Malaking Pook, San Pascual, Batangas: Historical Data

Historical data from the National Library of the Philippines.

Full transcription of the so-called “Historical Data” for the barrio of Malaking Pook in the Municipality of San Pascual, Batangas, the original scanned documents at the National Library of the Philippines Digital Collections not having OCR or optical character recognition properties. This transcription has been edited for grammar, spelling and punctuation where possible. The original pagination is provided for citation purposes.

[Note to the reader.]

At the time when this document was created, the barrio of Malaking Pook was still a part of Bauan rather than San Pascual. The latter did not become a separate municipality until the year 1969, after the passage of Republic Act No. 6166.

[p. 1]

HISTORY AND CULTURAL LIFE OF MALAKING POOK

PART I – HISTORY

The present official name of the barrio is Malaking Pook. The popular name of the barrio both past and present is Malaking Pook. The name was derived from the big groups of houses that were situated there. There is a sitio called Pook na Banal, situated in the southeastern part of the barrio.

The sitio was so-called because of [a] saintly man in whose home a maiden got in and offered herself for marriage to the man. The man, instead of acceding to the woman’s offer, ran away.

The barrio Malaking Pook was established during the Spanish time. Formerly, this barrio had no streets. A leader of the barrio asked the people to place their homes near a trail so that a street could be set up. The barrio folks obeyed.

The original families were Estanislao Sandoval and wife, Jose Marquez and wife, Jose Perez and wife and Justo Macatangay and wife.

The barrio lieutenants were Carlos Dipalac, Leoncio Muñoz, Felipe Marquez, Alejandro Sandoval and Florentino Dalwangbayan. These lieutenants served during the Spanish time.

During the American regime, the barrio lieutenants were Gelato Perez, Felipe Dimaculangan, Remigio Dimaculangan, Andres Aguila, Gelato Perez, Cirilo Dimaculangan, and Hipolito Marquez from 1941 till the present, 1952.

There are no old barrios or sitios within the jurisdiction that are depopulated or extinct.

There are no historical sites, structures, buildings, or old ruins. There were no historical events that took place during the Spanish Regime. During the Spanish-American War of 1898, the people in this barrio were told to go to their town to find out the insurrectos. These people brought their food with them. Nearly all the houses in this barrio were burned by the thieves. All the food left by the people were stolen by the thieves.

[p. 2]

During World War II, when the Japanese defeated the Philippines, nearly all parts of the islands were ruled by the Japanese. These petty rulers penetrated even the remotest barrios like Malaking Pook. About five Japanese lived in the house of Roman and Joaquina Robles. The first day, they arrived at the place, they called the barrio lieutenants of all nearby barrios for a meeting. They talked about the planting of cotton seeds. All the people were urged to plant cotton regardless of their status in life.

Very early in the morning, these Japanese went from house to house asking the people to go to their cotton fields. If the people seemed reluctant, they would frighten the people by using a goad [?]. The people were very afraid of the Japanese.

Just after World War II, the Americans did a great deal in helping the people. A street was constructed in this place from Batangas. Many men and women were employed as clerks, laborers and as guards. Besides their salaries, food was rationed at a very low cost.

TRADITIONS, CUSTOMS AND PRACTICES IN DOMESTIC
AND SOCIAL LIFE

B I R T H

1. During the giving of births, husbands should not stand on doorways or upstairs because the wife may have a hard time in giving birth.
2. A sharp blade shall be used to cut the cord of the child so that the newly-born baby will be talented when she studies.
3. All beddings used should be washed in swift running water so that the child will be quick in all her undertakings.
4. All the first clothing of the child should be new so that the child will be extravagant.
5. The child’s “inunan” should be placed in a glass. In it should be included paper, pen, a page of a book and a needle so that the child will be talented in reading, writing and sewing.
6. The mat used by the mother while giving birth, after being washed should be rolled over and not standing in the corner of the house so that the baby will walk early.

B A P T I S M

1. A child, when taken to the church for baptism, must be pressed in the rectum so that the child may not move his bowel often.

[p. 3]

2. A child after baptism should be quickly taken out of the church so that she will be active in all her work.
3. A child is given money by the godmother or godfather so that the child may earn money easily when he is of age.
4. Never allow the baby’s veil to fall when being baptized for the child may soon die.

C O U R T S H I P

1. When a man is accepted as a future bridegroom, he must bring first to his future in-laws water, for all the members of the family to be kind to him.
2. Hard wood of the cacawati must be brought next. They must be of uniform length and tied tightly together. This fuel should be fastened to the center post of the house. This is done for the couple never to be separated.

M A R R I A G E

1. Marriage must be celebrated when the moon is becoming big for the couple to live long.
2. Marriage must be held at the beginning of the year so that the couple may become rich. Rice is thrown at the couple when coming up to the bridegroom’s house for the same reason.
3. Calamay must be given to the couple just after marriage for the couple to love each other tenderly.
4. The veil is put over the shoulder of the man for him to help his wife in shouldering a task.

