Lotus_in_Sampalok_LakeA great man once said, "Be a lotus." Which means, no matter how ugly, how evil, and how sinful everyone around you might become, do not allow yourself to be stained.  A lotus remains beautiful even as it lingers in the filthy waters of the pond.  Don't be contaminated, do not be influenced by worthless means, remain radiant among the shadows of darkness.  Be a lotus.  It has to start with one, to fill the pond with more.
SanPabloUnlimited.com - Community Forum And Portal
PureGold as of 2008-10-11 PDF Print E-mail
News - Local News
SPC_PureGold_asof_20081011This is the current status of PureGold in San Pablo City.  The building's shell is getting along nicely and it's coming out larger than I initially expected it to be.  It looks like it's not only going to be wider, it's also going to be longer inside!  Imagine if you only want a couple pieces of lemon (for that essential squeeze of the tangy zest needed for your rack of rib roast), you'd have to go all the way to the back of that where the fresh produce are, and then you'd have to walk all the way out again.  Maybe they'll let shoppers use roller skates or at least those kids' shoes with the wheels on the heels, some of those fit my feet.

Note:  If you think the building is a bit tilted or skewed, it's not really.  It's just that my low-grade photo-editting skills are not up to par with the rest of them, yet.
 
San Pablo City During World War 2 PDF Print E-mail
About SanPabloCity - History

Prior to World War II

The Japanese became part of an alliance which included Germany and Italy in 1937 and it was quickly understood that a buildup of military forces was in the best interest of the Philippines. General Douglas MacArthur was drafted out of retirement and at his request the United States started pouring military equipment into the islands. MacArthur specifically wanted more airplanes especially the latest in the inventory. At first the United States government filled the requests but later on getting a priority in arms shipments was difficult.

Several months prior to the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor a strategic policy was adopted with respect to the United States priority of effort. Should it be forced into war against the Axis powers of Germany and Italy and simultaneously find itself at war with Japan, where would the priorities fall? The policy was that the stronger European enemy would be defeated first.

 

Read more... [San Pablo City During World War 2]
 
Ano Na Ang Ginawa Mo (What Have You Done) PDF Print E-mail
Site Info - Site Development
Sabi MO, ang gobyerno natin ay palpak. Sabi MO, ang mga batas natin ay sinauna. Sabi MO, ang lokal na pamahalaan natin ay hindi maganda ang pagkolekta ng basura at ang paglilinis ng mga lugar. Sabi MO, hindi gumagana ang mga telepono,katatawanan ang kalagayan ng trapiko, at hindi nakakarating sa paroroonan ang mga sulat. Sabi MO, parang nasadlak sa basura ang ating buong bansa. Sabi Mo, sabi MO, sabi MO.

E ano'ng ginagawa mo tungkol dito?

Kumuha ka ng isang taong papunta sa Singapore.
Bigyan mo sya ng pangalan, yung sa IYO.
Bigyan MO sya ng mukha, yung sa IYO ulit.

Lumabas KA sa airport nang pinakamatino mong sarili na maipagmamalaki sa mundo. Sa Singapore Hindi KA nagtatapon ng upos ng sigarilyo sa kalye. Ipinagmamalaki MO ang magaganda nilang underpass. Nagbabayad KA ng mga 60 pesos para makapagmaneho sa Orchard Road (parang EDSA) mula alas 5 hanggang alas 8 ng gabi. Bumalik KA sa parking lot para bayaran ang parking tiket mo kung napasobra ka ng oras sa shopping o sa pagkain sa isang restaurant. Sa Singapore, wala KAng sinasabi, meron ba?

Hindi MO susubukang kumain sa lantad kapag Ramadan sa Dubai.

Hindi MO susubukang lumabas ng bahay na walang takip ang mukha sa Jeddah.

Hindi MO susubukang lagyan ang isang empleyado ng kumpanya ng telepono sa London para mapunta sa ibang tao ang mga long distance na tawag mo.

Hindi MO susubukang lumampas ng 90 kilometers per hour sa Washington, at saka sasabihin sa pulis "Alam mo kung sino ako?"

Bakit di MO subukang dumura o magtapon ng upos ng sigarilyo o balat ng kendi sa mga kalye sa Tokyo?

Bakit hindi MO subukang bumili ng pekeng mga papeles sa Boston tulad ng ginagawa sa Recto?


Pinag-uusapan pa rin natin e IKAW.


Ikaw na gumagalang at sumusunod sa patakarang banyaga sa ibang bansa pero hindi makasunod sa sarili mong lugar. IKAW na tapon ng tapon sa kalye pagtuntong mo pa lang sa lupa. Kung IKAW ay nakikisalamuha at pumupuri ng systema sa bansang banyaga, bakit hindi KA maging ganyan sa Pilipinas?

