Recollections of Childhood in Tiwi

One of the more vivid recollections of my childhood was that of a Toyota Coaster, a mini bus servicing the big hotels in Legaspi— Mayon Imperial Hotel, La Trinidad Hotel and Albay Hotel—stopping by daily in front of our house, always bringing a bevy of multinational tourists led by a distinctly loud tour guide who descended the concrete steps towards the house, where artworks and products made of abaca and other native materials were mounted on a wall display in the sala.

My grandparents were known proponents of the local handicraft and cottage industries in Tiwi since the 1950s and were featured at the height of their business in the Philippines Herald, one of the leading newspapers at that time, in a section titled Little People Making Big. per said article- “they stopped the exodus of women from Bicolandia” which I will also write about in a future post.

Looking back? It was always fascinating as a child to watch the awestruck faces of those tourists as they examined the framed artworks as the din of the tourist guide’s voice reverberated throughout the small room as he explained the intricate process and the materials used in their construction.

Most of the artworks that were on display depicted the local hot springs, vignettes of early geothermal exploration, and of course, the usual touristy fare— rustic local scenes with the Mayon Volcano as a backdrop.

The tourists were a mix of various nationalities from all over the world, with the Australians and the Japanese comprising the majority.

My gran’pa Lolo Pito sold a lot of his artworks during the heyday of tourism in Tiwi (1970s to early 1980s). He used to keep a small notebook with pictures of his artworks and the names and address of his buyers catalogued in it. The list was a hodgepodge of various nationalities, with one of the more noteworthy entries being a Peruvian whose name now escapes me who bought several huge pieces that made me wonder how cumbersome it would be to transport them to South America. Now, whenever I remember that particular moment, I would envision a scene where I’d spot one of those frames hanging in a restaurant on the streets of Lima.

Unfortunately, I could not find that particular notebook the first time I went home to Tiwi from the United States. It was probably lost to the floods brought about by the annual monsoons and typhoons that constantly visit and plague Basag since forever.

After the wells of the hot springs dried up as a consequence of the geothermal operations in the 1980s, the sight of the mini bus and its tourist passengers visiting Tiwi suddenly became scarce, until one day they just stopped coming.

The tourism industry became anemic and the revenues it brought to Tiwi took a downturn. With a few exceptions, the souvenir shops have closed and the people behind them moved on to other endeavors.

And what happened to the tourist guide with the loud and distinct voice?

I have learned years later that his name was Aguinaldo ‘Gina’ Cariño; that he was a good friend of my grandfather — they were party-mates in the local branch of the Liberal Party under Senator Victor S. Ziga; that he became a Board Member of the Province of Albay during the time of Governor Romeo Salalima and in 2014 was honored by then-Governor Joey Salceda as one of the Outstanding Albayanos for his lifelong support and contributions to the tourism industry in the province, among other reasons.

This is the Philippines!

During the peak of the tourism boom in Albay and Tiwi in the mid 1970s and 1980s up until the early 1990s, the fame and beauty of the Japanese Garden in Tiwi was not only confined to local knowledge but was also renowned overseas. It was listed in many foreign tourism brochures and guidebooks (e.g. Japan) as a must-see in the Province of Albay for visitors.

The 1992 National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) Handbook on Land and Other Physical Resources named the Japanese Garden in Tiwi as one of the premier tourist attractions in Albay, but its most notable inclusion was in a 1977 tourism book, This is the Philippines!

In the book, the author Lea T. Castelo talked about how Imelda R. Marcos’ support for the arts and culture inspired her...

“the writing of this book has been inspired by the First Lady whose consumate dedication to the development of the arts and culture in this country, in order to make it a land of vibrant and self-reliant people, is the pride of the Filipino race. Coming generations will also appreciate the wonders of their land, its history, and its destiny, from this book.”

She later expounded how “The residents’ participation in the national development came in the form of developing beaches, constructing resorts and building parks...”

And in the entry for Tiwi she described the Tiwi Japanese Garden as a —

“A beautiful place not only for the enjoyment of residents but even for tourists and domestic visitors is the Japanese Garden. This is almost a hectare in area. It was developed by the Japanese Peace Corps volunteers and landscape technicians. It is a charming blend of Japanese art and the use of native ornamental plants. Aside from its colorful attraction, the garden stands for the warm friendship of two peoples: the Japanese and the Filipinos.”

