Cultural Paradox: The Amendable Heritage and Antiquated

Pot Crafting

Christian Joseph Taborda

Laiza Mae Fernando
Jessy Bañaga
Godfrey Rapadas
Ohna Patricia Reotutar
Gabriel Heidfield Rapanut
Jim Claude Joven

Vigan City, is a 4th class component city of the Ilocos Sur Province. Tourists
Spots with a touch of yesteryears, with preservation of the old and cared by
modernization, the city is still at its peak of tourism. The island is located At
Northern Luzon Region 1, are full of colors from the past and Highlighted
events that functions at the Manifestation of both the old and New.

Cultural Paradox evolves at the Present situation of the New

Trading post. Calle crisologo continues to dominate tourists’
interests and cameras, zooming in the Scenery of the Spanish
Colony back then. Anchoring and Dominating tourisms layout and
Planning to preserve as the City’s trademark. The present
generation will help the place grow and make rows of
achievements. Vigan City, as one of the new 7 wonder cities of the
World, as a City from the Northern Part of the Country, a Trophy
for the ages; it needs preservation and modernization to share for
profit and economic growth of the City.

Present Trading, that usually takes place at the Calle Crisologo

around the Vicinity of The City, shares a large economic growth
for both Businesses and the Locality. A city with a seal of UNESCO
World Heritage. A proof of the yesteryears’ scenery for both
Beautiful memories and bittersweet. Is indeed Improving and
Growing into a bigger scale of Income for the city’s functions.

Nevertheless, there are Disappointments, like the Child of

Vigan; Angelyn Ong, she narrated her opinion to us as we
anticipated her with questions, she stated “Vigan is a perfect place for introverts. It is a place for
Winding up and feel the essence of sincerity of the past for the new generation. Somehow it was
affected when The city made its name to the list of The 7 Wonder Cities that lead massive number of
tourists and traffic issues and Growing prices of Products, which disappointed me because the Once
Innocent Vigan is now a Crowded Noisy Music Place from the past”. She was very accommodating to us,
as we entered their store “Angelyn Antique shop” located at the end point of the calle. She said “ I am
the child of the owner, 16 years we first venture into video rental business, then switched into antique
shop since year 2011”.

We roam around and had fun by loving the scene by the

calle. Our group took shots of the Structures and products
seen by the side walks. Culture Connections was felt by the
products they sell, from wooden crafts, woven products,
keychains, souvenirs, Food expresses, Traditional Clothing.
Social interactions are getting bigger as the population of
the city increases. This strengthens the credibility of the
City’s Remarkable Traditions. Popularity of the city gained
population that sometimes didn’t cope up the area of the
landmarks of the city. Yet It set businesses at their peak
sales.

Calle Crisologo – Mena Crisologo Street

The major attraction of Vigan is its mestizo district which is

filled with Spanish-style houses that evoke a bygone era when
its people lived prosperously because of the Manila-Acapulco
maritime trade. For visitors who want to experience being
transported back to this period in Philippine Spanish colonial
time, a walk or a calesa ride through Vigan’s Calle Crisologo or
Mena Crisologo Street is a must. The tour will take visitors
more than a couple of hours and will cost around half a
thousand pesos. You will be guided through four blocks of
cobblestone streets lined with heritage houses of the families
of the Filipino-Chinese traders who rose to prominence during
that time of vigorous trading in abel cloth, indigo, gold,
tobacco and other goods that were transported to Vigan from
all over the North.

The houses are simple but lovely

subjects ready for picture-perfect
shots with their roofs of red tiles,
thick walls, huge doors and stair
cases leading to rooms of high
ceilings and sliding capiz shell
windows. Having survived the many
natural and man-made calamities
throughout the centuries, the
families who own these treasures
have endeavored to maintain them.
Visitors can admire more closely the
architecture and intricate
craftsmanship employed in the grill
and wood works when they step
inside some of the houses that have been turned into stores and museums. They can even
experience staying in a heritage house during their visit as some have been converted into inns.
Though a trip to Calle Crisologo is enjoyable
during the day especially because of the
opportunity to shop for Vigan’s best products
(antiques, abel woven products, bags, basi wine,
burnay and dimili products, chicharon, jewelry,
sweets, Vigan vinegar and woodcrafts) in the
inobtrusive shops located in the ground floor of
some of the grand houses, a walk through it is
magical at night. Since it is closed to vehicular
traffic at any time of the day, the stillness and
shadows that come with the night adds more to
the 18th century ambience of the lamp-lit street
that local and foreign visitors love. Couples can take advantage of this romantic atmosphere by
having dinner in one of the old houses that has been converted to a restaurant, like Café Leona,
before or after their walk.
For those who want to know something about the person the street is named after, Mena
Pecson Crisologo is among the most-respected sons of the Ilokos region. He wrote Mining
wenno Ayat ti Kararwa, which many compare to Jose Rizal’s Noli Me Tangere; an Ilocano
translation of Don Quixote entitled Don Calixtofaro de la Kota Caballero de la Luna; and a
zarzuela entitled Codigo Municipal.

Antiquated Pot Crafting

First stop of our documentary is the Barangay of Pagburnayan. First move was to approach the National
Folk Artist, “Fidel Go”. There store is a burnay making factory, first established Pottery Factory ever in
our country. Sir Fidel Go (78 years old) narrated full details of the historicity of their craft. “My Father,
Ongkay Go, was the first to create this craft here at our locality. It started on the year 1922, his and my
time, it was a successful industry, it was a craft that’s been shipped out at our locality, Even Nationwide.
But since plastic jars became in demand, the burnay has been slowly fading out of the popularity. 2001
was the last”. Then we asked the price of every size, he said, “The smallest in size costs 50 PHP, and the
most expensive ones are 12,000 PHP”. Then we also asked how many workers do they have, “For now,
we only have 4 workers. I’m the second descendant and my son, Pedro, possibly would be the last, since
the industry is dying, its not that we are stoping the business we’re just settling things out, because we
are much willing to teach those who wants to learn and earn knowledge ‘bout the craft”. The very
accommodating owner, added “About the advantages of the product, against the plastic jars out there,
the burnay is pure organic, unlike the materials used in plastics which are commonly chemicals, the
burnay can store vinegar or any liquid, for a clean and safe way, it also adds flavor to the liquid”. The
factory today resides near Ilocos Sur National High School, and the factory is called “Ruby Jar Factory”.