Misan sa isang panayam, ang dating Subic Administrator na si Gordon ay may katwiran ng sinabi nyang "Ang mga aso ng mayayaman ay pinalalakad at pinadudumi ng may-ari sa kalye, tapos sila mismo ang pumupuna sa may katungkulan sa kapalpakan sa paglilinis ng mga kalye. Ano ang gusto nilang gawin ng mga may katungkulan? Magwalis tuwing makakaramdam ng hindi maganda sa tiyan ang kanilang alaga? Sa America, bawat may-ari ng alaga ay dapat maglinis matapos ang pagdumi ng aso. Ganuon din sa Japan.

Gagawin ba ng mga Pilipino yun dito? Tama sya.

Pumupunta tayo sa botohan para pumili ng gobyerno at pagkatapos nuon ay tinatanggal na natin sa sarili ang responsibilidad. Uupo tayo sa isang tabi at maghihintay ng pagkalinga at umaasa na gagawin ng gobyerno ang lahat habang wala tayong iniaalay.

Umaasa tayo sa pamahalaan na maglinis, ngunit hindi naman tayo titigil sa pagtatapon ng basura sa kung saan-saan, at ni hindi tayo pupulot ng anumang piraso ng papel para itapon sa basurahan. Pagdating sa mga panlipunang talakayin tulad nang hindi pagiging tapat sa kasal, sa mga dalagang ina, sa pagtatalik ng walang basbas ng kasal, at iba pa, maingay tayong nagpoprotesta ngunit patuloy naman nating ginagawa ang mga ito.

Sa sandaling tayo ay mangulila kapag nasa labas tayo ng bansa, naghahanap tayo ng aliw sa iba, kadalasan sa kapwa rin natin Pilipino, na hindi natin iniisip ang ating katungkulan na ating sinumpaan sa ating pamilya nuong narito pa tayo. Tapos sinisisi natin ang pamahalaan kapag nakikita natin ang karahasan sa kabataan, pagkagumon sa bawal na gamot, at iba pa, samantalang sinimulan natin ito sa hindi pagpansin sa pangangailangan ng ating mga anak ng tunay na pag-gabay at responsibilidad ng isang magulang.

Ang sabi natin, "Ang buong sistema ang kailangang magbago. Ano ang magagawa kung ako lang ang magpapabago sa aking pamilya?"

E sino ang magbabago ng sistema?

Ano ba ang mga sangkap ng sistema? Napakaginhawa sa atin na ang sistema ay binubuo ng ating mga kapitbahay, mga ibang tahanan, ibang syudad, ibang komunidad, at ang pamahalaan. Pero hindi kasama IKAW at AKO.

Pagdating sa ating pagkakaroon ng positibong handog sa sistema, ikinakandado natin ang sarili, pati na ang ating pamilya sa loob ng isang ligtas na pugad at tumatanaw na lang tayo sa malayong mga lugar at bansa at naghihintay ng isang Mr. Clean na dumating at maghatid na mga himala. O lumilikas tayo. Parang mga tamad na duwag na hindi pinatatahimik ng ating mga takot, tumatakbo tayo sa Amerika upang makisalo sa kanilang luwalhati at purihin sa kanilang sistema.

Pero pag naging masalimuot sa New York tatakbo tayo sa Japan o Hongkong. Pag nagkahirapan ang paghanap ng trabaho sa Hongkong, sakay agad tayo sa susunod na eroplano patungong Gitnang Silangan. Pag may digmaan sa Gulf War, inaasahan nating masagip at mapauwi ng Gobyernong Pilipino.

Lahat ay handang umabuso at gumahasa sa bansa. Walang nag-iisip na handugan ang sistema. Ang konsyensya natin ay nakasanla sa pera.

Mga mahal kong kababayan, ang sulating ito ay matinding nakakakislot ng isipan, nangangailangan ng maraming pagmumuni-muni, at tumutusok din sa konsyensya. Medyo inuulit ko lang ayon sa ating salita ang mga salita ni J.F.Kennedy sa kanyang kabansa upang maitugma sa ating mga Pilipino.

"Itanong natin kung ano ang magagawa natin sa ating bansang Pilipinas at gawin ang nararapat upang ang Pilipinas ay maging tulad ng America at ibang kanlurang Bansa ngayon."

Gawin natin kung ano ang kailangan ng Pilipinas sa atin.

--------

O ngayon, IKAW, naturingang tiga San Pablo, ano ang ginagawa mo para sa bayan mo?

Eto ang magandang pagkakataon para makatulong ka! Mag-register ka na dito, sumali at maki-salamuha sa mga forum. Sumulat ng magagandang bagay tungkol sa bayan at tulungan mo ang SanPabloUnlimited.com sa pag-hikayat ng mga turista na pumunta dito sa ating bayan at dito nila gastahin ang kanilang pera.

Kapag naglaon, ang pinaggastahan nila dito ay aabot din sa isa sa mga kakilala mo, baka nga ikaw pa mismo e makinabang din sa pag-asenso ng turismo sa San Pablo!

E kung puro basa ka lang, at puro hintay ka lang sa isusulat ng ibang tao, ANO ANG SAYSAY NA BINASA MO ANG SAKSAKAN NG HABANG ARTICLE NA ITO?!? Alam mo naman na gusto mo tumulong, aba'y tulong na!


