MUNICIPALITY OF CALAMBA, Historical Data of Part 2

PART II

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About these Historical Data

The transcription of this page was done using AI technology.

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Park and the fence around the park. He built a bridge across San Juan River to Bañadero worth ₱20,000 but the bridge was soon carried away by floods. He improved the roads to Bañadero, Sukol, and Linga. The plans and materials for the concrete road in Burgos Street were completed during his term but Dr. Sisenando Rizal was elected Mayor in the election in 1947 and this road was constructed during Dr. Rizal’s administration.

Dr. Rizal was reelected in the election in 1951 but his opponent, Mr. Severino Arambulo, filed an election protest on the grounds of frauds and the case is still pending in the Court of First Instance at present.

On November 30, 1937, when Eduardo Barretto was mayor, the students in the University of the Philippines made a pilgrimage to the town to place a marker on the Rizal Park.

THE HOUSE OF RIZAL

Calamba has long dreamed of a national shrine in honor of her illustrious son, Dr. Jose Rizal, but it was only in 1923 when definite steps were taken toward the realization of this ideal. In that year Mr. Felipe Belarmino who was then the president of the town worked for the passage of Act 2963 which gave His Excellency, the Governor General of the Philippines, the power to buy or expropriate the lot which formerly belonged to the family of Dr. Jose Rizal. The lot was situated in the very heart of the

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town near the church and near the plaza and the house where Rizal was born stood on this site.

After the passage of Act 2963 the municipal council of Calamba presented a petition in the same year to His Excellency, the Governor General requesting him to take the necessary steps to put Act 2963 into effect. After a few months the municipal council again passed Act 54 requesting Hon. Juan Cailles, the provincial governor, to work for the execution of Act 2963 as soon as possible. On Nov. 21, 1923, another petition was sent to His Excellency, the Governor General requesting that a campaign be launched to raise funds through voluntary contributions for the erection of a monument in honor of Dr. Jose Rizal.

In 1924, the municipal council of Calamba passed Act 29 which provided that a third petition be sent to the Legislature through the Representative from the first district of Laguna, Dr. Vicente Ocampo, requesting the appropriation of a sum, to be used in the purchase of the land provided for in the Act. 2963. The Philippine Legislature appropriated ₱12,000 for the purchase of the lot but the municipal council of Calamba found that this amount was not enough to pay for the lot and the houses that had been constructed and were already standing on the site. The municipal council again passed Act 77 on Aug. 19, 1928 petitioning the Legislature to appropriate another ₱12,000 in addition to the first ₱12,000 to make a total of ₱24,000. On Dec. 7, 1928 the Legislature passed Act 3483 appropriating

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another ₱12,000,

The municipal council of Calamba passed Act 61, Dec. 7, 1931, requesting the senators and representative of Laguna to work for the execution of Act 3483 and to release the necessary money for the purchase of the buildings and the lot. The council promised to construct the building in honor of Dr. Jose Rizal.

Mr. Eduardo Barretto, a member of the municipal council sponsored Act 90 in 1931 appropriating ₱1,000 as an initial amount for the construction of the house of Dr. Rizal and Act 91 which provided that a prize of ₱100 be given to anyone who could submit the best plan for a monument in honor of Rizal.

In the year 1932, the municipal council passed Act 130 which provided for a committee composed of councilors Enrique Shinyo, Dr. Agapito Alzona, Agaton Lanzador and Eduardo Barretto to collect voluntary contribution to a fund for the construction of the house of Rizal. In 1936 Act 56 provided for another committee composed of Juan O. Chioco, Artemio Elepaño, Felipe Belarmino and Dr. Leoncio Rubio to make the plans for the construction of the building on the site which had been purchased with the ₱24,000 appropriated by the Legislature.

