Demand for Calungsod statue rise

MANILA -- Days before the much-awaited canonization of Blessed Pedro Calungsod, the demand for the statue of the would-be second Filipino saint is at an all-time high.

In a report by CBCP News, the shop of Justino "Mang Paloy" Cagayat Jr., who made the official statue of Calungsod, in Paete, Laguna, has received an increased number of demands for the official statue.

"There are many orders coming from different provinces… from old and new clients," Kevin Cagayat, youngest son of Mang Paloy, told the official news agency of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP).

"Since August, high demands and orders forced us to produce around 100 statues a week since August," he added.

So high is the demand, Cagayat said, that they are sometimes forced to hire more workers just to be able to finish the job.

"In times like this, where the demand is very high and there are rush orders, we also outsource workers to do the carving and finishing touches," said Cagayat.

To note, Calungsod's statue was made official only last July through the Jesuit congregation, who commissioned Cagayat to do the work.

Under the orders of then Cebu Archbishop Ricardo Cardinal Vidal, Calungsod should be carrying a Doctrina Cristiana book since he was a catechist, and a palm attached to martyr's body as a symbol of martyrdom.

Calungsod statues can be made of fiberglass resin and wood from batikuling (Litsea Perottetii) tree.

For the resin, sizes include eight inches (P350), 10 inches (P500) and 12 inches (P800), two feet (P1,600), three feet (P4,000), and four feet (P7,000).

For the wood, sizes start at 12 inches at P4,500, two feet (Php12,000), three feet (P24,000), and four feet tall (Php40,000).

Calungsod, along with six others, is set to be canonized by Pope Benedict XVI on Sunday in Rome, Italy. (HDT/Sunnex)