The retirement home of General Paciano Rizal

               I frequently travel to Los Baños, Laguna but I have no idea that the house of Gen. Paciano Rizal is located here. I just heard from someone that when Gen. Paciano Rizal left his hometown Calamba, he decided to have his retirement home in Los Baños.

Gen. Paciano Rizal was popularly known as the brother of the Philippine National Hero, Jose Rizal. Little has been known of this man, the shadow behind Jose Rizal’s achievements and one of the unsung heroes of the Philippine Revolution. Interested in his heritage, I travelled to Los Baños, Laguna to visit his retirement home near the shore of Laguna Lake at the side of Los Baños Old Municipal Building.

                When I arrived at the area, I observed that his house is usually unnoticed by the public. It has a high metal gate and a concrete fence. In the beginning, I had difficulty entering the shrine because there was no guard or doorbell at the entrance. I just tap at the gate hoping for someone to hear me and let me in. After a few minutes, the gate was opened by a young woman. She is the caretaker’s sister tasked to clean the garden. I asked her if I could enter the shrine and take some pictures.  She asked me a few questions, and let me in. I learned that Paciano Rizal's family welcomes visitors by appointment. The caretaker and her sister were kind enough to let me enter without prior arrangement.

                General Paciano’s house is maintained by his great grand children. I like the way they preserved his house and turned it into a shrine. It has a large facade enclosed by a garden which makes the sight calm and breezy. I was amazed to find out that this house was designed and built by Architect Andres Luna de San Pedro, son of the well-known painter Juan Luna. A monument in honor of Gen. Paciano was built at the side of the garden. His bones are stored at the center of the garden together with the bones of his two sisters, Josefa and Trinidad. A concrete stair with a curve to the right leads the way to the main door.

                Inside the shrine, there is an atmosphere of the past. The wooden floor is well polished with wax. It brings back memories when I was a little kid where one of my household chores is to polish the floor with Bunot (a coconut husk cut in half). The living room is plainly decorated which shows the simple lifestyle of the Rizal family. The Master’s Bedroom is furnished by a dresser with swinging full-length mirror, a sewing machine, wooden table and chair and a rattan swinging chair. At the back is a balcony where I can see a scenic view of Laguna Lake and a playground which was built by the local government from the property donated by the Rizal family.

                Los Baños, Laguna is appoximately 2 hours drive south of Manila, Philippines.To visit this shrine, you may call or text Ms. Ester at 0919-9227829.

Los Baños Flower and Garden Show - Oct. 5 - 14, 2012

"Flowers always make people better, happier, and more helpful; they are sunshine, food and medicine for the soul." - Luther Burbank

I saw an advertisement of the Los Baños Flower and Garden Show on Laguna Libre ( a local advertising magazine in Laguna ). I always wanted to see that event, so the following day, I traveled to UP Los Baños where the flowers and garden are on display. I arrived at the exhibit around 10:00 am and paid an entrance fee of P 20.00 only. At the central hall, native handicrafts, farm products and journals are put up for sale.
I also spot a few artworks but, don't know if they are for sale.

The theme for this show is Asian inspired gardens. This is an annual event held twice a year, usually during Summer and October. It is organized by the Los Baños Horticulture Society (LBHS), Inc. with the participation of DTI-Laguna, local landscape artists and plant suppliers.

A banner was placed at the frontage of the venue.

The participating plant suppliers were given an area to set up stores and sell varieties of flowering plants. Landscape booths that surrounds the central hall gives me a feeling that I am on tour to different Asian countries.  I see everyone who entered the venue are busy taking pictures and buying plants for their garden. Some of them haggle the plant vendors for a good deal. I enjoyed my visit and was amazed of the plentiful and colorful flowers that i saw.

"Gardening is how I relax. It's another form of creating and playing with colors." - Oscar de la Renta

Sampaloc Lake of San Pablo City

"There was a legend of a huge Tamarind tree in the backyard of a self-centered, mean, elderly woman who drove away a fairy masked as an elderly man asking for some fruit to treat his sick grandson. Instead of helping him, the mean woman had him chased by her angry dogs. The old man was severely injured. After the old man was gone, there was a thunder, rain, followed by an earthquake. Afterwards, the whole grove sank into an enormous crater which was immediately filled with water. From this day forward, the people called it Lake Sampaloc." This is the traditional story told about Sampaloc Lake which was handed down from the past.

