Home of the most hospitable people Cip Lachica’s Balete, Banwa Ko In the Service of the Baleten-on People 4th Class Municipality in the Prov- ince of Aklan Land area: 11,760 Hectares Population: 26,360 Constituent Barangays: 10 Topography: The northeastern and southeastern portion are intermit- tence of rolling hills and valleys and plains; the rest are mountain- ous with outlaying hidden valleys Produce: Agricultural and fishery most notable are its piña cloth, nito craft, pinipig, rambutan, oys- ters, crabs, prawns (both brackish and freshwater) Accessibility: The Nautical High- way links it to Iloilo, Kalibo and Manila. It is just 21 km from the Kalibo Airport Must See: Basura Garden, Kabuhi- an Livelihood Skills Training and Exhibition Center THE MUNICIPALITY OF BALETE, AKLAN BALETE, AKLAN, PHILIPPINES (036) 272-3829 [email protected]http://multiply.agtawagon.com The Municipal Tourism and Development Council Balete, Aklan Text and photos by Al BALETE, AKLAN, PHILIPPINES Hon. Noemi Calizo-Cordero, Mun. Mayor Hon. Rizal G. Rodriguez, Jr. Vice Mayor Hon. Evelyn V. Villanueva, SB Member Hon. Inocentes F. Bantigue, Jr., SB Member Hon. Angeles I. Cuales, SB Member Hon. Ciriaco T. Feliciano, SB Member Hon. Cipriano L. Lachica, SB Member Hon. Elvis S. Requiro, SB Member Hon. Peter C. Recidoro, SB Member Hon. Paulino P. Balleza, Jr., SB Member Hon. Crispino P. Beltran, Jr., Liga President Hon. Milcah E. Sauza, SK Chairperson
This is a brief description of the oil painting "Balete Banwa ko" by Baleten-on artist, Cip Lachica
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Hon. Noemi Calizo-Cordero, Mun. Mayor Hon. Rizal G. Rodriguez, Jr. Vice Mayor Hon. Evelyn V. Villanueva, SB Member Hon. Inocentes F. Bantigue, Jr., SB Member Hon. Angeles I. Cuales, SB Member Hon. Ciriaco T. Feliciano, SB Member Hon. Cipriano L. Lachica, SB Member Hon. Elvis S. Requiro, SB Member Hon. Peter C. Recidoro, SB Member Hon. Paulino P. Balleza, Jr., SB Member Hon. Crispino P. Beltran, Jr., Liga President Hon. Milcah E. Sauza, SK Chairperson
Balete Banwa Ko by Cip La-
chica is a mural-like oil painting
in 1.47 m x 3.14 m canvass
completed on August 2009.
Mayor Noemi Calizo-Cordero
has commissioned the Baleten-
on artist to come up with some-
thing that would depict a Ba-
leten-on panorama. The result
was this transcendental realism
on the historicity of the Baleten-
on people. In the tradition of
Amorsolo, Cip manages to
catch the gentle breeze and the
sunlight as he portrays a pristine
clear Jal-o River that was full of
life. Then he shows us a boat-
man (please take note of his
talibong—a locally soldered
sword—proudly displayed in
his hip) and his wife coming off
Balete, Banwa Ko: Cip Lachica’s Transcendent Realism on the Baleten-on Historicity
from the mountains and hills of Oquendo,
Guanko and Cortes with their produce.
They are the so-called “taga-ilaya” juxta-
posing (read: set to doing barter trade)
with the fishermen from the swamps of
Calizo and Aranas—the “taga-ilawod”.
The topography and the structures in the
background manage to assert the paradigm
of historicity as the Baleten-ons con-
sciously define their role in the globaliza-
tion of their once sleepy town by the Jal-o
River.
The Balete Tree,
from which the village by the river of Jal-
o was named after, remains sturdy and tall
sheltering life from the elements. It takes
the center stage and acts as the balancing
and unifying object of the composition. In
it stands the Archangel Rafael, patron of
the Baleten-on people, the stranger who
looks over them, healer of their
blindness and other malaise, their
companion in their journey, their
advocate before the Most High.
Finally, in his attempt to transcend
realism without taking away from
the players their active involvement
in defining the history of Balete, he
introduces us to a dove pinching a
bunch of aural ivory lassos spread-
ing across the whole canvass. Peace
and unity, it tries to convey; it sup-
poses the future each and every Ba-
leten-on has to strive after. We are
to understand our past, to be at
peace with the present and hopeful
we ought to be for an integrated
better Balete in the future.
Detail of the Reapers
Detail of the Boatman and the fisherfolks
The obra as it hangs on the wall of the lobby of the Balete Town Hall