National Museum of the Philippines - Marinduque

29/04/2026

We are closing the National Filipino Food Month with our featured Marinduque delicacy, one of the most sought-after kakanin, the 𝒔𝒂𝒍𝒖𝒅𝒔𝒐𝒅. One's visit to Marinduque is not complete without experiencing the inviting taste of this native delicacy made from arrowroot or '𝙪𝙧𝙖𝙧𝙤' (𝙈𝙖𝙧𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙖 𝙖𝙧𝙪𝙣𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙘𝙚𝙖) powder or starch locally called '𝙮𝙪𝙧𝙤.' It is particularly known in the town of Gasan where arrowroot crop production is abundant.

Its ingredients consist of sugar, arrowroot powder, and shredded coconut meat mixed in a bowl. Eggs, powdered milk, and vanilla are added to enhance its taste.

Saludsod is cooked in a pan like a typical pancake for a few minutes until it becomes brownish after ensuring that the ingredients are well-cooked.

To avoid greasing the hands while eating, each piece of saludsod is wrapped individually in banana leaves, giving off an authentic Marinduque experience.

26/04/2026

This other riddle treats of a familiar natural phenomenon and the process in it; it could be symbolic of life's natural cycle of growth, aging, decay, and rebirth.

For the last entry for our , let's read how falling leaves are described in a papitlo.

𝗽𝗮𝗽𝗶𝘁𝗹𝗼 #𝟲
𝐍𝐚𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐲𝐚𝐧 𝐬𝐢 𝐏𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐤𝐩𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐤, 𝐤𝐚𝐠 𝐭𝐮𝐠𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐲 "𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒊-𝒆𝒚 𝒎𝒂𝒈𝒃𝒂𝒍𝒊𝒌”
(𝑇ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑔𝑜𝑒𝑠 𝑃𝑖𝑟𝑖𝑘𝑝𝑖𝑟𝑖𝑘 𝑜𝑛 ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑤𝑎𝑦, 𝑠𝑎𝑦𝑖𝑛𝑔 ℎ𝑒 𝑤𝑖𝑙𝑙 𝑛𝑜𝑡 𝑏𝑒 𝑐𝑜𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑏𝑎𝑐𝑘 𝑎𝑛𝑦𝑚𝑜𝑟𝑒)
Answer: 𝗳𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗳

We hope with our papitlo series, you were able to know more about Banton’s riddles and continue the folk wisdom of your community.

26/04/2026

📣𝗣𝗨𝗕𝗟𝗜𝗖 𝗔𝗗𝗩𝗜𝗦𝗢𝗥𝗬📣
Please be advised that galleries 1, 2, and 3 of the National Museum of the Philippines-Marinduque will be temporarily closed as we prepare for a new exhibition. However, the office, activity area, and a mini exhibition in the lobby will remain open.

This setup will take effect from 𝗔𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗹 𝟮𝟰, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 to 𝗝𝘂𝗻𝗲 𝟳, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲.

Thank you for your continued support and understanding.

23/04/2026

Humor is produced in riddles by the technique called "𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘢𝘱𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘤 𝘢𝘣𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘥𝘪𝘵𝘺" or describing ordinary objects in exaggerated and comical ways. Here are riddles that describe a coconut grater and a lamp:

𝗽𝗮𝗽𝗶𝘁𝗹𝗼 #𝟰
𝐁𝐚𝐤𝐭𝐢𝐧 𝐧𝐚𝐤𝐨 𝐬𝐚 𝐑𝐢𝐤𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐤𝐚𝐧, 𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐢 𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐤𝐚𝐨𝐧 𝐤𝐮𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐢 𝐠𝐢𝐬𝐚𝐤𝐲𝐚𝐧
(𝑀𝑦 𝑝𝑖𝑔 𝑎𝑡 𝑅𝑖𝑘𝑎𝑛𝑑𝑖𝑘𝑎𝑛, 𝑤𝑜𝑢𝑙𝑑 𝑛𝑜𝑡 𝑒𝑎𝑡 𝑢𝑛𝑙𝑒𝑠𝑠 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑚𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑡 𝑖𝑡)
Answer: 𝗸𝘂𝗿𝗸𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗻 (𝘤𝘰𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘶𝘵 𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘳)
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𝗽𝗮𝗽𝗶𝘁𝗹𝗼 #𝟱
𝐔𝐬𝐚𝐧𝐠 𝐛𝐮𝐬𝐨𝐲 𝐧𝐚𝐤 𝐩𝐚𝐲𝐚𝐲, 𝐧𝐚𝐩𝐮𝐧𝐨 𝐤𝐚𝐠 𝐛𝐚𝐲𝐚𝐲
(𝐽𝑢𝑠𝑡 𝑎 𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑖𝑛 𝑜𝑓 𝑟𝑖𝑐𝑒, 𝑏𝑢𝑡 𝑐𝑜𝑢𝑙𝑑 𝑓𝑖𝑙𝑙 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑤ℎ𝑜𝑙𝑒 ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑠𝑒)
Answer: 𝗹𝗮𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗮 (𝘭𝘢𝘮𝘱)

Do you have a version of these riddles in your locality? Share them in the comment section.

