Mami and Siopao is Ma Mon Luk

...”Mami” a bowl of hot broth, meat and noodles is as generic word as Colgate, Frigidaire and Xerox to Pinoy consumers. Ma Mon Luk was a grade school teacher in Canton, quit his job migrated to the Philippines. He carried his hot mami in containers suspended from the ends of length of bamboo slung across his shoulder. The container held the noodles, boiled chicken, bowls and Chinese soup spoons. He peddled carrying his hot mami through Ongpin, Gandara, T.Alonso, F.Torres and in the afternoon stayed at the foot of San Fernando Bridge on Plaza Calderon de la Barca (now Plaza San Lorenzo Ruiz). The original name of his dish was “gupit” not mami, it came from the chicken that was cut with scissors and so as the noodles. Business was good because of his hard work and the unique comfort food he introduced, saved money and set up his first shop on Calle Salazar cross street Ongpin, near the estero. 

“Ma” and “Mi” which is the Chinese word for noodles but for Ma Mon Luk’s “suki” insist that it is “Ma” for “manok” (chicken) and “Mi” for “miki” (noodles). Mami eaters simply can not have a bowl without having an oversized pork mixture inside a dough called “siopao” with it. Ma Mon Luk was not only a good businessman but also a great PR and marketing man, he knew the importance of endorsement from personalities for his product. He gave donations to the poor around his neighborhood, to Espiridiona Bonifacio (sister of the hero), gave free mami and siopao to actors, politicians, athletes, newspaper columnists at the same time having a photographer with him to take pictures. He goes to yearly Chinese stage shows on Ongpin, showed his Kung-Fu skills. After few years from his original Calle Salazar restaurant came different Ma Mon Luk restaurant branches in the whole Metro Manila. After building a mami empire he passed away September 1st 1961 at the age of 65 and leaving in the mind of Pinoy consumers that “mami-siopao” is Ma Mon Luk.
- ka tony
29th of July ‘18

"Dimples" General Douglas MacArthur's Smiling Mistress

...Isabel Rosario Cooper, a Scottish-Filipino-Chinese mestiza more popularly known as "Dimples” in 1929, General Douglas MacArthur fell head over heels for this 16-year-old actress who appeared in B-movies; one of which “Ang Tatlong Hambog” featured the very first kissing scene in Filipino cinema. But more interestingly, Isabel Rosario Cooper aka “Dimples” was to become the general's mistress. When MacArthur was appointed Army Chief of Staff and moved to Washington, the general’s mother Mary “Pinky” Hardy and Dimples followed suit. While his mother lived in Fort Myer, Dimples was ensconced in an apartment near MacArthur's office adjoining the White House. All along Pinky must have remained oblivious to Dimples' existence, as well as her son's torrid relationship with her.

According to one biographer of MacArthur, William Manchester, MacArthur "showered Dimples with presents and bought her many lacy tea gowns, but no raincoat. She didn't need one, he told her; her duty is to lay in bed." Dimples eventually got bored with the setup and enrolled in law school where she met many interesting young men. Learning this the general immediately ended their relationship.

When the secret affair was discovered by a Washington Post gossip columnist, Drew Pearson wrote about it, MacArthur sued him for libel. But when Pearson revealed that he had obtained very intimate correspondence between McArthur and his young mistress, including having her as a witness to be deposed, McArthur withdrew the suit and paid Pearson a substantial amount of money in exchange for the letters. 

Dimples, with the $15,000 received from the general, allegedly delivered by his aide Dwight Eisenhower, opened a hairdressing salon somewhere in the Midwest, before moving to Los Angeles some years later. In 1960, unable to recover from the lingering emotional anguish of her failed relationship with MacArthur, she committed suicide.

The general, on the other hand, with his second wife, Jean Marie Faircloth, spent the last years of their life together in the penthouse of the Waldorf Towers (a part of the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in Manhattan). It was a gift from Conrad Hilton, the owner of the hotel. Douglas MacArthur died in Washington, DC, in 1964.
- ka tony

Saan ang talaarawan ng Katipunerong Castor de Jesus?

