Sandugo is a visayan word meaning one blood.

This painting represents a native woman (Mangyan) walking along the rice field carrying a baby on her left arm and a basket full of fruits like saba, calamansi and papaya on her back. These are the main crops you can find on the Island of Mindoro.

Mangyan is the generic name for the eight indigenous groups found on the island of Mindoro, located South of the island of Luzon in the Philippines, each with its own tribal name, language, and customs.

The Tamaraw (Bubalus mindorensis), or Mindoro Dwarf Buffalo, is solely endemic to the island of Mindoro (9,735 km²). It is the only wild cattle species living in the Philippine archipelago. It is a rather solitary animal weighing up to 300 kg and measuring only about 1m high. Originally widespread across the island, the Tamaraw has suffered from heavy hunting and continued habitat destruction during the last century. The species has gradually been confined within the mountainous interior of the island. Its population has shrunk from 10 000 in 1900 to no more than 400 animals nowadays.

Kalap (to gather) Festival celebrated every March 21 in Calapan City Or. Mindoro where I was born.

During old times people gather woods to provide warmth and cook food.

It is intended to be yearly celebration packed with performances, colourful floats, and most significant of all, history.

Photo reference:

Calapan Tourism

Salakót is a traditional lightweight headgear used for protection against sun and rain. They are made from various materials including bamboo, rattan, nito, ferns, and bottle gourd. The tip of the crown commonly has a spiked or knobbed finial made of metal or wood. It is held in place by an inner headband and a chinstrap.It is also spelled as salacot in Spanish and salacco inFrench. It is the direct precursor to the pith helmet (also called salacot in Spanish and French) widely used by European military forces in the colonial era.

Magsasalakot are the people who make salakot. During my childhood me, my family and neighbours were fabricating salakot, always under time pressure to finish in time, in order to be able to buy rice at the end of the day.

While painting, all kind of nice memories came up in my mind.