There was a time in the history of San Pedro, Laguna when visitors can immediately tell they were in the town limits by the fragrant scent of sampaguita, the Philippines' national flower.
"When I was studying at the University of the Philippines in Los Baños in the 1970's, I would always take the train from Manila - and we would always know that we're in San Pedro because of the smell of sampaguita that seemed to hover over the town," Luchie Arguelles, editor-in-chief of OpinYon Media Advocacies, related to OpinYon Laguna.
Alas, those days are long gone, as rapid industrialization and urbanization has led to all but the extinction of once vast sampaguita plantations that had defined San Pedro's landscape.
And now, as the city government under Mayor Art Mercado has launched an all-out effort to revive what was once the town's traditional industry, it's time to go down history lane and discover how sampaguitas once "ruled" the town.
Sampaguita mecca
While sampaguita flowers are also extensively grown in other areas in the Philippines, particularly in the provinces of Pampanga and Pangasinan, there was once a time when San Pedro City was considered to be the primary source of sampaguita flowers in the Luzon area.
Barangay Nueva, in particular, is known for its thriving trade in sampaguita buds that were ultimately made into the ubiquitous garlands and flower necklaces, while the barangays of San Vicente and Magsaysay are once home to vast sampaguita plantations that supply these traders.
Sampaguita garlands, or “leis,” are a favorite way of greeting distinguished guests and an indelible part of graduation ceremonies, making this industry a quick money-maker for many San Pedrenses.
In fact, the city became enshrined in the Guinness Book of World Records in February 2009 for creating the “longest sampaguita garland,” which stretched for 3.6 kilometers.
Shrinking space
However, starting in the 1980's, large tracts of land in San Pedro were opened up for residential and industrial complexes, as white- and blue-collar workers from Metro Manila found the town an ideal place to work far from the congestion of the metropolis.
And with the rapid urbanization and industrialization came the gradual decline of the town’s sampaguita industry.
From 30 hectares in the 1990s, the total acreage of sampaguita plantations in the city has shrunk to around three hectares by 2016, City Agriculture Office Engr. King Layola disclosed to OpinYon Laguna last year. Since then, sampaguita plantations have further shrunk to less than a hectare, or 5,000 square meters.
The number of dedicated sampaguita growers have also dwindled from 20 down to just three, Layola had confided at the time, which meant that sampaguita traders now have to source their sampaguita from Central Luzon plantations.
The three-year Covid-19 pandemic had almost dealt sampaguita planters and traders a death blow, as quarantines, sanitary protocols and restrictions on physical activities had left them with almost no buyers.
Revival
When Mayor Art Mercado took office in 2022, one of his major pledges had been to revive the city’s traditional sampaguita industry not only as a means of livelihood but also as a way to revive the city’s rich culture.
And with almost all land in San Pedro City converted to commercial use, one tactic the city government now sees is encouraging all residents and business establishments to plant sampaguitas in their backyards and vacant spaces, or in pots.
As part of celebrations for the Sampaguita Festival last year, the city government has opened the 3,600-square meter Sampaguita Park and Nursery in Barangay Rosario where residents who wish to plant sampaguita can receive free plants.
“Ang issue kasi, wala na talagang lugar, kahit na mayroong gusto pa ring magtanim ng sampaguita. Kaya ang naisip ko, gamitin natin ang mga resources na mayroon sa atin,” Layola had told OpinYon Laguna.
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