Pila a historical landmark that withstood war, time

By Niña Catherine Calleja
Southern Luzon Bureau
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 04:31:00 12/27/2007
Original article here

PILA, Laguna, Philippines—It was just a stone placed at the heart of the town plaza with the words “a town declared a historical landmark” engraved on it.

But the historical marker has become a source of pride for the people here.

Thirty-six structures, including the 200-year-old St. Anthony of Padua Church, a school and a municipal hall, were declared preserved and protected by the National Historical Institute (NHI) on May 17, 2000.

On Dec. 4, former President Fidel Ramos and NHI Executive Director Ludovico Badoy unveiled the marker.

Houses also homes

According to anecdotes, Pila was spared during the World War II because American bombers failed to spot it as they were preparing for a bombing run to flush out Japanese soldiers. Towns near Pila, like Pagsanjan and Sta. Cruz, were reduced to rubble during the bombing run.

Badoy referred to the town as a “jewel of the country” because it is very rare to find a town whose Spanish architectural design was kept intact.

“It would be easy for the younger generation to picture how the houses during the Spanish period look like,” he said.

He said houses here are different because people still call them homes.

Pila is the fourth and the latest town declared as a national historical landmark.

The other towns are Vigan in Ilocos Sur, Silay City in Negros Occidental, and Taal in Batangas.

Mayor Wilfredo Quiat said the formal declaration would help attract tourists.

He said since 2001, students have been visiting Pila because it was a requirement in school.

Appointed as the caretaker of the town’s heritage and historical landmarks, the Pila Historical Society Foundation Inc., composed mostly of the Relova and Rivera clans, was formed in December 1993.

Don Felizardo Rivera, who donated his lands to the church and municipal government, is the recognized founder of Pila.

He is the ancestor of prominent families in Pila surnamed Rivera, Relova, Agra and Alava.

Good start

Cora Relova, 61, vice president of the foundation, said the group started as a beautification committee but realized that the town is rich in history with artifacts that should be preserved.

She said forming the historical society was initially met with skepticism and resistance from the town council even though the mayor was their relative.

But the historical society understood where the town council was coming from, Relova said.

“Our perspectives were different. The town council was thinking of meeting the town’s immediate needs while (we were) looking forward,” she said.

She said they were both right but the foundation believed it is possible to achieve the vision for the town and that this could be accomplished “inch by inch.”

Monina Rivera, the foundation’s president, said they opposed a yearly fair that fell right smack in the middle of the town’s landmarks.

“During and after the town fiesta, there was garbage left behind in the place,” she said.

The historical council lobbied for years against the fair until the town council relocated it.

“You know, it was difficult because many people enjoyed the fair,” added Rivera, 68.

Relova said protecting the town’s heritage was not an easy task. “Filipinos are not really into heritage and culture unlike the Europeans,” she said.

‘Ties that bind’

For Relova and Rivera who are cousins, Pila is the home that they come to every summer vacation, Flores de Mayo, All Soul’s Day, and Christmas.

“The town and the memories here bind our families,” Rivera said, adding that family reunions are common.

“A house could no longer accommodate us. Usually, we hold it in big places because we sometimes add up to 400 (people),” she said.

Relova said they are advocating for Pila’s preservation because of the good memories they had of the place when they were still young.

“We want the image of Pila to be the same as before. We want the children now to experience what we had,” she said.

First Tagalog dictionary

She said she is very happy seeing children sitting in the grass in the plaza and reading books.

“This is not just a landmark but a place that people could use,” she said.

Aside from the ancestral houses and artifacts found in the Pila museum, another considered treasure of the town is the first Tagalog-Spanish dictionary titled “Vocabulario de la Lengua Tagala.”

It was published by renowned printer Tomas Pinpin and Domingo Laog in the second printing press in the Philippines which was built by the Franciscans in Pila, Laguna in 1611.

Relova said they could no longer locate the site of the printing press.

The dictionary, which was 25 years older than the first book published in the United States, was compiled to facilitate the evangelization of the Tagalog region.

According to Relova, it was proof of how rich the language and culture of the Tagalogs were.

For example, cortar, a Spanish word that means “to cut” has the equivalent of 47 Tagalog words for every act of cutting.

In the dictionary, Pila was also depicted as a noble town. “Perhaps, because of the nobility of the people’s tradition here,” she said.

The town council is now drafting a resolution to ensure that municipal government officials help the NHI and the Pila Historical Society Foundation protect and preserve the heritage site.

