largest in the world. According to a 1999 study of UPDRS / FAO: The majority of rice is related to irrigation (1,054,381 ha). The choice of methods conditioning performance is determined by the variety and quality control of water .. The "Tavy", is traditionally the culture of flooded upland rice on burning of cleared natural rain forest (135,966 ha). Criticized as being the cause of deforestation, "Tavy" is still widely practiced by farmers in Madagascar, who find a good compromise between climate risks, availability of labour and food security. "Tanety" means hill. By extension, the "tanety" is also growing upland rice, carried out on the grassy slopes have been deforested for the operation of charcoal. (139,337 ha) Among the many varieties, rice of Madagascar include: "Vary lava" is a translucent long and large grain rice. It is a luxury ricer. "Vary Makalioka, is translucent long and thin grain rice. "Vary Rojofotsy" is a -half long.grain rice "Vary mena" or red rice, is exclusive to Madagascar. Malaysia Paddy field in the state of Terengganu, Malaysia Paddy field are typically found on Peninsular Malaysia, in most of its regions. The most scenic paddy fields are located in northern Malaysia, in Kedah, Perlis and Penang; almost covering these states. Paddy fields also can be found on Malaysia's eastern coast region, mainly in Kelantan and Terengganu, and also in Selangor, especially in the districts of Kuala Selangor and Sabak Bernam. Before Malaysia became heavily reliant on its industrial output, people were mainly involved in agriculture, especially in the production of rice. It was for that reason, that people usually built their houses next to paddy fields. The very spicy chili pepper that is often eaten in Malaysia, the bird's eye chili, is locally called cili padi, literally "paddy chili". Paddy Fields in Idukki, India Myanmar Rice is grown primarily in three areas – the Irrawaddy Delta, the area along and the delta of the Kaladan River, and the Central plains around Mandalay, though there has been an increase in rice farming in Shan State and Kachin State in recent years.[33] Up until the later 1960s, Myanmar was the main exporter of rice. Termed the rice basket of South East Asia, much of the rice grown in Myanmar does not rely on fertilizers and pesticides, thus, although "organic" in a sense, it has been unable to cope with population growth and other rice economies which utilized fertilizers. Rice is now grown in all the three seasons of Myanmar, though primarily in the Monsoon season – from June to October. Rice grown in the delta areas rely heavily on the river water and sedimented minerals from the northern mountains, whilst the rice grown in the central regions require irrigation from the Ayeryarwaddy River. The fields are tilled when the first rains arrive – traditionally measured at 40 days after Thingyan, the Burmese New Year – around the beginning of June. In modern times, tractors are used, but traditionally, buffalos were employed. The rice plants are planted in nurseries and then transplanted by hand into the prepared fields. The rice is then harvested in late November – "when the rice bends with age". Most of the rice planting and harvesting are done by hand. The rice is then threshed and stored, ready for the mills. Nepal Women planting rice in Nepal In Nepal, rice (Nepali: धान, Dhaan) is grown in the Terai and hilly regions. It is mainly grown during the summer monsoon in Nepal. Rice is the main Crop of Nepalese. So, Nepalese celebrates Dhaan Diwash (Paddy Day) on 15th Ashar according to Nepali calendar. Farmers are the first doctors of this World due to producer of Raw material to be alive life of Living organisms. FSC Rupandehi started to celebrate Natoinal Farmers Day on 27th jestha in Nepal. And, also announced to Celebrate International Farmers Day on 27th jestha 2074 (as Frist int.Farmer's Day) according to Nepal calendar [34] [35] Philippines Paddy field in Pagbilao, Quezon, Philippines Paddy fields are a common sight in the Philippines. Several vast paddy fields exist in the provinces of Ifugao, Nueva Ecija, Isabela, Cagayan, Bulacan, Quezon, and other provinces. Nueva Ecija is considered the main rice growing province of the Philippines and the leading producer of onions in the Municipality of Bongabon in Southeast Asia. It is currently the 9th richest province in the country. The Banaue Rice Terraces is an example of paddy fields in the country, it is located in Northern Luzon, Philippines and were built by the Ifugaos 2,000 years ago.[36] Streams and springs found in the mountains were tapped and channeled into Irrigation canals that run downhill through the rice terraces. Other notable Philippine paddy fields are the Batad Rice Terraces, the Bangaan Rice Terraces, the Mayoyao Rice Terraces and the Hapao Rice Terraces.