20/04/2026

An inanimate subject of the riddle could be given human or animal attributes to complicate the matter.

Here are the second and third papitlo (𝘉𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘰𝘢𝘯𝘰𝘯 𝘳𝘪𝘥𝘥𝘭𝘦𝘴) of our

𝗽𝗮𝗽𝗶𝘁𝗹𝗼 #𝟮
𝐓𝐚𝐰𝐨-𝐭𝐚𝐰𝐨 𝐬𝐚 𝐫𝐮𝐠𝐨, 𝐚-𝐮𝐬𝐚 𝐢𝐭 𝐬𝐢𝐤𝐨
(𝐴 𝑙𝑖𝑡𝑡𝑙𝑒 𝑚𝑎𝑛 𝑖𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑐𝑜𝑟𝑛𝑒𝑟, 𝑚𝑖𝑠𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑔 ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑜𝑛𝑒 𝑒𝑙𝑏𝑜𝑤)
Answer: 𝗸𝗮𝗹𝗮𝘄𝗶𝘁 (𝘣𝘢𝘮𝘣𝘰𝘰 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘳 𝘶𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘶𝘵 𝘸𝘪𝘯𝘦)

Indeed, the container's handle called the "𝗽𝗮𝗸𝗮𝘄," resembles a human arm, the elbow part mentioned to mean the whole, a technique in poetry known as synecdoche.
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𝗽𝗮𝗽𝗶𝘁𝗹𝗼 #𝟯
𝐍𝐚𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐲𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐧𝐠 𝐧𝐚𝐠-𝐢𝐢𝐰𝐢𝐤, 𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐚𝐢𝐢𝐩𝐢𝐭
(𝑅𝑢𝑛𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑞𝑢𝑖𝑐𝑘𝑙𝑦 𝑤ℎ𝑖𝑙𝑒 𝑦𝑎𝑝𝑝𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑠𝑞𝑢𝑒𝑎𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑔, 𝑙𝑒𝑠𝑡 𝑖𝑡 𝑏𝑒 𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑙𝑒𝑑 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑐𝑎𝑢𝑔ℎ𝑡)
Answer: 𝘀𝗶𝗸𝘂𝗮𝗻 (𝘢 𝘴𝘩𝘶𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘶𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘮 𝘸𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨)

The shuttle is described as if it were a dog or a pig; the motion and sound of weaving are likened to what an animal would normally make.

Share your riddles from your locality that have similarities to the papitlo we shared.

17/04/2026

As characterized by National Artist Bienvenido Lumbera, "𝑟𝑖𝑑𝑑𝑙𝑒𝑠 𝑟𝑒𝑞𝑢𝑖𝑟𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑎𝑢𝑑𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑡𝑜 𝑠𝑒𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑝𝑜𝑖𝑛𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑔𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑏𝑒𝑡𝑤𝑒𝑒𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑜𝑏𝑗𝑒𝑐𝑡 𝑙𝑖𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑦 𝑑𝑒𝑠𝑐𝑟𝑖𝑏𝑒𝑑 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑜𝑏𝑗𝑒𝑐𝑡 𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑢𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑦 𝑟𝑒𝑓𝑒𝑟𝑟𝑒𝑑 𝑡𝑜." The audience then must search from his/her stock of knowledge and experience to arrive at an answer. Solving a riddle as a "𝑝𝑜𝑒𝑚 𝑖𝑛 𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑎𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑒" thus requires a metaphorical way of seeing just like this papitlo:

𝗽𝗮𝗽𝗶𝘁𝗹𝗼 #𝟭
𝐓𝐢𝐤𝐮𝐧𝐠𝐤𝐨𝐧𝐠, 𝐭𝐢𝐤𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐤𝐚𝐧𝐠; 𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐚 𝐮𝐲𝐨, 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐚 𝐲𝐚𝐧𝐠
(𝐼𝑡'𝑠 𝑠𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑐𝑎𝑛 𝑓𝑜𝑙𝑑 𝑜𝑟 𝑠𝑝𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑑 𝑖𝑡𝑠 𝑙𝑒𝑔𝑠; 𝐼𝑡 ℎ𝑎𝑠 𝑛𝑜 ℎ𝑒𝑎𝑑, 𝑦𝑒𝑡 ℎ𝑎𝑣𝑒 𝑒𝑦𝑒𝑠)
𝗔𝗻𝘀𝘄𝗲𝗿: kagang or arupilan in Bantoanon (𝑙𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑐𝑟𝑎𝑏)

The commonplace answer sharply and humorously contrasts with the somewhat outlandish description of the crab used in the riddle.

