My Hometown: Pangil, Laguna

Pangil, Laguna is one of my hometowns, located in the 4^th district of Laguna province; this district is the agricultural sector of Laguna. This is where my father’s clan lives. My mother and I spent most of my childhood at my grandparent’s house in Pangil while my father was working in Saudi Arabia.

My father's clan

Old Mango Tree

Most of the houses in Pangil are made up of woods and two- storey high. My grandparent’s house is located along the main road in barangay Sulib, just about 100 meters away from the town municipal hall. It has a huge white gate with arrows designed on its top.  Once you entered the gate, you will see a huge old mango tree on the right and beside it are different flowering and fruit bearing plants. When I was about 5 to 6 years old, I usually played there as the fairy god mother of the plants. I used to make crowns and necklaces from the flowers and I also sipped some of its nectars from the plant called “Santan”. Whenever I pick my grandmother’s flowers, I always hid it from her for I know that she will not like it so I hid behind the back of the old mango tree with my flowers.

Rattan cradle

 

On the left side is an oval shaped cradle made of rattan. The cradle is tied on the opposite corner of the poles in the garage. I sat and laid there whenever I want to relax and be alone. I usually swayed the cradle strongly because I wanted to fly and feel like a bird. I also wanted to have wings and to feel the sensation of the air passing through my body. 

Narra door

The main door of my grandparent’s house is made up of Narra tree. Its color is dark brown and has some carved flowers design. Right after the main door is the living room. It has three large chairs also made up of rattan. Aside from those chairs, there is a long chair wherein I usually sleep every noontime right after lunch. Beside this long chair is an old brown rocking chair made up of Narra. It is where my grandmother sat whenever she watches the television or reads a newspaper. The rocking chair is near the elongated window with screen.  Looking at the window, you will see the old mango tree and the beautiful plants outside.

My father's siblings

Whenever I got tired, I usually went up to our bed room in the second floor. Our bedroom has a sticker of “tweety the bird” and you will know that it is our room because it has our names in it, my dad, my mom and my name. Inside there was one huge bed in the middle of the room. On the right side of the bed, hanging on the wall, were the pictures of my father’s clan. All of them were wearing their toga and holding diplomas. I think these were taken in a studio right after their graduation in college. One of the old certificates in the frame there mentioned that my grandmother was a cum laude when she graduated in dentistry in National University. On the left side was another elongated window with screen. Again from this window you can view the huge mango tree and the vehicles passing the main road. In the morning, even though my eyes were still closed, I knew that there were a lot of birds on the tree and along the window because I could hear their humming sounds from our bed. Most of the times I was being awakened by the vehicles load sounds especially the tricycles and sometimes of the vendors who were selling  puto, kutsinta, and pandesal who were passing along the main road in the morning.

Example of a tribike

After waking up and into my feet, I would prepare in going to my school which was not far from our home, it’s just about 150 meters away. If it’s not raining or the sun is up, my mother and I would walk in going to school but if it’s raining my mother and I would ride on a tribike. A tribike is like a tricycle but it’s not motor driven; instead, it uses a bike. This kind of transportation is famous in Pangil because it emits no pollution and it does not need gasoline. 

While we walk going to school, we would pass through the old church where we usually celebrated Sunday masses. The church changes its theme and decoration twice a year. It depends on the occasion. The church has enormous doorways made up of woods; there are a lot of chairs made up of varnished woods for the attendees, and a huge altar in the middle with the crucifix of Jesus.  Street filthy dogs also enter the church whenever the mass was on going. I usually ask my mother why dogs were allowed to enter the church. Her reply was always “not only human beings are allowed to hear the words of God but also the animals have their right”.

Navidad  dela Virgen Maria church, Pangil, Laguna

Inside the Navidad dela Virgen Maria church, Pangil, Laguna

At the back of the church was the plaza. In the middle stands the monument of King Carlos III who donated the “Santo Niño de la O” because of the good hospitality of the residence of Pangil when he had his vacation in the town before he was crowned king of Spain. The Santo Niño de la O is a child Jesus dressed in gold with red robe. Child Jesus is wearing a crown and on his palm rests a golden sphere. He is being paraded and danced as part of Christmas celebration. Most of the people who come to celebrate and to dance with the Santo Nino are the younger generations. The plaza has a large vacant area where children played Chinese garter, tumbang preso, and other native games. Also a part of the plaza is a playground with seesaws, slides and swings. I also remember this middle aged man who sells different street foods and toys every afternoon in the playground.

Monument of King Carlos at Pangil, Laguna

Santo Niño de la O

Rice Storage

We would also pass through the town rice storage. It has very big doors and every morning the workers were pulling out rice sacks to be delivered to different areas. Whenever I pass there, I always cover my nose because of the stagnant smell and the dust coming out of the storage.

The school where I spent my kindergarten and preparatory level was a Montessori school. It only has a one- storey room with white and blue colored walls. Every morning, we would sing the Philippine National Anthem then we would recite the Panatang Makabayan. I felt like a dwarf for I was very small as a kid and most of the higher levels were like giants with good muscular built.

Arriving home after school, I would bless to my mother and grandparents then I would go directly to the “Bahay Kubo” which was located at the back of my grandparent’s house. It was made up of tree’s trunk and Banahaw leaves. Inside were some antique furniture’s which my grandparents no longer use. Under the bahay kubo was the hencoop made up of some rattan and galvanized wires. There were a number of chickens housed there and I was afraid to be with them because I thought they would beak me. Looking at the window, I could see a small dog house made up of a hollow blocks. Inside was a black pittbull dog named Jack. I was very afraid of him because he always barks when someone would pass through his thrown. The only person that he was afraid of was my grandfather. Everytime my grandfather would go to him, he would not bark and he would obey him properly.

Spending my childhood days in Pangil, Laguna was very memorable because I have a lot of unforgettable and happiness moments there. I also knew a lot of people who become close to my heart.