...sa mahabang panahon na himagsikang ating pakikipaglaban sa kolonyalistang Kastila at Amerikano tatlo lamang ang nagtala o nagsulat ng kanilang “memoir” ayon sa pakikibaka at buong pangyayari. Sa tatlong nagtala nito’y dalawa lamang ang nilimbag na maging aklat:
# ...Katipunan and the Revolution, Memoirs of a General - by Santiago Alvarez
# ...Memoirs of General Artemio Ricarte
Kaya naman ang dalawang aklat na Ito’y siyang nagsilbing basehan ng mga batikang Pilipinong mananaliksik at historyador, maliban sa karagdagang mga ulat mula sa mga lumang pahayagan, dokumentong militar, personal na liham at pakikipanayam. Ang dalawang heneral na “Magdiwang” Santiago Alvarez at Artemio Ricarte ay naninirahan sa Cavite, tulad ng ibang mga heneral ng Katipunan sa iba’t ibang probinsya ay nagtutugo lamang sa Arrabales ng Maynila kapag nagtawag ang Supremo Bonifacio ng mahalagang pagpupulong. Ang pagkakabunyag ng lihim na samahang Katipunan ay nagsanhi sa pagdideklara ni Gobernador Heneral Ramon Blanco ng batas militar noong Augusto 30, 1896 sa walong lalawigan: Arrabales ng Maynila, Bulacan, Cavite, Pampanga, Tarlac, Laguna, Batangas at Nueva Ecija. Subalit ang sentro ng maarmadong lakas militar ng mga Kastila ay nasa Arrabales ng Maynila, kaya naman ang kaibahan ng Katipunan ng Tondo at Balintawak ay puno ng pakikipaglaban sa malakas at maarmas na mga Kastila, sapagkat Ito’y nasa labas lamang ng Intramuros. Kaya naman ang madugong mga sagupaan tulad ng pagsalakay ng Supremo Bonifacio, Gat Emilio Jacinto, Gat Macario Sakay, Genaro de los Reyes at Vicente Leyba sa “El Polvorin” ng San Juan del Monte (Pinaglabanan) na kung saan nakalagak ang mga sandata ng mga Kastila, ang nakasagupa nila’y beteranong casadores, bukod pa sa malakas na mga armas nito. 

Ang isa pang laging kasama bago pa ipinundar ang Katipunan ay si:
# ...Castor de Jesus.
Siya ay isa sa mga orihinal na Katipunero, siya ay pinsan-buo ng Lakambini ng Katipunan - Gat Gregoria de Jesus. Si Castor de Jesus ay nasaksihan ang pagbubuo ng lihim na samahang Katipunan, kasama ng Supremo Bonifacio kung saan naganap ang unang sigaw, ang naganap na pagsalakay nila sa “El Polvorin” sa San Juan del Monte (Pinaglabanan), pag atras sa Balara, ang pakikipaglaban nila’t tagumpay sa Ilog ng Nangka, matapos magtago sa arrabales ng San Nicolas ang Supremo kasama ang kapatid niyang Procopio at Gat Emilio Jacinto, hinatid ni Castor de Jesus ang nagdadalang-taong pinsan niyang Aling Oriang sa Sampiro de Makati na kung saan nagkita ang magasawa at nagpatuloy na naglakbay patungong Cavite upang pagkasunduin ng Supremo Bonifacio ang dalawang panig doon ng Katipunan; Magdiwang at Magdalo. Makalipas ang isang lingo nagtungo sa Cavite at doon nasaksihan ni Castor de Jesus ang nangyaring dayaan sa halalan ng Tejeros, ang pagkakapatay sa kapatid ng Supremo na si Ciriaco, ang pagsaksak sa Supremo at pagdakip sa magkapatid na Andres at Procopio, ang naganap na paglitis sa pagbibintang sa magkapatid na Bonifacio sa salang sidisyon. Kasama niya ang kaniyang pinsang Aling Oriang sa paghahanap sa Supremo na iyon pala'y pinatay na patago sa magubat na bundok ng Maragondon ang bayaning magkapatid. 

Ang sinulat na orihinal na "memoir" ni Castor de Jesus sa wikang Tagalog ay pinagkaloob ng kaniyang pamilya noong taon 1964 sa National Heroes Commission (ngayon ay National Historical Commission) kung saan ako nagtatrabaho bilang isang mananaliksik ng kasaysayan. Ang nasabing “Memoirs ni Castor de Jesus” ay ipinatago ng aming Chairman Carlos Quirino sa panggangalaga ng Philippine National Library na kung saan din nandoon ang aming opisina. Ang orihinal na “Memoirs ni Castor de Jesus” ay ipina-mimeograph ng isang kopya ng aming Chairman Quirino at ang kaisa-isang kopyang Ito’y ipinapasa sa bawat mananaliksik na tulad ko upang basahin sa loob ng limang araw at pagkatapos ay ito nama’y ipapasa sa susunod na mananaliksik. Makalipas ang 55 na taon ay hangang sa ngayon ay hindi pa rin ipinalilimbag ng NHC ang nasabing “Memoirs ni Castor de Jesus.”
- ka tony

ika-15 ng Hulyo ‘18

Joan Josep Hervas y Arizmendi - Casa Bizantina, Hotel de Oriente and La Insular Fabrica de Tabacos y Cigarillos

..."Casa Bizantina" was the first home of “Instituto de Manila” (1914), after their least ended the Donato family (family picture below) moved into this beautiful three-storey “bahay na bato” in the historical district of San Nicolas. “Casa Bizantina” was earthquake proof because of its curved foundation that swing with the movement of the earth, no nails were used instead wooden pegs can be found on the floors and the walls that allows the movement of the quake. Weather proof because of the thick adobe and heavily fired red brick walls. Termite proof because of the bitter-tasting timber hardwoods that were used and was a survivor of American bombing during the "liberation of Manila," unfortunately another victim of capitalist’s cultural cannibalism. Casa Bizantina was looted piece by piece, panel by panel, brick by brick, grill by grill, floorboard by floorboard, in order to sell them to an “antique dealer” who payed high price for old parts of ancestral house, until the building was declared “condemned” then “sold” and went down to the ground. The debris that were left on the corner of calle Madrid & Peñarubia were cleaned, taken by truck loads and transported in Bataan, the beautiful graveyard of the cultural cannibalism victims. 

