Bicol Region (Region 5)

Poems;
Famouse poems created by well known poets in the region of Bicol;
Noel de Los santos,
Dr. Susana Cabredo
Dr. Emelina Regis
Reynaldo Jamoralin

Mag-amang Pobre (The poor Father and Son)

Author Sali. R Imperial
Naga City, Bicol: Cecilio Publications, [197-]. 19p., staplebound booklet, 3.75x5.75 inches.
Paper evenly toned, otherwise very good. Bicol-language fiction in verse. OCLC attributes to
the 1920s because of its crude production and apparent antiquity, but most Cecilio
Publications booklets in this form were actually printed in the 1960s and 1970s. In this case,
the cover is printed on the blank verso of an unused invoice, which has a date of "197_." The
publisher describes itself on the back cover as "Home of Catholic books and Bicol novels.

An Parabareta
Author

Songs;

Pantomina
Writer

Bicol Medley
Writer
Stories;

Bulan
He is mainly known in both Bikol and Visayas for his androgynous features and radiant
beauty. His skin is so fair, with eyes and long black hair darker than midnight. Both the
Visayans and Bikolano believed in the primordial god Bulan (Libulan in Visayan) who
perished only to be born again. Both in Bikolano and Visayan myths they believed that
Bulan’s comeliness is the reason the tides try to reach the moon (in Bikolano it is the god
Magindang, in Visayan the goddess Lubyong Baybay)

Bulan is one of the most known deities in Philippine mythology but due to the Spanish
colonisation not fully understanding the culture of the pre-colonised settlers they just
regarded Bulan as some sort of pagan fetish, and perversion. In Bikolano customs Bulan is
worshipped by the cross-dressing baylan (asog) and is the object of affection of Bakunawa
and Magindang, only to choose a foreign god (Sidapa). Bulan is also worshipped alongside
Aswang and is the reason why it is safe to go out during full moon since all the monsters of
Aswang are looking at awe to the lunar god. Both the Bikolano and Visayan people believed
that the waters of Bikol were infested by man-eating monsters and mermaids and it is
Bulan’s descent to Ibalong that made the waters safe. Upon gazing at his comeliness the
monsters became tame (The vicious mermaids, some stories also tell that the early people
of Bikol thought the whale sharks were dangerous and it was Bulan who made them tame
and harmless). The difference in Bikolano version of the stories is that Bulan has an
entourage of wind nymphs and sylphs (tawong lipod) that accompany him each time he
descents from the heaven

Sidapa
Sidapa is considered a foreign god by the people of Ibalong and primarily known to them as
the handsome consort of the celestial god Bulan. Sidapa is worshipped in coastal parts of
Ibalong while in Visayas he is strongly venerated and considered a very powerful and
merciful god. Both the Visayans and Bikolano agree in their versions of the stories that
Sidapa won the attention and affection of the lunar god Bulan. In the Bikolano version
Sidapa transformed into countless murder of crows just to watch Bulan bathe in the waters
of Bikol, he also battled Magindang (god of the sea) and won. He also outsped Bakunawa in
devouring Bulan. While in Visayan myths his exploits and miracles to win Bulan’s affections
were more laborious. In the Visayan version which is similar to the Bikolano version, Sidapa
had always adored the moons and so he performed miracles to capture their attention, he
asked the birds and mermaids to sing, made the flowers produce sweet nectar and scents
that reach the heavens so the celestial gods of the moon would be enticed to go down. In
the Visayan version of Sidapa and Bulan’s tale, Sidapa competed with gods and goddesses
such as Luyong Baybay(goddess of the tides) Marag sa tubig ( Visayan demon of the sea/
Which is Magindang the Bikolano god of the sea), Sidapa also defeated Malandok (god of
war and plunder) and lastly same as in the Bikolano version, he surpassed the Bakunawa’s
speed when he claimed Bulan from the sky before the Bakunawa could devour him.

Bakunawa
In both Bikol and Visayas, the Bakunawa is a deity that guards the passage to the
underworld. The Bakunawa is seen as a malevolent deity in Visayas and harbinger of bad
luck and misfortune while in Bikol she was a benevolent deity prior to her punishment by the
supreme deity. In the Bikolano myths she was the most beautiful Naga, and most powerful
(that she became a goddess). She guards the passage to the underworld. Stories go that
the radiance and light on the celestial deities Haliya and Bulan reached Bakunawa’s domain.
She swam up to the surface and was instantly smitten with Bulan. Bulan meanwhile was
swimming and playing with the mermaids and water beast that he did not notice the
goddess. Bakunawa misinterpreted it as an insult. Therefore transformed herself into a
gigantic fish-serpent to devour the moon. The Bakunawa is not just the symbol and cause of
eclipse the Bakunawa is also the symbol of taking action into your own hands no matter the
outcome.

Naguined, Arapayan and Magkaburak

The Bikolano considered Naguined to be a monster that had two brothers named Arapayan
and Magkaburak. In the stories in Bikol, the trio of demons were called upon by Aswang
from the other side of the sea to help them create chaos. They came as the appearance of
Visayan raiders. A Trinity of handsome and built men, with tattoos and gold jewelry, and gold
skin. They were extremely good looking and would always speak, but when it was time to
fight, they turned into dark demons hungry for human blood. Some stories say they would all
form together to be one three headed demon. Naguined was worshipped in Visayas along
with Arapayan and Magkaburak.

Si Bulusan Nan Si Agingay

A long long time ago, there was a couple living under the Volcano. They are living happy and
peaceful. The couple was Bulusan and Agingay. Their relationship is full of love and
happiness.

Apparently, their was a man named Casiguran who feel jealous when he saw that Bulusan
and Agingay are happy living together.
Casiguran is the son of Apu Juban, an old man respected village chieftain. Bulusan and
Agingay are not aware that Casiguran are making his evil plans to make Agingay be with
her.
Then Casiguran starts planning his evil plans while watching Bulusan and Agingay. Even
though Casiguran had already a faithful and understanding wife Irosin he still got his eyes to
Agingay.
Casiguran got an idea to eliminate his hate by the death of his father, Apu Juban who died
because of aging or natural causes.

Driven by his extreme jealous he plan to accuse Bulusan as a killer of his father.
Casiguran convinced and threatened the village soothsayer Putiao to stand as a witness
against Bulusan as the supposed killer of Abu Juban.

Agingay did everything for Bulusan. She send her pleads to Casiguran. But after all the
pleadings of Agingay to Casiguran, he just remained silent and didn’t care.

Before the false testimony of Putioa, Bulusan brought to the village elders, Gurang Donsol,
Gurang Matnog and Gurang Bacon. After the false testimony, Bulusan was accused guilty of
killing Apu Juban the village chieftain.

His false testimony leads him to death by feeding him into a fearsome, man eating giant
Mampak bird that all of the people are scared on the village.

The innocent Bulusan died after he feed by the Mampak Bird on the top of the volcano. But
the evil Casiguran was not satisfied with the death of Bulusan.

He ordered Agingay to throw her first born son of Bulusan into the mouth of the fiery
volcano. Casiguran has already assumed the position of village chieftain. He wants to marry
Agingay.
Agingay complied as she climbed the volcano with her infant son by Bulusan.
Meanwhile, Irosin realized the trrachery of Casiguran’s, confronted her husband who merely
smile at her.

The soothsayer Putiao, confesses to the village elder about what he and Casiguran had
done. He confesses the plan of Casiguran. Irosin go out and rushes to tell the village elders
about what’s happening, but she meets them on their way, incensed, after learning the truth
from Putiao.

Together with other angry villagers, they all rush together to the volcano to save Agingay
and her new-born son. On there way, they discover the body of Putiao, hacked to death by
the minions of Casiguran. When they climb upper at volcano’s crater they find out the lifeless
body of Agingay. She killed herself after throwing her infant son into the mouth of the fiery
volcano.
Then they saw Casiguran sneaking behind the rock. They grab him, and angrily throw him
into the volcano’s fiery crater.
The villagers all mournfully walk down the volcano carrying the lifeless body of Agingay.
Their tears blend with the tears of Agingay and the blood of Bulusan, which formed two lakes
against the slopes of the volcano.
The two lakes are now known as Bulusan Lake and Agingay Lake.
The volcano upon the slopes with the two beautiful lakes and smells with calmness is now
known as Mt. Bulusan

The Origin Of Lake Bulusan

In the early days. Lake Bulusan was a village named Aguingay. It was ruled by Raja
Pinangunay. A pirate from Malacca in his younger days it is said that he was a tyrannical
and godless ruler.

One day, as he was looking out at the beautiful sea, he felt a strong yearning for his days out
on the sea. So he gathered his kinsmen and set out to invade the coastal regions of the
island of Samal.

Their invasion, proved successful. The old Raja and his party were able to capture much
treasure. They also captured so many men. and young women that their vintas were
overloaded. The weather was good. The wind blew favorably and San Bernardino Strait was
but a short distance to cross between Samal and the tip of Luzon.

But halfway across San Bernardino Strait, a typhoon came. Waves lashed the overloaded
vintas. The wind grew strong and the rain made it too dark
for them to navigate. For the first time in the life of the old pirate, he was afraid. He saw
some of his best men thrown overboard and swallowed up in the whirlpools of the strait. The
waves and the wind lashed at them mercilessly. Many of his captives and men got lost in the
angry sea.

Then the women started praying. Raja Pinangunay asked them what they were doing. They
told him that they were asking Heaven for help. The pagan Raja promised them freedom if
their prayers could stop the typhoon.

The women went on with their prayers and after a while the wind and the waves started to
abate. Then the angry sea became calm. The sun came out shining radiantly in the sky and
the wind blew favorably toward Luzon.

However, half of Raja Pinangunay’s kinsmen had been lost at sea, and this made him angry.
Late that afternoon, his fleet of vintas. loaded with captives landed safely on the shore of
Binorongan seaport of Aguingay. Everyone was glad, and the women were happy because
Raja Pinangunay had promised them their freedom.

But he changed his mind. He had them tied together and herded up in the mountain trail to
his village. His captives walked all the way to his mountain hideout that night. When they got
to the village. He had them locked up and given only little food to eat.

The following day the captives were taken out to the kaingin to work as slaves. They could
not escape because ropes were tied around their waist.
The followers of Pinganunay stayed in the village and
the slaves worked in the kaingin for them.

This went on for sometime. One day, a woman slave went to see the powerful
Raja in his palace. She reminded him about his promise to free his captives. At this, the Raja
only laughed and said. “I was only lying. Now that Iam on solid ground, I am Heaven.”

He had hardly finished saying when a water spout dropped from the sky and crashed down
upon his palace. The sky opened up and it rained and rained until the village sank under
water.

The village was turned into a lake. The rain did not stop until the lake overflowed its banks.
Nobody was saved among the proud inhabitants of the village.

The slaves, however, had been working out in the kangin and were saved. Their guards ran
into the forest for their lives and the slaves set themselves free. They settled down in the
lower part of the district. They called their settlement Bulusan. In Bicol, Bulusan means the
place where river flows. The settlement became the town of Bulusan, in Sorsogon, and the
lake become Lake Bulusan.