The Origin and Beauty of San Pedro’s Sampaguita Gem
San Pedro City, Laguna houses some of the beauty and elegance of nature. The city also has its fair share of the rich and thick culture of the province of Laguna. Best known for its Sampaguita Festival, the whole San Pedro community gathers to celebrate the beauty of this national flower.
Sampaguita Festival
The city of San Pedro rejoices every month of February to celebrate the festive Sampaguita Festival. The third smallest in the province of Laguna popularized by being the Sampaguita capital of the Philippines. In 1999, the locals of San Pedro first celebrated the Manok ni San Pedro Festival. However, starting in 2009, the festival was changed to what we know today.
The celebration showcases different activities and events for everyone to enjoy. It ranges from cultural to sports activities. For instance, there are singing contests, parades, street dancing competitions, religious gatherings, and many more. Last 2009, San Pedro City held the world record for the longest Sampaguita line spanning almost a whopping 3.6km.
Wilted Flowers
As a local in the City of San Pedro, it is bizarre for me to not yet see any places where the flowers are being harvested. The locals who made it under the bridges disappeared. Everywhere I go, I have not yet seen any Sampaguita-producing lands.
The production of Sampaguita in the city reached rock bottom. The city now has more population than it ever has. As a result, lands for production turn into houses. Imagine a place hailed as Sampaguita capital in the Philippines that is unable to produce any Sampaguita at all.
However, the production of flowers in San Pedro is inevitable. Admittedly, the land of San Pedro City becomes thinner for production. If the city wants to retain its recognition as the heart of Sampaguita, actions need to be done as soon as possible.
As a local, it would be such a shame to see the symbolic Sampaguita wilt into oblivion. It holds the pride of both the locality of San Pedro City and the entire Philippines. The local government must act now in preserving the national heritage. It is important for the next generation to witness the blooming of Sampaguita.