History of Tiwi Japanese Garden (second in a series)

In the first few years after its completion, the supervision and maintenance of the Japanese Garden was under the jurisdiction and supervision of Barangay Tigbi, since the barangay council in partnership with some prominent movers and shakers of the town spearheaded the fundraising drive for the creation of the Filipino-Japanese Friendship Garden in Tiwi.

Mayor Oriel C. Clutario (seen in this photo from the 1970s with vice-mayor Alfredo Corullo among others) was one of the driving forces behind the project and became so enamored with the traditionally designed Japanese strolling garden as well as with the colorful and beautiful fishes that he took it upon himself to personally handle the upkeep of the garden. For years, the townspeople would often see the mayor feeding the Koi and the large-mouth gouramies in the pond as well as trimming the ornamental plants all by himself.

During his long tenure, Mayor Oriel Clutario even had Tio Juan Cruz, one of the Municipio’s utility men, designated as the caretaker of the Japanese garden and if needed would assign other municipal personnel at his disposal to help maintain its charm and beauty.

The Tiwi Japanese Garden is more than 50 years old and is probably the first and oldest authentic Japanese garden designed by a Japanese national in the Philippines. Also, it is older and its landscape design more beautiful than the ones found at the Luneta and in Lake Caliraya in Laguna respectively. The Japanese Garden is also one of the last, if not the last public green space in the heart of Tiwi.

—- a few distinctions that if properly explored especially after the Covid-19 pandemic, a rehabilitated and well-maintained Tiwi Japanese Garden, especially in this age of instagram and social media, can once again be a magnet for domestic and international tourists alike, with the potential to help reinvigorate the once prosperous tourism industry in Tiwi.

It is worth noting that the Japanese Garden’s creation was spearheaded by Tiwinhons and its construction was funded by money through the efforts of Tiwinhons. It was an endeavor, guided by the spirit of Bayanihan to attain a common goal.

And if we consider the Japanese Garden’s age as well as the circumstances behind its creation, the Japanese Garden qualifies to be registered and be classified as one of the Heritage Sites of Tiwi. Let us hope that the Local Government, who at present is undergoing a cultural mapping of the town, will consider its inclusion and push for the aforementioned distinction under Republic Act 10066 or the National Cultural Heritage Act of 2009.

Tiwi Japanese Garden- Noboru & Hoshino

one balmy afternoon in the summer of ‘86, as was our usual wont in those days, we found ourselves hanging out at the Japanese Garden to pass the time, learning the chords of some folk songs to try to play them on the old acoustic guitar.

while we were singing, in the middle of doing a bit of the harmony part of Scarborough Fair in our best interpretation of the Simon and Garfunkel classic, out of the corner of my eye i saw a figure moving toward us. 

with a small book in hand, the first of the two men (who i could easily tell from looking at them were Japanese) approached us and asked us in halting English about what we knew about the garden while pointing to the Japanese tourist guidebook in his possession. 

i introduced myself and told them about the history of the garden — they were surprised at my Japanese name and at first thought that i was a descendant of a Japanese serviceman from WWII. so, i told them that i was the son of the Japanese Overseas Cooperation Volunteer (JOCV) who designed the Filipino-Japanese Friendship Garden, and when they asked for the whereabouts of my father since they were interested in meeting him, I brought them home with me to Basag to meet my father Akihiko, where they spent the entire afternoon conversing about various subjects over tea and sinapot. 

I would learn that Noboru and Hoshino were philanthropists who frequented the Philippines and were helping finance the scholarships of Filipino students in Baguio. I would also learn that it was also their first sojourn in Albay and traveled straight to Tiwi upon learning of the existence of the Japanese Garden from their guidebook issued by the tourism agency in Japan. 

When my father and mother went back to Japan a year later, they again met Noboru and Hoshino in Tokyo. The hosts entertained and treated the visitors from the Philippines to a side trip to Tokyo Disneyland among other things.

As for me, a month after my chance encounter with Noboru and Hoshino, i received a letter from Japan and inside was the photo below which shows 16-year-old me and my friends, Josel Cano and Jing Villanueva, trying to look cool and dandy in front of the camera.