[37] Panoramic view of the Banaue Rice Terraces in Ifugao, Philippines Located at Barangay Batad in Banaue, the Batad Rice Terraces are shaped like an amphitheatre, and can be reached by a 12-kilometer ride from Banaue Hotel and a 2-hour hike uphill through mountain trails. The Bangaan Rice Terraces portray the typical Ifugao community, where the livelihood activities are within the village and its surroundings. The Bangaan Rice Terraces is accessible in a one-hour ride from Poblacion, Banaue, then a 20-minute trek down to the village. It can be viewed best from the road to Mayoyao. The Mayoyao Rice Terraces is located at Mayoyao, 44 kilometers away from Poblacion, Banaue. The town of Mayoyao lies in the midst of these rice terraces. All dikes are tiered with flat stones. The Hapao Rice Terraces can be reached within 55 kilometers from the capital town of Lagawe. Other Ifugao stone-walled rice terraces are located in the municipality of Hungduan.[37] Sri Lanka Agriculture in Sri Lanka mainly depends on rice production.[38] Sri Lanka sometimes exports rice to its neighboring countries. Around 1.5 million hectares of land is cultivated in Sri Lanka for paddy in 2008/2009 maha: 64% of which is cultivated during the dry season and 35% cultivated during the wet season. Around 879,000 farmer families are engaged in paddy cultivation in Sri Lanka. They make up 20% of the country's population and 32% of the employment. Thailand Edit Main article: Rice production in Thailand A small hut in between rice paddies on the outskirts of the town of Nan, Thailand Rice production in Thailand represents a significant portion of the Thai economy. It uses over half of the farmable land area and labor force in Thailand.[39] Thailand has a strong tradition of rice production. It has the fifth-largest amount of land under rice cultivation in the world and is the world's largest exporter of rice.[40] Thailand has plans to further increase its land available for rice production, with a goal of adding 500,000 hectares to its already 9.2 million hectares of rice-growing areas.[41] The Thai Ministry of Agriculture expects rice production to yield around 30 million tons of rice for 2008.[42] The most produced strain of rice in Thailand is jasmine rice, which is a higher quality type of rice. However, jasmine has a significantly lower yield rate than other types of rice, but it also normally fetches more than double the price of other strains in a global market.[41] Vietnam A rice field in Vietnam Rice fields in Vietnam (ruộng or cánh đồng in Vietnamese) are the predominant land use in the valley of the Red River and the Mekong Delta. In the Red River Delta of northern Vietnam, control of seasonal riverine floodings is achieved by an extensive network of dykes which over the centuries total some 3000 km. In the Mekong Delta of southern Vietnam, there is an interlacing drainage and irrigation canal system that has become the symbol of this area. It jointly serves as transportation routes, allowing farmers to bring their produce to market. In Northwestern Vietnam, Thai people built their "valley culture" based on the cultivation of glutinous rice planted in upland fields, requiring terracing of the slopes. The primary festival related to the agrarian cycle is "lễ hạ điền" (literally "descent into the fields") held as the start of the planting season in hope of a bountiful harvest. Traditionally, the event was officiated with much pomp. The monarch carried out the ritual plowing the first furrow while local dignitaries and farmers followed suit. Thổ địa (deities of the earth), thành hoàng làng (the village patron spirit), Thần Nông (god of agriculture), and thần lúa (god of rice plants) were all venerated with prayers and offerings. In colloquial Vietnamese, wealth is frequently associated with the vastness of the individual's land holdings. Paddy fields so large as for "storks to fly with their wings out-stretched" ("đồng lúa thẳng cánh cò bay") can be heard as a common metaphor. Wind-blown undulating rice plants across a paddy field in literary Vietnamese is termed figuratively "waves of rice plants" ("sóng lúa").[citation needed] See also Edit #Rice #PADDY #Dhan References ^ Molina, J.; Sikora, M.; Garud, N.; Flowers, J. M.; Rubinstein, S.; Reynolds, A.; Huang, P.; Jackson, S.; Schaal, B. A.; Bustamante, C. D.; Boyko, A. R.; Purugganan, M. D. (2011). "Molecular evidence for a single evolutionary origin of domesticated rice". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 108 (20): 8351. doi:10.1073/pnas.1104686108. ^ Gross, B. L.; Zhao, Z. (2014). "Archaeological and genetic insights into the origins of domesticated rice". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 111 (17): 6190. doi:10.1073/pnas.1308942110. ^ Huke, R.E.; Huke (17 March 2013). "A Brief History of Rice". From the publication Rice: Then and Now, International Rice Research Institute, 1990. Guide to Thailand. Archived from the original on 17 March 2013. Retrieved 17 March 2013. In Southeast Asia, by contrast, rice was originally produced under dryland conditions in the uplands, and only recently did it come to occupy the vast river deltas. |first2= missing |last2= in Authors list (help) ^ "Riz de Camargue, Silo de Tourtoulen, Riz blanc de Camargue, Riz et céréales de Camargue". Riz-camargue.com. Retrieved 25 April 2013. ^ Methane gas generation from paddy fields "Methane Sources – Rice Paddies" Check |url= value (help). Retrieved 15 July 2007. ^ "Scientists blame global warming on rice". Sptimes.com. 2 May 2007. Retrieved 25 April 2013. ^ "Shifts in rice farming practices in China reduce greenhouse gas methane". Retrieved 19 December 2002. ^ Mishra S. N., Mitra S., Rangan L, Dutta S., and Pooja. (2012). Exploration of 'hot-spots' of methane and nitrous oxide emission from the agriculture fields of Assam, India. Agriculture and Food Security. 