Land Area: 19.174 square km.
Population: 363,681 ( as of Aug 2007)
Voting Population: 203,754 ( as of January 2010)
Malabon City is located in the northern part of the National Capital Region. It is divided into 21 barangays and part of the CAMANAVA district, which stands for Caloocan, Malabon, Navotas and Valenzuelza. Because of the perennial grave flooding in Malabon, it has been comically dubbed as “water city”.
In the 15th century, the Augustinian Friars declared it as a Visata of Tondo. During the Spanish occupation Malabon held an important role in literature when La Liga Filipina printed the newspaper La Independencia in Asilos de Huertanos. Malabon was declared as a municipality of Rizal on 11th of June 1901 before becoming an independent municipality 6th of January 1906. It took almost a hundred years for Malabon before it was declared as an urban city 2nd June 2001.
The Home of the Original Pancit Malabon
A smirk always shows on my face whenever I see any panciteria claim in one way or another that they are the “Home of the Original Pancit Malabon”. This reaction is not due to disgust or arrogance, simply, I know that the Pancit Malabon can originally be found in Malabon – no contest.
Pancit in general is Filipino-style noodles stir-fried with a smorgasbord of sahog. It is believed to be an influence from the Chinese; the word pancit came from the Hokkien phrase “pian i sit” (piān-ê-si̍t) which means something conveniently cooked fast. There are a lot of pancit varieties, depending on the manner of cooking, ingredients and the place of origin, but this article will focus on pancit Malabon, or sometimes known as pancit luglog.
My family is one of the many families who sell pancit malabon as part of their menu. From my grandfather around 1960’s to my father, the family recipe for pancit did not change a bit. Though between families there is a difference in terms of preparation and ingredients used in their pancit.
The common ingredients of a pancit malabon are the following: the noodles made from rice, vegetables ranging from pechay Baguio, cabbage and beans, and different meats, innards and seafood.
My family’s version of pancit malabon is made this way; first the noodle is soaked over night in water to soften. After a day, or at least 8 hours it is drained while the sauce is made. The sauce is made up of a salty, tangy and oily concoction of ground meat, smoked fish (tinapa), atsuete extract and other spices. When the sauce is ready it is mixed with the noodles that were left to drain.
After the noodles and the sauce are done, it is now time to arrange the pancit and put toppings on it. The range of toppings are usually but not limited to the following: ground pork rind, squid, seared shrimp, cabbage, pechay baguio, ground pork, tinapa, shelled and sliced hard boiled eggs and lastly, as I prefer it, a hefty squeeze of calamansi juice to top it all up.
Among panciteria in Malabon, one of the most popular is Dolor’s Pancit Malabon. It can be found in Concepcion Malabon and has been serving home-style pancit malabon for a long time. They also serve other delicacies like bagoong (fish paste), patis (fish extract) and a long line up of rice cakes.
One bilao of pancit malabon can cost from 100pesos to 1000pesos depending on the size and toppings. It can also be bought per serving, ranging from 20pesos to 60pesos.
Pancit is best for merienda or when there is a special occasion, family gatherings, or pakain. It has become a staple for these occasions because it is very easy to make or you can jut have it delivered, but the main reason I think, is that tangy, salty, sahog-laden rice noodles just grow in you.
Fishhhhhhh…..
Malabon is also known as an economic coastal city where the hauls from places like Palawan and Calamianas Islands are brought. Compared to other fish ports the “consignacion” in Huerta Tañong has a very different way of auctioning their fish.
Bulungan is still practiced here. From 9pm to 1am, fish vendors and the fish buyers gather in as containers of freshly caught fish is brought one after another. The buyers then will move around looking for a haul they like, after seeing a good buy, the buyer will approach the auctioneer and will whisper his bid. The other buyer will also whisper their bid to the auctioneer. When the auctioneer agrees on the price, he just nods his head and that buyer gets the haul.
