Pangasinan Blog

Some Foods That Fight Stress

2010-10-26T00:08:00.000-07:00

Some Foods That Fight Stress

Shepherd Of My Soul Lyrics

2010-10-14T20:59:00.000-07:00

Shepherd Of My Soul Lyrics

I Will Sing Lyave Song

2010-10-12T06:24:00.000-07:00

I Will Sing Lyave Song

Manila-Dagupan Railway, What happened?

2007-03-21T23:37:00.000-07:00

It's like Pantranco which evaporated from mine own eyes, the Manila-Dagupan Railway was abandoned. How we need to have this railway back hence going to Manila now takes longer than before because of the unforeseen multiplications of vehicles.

I saw some broken rails in Dagupan. Can you give us some info about how and why the railroad was abandoned?

Election 2007 in Pangasinan

2007-03-03T16:55:00.000-08:00

Pangasinan is still one of the most registered provinces in the country. According to Comelec, there are 1.3 million registered voters in the province. No wonder why the opposition candidates are hovering and visiting the province first.

The administration candidates were not in slumber, they passed here also coinciding with town fiestas.

Pangasinan is large that if a senatoriable can get a million here, then he/she needs at least 8 million more to win.

Jose Torres Bugallon

2007-02-14T21:03:00.000-08:00

Jose Torres Bugallon, great military strategist in the Filipino-American War, was born on August 28, 1873 in Salasa (now Bugallon), Pangasinan to Jose Asas Bugallon. His father came from Baliwag, Bulakan; his mother was of the well-known Gonzales family of Pangasinan.

After elementary schooling in Salasa, he went to San Isidro Nueva Ecija where he completed in 1882 the first and second years of the secondary course under Don Rufino Villaruz. In 1886, he enrolled at the Colegio de San Juan de Letran, completed the secondary course and earned the Bachelor of Arts degree in 1889, with high scholastic ratings.

After his graduation he entered the Seminary of San Carlos with the intention of becoming a priest although his real love was the military. Having passed the validation examination given by the Spanish government in 1892, he went abroad as a pensionado of the government to the world-famed Military Academy at Toledo, Spain where he spent three years of concentrated study in the science of military organization and warfare.

In 1896, he graduated as 2nd Lieutenant. Upon his return to the Philippines that same year, he joined and served with the 70th Infantry Regiment of the Spanish Army. He fought several battles and after the battle of Talisay on May 30, 1897, he was promoted to Captain. He was also awarded the coveted Cross of Maria Cristina and the Red Cross for Military Honor (Cruz Roja del Merito Militar). After the Treaty of Paris on December 10, 1898, and the cessation of hostilities, he obtained his clearance papers.

At that time, General Antonio Luna urgently needed instructors for the training of officers in the European art of warfare at Malolos, Bulacan. Jose joined General Luna's staff as aide-de-camp and recruitment officer for Spanish war veterans. A well-trained military officer, he was very instrumental in the reorganization and discipline of the Filipino Army. This made him an invaluable officer to General Luna.

On February 5, 1899, Bugallon was in command of the heavily defended frontline at La Loma. The American troops under General Arthur MacArthur attacked this defense sector. In the thick of battle, the Filipino forces were outflanked, exposing Torres Bugallon to the superior firepower of the enemy. He was hit by a bullet in the thighs.Upon learning from Lt. Colonel Queri, that Bugallon was wounded, General Luna ordered: "Bugallon wounded. Order forward. He must be saved at all costs. Bugallon is worth 500 Filipino soldiers. He is one of my hopes for future victory."General Luna found him severely wounded and prostrate in a ditch at the side of the road. All that he could utter was "My ...don't expose yourself so much. Don't advance any farther."

For galiantry in action he was honored with the regalia befitting his heroism, promoted to Lieutenant Colonel, and pinned with a medal worth his military valor. Lt. Colonel Bugallon was withdrawn from the frontlines by Commander Hernando, and General Luna himself, who took him to the Kalookan medical station where he was given first aid by Dr. Jose Luna and Santiago Barcelona. By train, he was rushed by General Luna to Malolos for hospitalization. Somewhere after Lolomboy and nearing the approach to Bocaue, Lt. Colonel Bugallon asked: "Have the reinforcement arrived?" Too weak to keep his strength any longer due to profuse bleeding, he died on the breast of General Antonio Luna, a few hours after he was withdrawn from the battlefield.

Commander Torres Bugallon's death was a great loss to General Antonio Luna who wept unashamedly before the lifeless body of his comrade-at-arms.

Arrangements were made to bury his remains in Bigaa but it was decided later to inter the corpse at the Malolos cemetery. There a tomb with a modest stone slab marked his final resting place.
Though felled in battle, Bugallon with his gallantry under the very superior enemy firepower, surpassed whatever shortcomings he had in Iris military career. He owed a great debt of gratitude to Spain for his training and education. But his decision to renounce his military allegiance and to join the Filipino Army not only for martial laurels but for the bright future of the land of his birth for which he sacrificed his life, made him a hero, a true Filipino.

To perpetuate his memory, a law sponsored in 1921 by Congressman Mauro Navarro of Pangasinan changed the name of Salasa, the hero's birthplace, to Bugallon.

His remains now lie buried in the Sampalok Church in Manila.

Victorio Edades

2007-02-11T20:28:00.000-08:00

Made National Artist in Painting in 1976, Victorio C. Edades was the pioneer in modernism in the Philippine art scene. In fact, he is known as the Father of Modern Philippine Painting. A lot of his paintings portrayed the hardships of the working class, using dark and somber colors and bold strokes.

Edades was born on December 23, 1895 in Dagupan, Pangasinan to Hilario Edades and Cecilia Edades. He obtained his early education in barrio schools and went to a high school in Lingayen. In 1919, he left for the United States to study Architecture and Fine Arts at the University of Washington in Seattle. During the summer, he worked in the salmon canneries of Alaska. It was also during his stay in the U.S. that he married American Jean Garrott, with whom he had his only daughter, Joan.

He returned to the Philippines in 1928 and in the same year had his first one-man show at the Philippine Columbian Club. He also came up with two of his most well-known works in that year: The Sketch (also known as The Artist and His Model), and The Builders.

Edades joined the University of Santo Tomas in the 1930�s where he stayed on for three decades and became dean of its Department of Architecture. It was he who introduced the Liberal Arts program which led to a Bachelor�s Degree in Fine Arts, a first in the Philippines since art was only taught in vocational schools then. Edades later formed the Triumvirate of Modern Art with Carlos V. Francisco and Galo B. Ocampo, after they produced a mural for the lobby of the Capitol Theater on Escolta Street. This began the growth of mural painting in the Philippines.

However, it was also during this period that the infamous debate between the modernists and the conservatives, including Ariston Estrada, Ignacio Manlapaz and Fermin Sanchez, took place. This was interrupted by the second World War, but resumed in 1948, with sculptor Guillermo Tolentino and painter Fernando Amorsolo representing the conservatives.

In 1938, Edades, together with Ocampo and Diosdado Lorenzo, established the Atelier of Modern Art in Malate, Manila. This resulted in the formation of the Thirteen Moderns, considered the pioneers of modern art in the Philippines. This group was led by Edades and included Ocampo, Francisco, Lorenzo, Vicente S. Manansala, H. R. Ocampo, Demetrio Diego, Bonifacio Cristobal, Cesar F. Legaspi, Jose Pardo, Arsenio Capili, Ricarte Puruganan, and Anita Magsaysay-Ho.

Aside from this, Edades co-founded the Mindanao Ethnoculture Foundation, which focused on the indigenous culture and heritage of Mindanao. In his last fifty years, the subject of his paintings had also become indigenized.

Edades retired from the UST at the age of 70, and he was bestowed with the degree of Doctor in Fine Arts, Honoris Causa. He then settled in Davao after retirement.

On May 7, 1985, Victorio Edades passed away at the age of 89.

Edades� major works include:

1928 The Sketch, National Museum Collection
1928 The Builders, Cultural Center of the Philippines Collection
1935 Interaction, with Carlos V. Francisco and Galo B. Ocampo
1976 Demoiselles Davao
1979 Kasaysayan, a mural for a Manila bank

Achievements:

1961 Pro Patria Award, given during the Rizal Centennial Celebration
1964 Patnubay ng Sining at Kalinangan Award, from the City of Manila

Villa Verde Trail, San Nicolas

2007-02-04T08:56:00.000-08:00

Named after a Spanish Missionarry who used it to bring Catholicism to people in the mountains of northern Luzon. This 27 mile trail runs climbs over 5,000' from Santa Maria to Santa Fe along ridgelines large enough for foot traffic and horses. It terminates to the junction with Route 5 and the Cagayan Valley.

Battle of Villa Verde Trail

After the American landing at Lingayen Gulf on January 9, 1945, Japanese forces of the 'Shobu Group' defended this location, including 10th Recconssaiance Regimen and survivors of the 7th Tank Regiment from the battle of San Manuel. The US Army 32nd Infantry Division's 127th Infantry Regiment advanced along this trail beginning on January 30, 1945. The rough terrain made it impossible for vehicles to support the battle, Igorot laborers were employed to carry supplies and evacuate wounded.

32nd Infantry Division Villa Verde Monument
In 1987 with the help of the veterans of the 32nd and cooperation of the Santa Maria East the monument was restored from March - September 1989. The memorial's brass plaque reads: "Erected by the officers and men of the 32d Infantry Division United States Army in memory of their gallant comrades who were killed along the Villa Verde Trail Januray 30, 1945 - May 28, 1945".

Source: http://www.pacificwrecks.com/provinces/philippines_santa_maria.html

What happened to Alcala's world records?

2007-02-01T20:27:00.000-08:00

ALCALA, Pangasinan (5 May 2006) -- All roads led to Alcala Saturday as people came to witness this town’s attempt to enter its name in the world map by putting up the world’s longest grill and the world’s longest barbecue for the Guinness Book.

Mayor Manuel Collado said after several dry runs, there is no doubt anymore that Alcala has broken the two world records of 32.84 or 107.7 feet for the longest grill and the 1007.56 or 13,305.54 feet for the world’s longest barbecue.

The longer grill record was put up by the residential home Haus Ostertal at St.Wendel Werschweiler Germany as part of its 10th anniversary on May 14, 2004. Source: PIA

I was impressed and amazed last year by the people of Alcala for the attempt of breaking two world records of the longest grill and the longest barbecue.

