Art Analysis Worksheet

Lesson IX: Art from the Regions

Mechanics:
You must submit a minimum of 800 word-creative and original feature story about the local
culture, heritage and arts which may include but is not limited to people’s life, literary pieces,
inherent tradition, indigenous arts and crafts, unique festivals, heritage and historical sites in
any of the four provinces in the region. Cultural resources including artistic and literary pieces in
the locality which are threatened to be lost or extinction will likewise be given focus.

Have your topic approved by your instructor by answering the pre-writing draft. Once your
topic is approved, you must go on to writing. You need to interview and interact with the right
sources. Internet and books must be used sparingly. You may interview family members,
friends, and other experts orally, by phone, or by social messaging online.

You must also include visuals—pictures, drawings, etc.

This is considered your final exam.

THE MEJESTIC REGION III

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Aside from the unique painter named Elito
“Amang Pintor” Circa who is popular here
in our region because of his unique
artworks that are known by many. We also
have more things to be proud of and
deserve to share with others for them to
know our culture here in Region III better.
Region III has really something that you
can’t explain about. It is composed of seven
provinces which are; Aurora, Bataan,
Bulacan, Pampanga, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac,
and Zambales. According to DepEd
Regional Office III, “Region III is the
largest contiguous area of lowland in the
country. Technically, it lies between
latitudes 120 and 160 north of the equator
and between longitudes of 120 and 121. It has a land area of 2,201,463 hectares.   Nueva Ecija
province occupies the biggest land area while Bataan peninsula has the smallest land holding.

Central Luzon Region is located north of Manila, the nation’s capital. Bordering the region are
the regions of Ilocos, Cordillera Administrative Region and Cagayan Valley regions to the north;
National Capital Region and CALABARZON to the south; and of waters of Manila bay to the
south; South China Sea to the west; and The Philippine Sea to the east. Central Luzon is one of
the warmest Region in the Philippines with an average daily high temperature of 32 degrees
centigrade. It is yearlong warm or hot.”

But what is special here is, it is a region wherein every place is not similar to other places. I
mean, when you go and explore Nueva Ecija, and eventually explore the Aurora province, you
can’t tell that they are similar and it goes the same way for every province here in Region III, in
summary, we have different places that have a different culture to showcased and to be proud of.

I will start to showcase a unique tradition and

festival here in Nueva Ecija. We have here
what we call the “Taong-Putik Festival” or
also known as “Pagsa-San Juan” in Bibiclat
Aliaga, province of Nueva Ecija. It practiced
up until today to give honor and thanksgiving
to their patron St. John the Baptist, it is
celebrated every June 24 as for the feast day
of their patron Saint. It is maintained beyond
being a cultural and tourist attraction. Many
devotees are gathered in streets with mud-
soaked all over their bodies and dried banana
leaves that they hang on their shoulders to act
as an item of clothing. During the event, they
pass through the streets of Aliaga with that attire to visit houses as well as the tourists to ask

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them for alms of money and candles before they even get to the church to offer all they have
been collected to Saint John the Baptist. 

If you are planning to visit Aliaga in Nueva Ecija to witness and try this unique tradition of them,
then you should be there as early as 4:00 am, June 24 every year because at that time many
devotees are already roaming around the barrio street of Bibiclat, Aliaga to prepare for the feast
of their patron Saint John the Baptist. This shows the spirituality we have. And how the devotees
really give sympathy in everything that keeps them going to strengthen their faith in God. 

The next stop is in Baler Aurora. We all

know that Aurora province is known to
be a great place for beaches as it faces
the widely known Pacific Ocean. There
are so many beach resorts that Aurora is
proudly and deserving to showcase. One
of them is the popular beach named
Sabang. It is a two-kilometer strip of
gray sand facing East over the Pacific
Ocean and famously known for its
frequently strong waves that are great for
surfing! That’s why many tourists from
all over the world are frequently visiting
this beach, especially the surfers. And
Sabang is just one of the beautiful beaches in Aurora. There are a lot! And it also sorts in
different sand colors and some are just calm when it comes in waves. That’s why many tourists
are fond of its beaches, in the fact that it really doesn’t show similarities compared to other
beaches, that’s why everyone who visits here enjoys their stay.