Calumpang Dam Repaired!

After more than one year of waiting, the farmers of Pila, Laguna can now plant rice again. Thanks to the fast repair of the Calumpang River Dam done by the National Irrigation Administration. The Calumpang River Dam was totally damaged during typhoon Rosing last September 29, 2006.


This horse is also very happy! A refreshing cool bath along the NIA irrigation canal located in Masico, Pila, Laguna.

Pila Museum Improvement

Pila Historical Society Foundation Inc. is currently spearheading the improvement of the Pila museum. Please visit Pila Museum to view Treasures of Pila boards and read the story about our town.



One can also read the articles in Treasures of Pila by clicking this link.

June 20, 2007: Pinagbayanan 50th Foundation Day

Pinagbayanan will celebrate its 50th founding anniversary today. It was converted into a barrio on June 20, 1957. Pinagbayanan was formerly a sitio of Linga, Pila, Laguna. It is the site of Philippines’ oldest crematorium found in 1967 by a group of archeologists from the University of San Carlos, Cebu City. Various activities are scheduled today to mark the golden anniversary.

Republic Act No. 1689 is printed in full below.


H. NO. 5140


REPUBLIC ACT NO. 1689

AN ACT CONVERTING THE SITIO OF PINAGBAYANAN, MUNICIPALITY OF PILA, PROVINCE OF LAGUNA, INTO A BARRIO OF SAID MUNICIPALITY.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. The Sitio of Pinagbayanan, Municipality of Pila, Province of Laguna, is converted into a barrio of said municipality.

SECTION 2. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

Approved, June 20, 1957


From: Official Gazzette, August 31, 1957 page 5136
GPD PI.6 1957 53(16)
Philippine National Library

Rizal Day

Today is the birthday of Dr. Jose P. Rizal.

Our national hero was born on June 19, 1861 in Calamba, Laguna. The provincial government of Laguna declared June 19 a public holiday.

The municipal government of Pila, in preparation for Rizal day festivities, transferred to the Northeast corner of the town plaza the statue of Dr. Jose P. Rizal.

The Shrine of San Antonio de Padua in Pila, Laguna

By Dr. Luciano P.R. Santiago

The Church of San Antonio de Padua of Pila, Laguna was the first church to be dedicated to St. Anthony of Padua in the Philippines (1578) and most probably, in Asia as well. The parish of Pila became the first Antonine parish in the country when it was established in 1581, the 350th anniversary of the glorious death of the saint. The town itself was officially called “San Antonio de Padua de Pila,” or simply, “San Antonio de Pila.” The parish seal depicts the saint holding a lily, the symbol of purity, in his right hand and carrying the Child Jesus on his left arm. Known as “the miracle worker” even during his lifetime, St. Anthony is the most venerated Franciscan saint next to the founder of the order himself, St. Francis of Assisi. Thus, the choice of St. Anthony as the patron saint of Pila reflected the pivotal role given by the Franciscans to the parish and town.

Even before the coming of the Spaniards, Pila was already noted for its spiritual ambience. The center of the town was known as Pagalangan, which means “The Place of Reverence.” The original site of the town, Pinagbayanan was hallowed by the venerable graves of the dead laid out with exquisite Chinese porcelain and local jars of handsome design as pabáon (provisions) for the afterlife. St. Anthony (1195-1231) lived in Europe during the Golden Age of Pila at Pinagbayanan when, as indicated by archeological studies, it was one of the most important centers of trade, as well as of religion and culture during the early part of the second millenium. Little did the “saint of lost causes and finder of lost things” know that Padua would form a spiritual link with Pila at the other side of the globe via Spain and Mexico more than three centuries later.

The Order of St. Francis (OSF), also known as the Order of Friars Minor (OFM), arrived in Manila in 1577. Next to the Augustinians, they were the second religious order to reach the Philippines. Being a mendicant order, they were the only religious congregation which renounced ownership of haciendas. At once, they built their main church in honor of Our Lady of the Angels in the walled city. The cult of St. Anthony of Padua was introduced in this church, which became popular as the Tuesday Devotion in Old Manila. A statue of the saint was erected in front of the church in the 19th century.

