SUBJECT TEACHER: EMMA CONCEPCION V.

ESPINO WEEK: 3-7

CONTENT STANDARDS:
• The learner demonstrates understanding of the significant roles of artists from the
regions.
PERFORMANCE STANDARDS:
• The learner creates avenues to advocate the arts from the different regions.
MELC:
• The learner describes various contemporary art forms and their practices from the
various regions

SPECIFIC LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

At the end of the lesson, the learners should be able to:
• describe various contemporary art forms and their practices from the region,
• appreciate the significance of arts in one’s daily life, and
• create a graphic organizer that summarizes the contemporary art forms and practices
in Region 3 where Tarlac National High School is located.

Contemporary Art Forms and Practices from the Region

This lesson focuses on art forms that are developing in various regions of the
Philippines that relied on the existing materials in specific region or province. Each of this
regions or provinces take pride on its unique specialties or products.

Batanes. For example, natives of Batanes or the Ivatans use a headgear called Vacul, made
from the fibres of vuyavuy palm, to protect them from the scotching heat of the sun while
working on their farmlands. This particular headgear is also a substitute to umbrella in rainy
season.

https://Wikipedia,org/Ivatabn_Vacul

Cordillera Region. Another example of regional art forms are the vases and statues crafted in
the Cordillera region, particularly in Baguio and Benguet area.

https://Wikipedia,org/Benguwet_Statue

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 These statues are similar to the statues used by indigenous people in rituals intended
for thanksgiving for rich harvest, to repel sinister and for celebration of marriages and in
conducting funeral. Some of these statues together with paintings and other art forms are
now part of Philippine indigenous arts.

Marinduque. In the province of Marinduque, those who partake in the celebration of

Moriones Festival use morion masks to portray the Roman soldiers and Syrian mercenaries in
the story of the Passion of the Christ. The Moriones denotes the masked and costumed
penitents who march around the town for seven days searching for Longinus. These Masks
were intricately painted with colorful designs that symbolize Roman culture, Customs and
tradition.

https://Wikipedia,org/Moriones_Festival

Visayan Region. In the Visayan Region, maskara, which means Mask is a prominent feature of
the festival which also bears the same name. Maskara are always ornamented with smiling
faces, giving rise to Bacolod being named the "City of Smiles".

https://WIikipedia,org/Maskara_Festival

Panay Islands. Inhabitants of the Panay Islands are also known for having tattoos or pinta
which symbolizes their “kaisugan” or valor or bravery.

https://Wikipedia,org/Pintados_Festival

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 These tattoos are called Pinta which makes Visayan people of Ilo-ilo and Panay regions
to earn the name “Pintados” which later became the name of their festival.

Mindanao Area. Muslim people of Zamboanga are renowned for their colorful “Vintas”.
Vinta is a traditional outrigger boat of Mindanao Island. Vintas are characterized by
their colorful rectangular log sails or bukay and bifurcated prows and sterns, which resemble
the gaping mouth of a crocodile. Vinta are used as fishing vessels, cargo ships, and houseboats.

https://Wikipedia,org/Vinta

Tribes of Mindanao are also known for T'nalak, a traditional cloth made by a group of
people in Lake Sebu, South Cotabato called T'bolis, This traditional cloth is hand-woven made
of Abaca fibers which traditionally has three primary colors, red, black and the original color
of the Abaca leaves. The colorants of the materials are naturally dyed boiled in with bark, roots
and leaves.

https://Wikipedia,org/T’nalak

T’bolis believes that they cannot create a design of the Tinalak if they have not
dreamed of it. Therefore, they are sometimes called the "Dream Weavers".
Lastly, Sarimanok, the legendary bird that has become an ubiquitous symbol of
Maranao art. It is depicted as a fowl with colorful wings and feathered tail, holding a fish on
its beak or talons. The head is profusely decorated with scroll, leaf, and spiral motifs. It is
said to be a symbol of good fortune.

https://Wikipedia,org/Sarimanok

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Quezon. Pahiyas is the
Philippine’s most colourful
harvest festival. Pahiyas
was derived from the word
“payas” which means
decoration or to decorate
to honor San Isidro
Labrador, the patron saint
of farmers. Decorations
called “Kiping”, leaf-
shaped and multi-colored
rice paste wafers, are used
to decorate the facades of
homes along with fruits and flowers from nature. The visual and culinary feast has gained
national and international recognition. The Lucban town center is a permanent facility for
merchandising crafts and delicacies including special events that showcase the lifestyles of
environs.

Paete, Laguna. The art of “taka” or

“taka-making” is not an exclusive
Filipino art. Paper mache and
decoupaging have been around for
centuries. The people of Paete create
takas and diversified into different
animals and not just the traditional
red horse.

