Life is very laid back in this small but pretty town of
Laguna, is probably what you will be thinking once you set your feet here. Vestiges of Spanish colonialism is very evident in each turn you make from the town center, to the church (naturally) and to the municipal hall. The
town of Pila was the selected place to visit for the regular historical tour for Japanese students and yours truly. And our first stop was the museum of Pila.
The town museum contains many architectural finds such as potteries and historical artifacts that revealed settlement in the area of Bgy. Pinagbayanan during the late 900 A.D. It was also here that the oldest crematorium was discovered.
Of course, earthen pots served a big purpose to Pilenos in the early times. Before refrigetors and freezers were invented and introduced in the Philippines, people used the earthen pots to retain the freshness and coolness of food and water. Another treasure that the Pilenos take pride in is the fact that the first Tagalog-Spanish dictionary titled “Vocabulario de la Lengua Tagala." It was here in Pila, Laguna that Tomas Pinpin, renowned Filipino printed this material which was older than the first book printed in the USA (how about that?)
History comes alive in the streets of Pila and if homes could speak, they will surely cover volumes and volumes of historical information. Pila is the 4th town declared as national historical landmarks. The other three are:
Silay City in Negros, Vigan in Ilocos and
Taal in Batangas. So for all you lovers of history, Pila is a great place to learn history from so it's time for you to come and pay this town a special visit.
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