1/16. doi:10.1186/2048-7010-1-16. Online link http://www.agricultureandfoodsecurity.com/content/1/1/16 ^ "paddy". Merriam Webster. Retrieved 15 July 2007. ^ Cao, Zhihong; Fu, Jianrong; Zou, Ping; Huang, Jing Fa; Lu, Hong; Weng, Jieping; Ding, Jinlong (August 2010). "Origin and chronosequence of paddy soils in China.". Proceedings of the 19th World Congress of Soil Science: 39–42. Retrieved 8 February 2013. ^ Fujiwara, H. (ed.). Search for the Origin of Rice Cultivation: The Ancient Rice Cultivation in Paddy Fields at the Cao Xie Shan Site in China. Miyazaki: Society for Scientific Studies on Cultural Property, 1996. (In Japanese and Chinese) ^ Fujiwara 1996 ^ Tsude, Hiroshi. Yayoi Farmers Reconsidered: New Perspectives on Agricultural Development in East Asia. Bulletin of the Indo-Pacific Prehistory Association 21(5):53–59, 2001. ^ "Expansion of Chinese Paddy Rice to the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau". Retrieved 6 August 2007. ^ Crawford, Gary W. and Gyoung-Ah Lee. Agricultural Origins in the Korean Peninsula. Antiquity 77(295):87–95, 2003. ^ Crawford and Lee 2003 ^ Bale, Martin T. Archaeology of Early Agriculture in Korea: An Update on Recent Developments. Bulletin of the Indo-Pacific Prehistory Association 21(5):77–84, 2001. ^ Bale 2001 ^ Kwak, Jong-chul. Urinara-eui Seonsa – Godae Non Bat Yugu [Dry- and Wet-field Agricultural Features of the Korean Prehistoric].In Hanguk Nonggyeong Munhwa-eui Hyeongseong [The Formation of Agrarian Societies in Korea]: 21–73. Papers of the 25th National Meetings of the Korean Archaeological Society, Busan, 2001 ^ Barnes, Gina L. Paddy Soils Now and Then. World Archaeology 22(1):1–17, 1990. ^ Ongpin Valdes, Cynthia, "Pila in Ancient Times", Treasures of Pila, Pila Historical Society Foundation Inc.. ^ Vietnam Embassy in USA information page vietnamembassy-usa.org ^ fao.org (FAOSTAT). "Countries by commodity (Rice, paddy)". Retrieved 11 February 2014. ^ a b Crawford and Shen 1998 ^ Harrington, Spencer P.M. (11 June 1997). "Earliest Rice". Archaeology (Archaeological Institute of America). Rice cultivation began in China ca. 11,500 years ago, some 3,500 years earlier than previously believed ^ Normile, Dennis (1997). "Yangtze seen as earliest rice site". Science 275 (5298): 309–310. doi:10.1126/science.275.5298.309. ^ Needham, Joseph (1986). Science and Civilization in China: Volume 4, Physics and Physical Technology, Part 3, Civil Engineering and Nautics. Taipei: Caves Books Ltd. Page 271. ^ The World Economy, Angus Maddison, p.20, ISBN 92-64-02261-9. Books.google.com. 21 September 2006. ISBN 9789264022614. Retrieved 25 April 2013. ^ "Top 10 Rice Producing States of India, Indian States with Highest Rice Production". Mapsofindia.com. 17 January 2012. Retrieved 25 April 2013. ^ "Lansing and Miller" (PDF). Retrieved 25 April 2013. ^ "Channel 4 notes for schools". Channel4.com. Retrieved 25 April 2013. ^ "Economist.com". Economist.com. 17 December 2009. Retrieved 25 April 2013. ^ "Increasing rice production in Myanmar". Retrieved 4 May 2015. ^ http://www.newag.info/en/country/profile.php?a=935 ^ http://farmersday.bongspot.com ^ UNESCO World Heritage Centre. "Rice Terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras – UNESCO World Heritage Centre". Whc.unesco.org. Retrieved 5 May 2015. ^ a b "Error". Retrieved 1 April 2011. ^ Sri Lanka Rice Knowledge Bank ^ Country Profile: Thailand. lcweb2.loc.gov 7 (July 2007). ^ Thailand backs away from rice cartel plan." The International Herald Tribune 7 May 2008: 12. 2 February 2009, lexisnexis.com ^ a b "Rice strain is cause of comparatively low productivity." The Nation (Thailand) 16 April 2008. 2 February 2009, lexisnexis.com ^ Nirmal, Ghost. "Thailand to set aside more land for farming; It plans to increase rice production and stop conversion of agricultural land." The Straits Times (Singapore) 24 April 2008. Bibliography Edit Bale, Martin T. Archaeology of Early Agriculture in Korea: An Update on Recent Developments. Bulletin of the Indo-Pacific Prehistory Association 21(5):77–84, 2001. Barnes, Gina L. Paddy Soils Now and Then. World Archaeology 22(1):1–17, 1990. Crawford, Gary W. and Gyoung-Ah Lee. Agricultural Origins in the Korean Peninsula. Antiquity 77(295):87–95, 2003. Kwak, Jong-chul. Urinara-eui Seonsa – Godae Non Bat Yugu [Dry- and Wet-field Agricultural Features of the Korean Prehistoric].In Hanguk Nonggyeong Munhwa-eui Hyeongseong [The Formation of Agrarian Societies in Korea]: 21–73. Papers of the 25th National Meetings of the Korean Archaeological Society, Busan, 2001. External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Paddy fields. Look up paddy field in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. How a paddy-field works TalkRead in another language Last edited by Dev Dhawal