The outbreak of World War II put an end to all these plans and the voluntary contributions disappeared. After liberation when the people had resumed their normal life activities the old dreams and ideals came with renewed

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enthusiasm. President Roxas at a campaign speech before his election promised to have the house of Rizal constructed under his direct supervision but he died without fulfilling his promise. It was His Excellency, President Elpidio Quirino, with the help of the school children all over the Philippines who put the final touches to the realization of the longed-for dream. His Executive Order No. 145 provided for the collection of voluntary contributions from all public and private school children and students to the Rizal Fund. The school population willingly met the challenge and in a short time the goal set which was ₱100,000 was raised. Construction of the building was begun in 1949 and it was inaugurated on June 19, 1950, in the presence of His Excellency, President Elpidio Quirino, Ambassador and Mrs. Cowen of the US, and the last surviving sister of Dr. Jose Rizal, Doña Trinidad Rizal.

REHABILITATION AND RECONSTRUCTION

During the retreat of the Japanese forces in the Philippines in 1945 and the advance of the American forces lives and properties were destroyed by the Japanese soldiers, by fire, and by bombs. After the massacre of Calamba the Japanese soldiers and Makapilis burned and looted the town and the American forces added to the destruction by their bombing. All the houses in del Pilar street except four houses, the Ochoa, Rillo, Quintero, and Docena residences were razed to the ground. All the houses in Rizal street,

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including the church and the Calamba Elementary School, from the plaza to Tibag were also reduced to ashes except the two big buildings, the Santos and the Clemente residences. In Burgos street only a few houses were burned.

When the people returned to their homes after the defeat of the Japanese they built barong–barongs made of bamboos and of the burned iron roofings they found. They stayed in their barong–barongs for years. The town was rehabilitated little by little. At the time of this writing, eight years after liberation, almost all the houses that were burned have been reconstructed. Stronger, better, and more beautiful houses have risen from the ruins and ashes of the old. Some were reconstructed with the help of the RFC while a few have been rehabilitated through their own resources. The payments made by the War Damage Commission contributed a little to the reconstruction of the town.

The Rizal Memorial School Building was reconstructed with the help of the people of the United States of America under the Philippine Rehabilitation Act of 1946. Construction was started in 1948 and the building was completed in March 1949.

Reconstruction of the Roman Catholic church was started in 1949 under the direction of Architect Eleodoro Haballa with ₱25,000 given by the Philippine War Damage Commission. The reconstruction was continued with funds

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from voluntary contributions of the people of Calamba. The church is now being used although it is not yet completely rehabilitated.

SUPERSTITIOUS BELIEFS

As a people the Filipinos are not inherently superstitious. It is rather parabolic to believe that these beliefs were introduced and encouraged by a certain group of people who were profited by the ignorance and fanaticism of a colonized race.

The belief that some days bring luck and others the opposite, is prevalent the world over and has its origin in astrology. Few intelligent people are free from superstitious beliefs.

The town of Calamba is not lacking in beliefs that are unfounded. Progressive though it is, some of its people, especially those belonging to the older generations, still believe in superstitions. Here are some of them:

A. Planting vegetables, crops and trees:

1. It is believed that when corn is being planted, it is best for the planter not to open the mouth or laugh so that the corn cob will have many big even grains.
2. When vegetables are planted, it should be done early in the morning before breakfast time. People say the vegetables will be healthy and will bear big, broad leaves and seeds.
3. Farmers usually coincide their planting of rice with the coming of a new moon. They believe that the rice plants will be resistant to diseases and will not be easily

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eaten by insects. The grains will be big and the harvest will be bountiful.