I haven't heard any news if it was certified by the Guinness Book. Any news about this? Hopefully you will post some comments here.

Carmen Rosales

2007-01-28T08:22:00.000-08:00

Carmen Rosales (born 1918 in Pangasinan) is a famous prewar Filipina actress better known as Mameng and is noted for her skill in acting and sweet voice. Rosales' film debut was in the 1938 movie Ang Kiri which she made a double to Atang dela Rama. When her friend brought her to Quisumbing the man rejected Rosales because the young woman did not have an aura of an actress.

But she became the most famous Filipina actress of the 1940s and 1950s and rivaled Rosa del Rosario at the box-office. She is famous for her sweet voice and recorded numerous songs. Rosales made her first debut in Ang Kiri aka The Flirt under Diwata Pictures. She starred in her first leading role opposite Jose Padilla Jr in Arimunding-Munding 1939.

She became the most bankable star in Sampaguita Pictures and the highest paid actress of the 1940s and 1950s. Her unforgettable roles as a martyr lover of Rogelio dela Rosa in Maalaala Mo Kaya 1954 and a club-singer in Ang Tangi Kong Pag-ibig.

She got her first Famas Award in 1954 via Inspirasyon opposite Van de Leon and a strict auntie in 1960 movie Estela Mondragon.

Rosales is named after Carmen, Rosales in Pangasinan. Rosales is famous in a hacendera role fighting to Alicia Vergel in Pablo Gomez version of MN. Her last appearance is from Inday Badiday's Eye to Eye and refused to appear completely in TV in a minor role.

this article is from wikipedia

Bakit gumagalaw ang buntot ng kalabaw?

2007-01-27T07:47:00.000-08:00

"Balong, sama ka sa bukid ipapastol ko ang kalabaw?", paanyaya ni Tiyo Silo.
"O sige pero maglalakad na lang ako."
"Medyo malayo iyong pastulan, sakay na lang tayo sa kalabaw. Sa likod ka, ako ang magda-drive", sambit ni Tiyo Silo.

Inalis ni Tiyo Silo ang tali ng kalabaw sa puno ng mangga. Nakita ko ang mabait na kalabaw na nakangiti dahil alam niya na sa ganitong oras ay dadalhin na naman sa kanyang paboritong lugar upang kumain ng iba't ibang klaseng damo.

Magaan ang loob namin sa kalabaw. Kasali siya sa aming pamilya. Siya ang ginagamit pang-araro sa bukid. Hinihila niya ang kariton na may mabibigat na sako ng palay patungo sa bahay ni Lola Kolasa. Sinasakyan namin ang kariton para pumunta sa bayan at mamalengke. Matiyaga ang kalabaw, kaya pinapakain namin siya ng maigi.

"Tiyo, 'di ko alam umakyat sa kalabaw, paano ako makasasakay?" Dahil ako'y apat na taon pa lamang noon ay binuhat ako ni Tiyo at inilagay sa likod.
"Huwag kang matakot, hawakan mo sa likod", wika ni Tiyo.

Inalagay ni Tiyo Silo ang mga kamay sa likod ng kalabaw na iyong isa ay hawak ang tali at sabay talon sa kalabaw. Ilang saglit ay nakasakay na kami. Lumalakad na si matiyagang kalabaw. Masayang masaya siya.

"Maaaaaaaaaaaak..", sigaw ng kalabaw.

"Aray!", nadama ko ang hampas ng buntot ng kalabaw tatlumpong segundo lang bago kami lumisan. Hinayaan ko iyong unang hampas kasi alam kong gaya ng aso ay nagpapahiwatig ng kagalakan. Ngunit sinundan pa ng napakaraming pagkilos ng buntot ng aming babaeng kalabaw.

"Tiyo, masakit ang hampas ng buntot", habang lasap ko ng kasarapan ng pagsakay.
"Magtiis ka, malapit na tayo".

Nang makarating kami sa pastulan, unang bumaba si Tiyo para ilagay iyong kahoy na doon nakatali. Ipinukpok niya sa lupa at hinayaan ako sa kalabaw. Matindi kong hinawakan ang likod ng hayop dahil ayaw kong mahulog. Gayundin, natatamaan pa rin ako ng buntot.

Natapos na ng pagpukpok si Tiyo at lumakad siya papalapit sa amin. Ibinaba niya ako.

Hinayaan namin ang kalabaw at pumunta kami sa bahay-kubo na kung saan nandoon si Lola Kolasa. Habang nilalasap ko ang simoy ng hangin, nakatingin pa rin ako sa kalabaw. Napansin ko na hanggang ngayon ay gumagalaw pa rin ang buntot.

"Lola, bakit gumagalaw ang buntot ng ating kalabaw?", di ko na mapigilang magtanong.
"Itong Apo ko, kung anu-anong itinatanong", wika ni Lola. "Kasi maraming langaw ang dumadapo sa puwit, kaya ginagamit ang buntot na pamaypay".

May mga pangyayari sa barrio na hindi maaaring kalimutan. Ang pagsakay sa kalabaw na kasama ang hampas ng buntot nito ay walang katapusang karanasan itinatago sa puso.

*****
A smaller breed of Water buffalo, the Carabao, is the national animal of the Philippines.

The carabao (Filipino: kalabaw) or B. bubalus carabanesis is a domesticated subspecies of the water buffalo (Bubalus bubalus) found in the Philippines, Guam, and various parts of Southeast Asia. Carabaos are highly associated with farmers, being the farm animal of choice for pulling the plow and the cart used to haul farm produce to the market.

Carmen Rosales Pangasinan

2007-01-25T15:21:00.000-08:00

This barrio probably exceeds all barrios and towns of Pangasinan in popularity in the entire Luzon. It is the terminal of buses and jeeps going to the north; like Ilocos Sur, La Union, Ilocos Norte, ang Benguet: to the south; Pampanga, Manila, Laguna: to the east; Nueva Viscaya, Isabela: and Bayambang, Lingayen to the west.

It is also known for the Carmen-Villasis bridge which was used strategically and built by the Americans to fight against the Japanese.(see left image, 1935 bridge, right image, the present bridge)

Nang maubos ang "tansan"

2007-01-24T19:24:00.000-08:00

Kinakalawang man o bago ay napakahalaga na marami ka sapagkat nakasalalay dito ang mga oras sa pakikipaglaro sa mga kaibigan o kapitbahay.

Tinatawag naming "tansan" o iyong takip ng bote ng softdrinks o kaya'y beer (sa English, bottle crown). Naging bahagi ng buhay hindi lang ng mga mahilig sa softdrinks gaya ng Royal True Orange, Sprite, Coke, Pepsi Cola, Sarsi, Merienda, Mountain Dew, at San Miguel beer. Ito'y naging laruan ng mga bata noong wala pang "console games".

Paano pinapaglaruan iyong "tansan"? Kung sa kasino ang gamit ay mga "chips"; sa mga bata ay tansan.

Madalas magamit ang tansan na panaya sa "taksing" na kung saan ang bawat manlalaro ay maglalagay ng magkakaparehas ng bilang sa loob ng guhit na bilog sa lupa. Ang mga kasali ay mayroong tig-iisang bato na tinatawag na "pamatok". Maglalagay sila ng guhit na medyo malayo sa bilog. Ihahagis nila ang kani-kanilang pamatok palapitan sa may guhit para malaman kung sino ang mauuna na titira sa mga nakalatag na tansan sa loob ng bilog.

Mula sa guhit, titira ang unang manlalaro at ang lalabas na tansan sa bilog ay kanyang pag-aari. Hihinto lang siya ng pagtira kung walang nailabas. Susundan ito ng ibang mga manlalaro hanggang mailabas lahat ang tansan.

Ginagamit din ang tansan sa "kara krus".

Dahil halos lahat ng bata ay naglalaro nito, madalas maubusan ng tansan sa barrio na kung saan saan na ay naghahanap. Oo, sa basurahan ang bagsakan ng mga bata.

Parang pera ang halaga ng tansan noon. Hindi pa ring maipaliwanag kung bakit kahit kinakalawang ay itinuturing pa ring magandang pampalipas oras.

Bakit pinaghatian ang gagamba?

2007-01-23T19:37:00.000-08:00

"Jay, maghahanap tayo ng gagamba bukas para may ipanlaban tayo.", sambit ni Toyong.
"Sige, ihahanda ko ang dalawang kahon ng posporo.", wika ni Jay.
"Sama din ako sa inyo, wala na yata akong gagamba kaya di na ako masaya", bigkas ni Richard.

Kinabukasan ay sumama ako kina Jay, Toyong, at Richard tungo sa Palaris, Asingan. Maaninag sa aming mga mata ang kagalakan sa paglalakad patungo sa kabukiran na may mga puno ng bayabas sa gilid. Habang dumadaan kami sa "tambak" ay inuumpisan na namin ang paghahanap.

Sina Toyong at Jay ay nagtungo sa kanluran na kung saan ay maraming malilit na bayabas at siguradong may mahahanap sila doon. Pumunta naman kami ni Richard sa may mga talahib. Hindi gaanong malayo sa dalawa na napapakinggan namin ang kanilang tinig.

Masarap ang simoy ng hangin sa lugar na iyon ngunit damang-dama namin ang hirap ng pag-apak sa putikan sapagkat katatapos lang ng buhos ng ulan. Gayundin, inalis na namin ang aming tsinelas dahil medyo malalim ang putik.

Una naming hinahanap ay ang saput na iniwan ng gagamba. Ginagamit ng gagamba ang saput sa paglipatlipat ng lugar. Samakatwid, susundan namin ang saput dahil kung saan magwawakas ito ay nandoon ang gagamba.

Sa aming paglipatlipat ng dahon ng talahib na may saput ay biglang.

"Akin ang gagambang iyan!", galit na galit si Toyong.

"Anong iyo, ako ang nakahanap!", sigaw ni Jay.

"Ibigay mo sa akin yan, kung hindi....", sagot ni Toyong. "Ako ang nakahanap ng saput, tinulungan mo lang ako".

Ipinipilit pa rin ni Jay na dahil siya ang nakahanap ng mismong gagamba ay pag-aari niya ito. Nasundan niya ang saput na unang natagpuan ni Toyong.