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Lucban Pahiyas Festival 2017 Schedule of Events, Travel Tips and more

Out of Town Blog Lucban Pahiyas Festival 2017 Schedule of Events, Travel Tips and more

Lucban Pahiyas Festival 2017 Schedule of Events, Travel Tips and more

The Pahiyas Festival 2017 is the most popular harvest festival in the Philippines. A draw for both the local and foreign tourists, the event is celebrated every 15th of May by the people of Lucban, Quezon in honor of San Isidro Labrador.

A smiling kid in one of the 2017 Pahiyas Decorated houses

The Festival is a thanksgiving on a bountiful harvest. This is why you’ll find that the displays are all colorful and made up of fruits, vegetables, and other handicrafts. A community event, you’ll find that most homes, especially along the parade area, are adorned with colorful designs in unity with the Festival.

Pahiyas Festival 2017 Schedule of Activities – To Be Updated

There’s no specific schedule of activities released as of yet as the local government is still in the process of arranging everything. Further updates will be posted to give you a more accurate idea on how and when it will be celebrated.

The typical schedule of activities contains the following:

Holy Mass – usually started as early as 6 in the morning, the holy mass marks the official opening of the event.

San Isidro Labrador Procession – in honor of the festival patron, the holy mass is followed by a procession of devotees of the San Isidro Labrador.

Timpalak Pahiyas – each household decorates their home and tries to outdo each other in creativity, beauty, and colors. The friendly competition adds to the festivity with the best homes getting a grand prize.

Grand Parade – the event everyone is waiting for, the Grand Parade is a massive procession of floats, marching bands, street dancing, and carabaos – all dressed in colorful clothes to attract and give thanks to a bountiful harvest.

Timpalak Pahiyas Kutitap – come nighttime, the Festival now hosts beautiful firework displays and designs which start around 6 PM or later, depending on the night sky.

Karera ng Kabayo – a horse racing event, this is typically done on a different day.

Awarding of Winners – this is the closing portion of the event where contest participants will be announced and receive their prize.

Pahiyas Festival 2017

Pahiyas Festival 2017 Travel Info 

When is It Celebrated?

The Pahiyas Festival is celebrated every 15th of May. It’s a whole day affair, the main event of which is the colorful parade. However, the length of the Festival itself usually takes 4 or 5 days with each day having a specific event.

How to Get There by Public Transport?

There are three ways to get to Lucban, Quezon starting from Manila. First is by choosing the Calamba-Lucban route. Your take a bus bound for Sta. Cruz. You get off at SM Calamba where you can find the passenger van terminal that has public vehicles bound for Lucban.

You can also take the Lucena-Lucban route. Starting from Manila, you take a bus that’s bound for Lucena City in Quezon. There are several buses taking this trip, their terminals located at Buendia-Taft, Pasay-EDSA, Araneta Center in Cubao, and EDSA-Kamuning. The ride will take you to Lucena Grand Central Terminal. From here, you can take a bus or jeepney to Lucban.