4. Dead animals, like dogs, cats and pigs are often buried near the roots of the fruit trees. They say these dead animals will make the fruit trees grow well and also make the fruits taste sweet.
5. People often build a small bon–fire to smoke the plants. The plants will bear many big fruits. This is very common among people who plant mango trees.
6. People believe that hanging empty cans, bottles, and pots under trellises will make the plants bear plenty of fruits.
7. When orange or tamarind trees are planted, sugar is placed into the hole so that the fruits will taste sweet.
8. Farmers do not work on their farms on San Isidro Day. If they do work, they will incur the displeasure of San Isidro, the Saint of Harvest. Hence, their harvest will be poor.
9. When planting bananas, it is bad to look up because if you do, the plant will grow tall before bearing fruit.
10. When watering a newly planted tree, put a lump of sugar in your mouth so that the fruit will be sweet.
11. When planting rice, carry with you some betel nuts so that the rice will bear big grains.
12. When planting ampalaya, have a lump of sugar in your mouth so that the fruit will not be bitter.
13. Do not plant an ilang–ilang tree near a house for if you do, a member of the family will die.
14. When planting coconuts, carry as many children as you can on your back so that the coconut tree will bear plenty of fruit.
15. When an owl makes a hooting sound, it is time for us to plant. Our harvest will be bountiful. But when you see a monkey, it is better not to plant anything because we shall have

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a very poor harvest. Set the planting for another day.

16. Farmers believe that the best days to begin plowing the ricefields are Tuesdays and Fridays. They believe they would get a good harvest.
17. A farmer, who had just planted his ricefields, should not sweep the floor at night. The rice plants will not continue to grow well. The plants will wither.
18. People believe that in planting banana plants, one should carry a baby on his back. The banana plants will bear big clusters of fruit.
19. Many farmers believe that when they had planted their seed beds, they should not have their hair cut. Cutting the hair will cause the young seedlings to have short stems.

B. War, pestilence, calamity:

1. When an owl alights on the steeple of a church, pestilence will soon come.
2. If a comet is seen, it means that war or pestilence is liable to occur.
3. A hooting owl in the town plaza means that the town will soon be attacked or the town will meet a great calamity.

C. Visitors:

1. If the house lizard makes a noise near the doorway, a visitor will soon arrive.
2. If a house cat washes its face, visitors are expected.
3. When the fire in the stove sizzles visitors are coming.
4. When you find sparks attached to the bottom of the pot when cooking, it means visitors.
5. When a spoon or fork drops to the floor while eating on the table, visitors are coming; for a spoon, a man; for a fork, a woman.

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D. Rain:

1. When cows bellow, heavy rains will soon come and the rivers will overflow their banks.
2. If a frog is killed facing the sky, rain will come during the day.
3. Bathing the cat causes rain.
4. If many winged ants are seen flying at night around a lamp, it means that many rainy days will soon follow.
5. If a snake crosses a river, it is a sign of a big flood.
6. When a carabao sneezes, it will rain.

E. Thunder and lightning:

1. A gecko in the house invites lightning. In order to prevent lightning from striking the house, pour vinegar on a plate and place it at the door or window.
2. When lightning flashes, cover the mirror so that the house will not be struck by lightning.
3. It is said that lightning never strikes a santol tree because nearly all images of the saints in the Philippines are made of santol wood.

F. Death:

1. When a person dreams that one of his molars is extracted or falls down, one of his near relatives will die. This holds true with fire or floods.
2. Children should not comb their hair at night. If they do this, their parents will die early.
3. When there is a deceased person lying in state in one’s house, no one should be allowed to sweep the floor or clean the house before the dead person is buried. Someone in the family will soon follow the dead person.
4. If a dog scratches the ground at the foot of the stairs someone in the house will die.

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5. Those who die in early childhood meet their parents in heaven with lighted candles.
6. The spirit of the dead visits relatives on the third day after he is buried.
7. When tears happen to fall on a corpse, the soul of that dead person will not be in peace. Tears should be avoided not to fall on a dead person's body.
8. The young children of dead person should be carried across his coffin before being buried. This will prevent the soul of the dead from visiting the children.
9. The youngest child should not be allowed to sleep between the husband and the wife. This will cause the early death of the child.
10. When the town priest puts half of his body hanging on a window and making the sign of a cross, many people of the town will soon die.
11. If the dead person's body is soft, someone will soon follow.

G. Delivery or Birth:

1. When both tips of a new moon are level, women expecting the blessed event will encounter difficulties during delivery.
2. People say that if you are born on the 29th of February which is a leap year, you are considered lucky. You will be successful as a speculator.
3. It is not advisable to sew a dress when it is on the body because a child may be born to you without any hole in the rectum.
4. A woman in the family way should not tie anything around her neck so that when the child is born, the "pusod" will not coil around the child's body.
5. A conceiving woman should not sit on the stairs or at the doorway. This will cause hardships in delivery.
6. When a child is born with his feet first, he will be possessed of a certain extra-ordinary

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7. A couple who gives birth to twins or triplets will suffer from hardships and want in life.
8. It is believed that if the first child is a boy, the child will be lucky in life.
9. A child born with eleven fingers or toes will bring good luck to the family. This child with eleven fingers or toes should not be allowed to touch the rice because the rice will soon be used up.

H. Gambling:

1. When a gambler finds a coin on his way to a gambling den, he will win.
2. If you meet a snake while going to a gambling house, that is a sure sign that you are, going to win.
3. If a gambler's path is crossed by a lizard or by a black cat, the gambler is bound to lose in all his bets.
4. When a fighting rooster crows alone without any rooster answering its call, that the rooster is going to win against any other rooster during the day.
5. If a person is in the act of betting or gambling he should not put his hand on his chin as if he feels sad. He is not going to win but lose.
6. It is wrong to sweep around the cage of a fighting cock when the rooster is to be taken to the cockpit. It will not win over its opponents.
7. Cutting the finger and toe nails before going to a gambling place will bring defeat in all bets. This holds true with shaving one's face.

I. Building a house:

1. The stairs of a house should not lead directly to the gate. If this is so, the family will encounter financial difficulties.
2. A pregnant woman should not have a house constructed.

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J. Business:

1. Every vendor and peddler yearns for a "Buena mano". The vendor believes that if the first customer of the day offers a good price for his merchandise, he will be blessed by luck throughout the day. This is "Buena Mano".

   The vendor also believes that if he rejects the very first offer for his merchandise, he is going to be dogged by ill luck the whole day. Even if the first offer spells a loss for the vendor, he gives in to the offer as a "Buena Mano." He'd rather take a loss on one article than many losses the whole day.

2. Peddlers and vendors often carry in their waists some "asis leaves". This will invite many customers, thus increasing their sales for the day.

K. Eating:

1. When eating, everybody should keep quiet so that the Grace of God will be always with them.
2. We should not put one of our hands on the chin while eating. This will cause scarcity of food or hunger.
3. If someone is in a hurry and is forced to leave the table when others are not through eating, the plates where he has eaten should be turned to the direction where he is going. This will prevent any harm befalling that person while on his way.

L. Marriage:

1. If you are a girl and you happen to fall upstairs you won't marry that year.
2. The bride and bridegroom should take some silver coins when they go to church to be married, so that they will not know want in the course of their married life.
3. If you are an unmarried man and often changes seats while eating, when you get married, your wife will be in the habit of changing husbands. This holds the true for an unmarried woman.

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4. It is believed that putting plates one over the other while eating is a sign of bad luck. A young girl or woman who is at the table is liable not to get married.
5. An unmarried man or woman, who acts as godfather or god mother to a newlywed, will not be able to get a wife or a husband.
6. It is not wise to cry over a newlywed, because the young couple will suffer financial difficulties in life.
7. When the bridegroom is about to put the ring around the bride's finger, relatives of the couple should not make any noise. If they do so, the bride and bridegroom are likely to have petty quarrels in their married life.

M. Omens - Good Luck

1. To hang a horseshoe over the door is good luck.
2. To be a seventh son of a seventh son is good luck.
3. To carry a rabbit's foot is good luck.

Omens - Bad Luck

1. To walk under a ladder is bad luck.
2. To break a mirror is bad luck.
3. To open an umbrella indoors especially at night is bad luck.
4. To have a picture fall from a wall is a sign of bad luck.
5. According to the old folks, the cackling of a hen at night is supposed to indicate that an unmarried girl of the neighborhood has lost her honor. They can even tell in what particular part of the neighborhood the unfortunate girl is, depending on what direction the hen's cackling comes from.
6. A black cat crossing one's path means bad luck. Everything to be done should be discontinued for bad luck will be the result.