To the southern region, the congregation lost no time in sending the intrepid pair, Fray Juán Portocarrero de Plasencia and Fray Diego de Oropesa de San José who soon earned the title “The Apostles of Laguna and Tayabas.” Moved by the faith of the Pileños, Oropesa decided to establish among them his “principal residence” also dedicated to St. Anthony while Plasencia chose Lumbang as his home base in honor of St. Sebastian. From these two missionary centers, they radiated out to evangelize the other towns of Laguna and Tayabas (now Quezón).

From a reducción - where the new converts were gathered for instruction in the Faith - Pila was elevated to a parish on the feast  of its titular, St. Anthony of Padua on June 13, 1581. Oropesa became its first pastor (1581-83). Next to Pila, the second Antonine parish to be organized by the Franciscans was that of Masbate (c1583), followed by Iriga, now a city in Camarines Sur (1683) and Siruma, also in Camarines Sur (1687).

Impressed by the nobility of the townspeople, the conquistadors conferred on the town the special title, “La Noble Villa de Pila.” It took eighteen years to build the first stone church from 1599 to 1617. The sacred edifice was described as “the most beautiful church in the province of Laguna” by the Alcalde Mayor (Governor) Don José Peláez, father of Padre Pedro Pablo Peláez, the leader of the secularization movement in the 19th century.

From the beginning to the present, the cult of St. Anthony has flourished in Pila in an unbroken chain of promise (pangako) and practice of the faithful. It consists of the Tuesday Devotion and an association which has become part of the worldwide Pious Union of St. Anthony. The parish also became famous for its mellifluous choirs and elegant processions in homage to the saint from the 17th to the 19th centuries. To signify their gratitude for the favors and miracles granted to them, the devotees wear a simple dark brown dress with white cincture during mass. Healed of serious illnesses, small boys are also dressed in the holy habit. An annual novena for his intercession is held prior to his feast day, June 13, which is celebrated as the town fiesta and highlighted with a grand procession. Groups of Pileños in other towns or cities who could not come home for the
occasion also pray the novena together wherever they are.

In the noble villa, the Franciscans established the second printing press in the Philippines in 1611. The first Tagalog dictionary was printed here in 1613 by Tomás Pinpín and Domingo Loag. The local pastor Fray Pedro de San Buenaventura compiled the dictionary to facilitate the evangelization of the Tagalog region. In 1618, the Franciscan infirmary was transferred from Lumbang to Pila where the sick and retired missionaries were taken care of and breathed their last, comforted by the spirit of St. Anthony. Manila Archbishop Fernando Montero de Espinosa, newly arrived from Madrid, also died here in 1644 on his way to take possession of his see. After 55 years in Pila, the infirmary moved to Sta. Cruz, Laguna in 1673.

The oldest surviving church bell of Pila was cast on the centenary of the parish in 1681 with the Franciscan emblem and the inscription “San Antonio de Pila.” The faithful hid it from the rampaging British invaders in 1762 by submerging it in Laguna de Bay facing the church. It is now the third oldest church bell in the Philippines. With the erection of a new stone belfry in 1890, the parish recast another undated old bell in honor of St. Anthony in 1893. It is the only church tower in the Philippines which bears two bells inscribed with St. Anthony’s name. (The second oldest church bell dedicated to the saint pertains to Paeté dated 1847, followed by Sta. María, Bulacán, 1877 and then Majayjay, 1929.)

Because of several social crises in the 18th century, San Roque was invoked as the second patron saint of Pila. Due to persistent severe flooding in Pagalangan in the late 18th century, the town center was transferred to its present site in Sta. Clara, which was the hacienda of the three Brothers Rivera, Don Felizardo, Don Miguel and Don Rafael. Part of the estate is the adjacent Barangay San Antonio, among others. Marred by controversy, the relocation took almost two decades to complete under the leadership of Don Felizardo de Rivera y Evangelista (1755-1810), the eldest of the brothers, who also drew up the grid plans for the new site. Thus, he is considered the founder of Nueva Pila. He pledged the spiritual and material support of the Riveras to the church of St. Anthony in perpetuum up to the last of their line. Stone by stone, the old church in Pagalangan was the last edifice to be transplanted to Sta. Clara under the inspiration of St. Anthony. For the main duration of the move, the townspeople were exempted from payment of tributes, forced labor and personal services.  

