University of Santo Tomas (1611) - the Oldest University in Asia

Universidad de Santo Tomás was born out of the dying Archbishop Miguel de Benavides, O.P., who came to Manila on July 25, 1587 from Carrion de los Condes, province of Palencia, Spain, died in 1605. His last will was to donated his library of books and 1,500 pesos for the purchase of lot to the Santo Domingo Church in Intramuros, to study science, arts and theology. His will came true in April 25, 1611, the Colegio de Nuestra Señora Del Santissimo Rosario was founded. Later renamed Colegio de Santo Tomás dedicated to the Dominican theologian-saint St. Thomas Aquinas, while St. Catherine of Alexandria is the patroness. Located opposite Santo Domingo Church by Calle Aduana on the north and by Plaza de España on the east and in 1645 it was declared a university by Pope Innocent X and in 1902 UST was declared as Pontifical University. 


In 1920 the Dominicans were given a 21.5 hectare land in “Sulucan,” in the suburbs of Sampaloc and the plan for the construction of an edifice for the growing student population happened. The edifice at Sulucan is the work of the Dominican Reverend Father Roque Ruaño, O.P., who graduated, later taught engineering at UST and was also the Rector of Colegio de San Juan de Letran. The construction in Sulucan begun in January 1923, the building is situated in the middle of a quadrilateral tract, facing Calle España. The edifice is all of reenforced concrete and has three floors and on its flat roof placed six spacious laboratories. The building is classified as "Ruaño Style,” named after the Engineer with the help of two hundred Pampango workmen, answers the threat of earthquakes. The building has a “half-moon” shape foundation that sways with the movement of the earth’s quake. The building composed of forty separate structures, joined together by loose concrete, the structures are free to move independently to ensure that the building will not crack. You will marvel at the structures that are an inch apart and seen from outside of the building, like broken lines running from top to bottom. Even the 50 meter-high tower is separated from its surrounding structures by four inches of space. 


UST survived not only the deadly Philippine earthquakes but the Spanish-American War, Philippine-American War and the Second World War in which the Japanese forces converted the campus into an internment camp for both Filipinos and foreign civilians, mostly Americans living in the Philippines. The oldest university in Asia proudly honor its founder, stands in front of the main building the bronze statue of Archbishop Miguel de Benavides that was made in Paris and represents his pious attitude of prayer with the right fore finger pointing to heaven. It was solemnly uncovered on July 2, 1891 by Governor-General Valeriano Weiler, it’s the favorite image of Fine Arts students to sketch on their outdoor class, another favorite is the “Arco de Siglo” the archway reconstruction of the original doorway of the old UST Building in Intramuros. UST is the only university in the world to have been visited by a saint and three popes four times: once by Pope Paul VI on November 28, 1970, twice by Pope John Paul II on February 18 1981 and January 13, 1995 and once by Pope Francis on January 18, 2015. Saint Mother Teresa of Calcutta visited UST twice in January of 1977 and again in November 1984.
- ka tony
12th - May, ‘19

It was 53 Years Ago Today, The Beatles went to Manila and Played

...53 years ago on July 4, 1966 The Beatles held two sold out concerts at the Rizal Memorial Football Stadium with a combined attendance of 80,000. A lunch was set by imelda marcos at Malacañan Palace at 11 am, same day with 300 children waiting to see The Beatles. An hour before the party, a delegation came to the Manila Hotel to fetch The Beatles. Brian Epstein - The Beatles' manager declined the invitation on the grounds that no earlier arrangement had been made. The 4:00-pm concert which I attended was okay though the sound system of the Rizal Stadium was pretty bad plus the screaming of the audience sounded like a 707 jet plane taking off that we can’t hardly hear The Beatles. The 8:30-pm concert was worst, it was learned that some cables of the sound system were unhooked and there were no sound on some of the speakers. From the investigation, it was learned it was a sabotage in retaliation of Malacañan due to The Beatles "lunch snub” of Malacañan. 

