by Dong de los Reyes November 11, 2021 Kamay ni Jesus (Hand of Jesus) (Photo from wakitravels) LUCBAN, Quezon - Beloved departed Rosauro &q...
November 11, 2021
 |
| Kamay ni Jesus (Hand of Jesus) (Photo from wakitravels) |
LUCBAN, Quezon - Beloved departed Rosauro "Uro" Q. de la Cruz who megged and infused a very Filipino sense and sensibility to the gag show, "Bubble Gang" and howled a paean of pain to degradation of humanity in "Scorpio Nights"-- the unparalleled landmark of Pinoy porn-- hails from idyllic Lucban, Quezon.
"Man is an expression of his landscape," affirms natural historian Loren Eiseley, and the late Uro, or the 19th century firebrand rebel, Apolinario "Ka Pule" de la Cruz who hails from the same town are veritable expressions of Lucban's idyllic grounds, largely untouched, unspoiled by encroaching 21st century "progress", keeping its homespun charm and quietude, its unstoked embers aglow.
A go-through as a common tourist does to savor sounds and sights in a jiffy doesn't suffice. Lucban is one of the last strongholds of what it means to be a Filipino, and a week-long visit to mingle with the plain folks and old-timers, really savor the food that this second-class municipality offers won't be enough to soak in the local colors, the ambiance, the serene simplicity of life that many seek to find but cannot.
Lucban, a second-class municipality in Quezon Province, is named after the citrus tree, suha or pomelo, harbinger of, as the magical arts have it, "longevity, happiness, refreshment/rejuvenation, purification, money, and physical energy."
'Tis no longer legend but factual account how three hunters from a neighbor Laguna town named Lucban after a tree where they found rest from rigors of a chase for prey, and were wakened by trills of kingfishers-- and they deemed it most propitious to name the site where they found rest, and settled in as Lucban.
A week or two of stay hereabouts won't suffice to suffuse, repair and mend frayed and frazzled nerves and spirits. Lucban remains an oasis of calm and quietude far from the madding crowd. There's a whit of eden here that can be regained for the weary wayfarer.
Lucban is not a spa, it is a wellspring of healing. It is not a tourist attraction, it is hearth and home for the weary.
Back to recovery
As the nation returns to normalcy from the madness of the Covid-19 pandemic, the easing of travel restrictions can cadge both domestic and foreign tourists to savor the charms of Lucban anew.
The week-long Pahiyas (literally, put up gems) festivities that begin May 15 sees homes-- from humble huts to palatial abodes-- decked with the opulence of harvests from the land, from fruits of the field to the leaf-pressed rice flourwafers called "kiping".
With fingers crossed, it may not be long before an enterprising Lucban soul turns up a local version of the Vietnamese banh pho or noodles made from rice and balinghoy (tapioca) flour to lend more flavor to the local staple-- pancit habhab, a must-try food that Lucbanins regale visitors and tourists with.
Already, Lucban has launched kiping polvoron (toasted and sweetened rice flour) and kiping cookies at the town's fete for World Tourism Day last October 11. The event saw tourism frontliners gearing for the return of Lucban visitors in a learning session cum seminar-workshop, “Excellent Tourism Services and Marketability amid the Pandemic” with Dr. Maricel D. Herrera as resource speaker.
Dr. Herrera threshed out the tourism industry before pandemic, the impact of Covid-19 to the tourism industry, motley ways forward to tourism recovery and tourism digital marketing. Lucban’s Barangay Tourism Development Council members and owners of DOT - accredited establishments participated in the learning session.
“As we are introduced to the new normal in the tourism industry, new normal skills are also expected to develop,” Dr. Herrera stressed.
Honoring a saintly farm worker
Pahiyas is held in honor of San Isidro Labrador, a warrior-farm worker (not unlike the Roman general Cincinnatus or the oriental war strategist Sun Tzu) who had deep empathy for the lesser creation-- the birds and the beasts-- and the poor, despite being poor himself. Church records show that he was in the habit of inviting the less fortunate into his home, where his wife Maria kept a pot of stew on standby. Once when he invited more than the usual number, Maria feared there may not be enough stew to go around. Still, despite serving one guest after another, the stew didn't run out.
Such generosity of spirit becomes Lucban, as its cup of goodwill runneth over to share with new-found friends and seekers of homespun hospitality.
Aside from pancit habhab served on a banana leaf and slurped like manna, a Lucban must-try food fare is its longganisa or sausage-- a tad salty with a strong flavor of garlic and paprika-- served with ripe tomatoes and onions to please the palate.
Lucban's calm reflects the faith of its populace that pays worship at San Luis Obispo Church, one of the oldest churches in the Philippines, dating back to 1595. In 1737, it was rebuilt when it was destroyed by fire. The baroque interior is beautifully painted, but the equally appealing facade has a gothic look-- Corinthian columns and statues of a saint and a three-story bell tower.
Visitors also flock to a shrine called Kamay ni Jesus (Hand of Jesus) where healing masses are held every Sunday, Wednesday, and Saturday. The shrine also features a 50-foot statue of the Ascending Christ and Stations of the Cross; a place for pilgrims.
Lucban beckons with its charm and unshaken faith.
No comments