For almost a quarter of a century, from 1812 to 1835, Filipino secular priests served for the first time as the acting pastors of Pila due to a shortage of Franciscan priests. They put the finishing touches to the stone church of Nueva Pila. The pastor who served the parish for the longest time during the Spanish era was Fray Benito del Quintanar, OFM (1839-52). He supervised the construction of the present convent for nine years until it was completed in 1849. In behalf of the Pileños, he had the following prayer-poem in Latin inscribed in a rectangular stone tablet over the main gate of the convent:
“Fave, Protege, Custod., / Bened. Que S.e Antoni: / Domui Istam Novam /
Quam Tibi Dedicavi.” (“St. Anthony, look with favor on, protect, guard and bless this new house which is dedicated to you.”) The saint has answered
Pila’s fervent prayer. The stone church and convent have survived to the present.

Fray Benito also started the Archicofradía del Nuestro Señor Padre San Francisco which was next in rank to the Venerable Orden Tercera (VOT) of the Franciscan Order. The archconfraternity was empowered to affiliate lay groups of the same character from the other parishes. The religious festival of Flores de Mayo, for which Pila is now well known, was introduced in 1888 and brought to the fore the deep Marian devotion in the parish.

The placid life of the town and parish was rent asunder from 1896, when the Revolution against Spain broke out, until 1902 when the American colonizers, took over and reorganized the municipal government. Before this, the American soldiers had occupied the belfry and convent for more than a year destroying and looting the furniture and other properties of the church.

Since the beginning of the 20th century, Filipino pastors have been serving the faithful of Pila. The parish was transferred from the Archdiocese of Manila to the Diocese of Lipá when the latter was erected in 1910 and finally, to the newly established Diocese of San Pablo in 1966. The first Pileño nun, Sor Consuelo, OSB (the former Miss Milagros Relova y Rivera) professed her vows as a Benedictine nun in 1932. The first Pileño priest, Fr. Félix Codera was ordained in 1938. Although he was born in Marinduque, His Eminence, Ricardo Cardinal Vidal, Archbishop of Cebu, hails from Pila. They are all ardent devotees of St. Anthony.

During World War II, Pila became the center of guerilla activities in Laguna and Fr. Codera, together with Frs. Atienza and Báez, volunteered as chaplains of the underground. Ironically, there was a rice boom in the town during the war and thus, it became the rice granary of Laguna which the faithful unselfishly shared with those in want from the surrounding towns and as far as Manila and its suburbs. Naturally, this abundance at a time of war was attributed by the Pileños to St. Anthony, “the miracle worker.” As expected, Pila was the first town in the province to be liberated by the guerillas in January 1945 sparing it from any major destruction.

Pope Pius XII declared St. Anthony a Doctor of the Universal Church with the title Doctor Evangelicus on January 16, 1946.  The following year, a group of grateful parishioners founded a college in his honor, St. Anthony Academy, now the Liceo de Pila.

With the destruction of the Franciscan church in Intramuros at the close of the Second World War, the site of the cult of St. Anthony was moved in 1947 to the Venerable Orden Tercera (VOT) Friary in Sampaloc,Manila, which is now the Shrine of the saint in the archdiocese. (The monumental statue of St. Anthony in Intramuros was, however, transferred to the grounds of the Sanctuario de San Antonio in Forbes Park in Makati. The Sampaloc friary had been dedicated together with the adjacent Church of Our Lady of Loreto in 1616, thirty five years after the inauguration of the parish of San Antonio de Padua de Pila.) The Manila shrine has submitted a petition to the Catholic Bishops’ Conference to declare it the National Shrine of St. Anthony of Padua.

For the Jubilee Year 2000, the historic Church of San Antonio de Padua of Pila was selected as a Pilgrim Church of the Diocese of San Pablo. The parish is the center of the Vicariate of San Antonio de Padua which includes the parishes of the Immaculate Conception (Sta. Cruz), St. Joseph (Linga, Pila) and The Risen Lord (Victoria).

Revolving around the Church of St. Anthony of Padua, the town center of Pila, comprising 35 old houses and buildings, was proclaimed a National Historical Landmark by the National Historical Institute on May 17, 2000.

The church was elevated as the Diocesan Shrine of St. Anthony of Padua and solemnly inaugurated by the Most Reverend Francisco San Diego, DD, Bishop of San Pablo in the presence of His Eminence Ricardo Cardinal Vidal on July 9, 2002.  

As Bayang Pinagpala (Blessed Town), Pileños ascribe their unique blessings through the centuries to the intercession of their triumvirate of patron saints, San Antonio de Padua, San Roque and the Virgen de las Flores.

