ARTS AND CRAFTS OF THE ILOCOS REGION AND THE CORDILLERA

ADMINISTRATIVE REGION
ILOCOS REGION
 Ilocos are among the Largest ethno-linguistic group in the country.
 Majority of them are living in La Union, Abra, Isabela and in other part of country.
 It is evident with several Old Spanish Churches and the old houses that built during the
Spanish colonial.
POTTERY
Burnay – is an unglazed earthen jar with small opening.
- It is used for storage for water and rice grains and as container for salt, brown sugar, basi
(local wine) and bagoong (fermented fish).
- The potters mix fine gravel,sand and ashesand fire the clay to make the burnay heavy and
sturdy.
PANGASINAN
- Known as the salt capital of the region during the Pre-Hispanic time.
- The Arts and Crafts of Pangasinan include the smoothly woven Bolinao Mats from BURI
or Raffia Leaves, and the bamboo crafts (baskets, furnitures) of San Carlos.

CORDILLERA ADMINISTRATIVE REGION (CAR)

KALINGA
- The natives of Kalinga are skilled weavers.
- One of their finest products is their textile, which is characterized by red stripes, white,
yellow and black geometrical patterns.
- Women wear the wrap-around skirt or tapis called KAIN.
BASKETRY
- Basketry show their fine craftsmanship.
- LABBA – is a bowl-shaped basket made from rattan, with size that vary 20 to 150 cm in
diameter.
TATTOOING
- Another form of art of the Kalinga.
Wang-od – is the last “mambabatok” or traditional kailnga Tatoo artist.
-She us a mixture of charcoal and water that is tapped onto the skin trhough a thorn end.
IFUGAO
-Native people of the Cordillera.
-people from the hills.
BUL’UL – is a wooden sculpture that represents the rice granary spirits.
-It is used in ritual that are performed to call the ancestors to protect their rice fields from
pestilence and ask for an abundant harvest.
- Made of narra which signifies wealth, happiness, and well being to the ifugao.
- The amulets of the IFUGAO are called LING-LING or DINUMUG.
- These are made from jade, gold, copper, bronze, stone and others.
- These are fertility symbols worn around the neck.

MOUNTAIN PROVINCE
 It is located in the Cordillera Central and known for its hanging coffins and mummified
bodies.
 The humid air and atmosphere in the Mountain Province caves helped to preserve the
mummies.
 Home of IBALIO.
  TATOO ART is another form of folk Arts in Mountain Province.
- The people of Bontoc are also skilled weavers. They weave different textiles from
blankets to clothing.
- WANES – men’s traditional attire.
- LUFID – Womens use a short and narrow wrap-around skirt which extends from the
navel to the knees and has a side opening.
GINASPALAWANES – wearing by married women of Bontoc and kankanaey in the Northern
Cordillers.
IKAT – a weaving method of the natives of Bontoc create their textile patterns.
- It is a process of tying and dyeing the threads to prepare the patterns before they are
woven into textile.
ABRA
- The original settlers of Abra are the ancestors of Bontocs and Ifugao.
- The people of Abrause natural dye and still practicing loom weaving and they
embellish the woven fabric cloth of embroideries in their fabric.

