Liliw Laguna

After a tiring but full of fun Charity Work Outreach Feeding Program and SOS Donation for 100 kids which is resident of Barangay Oples, located at Liliw Laguna last (September 20, 2015).

It’s time to go around and enjoy the small town.

I’m quite tired because of consecutive day’s being busy for my graphic works, advertising client proposal, layout design work and traveling from one place to another. And now I'm done for charity work.

I guess I need to take advantage using my spare time left to enjoy myself and have fun to look around and see what amazing things we can found in this place and can offer to us.

Again I told you Liliw Laguna is well known as the Footwear Capital of the Philippines.

So this small town will probably enjoy by those footwear lover who loves to collect and buy sandals, slippers, colorful flip-flops, shoes and even leather or native bag. There are lots of foot wear stores or shops selling new stylish, colorful and trendy varieties of bags, slippers, sandals, and shoes. In which actually made by creative shoe makers and designers who work in here. You need to be patience to look around one by one or scour these footwear stores that offer a perfect cheap price but quality made, that you want; depends on the color, style and size that’s fit on your feet. I guess your eyes will almost certainly enjoy what you will see, from colorful bags, footwear and shoes of every store, to small museum, old heritage houses, some big slippers displays around and the warm community boasts of oscillate and vibrant street scenes.

Truly Philippines are fantastic.

The Gat Tayaw Street is the best spot to see these spontaneous footwear stores.

But did you know that Gat Tayaw is actually name of a person before it became name by a Street in Liliw Laguna.

Who is Gat Tayaw?

He is the founder of the small town of Liliw Laguna.

The Municipality of Liliw was founded in 1571 by Gat Tayaw. The small, peaceful and picturesque town nestled at the foot of Mt. Banahaw , 17 kilometers away from Santa Cruz , Capital of Laguna Province . According to locals, Liliw got its name from a bird. And based on old stories Gat Tayaw and his men erected a bamboo pole and decided to name the town after the bird that would first alight at the top of the pole. After four (4) days, a crow perched on the pole, however, the bird was considered malevolent. Thus, Gat Tayaw and his men decided to erect another bamboo pole at the south. With constant vigil, a beautiful bird nestled on the pole and sang, "Liw, Liw, Liw". From then, the town named "Liliw".

Throughout the Spanish regime, the name Liliw was used but when the Americans came, it became "Lilio" since they found it easier to pronounce it than Liliw. On June 11, 1965, Resolution No. 38-S-65 was passed by the municipal council which declared "Liliw" as the official name and spelling of the town. This was to avoid the confusion in pronouncing and spelling the name of the town.

I heard there are about 70-80 stores in here and the oldest store is the Badong Footwear Shop. In which founded in 1962 and own by Salvador “Badong” Monteiro. I wasn’t having the chance to get in and check there footwear products, but no doubt that this store is truly offer a high quality products for a long run of 53 years in this business of this year 2015.

Now it’s time to drop and visit the Church of this small town.

The famous Saint John the Baptist Church is beautiful and included as one of the most grand Church in Laguna Province and famous Destination both for Roman Catholic Pilgrims and Tourists as this more than 300 year church (built in 1646) is a sight to behold. The Church is known for its bricked baroque style architecture and elegant façade and a large and gold leafed alter (called retablo) and it houses four levels of various Roman Catholic Saints (14) and a separate chapel for the Famous Franciscan Friar Father Pedro de San Buenaventura, who is the author of the first Tagalog dictionary Vocabulario de la Lengua Tagala.

And it does totally amaze me to be in this old Church and enjoy the place. Since we only have few times left I don’t have chances to get in to check the amazing Saint inside and the internal structure of the Church.

The only prayer I have at the moment is feeling thankful and bless for this wonderful moment of my life. Mind relaxing and a productive day for me.

Liliw Laguna is also rich in freshwater snails/crabs, native fruits like tomatoes and lansones, famous cookies called “Uraro”, tasty native homemade delicacies, charming landscape, old heritages houses and known as well in cold water spring resort.

I love to explore more, discover lot of things, experience and taste amazing sweet food, native products, know more some untold stories, to see famous restaurant and to dine in like the famous Arabella  Camello’s Bakeshaus and Coffee shop and also White House Pavilion Restaurant, to walk for more to see a lot of ancestral houses. But my time is over, I need to get back to my sister’s hometown before it gets dark for safe travel because of the roads and for me to make some rest and regain strength. 

Hope you enjoy my short journey about this small town Liliw, Laguna if I have chances to go back here I will probably explore more. Share your stories as well if you’ve been here.

Photo credit to JAZZRELLRIO PHOTOGRAPHY

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