Aurora is also known in so many historical

places and one of it is the “Museo de Baler”.
Here you can see the history of the province
of Aurora. Mostly what is seen here is the
photos of the life of former First Lady Dona
Aurora who was born in Baler. Aside from
that, Museo de Baler also displays artifacts
and paintings about the history of Aurora, as
well as exhibits on the ethnic groups
Dumagat and Ilongot. We can also see here
the and photos and memorabilia of native son
Manuel L. Quezon, the second Philippine
president, and his sitting statue at the very
center of the site. There is a section regarding the Siege of Baler, with some film props from the
local film "Baler." 

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On the right side of the Museo de
Baler, you will see an ancestral house
made with bamboos and it is just
literally what we call “Bahay Kubo”
or a Nipa Hut. It is an ancestral home
of Dona Aurora. It is still fully
flourished as the locals are
maintaining its beauty and stability for
a long period of time now. Tourists are
allowed to go inside in both museum
and ancestral house that’s why
everyone who visits here is enjoying
its magical and magnificent
experience to enter these kinds of
museums. 

And also, on the way to Aurora, tourists

from the different side of the country and the
globe rather will witness how majestic the
Sierra Madre is. I witness it as I travel from
here in Nueva Ecija to Aurora. We passed
here and it amazed me how this long
mountain trail is seen in many parts of the
Philippines. It is also a big help for us
because many typhoons are weakened by
this mountain, protecting the mainlands of
Luzon especially the Central Luzon which is
Region III. But it saddened me because the
Philippine Government is currently planning
to build a Dam here, which is the Kaliwa
Dam. It triggers so many people into anger
because we are against it in the fact that not only the nature that is endangered here but also the
tribes and small barrios living around the place that is in the location in building the Kaliwa
Dam.

Let’s move on to Pampanga. It excites me how Pampanga creates a magical moment for
everyone who visits their annual Hot Air Balloon Festival. The said event was held usually every
between January and February at Omni Aviation Complex inside Clark Freeport Zone as it is a
wide-open space that is a perfect spot to enjoy Hot Air Balloon. In this event, it features
multicolored hot air balloons from around the globe, it is the biggest aviation sports event in the
Philippines. Tourists are never failed to put a smile on their faces whenever they see how
colorful and fun this Festival is. It is a four-day event filled with excitement and fun programs.
Many are also fond of this event because it is a really unusual one here in our country. It is
totally a jampacked event for the people who are going to visit it!

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For our next and last stop, we are going to appreciate how Bulacan made their famous Buntal
arts and pieces from the stalks of the Talipot palms. The fiber is mainly used in weaving hats,
wallets, and bags. These craftworks are commonly sold in Baliuag public market in Bulacan, and
the prices depend on the size, color, and complexity of the design. These pieces are based on the
book ‘Baliuag Then and Now’, which was written by Rolando Villacorte, and it said there that
the weaving industry in the town is more than a hundred years old. It started when Mariano
Deveza, a Lucban, Quezon native, went to Baliuag Bulacan with a bag of Buntal fibers or
Talipot in his tow. This sparked and made the interest of the locals to weave using the fiber of
the Talipot palm to make hats and other pieces that they can sell or just use for their own interest.
It started in 1907 and it is still maintained up until today because many locals and tourists still
have an interest in these products. That’s why the locals made Buntal weaving a decent source of
livelihood in Baliuag Bulacan.

These are just a partial part of things that made Region III iconic and valuable, in the fact that
there is so much to explore here in our Region. You can explore different places according to
your preferences because as I’ve said every place has something different from other places. You
can enjoy as much as you want and your eyes will be filled by so many famous and majestic
sites. Of course, the products and indigenous materials are still obtained and use here as the
source of livelihood of the locals. 

Well, every place is precious and majestic that’s why we should really appreciate our nature and
our tradition for us to live this meaningful life of us. 

Reference for the photos:

https://www.pinterest.ph/