Pila Satellite Images

Residents of Pila, Laguna should try this Google service.  Just type Pila, Philippines in the search page.  If you have a DSL connection, we suggest you download Google Earth.  You can also download this satellite picture of Laguna de Bay and Pila from National University of Singapore Center for Remote Imaging, Sensing and Processing.  Happy Viewing!

Cane Frog: Palakang Nazareth

Did you know that the cane frog now common here in the Philippines was first introduced here in Pila?

In March 1934 a number of cane toads were imported from the Hawaiian Sugar Planters' Association on Oahu to control insect pests in sugar-cane plantations in Manila on the Island of Luzon (Rabor 1952). Some escaped into the nearby countryside, where several years later the species had become established in large numbers. At around the same time cane toads were deliberately released in Calauang and Pila in Laguna Province, and in the Central Luzon provinces: before 1941 they had become as common in Central Luzon as in Laguna. Source: Naturalized Reptiles and Amphibians of the World

Philippine Daily Inquirer Articles About Pila, Laguna

Below are articles about Pila, Laguna published by the Philippine Daily Inquirer recently.

Pila townsfolk preserve heritage town

Couple delights Laguna town, survives competition

An animal and plant lover's haven

No business being in business?

Philippine Presidents and Pila, Laguna

I was informed by Cora Relova that the National Historical Institute will invite President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to officially inaugurate the NHI marker declaring the Town Plaza and surrounding heritage houses a National Historical Landmark.

GMA will be the third Philippine President to visit Pila, Laguna. President Ramon Magsaysay went to Pila on February 24, 1956. President Magsaysay officiated the ground breaking ceremony of the P3,180,000.00 Santa Cruz-Mabacan river irrigation project which irrigated some 6,000 hectares of land. President Fidel V. Ramos went to Pila sometime in June 1993 and launched the Laguna Lake Development Authority’s program for the development and management of Laguna de Bay.

President Ramos was stationed in Pila, Laguna during the Philippine Constabulary’s campaign against the Hukbalahap. He stayed in Camp Nazareth (now Campo, San Antonio, Pila, Laguna).

According to Nick Joaquin, in his book Joseph Estrada and other sketches published in 1977, Joseph Estrada attended the Cursillo in Pila, Laguna.

The Music of Judge Ramiro R. Relova

Every Pileño will never forget the late Judge Ramiro R. Relova and his music. Please visit this link and enjoy viewing the short video clip of Judge playing the piano. The video was uploaded by his grandson, Michael.

Pailah is Pila, Laguna

By Jaime F. Tiongson

This author wrote an e-mail to Antoon Postma and suggested that Pailah in the Laguna Copperplate Inscription is Pila, Laguna. In his reply, Antoon Postma (2005) wrote that “ai” in Pailah or Payla is a dipthong and can not develop into Pila as suggested. The list below shows that the Tagalog dipthong /ai/ can develop into /i/ or /e/ in disagreement to what he has stated. The following are examples of such development:

1. Baynat (SB, 1613 page 116) to Binat (UP, 2001, page 121)
2. Saynat (SB, 1613 page 367) to Sinat (UP, 2001, page 787)
3. Taynga (SB, 1613, page 458) to Tenga
4. Baywang (SB, 1613, page 617) to Bewang (UP, 2001, page 116)
5. Mayroon to Meron (UP, 2001, page 553)
6. Kailan (SB, 1613, page 60) to Kelan
7. Bayki to Beke (UP, 2001, page 111)
8. Kaysa to Kesa (UP, 2001, page 442)

Before the arrival of the Spaniards, Tagalog had only three vowel phonemes: /a/, /i/, and /u/. The list was later expanded to five vowels with the introduction of Spanish words. In Tagalog phonology, the dipthong /aI/ can also be pronounced [e~E~eI] and /e/ can sometimes be pronounced as [i~I] thus the development of Pailah to Pila and the rest of the words above.

Laguna Copperplate Inscription bears the date 900 A.D. (Postma, 1992). The Laguna Copperplate Inscription was written during the Emergent Filipino Period [1 to 1500 A.D.(Jocano, 1998) or 500 to 1521 A.D. (Solheim, 2002)]. Jocano (1998) defines this period as the appearance of definable political, economic, and religious organization and certain dominant patterns of culture such as burial practices, ceramic art, and social statuses. The placenames in the Laguna Copperplate Inscription namely: Tundun, Puliran, Pailah and Binwangan are the leading centers of trade, commerce as well as governance of the whole region (Francisco, 1995)

According to Wilhelm G. Solheim II (2002), there are three such concentrations of population known archaeologically to have been in place before A.D. 1000 here in the Philippines. The three emergent Filipino Period areas are Butuan, an area on the shore of Laguna de Bay and an area on the shore of Lake Taal.