D E A T H

1. When the body of the dead is soft, somebody in the family will follow.
2. Persons left in the house must not look out of the window while the dead is being taken down from the house so that no member of the family will follow.
3. Persons going to the cemetery must not look back for the same reasons mentioned above.
4. Sweeping and filing the plates for nine consecutive days are forbidden for the same reason.

[p. 4]

5. Fresh vegetables are not to be cooked for nine consecutive days after death for the dead not to be fresh.

B U R I A L

1. The mother of the dead is not allowed to look at the grave.
2. Expectant mothers are not allowed to look at the grave.

V I S I T S

1. Godmothers and godfathers of the child are not allowed to visit a sick child for it may hasten the death of the child.
2. Persons who had visited a dead person must not pass a sick person for it may hasten the death of that sick person.

BIRTH OF TWINS

If a maiden or an expectant mother eats twin fruits, the mother will have twin babies.

ORIGIN OF EVERYTHING

All things originated from GOD, even the smallest living things for even how a wise person, he cannot create any living thing.

These are all superstitious beliefs without strong foundations.

POPULAR SONGS, GAMES AND AMUSEMENTS

The popular songs of the barrio are:

1. Dalagang Pilipina
2. Anak ng Dalita
3. Bayang Pilipinas
4. Pananawagan
5. Paalam
6. Huling Awit
7. Awit ng Ulila

GAMES AND AMUSEMENTS

The games are: sipa, dama, King of the Butterfly, sintak, tubigan and indoor baseball.

The amusements are: playing guitar, reading, drinking, parties, reading comics and attending movies.

[p. 5]

PUZZLES AND RIDDLES

1. Matatayog, matayog ang bunga’y mabibilog. (niyog)
2. Mahaba, mahahaba ang bunga’y mababa. (kibal)
3. Ang baka ko sa Calamba, abot dito ang unga. (kulog)
4. Hinigit ko ang bagin, nag-ingay ang matsin. (naghahanay)
5. Ang bata’y nagbabaro, ang matanda’y naghuhubo. (mais)
6. Munting panyo, hindi matuyo. (dila)
7. Duwag ako sa iisa, matapang ako sa dalawa. (tulay)
8. Dala ko siya, ako’y dala niya. (sapatos)
9. Nagsaing si Katongtong, bumulak ay walang gatong. (gogo)
10. Buhok ng pari, hindi mawahi. (tubig)
11. Isang bias ng kawayan, nagbubuhay ng patay. (hiyip)
12. Ang ibabao ay ararohan, ang ilalim ay batohan. (kakao)
13. Buhok ni Adan, hindi mabilang. (uban)
14. Tubig sa digandigan, hindi mapatakan ng ulan. (niyog)
15. Bahay ni Kiko, punong-puno ng ginto. (itlog)
16. Saging ko sa Maynila, abot dito ang palapa. (daan)
17. Hindi ako nagsasalita, alam ang aking gunita. (sulat)
18. Dalawang dahong pinda-pinda, sing lapad ang dalawa. (langit at lupa)
19. Hinalo ko ang nilugao, nagtakbo ang inihao. (bangka)
20. Munting bakurbakuran, sari-sari ang nadaan (bibig)
21. Kabayo kong munti, nasa ilalim ang tali.
22. Kabayo kong magaling, nasa ilalim ang killing.
23. Dalawang mabibilog, malayo ang abot. (mata)
24. Dalawang magkumpari, mauna’t mahuli. (paa)
25. Narito-rito ako na may sunong na baga. (manok)
26. Ang magandang dalaga libot ang espada. (piña)
27. Ang baboy ko sa Polo, balahibo’y pako. (nangka)
28. Hindi tao, hindi hayop, nagsasalita ng Tagalog. (radio)
29. Sa umaga’y apat ang inilalakad, sa tanghali’y dalawa, at sa hapon ay 3 tatlo. (tao)

PROVERBS AND SAYINGS

If you walk fast, you will have a deep thorn.

You will not prosper if you do not love your parents.

Wise men speak few words.

A fool speaks very often.

If you walk slow, your thorn, will be shallow.

Nadadala ng agos ang tulog na hipon.

[p. 6]

Parents’ punishments make one fat.

New king, new fashion.

[A] Man promises while in need.

He who believes in tales has no mind of his own.

The most difficult to arouse from sleep is the man who pretends to sleep.

Too many words, too little work.

The fish is caught through the mouth.

WHAT THAT IT PROFITETH A MAN TO GAIN THE WHOLE WORLD IF IN THE END HE WERE TO LOSE HIS OWN SOUL

ALL IS VANITY EXCEPT TO LOVE GOD AND SERVE HIM ALONE

Notes and references: