Flights of Fancy by Icarus

“Pandacan”- the name sounds like the Tagalog word for a pygmy and one might think this district of Manila must have been named after its dwarf inhabitants of yore. But those in the know won’t ever belittle Pandacan.

Similar to the city of Manila, Pandacan was named after a local flora, the “pandan”, so that it used to be “Pandanan” or literally “the place where the pandan grows”. Through the passage of time and mistranslations between the natives and the Spanish colonizers, Pandanan was changed to Pandacan.

As is it with many Philippine communities, water has played a major role in the life of Pandacan. The Pasig River bounds Pandacan to the north and to the east. It lies to the northwest of the district of Sta. Ana and to the northeast of the district of Paco.

Its accessibility via the water and proximity to the harbor made it a natural magnet for industries. Barges coming in from the Manila Bay could effortlessly bring in their valuable cargo to the safe haven that is Pandacan. From a sleepy farming community, Pandacan became the first industrial estate for the Philippines when it was made as such during the late Spanish period. In 1882, the Compania General de Tabacos de Filipinas in, a modern cigar making plant was built in Pandacan. During the American period, oil companies started storing their precious black gold within its confines.

What was Pandacan like minus the ramblings of cargo trucks? In the 19th century, Pandacan was described as little Venice or little Italy due to the presence of its many canals and estuaries along the Pasig River. The writings of Francisco Balagtas, would describe how the citizenry would leisurely row through the estuaries in the afternoon. It was a source of inspiration not only for writers but also balladeers and other musicians of the time.

I approached Pandacan by crossing the river from Sta. Ana thinking about its idyllic past. I’ve come driven by the want to know more about this place that I only heard from a song. From the boat that ferried me across the stygian blackness of the Pasig, I could see the gleaming silver domes of the oil depots. Most of the industries that have made Pandacan their home have already left. Only the “Big Three” oil companies remain. They’ve made Pandacan the prime repository and distribution nerve of the vital fluid. Under the administration of former Mayor Atienza, the city council of Manila sought for the conversion of the district into a commercial one. They were concerned that the continuous existence of the depots in densely populated Pandacan would pose a danger to security, lives and the environment. Even as the Supreme Court has decided for the relocation of the depots, the move has been very slow. It is said that a sudden shut down of the operations in Pandacan would plunge half of the country in a standstill.

The folksy “Sitsiritsit” has immortalized Pandacan and its association with its patron, the Santo Niño or Child Jesus. Devotion to the Santo Niño runs deep among the people of Pandacan and as it is elsewhere in the country, the feast day is celebrated in the second week of January where devotees express their faith in a riot of dance. Two religions- the Catholic Church and The Iglesia Filipiniana Independiente or Aglipayan Church have parishes named after the patron Saint.

Traditions say that an image of the Santo Niño was found in a well where the present church stands. The waters of well were said to have miraculous properties. The well had since been sealed due to the presence of pollutants.

Pandacan was officially established when it was made into a community in 1574 by the Franciscans. It used to be a part of the parish of Sampaloc but was later on made a separate parish. The first stone church was started in 1712. It would be destroyed by earthquakes a few more times. A modern church built in 1971 now stands in the place of its former incarnations. In the year 2012, the Catholic mission in Pandacan would be celebrating its 300 years of existence.

Pandacanons have always been passionate with religion but it is not correct to say that they are less intense with other issues like nationalism and secularism. As a proof, the Iglesia Filipiniana Independiente has its roots in Pandacan.

One probable reason is that the youngest of the priests who got implicated in the Cavite mutiny, Fray Jacinto Zamora, was a native of the place. In my wanderings in Pandacan, I was surprised to see a park named after this victim of the secularization of Filipino priests. A marker and monument was built on the exact site of his home.

In 1904, riding on a crest of nationalism, the Iglesia Filipiniana Independiente made a dramatic scene in Pandacan. Here is the account as retold by Laubach in his book "The People of the Philippines, their Religious Progress and Preparation for Spiritual Leadership in the Far East:

"A Filipino priest, Father Serrondo, at Pandacan, Manila, made some insulting references to Bishop Aglipay. When Father Serrondo came out of church he was assaulted by a mob of women. They tore his cassock in shreds, rolled him in the dirt, and let him go, glad to escape with his life. Members of the congregation sent for the new Archbishop Aglipay to come and say mass in the Pandacan church. This he did before a vast crowd. Two hundred irate women took their bedding and cooking utensils and slept in the churchyard to prevent the regular priest from again entering the building. Other churches invited Aglipay to use their building and the city was in a furor."

Today, the Catholic Church on Jesus Street and the Aglipayan Church on Labores Street coexist in Pandacan. Aside from these two, other churches have also made their presence in Pandacan- the Methodist Church and the Iglesia ni Cristo on busy Quirino Avenue.

Portions of the Malacañang Palace grounds is within Pandacan. Being such, it would be unthinkable for Pandacan not to get a share of the glory of the seat of Philippine political power. The Romualdezes maintain an ancestral house in Pandacan just right across the Catholic parish. The white-painted structure, remains perhaps the most imposing of the vintage houses in Pandacan. It has been witness to the romance between the young Ferdinand Marcos and Imelda Romualdez.

Today, the house is aging but still grand. Somehow it reflects the personality of the most famous lady who had once called it her home. Many only know Imelda as the lass who came from Leyte and lived in Malacañang but only a few know that it is through this house in Pandacan that Imelda invokes her affinity to the city of Manila.

Pandacan is the cradle of many geniuses. Among them are Francisco Balagtas of the Florante at Laura fame, the musician Ladislao Bonus, the Tagalog language theorist ,Lope K. Santos, and playwrights Miguel Masilungan and Pantaleon Lopez. A key figure in the Katipunan, Apolinario Mabini, was also born in Pandacan.

Changes are taking place albeit slowly. To create a buffer zone between the residences and the storage tanks, the city government and the multinational oil companies made the Pandacan Linear Park. It is an oasis providing respite not only from the oppressive heat of the sun but also from the industrial raucous that has become Pandacan.

The Plaza Balagtas, recently spruced up by the city government is another refreshing sight. A modern housing development called Residencias de Manila has risen not only to change the Pandacan skyline but upgrade the living condition of the people. On the education front, the Malayan High School of Science, run by the Mapua Institute of Technology is there to offer an advanced science-based curriculum. And soon when the Gokongwei-owned Otis 888 is finished, Pandacan will have its own first mall. But the biggest gush of fresh air for Pandacan would be when the oil depots have finally been moved out.

Pandacan… what I thought out to be a dwarf of a place turned out to be a giant in Philippine history and economy. It is hot, noisy and busy. Yet I went home feeling fulfilled despite the sweaty and grimy feeling knowing that the visit has somehow made me understand better the need to revitalize our cities and to provide a more humane environment for our countrymen. It’s about time we bring back the ideals that has brought out the artistry and passion from our people.