PKL 4017: Issue One by PKL4017

4017 Issue One

www.pkl4017.blogspot.com

The Hitchhiker’s

Guide to

Pakil, Laguna

From Laguna’s “Sleepy Town” to Little Hollywood

Taga-Pakil ka kung... End of Summer Syndrome Minutes of May

To god be the glory

THe Roster Contributing Photographers

Contents

PKL

> Editor’s note 4

4017

> About 4017 5

Vonna Vista Donna Escarcha Son Pacheco Bernard Vista Patrick Valiente

> The Hitchhiker’s Guide to Pakil, Laguna

Contributing Writers

> Minutes of May

Enzo Gool Jovanne Flores Vonna Vista

> Taga Pakil Ka- Kung

Layout artists

> Editorial:Regenerate 30

Donna Escarcha River Tam

Resource Person

Dr. Cyndee Fornoles Bernard Vista

> Little Hollywood 16

> End of Summer Syndrome

> River’s Song 44

Mira Vista

mastermind

On the Cover: Viva Vista & Rics Macabasco as June Couple Dan Dalena’s Art Museum Photograph by Mira Vista PKL 4017

digital art by donna escarcha

Editor’s Note

Ever wonder how light is directly proportional to sound? No? Good. Because this is not the magazine for that and I have to start explaining things to people beyond this point, so moving on... First of all, Congratulations~! You’ve got in your hands, one of the most remarkable online magazines to ever come out of the vicinity of Pakil, Laguna, so far. You, dear reader, are beyond awesome! Too much? For the record, I am obligated to say that because this is our team’s longawaited magazine, one can only be his own best and worst fan right? Secondly, apologies for the untimely launch of this magazine. This should be launched around early June but what date is it now? Meh. We are still in our experimental stage, trying to figure out how to conjure deadlines and would we be able to keep up this sort of heavy writing with our own personal schedules. So, yeah, fingers crossed. Now, most of the featured articles are focused on past events that are heavily influenced by the events of May. Also, the photos in this magazine were carefully collected from select individuals. We cannot put everything and feature everyone in this magazine. So I apologize if I missed something or overlooked an important person. But we will definitely try to feature the prominent events accordingly. Speaking of events, June isn’t quite eventful but the days were mostly reserved for getting this maiden issue up and running. We took a great leap of faith on this decision... fine, fine, sort of a hop. Most of the people I invited to be involved in this project are more than ready to help out, so it isn’t that quite hard to gather up people who would like to pay homage to our little town. Speaking of our little town, that’s the theme in our maiden issue right here - being a Pakileno. Who are we really? Time to establish that identity by knowing the basics of our little town in our first ever article - The Hitchhiker’s Guide to Pakil Laguna. We deconstruct some of the known tales and history about this sleepy rural area. Also, a guide to knowing how to spot a fellow Pakileno in the crowd with the checklist “Taga-Pakil ka kung...” Sleepy town? Nah. Pakil is no longer dubbed wit this name but more of like Little Hollywood. Unsure? Come along and rediscover Pakil in the eyes of the media in our special spread about the newest local television craze - Juan dela Cruz. And lastly, May means a countdown to the end of Summer. We list down the things we do before the school year starts and the events that came along with the month of flowers. So let’s kick-start this time travelling experience. Allons-y!

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pkl 4017 Who, What, How & Why the hell we are doing this. What is PKL 4017? PKL 4017 is practically a love letter to Pakil. It’s an art and history based online bi-monthly blog/ magazine created by Pakileños for Pakileños . It acts as a time-travelling guide on everything you need to know about our little town which written, photographed, illustrated and designed by Pakil New Media. What is Pakil New Media? Pakil New Media is a newly formed creative army of talented individuals generous enough to share their time to pay homage to our town. Their tools of trade and knowledge contribute greatly to this little project. Why create PKL 4017? PKL 4017 is created in the pre-tense that there has been a lot of lost history in Pakil - some forgotten, some completely gone and some nearing extinction because traditions are just passed down to generations by word of mouth and only a few written ones. So this is why we made 4017, to by the least gather memories that would comprise our collective history as Pakilenos, a definite call to arms. 1. Archiving - the magazine is first and foremost a shared history. We must, at this point, give merit to our past, to honor, respect and practice them. Photos, videos, illustrations, news - everything

that happened or is happening in Pakil, will be archived accordingly through this magazine or on our blog. 2. Home - the battle cry “A new home for the digital Pakileños” isn’t just for nothing. For recent years, Pakileños, especially young computer savvy individuals are now migrating to cyberspace to spend their free time. But even though their thoughts are somewhere in the digital cloud, they keep coming up with groups. People want a sense of belongingness and identity even in cyberspace. So this site could be one of them, a little space for Pakilenos to interact. Also, for the Global Pakilenos, 4017 could be their portal on what’s currently happening in Pakil. 3. Identity - Having done the former 2 objective would result on this one. It is through dealing with our past could we begin to have sense of who we are as a community. We want each of us to be proud of where we came from, no matter how humble our story is, it is part of our history and it is now a part of our identity. Technicalities We are currently powered by Blogger.com. Hopefully soon, we could take out the ‘.blogspot.com’ and have our own domain - only if this goes far. We are also fully integrated with Facebook (pkl4017), Twitter (@PKL4017) and Instagram (@pkl4017). For the magazine, we are currently powered by Issuu, an awesome online publishing provider.

