One of my pet peeves when it comes to Filipino newspapers is that when stories about libraries make it into their pages, either the librarian is never mentioned or the librarian is quoted, but the fact that he's a librarian is ignored. Incidentally, Troy Lacsamana was on Probe last month and was identified as an ex-librarian.
Anyway, I'm happy that in "Luscious Lumban" by Deni Rose Afrinidad (Manila Standard Today, 23 November 2006), a librarian is treated as a news source in an article that is not about books, reading or libraries:
Che Che Tablico, a municipal librarian, believes that their town’s embroidery and barong business also demonstrates how art runs in their blood...
Tablico, in addition, supposed that Lumban’s signature pattern is mostly nature-inspired-floral for women and leaves for men...
“Even children can tell the difference between the fabrics,” said Tablico...
“The ternos [Filipino women’s traditional costume] and the barongs here outlive their wearers,” attested Tablico.
This, according to her, is due to the fact that Lumbeños do not only manufacture garments; they also recycle them through changing the outfits’ color. For only P100, barongs and ternos can be dyed in any color the customer wants...
“Many of our townsmen got rich or have built big houses just by supplying barongs to department stores like SM and Rustan’s,” added Tablico.
Category: In the News