The Inauguration of Tiwi Japanese Garden

This 1970s-era black & white photograph of the inauguration of Tiwi’s Japanese Garden shows then-Tigbi Barangay Captain Edgar “Etan” Competente and Mrs. Salvacion Climaco leading the traditional ribbon cutting ceremonies.

Also in the photo were some of the prime movers and supporters that played a part in the realization of the Filipino-Japanese Friendship Garden in the heart of Tiwi— Mrs. Patria C. Gutierrez, Mrs. Naomi C. Corral, Mrs. Caring Dalde, Rev. Fr. Francisco (Parish Priest), Dr. Tomas Madrilejos, Mr. Akihiko Shimizu, Mr. Gavino Consuelo, Mrs. Salvacion Templado, Mrs. Dading Competente, Mrs. Lydia Cruel, Mrs. Pilar Consuelo, Mrs. Lydia Rodriguez and Mr. Fred Cariño.

Built with local labor and designed by Akihiko Shimizu, a Japanese landscape artist who arrived in Tiwi in 1968, the Japanese Garden is styled after the traditional strolling gardens popular during Japan’s Edo Period (1603-1868).

Akihiko Shimizu was a ceramics technician and one of the pioneering members of the Japanese Overseas Cooperation Volunteer (JOCV) in the Bicol Region, as well as the first of the continuous pipeline of JOCVs (now JICA) that were sent by the Japanese government to Tiwi through the years as ambassadors of Goodwill and Friendship with the mandate to share their knowledge and expertise with the people and their industries.

Naomi Climaco Corral (1992-1995) and Patria Competente Gutierrez (1996-2004), would both be elected and served as mayors of Tiwi decades after this picture was taken.

Vinegar Candy

It is hard to imagine especially for children that once upon a time, things as common and as ordinary nowadays as candy were luxuries. Unlike today, Tiwinhons with a sweet tooth during the early years of American colonization did not have very many opportunities to satisfy their sugar cravings.

So, what did they do? They improvised and made do with common, readily available household ingredients and a little help from some of their enterprising Home Economics school teachers, who would come up with novel ideas and turn them into recipes for their students to try later on.

Here is one of those recipes from a repository that I encountered while perusing some of my notes about the “Tiwi Society,” a group composed of proud and well-meaning Tiwinhons, circa 1900s.

Vinegar Candy

Ingredients- 2 tablespoonfuls of butter a cup of granulated sugar 1/2 cup vinegar

Method of Preparation:

Put the butter into a skillet; when it melts add the sugar and vinegar. Stir until the sugar is dissolved, afterwards stir occasionally. Boil until, when tried in cold water the mixture will become brittle.

Turn the candy on to a battered platter to cool. When it is cool enough to handle, pull the candy until it is white. Hold the mass lightly with and pull with the tips of the fingers. Do not squeeze the candy in the hand. Cut the candy into small pieces using scissors. Arrange the pieces on a buttered plate or a banana leaf to cool.

Try them if you must. Will you be up to the challenge?

History of Tiwi Japanese Garden (first in a series)

In 1968, Akihiko Ando Shimizu, a Japanese ceramic technician from Toki City, Gifu Prefecture and a Japanese Overseas Cooperation Volunteer (JOCV), was assigned to Tiwi, Albay to provide technical assistance to local potters at the Tiwi Ceramics Pilot Plant. During his supervision of the construction of the kiln at the Tiwi Ceramics building, he saw a nearby vacant lot and the idea of a Japanese Garden came to his mind.

He then relayed his vision to Mayor Oriel C. Clutario and the good mayor was receptive of the idea, seeing its potential to become a lasting symbol of Filipino-Japanese Friendship in Tiwi. The good mayor, together with the Japanese volunteer, in turn met and consulted the Barangay Officials of Tigbi as well as other prominent citizens of the town and informed them of the proposed project, and the people ultimately responded with a collective effort to make the Japanese garden in the heart of Tiwi a reality.

Funds were sourced both from the local government as well as private contributions like donations and fundraising activites to purchase the necessary materials needed for the project.

Akihiko scoured Tiwi and its environs for plants that he deemed suitable for the garden, and the populace gladly contributed the plants that caught his fancy. He picked and chose the stone slabs from Bariis and Joroan and collected smaller stones and pebbles from the shores of Matalibong. Sacks of coral sands were also brought in from Corangon. Some of the larger rocks were taken from the riverbed in Nagas while some volcanic rocks were transported from the town of Santo Domingo, Albay.

