Revisiting Pagsanjan, Laguna

We recently did a four-town tour here in Laguna: Paete, Kalayaan, Lumban, and Pagsanjan. Pagsanjan was not in our list actually but the place was simply irresistible. Besides, visiting three towns in a day was already a tiring activity; Pagsanjan was certainly a good place to rest…and sip a cup of coffee.

Another motivation for revisiting Pagsanjan was a comment posted on one of my Pagsanjan entries. In it, someone suggested to me that I visit Mabini Street. It turned out that Mabini Street was just the street adjacent to Rizal Street, the one I have recently blogged about. The revisit was worth it.

[I will just share two finds here, as we were primarily in need of a comfort room and a place for rest when we arrived in Pagsanjan.]

* standing against the fiery sun

A Curious Obelisk

I did not notice this solitary monument until I took a picture of a statue of Father Pio on the far side of the Pagsanjan church’s patio. It seemed at first that it was a monument for Rizal. But no; he has his own at the town plaza. Neither did it look like a monument for World War II veterans. They have their own at the town plaza too.

And so I contented myself in observing the inscriptions on its base. I noted two plaques bearing the following words:

MORET CREADOR _ _ _ AS JUNTAS DE REFORMAS ULTRAMARINAS 1869
and..
MAURA AUTOR DEL R.O. DE 19 DE MAYO 1893.

Using an online English-Spanish translations program, these can be translated roughly as

MORET CREATOR _ _ _AS BOARDS OF REFORMS OVERSEAS 1869
and…
MAURA AUTHOR OF THE R.O. OF 19 OF MAY 1893

Who are these people and what are those boards mentioned are topics that can be studied next.

* the Pagsanjan Municipal Building, again!

The Pagsanjan Municipal Building

Alas, I was able to take some notes about the town’s municipal building. It was erected in mid-19th century and originally accommodated the Tribunal del Gramio de Naturales. Key points in our history saw the building’s occupation: first by the Filipino revolutionists in 1898 (Philippine Revolution of 1896), then by the American Forces in 1903 (Filipino-American War). The first public high school in Laguna was founded there in Pagsanjan and it served as its building from 1903-1907. It was most likely under the influence or administration of the Americans (or American educators for that matter). Then it also housed the town’s elementary school until 1911. Later, it became the office of the municipal government. The tumultuous times of World War II resulted in its destruction on March 20, 1945. The building’s reconstruction spanned four years: from 1951 to 1955.

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Again, what remains to be seen in this town is the Pagsanjan Falls.