It has been called “Casa Bizantina” because of its Byzantine ornamentation, designed by Joan Josep Hervas y Arizmendi a Catalan architect, born in Barcelona, a contemporary of another Catalan, Antoni Gaudí the designer of the world famous “Sagrada Familia Basilica” in Barcelona. Hervas’ other works include “Hotel de Oriente” and “La Insular Fabrica de Tabacos y Cigarillos” both at Plaza Calderon de la Barca (now Plaza San Lorenzo Ruiz) in Binondo and its hard not to notice the similarities of the details on these three buildings. 

“Hotel de Oriente” was built in 1889 by Don Manuel Perez Marqueti, it was one of first class hotels in Asia. In June 26, 1892, Jose Rizal stayed at Room # 22 in this hotel (right side of the building) coming back from HongKong days before he established “La Liga Filipina” in the house of Doroteo Ongjunco at calle Ilaya, Tondo. 

“La Insular Fabrica de Tabacos y Cigarillos” was established by Don Joaquin Santamarina and his associates Don Luis Elizalde and Don Manuel Clemente after the Philippine colonial government monopoly on tobacco was abolished. The factory together with “Hotel de Oriente” and other building in its surrounding was ravaged by fire during the liberation of Manila in 1944. 

ka tony

the 24th of July '18

Arch of the Centuries (Arco de los Siglos)

...Arch of the Centuries (Arco de los Siglos) is a triumphal arch of the University of Santo Tomas in Sampaloc, Manila. Half of the this structure, the side facing the UST Main Building is the ruins of the original Intramuros arch while the side that faces España Boulevard is a replica. The arch was formerly the original entrance to the university when the campus was still in Intramuros during the years from 1680 to 1941. The Arch was carried piece-by-piece and was re-erected at the present UST campus’ Plaza Intramuros in 1954. The top of the Arch are panels depicting the life of Saint Thomas Aquinas, the patron saint of the university and of all Catholic educational institutions. On the left pillar of the facade facing España Boulevard is commemorative plaque honoring national hero José Rizal and on the right pillar is another plaque honoring President Manuel Quezon, both being UST alumni.

University of Santo Tomas was founded on 28 April 1611 by Miguel de Benavides, Archbishop of Manila, it’s the oldest continuing university in the Philippines and in Asia. Though before UST there were three older universities in the Philippines: Colegio de Santa Potenciana (1589), Universidad de San Ignacio (1590), Universidad de San Carlos (1595), then Universidad de Santo Tomas (1611) and followed by Colegio de San Juan de Letran (1620) and Colegio de Santa Isabel (1632), these universities are much older than the United States’ oldest Harvard University (1636).
- ka tony
24th of July ‘18

Old Obando Fertility Ritual

“...Santa Clara, pinung pino.
Ako po ay bigyan ninyo
ng asawang labin-pito
sa golpe ay walang reklamo.”

- as the song goes for Santa Clara (St. Claire of Assisi) whose feast falls on August 11, who led a most austere life, should have become the patroness of parties though died a virgin, become the province of Obando patroness of pregnancy. The “Summer Solstice” is the Tagalog fertility ritual called “tadtarin,” borrowed from Hindu ritual that women gathered accompanied of drums, bells, chanting and danced the erotic “diwang” before the image of Tagalog anitos “Diyan Masalanta” (goddess of love) and “Lakapati” (goddess of fertility). The terpsichorean worshippers redirected their ritual to the Virgin Santa Clara that explains why to this day the song of the dancing devotees is directed to her and not to San Pascual Baylon, who was a very late comer in the Obando dance festival of the fandango dancing women desiring children. 

Franciscans could not have picked on a better saint and the fandango gradually replaced the erotic dance “diwang” a pagan vestige to that of San Pascual Baylon was a perfect solution. His family name “Baylon” translated as “fond of dancing” in Spanish, biographer Father Ximenes wrote that in one occasion Pascual Baylon was seen dancing before the statue of the Virgin, so a saint associated with the dance was made titular of the Obando Church. The image of each saint leads the procession on his or her designated feast day. Throughout the three days, devotees joyously dance in the streets as a form of prayer, asking for the spirit of life to enter into the wombs of women. Jose Rizal made mention of this ritual in his Noli me Tangere: Padre Damaso advised Kapitan Tiago and his wife Doña Pia who both have been longing to have a child to make a pilgrimage to the shrine of Obando, there to dance on the feast of San Pascual and ask for a son. As the story goes, Doña Pia went, danced and gave birth to a mestiza Maria “Clara” whose father was actually Padre Damaso. 

Traditional are the dozens of eggs offered to the nuns of Santa Clara by party givers who don’t want to rain on their parties. The tradition started that “clara” in Spanish both means “clear” and “white of an egg.” In effect therefore, Santa Clara is being offered “clara” (egg whites) to keep a particular date “clara” (fair weather). Devotees participating in the rites would sometimes hold eggs as they sway to the fandango.
- ka tony
the 5th of August ‘18