"Huwag na kayong mag-away. Jay, heto may nahanap ako. Ibigay mo na iyan kay Toyong", mapagbigay na mga salita ni Richard.

Masayang-masaya kaming umuwi. May tig-iisa kaming gagamba.

Gagamba. Isa sa mga laro ng mga Pilipino na di maaring kalimutan. Mayroon tayong iba't ibang kuwento tungkol dito ngunit alam natin ang kagalakan na handog na laro. Isang pampalipas oras ng mga pinoy na sabi nga, "Only In The Philippines".

Life in the old days

2007-01-22T12:18:00.000-08:00

"The night came at last and darkness filled the house; except for the tiny needles of light that filtered through the walls from the sky, there was no other illumination. I found the small oil lamp where my father kept it in the bamboo rack under the homemade pillows. I lighted it and went to the kitchen...

We sat on the floor and ate in the twilight with our bare hands. We spread the salted fish on the steaming rice and soaked it with broth from the vegetable pot. When we finished eating my father started washing the polished coconut shells which had been our plates and drinking cups for many generations."
page 11, America is in the Heart

It still amazes me everytime I read the book of Carlos Bulosan. He described what happens in detail and in order. I'm just thankful that I haven't experience that much of the life without electricity though I'd grown up in a "barrio" which was no flourescent light at all and I'm lucky enough not to use coconut shells as plates and cups.

We are now living in century which everything is available within our reach to comfort us, to make things leaner and easier. Bulosan recorded what was life in his generation.

Bonuan blue beach

2007-01-22T11:15:00.002-08:00

Bonuan beach in Dagupan City is still one of the great beaches in the province. It was the first choice of tourists in the 70's and 80's. Thousands still visit here especially in the month of April and May.

With "inihaw na bangus" in your menu coupled with "oysters", Bonuan beach will be unforgetable.

The Uncomparable Bagoong

2007-01-20T22:05:00.000-08:00

Pangasinan produces the best smelly"bagoong" (salted fish paste) in the world. It is always part of the menu of Pangasinenses wether as dip or seasoning for vegetable.

Bagoong started here because of the richness of fish catch from the gulf. According to our forefathers, they decided to preserve the extra fish that were not consumed and sold by putting salt. For that bagoong was born.

Pangasinan's bagoong still is considered as the best because of its aroma and the exotic taste which cannot be compared. The secret of Pangasinan's that differs from other bagoong producers around the country are the old clay jars which the fish is fermented. Those jars contribute to the special taste and aroma which cannot be copied.

The fermentation takes 3-6 months while the boneless fish will take a year. A can of salt is used for two cans of fish.

The fishes used to make bagoong are "dilis" [long-jawed anchovy], small "galunggong" [round scud], "caballas" [striped mackerel], "terong" (similar to anchovy) and "padas" ["siganid" fry].

How I miss eating green mangoes with bagoong!

Francisco Sionil Jose called a Philippine national treasure

2007-01-20T06:17:00.000-08:00

Born on December 4, 1924 in Rosales Pangasinan, Philippines, he was introduced to literature in public school and later at the University of Santo Tomas.

While working as a journalist in Manila, he moonlighted writing short stories and eventually novels. In the late fifties Jose founded the Philippine branch of PEN, an international organization of poets, playwrights, and novelists. In 1965 he started his own publishing house SOLIDARIDAD, and a year later he began publishing the remarkable Solidarity, a journal of current affairs, ideas, and arts, still going strong today. Jose wrote in English rather than in his national language Tagalog, or his native language Illocano.

In 1962 he published his first novel The Pretenders. Today his publications include ten novels, five books of short stories, and a book of verse. His works are available in 24 languages and some have recently been published in North America by Random House. He has been awarded numerous fellowships and awards, most notable being the 1980 Ramon Magsaysay Award for Journalism, Literature, and Creative Communication Arts, the most prestigious award of its kind in Asia.

Jose lives and works in Manila where with his wife Teresita and a faithful staff he still runs the Solidardad Publishing House and the Solidarity Bookstore, still considered the best little bookstore in Asia. On occassion he leaves Manila for Japan, US, or Europe, where he finds the peace to write or teach.Random House has recently published Three Filipino Women, Sins, Dusk (Po-on), and Don Vincente (My Brother My Executioner, and Tree) in North America. The last two are in the Modern Library Editions, with the remaining of the five volume Rosales saga to follow.

In June of 2001, Jose was awarded the prestigious title of Philippine's National Artist for Literature in an official ceremony at Malacañang.

In March 2002's issue of the Discovery magazine, Jose's book Ermita was rated as one of the top ten English-language novels set in Southeast Asia, along side Joseph Conrad's "Heart of Darkness," Graham Greene's "The Quiet American," James Clavell's "King Rat."and others.

Mount Paldingan, Binalonan

2007-01-18T22:56:00.000-08:00

To claim that there is a mountain in this town is beyond geographic explanation though I can prove to you that the people of Binalonan have embraced and loved the scenic view of it.

Mount Paldingan is located at the northeast part of Binalonan near barangay Santa Catalina about 15 km. from the town proper.

It takes tremendous amount of effort and time to climb this mountain though it doesn't need any hiker's tools to reach the peak. All you need to have is a guide who knows the terrains.

The prize of the adventure is not satisfactory reaching the top but the going down the other side of the mountain where you can find the waterfalls and a river. To quench the thirst and to clean the sweat of the long walk and climb, the clear and fresh water is just what it takes.

image is courtesy of binalonan.com

Cacupangan Cave, Mabini (Part 2)

2007-01-16T20:50:00.000-08:00

Here are some more images of Cacupangan Cave.

Cacupangan Cave, Mabini (Part 1)

2007-01-16T20:39:00.000-08:00

It is difficult to say something about a place where I haven't gone. I'll let the images above tell you how wonderful is the Cacupangan Cave.

Fidel V. Ramos

2007-01-14T19:30:00.000-08:00

Second President of the Fifth Republic of the Philippines
Term: June 30, 1992 - June 30, 1998

Fidel Valdes Ramos was raised by his father Narciso Ramos in Lingayen, Pangasinan. The Philippine government awarded the young Fidel Ramos a scholarship to the U.S. Military Academy after he passed competitive examinations. Seeing the need to help raise his country from the ruins of war, he pursued further studies in engineering following his graduation from West Point in 1950. He obtained a Masters Degree in Civil Engineering at the University of Illinois in 1951 while he was still a government scholar.

In 1966, Ramos was promoted from 2nd Lieutenant infantry platoon leader in the Philippine Expeditionary Force to Chief of Staff of the Philippine Civil Action. He then worked his way up to become the commander of the Philippine Constabulary, a paramilitary law enforcement agency that was created by the administration of Ferdinand Marcos.

Ramos is considered the “Father of Philippine Army Special Forces.” Some of the positions that he held in the government were Deputy Chief of Staff for Home Defense of the Armed Forces, and Chief of the Philippine Constabulary. He became known to the public in 1986, when he was appointed as the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. He then became the Secretary of National Defense in 1988 under the Aquino administration.

On June 30, 1992, Ramos ascended to the highest office of the land. He led the Partido Lakas Tao, a political party that promised to move power to the people as well as greater control over their livelihood, culture, politics and all aspects of their lives. The former general tried to improve his administration by reducing the number of cabinet-ranked positions, though his good intentions were criticized because the appointed officials retired military officers.
Ramos took positive moves towards his old foes. He granted amnesty to Communist and Muslim rebels, and recognized the Communist Party. Foreign investment, particularly tourism, was also one of his targets for improvement.

He is married to Amelita “Ming” Ramos, with whom he has five daughters. The four-star general was the 12th president of the Philippines.

Gandalf Swords made by a Pozzorubian

2007-01-13T10:08:00.000-08:00

One of the main characters in the trilogy Lord of the Rings is Gandalf as you see in the picture. According to the reporters in the video that I previously posted the swords used in the the Lord of the Rings were made in Pozzorubio. It was reported that Gandalf's sword was designed by the same person.

The designer Rodrigo Revote, 44, made the Gandalf swords used by "Frodo" and "Aragorn" in winning the throne of Gondor. His family moved from Pangasinan to his wife’s, Irene, hometown in Cabiao, Nueva Ecija, in 1985, with their two children.

The original Flavio (Poe’s main character in Ang Panday) was Servillano Revote, his deceased father who was a blacksmith himself.

Of Carlos Bulosan Part 1 of 2

2007-01-13T06:18:00.000-08:00

As I was passing barangay Sto. Nino in Binalonan, I noticed the statue of Carlos Bulosan. Last year the town declared September 11 as Bulosan Day to commemorate his death. Bulosan is noted for his book, America is in the Heart, which dramatically inspires Filipinos and other kindreds of the world to live and survive in the United States of America.

I would not blog him here unless I read his book which brought me back to my childhood days. Here is Bulosan's words in one moment of reality of life in the barrio.

"My father halted the carabao, or water buffalo, and bit the rope. He put his wet hands on his hips and waited patiently for me. When I reached him, I lean against the carabao and gasped for breath. The kind animal turned his head toward me and switched the flies off his back with his long tail."

What a complete description of his experience! His brilliance and simplicity of writing was portrayed.

Why did this book being read by other people aside from Filipinos? You have to read and place yourself in the great mind of Carlos Bulosan.

San Fabian Beach

2007-01-10T19:50:00.000-08:00

San Fabian beach has been one of the most visited places in the early 70's and 80's until the late 90's. Visitors from Isabela, Cagayan, Nueva Ecija, Nueva Viscaya, Tarlac, La Union, and Benguet usually flock the beach in May 1 or they call it "Pista ng Dagat". The beauty of the beach is exceedingly great that the people who go to the Shrine of Our Lady of Manaoag are tempted not to visit San Fabian.

As of today, it is still a place of destination and relaxation.

Butao Spring Resort, San Manuel Pangasinan

2007-01-09T20:19:00.000-08:00

I first stepped in the land of San Manuel Pangasinan during the 1992 Regional Secondary Schools Press Conference held in the Mataas na Paaralang Juan C. Laya, which was and still arguably considered the best secondary school in the entire Region I in terms of the facilities and infrustractures.

Journalism was the focus but most of the time I got to hang around with my friends and walked out of the campus. We asked some bystanders in the town, which is 5 minutes walk away from the school, about the best place in the town. They resoundingly replied the word "Butao" .