Following day after their concert, The Manila Times ran the headline: "IMELDA STOOD UP!” Philippine promoter Ramon Ramos took advantage of the situation and refused to pay the Beatles for their performance, in the first place he was the one who committed to imelda marcos that he’ll bring The Fad Four in Malacañan even it was not in his contract with The Beatles. Bomb and death threats were telephoned to the deluged British Embassy and to the Fab Four’s hotel suite. When the Beatles were scheduled to depart, all security detail assigned to the boys were withdrawn leaving them extremely vulnerable. They were literally kicked and jostled as they left their hotel and totally harassed all the way to the airport. Things were no better there where the airport manager has also removed all security for the Beatles. They went so far as to shut down the power to stop the escalators, forcing the boys to scale several flights of stairs with their own luggage, only to face an angry mob of 200 goons from Malacañan brutally manhandling them. Ringo was literally floored by an uppercut and kicked on the ground, he suffered a sprained ankle and had to be helped to the customs area while Mal Evans and Brian Epstein were injured as well. Alf Bicknell The Beatles official chauffeur suffered a cracked rib and a spinal injury.

The concert promoter Ramon Ramos never gave the payment due the Beatles after their Manila performances, they were mugged at the airport, their plane was held for a long time at Manila’s airport cuz Malacañan demanded Brian Epstein to pay tax from the concert which they were not payed for their performance. The whole Beatles entourage were afraid for their lives, they saw from the plane’s window they were surrounded by heavily armed military men. So Epstein paid the tax that was demanded and gave “grease money” to the goons just to allow their plane to leave and promised not ever again to comeback, which they kept.
- ka tony

4th - July, '19

The Doctrina Christiana was the first book in the Philippines written and printed in 1593, much older than America’s first and oldest book “The Bay Psalm Book” that was printed in 1640.

...the oldest book in the world was printed in 1455: “The Gutenberg Bible” (in Latin), printed in Europe with movable metal type by Johannes Gutenberg. The Philippine “Doctrina Christiana” was written by Fray Juan de Plasencia on Roman Catholic Catechism. Two versions of the book were printed in Spanish/Tagalog (written in Roman letters and Tagalog Baybayin) with 76 pages and Spanish/Chinese (written in Roman letters and Chinese characters) with 124 pages. Both versions’ titles translated in English: “Christian Doctrine in Spanish Language And Tagalog (And Chinese), with correct Rules for Religious of the Orders. Printed with Consent of Saint Gabriel in the Order of Saint Dominic. In Manila, 1593.” They were priced at two and four “reales.” The books’ inside pages consists of basic prayers: the Lord's Prayer, Hail Mary, Credo and the Salve Regina. Followed by Articles of Faith, the Ten Commandments, Commandments of the Holy Church, Sacraments of the Holy Church, Seven Mortal Sins, Fourteen Works of Charity, the Confiteor and a brief Catechism.

The Dominicans employ the service of Chinese “Keng Yong” from the Chinatown of Binondo who had printing experience in China. The books were printed using xylographic, a relief process printing each page of text from one hand carved woodblock using soft local wood “batikuling.” The book was printed on hand made paper from mulberry tree that was used during the Khmer Empire of Cambodia by Buddhist monks who made paper from the bark of mulberry trees. The size of the volume, which is unbound, is 9⅛”X 7”, although individual page leaves vary.

Both Spanish and Tagalog/Chinese versions of Doctrina Christiana were printed and produced by the Chinese “Keng Yong.” Prior to the 1593 Doctrina Christiana the Dominicans Fray Miguel de Benavides and Fr. Juan Cobo had already prepared “The True Faith in The Infinite God” a simple catechism in Chinese characters printed between 1590 and 1592 also with the help of Chinese printer “Keng Yong.” 