Stay tuned for more from our this National Literature Month. We also encourage everyone to share the riddles from your locality.

16/04/2026

𝗨𝗡𝗥𝗔𝗩𝗘𝗟𝗟𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗧𝗛𝗘 "𝑃𝐴𝑃𝐼𝑇𝐿𝑂"

As we celebrate this year’s National Literature Month with the theme “𝐵𝑒𝑘𝑒̈𝑡 𝑃𝑎𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑘𝑎𝑛: 𝑃𝑎𝑟𝑎 𝑠𝑎 𝐾𝑎𝑡𝑤𝑖𝑟𝑎𝑛 𝑎𝑡 𝐾𝑎𝑙𝑖𝑘𝑎𝑠𝑎𝑛,” we would like to introduce you to the enigma and significance of the Bantoanon "𝑝𝑎𝑝𝑖𝑡𝑙𝑜" or riddle. Known as the "𝑏𝑢𝑔𝑡𝑜𝑛𝑔" in Tagalog, it has equivalents in other languages like "𝑝𝑎𝑝𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑢𝑎𝑛" in Romblomanon; "𝑡𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑔𝑜ℎ𝑜𝑛" in Waray; "𝑡𝑖𝑔𝑚𝑜" in Cebuano, and so on.

The Bantoanon is an ethnolinguistic group in the province of Romblon with a distinct language and rich culture and history. Also called "𝐴𝑠𝑖," the Bantoanon language make up its own immediate branch of the Visayan family of languages (Zorc, 1977; Lobel, 2002). And like the others, they have a rich folk literary legacy similar in their riddles or "𝑝𝑎𝑝𝑖𝑡𝑙𝑜".

According to Damiana Eugenio, "𝑅𝑖𝑑𝑑𝑙𝑒𝑠 𝑏𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑛𝑔 𝑡𝑜 𝑎 𝑐𝑙𝑎𝑠𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑒𝑛𝑖𝑔𝑚𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑐 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑝𝑢𝑧𝑧𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑞𝑢𝑒𝑠𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑎 𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑠𝑜𝑛 𝑝𝑜𝑠𝑒𝑠 𝑡𝑜 𝑎𝑛𝑜𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟 𝑑𝑢𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑎 𝑟𝑖𝑑𝑑𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑠𝑒𝑠𝑠𝑖𝑜𝑛. 𝑇ℎ𝑒𝑦 𝑟𝑎𝑛𝑘 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑚𝑦𝑡ℎ𝑠, 𝑓𝑎𝑏𝑙𝑒𝑠, 𝑓𝑜𝑙𝑘𝑡𝑎𝑙𝑒𝑠 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑏𝑠; 𝑚𝑜𝑠𝑡 𝑟𝑖𝑑𝑑𝑙𝑒𝑠 𝑎𝑟𝑒 𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑟𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑧𝑒𝑑 𝑏𝑦 𝑏𝑟𝑒𝑣𝑖𝑡𝑦, 𝑤𝑖𝑡, 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑓𝑒𝑙𝑖𝑐𝑖𝑡𝑜𝑢𝑠 𝑝ℎ𝑟𝑎𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑔, 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑎𝑠 𝑠𝑢𝑐ℎ 𝑎𝑛 𝑒𝑓𝑓𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑣𝑒 𝑤𝑎𝑦 𝑜𝑓 𝑡𝑟𝑎𝑛𝑠𝑚𝑖𝑡𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑓𝑜𝑙𝑘 𝑤𝑖𝑠𝑑𝑜𝑚 𝑡𝑜 𝑠𝑢𝑐𝑐𝑒𝑒𝑑𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑔𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑠 𝑖𝑛 𝑐𝑎𝑝𝑠𝑢𝑙𝑒 𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑚."