Lastly, there’s the Sta. Cruz to Lucban option. Just take the bus to Sta. Cruz from Manila. Once you reach Sta. Cruz, you take a jeep for Lucban.

Pahiyas Festival 2016 in LucbanLucban Pahiyas Festival 2016 Schedule of Events, Travel Tips and more

How to Get There by Private Car?

If driving, you should take the South Luzon Expressway and take the Calamba exit. You will pass through the towns of Calamba, Los Banos, Bay, Victoria, Pila, Sta. Cruz. Pagsanjan, Cavinti, and Luisiana. You’ll reach the town of Lucban thereafter which will be the first town in Quezon.

How Long Does It Take to Travel?

Travel time depends largely on the traffic as well as the kind of vehicle you’ll be taking. For the most part, however, the travel time takes 3 to 4 hours with no stopping in between. However, since you’ll be taking 2 rides for public transport, expect some downtime as you wait for other passengers.

San Isidro Labrador at the center of Pahiyas Decorated House in Lucban

How Much Will the Trip Cost?

Depending on what you’ll be using as transport, the cost of travel can be anywhere from Php500 to Php1500 pesos.

2017 Pahiyas Festival in Lucban Quezon

Where to Stay During Pahiyas 2017?

It is strongly advised that those visiting for the Pahiyas Festival 2017 confirm their hotel booking weeks or even months in advance. Being an internationally famous event, the Festival draws in people from all over the world. Hence, it’s not surprising for accommodation to run out in the week when the Festival is celebrated.

If all nearby accommodations run out, your next best choice would be accommodations in nearby locations of Tayabas, Majayjay, or Lucena. You’ll find ample accommodations there. Note though that if you leave it too late, you might find that even those are full to bursting.

List of Resorts in Lucban Quezon

List of Resorts in Tayabas Quezon

Kamayan sa Palaisdaan Resort in Tayabas

[Click here to search for affordable hotels and resorts in Lucban Quezon]

Can This be a Day Trip?

If you’re thinking about doing the Pahiyas Festival DIY trip to Lucban to view the decorated houses and leaving soon thereafter, then you should know that this is going to be a tough journey. It is more than possible for those who will be driving using their own cars. Those using public transport, however, might have a hard time finding a spot for their departure. Still, it can be done – just bear in mind that you might not be able to fully enjoy the Festival if you leave early. I would recommend for your to invite friends to carpool or maybe avail of any Pahiyas Festival 2017 tour packages being offered by trusted online travel agents.

Pancit Lucban

Where Can I Eat During the 2017 Pahiyas Festival?

Quezon gears itself up every 15th of May to receive a virtual tidal wave of tourists. Hence, you can be sure that there will be dozens of possible restaurants to choose from. Street foods offering local delicacies will also be abundant. Make sure to eat their best-known dishes while there including pancit habhab, longganisang Lucban, grilling kiping, buchi, and pilipit. Kiping is a must and is actually part of the decorations during the parade.

Patio Rizal Hotel and Restaurant in Lucban Quezon

Authentic Lucban Dinner at Buddy’s Pancit Lucban

Pahiyas Festival 2017 – Photo credit: IRRI Images / CC BY-NC-SA

What Kind of Security is Offered?

The high point of the Festival is a colorful parade on the streets. Due to the highly public nature of the Festival, close security cannot be guaranteed. Tourists are advised to keep their valuables close or keep them safe in their hotel accommodations. Security and medic stations will be posted in the town center.

Ontop of Kamay ni Hesus Hill

What Else Can I Do in Lucban?

Lucban offers year round activities and tourist attractions that make the visit truly something to remember. Other spots you can check out include the Lucban Cathedral, the Kamay ni Hesus Shrine, the Majayjay Falls, the Borawan Beach and other beautiful beaches in Quezon Province. The last three destinations can be visited as side trips to neighboring locations of Laguna and Quezon.

Also read: Baguio City: Panagbenga Festival 2017 Official Schedule of Activities

Lucban Pahiyas Festival 2017 Schedule of Events, Travel Tips and more Melo Villareal

[jeilladventures-blog]

What is Laguna?

  Officially known as the Province of Laguna is a province in the Philippines located in the Calabarzon region in Luzon. Laguna is notable as the birthplace of Jose Rizal, the country's national hero. It is also famous for attractions like Pagsanjan Falls, the University of the Philippines Los Baños campus, the hot spring resorts of Los Baños and Calamba on the slopes of Mount Makiling, Pila historic town plaza, Taytay Falls in Majayjay, the wood carvings and paper-mache created by the people of Paeté, the annual Sampaguita Festival in San Pedro, the turumba of Pakil, the tsinelas footwears from Liliw, the Pandan Festival of Luisiana, the Seven Lakes of San Pablo (the first city in the province), and the Nagcarlan Underground Cemetery in Nagcarlan.