We rode into the tricycle and traveled some ten minutes east to reach Butao. We went to the what they called the "original Butao".

This is a spring resort which was built in 1985. It is a swimming pool about 500 meters in length and 250 meters wide or shorter. The water starts shallow, which is for children and those who don't know how to swim, going deep to 7 feet. The water flows continously to maintain the hygiene. Around the pool are cottages.

It was the main attraction of eastern Pangasineses in the early late 80's and 90's. Because of hundreds of tourists goes there everyday in the 90's that the "original butao spring resort" couldn't accomodate them anymore, swimming pools were opened nearby. Though the water of these newly built pools are no longer natural or I may say not springing from below but being pumped and with the addition of chlorine.

If you happen to go to San Manuel, just drop by and try the fresh water of this resort.

right image is courtesy of http://www.geocities.com/sanmanuelians/

Tondol Beach, Anda Pangasinan

2007-01-08T19:20:00.000-08:00

Tondol Beach, Anda Pangasinan, is two hours away from Dagupan City passing Binmaley, Lingayen, Alaminos, Sual, and Bolinao. From the town proper of Anda, it takes 30 minutes to barangay Tondol.

Tondol Beach offers a long stretch shallow and calm waters. There is a cemented pathway along the shoreline which enables everybody to walk and move further to the other parts of the beach.

morepictures 1.. 2..3
images are courtesy of pangasinan.org

Mapandan Pangasinan

2007-01-07T16:26:00.000-08:00

Mapandan was formerly a barrio of Mangaldan. It was before located in the hilly regions of the south where there used to be plenty of "pandan" a native palm whose leaves will add aroma to cooked rice. The leaves also are stripped and woven into mats. That's why they call it Mapandan.

Agno Pangasinan's Umbrella Rocks

2007-01-06T09:26:00.000-08:00

"Come with us in Agno Pangasinan", said uncle Danny. "We will go to the beach and see the umbrella rocks".

"Nope, I can't travel that long, I'll just swim here in the river and play with the rocks and sands instead", I replied.

That conversation was 25 years ago. Uncle Danny brought some of their pictures and aghastly said, "Wow beautiful, it is really true about the rocks, I hope I went with you, anyway there are more days ahead, I'll be with you the next time".

Since then I have never stepped in the land of Agno. That was a quarter century ago.

I may never have to go to Agno but I really desire someday, there are quality images that we can look around now because of the digital technology. There are images available online of Agno Pangasinan.

Agno Pangasinan is 28 kilometers away from Alaminos Pangasinan, the home of the Hundred Island National Park. The umbrella rocks are found in Sabangan Norte.

I'll be there. Someday I'll say, "I was there".

image is courtesy of www.agno.pangasinan.info

Never heard of Velma Veloria before?

2007-01-04T11:30:00.000-08:00

I was astonished when I read about Velma Veloria. Her accomplishments deserve to be published in some of the media outlets in our province. I don't understand why there's nothing had picked it up during her years of service as State Representative in the United States. I never even heard and know about her until today.

The following paragraphs are taken from: Pasyalan.net

The First Filipina American legislator of Washington is from Bani, Pangasinan.

Velma Rosete Veloria was first elected to the Washington State Legislature in 1992. During her 9 years in the legislature she has served on several different committees including, Health Care, Judiciary, Labor and Commerce, State Government, Finance, Rules and Capital Budget. For the past six years she has been a member of the Trade and Economic Development Committee and has been the Democratic Chair of this Committee for the past three years.

Because of her immigrant and working class background, Veloria's work in the legislature and in the broader community revolves around concerns for peace and social justice. In addition to introducing legislation for economic development, women and minority businesses, Veloria has organized and led trade missions to Asia and the Pacific Rim. The mission to the Philippines in 1994 resulted in the Philippine Government opening a trade office in Seattle.

In 1995, accompanied by Gov. Mike Lowry and leaders of the Vietnamese American community, Veloria led the first state trade mission to the Socialist Republic of Vietnam where an agreement was signed to develop and discuss specific project proposals for improving commercial ties between the state of Washington and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam.

Just last year, Veloria participated in an educational and humanitarian mission with other women in the legislative arena to Cuba, that once again instilled in Veloria a quest for better and fairer trade policies with other countries of the world.

The Lingayen Gulf Landing

2007-01-03T17:02:00.000-08:00

Gulf on northern Luzon, bordering Pangasinan to the south and west, and La Union province to the east. Site of both the Japanese (1941) and American (1945) landings.

Japanese Occupation Landing

Japanese General Homma's 14th Army landings on December 22, 1941 on the eastern side of the gulf, at Agoo, Caba, Santiago and Bauang.

American Liberation Landing

The massive US Army amphibious landing of the 6th Army occurred on January 9, 1945 when 68,000 troops landed on the first day alone and a and a total of 203,608 in subsequent landings along a 20-mile beachhead, stretching from Saul, Lingayen and Dagupan (XIV Corps) to the west, and San Fabian (I Corps) in to the east.

Once ashore MacArthur commanded over 280,000 men,more than Eisenhower in Europe. During the assault group's trip to Lingayen from January 4 - 12th a total of 24 ships were sunk and 67 damaged by kamikazie attacks. Damaged was the USS Mississippi BB-41, and light cruiser USS Colombia. The USS Colorado was accidentally hit by friendly fire and damaged.

Why the Americans chose Lingayen Gulf?

A look at a map of the Philippines shows why Lingayen Gulf was chosen for the initial landings. It offered a ‘protected’ anchorage, well-removed from the heavy concentration of forces and fortifications around Manila Bay, yet connected to Manila some 117 miles away by a river-level valley between two mountain chains. Plus, the roads to Manila lead through lands heavily populated by friendly Filipinos. Lingayen Gulf was, in effect, a perfect ‘back door’ to Manila for its would be liberators.

Diego Silang born in Pangasinan

2007-01-01T14:12:00.000-08:00

I was surfing the net and I accidentally landed in the page of Diego Silang Andaya who was one of the Philippine heroes. It caught my attention when I read the lines "..born in Aringay, Pangasinan..."

I have little knowledge of the history of Pangasinan but it is recorded that Aringay was a town of Pangasinan before La Union was formed in 1850, when the colonial government merged the southern town of Ilocos Sur, the northern towns of Pangasinan, and the western towns of Benguet to the east.

Aringay Pangasinan is now the area of Caba or Aringay, La Union.

Tambobong Beach, Dasol, Pangasinan

2007-01-01T00:57:00.000-08:00

This located in the Dasol,Pangasinan. The 18 kms distance from the town proper will take about 45 minutes to an hour of rough yet scenic drive. A white sand beach with water that teems with marine life. A favorite site of anglers and scuba divers.

This is a wonderful beach soon to be touched by tourists. The magnificent beauty of this exquisite virgin beach.

Tambobong has a beautiful extensive cream sand beach; great for strolling on. The sand is quite fine but not powder fine and some portions in the water are sandy--good for swimming. The water is crystal clear, very inviting!

Mount Balungao Pangasinan (Part 1)

2006-12-30T14:27:00.000-08:00

Going to the Mount Balungao Pangasinan

I always dream to go near this mountain which captivates the eyes of every passengers traveling to or from Manila. There is wonderful sight at the eastern part of the McArthur highway. It enhances the view of the ricefields and the sunrise.

Some of the adventurers got to the mountain through walking and riding "kuliglig" at the middle of the scorching sunlight. Let's join them by watching this video.

Regine Velasquez
Listen to Regine's greatperformance,
watch Asia's Songbird

Pangasinan's tourists attractions

2006-12-29T14:34:00.000-08:00

Pangasinan tourists destination--Watch the grandeur of the Hundred Islands National Park, the white-sand beach of Bolinao, The Cape Bolinao lighthouse, the shrine of our Lady of Manaoag. The reporters here claimed that the swords used in the movies Braveheart, Gladiator, and Lord of the Rings were made in Pozorrubio.This video is from the TV Program "Trip na Trip".

Sabangan: A wonderful place in San Nicolas

2006-12-26T12:11:00.000-08:00

I remember the rocky and dusty roads from barangay San Rafael to the town proper of San Nicolas in which Kalesa, a horse drawn carriage, was the main transportation early in the 80's.

"Insan dalian mo, hininihintay tayo ng kalesa ni uncle Berting", says my cousin.

Of course we would be having a picnic with my uncle Boy's 'kumpadres' in the place called Sabangan. This was a small river or in vernacular "ubbog" at the end part of San Rafael just before hitting the Agno river in the 80's. I was going there to play and swim with my cousins. It was our paradise during our childhood, a clear flowing water with fishes and shrimps. Also, collecting stones was my favorite, not a stone (pag-isiso) to rub our body.

How could I forget the food they presented. The "bunog" was one of the recipes. Also the "gabi" or "daludal" was cooked well to suffice my starvation that day. Unexpectedly,it was my first time to try the "jumping salad", shrimps that are jumping and are eaten alive.
It was more on playing in the water that day so time ran fast that we had to go home. Our ride again was Uncle Berting's kalesa. Though we stopped sometimes to grab fruits of Camachille that's along the way.

The best part of this travel was the "caterpillar" ride at the Ambayoan river. With the big rocks on the road, the kalesa trembled so many times that pumps my heart and my body alive as the horse keeps pulling us.

One of the place that's unforgettable, Sabangan. Is it still there today?

What Happened to Pantranco?

2006-12-25T21:56:00.000-08:00

The eradication of buses mostly the routes going to Dagupan City from other towns like Pozorrubio, Binalonan, San Nicolas, and Urdaneta City is abruptly noticeable. Buses dominated the province for decades. But before they were pushed away by the most lean and comfortable vans, once upon a time there was a name which controlled the roads not only in Pangasinan but the whole northern Luzon.

Pantranco was the most popular bus company in northern Luzon. At the high peak of its speed in highways, it even surpasses what the Victory Liner is of today. It was not only in along the roads where Pantranco ruled but the prestigious and wide terminals it once have had which are bigger than malls were the evidence of being the "king of buses". Almost all the towns of Northern Luzon were covered by Pantranco.

It's been nearly two decades when all the terminals were closed but until now they call these places "Pantranco". In Manila the routes are still called: Cubao-Pantranco, Munoz-Pantranco, UP-Pantranco, and Lagro-Pantranco.