Lumban, Laguna. Embroidery is the main industry of Lumban, Laguna which is why it is known
as the “Embroidery Capital of the Philippines. Jusi and pina cloth are embroidered by hand
and the finished products are worn by males (barong tagalog) and females (baro’t saya).

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Aurora. The Sabutan Festival in the town of San
Luis, province of Aurora highlights the
importance of growing palm trees locally called
Sabutan on the community’s economic
wellbeing. The raw material which grows on
mountain terrain and forest land is used to
weave a variety of useful products and
ornamentals like hats, placemats, fans and even
native dress – all made of Sabutan, a pandan-
like plant found in the province. The indigenous
material is used to weave products such as hats,
place mats and native dresses. Festivities include dance presentation, cultural shows, trade
fair and exhibits.

Presented on February 19 (Aurora Day) in

Baler, Aurora, the “Zarsuela” is an interplay
of drama and dance. Taking three days to
complete (although it could be shortened
to a day), the “Zarsuela” performed here is
composed of several acts that revolve
around the main theme of Moro-Moro or
Moslem-Christian conflict. The “Zarsuela”
presents slightly different variations for the
Moro-Moro theme year after year. The
roles of princes and princesses, warriors
and laymen for both the Christian and Moslem sides are performed in dance, while a narrator
accompanies the pantomime act. What makes this particular performance more dramatic is
that real knives and bolos are used. Often in the heat of the presentation, miscalculations
result in knife and bolo gashes. Both actors and actresses participate in this particularly
sensitive and dangerous sword-play. Only beautiful, graceful ladies and handsome men are
chosen and trained for the theater. Indeed, this is a cultural theater that demands talent,
beauty, skills and courage from the actors, and highly skilled and experienced trainers are
needed to create this unique style of “Zarsuela”.

Every February Baler celebrates a HAGISAN

activity, which features the homemade suman.
This Filipino sticky rice cake delicacy hangs
above the main street as its smokey pandan
aroma perfumes the air. Colorful floats with lots
of suman hanging from each crevice parades
proudly in the middle of the crowd. Further
showing the importance of agriculture and rice
to the masses in undeniable extravagance.

Bataan. On the eve of a fiesta in Bataan, the merriment already begins with a serenata (brass
band) concert or contest at the town plaza. On the big day itself, a drum and bugle band
marches around the main thoroughfares with the kurakol or kuraldal or sambale (street
dancing) strutting along its wake.
Some of the celebrated festivals and events include the following:

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Senakulo. The people of Calaguiman had been
practicing this tradition since 1947, which was
started by one family in this barangay. A
traditional Lenten presentation renacting the
life and passion of Christ presented by the
local folks of Calaguiman in major roads,
culminating at the town plaza. Early on Good
Friday people would flock down the main
streets to watch the senakulo, a passion play
depicting the suffering of Jesus Christ starting
with the betrayal of Judas up to the funeral of
Jesus. The participants are all dressed in
costumes depicting the role they portray.

Banga Festival. It is said that the name

“Balanga” was derived from a kind of pot
used for cooking or fetching water. The
cooking pot is made of a special clay and
is locally known as “banga”. To
commemorate this humble beginning of
the now progressive city, the Banga
Festival is being celebrated.

Palis Lasa Festival. An agro- religious

festival held annually in Mabatang,
Abucay. It starts with a thanksgiving mass
and a street dancing where participants
adorn themselves with colorful costumes
made of tiger lass or “lasa” used to make
walis tambo.

Bulacan. Pabalat or pastillas wrapper cutting art uses Japanese paper in wrapping delicacies.
Those who have skilled hands and perfect control of motor skills can produce the best kind of
these wrappers. Sadly, this too is a dying art.

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 Singkaban or bamboo art is fairly a new type of
Philippine folk art. Singkaban is the art of shaving
bamboo into artful creations that can be used as
décor for arches or for home. Skilled craftsmen
patiently shaves off the bamboo, layer by layer, to
create curls and delicate twirls of thin bamboo.
Singkaban is usually a celebratory art. Singkaban
craftsmen create these gregariously designed
bamboo arches for fiestas, weddings, and other
celebrations that involve the entire community. It is
the sense of bayanihan that inspired this artform-
ensuring that art is appreciated and accessible to
everyone in the community and guests.

Puni or palm leaf folding was intended to create artful

toys for kids. However, puni can also be used to create
woven baskets, bags, and fans. The most common use
of puni is the palaspas during Holy Week. Fresh coconut
or palm leaves are most commonly used but it is now
more common to use dried, treated, and dyed leaves for
sturdier and colorful products.

