OTS Pampanga
By Emman Araullo
March 2, 2024 – Zone V Camera Club conducted its first OTS for the year. The club made its way to the culinary capital of the Philippines – Pampanga. Members were shooting for the April contest theme – No Human element.
The first stop was to convene at Betis for breakfast at Venta Suites. Members who arrived early were able to watch and shoot the sunrise over the pond. The OTS proper was then officially started with the welcome address from club president Leys Masangcay, OTS Committee head Billy Palatino, and Contest Committee head Tony Rivera. At the same time, through the generosity of Drs. Millie and Cris San Jose, club members who are based in Pampanga, Zombies were treated to a breakfast spread of Kapampangan staples – Tocino, Lelut, Suman, Tsokolateng Batirol, and a variety of fruits. Members were then welcomed by Lieza Bituin, the owner of Venta Suites. She gave a brief history of Pampanga, how Venta Suites and Fabrika compound came to be from its humble beginnings as a furniture factory to the instagrammable destination that it is now. She also gave information about the places that members would visit throughout the day as some of these were also owned by their family. Members then took the time to roam around the compound and check some of the villas available for rent, marvel at the plants and upcycled furniture which adorned the venue and of course, take pictures. Members would later return to Fabrika compound to enjoy lunch at their al fresco restaurant which again served local cuisine.
The second stop in the itinerary was a visit at Parish Church of Saint James the Apostle of Betis or otherwise known as Betis Church. The church is famous for its painted ceiling. It was declared a national cultural treasure by the National Commission for Culture and Arts. Unfortunately, members were not able to tour the church much as they would have liked as there was a service going on during the time they were there. Still, members took photos whenever they could while in the venue.
The third stop for the day was Bale Pinaud which is famous for being the ancestral house of the family of the late journalist Randy David. The club was welcomed by one of the nieces and current caretaker of Bale Pinaud, Mysa Barcelona. She gave a tour of the property while giving interesting factoids on how the house was preserved through the ravages of Mt. Pinatubo, lahar, and termites. The finest of kapampangan hospitality was again on display as members were served melon juice, a welcome refreshment with how hot and humid the day was, which was personally prepared by Leila David-Andres, one of the 13 David siblings that grew up in that very house. Refreshments was partnered with more local delicacies including LA bakeshop cheese bread, cashew tarts, sampaloc which grown on their own farm and other local knick knacks.
The fourth stop was a tour at Betis Crafts. Here, members were welcomed by the owner Myrna Bituin. Mrs. Bituin gave a talk on how the company started. Furthermore, she highlighted how world class furniture was crafted in their workshop in Betis, Pampanga – their pieces have been exported to countries such as the Middle East, UK, and US with some items even going to royal families. While touring the facility, members were able to observe the skilled craftsmen employed by the company creating and assembling intricate furniture pieces.
The afternoon saw club members visiting more of the local architecture as they made their way to San Guillermo Parish Church in Bacolor. This church is most known for having half of its façade buried in lahar after the Mt. Pinatubo eruption. The church was also prominently featured in the popular television show “May Bukas Pa” which aired on free TV form 2009-2010.
While Bacolor Church was the last official stop in the itinerary, Zombies continued to explore what Pampanga had to offer. Several members made their way to more churches in the area to check the local architecture. Other groups enjoyed stops at pottery making while others opted to have their refreshments at Razon’s for their famous halo-halo. Other members opted to travel to Clark where they stayed overnight to maximize the OTS dates.
The first OTS for 2024 was indeed a success. Thank you and Congratulations to OTS head Billy Palatino and the OTS team – Mac Omega and Brian Agana for a well planned trip to Pampanga. Special thanks to Doc Mille and Doc Cris San Jose for their hospitality and helping in the planning and organizing the trip. Our heartfelt gratitude also goes out to the locals that entertained our club – the Bituin family and David family. Of course, a big Thank you to all the members that showed up and supported the OTS.
See you in Dumaguete in May!