Ten years ago we passed those defected and rotten buses on our way from Bonuan Beach going to San Fabian. Also I always looked at the area along the stop light in downtown Dagupan that was the terminal of Pantranco which is now utilized as bus, jepneeys, and vans station.

It is really interesting for me because just recently I'd found out that the meaning of Pantranco is Pangasinan Transit Company. One of the fact that instigate me to write about it.

What happened to Pantranco? I don't have the accurate answer but the it is commonplace to hear, "It was owned by the Marcos cronies; when Marcos was gone so did the Pantranco".

Juan dela Cruz Palaris: A Hero

2006-12-24T13:22:00.000-08:00

The richness of our history cannot be denied. We had given a lot of space to the pre-Hispanic heroes who impacted our land. Several pages had been allotted to the kingdom Tawalisi which Princess Urduja ruled and the princess herself deserved a scrutiny.

While I was thinking what I am about to blog today, I came up with the name Juan dela Cruz Palaris. This man indeed deserves a place in the heart of all Pangasinenses. A man of valor and courage who fought for the freedom of Pangasinan.

Read more click here

Princess Urduja vs. Prinsesa Kabontatala

2006-12-17T21:37:00.000-08:00

Local historian Restituto Basa wants to change the name of the building that was after Princess Urduja? I disagree with this suggestion or proposal.

First of all, Princess Urduja has been a part of the history of Pangasinan. Whenever they mentioned Urduja they wouldn't forget Pangasinan. One of the reasons we are prominent worldwide is because of Urduja.

Secondly, Dr. Jose Rizal claimed the location of the kingdom Tawalisi where Urduja ruled here in our province. Basa is like saying he is better than Rizal.

Thirdly, let us understand that Princess Urduja's story has inspired millions of people around the world especially women.

Furthermore, the story of the Princess is the crown jewel of the history of Pangasinan.

I know nothing of Prinsesa Kabontatala nor never read of her. To give her place in history by removing one that's already there is one act foolishness.

Local historian wants Urduja House renamed to Prinsesa Kabontatala

2006-12-17T07:43:00.000-08:00

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan – The legendary Princess Urduja may soon be relegated to historical oblivion following the proposal of a local historian here to change the name of the building that bears her name into Princesa Kabontatala.

“Why honor Princess Urduja? She is not a Pangasinense,” said Restituto Basa, author of Footnotes on Pangasinan History and The Story of Dagupan.

The Princess Urduja building, which is located at the right side of the capitol here, is the office and official residence of the governor.

It was built in 1956 by the Gov. Juan de Rodriguez and named it after Princess Urduja, who, Basa said, was thought of as a Pangasinense.

“But modern scholars say Urduja is a Cambodian. So, we might as well change the name of the Governor’s Office to Princesa Kabontatala because she is our own,” Basa said.

Citing historical sources, Basa said Kabontatala (a Pangasinense word for “morning star”) was a daughter of a local chieftain that ruled Barangay Domalandan here during the pre-Spanish times.

He said Kabontatala was married by Chinese pirate Lim-Ahong, when he found his way to Domalandan after retreating from a battle against the Spaniards in Manila Bay.

“It was Kabontatala who and her subjects who helped Lim-Ahong dig a canal to help him escape from pursuing Spanish forces, who blockaded the mouth of the Agno River in Domalandan,” Basa said.

“And do you know that she is the ancestor of two Pangasinan governors?” Basa said.

According to him, Lim-Ahong and Kabontatala had a child named Quimson (a Chinese word for precious gold), and the late Governors Sofronio Quimson (1946-1950) and Francisco Quimson Duque were his descendants.

Duque, father of Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, also served as Health secretary during the administration of President Diosdado Macapagal.

Rizal’s great grandpa

Basa also wants another building in the capitol compound to be renamed Manuel Facundo de Quintos from its present name Kalantiao Building .

The building houses the Provincial Employment Services Office, Provincial Nutrition Office and the Civil Service Commission field office.

“Again, Kalantiao is not a Pangasinense,” Basa said.

Kalantiao was a lawgiver from Ilolilo.

Basa said De Quintos, the gobernadorcillo of Lingayen in the 1850’s, is the great grandfather of national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal.

He said De Quintos’ was married to Regina Ursua of Cavite and Manila and they had a daughter, Brigida de Quintos.

Brigida married Lorenzo Alberto Alonzo, whose daughter was Teodora de Quintos Alonso, mother of Rizal.

De Quintos was born here.

“This is why Rizal may have spent part of his childhood in Lingayen,” Basa said.

Among Rizal’s descendants here include educator Margarita Hamada, who now runs schools here and in Dagupan City.

Basa said that it is important to rename the government buildings here properly “so that we will know our roots, so that we will know our past and we will value them.”

He added that there is no memorial yet to Victor Tomeldan, a provincial board member who helped then Gov. Daniel Maramba in building the capitol.

Tomelden is also the father of the late Sen. Geronima Pecson, the country’s first woman senator.

“The present generation hardly knows these people and by naming buildings after them, they will somehow ask about them,” Basa said.

Source: Prepys.com

Kingdom of Tawalisi: it seems it existed!

2006-12-11T19:01:00.000-08:00

I grabbed this conversation from Anda Messageboard in the website pangasinan.org.

Dario Bernardino: Hello mga kababayan. Until now I am intrigue by the History of Pangasinan most importantly about Princess Urduja. Kababasa ko lang sa http://www.gopangasinan.blogspot.com Medyo di clear kung totoo nga si URduja pero ano po masasabi niyo. Meron nga po bang elephants sa Western Pangasinan noon lalo dito sa Anda? Grabe ngayon ko lang naiintindihan.

Anonymous: To Dario Bernardino- that ancient fossil of elephant called "Mastodon" was indeed discovered in Anda,Pangasinan. If you go to Philippine National Museum, near Luneta Park, you can verify this info. You can check this also with the Archives Dept. of Philippine National Library in T. M. Kalaw, Manila. Actually it was published in a foreign book and a photograph of the bone was there, mentioning our town where it was found. One of the noted archeologist, the late Dr. Otley Beyer confirmed that mastodon roam this part of the land during the ancient time. Mastodon is similar to "mammot" which roam the earth from 3.75 million to 11,000 years ago. Anda land existed many million years ago. Regarding what you call the elephants during the time of Princess Urduja, I think there was mix-up on the research of this particular writer. What is factual is that there is really an ancient bone of mastodon discovered in Anda, Pangasinan.

It's really an informative answer by Anonymous. Well, someday I'll visit the Philippine National Museum. It makes sense to believe that there was really a kingdom in western Pangasinan.

Bayambang's Sanitary Landfill

2006-12-10T15:47:00.000-08:00

A 33 hectares worth P250-M? This will make Bayambang as the garbage capital of the Philippines. It will accommodate wastes from the nearby towns and provinces like Tarlac, Pampanga, Bulacan, and La Union.

According to Abelardo Palad, president of the Waste Integrated Systems Inc. (WINS),

1. the town will experience economic boom once the project is already operating because it will have a share of P50 from every ton of garbage to be unloaded by every LGU. 30 trucks daily which a truck contains 10 tons.

2. Fertilizers would be produced from garbage that would be put in bags for sale to farmers.

3. There is also a plan to generate 40 megawatts of power from the garbage alone.

The only scare is this,

If the liquid called lechate that's coming out from garbage which, when not properly handled, might seep down the soil and enter the water table from where the people are getting their potable water, thus resulting in water contamination and diseases.

For those people in Bayambang, what can you say?

The Case for Princess Urduja

2006-12-09T05:15:00.000-08:00

by John Smart

Fact or fiction? The only first-hand, documented case given for her existence is the writing of one Ibn Batuta -- a Moroccan born, Islamic lawyer turned travel writer, who journeyed on a Chinese merchant ship from India to Canton – whose last stop before arriving in the Southern Chinese port was to visit the Kingdom of Tawalisi,in the year 1347. The main case for her non-existence is that she is described as having elephants as load bearers and, of course, we all know that there are no elephants in the Philippines. Right?

But first, who was Princess Urduja and what did she do that made her so important as to become the subject of a detailed 14th century travelogue and, more
recently, erudite historic debate?

If Batuta’s first-hand reports are correct, the Princess was a leader of such significant import that the lowland and highland tribes, from Mountain Province to Zambales,acknowledged her unifying power such that peace reigned throughout the central regions of Luzon for fear of retribution by her “red-breasted warriors” or kinalakian -- Batuta’s explicit description no doubt stems from the striking contrast
a topless, suntanned, copper-skinned woman must have offered when compared to those in his own country, who more timidly exposed their bodies in private and far away from any sunlight. The daughter of the King of Tawalisi, she was given charge over
much of his Kingdom after the King’s son failed to make an impact in battle and
left it to his sister to defeat a formidable enemy. She and her father are reported
to have been the recipient of tributes equal to those bestowed upon the King of
China (a significant accolade in the 1300s); together, they commandeered Chinese junks that trespassed waters under their control and audaciously negotiated reparations before releasing them back to the owners. She was unassailed in combat by any men who had thought to court her Urduja was by any measure a woman of substance,
learning and immense presence such that all who were subject to her governance lived peacefully and in awe of her power, which protected them from erstwhile enemies.
But . . . was she real?

First let us consider the elephants. Batuta actually wrote that, amongst other things, he was presented with “two elephant loads of rice”. Consider how you might describe to someone across the other side of the world the size of a jeepney-load of rice? If your intended reader had knowledge of elephants (they certainly did across much of South Asia and the Middle East – Batuta’s origin) then this would be a
useful simile to use, without the need for physical elephants to be present to transport the rice at hand. But . . .In Rizal province there can be found Elephant
Hill, so named for the remains of elephants found there in recent history. And, on Anda Island, off the north coast of Pangasinan (in the middle of what was then known as Tawalisi), during the last century, elephant remains were found while foundations for a house were being excavated. In other words, it appears to matter not whether the reference to elephants was unambiguous or as simile . . . beasts of the
elephant genome did indeed inhabit our islands.

