Good day tourists!

I’m Franz your tour guide for today and

now where going to explore and see the beauty of the The
Town That Was “Manang Pula the municipality of manapla”!
On behalf of Suntan Tours I'd like to welcome you all to
Manapla. Ok let start our tour with a prayer. (pray) now I would
like to introduce our couch captain. Couch Alvin he is an
experienced driver for 5 years and he will make sure that we
will have a safe and happy trip. So are you all excited guys?
Yes! And now lets have a headcount first starting with you.. 1
2.. Ok were all 30 thank you for your cooperation. I just want
to say some few friendly reminders before I tell the history of
Manapla. First always put your trash in proper disposal and
second don’t leave your things unattended. Ok guys? Did you
know The island of what is now Negros Occidental was a
place inhabited by the Negritoes, the aborigines of the
Philippines who are known for their dark skin, small stature,
think lips, and kinky hair. For these aborigines, there is no
such thing as a permanent resident. As nomads, they are
known to travel from place to place wherever food is plenty.

But with the arrival of settlers from the neighboring region, the
Negritoes fled to the mountains to which they had permanently
lived ever since.Subsequently, through the coming of the
migrant settlers in the island of Negros. A place called
“Manang Pula” was born which was a tribute to the beloved
colonist and wife to the region’s captain. By using a
contraction, the town that was Manang Pula was renamed into
“Manapla” which is a portmanteau of the words “manang” (a
local honorific to an elder woman) and “pula” (literally, the
color red). However, it is not known why people at the time
refer to the beloved figure as Manang Pula if put in the context
of the color. But Manapla is more than just a place where a
beloved mother figure to the town lived. As a place of
significance, Manapla was a military district within the island of
Negros until midway of the 19th century. In 1856, Manapla
reached the status of politico-military “govierno” within Negros
Occidental, specifically, and further improving and
consequently reaching the status of “municipality” during the
latter part of 1860. It was during the term of Gov. Saravia and
exaltation of Vicar and Acting Governor of Bacolod that the
decision to turn the town into a municipality was enacted. As
the sugar cane industry started to boom around 1917 due to
the foundation of the North Negros Sugar Company, Inc.,
Manapla has become pivotal in leading the nearby towns to
the business. As a resulted, large haciendas sprung up within
Negros and sugar milling operation has become rampant,
thanks in part to the convenience brought by the Steam
machinery.

We are now here our at firts destination the The Chapel of

Cartwheels, Made using only materials found on the farm, The
Chapel of Cartwheels exemplifies human ingenuity and
resourcefulness. The chapel is owned by the Gaston Family,
the first French people to settle in Negros. all right I’ll give you
guys time for around and take a picture OK so let’s head up to
our second location. Built during the hacienda days of the
1960s, it is probably the most native-looking of all Philippine
churches. Built by secular priest Msgr. Guillermo “Gigi” Gaston
for the farm’s workers, its farming motif is reflected in its
facade made mainly from various farm implements including
plows, mortar (candle holders) and pestles (a holy water
container), all indigenous to Hacienda Rosalia, as well as
margaha sand and rocks from the nearby seashore. The
chapel’s benches were each made with slabs of hardwood by
families who attended the mass.Its tall roof is a stylized
wooden salakot (headgear) and the walls are made of
artistically-linked discarded carabao cartwheels, an idea
thought of by Msgr. Gaston who knew that the farm workers
and their families could easily relate to this simple but widely
used object in the farms where they worked. For him, the
cartwheel also symbolizes the Holy Trinity with God the Father
as the center of the wheel; Jesus Christ as the spokes
surrounding it, leading the people towards God; and the the
Holy Spirit as the outer rim who ensures that the people don’t
get lost on their way towards the center. The sliding doors
feature mats of 128 panels portraying Biblical events and the
usual Christ on the cross is modified by a farmer crucified on a
cartwheel. Masses, attended by hacienda farm workers and
their families, are still being held in the chapel. The chapel,
also open to guests and tourists who visit the town, is also a
popular venue for weddings.

K we are now here at Ancestral Home of the Gastons Built-in

the 1930’s, the ancestral home of Negros’ first French settlers,
the Gastons. The Mansion is located at Hda. Rosalia/ Hda.
Santa Rosalia and is now the official residence of Msgr. Gigi
Gaston. The house has been used as a setting or location
shoot for some movies two of which of which were the classic
film Oro, Plata, Mata, Cherie Gil’s Sonata. The Jose Gaston
residence in Hacienda Sta. Rosalia, as rendered by the
award-winning filmmaker, had become a character in itself,
inanimate yet very much alive. The Gaston ancestral house is
located at the end of a long and winding dirt road in Manapla,
about an hour’s drive from Bacolod City. It was built in 1935 by
Msgr. Gaston’s father, Jose Gaston—a wealthy, American-
educated politician and sugar baron who also owned property
in Victorias, namely Hacienda San Jose and Hacienda
Lourdes. Jose was also involved in the management of the
Silay electric power plant and a bus firm called Visayan Rapid
and Negros Transportation Company. The Gaston ancestral
house’s structure and exterior is colonial style, while the
interiors are adorned with custom-made French Creole
furniture adapted to suit the Filipino tropical climate.
Everything, from the condition down to the arrangement of the
furniture, silverware and ornamentation, has been kept as
close to the original as possible. It has seven spacious
balconies and large windows—attempts to bring the outside
in, as the patriarch loved the outdoors.

Okay now lets head out to out last destination for this day here
in Manapla.But before that let me share these famous
delicacies here in Manapla, The Manapla Puto or rice cake is
a very popular delicacy of the place. In fact, some would even
buy this delicacy and send these abroad. The frozen puto is
usually packed in a styrofoam container, and it reaches as far
as America. They steam the puto again before serving to get
back to its original form.
If you are driving towards the Northern Part of Negros, you will
see, vendors offering the Puto along the highway of Manapla.
However, for me, the best Putos are those that are being sold
at the stores found in the town proper.

Pinasugbo

Pinasugbo is another favorite delicacy that Manapla is

producing. Made from a thinly sliced banana, dried and deep-
fried. It is then coated with caramelized sugar and topped with
sesame seeds.

Tourists it is now time to head back to the bus because we will

be going back to our hotel. So on behalf on SUNTAN tours we
are very thankful for choosing us to become a part of your
unforgettable trip here in cebu. I hope I have given you
reasons to smile and enjoy today. Thank you, rest well and
well see each other tomorrow.