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Life in the Corazon Rivera Ancestral House

From Cora Relova of the Pila Historical Society Foundation and granddaughter of Corazon Rivera:

Lola’s house (Corazon Rivera Ancestral House) is considered ancestral because it is more than 50 years old and still belongs to the fourth generation of the family. It is a heritage house because the architecture belongs to a certain period and it is inside the declared (Philippine National) heritage zone. It is “taga-gitna” (people with houses in the center of the town surrounding the main plaza are elite).

It was built around 1929-1930. Lola Loring said she was 12 years old when they - Lola Azon (Corazon Rivera), Lolo Ato (Renato Del Mundo, son of Corazon Rivera) and Lola Loring (Loreto Del Mundo, daughter of Corazon Rivera) started living there. The old municipal hall (municipio) used to be located in the property. Lola Azon’s property was where the main municipal hall is located now. Lola Loring said that Lola Azon did not want to build the house directly in front of the church because she felt that the sins being confessed will "boomerang" back to the house or something like that. Can you imagine if she did not exchange her property….we will be in the center of the town plaza.

Anyway, there was no architect hired and Lola Azon was assisted by her nephew Felimon Rebong ("Lolo Imon") who was an engineer, or still an engineering student at that time. The house was built during the American period so it is called a chalet. It had plumbing and electricity. For better air flow the  windows were big and surrounded the house. The lower portion of the windows had “ventanillas” (little windows) covered with wooden sliding doors which can be opened too. The upper portion of the walls had open wood carvings. 

On the landing of the main stairs is the “balcon” (balcony) where one can sit to view the plaza. Aside from the main door there is also a door that leads to the first room. There were three rooms before with small doors leading to each room (the word “privacy” did not exist). The first one that opens to the balcon was occupied by Tita Jovit (Jovita, Cora's sister) and myself. The second one that opens to the sala/living area was occupied by Lola Azon and Tio Ato and family when they visited and the third one which opens to the comedor/dining area was occupied by Lolo Judge (Ramiro Relova, Loreto's husband) and Lola Loring. The 3rd room has a door that connects to the toilet/bath. (I recently had a division made to make the toilet separate from the bath during the renovation of the house).

There is no partition between the sala and comedor. When we were young a cabinet was used as partition. The front of the cabinet faced the dining room. The back of the cabinet faced the living room and the old piano was placed there. Actually the furniture pieces were moved around. The location of the living room set now is the best placement. 

There was a sliding door that was the partition between the dining room and the kitchen. The kitchen was smaller until Lola had it renovated. We had no gas or electric stove. We had a “Kalan” (clay stove) that was made of ash. Charcoal, firewood and “bunot” (coconut husk) were used as fire. I remember that there were three parts so three dishes can be cooked at the same time. Can you imagine how hard it was then? Often there was a lot of smoke but there was a continuous flow of air then so it was not so bad. It is said that the food taste better with this method of cooking.There was also a storage room  in the kitchen for (rice) “bigas”, salt etc. and I think a motor to pump water up the house. The pipes of the house was connected to free flow water fountain in the plaza. There was a stair in front of the toilet/bath used to go down to the first floor “silong” (basement).

The “silong” was where the "katulong" (household help) stayed, where the “sampayan” (clothes line when it rains) was, and the “bodega” - storage for the newly harvested and unmilled rice” palay”. Large blocks of ice were also stored there, covered by palay husks (and they never melted!) Lola Loring also had pens for hens that laid eggs and chickens for our food. I hardly went down because the flooring was not yet cemented and it was a bit dark. 

Lola Azon planted a number of fruit trees. We had macopa (java apple), suha (grapefruit), lanzones (similar to lychee), balimbing (star fruit), duhat (java plum), santol (cotton fruit) and yambo (plum apple). Only the macopa (as old as the house) and the balimbing survives. The duhat in front of the house (by the gate) is only around 20 years old.  

There was a “labahan” wash area for clothes at the back of the house. There was a continuous flow of water because of the pipe that was connected to the free flow fountain. There was a huge “kawa” or cauldron where the water fell and we (Tita Jovit and Tito Vic - Vic Del Mundo, Cora's first cousin and son of Renato Del Mundo) used to pretend “swim” or just fooled around and bothered the lavandera (washer woman) . Sadly, I do not know what happened to the “kawa”.

