Good news from Biñan
The city government, in marking the feast of San Isidro, recently launched a movement to restore the glory of Biñan and to mark National Heritage Month.
We were born and had our early schooling in Biñan, a not-too-sleepy town in Laguna which even then had men and women actively engaged in small commercial activities. We thought it was headed to becoming a major force in business and industry, but its neighbor Sta. Rosa out-paced it, developing by leaps and bounds into a leading industrial hub.
We would visit Biñan occasionally, and we were saddened by its seeming deterioration, especially of its town plaza – the beautiful Glorietta has been replaced by an all-purpose open court; the public market has become muddy, dirty and disorderly; Tony’s pospas (arroz caldo) stall – an institution of the town – is no longer there and, most of all, the once-imposing and historical landmark Alberto Mansion (the mother of Jose Rizal, Teodora Alonso, lived there) is now in ruins. Only the statue of its former mayor, Rogelio Limaco, who was killed by the Japanese, still stands tall in the square, as if guarding it against further onslaught.
May 15 is the town fiesta of Biñan, celebrating the feast of its patron saint San Isidro Labrador. Now the good news – the city government, in marking the feast of San Isidro, recently launched a movement to restore the glory of Biñan and to mark National Heritage Month. A story is told that the rival saints Isidro and Rosa once promised rain during their respective feasts, and rain it would.
This year the organizers decided not to stage a beauty pageant but instead hold meaningful activities, such as a trade fair, Takbo Para Sa Alberto, olympics for the disabled, the traditional Santacruzan, Paglalatik festival and a thanksgiving mass to honor San Isidro. It should be noted that it was from Biñan that the lively dance maglalatik originated. It is performed by men with coconut shells tied to their knees, chest and hips, which they strike to make a rousing and yes, melodious sound.
On the culinary legacy of Biñan, there are many dishes which we believe were originally cooked and served in our hometown. There is chicken tinola with a unique dip of patis and calamansi juice, with chicken liver which has been cooked and mashed added to it. There is pork kilawen, a delicious dish that approximates paksiw na lechon, which always gets the “oohs” and “aahs” of our friends and is requested by balikabayan siblings and relatives every time they visit. Then there are lumpiang hubad with its sweetish sauce; fish sarsiado which acquires a unique taste and texture when laced with pork lard as our elders taught us; dinilawang kanduli (white catfish), a flavorful fish dish done with turmeric, coconut cream, fried eggplant and chili leaves; chicken adobo sa gata; and pork estofado, pork leg done with a pinch of sugar and fried saba bananas. And oh yes, beef la oya, with the accompanying mix of sweet potatoes, saba bananas and eggplant blended with vinegar, salt, sugar and ground pepper. There are many more.
Let us be proud of Biñan and may our pride grow as the plaza is restored to its former glory.
Have a happy Sunday!