N. Sickness:

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1. It is not wise for anyone to sweep the yard in the late afternoon when the sun is about to set. A person who does this seldom recovers when he gets sick.
2. When a funeral passes by, one should not lie on bed. This will cause long illness in bed when sickness falls on him.
3. It is said that when sickness or pestilence called "salot" roams the town, one should place the sign of a cross on the door. This will prevent the "salot" from entering the home.

O. New Year Holiday:

1. Money earned on New Year's Day will bring a hundred-fold in its train.
2. To lend something to a friend on New Year's Day is sure to bring a good return.
3. To put on new clothes is considered lucky; so also to take a bath.
4. Resolution's made on New Year's Day should be carried out, if they are good, and will insure good luck.

P. Easter Holiday:

1. Good Friday is considered the best day for weaning babies.
2. It is a sign of good luck to break pottery on Good Friday. It will save the house from any damage during the rest of the year.
3. It is bad to take a bath on Good Friday because when one gets sick, he will be gravely ill.
4. People believe that "anting-anting" to be powerful, must be secured on Good Friday.

Q. Miscellaneous:

1. One should not open one's umbrella inside the house at night. Centipedes will fall from the ceiling.
2. When celebrating one's birthday anniversary, one should serve something long as "pansit" and should

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3. If you bite your tongue while eating some evil things are being said against you.
4. If you place books under your head to serve as pillows, you will easily understand the contents of any book.
5. People believe that sweeping the floor at night sweeps good luck away. It makes the family poor.
6. If a person has had luck on a certain day three times in succession, it is safe to assume that it is his lucky day, and any business undertaken that day will prove successful. Conversely, if a day has shown itself unfortunate, business or traveling should be avoided on that day.
7. To move into a new home on Friday is unlucky. Monday and Wednesday are particularly fortunate days.
8. Sleeping in the moonlight will make one go crazy.
9. A person who spills salt can prevent quarrels with his friends by throwing a pinch over his left shoulder.
10. If your ears itch, it is a sure sign somebody is talking about you.

EARLY COURTSHIP, BETHROTAL AND
MARRIAGE CUSTOMS

In the days of our grandmothers, a young man wins the love of a girl in a very different way. He does not speak of his love to the girl in words but only in meaningful looks and glances. If he loves a girl he goes to her house to help do the daily household chores by fetching water, pounding the palay or chopping wood for fuel. If the parents want him to be their daughter's husband they do not

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make any comment and so after a length of time he is asked to inform his parents that the girl's parents want to talk to them as regards their son's intentions. If the girls’s parent think otherwise, they advise the young man to stop. Occasionally the young suitor brings small gifts of the choicest fruits, chickens, vegetables or anything to please the girl and her parents. Usually months and years pass before the marriage is proposed. This is to test the industry and sincerity of the young man's love.

When the time to propose the marriage comes, the young man's parents prepare delicious food and gifts to be taken to the girl's house. They usually ask the help of a person of influence in the locality who is called the “humlang” who intercedes in their behalf should the girl's parents refuse or demand from them something which they can not afford to give. The group upon reaching the girl's house greets the people with utmost respect and courtesy. They are careful in their manner of speech and movements for a displeasing word or act is enough to change the minds of the girls parents. If the two parties come to a final agreement, the young man's parents promise to build a new house for the would-be couple and give a gift or dowry in the form of money, jewels or land depending upon their ability to give such a demand. The parents set the date of marriage and it is only the time when the girl learns of her approaching marriage. Even if she does not love the man

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she does not raise any objection for it means an act of disloyalty and irreverence to her parents.

The marriage feast is held in the girl’s home. A day before the marriage all the food preparations are made in the man’s home. After all preparations are finished, they are taken to the girl’s house. They invite all the relatives of the girl taking care not to omit anyone. The bride and groom are accompanied by the sponsors to the church where the ceremony is performed by the priest. It takes the reluctant bride a long time to say “I do” so she has to be coaxed by the “Ninangs” or pinched by her mother. After the ceremony they go home and are met with shouts and rejoicing. The new couple, together with the guests partake of all the food which are served generously.