For National Artist Bienvenido Lumbera on his seminal study of our native poetry, riddles are an initiatory form of oral lore. Considered a cornerstone of pre-colonial literature, riddles have been passed from generation to generation by word of mouth. They reflect Filipino inventiveness, daily life, and cultural values.

Filipino riddles, as in the Bantoanon "𝑝𝑎𝑝𝑖𝑡𝑙𝑜" usually have rhyme and meter, though not a fixed one. They employ poetic devices such as the metaphor, irony, hyperbole, and personification, among others. Lumbera noted that riddles' subjects or their solutions are universal objects like plants, animals, and artifacts found common in the home and their immediate environment. In others, riddles treat some natural occurrences and the processes in them.

Other than bringing fun, riddling is a vital oral tradition that reflects Filipino ingenuity and literary genius. As educational games, they foster critical thinking and community living, preserving our linguistic and literary heritage across generations. As one study (Bhuyan and Parida, 2025) has shown, riddles go beyond mere entertainment; they serve as intricate linguistic creations that showcase the tribe's profound connection to the environment, customs, and way of life. Youngsters, by unraveling riddles, learn and absorb lessons on humility, respect, cooperation, and the importance of their ancestral connections.

Do you have your favorite riddles in your own language or dialect? Please let us know in the comments.

Follow our posts as we share several papitlo pieces for the whole month of April.



References:
Bhuyan, Jonas and Trailokya Nath Parida. (Jul-Aug 2025). Echoes of Identity: The Role of the Riddle in Preserving Saura Tribal Heritage. International Journal of English Literature and Social Sciences, Vol. 10, Issue No. 4. pp. 140-143. PDF.
Eugenio, Damiana L. (2005). Philippine Folk Literature: The Riddles. Diliman, Quezon City: University of the Philippines Press.
Historical Data Papers for Jones (Banton). 1952.
Lobel, Jayson William. (2002). An Introduction to the Languages of Romblon. Sanrokan News Magazine.
Lumbera, Bienvenido L. (1986). Tagalog Poetry, 1570-1898: Tradition and Influences in Its Development. Quezon City: Ateneo de Manila University Press.
Zorc, David Paul. (1977). Bisayan Dialects of the Philippines: Subgrouping and Reconstruction. Pacific Linguistics Series C, No. 44. Canberra, Australian National University. PDF.

15/04/2026

May inilabas na 𝗠𝗼𝗿𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗻 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗶𝗻 ang Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) ngayong araw. Tampok dito ang Moryon na isa sa mahalagang bahagi ng panata ng mga Marinduqueño tuwing Semana Santa.

Nagsimula ang Moryonan sa Marinduque noong ika-19 na siglo at naging bahagi ng taunang panata ng mga Marinduqueño. Nagbukas din ito sa industriya ng pag-uukit ng maskara ng mga nagmomoryon.

Ang Moryonan at ang pag-uukit ng maskara ay kabilang sa Philippine Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage noong 2012 sa pangunguna ng National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) katuwang ang International Information and Networking Centre for Intangible Cultural Heritage in the Asia-Pacific Region (ICHCAP).

Interesado ka ba sa Moryonan Commemorative Coin ng BSP? Bisitahin ang page ng Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas para sa karagdagang detalye.

Mas palalimin pa ang inyong kaalaman tungkol sa Moryonan at iba pang panata ng Marinduque tuwing Semana Santa sa pagbisita dito sa Pambansang Museo ng Pilipinas sa Marinduque. Bukas ang museo mula 9 ng umaga hanggang 5 ng hapon, Lunes hanggang Linggo.

08/04/2026

𝐍𝐎𝐓𝐈𝐂𝐄 𝐓𝐎 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐏𝐔𝐁𝐋𝐈𝐂

Please be advised that the National Museum of the Philippines, including its Regional Component Museums, shall be 𝐎𝐏𝐄𝐍 on 𝟗 𝐀𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐥 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔, 𝐀𝐫𝐚𝐰 𝐧𝐠 𝐊𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐚𝐧.

We invite everyone to commemorate this day by visiting our museums, especially 𝐆𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐲 𝐕𝐈𝐈𝐈 (𝐒𝐢𝐥𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐚 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐉𝐮𝐚𝐧 𝐂. 𝐋𝐚𝐲𝐚 𝐇𝐚𝐥𝐥) of the National Museum of Fine Arts. Learn more about the events that unfolded leading up to the Fall of Bataan and the Battle of Corregidor, which exhibited the courage and perseverance of our troops in defending our country’s freedom and honor.

Ang aming pagpupugay sa lahat ng Beteranong Pilipino!

08/04/2026