MANILA, Philippines - Nanay Luz Ocampo, a 92-year-old local from Malolos, Bulacan, was able to carve a name in Malolos for being one of the last, if not the last, person to do pabalat or borlas de pastillas. Pabalat is the elaborate paper patterns used to wrap pastillas de leche, a favorite Bulacan delicacy.
Nanay Luz learned the art of pabalat in school at an early age of 11 as part of her home economics class. She was able to pass the knowledge of creating elaborate designs of pabalat to her only daughter Ate Naty.
“Making borlas de pastillas or pabalat is one tedious task that tolerance is very much needed. Full attention is also very important as one cuts the elaborately designed paper,” Ate Naty shares.
She recalls that her mother got inspiration of her designs from nature. The older Ocampo is also very observant of her surroundings that she was able to make paper patterns of bahay kubo, Maria Clara, farmers, flowers and rice fields. She also custom-made designs upon requests of clients.
With a number of patterns readily available, Ate Naty traces the design on a papel de hapon. After the tracing comes the tiresome part – the cutting. One needs to cut through the tiny holes and very detailed design, which may take minutes or hours depending on how fast one can be. Though tedious, the cutting may be very therapeutic, too, says Ate Naty.
Even today, one well-loved desserts Filipinos enjoy the most is the pastillas de leche. It is made from sugar and milk that comes from carabao. Many elderly would prefer carabao milk as its taste is richer and creamier than milks from cows, giving the pastillas de leche a luscious melt-in-your-mouth quality. This Bulacan delicacy becomes even more special with the borlas de pastillas the locals like Nanay Luz and Ate Naty do. Through the years, the borlas de pastillas has transformed a local folk tradition into a popular art in Malolos, Bulacan.
To witness the borlas de pastillas making, call Naty Ocampo at 0999-189-8827.
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