In 1967, a team from the University of San Carlos and Locsin group led by Dr. Rosa C.P. Tenazas conducted another archaeological study in Pinagbayanan, Pila, Laguna. The team uncovered Iron Age burials. Tenazas (n.d.) wrote in her report: “The presence of earthenware pots quite different from those encountered in the Sung levels in size and form, as well as in decoration, set them off as a distinct cultural horizon.” She further wrote: “Due to the fact that pots had no association with export ceramics, they tentatively have been attributed an Iron Age date. The burial locations not too far below if not on the same level as the lowest Sung burials, would put it just prior to trade contacts with China near the end of the first millennium A.D. or a little earlier.” The team of Tenazas also uncovered Philippines’ oldest horse bones and crematorium.

In the same year, the Esso-Elizalde archaeological team supervised by Dr. Robert Fox and Mr. Avelino Legaspi of the Anthropology Division of the National Museum conducted excavations in Pinagbayanan and Bagong Pook, Pila. The team recovered 12^th to 15^th century trade potteries (Valdes, 2003).

The series of archaeological studies and vast amount of trade potteries recovered in Pila, Laguna led scientists and archaeologists to conclude that Pila, Laguna is an important pre-hispanic center of culture and trade. The scientific conclusion became one of the bases for declaring the town of Pila, Laguna a National Historical Landmark[1].

Historian Dr. Luciano Santiago (1997) wrote that “some scholars believe that the copper plate inscription refers instead to barangays in Bulacan Province rather than in Laguna. However, the places referred to in Bulacan are nowhere as significant in Philippine prehistory as those in Laguna”. The Postma suggested Paila site which is located in San Lorenzo, Norzagaray, Bulacan is not even listed as one of the barangays of the said town. The town of Norzagaray was named after General Fernand de Norzagaray y Escudero, Govenor General of the Philippines from 1857-1860. Barrios Casay, Lawang, Tigbi and Bayabas of Angat were formed into the town of Norzagaray during his governorship. (Erecciones, 1764 -1890).

Postma (1992) defines Pulilan as the area along the south east Laguna de Bay area which includes Pila. He further wrote that Pila is within the area of Pulilan and LCI clearly indicates two separate localities with each own leader. This is the reason why he chose instead Pulilan, Bulacan and Paila, San Lorenzo, Norzagaray, Bulacan. This author already explained previously that Pulilan is not the south east area of Laguna de Bay but the Laguna de Bay itself and Puliran Kasumuran[2] is the Laguna de Bay water source. The Puliran Kasumuran region includes present town of Nagcarlan, Liliw, Mahayhay, Lucban, Tayabas and distinctly separate from Pila, Laguna

If Kasumuran is the source of water of Pulilan, Bulacan (Angat and surrounding communities including Norzagaray), the Paila of San Lorenzo, Norzagaray is within the Kasumuran region of Pulilan, Bulacan. Using the same argument raised by Postma above then Paila in Norzagaray is not the Pailah in the Laguna Copperplate Inscription.

____________________
[1]The National Historical Institute of the Philippines declared the town plaza and surrounding ancestral houses a National Historical Landmark on May 17, 2000.

[2]According to the article of Antoon Postma in Sulat sa Tanso January/February 1996 issue, page 5, sumur in Malay and Java means “well” and in Tagalog sumur means “bukal” (bukal=pinagmumulan ng tubig, UP Diksyonaryong Filipino, 2001)

Sources:

Almario, Virgilio S. ed. 2001. UP Diksiyonaryong Filipino. Pasig City.

Ereccion del Pueblos-Bulacan, 1764-1890. Paper creating the barrios Casay, Lawang, Tigbi and Bayabas into new town named Norzagaray, apart from Angat. Bundle no. 45, Legajo no. 129.

Francisco, Juan R. 1995. “Tenth Century Trade/Settlement Area In South East Asia: Epigraphic and Language Evidence in the Philippines,” National Museum Papers: Vol. 4, No.2:10-35.

Jocano, Landa F. 1998. Filipino Prehistory. Quezon City.