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Carousel (2011) Photograph Mira Celemin Carouselby(2011) In collaboration Art Society of Photographwith by Mira Celemin Carousel (2011) Pakil In collaboration with Arts Society Photograph by Mira Vista 201 of Pakil. In collaboration with Arts Society of Pakil

FEATURE STORY THE

HITCHHIKER’S

GUIDE PAKIL LAGUNA TO

Photo from 1948 Souvenir Program St. Peter of Alcantara Church Original Photo from R. Reyes Studio. (1948) Far out in the murky waters of the Laguna de bay, lies a small unregarded little town known as Pakil. This ‘sleepy town’ as it is called by city people is situated in the coordinates of 14* 22’ 39 N & 121* 29’ 8” E in the Sol star system of earth. Now, I could give you all the facts and history of this little town but that task would be tremendous enough in this little space and far more quite appropriate for Wikipedia, Google maps and travel bloggers. But what I have here, as you are currently reading this, is a guide - a truly remarkable guide for those who wants to get to know Pakil in a locals’ perspective entitled The Hitchhiker’s Guide to Pakil, Laguna.

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What you have to know about this gem of a guide is that its brilliant story starts simply, it starts with you. THE CHURCH If you found yourself in Pakil, Laguna stuck for a day with enough resources to go by then I suggest you start sight seeing. And where to start your conquest of sight seeing? Well, the church of course! Right in the heart of Pakil, towering in its great magnificence stands proud the 18th century

structure built by the town folks of Pakil. St. Peter of Alcantara parish has been destroyed and reconstructed altogether in the past years yet it still stops people from their tracks to marvel at its beauty. Make sure to enter the front doors of the church as it leads directly to the altar. The painting of Jose Dans’ Judicium Finale will welcome you hauntingly along the right side of the church. Also, notice the crucified Jesus on the right of the entrance, as it is has a mighty role in Pakil. Being the Senor during the Holy Week, its hands could be detached and the image could be taken down from its position. Other areas worthy to have a look are the choir

loft, church bell tower, the second floor of the convent to which,the dresses of Nuestra Senora de los Dolores de Turumba are displayed. And the Capilla de Nuestra Senora de los Dolores de Turumba. Heading back to the church’s grounds, the left side of the walls heading to the altar, is a visual record of the Church of St. Peter of Alcantara, its activities and milestones are on display for tourists and locals to see. Outside the church courtyard, you will see stations of the cross portrayed through almost human-sized stone models. Then there’s the newly constructed candle stand, where people can buy candles and again, pray for their intentions. Right

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Old photo of Pakil’s Plaza, currently under construction. From 1948 Souvenir Program (1948)

beside it is the Pahalikan, where people could go up and touch and pray Our Lady of Turumba. It is directly behind the altar so it is just climbing a few steps so you could reach it. But before leaving, be sure to stop by the little shop on the way out of the convent, a little something to remind you of Pakil would be very nice indeed. I suggest you buy a “Damit ng Birhen” of Our Lady of Turumba, as it guarantees safety and Oil to cure for illness. The church is opens daily. Peak seasons are mostly during the month of April for the ‘Pistang Lupi’ or ‘Biatiko’ and September for the Grand Turumba Festival. Tours are mostly serviced by Ka Efren. THE PLAZA Fancy taking a walk? Right after you come out of the church, you will immediately see the

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plaza. It is located right in front of the church to which the Spanish town designs were mostly constructed. (See all adjacent town in Laguna with the same structure) Now there isn’t much to see in the plaza on a regular basis unless you want to meet some of our local heroes’ monuments like Jose Rizal and Marcelo Adonay. But during the Months of April, May and October, the plaza is packed with Sideras and vendors of all shapes and sizes. And during September, the town is jam-packed with locals and devotees for Our lady of Turumba as it is the month of the Grand Turumba Festival. The basketballladen plaza turns to a loud and heated dance floor due to fancydress wearing young Pakilenos who celebrate Street Dancing Competitions. The plaza is the heart of Pakil whereby social and religious activities combine to celebrate the uniqueness and pride of Pakilenos. So be sure to be here during September, this is an order.

Pakil’s Prime Artisan. Portrait of Dan Dalena Photograph by Mira Celemin (2009) DAN DALENA’S ART MUSEUM If you think you like sipping black coffee, vintage houses and going to museums, then probably this is more of your taste. Located behind Plaza Rizal, Dan Dalena’s Art Museum is a gold mine overflowing of artistic creativity. On its walls, are the numerous paintings by Danilo Dalena, a primed artisan in the field of painting in the Philippines. He was famous for his Jai Alai series and had been recognized by numerous art organizations for his bold and unique style that

chronicled the times he lived in Pakil and his early life. The museum is open for public viewing for tourists and locals alike. Though Mr. Dan Dalena currently lives in Manila, make sure to check his displayed caricature and cross collection. Also, don’t forget to be amazed at his vintage jukebox and old barber’s chair, try a spin. Two little notes I would like to point out, the backyard is little odd place to have a no-where staircase and that Dan Dalena’s signature in his paintings are more of like numbers. *wink*