FOLK ARTS OF CAGAYAN VALLEY AND CENTRAL LUZON

CAGAYAN VALLEY REGION
 Cagayan Valley is Region 2.
 It is a wide valley in the Northeasthern part of Luzon and irrigated with the waters from
Cagayan River – the longest river in the country.
 Cagayan Valley is composed of the province of Batanes, Cagayan, Isabela, Nueva
Vizcaya and Quirino.
BATANES
 The Ivatans are the people living in the Batanes Group of Islands.
 Their houses have unique architectural forms made up of limestones, walls, reed, and
cogon roofs.
 The design and materials are chosen because they are strong enough to withstand and the
numerous typhoons and earthquakes that hit the group of islands because of its
geographic location.
 VAKUL – a head gear used by Ivatan women to protect them from the heat of the sun
and the rains.
 The men wear SOOT - a rain cape made from fronds that covers the upper part of the
body down from the neck.
 The clothing of men made up of woven fibers of the VUYAVUY palm – plant similar to
coconut.
ISABELA
 One of the largest provinces in the Philippines located in Cagayan Valley Region. It is
host to a number of historical sites.
 Tumauini Church is a Roman Catholic Parish Church of San Matias Apostol. This
Baroque Church was built in 1873 and can be found in the municipality of Tumauini
Isabela. It is made from red bricks ornamented with carvings of flowers, leaves, sacllops,
saints, religious symbols and other fanciful motifs. The unique cylindrical belfry of the
church looks like a huge wedding cake because of its motifs like laces, hearts and beads.
NUEVA VIZCAYA
 Located near Ifugao, Benguet and Quirino.
 The Gaddangsof Nueva Vizcaya are known for their crafts and textiles.
 One of the clothes they make is the BAKWAT – a belt used by mothers after giving birth.
This cloth is usually adorned on the central portion with white beads as accents
embellished in patterns that represent rivers and mountains.
• CENTRAL LUZON
BULACAN
 Bulacan arts and crafts include the SINGKABAN, PASTILLAS WRAPPER, FIRE
CRACKER, and GOLDSMITHING.
  SINGKABAN – the local term for bamboo arches designed with KAYAS or
woodshaving. These are used as decorative arches that adorn the entrance of a barangay
or town during fiestas and other grand celebrations.
 PUNI or PONI – is decorations during fiestas and especial occasion made from young
coconut leaves – those that are popularly used during Palm Sunday.
 Meycauyan, Bulacan is known for its jewelry industry. Craftsmen fashion trinkets
from precious metals such as gold and silver, and precious and semi-precious stones,
pearls and diamond.
 JEWELER – A person who makes, repairs or sells jewelry, traces jewelry design to the
metal, cuts, bonds and shapes it to form jewelry pieces. Some designs such as those found
in antique jewelries are completely done by hand because these cannot be done by
machines.
PAMPANGA
 Is known for its giant lanterns or parol.
 Its special feature is its dancing lights in several shapes, and colors that form intricate
geometric patterns. The parol are used to adorn houses, streets and buildings in Pampanga
but all over the Philippines during the Christmas season.

ZAMBALES, NUEVA ECIJA, AND BATAAN

 The arts and crafts of Zambales, Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, and Bataan can also be found in
their historic sites. Their architectural landmarks include old churches and structures.

FAMOUS ARCHITECTURAL LANDMARKS IN OLONGAPO, ZAMBALES, NUEVA

ECIJA, AND BATAAN
1. Spanish Gate is one of the historic landmarks located in Olongapo City, Zambales.
 It was built in 1885. It faced the Spanish era settlement of Olongapo and used to serve as
the west gate of the armory of the town.
 It has a high walls made from locally-quarried stone connected to the south gate that
faced the waterfront.
 Aside from being used as an entrance and exit to the naval station, it was also used as a
jail during the Spanish and American occupations.
2. THE SAN ANDRES APOSTOL PARISH CHURCH OF MASINLOC, ZAMBALES is
known for the use of coral stones instead of adobe.
 It was founded by the Augustinian Recollects in 1607
 The front of church is divided into triangular pediment, two horizontal sections and three
vertical ones.

3. THE PARISH OF THE THREE KINGS IN GAPAN CITY – one of the biggest and oldest
churches in Nueva Ecija.
 This Roman Catholic Church was built in 1800.
 It has a huge side doorways, two standing images of their patron saints on both sides of
the doorways, and mural of the Holy Trinity on ceiling, all of which are characteristics of
western architecture.
4. ABUCAY CHURCH OR THE SAINT DOMINIC DE GUZMAN PARISH CHURCH-
established in 1587 and administered in 1588 by Dominicans, is an example of Renaissance
architecture because of its vertically single or double divided columns and triangular pediments.
 It has a five-layer bell tower ornamented with semi-circular arched windows.