Barrio/Poblacion Alitagtag, Batangas: Historical Data Part II

Historical data from the National Library of the Philippines.

9. It is not good to cut fingernails during Tuesdays and Fridays. There will be growths on the fingers.
10. A pregnant woman who eats a twin banana will likely deliver twin babies.

In the beginning, God made the world. It was all covered with water and darkness. Then God said, “Let there be light!” And it happened as God commanded. A beautiful light appeared. It began to clear on earth. This was done on the first day.

On the second day, God said, “There should be a blue sky above the earth.” And it was done as God commanded. But the earth below was still covered with water. There was as yet not dry land where people could live.

On the third day, God said, “Let the waters be gathered in one place and let the dry land appear. Let the earth bring forth every kind of plant and tree.” And it all happened as God willed; the waters gathered in the sea and waters or rivers. There was then plenty of land with beautiful trees and plants of all kinds.

On the fourth day, God said, “Let there be sun to shine over the day, and the moon and the stars to shine over the night.” And immediately, the great and brilliant sun stood in the heaven; the moon shone; the stars twinkled.

On the fifth day, God spoke, “Let there be birds in the air and fishes in the water. And so it was done.

On the sixth day, God said, “Let there be animals of all kinds on earth.” And lo! There were lions, tigers, elephants, carabaos, horses, cats, dogs and many other animals.

The earth was now ready for man to live on. God created man and made him to rule over the rest of Creation. And God saw all things that He made, and they were very good.

Inday, Inday!
Inday sa Balitaw
Kahoy nakahapay
Sandok nakasoksok
Palyok nakataob,
sinig-ang na matab-ang
Kulang sa sampalok.

1. Tatsing – Any number of players can play together. They used centavo coins. Two lines were drawn on the ground, usually four or five meters apart in opposite directions. Each player puts a centavo or two centavos as agreed on one of the lines. Each has also another centavo as tosser. First, the players toss their tosser centavo to the next line to determine the first, the second, the third, and the next thrower. Each player is then to toss his centavos put on the line till they can toss the centavos out of the next line. Those who can toss more centavos win. The game goes on till everybody wishes to play.

2. Pasulbutan – Any number of players can play this game. A hole big enough to their stones as the “tossed stone” and a line six or seven meters apart are marked on the ground. Usually, the bets used are also money. Grass cutters sometimes play this game in the field. They bet bundles of grass. The players determine the order of throwing by standing on the hole and throwing their “tossed stone” to the line. The stone nearest to the line is the first, the second is the one

second nearest to the line and so on. The first one, like the others, try to toss their stones to the hole. The one who makes his stone hit the hole is the winner and he gets all the bet coins or bundles of grass.

3. Huego de Anillo – Children play this game with horse sticks or any branch of a tree. This serves as the horse. They have a piece of cloth usually an inch wide and more than a foot long with a ring at one end. These “Anillos” are hung together on a bar put higher than anybody’s head among the players. Each of the players runs to the bar placed far before him. Those who can get the most number of the anillos with his pointer wins.

1. Sabalan – Two well-known persons who know many facts and incidents of the past, like [the] creation of the world, men, kingdoms of the olden times, recite a litany of verses trying to lick the other about the subject they can talk about. Sometimes, this contest lasts for a whole night. Many people like to hear this controversy of opinions and knowledge.

2. Pandanggo – On or two or there men go to the house of a woman who can also recite a long verse sung in the old native intonation. The men try to sing their verses, usually the subject of which is expressing love the woman through him or their verses. The woman, in return, tries to express her opinions to the thought conveyed by the men in their song. This is usually done at night, like the sabalan.

3. Subli – This is a kind of native dance. This is danced mostly when there are parties with the Holy Cross requested from the church to be there. They dance in front of the Holy Cross. Men [who] have the girls for their partners are chasing each other. They have in their hands castanets. There is always a drummer to give the timing of the dance. The woman has a hat on her head. The woman sometimes sings while she dances.

4. Card Games – They have the Tres Sietes, Keje, Rebicino or Pakito. These varieties of card games are played mostly by four players. A person can also play himself or herself with the card. This game is called “solitario.”

5. Reading “Orihenal” – Our old folks after their hard work in the field rest at home and read

the pamphlet or book called “Original” in the old intonation they had.

a. Baboy ka sa pulo, balahibo ay pako.
b. Isang senyorita, nakaupo sa tasa.
c. Isda de sa Mariveles, nasa loob ang kaliskis.
d. Dalawang tindahan, sabay buksan.
e. Balong malalim, puno ng patalim.
f. Walang puno, walang ugat, hitik sa bulaklak.
g. Kabiak na mukha, tanaw sa Maynila.
h. Hinila ko ang hangin, nagtakbo ang matsin.
i. Ako’y may kaibigan, kasama ko saan man.
j. Tagulan at tagaraw, daladala ang lingkaw.
k. Humangin at umaraw, daladala’y balutan.
l. Lumalakad ay walang humihila, tumatakbo ay walang paa.
m. Hindi hayop, hindi tao, walang gulong ay tumatakbo.
n. Dalawang punsopunsohan, ang laman ay kaligtasan.
o. Eto na si amain, magbibili ng hangin.
p. May binti walang hita, may tuktuk walang mukha.
q. Malalim kung bawasan, mababaw kung dagdagan.
r. Manganak ang aswang, sa tuktok nagdaan.
s. Dinalikot nang dinalikot, paglabas ay nilapirot.
t. Alin sa daigdigan, ang tai’y ginagawang bahay.
u. Hinipan ko si kaibigan, nabuhay ang patay.

it, it is alive. (top)

a. What you sow, you reap, sow kindness and you reap love.
b. You can afford to love money but not the respect of others.
c. When your blanket is short, learn to crouch.
d. A bird on the palm is better than a thousand in the sky.
e. The speed of the banca does not depend upon the wood the banca is made of but on the wind and the paddler.
f. He who will not toil will not leave.
g. If you walk slowly, you will be hurt just lightly.
h. What we owe, we pay.
i. No fly enters in a closed mouth.
j. The blessings of a Virgin goes to the real pilgrim.
k. A soft answer turneth away wrath.
l. He who lives in a glass house should not throw stones.
m. He makes no friend who never made a foe.
n. Whoever boasts of his accomplishments will reap ridicule.
o. A penny saved is a penny earned.
p. An honest centavo is better than a stolen peso.
q. He who does not waste will not want.
r. Saving money saves worry.
s. A stitch in time saves nine.
t. Heavy though the burden be, if relatives help one another, it becomes easy to carry.

Part Three: Other Information

No information on books and documents could be given.

Notes and references: