62. SABUNGANAY FESTIVAL & BENITO SOLIVEN

SABUNGANAY FESTIVAL & BENITO SOLIVEN

Dr. Troy Alexander G. Miano

18 March 2018

This morning I graced the 1^st Sabunganay Festival and the 51^st Founding Anniversary of the Municipality of Benito Soliven, Isabela and had the privilege to be one of the members of the board of judges in one of its main events – the Cook Fest. I gave an impromptu message as requested by the municipal officials during the opening program which was attended by the local officials headed by Mayor Roberto T. Lungan. Integrated in my speech is a short biography of Assemblyman Benito Soliven who will be celebrating his 120^th birth anniversary two days from now. Since banana is an abundant product of the town, the municipal officials decided to use the banana part particularly the banana blossom as the rallying symbol of the festivities. The cook fest showcased one hundred and one ways to cook sabunganay participated in by almost all barangays. Other activities of the festival includes: Fun Run, Barangay Night and Agri Parade.  

Barrio Melappia, the poblasyon of what is now Benito Soliven town, was originally a part of the old pueblo of Ilagan and the whole area was known as Catalangan during the Spanish colonization. What are now the barangays of Yeban (Norte & Sur) and Maluno were once two of the economic hub of the valley. Rev. Fr. Pedro V. Salgado’s Cagayan Valley and Eastern Cordillera describes the twin barrios as: “Besides the Haciendas of the Tabacaleras (in San Antonio and Santa Isabel in Ilagan and San Luis in Cauayan), there were other haciendas of lesser magnitude. Among these were the haciendas of Yeban and Maluno. The two are close to one another, divided by the Pinacanauan River of Ilagan (now commonly known as Ilagan River) with Yeban at the left bank and Maluno at the right. To the north of, and adjacent to Yeban, is Hacienda San Antonio, with a hill serving as the dividing line between the two. During the Spanish period, Maluno was a hacienda owned by a German named Cleto Ficher”. According to the Dominican historian Fray Julian Malumbres: Ficher “monopolizes this trade (the trade in wood) and that of wax, in the proximities of a small hacienda which he posses in Malunut (Maluno), within the territory of this town (Ilagan)”. During the latter part of the Philippine-American War in mid-year 1900, President Emilio Aguinaldo passed through the locality after leaving his camp in Tierra Virgen in Naguilian and crossed the Sierra Madre to the remote coastal town of Palanan by the Pacific Ocean to elude the American forces that were after him.

In 1923, during the American period, Barrio Melappia was incorporated with the newly established municipal district of San Mariano. On May 18, 1967, by virtue of Republic Act No. 4873, Barrio Melappia and its integral parts, including Yeban and Maluno, were created as a regular municipality. The mayors who served the municipality were: Hon. Emilio R. Bueno (1968-1969 1^st elected and former mayor of the mother town of San Mariano 1964-1967), Hon. Florencio Fabro (1969-1971 by succession), Hon. Virginia Florentin (1971 by succession), Hon. Isidro Acob Siquian (1972-1980, 1980-1986, 1988-1992 & 2004-2005), Hon. Marcelino Domingo (1986-1987 OIC, 1992-1995, 1995-1998, 1998-2001), Hon. Brigido T. Velasco (1987-1988 OIC), Hon. Raymunda A. Domingo (2001-2004), Hon. Benjamin E. Sanglay (2005-2007 by succession, 2007-2010, 2010-2013 & 2013-2016) and the incumbent Hon. Roberto T. Lungan. The new town was christened Benito Soliven (1898-1945) in honor of the World War II hero and legislator from Ilocos Sur province. Majority of the residents of the locality, at that time, hailed from Ilocos Sur.

At the pedestal of the statue of Soliven in Santo Domingo, Ilocos Sur is a marker which reads: Hon. Benito Soliven was born on March 20, 1898 in Santo Domingo, Ilocos Sur. Rose from a plebeian life to be a be-medalled student in all school and colleges he attended. In 1925, he toured the world and visited the Holy See. Entered his political career in 1928 and loomed out brilliantly as a star Assemblyman. Returned to the national assembly in 1935 and 1938 during which three terms was always the “valedictiorian”. Known linguist, a doctor of civil law and a graduate with honors in the consular and diplomatic course in the University of Santo Tomas. Was commissioned Captain at the Reserve Officers Service School, Baguio Military Academy from the outbreak of the Pacific War till the Fall of Bataan. Served as Judge Advocate USAFFE Military Tribunal. Due to sufferings encountered in Bataan, Corregidor and “Death March” to Capas concentration camp, died as Major on January 10, 1943.

Benito Soliven is honored in many instances. Aside from bearing the name of a municipality in Isabela, an imposing statue of Soliven stands in the beautiful landscaped plaza of his ancestral hometown of Santo Domingo, Ilocos Sur. He is also honored with the establishment of the Benito Soliven Academy in 1948 also in the same town and in 2009, the CAP Family of Companies unveiled a bronze statue in front of CAP’s new building at Plaza Burgos in historic Vigan City where Soliven is looked up to as a role model and inspiration for the youth. Quoting Joanne Rae M. Ramirez of “People”: Not just Ilocanos, but all Filipinos can be proud of this gallant Filipino – Benito Soliven, truly a "man for all seasons."

Ilocos Sur’s neighboring and sister-province of Ilocos Norte particularly in the old town of Paoay has been performing a Sabunganay Dance. It is staged during the town’s annual Guling-Guling Festival. In one part of the dance, the folk song "Sabunganay" is sung as an accompaniment. The folk song and the dance originated from the time the Augustinian missionaries laid the cornerstone of the Paoay Catholic Church in 1694.

Common in Southeast Asian cuisine, banana blossoms (aka banana flower or banana heart) are tear-shaped maroon or purplish flowers hanging at the end of banana clusters. Browsing pinakbetrepublic.blogspot.com, “sabunganay or susop, banana blossom or inflorescence, can be prepared in a variety of ways as a vegetable. Be it inggisa (sauteed), kinilnat (boiled) as a salad, veggie for sinigang or other soups, and ingredient in the famous kare-kare, as an ukoy (fritter), as a bola bola (meatballs), as a kinilaw, and others.”

In the Municipality of Benito Soliven, Isabela, the luscious sabunganay recipes highlighted the successful first day celebration of the festival. If World War II hero Benito Soliven would still be alive and have seen the growth of the municipality named after him, he surely would be very proud because aside from the infrastructures and economic development of the town, culture and arts has been escalated to the level matched with the other festivals in the country with the institutionalization of the Sabunganay Festival.