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The Compiled History of Pakil 1588 - 1987 by Mira Vista

1588 - Establishment of the community of St. John the Baptist 1602 - Pakil became a barrio of Paete. 1676 - Pakil separated itself from the Mu nicipality of Paete, May 12th. - Construction of a temporary church made of Bamboo by Fr. Francisco Barajas 1732 - Start of construction of a cemented church initiated by Fr. Fernando Haro 1739 - Fire broke out: The convent, choir loft and half of the church was consumed with fire. 1767 - Completion of the church under Don Juan Evangelistaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Regime 1777 - Added parts of the bell tower 1788 - September 15 - Founding of the Nuestra Senora de los Dolores de Turumba at the shores of Pakil - First ever Turumba 1796 - Fr. Francisco Sta. Maria bought a bell named San Miguel Arcangel de Pueblo de Pakil 1804 - Digging of the Panghulo for Irri gation dam initiated by Fr. Jauna Valladores. 1805 - Bought a cross and Seryales made of Silver 1833 - Addition of a bell named Nuestra Senora de los Dolores de Pakil 1840 - Fixed the convent under Fr. Joaquin de Coriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s regime 1851 - Fire broke out: destroyed part of the convent - Fixed the convent by Fr. Juan de Llarena

1858 - Added a bell named Siendo Cupa de la M.R. De Juan Antonio D. Herena, San Pedro Alcantara 1862 - Added another bell named Vorta La Purisima Concepcion 1881 - Earthquake: The roof fell and the bell tower was destroyed - Fixed by Kapt. Estanislao Macabasco and P. Juan de Dios Villayos 1883 - The ceiling of the church was fixed initiated by Fr. Paulino Camba 1894 - Construction of the fence of the cemetery (nearby church) 1900 - Establishment of the Unidad Catolica 1901 - Government owned Panghulo with the name Nayon ng Panghulo by Bernardo Macapanpan y Gonzales 1902 - Bernardo Gonazales (Mayor) change the barangays names ac cordingly 1903 - Pakil merged with Paete again. 1904 - Changed to merging with the Town of Pangil 1916 - Construction of the early stage under Juan Galleros of the Unidad Katolika 1927 - Separation from Panguil was of ficially granted, October 1st. 1928 - Start of Construction of Pakil Elementary School 1931 - Completion of Pakil Elementary School 1932 - Taal Barrio School was officially

1937

1938

1942 1945 1946 1953

1954

1948

1954

1955

opened (Case Real Elementary School) - Earthquake: Part of the convent was destroyed. Roof and Bell Tower off. - Fixed by Federico Diaz Fenis and Unidad Catolica - Dona Aurora Quezon visited Pakil. Dinanced the construction of Pakil and named the Dona Aurora Quezon Swimming Pool - Construction of Dorado Barrio School. - Japan Colonized the Philippines (up to 1945). - Pakil was freed from Japanese colony. - Doradao Barrio School officially opened. - May 24 - Coronation of our lady of Turumba at the Diocese of Lipa due to the recognition of Pope Pius XII of its Miracles. - Changed the name of Taal Barrio School to Casa Real Elementary School - Change the name of Dorado Bar rio School to Banilan Barrio School. - Casinsin Elementary School of ficially opened. - Fixed of Tower, coating of the interior and exterior of church, relocation of the stage. - Publication of the 1948 Souvenir Program - Construction of the Maryknoll Fathers’ High School under Fr. Joseph Regan MM. - Lights in Plaza Rizal were donat ed by Pakil Varsitarian - Maryknoll Fathers’ High School officially opened.

1959 1962 1964 1965

1966 1969

1968 1971

1981

1987

- Construction of General Cailles Memorial Hospital - Change of altar to marble that came from Hong Kong by Fr. Jo seph Regan. Consecrated. - Construction of Monterey Gar dens by Pedro S. Isorena. - Construction of Saray Elementary School. - Fixing and cementing of the plaza sponsored by Kapisanang Bulak lak ng Bayan by Hermano Jose Hernandez - Construction of the cemented Cross of Ping-as by Kapisanang Pakil Varsitarians - Completion of the song Turumba by Julian Celis Balita - Kabulusan Barangay High School officially opened. - Cementing of the plaza by Her mano Sofio Salagado, Jr. - Cornelio Celis Dalena Elementary School officially opened. - Publication of the History of Pa kil written by Gregorio Ybardo laza - Establishment of the People’s Center from Legua Comunal - Maulawin Elementary School of ficially opened. - Completion of the People’s Center by Nicanor N. Sanchez

***Based on the 1948 Souvenir Program, Kasaysayn ng Pakil by Atty. Gregorio C. Ybardolaza (1971) and Paggunita: Turumba 1788-1988 (1989).