Nueva Ecija. The Tanduyong

Festival is a yearly festival. The
festival is held in San Jose City,
Philippines. The general
population in San Jose offer
gratitude to a favored collect of
tanduyong. The tanduyong is a
sort of an onion here in the
Philippines. As a result of a
decent reap here in San Jose
the city has been known as the
Onion Capital of the
Philippines. That is way the city has a yearly celebration called Tanduyong Festival. During the
festival the general population filled the road and the artist wear a vivid costume. San Jose
City prides itself as the "Onion Capital of the Philippines" and is a main maker of onion, garlic,
rice and vegetables. Consistently, on the fourth Sunday of April, the general population of San
Jose move through the fundamental road in a bright, captivating festival of the gift of the reap.
On celebration day, the bouleds are loaded with contingents of artists furnished in striking,
multi-toned local ensembles. Colorful rhythms of ad libbed melodic instruments fill the air as
the artists rotate and influence to the beat of life. Unique exercises included are: excellence
challenge, tourism and exchange reasonable, granting function and social shows. Every year
the Tanduyong celebration is hung on April harmonizing with the yearly party to celebrate
this.

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Pampanga. Sanikulas cookie mold carvings is an elegant and beautiful folk art but is a dying
art. The image of St. Nicholas is molded on a hardwood of different shapes and sizes. It is
believed that consuming Sanikulas cookies when one is ill could get healed and recover.

Tarlac. Tarlac is a hispanized derivation from a talahib weed called Malatarlak. The plant is
celebrated with sumptuous pageantry that’s characterized by schoolchildren dressed in grass-
inspired costumes, who dance to the beat of traditional music. Tarlac City’s annual Malatarlak
Festival (Melting Pot Festival) takes over the city during this fun and lively celebration that has
a packed program of events and activities for visitors of all ages. The Rice Cake Festival falls
on the same day.

Photo from: https://greedypeg.org/tarlac/Melting-Pot-Festival.html

The Buyboy Festival which was started in

2008 by the Sadiri Iti Pagilian Foundation,
Inc. is an event to promote the San
Clemente’s quality brooms (walis tambo)
and buyboy home ornaments along with
other handicrafts made of indigenous
forest materials such as “runo” (another
variety of wild grass stem) and “nito” (a
variety of wild vine). Buyboy is commonly
seen growing at various spots in Sitio Dueg
and harvesting starts in late February. The upper portion of its flower, the large and drooping
panicle, is used for broom (walis tambo) making. A group of farmers/weavers was trained by
the Municipal Government in cooperation with the DTI to produce quality brooms out of this
indigenous material.

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Zambales. Paynauen ‘Duyan’ Festival is
held every April 25 – May 1 in Iba,
Zambales. It commemorates the
provincial capital’s founding anniversary
(founded in 1611) traces its origin from a
Zambal word which means rest or
pahingahan – the ancient name of Iba
before the Spanish conquistadores
founded the village on the shore of the
Bancal River in 1611. The festival features
photo competition and exhibit, sand
sculpture competition, skate boarding, 2-
cock derby, carabao race, beauty pageant, kite flying, banca race, boxing tournament, street
dancing / Duyan Parade, among other activities.

Sibit-Sibit Summer Festival is held every 4th Week of April in Olongapo City (Brgy.
Barreto). The name Sibit-Sibit was derived from the name of small paddle-driven bancas used
for fishing during the early days when Brgy. Barreto was yet called Sitio Maquinaya. During
fiestas, fisherfolk hold banca race using pure human strength to win the competition. Today,
the festival competition includes motorized banca race and sail boat competition to add fun
and excitement to the activity. In the
summer of 1996, the idea came to mind
when a barangay kagawad set sail to
stage the 1st Sibit-Sibit Festival at
Driftwood Beach. It was held yearly but
later was shelved for various reasons.
The event was revived by the city
Government in 2006. This 3-day event is
an annual city affair that aims to
reminisce the glorious saga of Olongapo
as an ancient fishing village while at the
same time promoting a friendly tourism alternative. The name Sibit Sibit is derived from an
ancient term called “small paddle banca” used for fishing, as the city was born from being one
of the ancient fishing villages of the country. Highlights of the event are: banca races, fluvial
parade and sail show, beach volleyball, bangkang buhangin sculpting competition, bingo
bonanza, summer dance craze, among others.

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Activity 3.1 Using a graphic organizer, describe the various contemporary art forms and
practices in Region 3. The first item is given as an example.

Province / City Events / Festivals Art Form Description

/ Artwork Showcased What is it called? Who
is it by? What does it
look like? What is the
subject? What is it
made of?
Aurora Sabutan Festival Weaving Sabutan is the raw
materials used to
weave hats, place mats
and native dresses.
1. Aurora

2. Bataan

3. Bulacan

4. Nueva Ecija

5. Pampanga

6. Tarlac

7. Zambales

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