The printing and publication of Doctrina Christiana in 1593, Dominicans and “Keng Yong” pioneered the art of printing in the Philippines, they made molds, types and instruments needed for typography. Their typographic printing was indigenous, not imported from other countries. In 1625, Universidad de Santo Tomás in Intramuros needed publications and requested the printing press of Binondo to join the university, making today’s UST Publishing House (formerly UST Press) the oldest continuing press in the world since 1593. It is even older than the University of Santo Tomas (1611) the oldest university in Asia, older than U.S. oldest Harvard University (1636). The only known surviving Doctrina Christiana copy of the Chinese version is stored at the Biblioteca Nacional in Madrid, Spain. While in the U.S. a copy of Doctrina Christiana can be found at the Library of Congress that was presented by Lessing Rosenwald who bought it from a New York City book dealer, who purchased the copy from a book dealer in Paris and took it to the U.S.
- ka tony
30th - April, ‘19

Historical relationship of the Philippines and Catalonia’s Barcelona

# ...an apartment by Plaça del Bonsuccés near Calle La Rambla has a marker text in Catalan and Tagalog commemorating “La Solidaridad” where it was edited and printed. The plaque says (Tagalog):
“Luklukan ng pahayagang repormistang Pilipino (1889-1895) kung saan ang pambansang bayani ng Pilipinas na si Jose Rizal at iba pang mga nakibahagi ay nag-ambag ng malaki tungo sa kasarinlan ng kanilang bansa.”

# ...La Boqueria, is a large public market in the Ciudad Vieja district of Barcelona, dates back in 1217, when tables were installed to sell meat, coffee and food on calle La Rambla very close to where “La Solidaridad” apartment. Whenever Rizal took a visit to coordinate with M.H. del Pilar and Graciano López Jaena they had their meeting and snacks in this market. 

# ...Montjuïc Mountain, a site where important Catalan dissidents or free thinkers were detained and executed. Jose Rizal on his way to Cuba to help Spanish wounded soldiers, was instead stopped and was incarcerated at Celda #17 at Montjuïc. Has a historical marker about the hero. 

# ...Graciano López Jaena died of tuberculosis on January 20, 1896 in Barcelona, eleven months short of his 40th birthday. The following day, he was buried in a pauper’s mass grave at the Montjuïc Cemetery of Barcelona.
- photo journal ka Tony

3rd - June, '18

Binondo the first, the original, oldest and biggest Chinatown in the world

...great cities like Manila are established where rivers meet the sea and because of 300 years Manila/Acapulco Galleon Trade unstoppable immigration of Chinese selling chinese products exported in the Americas made Manila the world’s trading center and Binondo became the entrepot and the formation of “Sangley Parian" (“Chinese Flea-market” from Chinese “xiang lei” for traveling merchants and “palien” meaning federation). The original parian was at Mehan Garden (now Liwasang Bonifacio), the reason why the peninsulares’ Intramuros gate on that location is called “Parian Gate.” The parian was reserved only to baptized Catholic Chinese who were allowed to sell their goods, those unbaptized have to stay at Cavite’s Sangley Point where galleons were built. The parian at Mehan Garden just outside the peninsulares Intramuros was getting over crowded, Governor-General Luis Perez Dasmariñas because of continuous Chinese migration scared of another Sangley uprising he donated his “Isla de Binundok" (original name of Binondo because it’s hilly, surrounded by Pasig River and esteros), tax free which he purchased from Don Antonio Velada for 200 pesos. He ordered to move the Sangley Parian to Calle Sacrista (now Ongpin).

Governor-General Dasmariñas asked the Dominicans to take charge of converting the Chinese to catholicism, build a church in the honor of San Gabriel which is today’s Binondo Church though later its patroness became Nuetra Senora de Santissimo Rosario. Up to this day the main streets of Binondo- Calle Dasmariñas and Calle Rosario (now Quintin Paredes) were named in their honor. Because Binondo is an island, peninsulares of Intramuros have to take “casco” ferry crossing Pasig River to shop in Binondo. “Puente España” (Bridge of Spain) was built in 1632 by the Chineses to allow easier access and to continue the patronage of peninsulares. The bridge was near “Puerta Isabela II” of Intramuros that spanned to Calle Nueva (now E.T. Yuchengco St), cross street is Escolta where on the foot of the bridge were horse-carts waiting for peninsulares to be “escorted” (hence the name “Escolta” from Spanish word “escoltar”) in Binondo/San Nicolas to shop. Binondo became progressive shopping center that Chinese merchants extended the parian to its neighboring district “Barrio Baybay,” renamed “San Nicolas” in honor of their patron saint San Nicolas Tolentino the patron saint of merchants. The name of the streets of Binondo/San Nicolas can not be left unnoticed to this day, if they are not names of places in Spain like: Barcelona, Sevilla, Numancia, Madrid, they are: Aceiteros, Fundidor, Jaboneros, Arroceros, Caballeros, Fumadores, etc. products which Chinese merchants were selling on those streets.
- ka tony