This practice begun way back the Spanish era, handed down from generations and still being practiced now. Bulungan is the exact opposite of the famous Tsujuki Fish Market in Tokyo Japan where the auctioneers just scream on the top of their lungs to sell their fish.
Dance for a Baby, a Husband, a Wife and a Good Harvest
In the olden times, the ancient residents of Obando, Bulacan performed ritual called to Kasilonawan to their god Linga. It was held in the home of the datu where they will feast for nine days which involves drinking, dancing, eating and prayers of thanks and requests to the god.
At that time, the fertility of women is considered wealth, just like one considers a good harvest and material wealth, that’s why fertility of women is also part of the thanksgiving.
When Catholicism came through the Franciscans, the idols and the gods that they pray to were replaced by saints. Thus the feast of Obando is formulated as we know it now.
The feast of Obando is held every 17th – 19th of May, with each day celebrating a saint. The feast of San Pascual Baylon is held every May 17. On the 18th century, the Franciscans built a church with St. Paschal as their patron. The saint was introduced to the people of Obando as San Pascual Baylon – baylon meaning a person who likes to dance San Pascual then become the saint to go to when a man wants a wife or when a childless couple wants particularly a baby boy.
On May 18th the feast of St. Claire of Assisi or Santa Clara is held. St. Claire is the oldest of the patron of Obando introduced by the Franciscans. She was the first of the three saints to be enshrined in the parish built in Obando. She is the go-to saint if a woman is looking for a good husband, as illustrated in the song sung during her procession:
Santang Clara, pinung-pino Most refined St. Claire
Kami po ay pakinggang nyo Please hear my plea
Pagdating ko po sa Obando When I reach Obando
Ay magsasayaw ng pandango I will dance the fandango
Santa Clara, pinung-pino Most refined St. Claire
Ako po ay bigyan nyo I ask that you give me
Ng asawang labintatlo Thirteen husbands
Sa gastos, di magreklamo on expenses won’t complain
The single ladies at that time will dance to St. Claire in the procession while singing this song. Childless couples will join in too for the hope that they be granted a child, hopefully a girl.
St. Claire has also been known as the patron of good weather because her name means clear and bright sky. Her name if translated in Spanish means “claro” or albumen. I don’t really know if it is the case of lost in translation, because now the common practice is to offer eggs to St. Claire for a good and sunny weather.
The last day of the feast on May 20th is devoted to the Virgen de Salambao. There is a legend that there were fisher men who caught the image of the Virgin Mary in their fishnet or salambaw in Malabon. At first, they decided to bring the image to Navotas but for some reason, they just can’t paddle towards its direction. But when they go toward the direction of Obando, the paddling became very easy and sailing a breeze. The Virgen de Salambao then joined San Pascual Baylon and Santa Clara in altar of the church.
The 3-day festivities involve dancing with the patron saint leading the procession around the town. The people who join in the procession move their hips in a gyrating manner. It is also common that the towns people who does not wish for a child or husband or a wife joins in just for fun and devotion. The feast of Obando has also been patronized not only from people from Obando but by people from near and far.
Sources:
http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=551566&publicationSubCategoryId=65
http://www.trekearth.com/gallery/Asia/Japan/Kanto/Tokyo/Ginza/photo317680.htm
http://www.jaunted.com/country/jp/3
http://www.dumagueteinfo.com/PhilippinesTravel/metro-manila/malabon-city/16/
http://www.expatforum.com/articles/cities/malabon-city-guide.html
http://www.1stphilippines.com/pc-65cae5bf387d1826c9602c15183b4cd1.html
http://en.wikipilipinas.org/index.php?title=Malabon_City
http://www.pueblophilippines.com/malabon-city-attractions
http://www.lakbaypilipinas.com/festivals/obando_fertility_rites.html
http://www.bulacan.gov.ph/tourism/touristspot.php?id=77
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obando_Fertility_Rites
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pancit, retrieved 31 July 2010