SWIMMING POOL A relax and chill person, perhaps? We have something for you! Relax and take a dip at the Turumba Swimming Pool, its cold refreshing waters will calm your nerves and soothe your skin for a rejuvenating feeling - that or people could jump, run or trip on you on this public pool. This place is one of the bragging rights of Pakil for having a public pool and because it generates a lot of income for the town due to the Our Lady of Turumba devotees who frequent this place to attend the Turumba Festival during April. Note: for that rejuvenating feeling that I’m talking about? It is best to avoid the month of April. May is usually a good time, but that’s the time where the water gets really cold. Make sure you have your medical insurance for pneumonia or hypothermia. And no bathing at this place during Good Friday, because people say you are gonna turn into stone. When you visit, make sure to look at the protruding rock atop the tiled area. Okay? You’ll be surprised. A. Turumba Swimming Pool during ‘pistang lupi. Photo from Paggunita (1989) B. Former Dna. Aurora Quezon Swimming Pool. From 1948 Souvenir Program. Original Photo by R. Reyes Studio (1948).

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MT. PING-AS

WHITTLINGS

For the more adventurous taste, we got something up our sleeve, hiking~! To have your adrenaline pumping and fats burning, a hike up to Mt. Ping-as is best for you. Heading up the mountains isn’t just a walk in the park - literally. It is also a spiritual journey, because as you head up atop the mountains, you would pass by stations of the cross, which are a favourite for pilgrims because they could overcome their spiritual journey and have some sight seeing and picnics while they are at it.

Thinking about taking something home? Well, I bet you would love our Pakil-made unique souvenirs. One of the pride of our little town is the ‘Whittling’ that we call. It’s a very special delicate wood shaving technique exclusively made here in Pakil. Usually they are shaped in the form of a peacocks, birds, butterflies and fans through the uses of different knives with different thickness and young freshly cut solid branches. The prime place to get these whittlings is from E&R Handicrafts managed by Rudel San Gaspar located at the outskirts of the town. They kept this long-standing tradition among Pakilenos to keep it specifically unique to our town. Demos of these intricate whittlings crafts have been renowned worldwide and local demos are shared with tourists who wants to know more how these master carvers create such a unique work of art.

Also, when you found yourself visiting Pakil during the last Saturday of May, don’t be shocked to learn that there aren’t many people in town, because during this time, the people of Pakil are up in Mt. Ping-as celebrating the ‘Pistang Pagpanaog’ or the annual ‘Ahunan sa Ping-as’, whereby many activities are lined-up for the whole-day.

Ahunan sa Ping-as Photo from Paggunita (1989)

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FEATURE STORY

Words by Enzo Gool Our quest for the Bakal na Krus is on. Are you brave enough to venture Juan de la Cruzâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s birthplace? Standing its three hundred year old grandeur completed in the 1700s. The church of St. Peter of Alcantara towers above this little town with great magnificence in its golden brown facade - a mark of power and pride of Pakilenos. An enigmatic mamoth structure that is waiting to tell its story. And just recently, the church of St. Peter of Alcantara just became as one of the most iconic church to ever graze our local television.

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‘Epic’ serye - a new approach on modern television viewing that let us explores our rich history. This newest hit Kapamilya primetime television series aptly named Juan dela Cruz has been rated highly for having a refreshing and original storyline. The program offered a more very Pinoy flavor to our daily evening habits by having a modern aswang-fighting hero with a magical multi-faceted weapon cheekily portrayed in the form of a cross. A totally different approach from the face-slapping and hair pulling ‘teledramas’ that we came accustomed to. Upon its pilot episode, it became a massive hit and trended all over to twitter. But the best part of it is that a lot of people are commenting more about the where it was shot. “Sa Pakil yan ah!” most tweets would say and Pakilenyos on Facebook had been bursting with statuses and shares.

Freeze Frame Pakil scenes from Juan dela Cruz’s Official Trailer (2012)

This is due to the fact that months before JDC aired, we, Pakilenos, experience the JDC fever first hand because of the productions they’ve had in our little town. And with this, our church became the backdrop of what is now known as the icon of the Juan dela Cruz brand. From the trailers down to the merchandise, our church is featured in all of them. A complete 180 degree turn for our little sleepy town our town has awaken. One of the reasons why they chose Pakil as their location is because it is just a 3-hour drive down south. Location Managers don’t have to go to far-flung provinces to get that authentic provincial look for their show. They’ll just look for a place in Pakil, and it would fit right perfectly to what they are looking for. And also, Pakil has vicinities closely knitted together with nearly complete supplies to cater their production needs. I still remember the first time Juan dela Cruz had their shoot here. It was for their teaser and everybody got so excited because there were rumors that Coco Martin was the lead star. And true enough, during the first few weeks of the shoot, Pakilenyos gathered and watched Coco Martin live in action. Even the adjacent towns came over just to see him. It was utterly chaos for such a big star to visit this little small town. Coco had to be escorted by body guards wherever he goes. With the continuous shoot of Juan dela Cruz in our town,

adjacent people from different towns started pouring in trying to get a glimpse of Coco Martin and his co-stars and clamour to get a photo with them. Technically, this brings quite a good attention to Pakil. People visiting, and needing to eat, which gave the local stores around the plaza a pretty good income. Even the local barangay tanods had a little something extra from the shoot. This made our town bustling with people, business is sort of boom-

(above) Former Parish Resctor, Fr. Albert San Jose with Jaime Fabregas. (below)“You found it.” Bakal na Krus. Photo from Dra. Cyndee Fornoles

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ing quite a bit.

businesses on Tavera Street.

