Every 29th of September it’s St. Michael's Day, in the western tradition is to eat fattened goose on this day so as to be reminded of an angel's wings, fed on the stubble from the fields after the harvest, eaten to protect against financial need in the family for the next year, but for us Pinoys it's time for a toast of Ginebra San Miguel or San Miguel Beer. When Spanish Governor-General Sebastian Hurtado de Corcuera made a promise that if he was successful with his expedition of Mindanao, he will build a chapel dedicated to San Miguel Archangel, which he did. San Miguel is the principal angelic warrior, protector against the dark of the night and the Archangel who fought against Satan and his evil angels. The village of San Miguel, by Malacañan known as "Calzada de Malacañan” (later Aviles, then J.P. Laurel Sr. Street) is the main street of the San Miguel District. It became the "center of power" ever since Governor-General Rafael de Echague moved into the Malacañan Palace in 1863. Prior to that, the palace was just the governor-general’s summer home. Echague was forced to move in because an earthquake had damaged the Palacio del Gobernador. However, when the Palacio was repaired, Echague moved out of Malacañan Palace but another earthquake strike and had him moved back.
On the same site were to make two establishments; "Fabrica de Ginebra San Miguel" and "Fabrica de Cerveza de San Miguel" which in 1889, a well-known businessman Enrique María Barretto de Ycaza y Esteban, applied for a royal grant from Spain to establish a brewery in the Philippines, he was awarded the grant and on September 29, 1890 (Michaelmas or the feast day of Saint Michael Archangel), La Fábrica de Cerveza San Miguel was declared open for business at Numero 6 Calzada de Malacañan, the brewery took its name from the district of San Miguel. The San Miguel buildings were torn down after the land was transferred to the government and today is a part of the palace complex. San Miguel district also includes the Isla de Convalecencia, the largest island in the Pasig River where Hospício de San José, Manila’s oldest Catholic welfare institution is located.
The Ayalas were part owners of San Miguel and in 1915 they needed a new label for their "Ginebra" line. They commissioned a young fine arts student from the University of the Philippine to design the label. One of our country’s national artists, in his effort to put food on his family’s table, as well as earn enough money to afford the materials he needed to pursue his passion for painting, took on other jobs, including that as a commercial illustrator. The art student came up with a label design where Saint Michael with a Damascus sword the waves of each Kris denotes a flame or a serpent about to strike satan, famously called “Marca Demonio” by then unknown artist Fernando Amorsolo.
- ka tony
27th, September '19
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