After the feast is over the groom’s parents and relatives take the bride away to their home while the groom stays at the bride’s home for 3 days. On a full moon the new couple move to their new home taking with them all the gifts that they received from friends and relatives on their wedding day.

If a young man is unknown to a young girl, and he wishes to be acquainted with her, he serenades her with some of his friends. This is called “harana.” This evening serenade is usually done under the girl’s window. The serenaders sing songs of love and pity. This becomes an opening rite of acquaintance, leading to courtship, between the young man and the young girl.

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Some young men, when they do not become successful in winning the love of a young woman, enlist the aid of witch-doctors, who, from mystic herbs and roots and outrageous substances, make a love-lotion called the “gayuma,” guaranteed to soften the hardest female heart and to turn the proudest maiden into man’s amorous slave. This love-lotion is put in the drinks or mixed with the food of the young woman.

Oftentimes a young man asks the help of his parents in courtship. He requests his parents to go to the parents of the girl he adores to have a heart-to-heart talk about his love affairs. The parents of the man usually bring with them some good “eats and drinks”. During the “ceremony-talk” the man’s father tells the girl’s parents the motive of their mission. He asks the parent’s consent for their daughter’s marriage. If his proposal is accepted, plans for the marriage are discussed. This is called “namumulong” in the dialect.

Courtship is not always done between the two young lovers. Sometimes the young man courts a young woman with the consent of the girl’s parents. If he is appreciated and liked by the parents of the woman, the daughter’s hand is promised in wedlock to the man on probation. During this period of probation, which lasts indefinitely from weeks to months, the young man does many kinds of household chores for the girl’s family, like fetching water, mending fences, plowing the field, chopping wood, repairing the house and

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many others. During this period of serving, the man is very careful in his speech and actions in order to please the parents and relatives of the girl. When the girl’s parents find that he is sincere, the wedding ceremony takes place.

If a man admires a girl who is totally a stranger to him, he tries to find a way by which she could be his acquaintance. He introduces himself through somebody who is a personal friend of the girl. Then he proposes a friendly visit to her home. During fiestas, Christmas or birthday parties, he brings some “regalo” in the form of material gifts. This is one way of expressing his love to the woman. Then his courtship begins. During this stage, the young man behaves very well in order to win the sympathy of the girl’s parents. If the girl gives her consent, an engagement ring is given to the woman as a symbol of the love that binds them.

A bride or a bridegroom, before being married, should not travel far so as to avoid accidents. They marry during a full moon.

During the marriage ceremony, care should be taken. If the light of the candle fades out, it foretells misfortune for the couple. When putting on the veil and cord, the sponsors should be careful not to let them fall so that it will bring them long life.

After the ceremony, the first to go up the stairs will dominate the other. It is a habit among the

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to run fast in going upstairs to outrun or overtake the other. Usually visitors and near relatives throw grains of rice at the couple to wish them life of plenty in the future. It is also believed that brothers and sisters should not be married in the same year for each will push each other to bad luck, or early death.

When the newlyweds reach home, they are showered with flowers, so that they will have a happy married life with many children.

Sweets and water are offered to the couple so that they will have harmonious relationship throughout life.

After the feast in honor of the newlyweds, the parents of the bride should not go together with the couple to the home of the bridegroom. It is believed that the bride may return to the home of her parents.

The wedding dress of the bride should not be worn for a try-out before the wedding ceremony. Marriage may not be solemnized or accident may befall the bride.

During the marriage ceremony care should be taken that the candles are lighted with equal intensity. If the candle held by the bridegroom is dimmer than the candle held by the bride, it is presumed that the man will be under the control of the woman. If one of the thirteen pieces of silver given by the bridegroom to the bride during the ceremony falls to the floor, their lives will be one of hardship. It may mean also an early death to one of them.

It is said that when a young woman sings in front of

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