Though as weeks past, I noticed that people are getting bored of them as well. I thought I was the only one. We have been accustomed to seeing media people hustling and bustling around the town. But people aren’t that excited as they were before. Probably because Coco Martin isn’t as much shooting in our town anymore because of the working story.

Nevertheless, these all go with the changes whenever Juan dela Cruz is in town. These are just little prices to pay in exchange of the unique tranquillity of our town. The fact that it has been recognized by the big bosses of media to be a strategic spot for shooting locations is a such a big thing. And nothing makes us even more proud as a Pakilenyo than to

Personally, it’s a kind of relief that there aren’t much people around the church which is usually the base of the television production. By-standers and the fans tend to cause too much litter. Especially when they are waiting for their favourite actor to show up and they get hungry and opt to buy street foods and just throwing their litters everywhere. That is one of the downside of having the shoot in town. In addition to that, the national road was closed during the tapings which is right next to the church, so they block off he main road and divert the traffic on the hi-way, which makes it harder for commuters to travel because they have to catch their ride all the way to the outskirts of town and wait. Some local drivers are not thrilled as well with their confusing routes and unstable income. Also, business owners along the national road aren’t amused. If the route gets diverted, it isn’t convenient for their customers to come all the way from the hi-way especially to the medical

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(above) Fr. Mario and the cast of Juan dela Cruz and Indio’s waiting area. (opposite) Set of Indio along the churchyard and Dra. Fornoles with the cast of My Little Juan. Photos from Dra. Cyndee Fornoles

see our church flash on our screens. But even before Juan dela Cruz started shooting in our town, Pakil has been featured in television countless of times. Even back then, the grandeur of our church has appealed to producers even having the great Dolphy back then, shooting way back in the 70s and 80s. Though recently, Pakil has had strings of media attention during Fr. Albert San Jose’s stay. During 2010, Pakil has been featured in Umagang Kay Ganda for our September festival. Also in the same year, Mana Po (ABS-CBN) did some production here too, wherein Vista’s Art Space and Cafe was under the spotlight. Then, in another primetime bida roster Piolo Pascual’s Dahil sa Pag-ibig generated attention (ABS-CBN) wherein there has been a big assassination scene of Christopher de Leon and Piolo fighting over the veranda of the church. They involved a lot of people on that production as well with elementary kids as majorettes performing in front of fake towns people. Also Shake, Rattle & Roll was shot in our town as well. And even got featured in Mel & Joey and EWTN.

Also, whilst Juan de la Cruz was shooting in Pakil, they shared the same backdrop to a rival company’s epic serye as well, GMA’s Indio. Their Spanish themed program would definitely have Pakil on their radar because of our one of a kind church. And on one occasion, GMA and ABSCBN had shoots back-to-back. Even the people were confused on who’s shooting in town “Ano ba to? Juan de la Cruz o Indio?” With the success of Juan de la Cruz, the big bosses of ABS, did another first in their playing cards, they created a spin-off for the young Juan dela Cruz. Since the early days of young Juan is so much entertaining and appealing to kids, they made a show of its own. Which means, every now and then, up to now, there will be grip trucks and cameras rolling around town for the shooting of the well-received afternoon television show, “My Little Juan.” Juan dela Cruz currently airs in ABS-CBN right after TV Patrol and My Little Juan during 2:30 P.M.

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inutes of M M

May

“...the sights and adventure May brings each year are always warmly welcomed.” May would always be the diva of the year due to its event-filled schedules. Among its activities before the rainy season kicks in are the three most awaited ones in Pakil. FLORES DE MARIA

feature story 22

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The month of May signals the bloom of the flowers and the harvest season. And as part of the religious culture of Filipinos, we celebrate it in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary by offering her flowers to show our gratitude hence the tradition of what is now dubbed as “Queen of Filipino festivities” known as Flores de Mayo/Maria.

photograph by bernard vista

Flores de Maria 1. Flowers of May 2. The tedious flower arrangement for the alay. 3. Our modern take on the unique flower arrangement technique known as Bastagan. (2013) photograph by Mira vista

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Every town, barrio and city have their own way of celebrating Flores de Maria and Pakil is no different. We celebrate it for the same reason. But weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got specifics on how we are supposed to celebrate it. First of, you ought to know that the Bulaklak ng Bayan administers this long-standing tradition. Each year, they appoint someone to be the Hermano and Hermana, which were generously accepted by Roel Supendio and Ritchelle Bobis for this year. Along with that, a handful of Cabesillos and Cabesillas for each barangay to govern the task of inviting sagalas (young men and women) to participate in the event. The bulk of the task lay on their shoulders as to which they have to decorate their own barangays, prepare flowers and food, musiko and offertory to the church. Aside from this, the Cabesillos and Cabesillas are to finance their own term thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s why most of the Cabesillos and Cabesillas were chosen by their age months before the celebration commence in May.

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photograph by bernard vista

The start of May signals the opening of the celebration, and the Cabesillos and Cabesillas were to have a procession with their Hermano and Hermana around town. After that opening, scheduled dates for each of the barangay’s ‘alay’ commence - one day for each of the main barangays here in the poblacion. And then, the culminating activity which was held last May 19. This culminating activity known as the Kapistahan is a part of the Flores de Maria festivities to which each of the Cabesillo and Cabesilla with their respective Sagalas of their barangay are to join the procession - a very very very long procession of pretty girls in gowns and charming boys in their barongs offering flowers to Mama Mary. Although , joining the sagala is a mark of street cred as well, with the teen’s active participation for this kind festivity, there will be more years of these annual religious semi-fashion show for years to come.

On a personal note though, this year, I made Cabesilla to which I have personally experienced this unique tradition first hand. Base from my experience, being a Cabesilla isn’t that all glamorous. It dawned on me on how hard it is to invite a sagala nowadays. Teens tend to shy away from the spotlight or they just don’t want to participate somehow. But still you have that drive to not disappoint your barangay and Mama Mary, of course. Gladly there are kids who confirmed and it is with that, I feel truly blessed. An after the long months of preparation, it was an over-all success. My coCabesillos and Cabesillas managed to pull through with the events with lots of support from our barangays, family and out Hermano and Hermana. We somewhat even try to revive the very unique flower arrangement known as the Bastagan in our own terms, despite the lack of Calachuchi in the area

photograph by donna escarcha

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AHUNAN SA PING-AS The last Saturday of May is always reserved for a day out of town. Actually, the whole town is outof-town. The annual Ahunan sa Ping-as, for many, is their last attempt for a summer getaway before June kicks in. Families, friends and organizations hike up the mountains at the burst of dawn to celebrate this day of social gathering and spiritual healing. They say that the way to cross is not easy and that’s what we have to remember, even if it means literally. Activities such as station of the cross, mass, games, tree planting and salo-salo awaits you at the top of Mt. Ping-as for a whole day of fun, frolics and faith. This is the first time that there has been a tree-planting activity simultaneous with the event. This year, the crowd turn out is a little bit fewer because of a simultaneous event downtown. But still, many of the hikers arrived the night before the event itself, and this has been an issue for over the

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years. There is nothing wrong about having overnights at Mt. Ping-as, but teens mostly turn this into a party that leads to many drunkards on the event itself. Most of the patients of Pakil Emergency Response Team (PERTs) are the drunkards who over-night the day before coming to them with bruises, lacerations and other wounds. The annual event was a cooperation of religious and sociocivic groups. The visible ones that day are PERTS to apply first aids and the newly formed 4017 Radio Assistance Group, to monitor the happenings on different stations for a peaceful day ahead. In place of the Hermano of this year’s Ahunan sa Ping-as, late Engr. Cesar Dalena (+), the Gimenez family managed the event and called ban liquor drinking at Mt. Ping-as, in lieu with what happened and in respects to Engr. Dalena. Despite this great misfortunate, many attended the yearly climb and enjoyed a day out in the sun. Well, it heavily rained that day, but that’s just in preparation on what awaits the people on that night - the annual Santacruzan.

photograph by son pacheco

tino as a child and the Reyna Elena as a young lady during Santa Cruzan?”

SANTA CRUZAN “Why do we celebrate Santacruzan?” I personally don’t even know the answer to this question. I just sort of celebrate it, that’s all, because it is fun. I thought of Googling about it but then Rev. Fr. Mario P. Rivera explained it more convincingly. We celebrate the finding of the Holy Cross by St. Helen, where our Lord was crucified. But then he followed up with a question that raised more than a few eye-brows, “How old was St. Helen when her son, Constantine, was already an Emperor?” He explained further, “The Emperor should be in his 30’s or 40’s to be considered to rule. Which makes the mother of the Emperor, the Queen Regent, around 50’s or 60’s.” True enough, upon researching for this article, Queen Helen was about 60 plus years already when she was converted into Christianity and found the Holy Cross.And then he added, “Why is it that we represent the Constan-

A moment of thought dawned on me. Sure Father Mario is right. But I digress because tradition makes us think about the glamour of the Santacruzan was more directed specifically to the young men and women of the town. But since the whole reason why we celebrate Santacruzan has been disclosed, I think, it’s time we do things differently for this celebration. And with that, a special and one of a kind Santacruzan commenced in many years, Santacruzan - Mother version. Apparently, this decision surprised a lot of people. Mothers? Why? Why not? I say. If we will do a tribute to these awesome women of history, why not make it accurate as possible, starting with the age. Right?

photograph by donna escarcha

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It didn’t rain that night even thought it was threatening to pour down any minute, the Queens, all dolled up in their beautiful gowns, crowns and wonderful assortment of Arkos decorated and filled the town with excitement. It was a more fun Santacruzan that night, in fact, instead of mothers tailing their daughters for food and retouch, it is them who are in their mother’s position now. Their sons are the ones carrying the arcs - You could actually see the family effort they did for this version of the Santacruzan. Also, there wasn’t a lot of “Hey, who’s that girl?”, but more of the “Wow, si Kumare pala yun! Ang ganda!” Spearheading the event is Reyna Emperatriz - Mrs. Imelda Someros - the Hermana of this year’s Santacruzan. It’s a different but wonderful take on the way we do things here in Pakil. It wasn’t the norm, but it was special. It was truly the Queens’ night to shine.

Queens of the Night A. Reyna Elena III - Renie Corazon Sabenano Hidalgo B. Reyna Emperatriz - Imelda Martinez-Someros C. Reyna Elena I - Stella Gordula Cahimat photograph photographby bypatrick patrickvaliente valiente

THe List

Words by Vonna Vista

1. Suki ka sa Turumba Spring Resort - at dire-diretso ka lang sa loob na walang bayad.

nakapag-muni muni na sa sunset dito.

18. Alam mo kung saan ang Malaking Bunton.

2. Naka-ahon ka na Mt. Ping-As at alam mo ang madaming shortcut dito.

10. Alam mo na hindi lang piyesta ang Turumba, dahil isa rin siyang super mart, hardware store, bangko at Children’s Choir.

19. Miyembro ka ng dalawa o higit pang grupo sa Facebook na tungkol sa Pakil.

3. Alam mo na ang Monterey ay hindi lamang isang Meat Shop.

11. Alam mo na may “Bicol Region” sa loob ng Pakil.

20. Nakakain ka na sa Manay at nakapag-lugaw ka na sa Gonzales.

4. Madalas mong nadadaanan ang Bahay ni Dalena pero hindi ka pa nkakapasok dito.

12. Nakakain ka na ng Halo-halo sa Lerma’s at sa Macabasco.

21. Alma mo na hindi lang pito ang barangay sa Pakil.

13. Alam mo kung nasaan ang Bato ni Royo.

22. Alam mo na walking distance lang ang Saray (Talaga lang ha?!)

14. Alam mo ang Beatles ay hindi lang isang banda kundi isa ring kainan.

23. May damit ng Birhen ka sa wallet mo (o iba pang gamit).

5. Alam mo ang secret shop ni Ka Elex. (Hala, alam mo nga ba?) 6. Alam mong pwedeng pumunta ng Taiwan ng palakad o pa-tricycle. 7. Nakapag-Turumba ka na - ikot sa simbahan, libot bayan at sa Intramuros. Nakasama ka na sa train-trainan ni Ka Billy. . 8. Alam mo kung saan ang Marsi at ang tanging tubig na trip mo ay ang tubig na inigib sa Marsi (allergic ka kasi sa ibang tubig) 9. Nakapunta ka na sa Estaca at

15. Nakasali ka na sa Street Dancing sa Turumba Festival (Turumba Sa Birhen! Hey!) 16. Na-experience mo na ang walang kapantay na Salibanda sa Pakil. (Tubig pa!) 17. Mortal na kalaban mo ang mga taga-ibaba kung taga-ilaya ka, at vice-versa.

24. Alam mo na ang bagong daan sa Rizal ay luma na. 25. Nakapg-shopping ka na sa M&W at TSM. 26. Matatawa ka sa salitang “Katiro” (Itanong sa matatanda) 27. Tropa mo sina Tetet, Loni, Paso, Mac-mac, Vilma, Perba, Pare, Linta, Pipaw at si Ramon (tuhut).

PAUNAWA: Isa lamang pong gawa-gawang listahan na may karamihan ay base sa katotohanan, wala po sanang mapi-pikon.

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REGENERATE photograph by Mira Vista models: Rics Macabasco & Viva Vista Vonna Vista & Cholo Macabasco pkl 4017

“Siestas that could last a decade...”

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Words by Jovanne Flores Vacation has ended and a new school year is about to begin. Such uneasiness, we students feel as the month of June approaches. Because this will mean, no more “hayahay-ness” and “petiks mode”. Summer vacation is, by far, our favourite time of the year. Liberation. The siesta time, the hot scorching sun and seasoned fruits are definitely a winner. And along with it are the extended holidays, that gives us a lot of time away from home, or school, or business, and to go out, relax, and actually have fun without worrying about the threat of flash floods or the next PAG-ASA update. It is basically the utmost time we finally free ourselves from pressures and notorious deadlines.

have miraculous healing powers. Other than that, it’s the perfect destination to quench the heat wave and another excuse to spend time with your friends or probably stalk your crush that you could go to almost every day for its right in the heart of the Pakil poblacion. Usually summer time in the swimming pool is jammed packed from 8 am to 5 pm onwards and sometimes, people go on night swimming which is quite dreadfully cold. Foods aren’t a problem because there are local sari-sari stores to buy from right outside the pool gates or if you want homemade food, you could settle on a cottage and have your own picnic right beside the pool. A little hint of advice, being a Pakileno pays off, you absolutely have nothing to pay for the entrance fee on this one.

The start of Summer usually begins immediately after the school year ends. Once that graduation song and uniforms are tucked away, it’s jumping off to the nearest pool and having that best-seller dirty ice cream from Manong Sorbetero. But here in Pakil, we have our own way of spending summer and in true blue Pakilenyo fashion. Beating the summer heat, the immediate advice is jumping off at our local pool. The Turumba Swimming Pool that is said to

Another summer destination is a test of endurance and strength, hiking to Mt. Ping-as. True enough this is the ‘no guts, no glory’ challenge because an hour and a half hike is a no laughing matter but even so, locals, especially teens, love to hike up Mt. Ping-as to experience some nature loving and, wait for it, another excuse to hang out with friends. This is another getaway destination for barkadas, for picnics and hang out time. The seclusion of the destination away from piercing public eyes, with just the sole company of your friends, is enticing and is always a well-loved accessible destination for teens.