Kuang-Jen Chang, “A Comparative study of trade ceramics as grave goods in Pila, Laguna and Calatagan, Batangas, SW Luzon, the Philippines,” presented at Congres International, European Association of Southeast Asian Archaeologists, 11^th International Conference, Bougon, France, 2006.

Postma, Antoon. 1992. “The Laguna Copperplate Inscription,” Philippine Studies 40:183-203.

Postma, Antoon, <mangyanhc@catsi.net.ph> “Reply to letter for Mr. Antoon Postma from the Pila Historical Society Foundation Inc”, Personal Email (11 November 2005)

San Antonio, Francisco de. 2000. Vocabulario Tagalo. Tagalog-Spanish Dictionary. Quezon City.

San Buenaventura, Pedro de. 1613. Vocabulario de Lengua Tagala. Pila.

Santiago, Luciano P.R. 1997. “The Roots Of Pila, Laguna, A Secular And Spiritual History Of The Town (900 AD To The Present),” Philippine quarterly of culture and society 25:125-155.

Solheim, Wilhelm G. 2002. The Archeology of Central Philippines. A study c hiefly of the iron age and its relationships. Revised Ed. Quezon City.

Tenazas, Rosa C.P. n.d. A Report on the Archeology of the Locsin-University of San Carlos Excavations in Pila, Laguna (September 4, 1967 – March 19, 1968). privately printed.

Tiongson, Jaime F. The Laguna Copperplate Inscription and the Route to Paracale in “Heritage and Vigilance: The Pila Historical Society Foundation Inc. Programs for the Study and Preservation of National Historical Landmarks and Treasures,” presented at Seminar on Philippine Town and Cities: Reflections of the Past, Lessons for the Future, Pasig City, 2006.

Tiongson, Jaime F. 2004. The Paracale Gold Route. Unpublished Manuscript. Cited in Santiago, Luciano P.R. 2005. “Pomp, Pageantry and Gold: The Eight Spanish Villas in the Philippines (1565-1887),” Philippine Quarterly of Culture and Society: 33:57-75.

Valdes, Cynthia O. “Archaeology in the Philippines, the National Museum and an Emergent Filipino Nation,” Wilhelm G. Solheim II Foundation for Philippine Archaelogy, Inc. 25 Feb 2004. http://homepages.uni-tuebingen.de/alfred.pawlik/Solheim/philippine_archaeology.html

________. 2003. “Pila in Ancient Time,” in Treasures of Pila. pp 3-6.

Pila Artifacts at the University of San Carlos Museum

A team of archeologists led by Dr. Rosa C.P. Tenazas from the University of San Carlos in Cebu City conducted an archaeological study in Pinagbayanan, Pila, Laguna from September 4, 1967 to March 19, 1968 together with the group of Cecilia Locsin.

The team uncovered Philippines’ only prehispanic crematorium dated 12^th to 14^th century and three inhumation Iron Age burials dated near the end of the first millennium or earlier (900 AD). (see picture of Pinagbayanan Crematorium)

The recovered imported proto-historic tradeware ceramics and Iron Age potteries are housed at the USC University Museum in Cebu City.

Every Taga-Pila should visit the USC University Museum collection to learn more about Pila’s heritage and culture.

The 250 to 300 specimens currently in the Pila Museum are from the Elizalde-Esso archaeological diggings in Pinagbayanan from May to October 1967.

They Painted The Town (Hall) Red

Last year, the Office of the Mayor of Pila, Laguna re-painted the Pila Municipal Center in shocking red. The colonial structure which was inaugurated on June 13, 1931 during the 700^th death anniversary of St. Anthony of Padua is traditionally painted white. The town hall is a colonnaded American period structure designed by Architect Paulino G. Agra.

The red town hall caught the attention of the Heritage Conservation Society and is one of the heritage structures featured in the their 2007 Krag and Concrete Calendar.

The Pila Municipal Center is a perfect match to the red and white quasi-Romanesque facade of the Sta Lucia church of Sta Lucia, Ilocos sur. It is worthwhile to note that the town of Sta. Lucia has two barangays named Pila, Pila West and Pila East. Pila in Ilocano means very hard earth (tierra muy dura).

Kababayan Hero

Last year, a kababayan was featured in the Philippine Daily Inquirer newspaper. Published on page A19 of the February 27, 2005 issue of the newspaper was the heroism of Apolinar Tabernilla of Pila, Laguna. His heroism was caught on camera by the Agence France Presse and Associated Press. Inquirer was able to track down Tabernilla and his story through the pictures. Please read full story.