Unwrapping a sweet legacy
The quintessential wrapper for the quintessential pasalubong from San Miguel, Bulacan, is made eminent, yet again, through a meritorious book published by the University of the Philippines (UP) Press.
Authored by professor Shirley Guevarra, dean of the College of Home Economics of UP Diliman, “Pabalat: (Wrapper) Designs of San Miguel de Mayumo’s Pastillas de Leche” documents what is now considered a dying traditional art form.
Using Japanese paper of different colors, a pabalat is a cutout wrapper of varying and at times intricate designs used for the decadent carabao milk candy known not only as a product of San Miguel but of Bulacan province in general.
The book presents the history and heritage of the craft also known as borlas de pastillas through field surveys and interviews of surviving cultural masters and practitioners belonging to the Ramos and Libunao families.
It likewise mentions the legacies of the well-known pabalat maker Luz Ocampo and neighbor Dolores Libunao.
The said art form is actually not exclusive to pastillas but also utilized, as San Miguel native and National Artist Virgilio Almario notes, in the decoration of tables, baskets, and dishes where a jar of minatamis (sweets) rests.
Complemented by colorful images, the book is an easy and enjoyable read on the subject. It is not just a book per se, but an important tool in the safeguarding of the pabalat rooted in the talent and creativeness of its makers.
It is likewise a way to attract public attention to the traditional craft that is unique to San Miguel de Mayumo, a town known for its sweets. Mayumo is a Kapampangan word for sweet.
And although there have been previous books on pabalat as part of anthologies, this is thus far the most comprehensive in terms of breadth and scope. The discussions are multisectoral and multidisciplinary, talking about pabalat in relation to art, history, economy, and society.
Apart from the people behind the craft, the materials and process are also documented, as well as the finished products in various designs, making the book a repository, an archive of the pabalat.
The author likewise underscores the artistic, religious, economic, and social significance of the craft, which has become a cultural identifier for San Miguel.
In his message in the book, Almario hailed the author for her work and stressed in Filipino that “an extraordinary compassion is needed for our traditional culture to survive.”
He added that “there is a need to enlighten the present generation on the importance of our authentic traditional culture in relation to instilling love for our country and making the honor of our race robust.”
These words by Almario resonate not just in San Miguel but in the Philippines as a whole, a country replete with age-old customs and traditions as well as arts and crafts like the sophisticated art form that is the pabalat.