Then, there is a question as to why a Princess in Luzon would have an apparently middle-eastern name: Urduja. This was the argument that I thought would most likely dispel my idolatrous vision of a true Filipino goddess. But then I chanced upon translations of transcripts from records of the Ibaloi tribes people (still living in the mountains of northern Luzon) and discovered that their orally preserved historical records, handed down since before the Spaniards rewrote most everyone else’s, laud a Princess Deboxah (pronounced Debuca) as being the founder of their tribes and who, they claim, is The Princess Urduja. Could “Urduja” be a simple
mispronunciation by our Islamic lawyer friend who, by his own account, arrived late for the party being thrown to greet his traveling companions? One can imagine Batuta
trying to translate the name most accurately above the cacophony of boisterous celebrations and, failing to find another Muslim (i.e. another sober) partygoer with whom to compare and confirm, phonetically recording people’s names (the written Philippine Baybayin script of the time was in any event based upon a phonetic, sanskrit style alphabet) for future transcription.

The only argument that seems to be potentially in favor of the naysayers is the nevertheless huge question of whether Dr. Jose Rizal’s computation of the distances, detailed in Batuta’s travelogue, cause the Kingdom of Tawalisi to be headquartered in or near Pangasinan. Despite a thorough trawl of literature referenced on the subject of Princess Urduja and Tawalisi, it seems nobody has been able to use Batuta’s records to definitively relocate the Kingdom.

And what of the source: Ibn Batuta -- a Moroccan born, Islamic lawyer turned travel writer. Have his other words from the same and subsequent manuscripts been questioned for their accuracy? Whilst some have suggested that he may have added some color to certain items in his chronicles, nobody has discredited his texts to the point that
any of his work is dismissed as fanciful or fiction. In fact his work has been hailed in most quarters as a “valuable record” of South East Asia at that time. If final confirmation is necessary, the renowned Philippine artist Fernando Amorsolo famous for his vivid scenes of everyday rural life and depictions of the beautifully romantic countryside in oil on canvas, saw the Princess as a fitting subject for a number of works. We are pleased to be able to reproduce one here with the kind permission of the current owner, Ms. Dorothy Francy. Thus, without veraciously tested evidence being offered to the contrary, it is my belief that Tawalisi, Princess Urduja, her "red-breasted warriors” and their descendants are integral parts of this patchwork quilt of an archipelago that the Spanish deemed worthy and desirable as conquest.

Long live the Princess!

Source: http://www.subicchamber.org/newsletters/dec2005-jan2006.pdf

In Search for a Princess

2006-12-08T18:46:00.000-08:00

By Chit Balmaceda Guiterrez

Princess Urduja ancient accounts say, was a 14th century woman ruler of the dynastic Kingdom of Tawalisi in Pangasinan, a vast area lying by the shores of the Lingayen Gulf and the China Sea. Pangasinan was an important kingdom then, and the sovereign was equal to the King of China. Known far and wide, Princess Urduja was famous for leading a retinue of woman warriors who were skilled fighters and equestrians. They developed a high art of warfare to preserve their political state. "These womenfolk took to the battlefields because the male population was depleted by the series of wars which came with the rise and prominence of the Shri-Visayan Empire in the sixth to the 13th centuries," the accounts said. Strong and masculine physique, they were called kinalakian or Amazons.

The saga of this unique princess was the stuff of legend. Parents and teachers tell her story like they would a fairytale, or the biography of Gabriela Silang, an 18th-century revolutionary, or Tandang Sora, a granny who fed members of the Katipunan.

The legend of Princess Urduja can be attributed to the famous story of Mohammedan traveler, Ibn Batuta of India. In 1347 he was a passenger on a Chinese junk, which has just come from the port of Kakula, north of Java and Sumatra and passed by Pangasinan on the way to Canton, China.
Urduja, who had a particular fascination for the renowed "Pepper Country"--pepper being considered black gold then--was quoted by Batuta as saying, "I must positively go to war with that country, and get possession of it, for its great wealth and great forces attract me."

For a time, feminists tried to revive the Urduja story but were discouraged to learn that Batuta's account of the voyage to Tawalisi was labeled as either an intrigue or a fantasy. Scholars, considering the story absurd, declared Urduja a myth.

The Philippines' national hero Dr. Jose Rizal, in Dr. Austin Craig's 1916 paper
"Particulars of the Philippines' Pre-Spanish Past" was quoted as saying in one of his letters: "While I may have doubts regarding the accuracy of Ibn Batuta's details, I still beleive in the voyage to Tawalisi". He went as far as to calculate the distance and time of travel from the port of Kakula. Rizal's commentary was triggered by a scholar, Sir Henry Yule, who wrote in his time that: "Tawalisi may be found only in a Gulliver geography."

Today, years after scholars have passionately debated whether the 14th-century heroine is a product of mythology or history, Princess Urduja continues to fascinate Filipinos. In Pangasinan, the Governor's office building in the coastal town of Lingayen is called the Urduja Palace. So is a hotel along the highway.

Urduja's name still has great resonance among the Ibaloi, one of the major ethnolinguistic tribes in the Cordillera region. Dr. Morr Tadeo Pungayan, a respected scholar of Ibaloi culture and professor at the St. Louis University of Baguio City, said, "Linguistically, Urduja is Deboxah (pronounced Debuca) in Ibaloi. We've always had a woman named Deboxah from time immemorial among the genrations of Ibaloi. The name usually describes a woman of strong quality and character who's nobly descended. That name is an Ibaloi name. That's why Ibaloi trace their ancestry from Urduja".

The Cordillera tribes, also known collectively as Igorots, pride themselves as being the only ethnic group that doesn't talk about the origin of man according to Spanish chronicles. Among the tribes, genealogy and family history are orally passed history. The Ibaloi, just like other highland tribes, could easily trace their ancestry. This is ensured by their custom of naming newborns after ancestors to help keep their memory alive and evoke affection and protection.

"No Ibaloi will bear the name of an ancestor unless she's related," Dr. Pungayan explained. While the Bontoc tribe bestows the name of an ancestor to a grandchild, the Ibaloi style is namesaking the great-grandchild, he added.

A book on the history of Benguet province, written by Anavic Bagamasbad and Zenaida Hamada-Pawid, shows the Benguet genealogy tracing tribal family lines from the year 1380 to 1899. The book says, "The extent of inter-settlement alliances is climaxed in the memory of Tublay informants with the reign of Deboxah, Princess Urduja, in Pinga. She's acknowledged as the granddaughter of Udayan, an outstanding warrior of Darew. Her death signaled continuous decline of kinship and alliance between highland and lowland settlements."

The Darew mountain range is remembered as the earliest settlement in the mining town of Tublay. The close relations between the Cordilleras and Lingayen are well-accounted for in Batuta's chronicle. It said that the Kingdom of Tawalisi was very extensive, including the vast areas up to the fringes of the Benguet mountains and the Cordillera ranges in the east of Luzon.
Th ruler, Batuta further said,"possesses numerous junks with which he makes war upon the Chinese until they sue for peace and consent to grant him certain concessions."

Despite recent research, however, most academicians remain cold to oral history, saying that such accounts still have to pass through stringent rigors of scholarship.

Today, some historians consider the issue of Urduja's historicity as closed. Compounding the issue is the lack of archaelogical evidence on the existence of the Shri-Visayan Empire. In fact, other aspects of Philippine history are being doubted,too, especially since the late William Henry Scott, an American historian in the Cordillera, proved that the so-called pre-Hispanic laws--the Kalantiaw and Maragtas Codes--were faked or invented by psuedo historians who only wanted fame or riches for themselves.

Dr. Jaime Veneracion, the University of the Philippines head of history department, said that the old Chinese scripts which may have chronicled Urduja's kingdom have remained inaccessible for their archaic language and calligraphy.

But history buffs like writer Ed Reyes remain undaunted. He says: "The researchers aren't conclusive, given the fact that the Philippine history has only been covered in writing for the last 500 years".

Filipinas Magazine June l999
*Re-printed with permission from Filipinas magazine
Visit their website at www.filipinasmag.com

The Agno River

2006-12-08T11:18:00.000-08:00

The Agno River is a river in the Philippine island of Luzon, in the province of Pangasinan. It originates in the Cordillera Mountains and empties into the South China Sea via the Lingayen Gulf. The river is 275 km long.

The Agno River is the main drainage system of the area and has a catchment area of 5,952 square kilometers. It is the third largest river in Luzon (next to Cagayan River and Pampanga River) and the fifth largest river in the Philippines.

The Agno is the largest Philippine river in terms of drainage area and discharges around 6.6 cubic kilometers of fresh water into Lingayen Gulf, or almost 70% of the total fresh water input into the gulf.

The headwaters of Agno River are at the slopes of Mt. Data in the Cordillera Mountains at an elevation of 2,090 m, where it drains Cretaceous to Paleocene igneous basement rocks, and marine siliciclastic and carbonate rocks. Of its total length, about 90 kilometers runs through mountainous terrain and canyons.

As the river descends following a southerly course, it exhibits a braided channel pattern. It then transforms into a southwest-directed meandering river as it crosses the Central Luzon Alluvial Plain. From its confluence with the Tarlac River emanating from the south, the Agno River then veers northward while draining the eastern flanks of the Zambales Mountains.

The Agno's principal tributaries include the Pila, Camiling, Tarlac and Ambayoan Rivers. The main branch of the Agno River is Tarlac River which originates from Mount Pinatubo (elevation 1,745 m) in Tarlac and joins the Agno River at Poponto Swamp near Bayambang. The swamp has an area of about 25 square kilometers and temporarily retains flood waters from the Tarlac River.

After passing through mountains at an average elevation of some 2,000 feet (180 m) ASL, the Agno River forms a vast alluvial fan and delta called the Pangasinan Plain, a historically vital ecoonomic hub on Luzon Island.

A number of faults of local and regional significance cut across the river. Joint systems are also found in the area. These faults and joints reduce the rock strength and rock coherence through which water could pass or slippage could occur.

The Philippine Fault-Digdig Fault System, which has been assessed as the causative fault of the July 16, 1990 earthquake, San Manuel Fault, Bulangit Fault and the San Roque Fault are some of the major fault lines crossing the river.

Flora and fauna

Spanish explorers who documented the catchment area of the river in the 16 th century say the mouth of the Agno was an extensive marshland with rich alluvial soil. It was thickly covered with mangrove and nipa palm trees which served as habitat to many marshland wildlife species.

But the catchment area is now severely deforested. Primary forest has almost completely disappeared apart from a few areas above 800 m ASL. The forests have been replaced by grassland and riceland.

