How Isabela's 'Lazy Chair' Got Into the Guinness Book of World Records

Tourists roaming the City of Ilagan wouldn't surely miss the giant chair with a long arm rest on display at Bonifacio Park located at the Provincial Capitol Complex. It was unveiled for public viewing on April 2003 (during Isabela’s 147th founding anniversary on May 11). The Butaka, as it is called is therefore, 20 years old during our visit in August 2023 in time for the Mammangi Festival 2023 and Ilagan's 11th Cityhood celebrations.

Isabela' pride and Ilagan’s winning bid for Guinness Book of World Records for the biggest armchair was constructed alternately by 12 to 50 skilled craftsmen of Brgy. Alinguigan II, considered the “furniture capital” of the Cagayan Valley. The people of Brgy. Alinguigan II are touted to be the best butaka makers where about 95% of residents are furniture makers.

The giant Butaka was constructed to promote Isabela’s furniture industry and it costed about PhP175,000. Reportedly, the big furniture entrepreneurs in the village contributed at least PhP500 each while small ones chipped in PhP200 each for the manufacture of the giant butaka. The rest of the expenses were shouldered by the municipal government, led by then Mayor Delfinito Albano.

Butaka, the "lazy chair," used to be the resting chair of rich families during Spanish era. It's long arm rest is not used for the arms but for the legs. Hacienderos rest after a busy day of roaming around their lands and rice fields with their legs comforted by the long arm rests of the chair.

Today, the Butaka is still popular in Isabela with 3 barangays manufacturing it: Alinguigan 1st, 2nd, and 3rd. Miniature butakas are also popular as decorative item or as cellphone holder in the province nowadays. The giant butaka on display measures 11.4 ft. high, 20.8 ft. long, 9.7 ft. wide and weighsl 2,368 kgs. It was made from a total of 1,184.48 board ft. of first-class narra with a seat made with 1,740 ft. of interwoven 1-in. diameter rattan.

We hope the city tourism office would keep the giant landmark at its best being a big attraction in the City of Ilagan itself. (No climbing and seating please!) For more information, contact Isabela Provincial Tourism Office at Mobile number: (0917) 317-3820 or email: isabelatourismoffice@gmail.com. #CityOfIlagan #Isabela #mammangifestival2023 #ilagan11thcityhood #giantbutaka #butakaisabela #BarangayAlinguigan #alinguigan2nd #Bonifaciopark #showbitsnpieces

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