"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

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

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

1934: 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

An Simbahan ni San Lorenzo Martir

Pangadyi Sa Paglaog sa Simbahan (hali sa lumang librong Bicolnon. ca.1800s) ~

"Malaog aco sa mahal mong harong, asin masamba aco sa imo, Dios co, nin lobos na paggalang. Sa paggnaran nin Dios Ama, Dios Aqui, Asin Dios Espirito Santo."


*photo credit: OFM Archives/ca.1966

1969: Putsan

"two boats in the sand with a line of trees and nipa huts all in a row in the background."

~a shot of barangay Putsan as seen through the lens of the camera of my late father, Aki.

ca.1969