Construction soon followed with the local government of Tiwi providing the logistics and manpower, and by the summer of 1969, work at the Tiwi Japanese Garden was finished.

The Japanese carps (Kois) and gouramis were purchased from Manila and donated by Akihiko, who personally transported them by plane (Air Manila) and bus from the capital to Tiwi.

Tigbi 1968

This was the view in 1968 that Akihiko Shimizu, a Japanese Peace Corps Volunteer, saw from the window of the Tiwi Ceramics building that sparked the idea of installing a Japanese Garden in the vacant lot beside it.

He then told Mayor Oriel C. Clutario about his vision and the good mayor was receptive of the idea. They in turn gathered the Barangay Officials of Tigbi as well as other prominent citizens of the town for the project and they responded with a collective effort to make the Japanese garden in the heart of Tiwi a reality.

When I was in high school, New Wave was in vogue especially in the cities. But in Tiwi, Slow Rock ruled, and my buddies loved the music of the German rock group, Scorpions. We learned how to play their songs on the acoustic guitar and sang our lungs out to Always Somewhere, No One Like You, In Trance, When the Smoke is Going Down, Still Loving You, and Rock You Like A Hurricane, just to name a few.

We decided to call our group "Basag 49ers" one summer night -- we would usually meet up at night at places like the premises of the Tiwi Rural Bank, at Queens Park, the Japanese Garden, and on most occasions on the sidewalks adjacent to the bridge along the national highway in Basag, to jam and pass the time like most teenagers would do at the time and stay out until the wee hours of the morning especially on weekends doing nothing but singing those high-pitched rock songs and tinkering with the old guitar.

I remember Awo (Emmanuel Canale) who could belt out those high notes like the lead singer Klaus Meine effortlessly while strumming his guitar. I remember a casual friend Aba (RIP) who sometimes joined us with his drum set fashioned out of nylon taffeta from old discarded umbrellas in tow. I remember the times when we would strain our eyes from trying to read the lyrics of songs from the list in "Songhits" magazines under the dim street lights.

And I remember the endless jokes and silly banter, as well as the occasional drinking sessions that we had but were kept under wraps because some of us didn't have a "lisensya" from our respective parents yet.

On September 6, 2007, which was more than a decade ago, I made a 2-hour drive to Pine Knob in Clarkston to attend the Detroit stop of the Scorpions Humanity Tour. I did it not only for a respite from the daily grind but also to relive the memories of my teenage years.

Here are two of the video clips from that concert which I stumbled upon while reviewing my archives of my old Gateway laptop this afternoon.

"Power, cheap power, not the kind politicians covet, is a must for national progress."

"Power, cheap power, not the kind politicians covet, is a must for national progress."

Not many people know that back in the early 70s the late Sen. Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino was already an advocate of geothermal energy. Yes, 46 years ago today on September 7, 1972, he wrote a three-part article on the subject in the Manila Times.

He wanted the government to harness "geothermal power" and called for the Commission of Volcanology (Comvol) after it successfully installed a "pilot experimental electric generator" in Cale, Tiwi, Albay to be placed under the aegis of the National Science and Development Board (now DOST).

The 2.5 kiloWatt turbine installed by the team of Comvol Chief Volcanologist Arturo Alcaraz caught the late senator's attention because of its potential to generate 500+ MWe.

Ninoy Aquino was fully aware about the Philippines' need to be "electrified" as evidenced by the constant brownouts in Metro Manila then. He averred that "electric power means lights for homes, schools and offices, and energy for farms, mills and factories" which will contribute to nation-building.

He also pointed out the pressing need because "it is even worse in the Visayas and Mindanao, more particularly in the deeper south where only the cities and a few of the bigger towns have electricity."

Thus, even during those times in the volatile days of the 1970s, Ninoy Aquino was still thinking of improving the quality of life of the Filipino people. He was far from the traitor and power-hungry politician that he was painted to be by the forces of the dictatorship years later. Alas, the declaration of Martial Law by President Ferdinand Marcos weeks later would put all of his ideas and plans in the freezer.

Among the places that were listed by Ninoy Aquino in the said article as promising for geothermal exploration and development were Mt. Malinao in Tiwi Albay, Mt. Makiling in Laguna, and Mt. Pinatubo in Zambales among others. The geothermal power plants in Tiwi and Makiling-Banahaw were realized and are part of what constitute as the Luzon Grid.

With the 1973 Global Oil Crisis taking its toll on the nation's energy situation, President Ferdinand Marcos embarked on an outside-funded nationwide energy exploration and electrification program and as they usually say, the rest is history.

Baybay

beneath the clouds and beyond

the horizon i see you

in lavender blue.

👣bms/2017

"Farmer and His Plow"

'Farmer and His Plow
Tiwi, Albay 1959'

This is a very evocative picture of a Tiwinhon and his way of life. A very powerful image go a hardworking man just after a day's toil on the rice fields. A glimpse of a rustic and rural Tiwi back in the day.

I first saw this photo on a Facebook post shared by my old college buddy Gibbs Cadiz, Lifestyle Desk Editor of the Philippine Daily Inquirer. I contacted the original poster, Ernie Sarmiento, who turned out to be the son of the photographer Jose Recil Sarmiento, and received his consent to re-post the picture here.

In the 1950s, Jose Recil Sarmiento went on trips all over the archipelago documenting the people and sceneries of the Philippines for the Philippine Tourist and Travel Association (now, Department of Tourism). He probably chanced upon the subject when he visited Naglagbong, Tiwi's number-one tourist attraction at that time, which was proclaimed a National Park by President Ramon Magsaysay five years earlier. Mr. Sarmiento died in 2013.

The Tiwi Town Plaza

In 1880, Gobernadorcillo* Higino Templado conceptualized and constructed Tiwi's first town plaza in order to provide the community with a wholesome place for people to gather on Sundays and holidays to relax and watch the Comedia or local plays.

Municipal President* Mateo Clidoro (1926-1931) initiated the naming of the town plaza to Plaza Templado in honor of Higino Templado during his incumbency. His successor, Mayor Lino Clutario (1931-1934), with monetary donations from the townspeople, was instrumental in erecting a bust of the late mayor Higino Templado at the center of the plaza, where it remained until it was relocated to give way to the building of the "Kiosko" during the term of Mayor Eleodoro Cortezano (1948-1951). Mayor Cristito Cirujales (1952-1955) contributed a water fountain in front of the kiosk, while Mayor Jose C. Templado (1956-1959) in turn built a concrete fence surrounding Plaza Templado in the mid-1950's. Some of these contributions can be seen in the accompanying picture, which was taken in the late 1960s by my late father Aki Shimizu.

During the early days of the geothermal exploration in Tiwi in the 1970s, Mayor Oriel C. Clutario (1968-1992) decided to re-design the town plaza, buried the kiosk under earth and pushed for the concreting of the walkways/sidewalks around the oval and planted the many Talisay and Acacia trees that still stand to this very day.

Mayors Naomi C. Corral (1992-1995), Patria C. Gutierrez (1996-2004) and Ami C. Villanueva (2004-2013) have, in one way or another, taken turns in putting their mark on the town plaza during their terms.

When Leo P. Templado (2013-2016) assumed office as mayor of the town, the local government under his leadership undertook a massive rehabilitation and improvement of the town plaza. Cognizant of the place's history and significance, the Sangguniang Bayan of Tiwi passed an ordinance to restore the newly-minted town plaza back to its original name of Plaza Higino Templado, an affirmation of its historical place in the annals of the history of Tiwi and a fitting homage to the man who played an important role in the affairs of the town's early days.

*gobernadorcillo - municipal president - mayor

Plaza Higino Templado

Tomorrow will be the inauguration of the Tiwi Town Plaza, which will be officially named Plaza Templado.

The Sangguniang Bayan of Tiwi recently passed an ordinance re-affirming the name as it has been historically known (based on oral history and documented evidence) since the time of municipal mayor Mateo Clidoro (1925-1931).

Plaza Templado was named after Higino Templado, the sixty-sixth Gobernadorcillo (mayor) of Tiwi.

Who is Mayor Higino Templado?

Here's a short biography of the man:

Sr. Don Higino Templado, the sixty-sixth gobernadorcillo (1879-1884) of Tiwi, Albay was not only a leader, but a builder. Among his notable accomplishments were the founding of barangay Cararayan, the renaming of Cagintilan to Mayong, the propagation of the Abaca industry, the Cararayan-Cale road, the Nagas River Control Project, and one of the earlier versions of the municipal building called the Tribunal, among many others. He was also instrumental in the planning and laying out of the existing municipal street system of the town.

The superior government in Manila recognized the Gobernadorcillo's achievements in public improvements, in the promotion of peace and order, and in the development of local agriculture. He was therefore awarded a silver medal on which the following was inscribed: "GOBIERNO SUPERIOR DE FILIPINAS- AL MERITO CIVIL".

In 1880, he conceptualized and constructed the town plaza in order to provide the community with a wholesome place for people to gather on Sundays and holidays to relax and watch the Comedia or local plays.

In 1884, he died at the age of 32 after suffering a relapse from an illness that he contracted while supervising the repair of the road in Nagas after a heavy flood.

The plaza was officially named Plaza Templado during the term of Municipal President Mateo Clidoro (1926-1931) in honor of Mayor Higino Templado.

TIWI Molding the Pots of Prosperity from the Springs of History

"Plaza Templado" was mentioned in this book by esteemed historian Danilo Madrid Gerona (also the author of "Ferdinand Magellan, The Armada de Maluco and the European Discovery of the Philippines”), which was commissioned by the Province of Albay under Gov. Joey Salceda and published in 2013 during the term of mayor Ami Villanueva.

The Flag Pole

This is a picture that I grabbed from the LGUTiwi FB page of the ongoing redesign and enhancement of the Plaza in front of the municipal building.

What caught my attention amid the chaos of construction and what have you was the concrete base of the flagpole. I can still vividly remember the story behind said structure.

One day in the late 70s or early 80s, while supervising the construction of the koi (Japanese carp) ponds & water fountains in front of the old 'municipio', my father, Aki Shimizu, was asked by mayor Oriel Clutario if he could improve the old flagpole in the plaza.

He immediately asked his workers to gather the materials needed for the simple design that he sketched on a paper bond in haste: bricks made at the Tiwi Ceramic Plant and corals that were brought from Corangon earlier; they finished the job by late afternoon of the same day.

Of course, as with many of his public landscape projects and works in Tiwi, my father did it for free.

The koi ponds and the fountains are long gone, and judging from the current design of the plaza, the flagpole will eventually be condemned to oblivion, too. I am sharing this backstory here for posterity.

On a side note: Can anyone tell me the proper name of the Tiwi Municipal Plaza?

Yes, it has a name that not too many people, especially the newer generations of Tiwinhons, are aware of. But if you read the book "TIWI Molding the Pots of Prosperity from the Springs of History" -- authored by eminent historian Danilo Madrid Gerona, you probably already know the answer to the question above.

Tiwi Hot Springs, Cagsawa Church Ruins, & Mayon Volcano.

Tiwi Japanese Garden Trivia

This picture was taken in the late '60s. A few months later, this vacant lot in Poblacion (Tigbi) would transform into something that would put Tiwi on the map, tourism-wise.

An old photo of the Japanese Garden showing some large volcanic rocks/stones from Nagas that were used for the design and landscape. Also seen is the old Kanda (Kalachuchi/Plumeria) tree that became one of the focal points of the garden, as well as the old municipal building of Tiwi.

#TiwiTrivia #TiwiHistory

Presidencia Tiwi

A partial view of the facade of the old municipal building of Tiwi. After serving as the home of the local government for over seven decades, it was supplanted by the present 'municipio' in the 1990s.

•photo courtesy of Kag. Bennett Templado.

Sogod

This picture was taken in 1934. And as we can see, the view from Sogod remains the same -- Atulayan island (Sangay), the coastlines along the Albay-Camarines Sur boundary o maski gayud ngani su klase kan mga tinanom o awot.

*Title: "Albay province (Philippines), north of Tiwi village, looking north along coast" Photographer: Robert Larimore Pendleton, 1890-1957 Photographer's Note: "Tiwi...May 14, 1934. Looking North from road along coast N. of Tiwi. Sogod Barrio." ^American Geographical Society Library, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Library