1st - March, '19

The Great Escape and Manila as Open City

The attacks by the Japanese, landings of their army in many points of the country and its rapid advance towards Manila raised fears to Filipino leaders of possible defeat of combined American and Filipino forces. President Manuel Quezon met with his cabinet daily: Jorge Vargas, Jose Laurel, Jose Yulo, Quintin Paredes, Benigno Aquino Sr., Elpidio Quirino and others from December 12 to 14, 1941 to discuss ways to cushion the impact of total war in the people. General MacArthur felt deep concern for Quezon, too valuable to fall into the hands of the enemy and asked Quezon to escape with him through Corregidor then to Australia. Quezon upon hearing MacArthur’s plan, did not wish to leave Manila because people would get the impression that he was abandoning them, he asked the opinion of his cabinet which the total opinion was that “the people would understand” but they suggested that the entire Cabinet should accompany the president to Corregidor but Quezon replied that MacArthur said there was not enough room for all of them on the island. Quezon followed MacArthur’s advice to escape with him and chosen Osmeña to go with him, then asked Laurel and Roxas to accompany them to help in preparing papers and documents. Laurel and Vargas were disappointed for having been given responsibility to deal with the Japanese military administration but Quezon told them “somebody has to stay behind to protect the people.” US Colonial Government amended the Philippine Commonwealth Act No. 620 and added Commonwealth Act No. 670 granting the commonwealth president or his representative ran the government by himself - a legalized dictator. The proclamation of the state of emergency paved the way for the use of emergency and extraordinary powers without authorization by congress. 

Laurel was worried the role Quezon required him to cooperate with the Japanese and its implications which could lead to future misunderstanding. He expressed to President Quezon:
“Mr. President, it is easy that you are leaving us to take care of the situation with a view to the protection of our civilian population considering the fact that when the Japanese come we shall be performing several functions pertaining to municipal administration and administration of justice; but the Japanese may require or compel us to do many things which are inimical to our case, may I leave my position and go to the mountains. In my case, I’m asking this question because when you come back you might disapprove of our acts and accuse us of disloyalty.”

Quezon understand the significance of Laurel’s concern and felt that the best man to answer that question was General MacArthur. Learning Jorge Vargas had the same concern and question, he addressed these to MacArthur who replied:
“(We) Can’t do anything about it, George (referring to the imminent Japanese takeover of the Philippines). There is nothing you can do above it. Under International Law the occupying army must govern and rule and you cannot do anything but to obey what they tell you to do. Do anything except one thing, that is take the oath of allegiance to the Japanese. If you do, we will shoot you when you came back.”
...indeed a very hard situation for a politician serving under a colonial rule who’s abandoning its colony because of a more powerful colonialist who’s about to take over. 

As the Japanese moved closer and the defenses continued to fall, it became evident the VIPs have to be evacuated. On February 20, 1942, Quezon, his family and many of the Filipino staff left onboard a US Navy submarine. MacArthur remained to continue command of the defense. However, MacArthur accompanied by his wife Jean, four-year-old son Arthur, his Cantonese amah Ah Cheu, on March 11, left the Philippine island of Corregidor and his forces, which were surrounded by the Japanese. They traveled in PT boats commanded by John D. Bulkeley of Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron 3, made up of six, 77 feet Elco Patrol Torpedo (PT) Boats which scratches the original plan to evacuate him on the submarine “Permit.” These PT Boats were the newest, fastest and the smallest boats in the US Navy’s fleet. They had wooden hulls, powerful engines and a 15 man crew. They were armed with four torpedoes, .50 caliber Browning machine guns and .30 caliber Lewis Guns, sailed through stormy seas patrolled by Japanese warships and reached Mindanao two days later. From there, MacArthur and his party flew to Australia in a pair of Boeing B-17 Flying Fortresses, ultimately arriving in Melbourne by train on 21 of March. In Australia, he made his famous speech in which he declared, "I came through and I shall return". On Bataan, the reaction to MacArthur's escape was mixed, with many American and Filipino troops feeling bitter and betrayed. When General Jonathan Wainwright which MacArthur left all his responsibilities broke the news to his generals "they were all at first depressed by the news …But I soon saw that they understood just as I understood." As the news broke across the globe, to Joseph Goebbels - MacArthur was a "fleeing general", while Benito Mussolini labeled him a “coward.” The US decided that the best way to counter this negative image was to award MacArthur the Medal of Honor.