 
A Mountaineer Treks the Seven Lakes PDF Print E-mail
About SanPabloCity - Must See

The seven lakes of San Pablo


The Seven Lakes of San Pablo 
San Pablo City, Laguna

Major jumpoff: San Pablo Plaza (Poblacion)
Days required / Trekking time: 1 day / 1-2 hours
Specs: Minor, Difficulty 1/9, Trail class 1-2

BACKGROUND
A beautiful yet undiscovered trekking destination near Manila are the famed 'Seven Lakes of San Pablo': Sampaloc, Bunot, Calibato, Pandin, Yambo, Palakpakin, and Mohicap. These natural wonders are set in the backdrop of San Pablo's rural outskirts, surrounded by mountains such as Mt. Cristobal and Tayak Hill, Mt. Kalisungan, and Mt. Mabilog. Their pristine quality range from Sampaloc Lake whose cleanliness is still a work in progress, to the serene cleanliness of the twin lakes Pandin and Yambo.

Read more... [A Mountaineer Treks the Seven Lakes]
 
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Must See

Good Friday Procession - Holy Week 2008
Every year, in the afternoon of Good Friday during the Holy Week, the residents of San Pablo City come out on the streets and attend a procession where life-size statues of Christian icons are paraded around the main roads.  The following pictures were taken on March 21, 2008.

 

When the sun goes down, the procession starts. People throng around and crowd the streets.
 
Read more...
Sampalok Lake at night
This is Sampalok Lake at night
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I rode my bike down these steps a couple of times about 20 years ago!
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A Mountaineer Treks the Seven Lakes

The seven lakes of San Pablo


The Seven Lakes of San Pablo 
San Pablo City, Laguna

Major jumpoff: San Pablo Plaza (Poblacion)
Days required / Trekking time: 1 day / 1-2 hours
Specs: Minor, Difficulty 1/9, Trail class 1-2

BACKGROUND
A beautiful yet undiscovered trekking destination near Manila are the famed 'Seven Lakes of San Pablo': Sampaloc, Bunot, Calibato, Pandin, Yambo, Palakpakin, and Mohicap. These natural wonders are set in the backdrop of San Pablo's rural outskirts, surrounded by mountains such as Mt. Cristobal and Tayak Hill, Mt. Kalisungan, and Mt. Mabilog. Their pristine quality range from Sampaloc Lake whose cleanliness is still a work in progress, to the serene cleanliness of the twin lakes Pandin and Yambo.

Read more...

Local Culture

Lambanog (Coconut Wine)

Coconut, "the tree of life", figures prominently in the life of the city.  So much so that we have an annual Coconut Festival which is different from the annual fiesta.  In both occassions, lambanog is often served and enjoyed.  Sometimes, even when we don't have anything to celebrate and there is no special occassion, we still drink this wonderful organic wine.

Making lambanog begins with the coconut tree.  Just like most fruit-bearing trees, coconut flowers turn into coconut fruit.  Lambanog making trees never produce fruit, because it is the sap from the coconut flower that is the crucial ingredient for this unique coconut wine.  

Read more...
San Pablo Street Scene During Fiesta Week

The fiesta is celebrated in a week-long event with street dancing and general merry-making thru the wee hours of the night.  This video was taken in January of 2007.  The main street - Rizal Avenue, was hardly passable except for a few motorbikes, and even then their riders had to duck-walk their bikes on many portions of the street as the crowds were particularly plentiful that night.

Read more...
Cooking Kulawo (Eggplant in Grilled Coconut Cream) [Unfinished]
Does anyone know the real/official name of that delicious ulam we call "kulawo"?  I'd also like to challenge you to share your recipe for this amazingly zesty and healthy dish, in English please!

Here's my version using eggplants instead of the heart of banana:
Read more...

A Little History

San Pablo City During World War 2

Prior to World War II

The Japanese became part of an alliance which included Germany and Italy in 1937 and it was quickly understood that a buildup of military forces was in the best interest of the Philippines. General Douglas MacArthur was drafted out of retirement and at his request the United States started pouring military equipment into the islands. MacArthur specifically wanted more airplanes especially the latest in the inventory. At first the United States government filled the requests but later on getting a priority in arms shipments was difficult.

Several months prior to the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor a strategic policy was adopted with respect to the United States priority of effort. Should it be forced into war against the Axis powers of Germany and Italy and simultaneously find itself at war with Japan, where would the priorities fall? The policy was that the stronger European enemy would be defeated first.

 

Read more...
San Pablo City Circa 1794-1796
I found the following article in http://msc.edu.ph.  Apparently, it's the work of students as a case study or project.  The highlighting is mine. 
 
San Pablo was originally known as Sampaloc, they got the name San Pablo from their patron saint. It was founded by Agustinian Fathers, who in 1794, ceded its administration to this apostolic province of St. Gregory, taking possesion on April 4 (my birthdate) of the same year, being apponted as its first Franciscan Parish Priest Rev. Father Friar Andres Cabrera.
Read more...