General cleaning of the house was done twice a year, certainly before the Flores de Mayo and I think after the New Year.  Wives of tenants would come (around 4 ladies) and would work for free but they are fed very well and given travel fare and rice to bring home. It is called “panunulungan”. The ladies used “is-is” (ficus leaves) to scour the “pasamano” (window sill) and the floor before waxing. They used “walis na tingting” (broomstick) for the ceiling, walls, iron works followed by “basahan” (rag) soaked in water with soap in “palangana” (basin). I think it took them 2 days to clean everything. Then a male "katulong" (hired help) would wax the floor manually (very labor-intensive), then used “bunot” (coconut husk) to make it shine “lampaso”. I loved the smell of floor wax and the super clean house. One of the ladies was Aling Dulay who loved to bring Michael (Cora's son) fresh eggs.

I also remember that there was a carpet for the sala set. For cleaning the help would hang it on two chairs on the sidewalk in front of the house and beat it with a walis na tingting (broomstick). The lavandera (washerwoman) would also use the sidewalk to sun-dry clothes before rinsing. 

Lola Azon would sweep the leaves on the ground with “walis tingting” everyday at around 4pm and I loved helping her. The leaves were piled up and burned because it drove the mosquitoes away. Every household did it. But in modern times, due to global warming and fumes, the municipal government forbade the burning of anything.

The wood used for the building of the house was mainly narra. Lola Loring (Loreto Del Mundo, daughter of Corazon Rivera) said that the panels with carvings that divides the rooms from the sala and comedor were made in Paete, Laguna. The windows in the rooms are made of wood with capiz shells. The flooring is also made of narra planks and the ceiling is made of wide solid narra. I remember that the materials used for the lower portion were not sturdy so it was cemented to better support the house. 

After lunchtime and cleaning the kitchen was done, the help would iron clothes in the kitchen area with a plantsadora (iron). I remember that before the electric iron a heavy metal contraption with wood handle filled with burning charcoal was used (now considered an antique). The help would also listen to telenovelas on the radio. We were required to have an afternoon nap “siesta”, and we laid on banigs (woven mast) spread out in the living room.

Capiz Shell Window

Plantsadora (Iron), image from Cora Relova

Image of a Kawa, uncredited photo

[pilalaguna]

Don Felizardo de Rivera, Founder of Pila

Don Felizardo de Rivera y Evangelista (1755-1810) was the eldest of the three Rivera brothers, Don Felizardo, Don Miguel and Don Rafael. They were the owners of the estate Hacienda de Sta. Clara. They were the sons of Don Juan de Rivera, who had inherited the estate from the Spanish noble family, the Thenorios, and passed it on to his sons.

In the 18th century, due to flooding from its original location near the Laguna de Bay, the original town of Pila and its Church needed to be located to higher ground. So the Riveras planned to move it, just like their ancestor the Datu of Pila, Datu Maguinto, did in the 13th century.

However, a long, heated and controversial dispute rose between two prominent families at the time: The Riveras and the Relovas ("Pros" and "Antis". Don Regino Relova y San Antonio wanted the relocation on his land. Don Felizardo Rivera insisted that the town and church be moved to his hacienda in Sta. Clara.

Don Felizardo won after a long battle (starting October 14, 1794 and ending on July 13, 1803) after made an agreement with the parish priest: If the church was relocated to his estate, he pledged "the spiritual and material support of the Riveras to the church of St. Anthony in perpetuum up to the last of their line." The parish priest agreed.

Don Felizardo donated his lands to the church and to the municipal government but he also retained ownership of the lots surrounding what was to be the town plaza. He became the architect of the town's design, following Spanish colonial layout. He even built a kiln for manufacturing bricks and tiles for rebuilding the church, which was "transferred stone by stone" from its old location. The the ancestral houses were built around the plaza and the town municipio (municipal hall) was built opposite the church. With the assistance of the prominent families of Oca, Ruiz, and de Castro, he rebuilt the town of Pila ("Nuevo Pila") as it is to this day.

Don Felizardo served as gobernadorcillo in 1805, 1807, and 1809. He died on October 13, 1810 at the age of 55. He asked that "he be robed in the Franciscan habit upon his death and that a funeral mass be celebrated with him facing the altar of the newly-built church prior to his burial in the church crypt." His will (currently in the possession of the Rivera Family) was notarized by the town mayor at the time. At the time of his death, both pros and antis came to pay their respects and drop the long feud (the families later intermarried.) Don Felizardo's son Jose de Rivera later took over the gobernadorcillo post in 1811.