When the Japanese invaded the Philippines in 1941, Jorge Vargas was designated National Defense secretary by President Quezon, few weeks later, he was appointed as mayor of the Greater Manila area in 1941. His responsibilities included administering the open city upon the arrival of occupational troops of the Imperial Japanese Army on January 2, 1942. He became chairman of the Japanese-sponsored Philippine Executive Commission, was once asked by the Japanese to assume the Presidency, but he declined and Jose Laurel succeeded him. Upon the declaration of the country’s capital Manila an "Open City" it was to announce officially that the city is demilitarized during a war, announcing that they have abandoned all defensive efforts and entitling the city immunity from attack under international law. The attacking armies of the opposing military should respect and expected not to bomb or otherwise attack the city, but simply to march in. The "Open City" concept and objective is to protect the city's historic landmarks, ancestral houses and civilian living in the city from an unnecessary battle.

The City of Manila was not attack, lives were saved as well as the buildings, historical/ancestral houses, American colonial military and their government offices. Japanese military forces marched towards the City of Manila to occupy the beautiful Spanish City’s “Pearl of the Orient.” During the Japanese reign of terror in the City of Manila, they officially changed anything American and its collaborators’ names of streets, parks and buildings to Pilipino/Japanese names:

# Dewey Boulevard - "CALLE HEIWA (Peace)"
# Taft Avenue - "CALLE DAITOA (Greater Far East)"
# Harrison Boulevard - "CALLE KOA (Rising Sun)"
# Jones Bridge - "TULAY BANZAI"
# Quezon Boulevard - "CALLE MULAWIN"
# Plaza Ferguson - "PLAZA SIMBAHAN"
# Plaza Lawton - "PLAZA BURGOS"
# Plaza McKinley - "PLAZA MALAKI"
# Plaza Willard - "PLAZA MALIIT"
# California Street - in Ermita "CALLE ILOKOS"
# Carolina Street - in Malate "CALLE BATAAN"
# Chicago Street - Port Area "CALLE MAKILING"
# A. Craig Street - in Sampaloc "CALLE BAGONG AYOS"
# Florida Street - in Malate "CALLE ISABELA"
# Gov. Forbes Street - in Sampaloc "CALLE SAMPAGUITA"
# Daugherty Street - in Pandacan "CALLE SOLIMAN"
# Kansas Street - in Singalong "CALLE CAGAYAN"
# McGregor Street - in Quiapo "CALLE WATAWAT"
# Nebraska Street - in Ermita "CALLE SORSOGON"
# Omaha Street - in Port Area "CALLE LINGAYEN"
# Pennsylvania Street - in Malate "CALLE MALOLOS"
# Smith Street - in Paco "CALLE YAKAL"
# Tacoma Street - Port Area "CALLE CABANATUAN"
# Tennessee Street - in Malate "CALLE MINDORO"
# Washington Street - in Sampaloc "CALLE MABUHAY"
# Wright Street - in Malate "CALLE KAWANG-GAWA"
# Mehan Garden - "JARDIN BOTANICO"
# Harrison Park - "RIZAL PARK"