Flora and fauna

Spanish explorers who documented the catchment area of the river in the 16 th century say the mouth of the Agno was an extensive marshland with rich alluvial soil. It was thickly covered with mangrove and nipa palm trees which served as habitat to many marshland wildlife species.

But the catchment area is now severely deforested. Primary forest has almost completely disappeared apart from a few areas above 800 m ASL. The forests have been replaced by grassland and riceland.

Flooding

Since the Agno River basin is characterized by mountainous topography, the flood runoff estimated annually at about 6,654 million cubic meters reaches the plain in several hours in the river mouth in about a day. Average annual rainfall varies from 2,000 mm in the neighborhood of Tarlac to 4,000 mm in the upper reaches of the Agno River.

The Pangasinan Plain suffers from recurrent and destructive floods. The catastrophic floods of July-August 1972 and May 1976 inundated the entire Pangasinan Plain, including the flood plains of the Tarlac River.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration, the national weather bureau, has established a flood monitoring and warning center in Pangasinan.

People

The Agno traverses several towns in Benguet province where some 35,000 indigenous Ibaloi, Kankanaey and Kalanguya people live. The Ibaloi people of Benguet regard the river as sacred because it gives life.

Barangay Dalupirip, Itogon in Benguet province is held sacred by its people. Portions of the land serve as the burial grounds of their ancestors. The place holds great historical value and is considered one of the remaining seats of Ibaloi culture.

Archaeological sites were discovered at Sitio Camanggaan, Barangay San Roque in San Manuel, Pangasinan and in surrounding areas. Yields consisted of tradeware and earthenware shards and Palaeolithic and Neolithic stone tools.

Economic importance

The river has three hydroelectric plants: Binga Dam in Itogon, Benguet (29 km upstream); Ambuklao Dam in Bokod, Benguet (37 km upstream) and the San Roque Dam in San Manuel, Pangasinan. Binga has been operational since 1960 and Ambuklao since 1956.

There are several mining concessions in the upper reaches of the river.

The government has also established the Agno River irrigation system to provide irrigation water to some 60 to 100 square kilometers of ricelands in Pangasinan.

Pangalatok: mixture of Persian and Turkish languages?

2006-12-07T11:39:00.000-08:00

I discussed recently about my disbelief of the location of Tawalisi in Pangasinan. And if Tawalisi was in some other places, then Princess Urduja's story could never be traced back here.

Our province had already accepted the arguments of Dr. Jose Rizal. On the other hand, I want to point out something on the account document of the travels of Ibn Battuta assuming that Princess Urduja was a history and not a myth.

It was mentionend, "...whilst the Lady of Tawalisi herself is made to speak not only to the traveller but to her own servants a mixture of Turkish and Persian..."

This princess spoke a mixture of Turkish and Persian. If the account of Princess Urduja is history, it makes us to wonder what happened to those languages. Had they not imparted the languages to the next generations, whereas, the princess existed in the 14th century?

Though, I for one do not understand any Turkish and Persian words, it is fascinating to think that none of the Pangasinense speaks any of those langauges today.

Something came into my mind when I was pondering about this mixture of Turkish and Persian languages. Could the mixture of Turkish and Persian languages be the dialect that we called now "Pangalatok"?

Has anybody of us heard any Turkish and Persian languages abroad and compared it to "Pangalatok"? And if these languages have similarities with "Pangalatok", we can truly claim the history of Princess Urduja and Tawalisi in Pangasinan without doubt.

Tawalisi in Pangasinan?

2006-12-05T14:03:00.000-08:00

I have an insatiable longing about the history of this province. Talking about the history, we cannot neglect what our textbooks in schools are saying about Princess Urduja who was undeniably sculpted in our minds as the province hero. Everytime we talked about Princess Urduja we have to mention Pangasinan.

Who is Princess Urduja? "Urduja was a princess who was the ruler of a city called Kaylukari in the land of Tawalisi mentioned in the travel account of Ibn Battuta (1304 - possibly 1368 or 1377 C.E.), a Muslim traveler from Morocco who was on his way to China. Princess Urduja was described as a daughter of a king named Tawalisi of a land that was also called Tawalisi. The ruler of Tawalisi, according to Ibn Battuta, possessed many ships and was a rival of China, which was then ruled by a Mongol dynasty. Ibn Battuta sailed for 17 days to reach China from the land of Tawalisi."

Our Capitol's name is "Urduja Palace". A statue of Princess Urduja stands at the Hundred Islands National Park. And there was the the Urduja hotel in Urdaneta City. Almost all of us believe the story of Princess Urduja.

But I got a problem with our history. With the sources I read, I am doubtful about the location of the story of Princess Urduja. We've come to live with what they taught us without understanding the source. Here's the full text in the Cathay and the way hither on the Travel of Ibn Battuta interpretted by Henry Yule.

This Tawalisi is a great difficulty. The French translators say, " The Isle of Celebes, or rather perhaps Tunkin;" Dulaurier, "The coast of Camboja, Cochin-China, or Tunkin ; " Lassen, "By this name no place can be meant but Tonkin ; " whilst Walckenaer identifies it with Talual, a small island adjoining Bachian, one of the Moluccas. This last suggestion seems to have been based on the name only, and all have been made in connection with the assumption that the Mul-Jawa of our author is Java, which we have seen that it cannot be.

It seems to me impossible that Tawalisi should be Cambodia, Cochin-China, or Tunking, for two conclusive reasons (1) that the voyage from Mul-Jawa to Tawalisi occupies seventy-one days, and is considered by our traveller's shipmates an unusually good passage ; (2) that the last thirty-seven days of this time are spent on the passage of the Bahr-al-Kdhil, disturbed by neither winds nor waves, a character which in this case we should have to attach to the China Sea, the very metropolis of Typhoons.

But I do not find it easy to get beyond a negative. Indeed, considering that Killer-Karai is the real name of a port in South India, and that Ur duja is a name which our author in a former part of his travels has assigned to one of the Queens of Mahomed -Uzbek Khan on the Wolga, and has explained to mean in Turkish 'Born in the Camp,' whilst the Lady of Tawalisi herself is made to speak not only to the traveller but to her own servants a mixture of Turkish and Persian, a faint suspicion rises that Tawalisi is really to be looked for in that part of the atlas which contains the Marine Surveys of the late Captain Gulliver.

Putting aside this suspicion, no suggestion seems on the whole more probable than that Tawalisi was the kingdom of Soolo or N.E. of Borneo. "Owing to some cause or other," says Crawfurd, "there has sprung up in Soolo a civilisation and power far exceeding those of the surrounding islanders. A superior fertility of the soil, and better means of maintaining a numerous and concentrated population, has probably been the main cause of this superiority ; but whatever be the cause, it has enabled this people not only to maintain a paramount authority over the whole Archipelago (i. e. the so-called Soolo Archipelago), but to extend it to Palawan and to the northern coasts of Borneo and islands adjacent to it." Adopting this view, we should have the Bahr-al-Kali:it in the sea between Java Borneo and Celebes, where hurricanes are unknown, and stormy weather is rare. And, the time mentioned by Ibn Batuta, if we suppose it occupied in the voyage from the upper part of the Gulf of Siam through the Java Sea and Straits of Macassar to Soolo, a distance of some 2,200 nautical miles, over a great part of which the ship had to be towed, would seem much less improbable than if the course were to Cochin-China or Tonkin. The naval power of Tawalisi is one of the most prominent features in the narrative, and the Soolo people have been noted throughout the seas of the Archipelago for the daring exploits of their piratical fleets from our earliest acquaintance with those regions. It would seem also from Ibn Batuta's expression, "the load of two elephants in rice," that elephants were used in Tawalisi. Now the elephant is alleged by Dalrymple to exist in Soolo, and though Crawford doubts the fact, there seems no sufficient reason for his doubts. It is known, moreover, to exist in the adjoining part of Borneo, which may have belonged to Soolo then as it does now, and though not used now it was found in a domesticated state at Brunei by Magellan's party in 1521. These are the only portions of the Archipelago east of Sumatra in which the elephant is known.

Jose Rizal disagreed with the scholar Henry Yule who said:

"Indeed, considering that Killa-Karai is the real name of a port in South India, and that Urduja is a name that our author in a former part of his travels has assigned to one of the Queens of Mahomed Uzbek Khan on the Volga, and has explained to mean in Turkish 'Born in the camp,' whilst the Lady of Tawalisi herself is made to speak not only to the traveler but to her own servants a mixture of Turkish and Persian, a faint suspicion rises that Tawalisi is really to be looked for in that part of the atlas which contains the Marine Surveys of the late Captain Gulliver."

In a letter to A.B. Meyer of the Dresden Museum, Dr. Jose Rizal wrote:

"I cannot accept Yule's suggested suspicion that Tawalisi may be found only in Gulliver's Geography. While I have doubts regarding the accuracy of Ibn Batuta's details, still I believe in the voyage to Tawalisi. There are details that only the reality of the statements could have furnished, details which could not have been invented -- like the change in the government of Kailucary, previously ruled by the son of the King, etc. Besides, what possible interest could Ibn Batuta have had in falsifying? In this travel account, he introduces nothing in favor of his religion or to himself, nor does he mention new marvels or entertaining adventures. The traveler had visited so many and such beautiful countries much more interesting than Tawalisi. He would not go out of his way to discredit them in order to invent an insignificant incident. That after his return he tried to embellish his travels with some exaggerated and fanciful details is possible. But imagination, love of the marvelous or a certain confusion produced by the multitude of things seen can equally well have been the cause.

"The principal data in which I think this ought to be sought are the distances, which do not vary with time and I give preference to these over details regarding names and customs. Travel from Kakula, in Mul-Java, to Tawalisi usually took 74 to 84 days. Ibn Batuta spent 71 days, 34 going under sail and 37 days rowing. From Tawalisi to Canton was 15 days with a favorable wind. These details argue for Ibn Batuta's veracity since travelers usually make the lands they invent remote.

"With these two data, and knowing the average attainment of Ibn Batuta's ship was from eight to 10 geographical leagues (15 of these to the degree) -- from the Maldives to Bengal, 43 days, from Bengal to Barahuagan 15, we may trace two arcs, one from Canton with a radius of 180 geographical leagues -- on the supposition that with favoring winds the day's sail might be 12 leagues, and the other arc from Kakula (between Java and Sumatra) of 430 leagues 7 radius -- calculating that by oars the speed would only be half. The intersection of these arcs, we should find, would be exactly in the neighborhood of the northern part of the Philippines."

