What makes one a Lucenahin? Ask different people and you might get different answers; however, no matter how varied those answers may get, there are some things that most Lucenahins have experienced together and could serve as an immediate giveaway of where you are from.
Below are some examples:
1. You agreed to meet up with friends, relatives, classmates, or co-workers in front of L.C. Bigmak. The fast food chain, one of the earliest of its kind in Lucena City, has been the unofficial meeting place of many Lucenahins, especially before the proliferation of mobile phones when people cannot just change meeting places on an impulse. Plenty of meet-ups for field trips, outings, group projects, and the occasional meetings between text or chat mates have taken place there until it was replaced by a motorcycle retailer shop.
2. You and your friends have hung out at either Ocean Palace Mall (popularly known as OPM), Centro Shopping Center, and Sioland during your younger days. Prior to the opening of SM City Lucena, Metro Gaisano, and Pacific Mall Lucena — these three establishments were the go-to destinations not only of people who needed to buy a thing or two, but also of youngsters who wanted to pass some time while skating or playing billiards.
3. You had your picture taken at either Guzman, Episode, or Life Studio. Whether you were celebrating your birthday, posing for your graduation pictures, having your pre-nuptial photos taken, or posing for a glamour shot to give to your friends or special someone as a remembrance, chances are, one of these studios took those pictures for you.
4. You and your partner, friends, classmates, or group mates have hung out at Perez Park. Popular to people who are looking for a spacious space that you can use for free, Perez Park serves as a great place for practicing dance routines, sport stunts, bartending skills, and yes, even having a romantic afternoon with your special someone while watching the setting sun.
5. You have friends, classmates, co-workers, relatives, or acquaintances who have the same last names as some of the streets in Lucena City. Mostly named after influential political figures during the early years of the city, the streets of Lucena start to have more meaning once you come across any of the descendants of these founding Lucenahins who carry the same last names as their forefathers did.
6. You can’t get enough of Chami. A staple in eatery menus, Chami is a top favorite among Lucenahins who are looking for a quick but stomach-filling snack. Whether it’s “gisado” or “tamis-anghang, ” few Lucenahins would be able to resist the aroma of chami wafting from the kitchens of any of the tens of eateries that serve it on short notice.
7. You’ll probably scratch your head if someone asks you where Maharlika Highway is, but you’ll instantly recognize the place if someone says “Red-V” instead. Named after Red-V Coconut Factory that used to occupy the surrounding area that SM City Lucena is currently standing on now, Red-V is a long stretch of road that forms a part of Maharlika Highway and was used as the return address of workers of the factory during the time when snail mail was the only form of communication aside from face to face interaction. As more people started using the name on their mails, it became more familiar with people until townsfolk started calling it “Red-V” instead of its official name.
8. You know what words like “bang-aw,” “barino,”bangi,” “akit,” and “bulaan” mean. Usually unfamiliar to the ears of non-Lucenahins or non-Quezonians, these are just some examples of local words that a lot of Lucenahins have grown up hearing from their parents or grandparents.
9. When you go home for a quick vacation, your friends or co-workers always ask you to bring back “tinapa,” “budin,” and “Yema Cake” as pasalubong. Some of the most famous food products of the city and the province as well, prepare to buy some before you go back to Metro Manila or wherever you are currently working or else your friends or co-workers might bug you all day about it.
10. You look forward to the Pasayahan Festival every year. Officially celebrated every 30th of May, the festival has evolved from a three-day affair into week-long festivities that highlight the diverse but beautiful culture of the city.
Have you experienced any of these for yourself? Do you know of any other signs or clues that someone is also a Lucenahin? Feel free to share them below.
🙂
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