Calatagan, Batangas: Historical Data Part X (Final Part)

Historical data from the National Library of the Philippines.

Full transcription of the so-called “Historical Data” for the Municipality of Calatagan, Batangas and its barrios, 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.

Part IX of the Historical Data for the Municipality of Calatagan, pp. 51-58 of the Barrios section.

[p. 51]

3. Ang marahang pangungusap, sa puso’y nakalulunas.

Speaking softly soothes the heart.

4. Madali ang maging tao, mahirap ang magpakatao.

It is easy to become a man, it is difficult to behave as one.

5. Walang pagod magtipon, walang hinayang magtapon.

No diligence to save, no restraint to waste.

6. Ang sumama sa kalabaw na may putik ay mapuputikan din.

Whoever goes with a muddy carabao gets mud also.

7. Ang taong lampas sa gulang, di dapat pakitunguhan, ang iyong pagparoonan ay tatanda ka rin naman.

Don’t quarrel with old people, remember that you will also get old.

8. Ang hanap sa hamog, sa tubig naaanod.

What from the dew you gather, must vanish with the water.

9. Kung ibig mong gumaling sa katawan mo manggaling.

If you wish to improve yourself, take the initiative.

10. Bago gawin at sabihin, makapitong iisipin.

Before doing and saying anything, think it over seven times.

11. Mabuti pa ang matakaw kay sa magnanakaw.

Better a glutton than a thief.

12. Ang puri ng tao pahalagahan, ay para ng tubig na nasa tapayan, kaunting langis at ito’y mapatakan, di na iinumin at pandidirihan.

Honor is like drinking water in a jar, a little oil dropped in it will make the water repugnant.

13. Di man magmana ng ari, magmana ng ugali.

Though you never inherit wealth, try to inherit good character.

14. Ang di magtiis magbata, di magkakamit ng ginhawa.

He who never tries will never succeed.

15. May tainga ang lupa, may pakpak ang balita.

Earth has ears, words have wings.

16. Ubos-ubos biyaya, pagkatapos ay nakatunganga.

If [an] act of spending is extravagant, sooner or later there will be none at all.

17. Ang tao kapag mayaman ay marami ang kaibigan. Pag naghirap na ang buhay hindi man batiin sa daan.

When a man is rich, he has many friends but when comes poverty, no one talks with him.

[p. 52]

18. Pag ang tubig ay matining, asahan mo at malalim.

If the water runs swiftly, very sure it is deep.

19. Pag may isinuksok ay may madudukot.

If you hide something, later you have something to get.

20. Pag ang lakad ay marahan, matinik man ay mababaw.

If you walk slowly, you may be thorn very light.

21. Hindi tatayo ang bayong kung walang laman.

A sack will not stand if it is not full.

22. Minsan man at duro [unsure, blurred], daig ang makapito.

One time is more than seven if once is (exerted) fully equipped.

23. Sadyang matibay ang walis kapag ito’y nakabigkis.

A broom is strong if it is tied together.

24. Kung ikaw ay magtatanim, mayroon kang susungkitin.

If you plant, you will harvest.

25. May tainga ang lupa, may pakpak ang balita.

Earth has ears and words have wings.

26. Pagka talagang palad ay sasampa sa balikat.

If it is really yours, it will approach you anytime.

27. Walang matimtimang birhen sa mabuting manalangin.

Everything is close if you exert effort.

28. Nang si pare’y nagsalakot, basa na ang kanyang batok.

The very time pare used a hat, the time his [not completed]

29. Ang sa bula hinanap, sa bula din mawawaldas.

Anything earned in no good acts will be lost like dust.

30. Ang di lamang natitiis ay ang di nasasapit.

The only thing you can’t suffer for is the thing not yet on hand.

METHODS OF MEASURING TIME

PRIMITIVE CLOCKS

In remote places, especially in those barrios near the mountains, the people are accustomed to using nature to determine time. The use to see cross (krus na bituin), Venus, [the] Morning Star, the Dipper, Noah’s Arc, and the crowing of the roosters at dawn.

Those people living in the barrios of Luya, Bucal and Baha determine the time by means of the song or sound of the hornbill. This bird always makes sounds or sings every 12:00 noontime. That’s when the people are able to know the time of the hornbill.

[p. 53]

remembered are the planting, harvesting, summer and the rainy seasons. When the date to be remembered will count four years, these seasons are used. For example, when a child is born and [at] the age of eighteen he will celebrate his birthday, the season from which he was born will be remembered. If he is born during the planting season, from that planting season until the eighteenth planting season will be counted.

The off the fruits of the trees are used also in the same manner as the seasons of the year, only, the bearing of the fruits are counted instead of the seasons.

When the date to be remembered will come only four months, the number of full moons are used. For example, a party or an activity will be celebrated on the third moon, the people must count three consecutive full moons until the third full moon.

KAUNA-UNAHANG KALENDARIO

Sa mga malalayong ngayon, ang mga tao ay nabihasa na sa pagtingin o pagtanda ng kanilang kaarawan o kung ano mga mahalagang bagay na nararapat tandaan sa pamamagitan ng mga panahon o pagbunga ng mga halaman kung sila ay walang kalendaryo. Ang mga panahong pinagbabatayan nila ay ang mga panahong tag-araw, tag-ulan, tagtanim at tagsibol. Ang mga panahong ito ay ginagamit ko ang kaarawan na nararapat tandaan ay bumibilang ng mga taon. Halimbawa, kung ang isang bata ay iniluwal at pagdating ng ika-labing-walong taon ay ipaghahanda, kung ang kapanganakan niya ay tag-araw ay labing-walong pag araw ang bibilangin.