Sampaloc Lake is the largest and the most popular lake of San Pablo City which is also known as "City of Seven Lakes". The other lakes are: Bunot, Yambo, Pandin, Mojicap, Calibato and Palakpakin. Sampaloc Lake has a circular shoreline of about 3.7 kilometers and a maximum depth of 27.6 meters at the center. It is located besides Doña Leonila Park and near the San Pablo City Capitol Building. The lake has provided a source of livelihood for nearby residents through cage culture fish farming. Tilapia, Milkfish, Carps, Catfish and Shrimps are the varieties that can be found in the lake. The lake has a viewing deck where you can enjoy a scenic view of the lake together with the Mountains of Mount Cristobal and Mount Banahaw at the back. At the side of the viewing deck is a concrete stair going down to the lake shoreline.

Sampaloc Lake and the majestic view of Mt. Cristobal

Bonifacio Shrine at the center of the viewing deck.

Sampaloc Lake concrete stairs. Rehabilitated and improved under the administration of President Diosdado Macapagal and City Mayor Zacarias A. Ticzon in 1965.

Tilapia Monument in honor of Mr. & Mrs. Jose C. Agahan for being the donor of the first Tilapia fingerlings for Sampaloc and Palakpakin Lakes under the late Mayor Tomas Dizon dated April 16, 1955.

Sampaloc Lake is a great place to chill out or calm down. Doña Leonila Park at the lakeside is a mini-forest park with a charming view of the lake although there are some trees( Tamarind and Mangoe trees) blocking the sight . This place is a preferred by dog lovers to show of their pets and a good place to bring family and friends for a picnic. 

Doña Leonila Park named after the past First Lady, Mrs. Leonida D. Garcia. Wife of former President Carlos Garcia who made a visit at San Pablo City in 1961.

There is a concrete road surrounding the lake which is suitable for physical activities such as jogging and biking. Health buffs do a run or walk up to three times around the lake. You can rent a bike for only P20.00 and a Pedicab (bike with side-seats for passengers) for P50.00. Travelers and Day-trippers also have a chance to ride a Balsa (Bamboo Raft) or a Pedal-boat and experience being at the center of the lake. Rental cost for the Balsa is P 200.00 for 30 minutes and for the Pedal-boat is P 50.00 per person. Fishing is also an activity you can enjoy around the lake, provided that you have your own fishing gears.

A Balsa (Bamboo Raft) for rent.

Bikes for rent.

A man fishing patiently.

There are several comfortable and relaxing restaurants that serve nice foods. There are also sidewalk stalls that sells pork barbeque, hotdog, isaw (chicken intestines), chicken feet and beverages which you can eat along the bench and boardwalk.

The boardwalk or walkway on Sampaloc Lake.

Clydenjosh restaurant

Cafe Lago

Tahanan ni Aling Meding Hotel

Travelling to Sampaloc Lake is perfect for the family, friends, classmates and co-workers. I've seen many people spend there time here to relax and enjoy nature. Some students frequently visit the lake to study their lessons and rehearse for school activities such as dancing and stage play. 

A scenic view of the lake. Students are resting on the side after a dance rehearsal.

I hope the authority in charge for the supervision of the lake keeps the balance of nature and development. I want to share with you a lamentation on a plate that i have read during one of my visits:

"To the Sons and Daughters of San Pablo:

     Yesterday, after years of absence, I visited Sampaloc Lake, I sat on a step of its ancient stairs, And, I wept.

     Its legend is dead, buried in the memories of old men and old women. Its once clear water rich in myth, afraid, to peek from under water lilies. Its once green banks, lush with bushes and bamboo and other God-grown foliage defiled by sleazy bars and hovels and huts.

     Where are the crickets? Where are the fireflies?

     Long, I sat and wept.

     Today, life stirs a new. The wounded conscience of the San Pableño has awakened. His heart moved his hands.

     The park is greener and echoing with life. The banks will not come back. But, the sleazy bars, the hovels and the huts are slowly moving away. Small parks are growing where bushes once thrived. And, spears of light from the sun dance on the smiling lips of those who come to be blessed by the sight of the lake, the mountain, the sky.

     O, bright and beautiful World!

     Tommorow we will give you Sampaloc Lake. Regretfully, not as it was in our youth but, hopefully, better than it was yesterday and as it is today. We will give you back Sampalok Lake with a challenge. proudly pass it on and on. To your children and to generations yet unborn.

     This is our promise. We will bring back the fireflies. We will bring back the crickets. And, you will not, on the banks of Sampaloc Lake, sit down and cry.

With all our love,                       

 Your Mother, Your Father

APOLO A. DAYAN                     

June 30, 2004"