Campaign gimmicks were not unknown in the 60s, and whe Vice President Diosdado P. Macapagal decided to run for presidency, he made sure his political promise will be remembered by every Filipino every time they set their table: "No more hungry Filipinos!!!". This campaign giveaway--a tin plate printed with Macapagal's name and famous quotation: "I'd rather g to jail than see the people go hungry!"-- was meant to do just that--and, as everyone knows, he succeeded, becoming the 9th president of the Philippines.
Found in a Bulacan shop, the plate is in a remarkable state of preservation--even it's plate stand was intact. I have seen a similar one years before ina Manila shop, a little rusty and dented--but which sold anyway, to my utter disappointment. This time, I would not be denied. Despite the rather steep price, I got this rare gem of a collectible, and a fine example of Pampanganiana, if there is such a term!
True,  Macapagal served the country to the best of his ability--but his term was considered unproductive, even with his Land Reform program. His term was badly tainted with the Stonehill corruption case, and in 1965,  he lost to Ferdinand Marcos--but at least he did not leave behind a country in disarray. The ouster of Joseph Estrada in 2001 paved the way for the rise to power of daughter, Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, who went on to assume the presidency. Her term was another story.

Now here's a pick that I didn't have to pick. It was a freebie from a second-hand dealer whom I have patronized for some time. I never get out of his shop empty-handed, so out of appreciation, he gifted me with this aluminum helmet, painted red and inscribed with "East Binondo", which I assumed was a fire brigade in that Chinatown district. There is a logo: OCR-PICAG AFP, which I found out after googling, stood for Office for Civil relations-Public Information Civic Action Group, a defunct group of the Armed Forces during the Martial Law years.
It's apparent that this helmet has seen better days--it's been repainted several times as seen from the paint layers--it must have been blue before it was red! Maybe this was not even a fireman's helmet before, perhaps a protective gear from the violent rallies that went before the infamous Sept. 21, 1972 date.
There are Chinese incriptions written in permanent marker,on the inside of the helmet. Maybe you can figure that out, as I can't read Chinese. In the meanwhile, I left this helmet hanging on a wall shelf--it's rather off when displayed together with my antique salakots. I may never have use for this, but it's nifty to think that I have a genuine 'occupational collectible" from the Martial Law period!!

Shadow box crafts seemed to be a popular hobby among Filipinos in the 20s and 30s as I have seen countless examples of all sorts---from boxing family portraits embellished with mother-of-pearl flowers, embroidered art, to religious tole art such as this 3-dimensional Bambino Jesus, pasted on a heavy board, then dressed in real cloth and accessorised with handcrafted symbols of his Passion as well as silk flowers. The shadow box dates from 1929--the back was lined with old newspapers dated from that era.
It's been said that these kinds of crafts were introduced by religious educators, evolved from some kind of monastic art that nuns dabbled with in the 19th century. Favorite motifs includ dressing up prints of the sacred Heart of Jesus and Mary, as well as the Holy Family. My Bambino box was purchased in Bulacan. The condition is fair to poor--the flowers are disintegrating, the lithographed cut-out of Jesus is starting to curl. Hopefully, I can have this restored soon! This kind of art is slowly vanishing, but it's never too late to try your hand at this--all you need are deft hands, some artistic skill and lots of imagination!

I found this creation in a shop along Sta. Rita's antique strip. It represents maybe a fruit (pineapple, perhaps? a symbol go hospitality) or a flower bud. It is made of pottery clay, then painted--I don't know if it it's molded by hand. Its base on where the "bud" rests is very similar to bases for old Philippine religious figurines. It is a hefty piece, about 8 inches tall, and certainly, an old one, but I can't figure out its purpose or function.
I asked the dealer what it was, but she had no idea. All she could tell me was that it came from an old house (which dealers tell to practically all their customers!) What could this be? Could this be a table centerpiece to hold flowers. maybe? (There's a hole on top). or could just this be an architectural detail, a finial for a cabinet or a staircase?
As I am stumped, I leave it up to you dear reader, to figure out this mystery piece. What do you think is it?

Who wouldn't be charmed by this folksy money box? Not only does it have a lot of character in its simple floral carving, but it also comes complete with its own antique key.
In the good old days, before the age of safes and banks, our grandparents kept anything of value in wooden boxes such as this--money, loose change, pieces of jewelry, watches, small, but important documents--maybe even dentures! I have seen wooden cigar cases converted into money boxes, but this box, which probably dates to the 50s, is all hand-made.
The box has shallow compartments for sorting out things, and now it serves as a hiding place for my old medals and antique coins. It's a great example of functional folk art at its best!

 A dealer in Bulacan threw this object for free, after I made several purchase at his shop. It's a wooden, cylindrical item with what seems to be a handle gouged out, at the top. It is dated 1926, as one can see, and the words "Andrea G. Del Pilar, Pilpiltan, Bul.(acan)" are incised along the rim of the circular top.
I was told by the dealer that this came from a bakery, and this was in fact, a masher, used in kneading dough. I was not convinced because rolling pins were known in the Philippines  even in the 20s. Besides, holding this wooden implement was kind of difficult as I could hardly grasp the hollowed-out handle on top.
In another shop, some months later, I found a similar object, with the same hollowed-out oval top to be used in holding the object. This one, though, had no carving. The shop owner, this time, told me that it was a mold for the top part of a buri hat--or maybe that of the famous Baliwag hat, made in these parts of Bulacan in the 30s. I think that was a more plausible explanation, even if I felt that the circumference of the all-wood object  was too small for an adult head (around 7 inches in diameter). Maybe this was for a kiddie size hat, no? If you have any idea what this item is, I would appreciate it you could just post your answers (and guesses) here.