The Sablay

Taken from the website of the Vice Chancellor for Research and development:

The UP Sablay is the official academic costume of the University of the Philippines. The official colors of the University, maroon and green, were used in the sablay. Yellow gold, which stands for the high standards of values and excellence, was also used. The colors, based on the Panthone ProSim color chart, are Panthone 195 CVP (maroon), Panthone 349 CVP (green), and Panthone 138 CVP (yellow gold).The indigenous letters originating from the indigenous alphabet called baybayin or katitikan, are equivalent to the Roman letters “U” and “P”, respectively. The curvilinear design called ukkil or ukit, which resembles a sprouting plant, signifies life. The geometric designs (in zigzag and diamond patterns) are common design elements gracing the attires and functional objects of indigenous peoples from Batanes to Tawi-tawi. Arranged continuously and rhythmically, these geometric designs highlight the diverse cultural communities in the Philippines and the University’s pursuit of knowledge, cultural enrichment, and scientific advancement.

Did you ever wonder who makes our sablay?

In my most recent trip to Iloilo, Mom and I visted a family friend who's a famous hablon maker in Iloilo because she was going to order a few pieces. When we entered their house, piles and piles of UP sablays were on their couch. She makes them year-round. (Well, if you supply the whole of UP System, you'll need the whole year to satisfy demand. hehe) She even took us to the workshop where they house hablon weavers. I felt so bad I didn't bring my camera so I just used my poor phone camera to take shots.

When we visited there were two ladies working. I have a feeling they're the only people assigned exclusively to weave the sablay. I observed how they shift the threads by stepping on some bamboo and then sliding the threads across the sheet. It's crazy. I did get to try weaving during a field trip in Ilocos. It was pretty easy but only because I just did the sliding of the thread (sorry, I don't know the exact term) a few times.

Anyway, this post is initially about my visit the the sablay weavers but I discovered while researching that some douche is selling our sablay on ebay as a 'Philippine souvenir'. I'm insulted! The sablay is something sacred for UP students. It's a symbol of hard work and excellence. You represent the university anywhere you go. When I attended my St. Benilde's graduation, there were around five professors wearing their sablay. Apparently professors wear the academic costumes of the schools where they graduated from. So others were in their togas with red, purple and blue bands- depending on the colors of their respective school. So you don't just sell the sablay as a souvenir. People work hard to earn the right of wearing one. I already messaged the office of the vice chancellor regarding this. I hope to hear from them soon.

All my bags are packed...

Well, not really. But I'm sitting beside my suitcase now and I've started packing already. Tomorrow Mom and I will do the usual errands like getting pasalubongs for relatives.

I'm senti again. It never fails. Even if I've been 'away' from them for years, and only see them during the summer and Christmas breaks, I still get sad whenever we had to part. I remember last week dad asked me "Bakit ba babalik ka na ng Manila? May appointments ka ba dun?" I couldn't give a straight answer. I do have appointments- movies and dates with my friends to be exact.

This was not the first time he asked me about it. A week or two after arriving here for the holidays, he proposed to me the idea of being based here in Iloilo. I did like the idea for a secret reason (not love, unfortunately hahaha)- but it's not that easy. My friends are in Manila. Of course my most of my high school kabarkadas are here and we still get together every time I'm here but life's different now. We've grown and met a lot of people. We don't share as much visions like we used to back in high school. We still agree on the same things, we still dislike the same people, but my college life has been so amazing and eye-opening that I cannot live without that connection.

Manila is chaotic and expensive (believe me when I say it's cheaper in the provinces), it's stressful, it's difficult. But it's what pushes me (or us perhaps) to go farther, be more creative, more street smart, and more discerning of what we want in our lives. My stays in the province are just to buy me time to breathe, to relax, to think things over, but I have too much energy and only Manila can keep up with it.

I also value the pseudo-independence that I have there. I watch movies whenever I want, I go to the mall as I please, I cook my own food (therefore I get to learn a thing or two it the kitchen), I wash and iron my own clothes, etc. I know you'd say 'okay nga yun eh'. When you're a student, okay yun. You can devote your time to your studies. But when you're not going to school, what will keep you preoccupied? Aside from the work that I do, the aforementioned activities are my only forms of 'me time' and well, exercise (laundry). If I managed to do it while I was in college, I can definitely manage to do it now that I'm done with school.

Anyway back to my story, when Dad offered that I be based here, I said 'Iisipin ko. Pero babalik muna ako ng Manila at dun ko iisipin.' (Read as: If my secret reason works, yes, I will move to Iloilo and stay a little longer.)