Ang panahon ng tag-bunga ng mga kahoy ginagamit na tulad din sa panahon, nguni’t ang binibilang lamang ay ang pagbunga ng mga kahoy. Kung ang araw na tatandaan ay buwan lamang ang bibilangin ay ang pagbibilog naman ng buwan. Halimbawa, kung [sa] ika-tatlong pagbibilog ng buwan ay may pagdiriwang na magaganap ang mga tao ay bibilang ng tatlong sunod-sunod na pagbibilog ng buwan sa ikatlong pagbibilog.

ASKING FOR RAIN

When the month of May comes and does not have rain, the people of Luya have some practices in rain asking. Their practices are the following: First – having [a] procession for nine consecutive days. Second – Bathing saving the image of the patron saint. Third – Having play prayers. The people believe that the most effective is the combination of procession and bathing. The procession designed to bring rain is called lutrina.

The image of the patron saint is taken out of the chapel and carried on the shoulders of two or four persons. Men and women carrying lighted candles follow. Sometimes, the image of the saint is taken to the rice fields. As the procession passes by the rice field, prayers are said or sacred songs either by the cantoras or by the people themselves.

In many places, especially those with a river or near the sea, the procession ends with the dipping of the image of the same in the water.

ANG KAUGALIAN SA PAGHINGI NG ULAN

Kung sumasapit ang buwan ng Mayo at hindi pa nagkakaroon ng ulan, ang mga tao sa nayon ng Luya ay may kaugalian sa paghingi ng ulan. Ang kanilang ginagawa ay ang mga sumusunod: Una – Nagkakaroon sila ng procisyon nang siyam na gabi. Ikalawa – Pinaliluguan ang imahin ng Santo. Ikatlo – Ang magdasal. Ang mga tao ay naniniwalang ang pinakamabisa ay ang procisyon na kasamang pagpapaligo ng santo.

Ang prusisyon ay ginaganap na nagdadala ng ulan ay tinatawag na Lutrina. Ang imahin ng Patron ay inilalabas sa simbahan at pasan sa balikat ng dalawa o apat na tao. Ang mga lalaki at babai ay nagdadala ng nagniningas na kandila at sumusunod.

Kung minsan, ang Santo ay dinadala sa palayan. Habang ang prusisyon ay dumadaan sa palayan, ang dasal o ang mga banal na awit ay inaawit ng kantoras o di kaya ay ng mga tao. Maraming lugal, lalo’t yaong may ilog o malapit sa dagat, ang prusisyon ay natatapos sa paghuhulog ng Santo sa tubig.

[p. 54]

Regarding Greetings and Addressing Persons

When a person calls at a house and does not find anybody at the door or the window to bid him enter, he knocks timidly on a door or on the walls and follows it with a soft respectful “Tao po.” “Tao po” must have been invented a long time ago not only as [a] greeting to the household but also to save the people of the household the trouble of finding out [if] the jarring sound of the door is made by a human or an animal. It must be remembered that dogs and pigs sometimes rub their backs on the house or on the walls. Therefore, unless the jarring sound at the door is accompanied by “Tao po,” the household believes that it is only produced by an itchy dog or pig which wants to be let in. So, when a household hears [someone] saying “Tao po,” they believe it is human and must be let in.

Sussst or hoy is sometimes used in addressing persons, especially when one is not familiar with a person's name and wants to call his attention, but it is not good to address persons like this. Mama is also used in addressing persons equivalent to Mister and “ale” equivalent to Miss and Mrs. In English words.

Sometimes, amon is also addressed as pare or kumpari.

Kaugalian sa Pagtawag at Pagbati sa Tao

Kung ang isang tao ay tumatawag sa bahay at hindi nakikita ng tao sa pintuan o sa bintana upang may magpatuloy sa kanya ay kumakatok sa pintuan o kaya yung sa dingding kasabay ang wikang “Tao po.” Ang “Tao po” ay matagal nang ginagamit hindi lamang sa pagtawag sa may bahay kung hindi upang mailigtas ang tao sa bahay sa paghahanap kung saan nagbubuhat ang ingay, sa tao o sa hayop.

Dapat malaman na ang aso, baboy ay kung minsan ay ikinukuskos ang likod sa bahay o di kaya’y sa dingding. Kaya’t hanggang ang ingay sa pintuan ay hindi sinasabayan ng “Tao po” naniniwala ang may bahay na nagbubuhat lamang sa aso o baboy na nais pumasok. Kaya’t kung ang may bahay ay makarinig ng “Tao po,” ay naniniwalang may tao na dapat papasukin.

Ang sissst o hoy ay kung minsan ay ginagamit din sa pagtawag ng tao, lalo’t hindi totoong kakilala ang pangalan ng isang tao na nais tawagin ang pansin, nguni’t hindi mabuti ang pagtawag sa tao ng katulad nito. Ang mama at ale ay ginagamit din sa pagtawag sa tao. Kung minsan ay tinatawag na pare o kumpari.

END

Note: Please turn to the next page for the signatures of the members of the local committee that collected and compiled these historical data.

[p. 55]

[p. 56]

[p. 57]

Notes and references: