October 27, 2010
Inipot-ibon. Tukmol. Who would have thought that the first one was a rice variety, and the second, now a thoughtlessly used derisive word, was but a wild pigeon? These old Tagalog words were among the information learned by the participants of the 6th Tayabas Province Studies Conference held in Tayabas, Quezon from September 3 to 5.
Organized since 2004 by the ATAGAN Inc. (Alternatibong Tahanan ng mga Akda at Gawang Nasaliksik) or the Tayabas Studies and Creative Writing Center, the conference aims to provide a regular venue for discussion about the province, among teachers and interested individuals, and to determine the extent of research projects already conducted about the Tayabas province. Tayabas as a province was renamed in 1946 to Quezon in honor of Commonwealth President Manuel L. Quezon, and once covered the present-day provinces of Quezon, Marinduque and Aurora.
Ryan Palad, who heads ATAGAN, said that the conference also targets to involve more people in research activities that will benefit the said three provinces.
This year’s conference theme revolved around KAWASA (Kapaligiran, Agham, Wika, Alamat, Sining, at Awit), highlighting provincial impressions and expressions on environment and heritage. The term “kawasa” itself pertains to a local Tayabasin expression, which is loosely translated as “because” in the English language.
The information on inipot-ibon and tukmol was discussed by educator Jonathan Jimenez in his paper “Balik Tanaw sa mga Naglalahong Hayop at Halaman ng Mulanay.” Other topics and speakers for the conference were: “Lokal at Katutubong Kultura at Kasaysayan Bilang Pundasyon ng Pambansang Pagkakilanlan at Kamalayan,” by National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) Commissioner Elmar Beltran Ingles; “Ancestral Houses of Lucena: A Preliminary Documentation” by architect Jennifer Sanchez, project architect of Canossian Sisters, and Enverga University’s CAFA; “Magka-ugnay: The Experience of Arella-Suguitan Museum of Lopez, Quezon” by Gemma San Jose; “Ang Sining sa Laylayan ng Bundok Banahaw”
by professor Santiago Albano Pilar; “Medical Practice in the late 19th Century Rural Philippines” by Celestina Boncan, PhD of University of the Philippines (UP) Manila; “The Admission and Treatment of Insanity in the Philippines During the Spanish Period: Selected cases from the Provinces of Tayabas and Laguna” by Regino Paular, PhD of De La Salle University (DLSU), Dasmariñas, Cavite; “Ang Tayabas sa El Fili ni Rizal” by Joselito de los Reyes, University of Santo Tomas (UST); “Ang Wika ng Inskripsyon sa Binatbat na Tanso ng Laguna” by Jaime Tiongson; “Pag Abyad sa Altaran: Maintaining the Rice Terraces in Tayabas” by Kathleen Tantuico; “Heritage Tours and Business Plan: A Format for Local Arts and Culture Councils” by Ino Manalo; “The Art of Biography Discoveries” by Maria Lourdes Abulecia; “Isang Pag-aaral sa Kinahinatnan ng Komedya sa Bayan ng Tayabas” by professor Estelita Valdeavilla–Llanita; “Komedya vs. Komedi: O Kung Bakit Ibig nating Paputiin ang Ating mga Kilikili” by professor Vim Nadera, UP Diliman; “Kahoy: Lexicon of Wood Term from the 16th to 19th Century Sources: With Focus on Tayabas Province” by Cheek Fadriquela; “Pangkalinangang Pagpapakahulugan sa Utang” by Dr. Lars Ubaldo, DLSU-Manila; “Nakakain ba ang Heritage?” by professor Eric Zerrudo, Met Museum and UST- Center for Conservation of Cultural Property and. Environment in the Tropics (CCPET).
The conference was attended by teachers, cultural and historical group members, tourism council members, college students, Sangguniang Bayan members, and by the local committee on tourism and culture, among others.
The conference was supported by the NCCA, Department of Education, Commission on Higher Education, National Historical Commission of the Philippines, UST-CCPET, Metropolitan Museum of Manila, and the Government Service Insurance System Museum of Art.
For more information on the Tayabas Studies and Creative Writing Center, contact Ryan Palad at
0917-944-1422 or e-mail at n ryan_palad@yahoo.com