Don Felizardo de Rivera is the recognized founder of (Nuevo Pila) present-day Pila, Laguna, and the ancestor of the four main prominent families in Pila: Rivera, Relova, Agra and Alava.

WHEN A TOWN HAS TO MOVE: HOW PILA (LAGUNA) TRANSFERRED TO ITS PRESENT SITE (1794-1811) Luciano P.R. Santiago Philippine Quarterly of Culture and Society, Vol. 11, No. 2/3 (June/September 1983), pp. 93-106 (14 pages) https://www.jstor.org/stable/29791789

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During the 16th and 17th centuries, one of the earliest known leaders of Pila under Spanish Colonial Period was Don Antonio Maglilo (1696-1712), who governed Pila like his father Don Francisco Maglilo (1599), (Santiago, Ancient Pila, pg 11), the descendant of datu Maguinto.

In 1728, Don Maglilo’s descendant, Don Juan de Rivera, the founder of one of Pila’s most prominent families, the Rivera clan, became mayor of Pila. The Rivera’s were a “major branch of the Maglilo(s)” and changed their surname to “Rivera”, the “Taga-ilog”, or “People of the River”. (Santiago, Ancient Pila, pg 17).

Don Juan de Rivera married Doña Josepha Thenorio, who descended from Spanish nobility from Extremadura, Spain. The Thenorio family matriarch was Doña Maria Cortés de Monroy, the sister of Spanish Conquistador Hernán Cortés (1485-1547). (Santiago, Ancient Pila, pg 16). (Writer’s Note: Cortes had relations and a child with the Aztec princess Doña Isabel Moctezuma (born Tecuichpoch Ixcaxochitzin; 1509/1510 – 1550/1551), a daughter of the Aztec ruler Moctezuma II, and Cortes’s sister Doña Maria’s descendants married the descendants of a Philippine Pre-Hispanic king.)

Don Juan's descendant, Don Felizardo de Rivera (1755-1810), was at first a town executive from 1792 to 1793. He was governor of Pila in 1792. During the town move, he had drawn up grid plans (Cuadricula) in 1790 for the new site (where Pila was to be moved) based on the classical Spanish system of 'church-plaza-town hall complex' as originally prescribed by the 'Laws of the Indies (1573)' (laws issued by the Spanish Crown for town planning). He had become a self-taught architect. When the transfer was officially sanctioned (approved), he implemented his plans by serving as gobernadorcillo (governor) in 1805, 1807, and 1809 (he died in 1810). Because of his orderly design (of the town), Don Felizardo is considered the founder of 'Nuevo Pila (New Pila).' Don Felizardo retained all the residential lots around the rectangular plaza between the church and the town hall for the ancestral houses. The principal street is christened 'Rivera', which connects (the town) 'like a long umbilical cord' (back to) Pagalangan. (Santiago, Ancient Pila, pg 25). All the lots around the town plaza were given by Don Felizardo to his heirs, and the ancestral houses now stand on those lots.

Pila was moved again due to flooding from the lake, to Don Felizardo’s Hacienda in Santa Clara, Laguna. (Santiago, The Roots of Pila, Laguna, pgs 9, 10). On May 20, 1804, Pila Church was also moved to land at the hacienda. (Santiago, The Roots of Pila, Laguna, pgs 10, 11, 13) Today, the 200-plus year-old church is now called the San Antonio de Padua church, which was declared the National Shrine of San Antonio de Padua, contains a relic of the saint and is one of the oldest churches in the Philippines. The ruins of the original church are still standing at Pagalangan and have a historical marker as the site of the original church of Pila.

Don Felizardo is considered the founder of the present-day town of "Nueva Pila" ("New Pila") and the town’s designer and architect in the Spanish colonial grid style of city planning. (Santiago, The Roots of Pila, Laguna, pg 12). The Pila Municipal Hall was later built in June 1931, across from the Church, on land previously owned by Doña Corazon Rivera de Del Mundo, daughter of Don Luis Rivera. (Santiago, The Roots of Pila, Laguna, pg 20).

In his 1810 Last Will and Testament, Don Felizardo identifies himself as “Taong Tunai at Maguinoo” (a true maginoo). The document is with the Rivera family of Pila, Laguna.

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The Practice of Manda

"Manda" is the old practice of setting aside money and "budgeting" to pay for masses for the ancestors.

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Former Pila Judge Ramiro Relova Wedding Photo

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Don Felizardo Rivera Will

Part of the will of Don Felizardo Rivera Will, identifying him as a "maginoo", the direct descendant of the Datu of Pila and the founder of the town of Pila, Laguna.

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The Pila Symbol

Pila spelled out in Baybayin, an old Tagalog writing system used in Pre-Hispanic Northern Philippines.