Rizal Province: The Town of Tanay

Tanay sits in between the Philippines largest lake, Laguna de Bay, and the rugged terrains of Sierra Madre, where greater portions of the town are situated. Abundance of the lake’s freshwater fishes provides livelihood for Tanay, while Sierra Madre boasts huge potential for adventures and eco-tourism. Calinawan Cave, Daranak Falls, and Batlag Falls, tackled in my previous Tanay feature, are to name some but many remain uncharted. This time, however, we’ll save the adventures for later, and take a morning stroll around the town of Tanay.

Streets bustle with the loud roars of tricycles and motorcycles, colorful jeepneys stop corner to corner picking up passengers, and children clad in their uniforms ran to school – Tanay rapidly moves similar to the fast developing modernization of the Rizal Province. However, evidences of the traditional lifestyle like in most provincial areas, still dwells at the heart of town.Pan De Sal (‘salted bread’ in Spanish), or simply pandesal, has always been part of a Filipino breakfast. Coffee, keso (cheese), and liver spread are only some that complement the yeast-raised bread while others prefer the pandesal as it is, plain and simple. In Tanay, they like their pandesal packed with vitamins and nutrients so they fused their morning bread with malunggay, thus being called Malunggay Pandesal.Malunggay Pandesal may not be a first in Rizal Province, but its definitely a first for me. This healthy option was actually a project of the Philippine Society of Baking to promote good health and nutritious food that could keep up with Filipinos’ tight budget. Adding a nutritious element without compromising the price was the challenge, but for P2.00, which is the regular price of pandesal, the challenge was overcame.

I munched on a hot pair of Malunggay pandesal while walking towards Tanay Park. Formerly the site of the market, Tanay Park was converted to a hub for festivities, big events, or plainly a place where locals laze around and enjoy the morning ambiance, or involve in activities like playing singles or doubles in the smashing sport of badminton or sitting on the bench silently besting their opponents in the strategic game of chess. Tanay Park was simply a place for anybody, and, everybody.Beside Tanay Park was the 400-year old church of San Ildefonso Parish, or commonly known as, Tanay Church. Renovations were made after the baroque church was devastated with natural calamities back in the 1600’s, and now it still stood and will stand as a silent witness to Tanay’s history as it unfolds.

Built within the Tanay Church’s compound is the San Ildefonso College of Tanay where I found my access to the choir loft and the church’s bell tower. Tanay Church’s Adoration Chapel can be located in the school’s courtyard enclosed by grey brick walls resembling a classic Spanish Colonial structure. A wooden staircase near the guard post lead to the second floor where another door leads back to the church’s choir loft.San Ildefonso Church and Tanay Park have always been part of my itinerary when visiting Tanay, but the highlight of my trip was craving for the Rizal Province’s famous, Budbud. Fried rice is topped with scrambled egg together with either fried pork or beef, lumpiang shanghai, daing, or even all of the above, garnished with spring onions, a slice of cucumber and tomato. Budbud is the province’s rendition of rice toppings which originated in Taytay, according to locals of the province. But Tanay also takes the recipe back in town where locals and other Rizaleño’s have a taste of it. Try it in Budbud Ni Nanay Kaling.