If I am not mistaken, the Las Pinas Bamboo Organ was our topic when I was in grade four in Sibika at Kultura. The subject was interesting, so the history of the Las Pinas Bamboo Organ remains fresh in my memory, even with the long name of the man who created this majestic organ. Fray Diego Cera Dela Vergin del Carmen was a Spanish missionary born on July 26, 1762, and was the first parish priest in Las Piñas during the Spanish era. He is the man behind this national treasure - Las Piñas Bamboo Organ. He actually came from Graus, now Huesca, a town in Spain, but still, his heart loves the Philippines. F. Diego Cera is also a man of titles; he is a Musician, Architect, Organ Builder, Botanist, Physician, Painter and Geologist.
Bamboo spread out in the town of Las Piñas, so F. Diego Cera made it the medium of his artistic mind. Since bamboo can produce different sounds through the air, he created the idea of building an organ. But how did he do that? It's a long story, but here’s the life of the bamboo organ: cutting of the bamboo and selection of wood started in 1816 and was completed sometime in 1821, except for the reed stops. In 1824, the 122 horizontal reed pipes were successfully completed. Same as what happened to some century old churches in the Philippines, the church and the Bamboo Organ were both damaged by three earthquakes in 1880, so the pipes were dis-assembled and were placed in the old sacristy.
Two years later, another typhoon blew up the roof, so the chest of the Bamboo Organ was partially damaged. 1888 the church was rebuilt, but due to severe damage, the Bamboo Organ remained unplayable for the next decades until it was rediscovered by tourists in 1911. The tourist brought this concern to the public, so it was repaired several times, and an electric motor was installed to supply the wind.
Play the video above to hear the majestic sound of the bamboo organ.
The organ comprises 902 bamboo pipes and 129 metal pipes, with 1,031 pipes in total. Not everyone who knows how to play organs can operate this bamboo organ, but only the selected choir members can. The local parish and the local government of Las Piñas, with the help of the National Commission of Culture and the Arts, created different programs to maintain its original appearance and sound.
 |
| A photo of Las Piñas Bamboo Organ. |
It was in 1972 when the Bamboo Organ was brought to Bonn, Germany, for a full restoration. The contract was awarded to Jahannes Klais Orgelbau KG. While the organ was in Germany, the church was restored to its original state with the help of the Filipinos. After restoring the bamboo organ in Germany, it was played for the first time in Klais Factory, Bonn, Germany. With the help of Sabena Airlines, the restored organ was brought back to the Philippines in March 1975. In the same year, an inaugural concert was held at the house of the Bamboo Organ, which is St. Joseph Parish Church.
How to Get to Las Piñas Bamboo Organ:
- You can ride in a bus from EDSA and alight in Coastal Mall. Cross the Footbridge. Then, take a ride to Tambo in Zapote, then alight at Las Piñas bayan. If you still can’t find it, you can ask the residents in Bayan.