On October 25, 1944 General Douglas MacArthur waded ashore at Leyte to announced: "People of the Philippines, I have returned." The "Liberation of Manila" (Battle of Manila), started on the 3rd of February until the 3rd of March 1945, by Americans and retreating outgunned and out numbered Japanese forces. The one-month American forces continuous air-bombing, cannon balls flying, buildings/houses burning from American GI's napalms, military tanks smashed the ancient city's small gates to go through and pulverized Manila's beautiful cobbled stone streets, mortal, grenades, powerful bullets from automatic rifles, all these happening continuously 24 hours, for a month to avoid US Military casualties, Manila was flat on the ground and was named "the second most devastated city of world war second after Warsaw." The "Liberation of Manila was a terrible ruthless slaughter of great number of innocent civilians, women, children who were caught in between and had nothing to hide, it was a total devastation of human lives and a beautiful historical city. It was the scene of one of the ugliest inhumane urban fighting in the world that ended the three years of Japanese brutal military occupation in the Philippines (1942–1945). The city's possession was General Douglas MacArthur's key to victory in the campaign of reconquest of a US colony.
- ka tony
the 27th of October ‘18

June 15, 1935, before the scheduled U.S. controlled Philippine Commonwealth Presidential election candidates:

# ...Manuel Quezon of Nacionalista Party - for president, his vice president was Sergio Osmeña (then a senate president). Obviously supported by his friend General Douglas MacArthur and the U.S. Colonial Government.
# ...Emilio Aguinaldo of National Socialist Party - for president, his vice president Raymundo Melliza (former governor of Iloilo). His candidacy was supported by the organization he created “Veteranos de la Revolucion.”
# ...Bishop Gregorio Aglipay of Republican Party - for president, his vice president Norberto Nabong. Aglipay was supported by his co founder of Philippine Independent Church (Aglipayan Church) Isabelo de los Reyes (the Father of Philippine Socialism) and the Partido Komunista ng Pilipinas (PKP), a left-wing party organized by Crisanto Evangelista. 

This political enmity resulted in a bitter feud that characterized the 1935 presidential race for the then newly established Philippine Commonwealth. Before the 1935 presidential election, in 1899 Manuel Quezon was a major in Aguinaldo’s army in its fight against the Americans. He was accused of murdering an American POW and was imprisoned for six months, but was cleared of the crime for lack of evidence. When Aguinaldo was captured at Palanan on 1901, Aguinaldo took an oath of allegiance to the United States, was granted a pension from the U.S. government but was forced to retired to private life. The conflict between the two during the election was so intense that Aguinaldo discharged Quezon from his Veteranos de la Revolucion and sarcastically said Quezon never belonged to the group in the first place. Quezon retaliated with his treacherous political campaign against Aguinaldo, came out with leaflets about Bonifacio’s and Luna’s deaths under the bloody hands of Aguinaldo, he also cut off his government pension. The two rivals was a regular ugly staple of newspapers and social gossips. 

Quezon won the race by a landslide and Bishop Gregorio Aglipay quickly accepted the results but Aguinaldo did not want to accept his defeat, released a statement that if he were defeated at the polls, he and his followers would resort to force. Aguinaldo protested the 1935 presidential election results which he believed was rigged in Quezon’s favor; his supporters even planned to disrupt the inauguration and assassinate the winners though was not carried out. On December 8, 1941, the day after Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, Japanese forces invaded the Philippines. Because of the sure capture by the enemy, President Quezon and other top government officials had to escape to Corregidor along with General MacArthur. Quezon gave his responsibilities to his cabinet and political colleagues: Jorge Vargas, Jose Laurel, Manuel Roxas, Benigno Aquino Sr., Jose Yulo, Quintin Paredes, Antonio de las Alas and Teofilo Sison, expected them to collaborate with the enemy to save Filipino civilian’s lives. MacArthur left his responsibility as the Allied commander in the Philippines was handed down to General Jonathan Wainwright whom he promoted as “temporary” Lieutenant General. Quezon and MacArthur left the island of Corregidor in a PT Boat, moving on to Mindanao, then Australia, Quezon went to the United States and set up a government in exile in Washington D.C. Emilio Aguinaldo once again fell into disgrace and again collaborated with the new colonialists.
- ka tony
19th of October ‘18