Summer, it’s like the world’s best story and it’s waiting to be told. - Phineas and Ferb

On a side note, responsible citizenship should be practice. Please note that the roads and

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guide posts aren’t murals to vandalize your name with. It is first and foremost a sacred place of worship and decency should be observed. That includes cleanliness and orderliness from each of us. No throwing of bottle of rums on whatever piece of land you could find. Let’s be responsible citizens and remember, “Take only pictures, leave only footprints.” And lastly, another hiking spree for the more adventurous Pakileno, hiking to Mt. Inumpog. Honestly speaking, I haven’t been to Mt. Inumpog, they say it is a bit more of a challenge without the cemented route to guide you, just trails. But they also say, the scene is more breathtakingly beautiful. You also get to see areas that aren’t accessible when you take the main route, which is Mt. Ping-as. Also, Mt. Inumpog is a destination for eco-lovers. There are areas to which people could plant trees to keep the soil firm enough to avoid erosion. And yes, this is also a sacred site, so decency must always be observed. ----Though 2 months is pretty quite a long time, for students, this is a mix of excitement and dreadfulness. Vacations meant freedom, doing anything freely. But during school days, homework forbids us to do so. During vacations, we can stay awake at wee hours of the night but during school days, we stay awake for homework reasons and yet the need to wake up early. Vacations meant going online endlessly and text our friends unlimitedly. But in school, we can only go online with a limited time

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“Take only pictures, leave only footprints.”

and text others only at nights, for phones are not allowed using inside the school.

your classmates even.

As we approach the back-to-school season, looking back, maybe this is why we love summer so much, the possibility of doings things that we don’t normally do on school nights. The unpredictability of everyday. But should we be satisfied if our everyday life will only be classified as vacations and no school days? Wherein you’ll just sit there and live life carefree? No. It’ll be boring. The special things wouldn’t be special anymore. Summer wouldn’t be that one thing we look forward to every end of school. There is no point of missing

So my fellow students, as much as it burdens me to say this. We should never forget the importance of school. Without attending school, aside from not learning new things, we can’t meet our teacher and be terrorized by them, or have real fun with our classmates. It is in all the same that things are meant the way they are, that’s why summers are always special.

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Riverâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

Song The Familiar legend. The Timeless Tale.

Mixen Rivera & Daine Tolentino

photograph by son pacheco

photograph by Mira vista

photograph by vonna vista

photograph by son pacheco

photograph by mira vista

photograph by son pacheco

photograph by mira vista

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digital art by donna escarcha

>>> WRITER’S BLOCK Vonna Vista

Enzo Gool

“Robert Langdon’s Research Assistant, a demigod in training and one of Christian Grey’s Personal Assistant.

from House of Gool, King of the Seven Kingdoms has a divergent blood running in his veins. He is a self-proclaimed demigod with ADHD and is a nuisance. And likes to spend his time casting and writing spells. At day time, he is a Knight Communication student but as soon as night time falls, he roams every roof top and throws shurikens at every bad guy. Basically, he is just your average dork and a hero in style from his own blog.

Limited Information Available - The Consortium

Jovanne Flores

Mira Vista

a 14-year old cute creature currently invading this wonderful vicinity of Pakil. They say this is a lovely place and I want to experience it myself. So far, it didn’t fail my expectations, that’s why I’m planning to write about it as I experience more .

Nerdist. Sell-sword. Hoopy Frood. Browncoat. Time Lord. FRIENDZONED.

>>> THANK YOU I would like to express my deepest appreciation and to all the sion from the Garcia’s who manages the house, thank you for letting us use the space. people involved in this project. If I could pay them, I would but all I can do is to credit them due to their excellent contriTo Rev. Fr. Mario Rivera for allowing us to shoot at the butions, so please forgive the name drops. church grounds. Thank you. To the talented roster of photographers who gladly took their To Dra. Cyndee Fornoles for being our personal calendar. time in taking event photos or set-up shoots - thank you for sending me your photos, I really do appreciate the effort. Thank you for all the support and help. Kuya Etick, Tito Bernard, Donna, Son and Vonna - You guys are awesome. To Denish Cartavio, Fr. Albert San Jose, Bernard Vista and my Grandparents for the additional infos. To the very talented writers, all of whom are newbies in the field, thank you for writing the good stuff. It’ll be just a To my models: Daine Tolentino, Rics Macabasco, Cholo flipbook if not for your insights. Thank you, Enzo, Vonna and Macabasco, Vonna Vista, Viva Vista and Mixen Rivera. Thank Jovanne. all you for being a good sport. To Dan Dalena’s Residence, to which we receive the permis-

“Valar Moghulis.”

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DIGITAL ART BY RIVER TAM

pkl 4017 is recruiting 4017 magazine is recruiting for editorial roles, photographers, illustrators and contributors. If you are interested, please contact pakilnewmedia@gmail.com