Iglesia de San Pedro Alcantara and drying the rice grains at town plaza, Pakil, Laguna
It was an a hour drive crossing the verdant foothills of Sierra Madre from Pililia, Rizal to the first stop over in eastern Laguna, Pakil. We passed by the junction where the road leads to the Pacific shores of Quezon province, Mabitac, Siniloan and Pangil.
We turned left towards an old and narrow winding road towards Pakil.
I love the place and topography so much. This is the Laguna barely known or touched by tourists and mainstream urbanity. This is rustic Laguna. Peculiar though is the topography, green hills cascade steeply towards the shore of Laguna de Bai. And later we found out, we are at the pilgrimage center of Laguna, just past 12:30 in high noon.
Iglesia and Turumba
It was harvest time, people were drying the rice grains in the town plaza. It’s so laid back and the breeze is cool. First reaction is, gusto kong matulog sa ilalim ng puno sa may plaza! (I want to sleep in the shade at the plaza). Imposing from the town square is the Iglesia de San Pedro Alcantara, home of the famed Nuestra Señora de Dolores (Our Lady of Sorrows) which is so associated with the Pakileños tradition of “Turumba” feast.
Inside San Pedro Alcantara Church, Pakil, Laguna
The church, another manifestation of baroque architecture in the Philippines, gleams with yellowish colour and very charming. Founded by the Franciscanos (Franciscan Friars) under the priest Fernando Haro, the stone church and convent was constructed from 1732 to 1767. The Virgin of Turumba (La Nuestra Señora de Dolores) was enshrined here in 1788. After that, the church has undergone damages and restorations due to fires and earthquakes that burned and rattled the church. Today, it stands as a landmark of Pakil and the center of devotion to the Turumba.
Nuestra Señora de Turumba (Photo by Sidney Snoeck and Wikipedia)
Now, I’ve been mentioning Turumba for already several times here. I-eexplain ko. According to folklore in September 1788, some fishermen found the statue of the birhen at the shores of the lake. They couldn’t carry it but when they pulled it towards Pakil, the winds cooperated and reached the town. From then on, the Pakileños enshrined her in the church and devotion spread all over Laguna.
The Oil of the Virgin, Pakil, Laguna
Nobody knows where the term “turumba” came from but the song and the dancing with the so-called “Dancing Virgin” is still the main centerpiece of devotion in Laguna.
Convento de San Pedro Alcantara, Pakil, Laguna
Yet out of curiosity, I asked the locals at the plaza on how do they celebrate this feast? They said that they do it 7 times for one year with 9 days of Novena. Then when the feast comes, the birhen is processioned in the town proper with the song and brass bands in tune with the song:
Turumba, Turumba Maraingga
Matuwa tayo’t magsaya
Sumayaw ng Tu-Turumba
Puri sa Birhen Maria, Sa Birhen!Turumba, Turumba sa Birhen
Matuwa tayo’t mag-aliw
Turumba’y ating sayawin
Puri sa Mahal na Birhen, Sa Birhen!Biyernes ng makita Ka
Linggo ng i-ahin Ka
Sumayaw ng Tu-Tuturmba
Puri sa Birhen Maria, Sa Birhen (2x)Turumba, Turumba sa Birhen
Turumba, Turumba sa Birhen
Turumba’y ating sayawin
Puri sa Mahal na Birhen
(Repeat over)
Some Youtube clips of the Turumba Festival of Pakil (by Kampanilya):
I have yet to see this seemingly Filipino folk Catholic practice. Somehow its reminiscent to that of Obando and Sinulog of Cebu. Worship in the act of dance and songs.
Pakil Church Facade
I will come back here, hopefully in the near future. Hoping I would witness the Turumba in this charming and laid back eastern Laguna town. I’ve seen only the glimpse of its religious-cultural aspect, I haven’t seen yet the famed heritage of Pakileños when it comes to music. Small town, lot of things to explore.
It’s time to move on…next stop, the famed neighboring chisel and wood carver’s town of Laguna.
Going Here:
There are no buses that ply from Santa Cruz (capital 0f Laguna) towards the eastern towns. Jeepneys do serve from that transit point towards the fronteir eastern towns of Mabitac, Famy & Siniloan. Ask a local about where can you ride a jeepney passing by Pakil town proper at the terminal.
More photos of Pakil and Paete Laguna here:
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