Rizal was the voice then, so our history books follow. If Rizal was right

1. Where are those Turkish and Persian- speaking Pangasinenses?
2. What happened to the elephants which existed in Pangasinan? It would be harder to believe than the story of the Princess.

Are we just content with what Dr. Jose Rizal had to offer or Henry Yule had more substance?

If Tawalisi is not in Pangasinan, our history is wrong and there should be no Princess Urduja.

You can post your comments.

Whatever happened to Puyao?

2006-12-04T15:35:00.000-08:00

I am still wondering why the beautiful place called "Puyao" is not very popular now a days. It was a nature gifted where many had chosen to held their picnics, relaxations, and adventures in the 80's and 90's.

Located at the eastern part of the town of San Nicolas, Puyao had transfixed the eyes of thousands because of the awesome river that flows beside the mountainous terrain. Coupled with the large rocks that a tourists can hang in and take photos at the middle of the river, it was an astounding place. The trees that stood near the water had given such comfort to the people. Also the clear water couldn't stop anybody to swim and enjoy.

It was not only the river, rocks, and trees that factors in. The mountain also had a great impact why many wanted to go there. Groups can have an adventure by climbing.

In my recollection, Puyao had one time the venue of National Boy Scout Jamboree. Since then I haven't heard of this place anymore.

What happened? I just really don't know the answer.

The death of buses

2006-12-03T09:26:00.000-08:00

We have seen in our eyes the rapid death of buses. Seven years ago buses rule the roads of Pangasinan. It was the best transportation possible then.

However, unexpectedly the days of buses in Pangasinan are over. It was trounced by a better and more comfortable vans.

Passengers have chose vans over buses for many reasons. Vans contain only about 14-16 passengers and usually it goes to the terminal without any stops. It is also fully air-conditioned. Most importantly it takes half the time of the buses to travel.

It is great that vans seized the roads.

Life riding in a bus 7 years ago

2006-12-02T10:01:00.000-08:00

I got to wait 15 minutes for the bus to leave going Dagupan. Along the way the bus had to stop 20 to 30 times to pick-up and unload passengers until it reaches Manaoag. The vehicle had to fill up the all the seats, this would take 15-20 minutes and sometimes more.

While enjoying the view outside as the bus moves smoothly after two minutes, someone yelled "PARA!". My head went forward unexpecting the urgent stop. Three minutes later, I saw two students waving their hands in the roadside. "Again!", I said angrily as it picked up.

Suddenly we passed a smoky area. Stinky! A garbage dumpsite was being burned. Oh no, my perfumed was dissolved immediately. Instantaneously, the dust came hovering us, the road was under construction.
It took me 1 hour and 45 minutes from Pozzorubio to reach Dagupan City.

All the showered I got early now was filled with perspiration, dust and dizziness as I walked to get a ride going to the school. The Estee Lauder was changed into Stinky Lauder. It was really an awful travel when riding in a bus. Importantly, as long as I reach my destination I would be happy inspite all the time wasted.

Riding in a bus is exciting but excruciating.

Pangalatok a derogatory word?

2006-12-01T00:15:00.000-08:00

Some of our fellow Pangasinenses are discussing in the web about the eradication of the word "pangalatok" as refering to the people . According to them it is a slang word that is demeaning and derogatory. They claimed that "pangalatok" means "Pangasinense sira tuktok". They are instigating us to join them and completely remove the wrong usage of the word in any conversation.

What's the big deal? My friends called me "pangalatok" because I speak the language. They don't even know the "... tuktok" as some claimed to be. In the eyes of the people outside our province, most of them know nothing about "...sira tuktok" but of the language spoken by us.

Here's a conversation in a chatroom

Jill: Where are you from?
Jack: Pangasinan
Jill: Pangalatok ka?
Jack: No, Ilocano ako
Jill: I thought all of you in Pangasinan speak Pangalatok.

The common knowledge of the people outside Pangasinan is that "Pangalatok" is a language. Jill thought that Pangasinenses speak only one language. They might often used "Pangalatok" as to the people but without derision or malice.

Which came first? I don't have any historical sources on the origin of the the word "pangalatok". But it is common sense to say that "pangalatok the language" existed first before somebody gives the meaning "pangalatok as ... tuktok". That means pangalatok is not coined from "Pangasinense sira toktok". With these statements, Pangalatok that refers to the people is neither offensive nor insulting nor derogatory at all though it is misused by many.

It is wiseful to tell that "... tuktok" is not the meaning of Pangalatok.What if we change it to "Pangasinenses magaganda buhok"?

The Bolinao Experience

2006-11-29T21:49:00.000-08:00

Bolinao emerges arguably as the most desirable tourist destination in our province. The complete beauty and gift of nature is displayed here. Waterfalls, caves, white sand beaches, hills, and ancient artifacts are the awesome reasons why a nature lover has to come.

For my feet to step in this magnificent place was a great experience. We went to the remotest western part as the pristine Patar beach caught my attention. I beheld and touched the purest water that I could ever imagine that time compare to the beaches I'd been. The coldness of the seawater in the morning and the direct heat from the sun adds up to the excitement of swimming and playing.

Of course the travel wouldn't be complete without going to one of the caves. After that we dropped to the waterfalls, it was a dreamed come true. It sounds weird but I never known any falls other than the popular Pagsanjan. This time I decided not to get wet.

Words are not enough to describe Bolinao. You can make your own story once you have been there. I was there!

WHERE TO STAY:

Puerto del Sol - nice resort with almost 5 star (Bolinao standard) amenities. of course, very expensive. http://www.puertodelsol.com.ph

Treasures of Bolinao - expensive as well. They have a room with a full-floor glass window perfect for watching the sunset.

The Longest Bridge in Luzon

2006-11-28T22:09:00.000-08:00

During the administration of Fidel V. Ramos which is from Pangasinan the roads around the province had improved dramatically. The widening and cementing significantly made the people satisfied. Furthermore, the vehicles move smoothly like never before.

One of the most important projects of Ramos as the president of the Philippines was the building of the 1.4 km. bridge connecting the towns of Asingan and Sta. Maria. It is considered to be the second longest bridge in the Philippines behind the San Juanico bridge.

It connects the towns of the District 5 to the District 6. Before a passenger from San Nicolas had to pass Tayug Sta Maria, Rosales, the Carmen bridge, and Villasis to go to Urdaneta. An estimated of 35-45 minutes of time travel has been eliminated by the bridge.

People from San Manuel would no longer dare to walk through the stones and waters of Agno river and passing Barangay San Rafael to San Nicolas. They will now utilize this road without stepping on the speedy water of the Agno river.

Urdaneta city keeps growing

2006-11-28T21:46:00.000-08:00

I am recently amazed by the improvements of the City of Urdaneta. Financially, the Commission on Audit for 2005 released that Urdaneta City is the leading city not only in Pangasinan but the entire Region I in terms of income.(see). It overtakes Dagupan City which considered to be a highly urbanized city( Cities with a minimum population of two hundred thousand (200,000) inhabitants, as certified by the National Statistics Office, and with the latest annual income of at least Fifty Million Pesos (P50,000,000.00) based on 1991 constant prices, as certified by the city treasurer) while Urdaneta is only a component city of Pangasinan.

The days are gone when the people of Eastern Pangasinan used to travel hours to go to Dagupan to transact business and experience the city life. Department and variety stores, business and professional offices, hotels and theaters can now be found here. Jollibee, McDonald's, Shakeys, Cindys, Chowking and KFC are minutes away from San Nicolas, Tayug, Natividad, Sta Maria, Asingan, Binalonan, Villasis, San Manuel, Rosales, and other nearby towns.

In the past years, one of the biggest problems is the traffic in MacArthur Highway. Those days of slow movement of transportation will be over soon. There is no flyover built but the road widening is now complete. There will be a smooth flow of vehicles. And the irritations of thousands will be gone. It will save time to reach the city.

I believe that Urdaneta city, not long from now, will be considered a highly urbanized city. The economy will boom as business opportunies will grow.

Pangasinan

2006-11-24T05:03:00.000-08:00

Pangasinan is one of the 77 provinces of the Republic of the Philippines.
Etymology.The term pangasinan means "land of salt" or "place where salt is made" from the root word asin meaning salt in the native language, and the prefix pang and the suffix an meaning place. The term was derived from one of the main occupations of the people in the coastal villages which was, and still is, that of making salt from sea water through the process of solar evaporation in well-laid-out salt beds.
Though not popularly known today, the other name of the region was Caboloan. The root term of the word Caboloan is boló, which in the Pangasinan language refers to a species of bamboo. Caboloan would mean a place where the boló is generally found. The boló is a special kind of bamboo, unlike the kawayan, it does not grow everywhere in the region. It is highly useful in making baskets, sawali and bilao because of its thinness and lightness which make it especially adaptable to weaving. In the early sixteenth century this species of bamboo abounded in the inland plains but due to indiscriminate cutting, it is now rarely found if not in near extinction.
Before the Spanish conquest, the name Pangasinan applied only to the coastal areas, where salt was made, and Caboloan was more common name applied to the interior plains where the boló was abundant. At the time of the Spanish conquest, it was the coastal salt-making region that was occupied first by the Spaniards and the later applied the name Pangasinan to the whole place populated by the same language group. Thus, the name Caboloan fell into disuse, more so after the boló itelf almost extinct in the region where it once flourished.
The province was referred to as Feng-Shia-Shih tan in a Chinese manuscript of the sixteenth century.
Pangasinan is a long, wide, verdant crescent bounded by the wild Zambales range to the west and to the east by the Cordilleras -- the formidable mountains that form the spine of the island of Luzon. To the south, Pangasinan extends to the rice-and-sugar farmlands of Tarlac, and north to the crowning glory of Lingayen Gulf and the South China Sea. This shoreline is a great arc of variegated character: from fantastically tall, craggy rock roughly chiseled by the surf, to the mildest of white sand beaches. The coast is fringed by well-hidden coves and inlets, promontories and caves, forests and woodland, charming fishing villages, and then the islands. It faces the Asian mainland, outstretched widely in anticipation and welcome.
The province experiences a pronounced dry season from November to April and a wet season from May to October.