The Many Charms of Mauban

For the past two years, my good friend, Luis Gatmaitan (doctor-writer and TOYM awardee) has invited me to join him as co-facilitator in the Cultural Center of the Philippines' Batang Sining workshop. Conducted every summer since 1993, it has helped children develop skills in the arts. Originally named as Batang Panitik, the week long workshop aims to encourage art development in children in natural and non-threatening learning environments. It boasts of reputable names as founders - Bodjie Pascua, Mailin Paterno-Locsin ( to name a few) and the late, great Rene Villanueva as lead facilitator when it changed into Batang Sining: Creative Expression Workshop. 

I would decline due to conflict in schedules. When he invited me a third time and got it via SMS early January 2011, I said yes. It's too cruel of me to turn down the esteemed and multi-awarded doctor-writer. And so, we found ourselves having coffee a week before the workshop with Bing Tresvalles and Hermie Beltran, both from CCP, to iron out the creases in the plan. They were so easy to work with. Oh, the advantage of working with and among friends!

On Sunday, April 10, 2011 we were packed inside the van courtesy of our sponsors going to Mauban. What a delight to see the country side! We passed by the old towns of Laguna and Quezon- Calamba, Los Banos, Pagsanjan, Alaminos, Cavinti, Luisiana, Lucena, Tiaong, Sariaya, Lucban, Tayabas and finally, Mauban. The long ride was in itself, an adventure! We stopped by the road to buy star apples; asked for the price of lady corn plants and took pictures of houses decorated with pandan woven ornaments. Luisiana, Laguna celebrates Pandan Festival every first week of April. The official pit stop was at Lucban, Quezon where we had lunch with Ms. Anie Calleja, the indefatigable tourism officer of Mauban.

It was a hearty lunch of fish sinigang, grilled pork chop, fried chicken, mango salad and steamed rice at Palaisdaan. It was a quaint restaurant where cottages float on rafts on a huge man-made fish pond. Thus the name! Since we're in Lucban, we took the opportunity to go up Kamay ni Hesus, a shrine on the resurrected Christ where devotees pray and visit during Lent. An added attraction was the retreat house shaped and designed ala Noah's Ark. The shrine is located near the foot of Mt. Banahaw where fables and folk lore about its mystical nature abound. Bing and I climbed the hill to the resurrected Christ passing fourteen stations of the cross along the way. Needless to say, we had a timely prayer intervention  in preparation for Lent. We visited and prayed at the church when we reached the bottom of the hill. It was our first time to be there so Bing and I offered petitions.

When we reached Mauban, Ms. Anie proudly introduced to us the big ancestral houses that line up along the main road. One of them belonged to the De la Costa Family, the house where Fr. Horacio De la Costa grew up in. Fr. De la Costa is the first Filipino Jesuit to head the Philippine Provincial. He is also a noted historian and writer. At the heart of the town is where the church and municipal hall stand. Tired from the long trip, we took an early rest in preparation for the following morning.

After our courtesy call to Mayor Fernando Q. Llamas, the CCP Batang Sining Creative Expression workshop commenced. My day to day entries can be read in my library blog. The links for Day 1, Day 2, Day 3-5 are highlighted for further reading. Just click away to read about the fun and crazy things we did. The workshop was designed for teachers and though it veered away from its focus on children, the modules we prepared for teachers to pass on whatever technology or skills they learned to their students. What's more, arts and culture are essential to the practice of teaching. An integration of the arts in the different content areas will strengthen concepts taught and learned. It will aid in character building for the teacher and the student too. In a nutshell, the five day workshop was a blast! The teachers gave their all and we were amazed at the sincerity and spontaneity the teachers displayed. 

This is one of the many charms of Mauban, its people. The food, the historic places and Cagbalite are an additional frosting to the cake. Indeed, it is the community of people who live there that has made our week long stay unforgettable. They fed us well with local food and delicacies like their own version of nilupak that's tight and packed with real cassava; pansit habhab; Lucban longanisa; tortang macau; and an array of fish dishes caught from the sea. I gained a few good pounds and a lot of new friends as we break bread together.

The historical sites we visited like the Rizal Hill Park, the sea wall where the monument of local hero, Gat-uban stands and the De la Costa House offered unique, diverse yet familiar perspectives to a Manilenya like myself. Now I have bragging rights among Magis Deo friends having set foot in the house where one of the greater Filipino Jesuits lived. 

For me, the highlight of the whole after-workshop tour of Mauban was our trip to Cagbalite, the famed Boracay of Quezon. I have not been to Boracay yet but this beach experience is next to my experiences of Capul, Samar, Panglao, Bohol and Puerto Galera, Mindoro. I love beaches but I enjoy a quiet beach the most. I witnessed the beautiful moon, silver at first, then gold, appear in the indigo sky. The waters where the river meets the sea was warm to bathe in. The mangroves that grow at the banks of the river and at the shores of the sea offered sanctuary to schools of small fishes, shellfish and water insects. Cicadas serenaded us at twilight. Bird calls to mate and feed would wake us up in the morning. And the sunrise that Sunday morning of our last day in Mauban was the saddest I have ever seen. 

Yet, it fills me with great joy to be in the midst of God's grandeur!

When we rode the boat to another site in Cagbalite where the tide pools were at low tide, I thought I was in Boracay minus the foreigners and the trappings of modern life. Thank God for unspoiled beaches! There, in the tide pools and on the sea bed were living things - hermit crabs, sea slugs, tiny shrimps, crabs, flat fish, sea grass, schools of fry and egrets that feed on shellfishes nearby. The island is breathing with a natural life of its own. On our way back to Mauban town, we were once again joined by flying fishes and their aqua-batics.

Mauban holds many charms, from its woven products of buri to its nipanog or lambanog; its history, art and cuture; its warm and endearing beautiful people. It is up to all Maubanins now to preserve and conserve their rich historical and natural heritage. Thank you to the LGU of Mauban! Thank you to Ms. Anie Calleja and her efficient and vibrant staff! Thank you to Luis, Bing and Hermie! I was away from my family for a week. I missed them terribly. But the chance you gave me to see Mauban and meet its people, I am affirmed once more that I have a God who truly loves and provides!