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

US Army and its armed Philippine Constabulary’s Counterinsurgency was an Integrated Military and Civilian Effort Against General Sakay

General Macario Sakay and his men operated in Morong, Laguna, Cavite, and Tayabas, made Mt. Cristobal his headquarters but later moved to the mountains of Morong. His Republika ng Katagalugan was supported by the masses of Morong, Laguna, Batangas, and Cavite. The US armed Philippine Constabulary constantly complained to the municipal authorities for supporting and cooperating with Sakay who taxed hacienderos, merchants, farmers and laborers ten percent of their income only on those who could pay, but to those who refused to do so will to be arrested and forced to hard labor. Spies and informers were liquidated, tortured or had their ears and lips cut off as a warning to others.

In late 1904 General Sakay took military offensive, disguised in Philippine Constabulary uniforms they were successful in capturing a US military garrison in Parañaque, seized large amount of revolvers, carbines and ammunition. General Sakay's men often employed these uniforms to confuse the enemy. The US Army and their armed Philippine Constabulary launched the operation they did in Batangas that forced General Miguel Malvar and his men to surrender: “divide and rule,” “search and destroy,” “poisoned the soil,” “drain the swamp,” “liquidate anything that can be eaten” and “hamlet program” on the areas where General Sakay received strong assistance. These cruel counter-insurgency operations proved disastrous to General Sakay’s men and Filipino masses. The forced movement, relocation of large number people to expose the rebels, shortage of food and water caused the outbreak of diseases like cholera and dysentery. Food was scarce in the area and in camps, resulting in numerous deaths. Dominador Gomez mentioned the bad condition in General Sakay’s camp to the Americans upon his meeting with General Villafuerte, the malnourished general in his uniform tightened by a belt to hold his pants up, tried very hard to stand without the aid of a cane despite his malarial fever.
- ka tony

Gat Macario Sakay a mislabeled hero, his misplaced monument and mistaken historical facts

The first & only monument of Gat Macario Sakay on Plaza Morga, Tondo, finally unveiled by Manila Mayor Alfredo Lim on September of 2008, finally acknowledge as hero after 101 years when American colonialists and their Filipino sajonistas labeled him as “tulisan” was found guilty, sentenced and hanged under the US colonial court. The mislabeled hero with his misplaced monument also have mistaken historical facts on the plaque prepared by Manila Historical and Heritage Commission. 

a) ...the plaque and many historians assumed Sakay’s birth year was 1870 but his 1907 death certificate recorded he was 29 years old at the time of his execution should have been 37 years old instead. The truth is Sakay was born out of wedlock, date and year of his birth unknown, he never knew, never met his father, even his last name “Sakay” is his mother’s family name. The big question is from whom and where did his middle name “Leon” came from?

b) ...the plaque states that Sakay was born in Calle Tabora, Tondo. The district of Tondo, San Nicolas and Binondo didn’t change much their boundaries even their street names since Spanish colonial time. Calle Tabora was named after Spanish Governor-General Juan Niño de Tabora who brought the image of Nuestra Señor dela Paz y Buen Viaje of Antipolo during the Manila/Acapulco Galleon Trade. Calle Tabora is not in Tondo, but in the district of San Nicolas cuz Calle Azcarraga (now Recto Avenue) where Divisoria (Spanish word meaning “dividing”) is located serves as dividing line or boundary for Manila’s districts of San Nicolas, Binondo, Tondo, Sta. Cruz and Quiapo. 

c) ...the plaque also said that Raja Sulayman like Sakay is from Tondo which is again wrong, Raja Sulayman is from the new Kingdom of May-Nilad where Intramuros now stands which is across the Pasig River from Tondo the Old Kingdom of Lankandula and Magat Salamat. Tondo was a province of Pampanga (from “ka-pampang” meaning of the same riverbank of Pasig River and Pampanga River). 

Gat Macario Sakay is not a “Tondeño” (from Tondo) but from San Nicolas and his only monument at Plaza Morga in Tondo was erected on the wrong district. Though we should be grateful that finally after many years the name “Sakay” will erase the picture that pops into our mind of a “longhaired vicious tulisan” but a patriotic hero who continued the long revolution of masses of Supremo Bonifacio and Gat Emilio Jacinto’s Katipunan.
- ka tony
28 of February, ‘18

Pamahalaan ng Republika ng Katagalugan

...sitting from left to right:
# Lt. Col. Jualian Montalan - Montalan was an ally of Bonifacio from the founding of the Katipunan in 1892 where he rose from the ranks of Magdiwang and head the revolutionary forces in Cavite. He was aggressive and ruthless in meeting out sentences to those who betrayed the Republika ng Katagalugan. He was moved to Iwahig Penal Colony, in Palawan after Bilibid. 

# Lt. Gen. Francisco Carreon y Marcos - joined the Katipunan following the footsteps of his cousin Emilio Jacinto, eventually elected to the Katipunan Supreme Council. Despite serving at the time as a councilor in the Katipunan, he was drafted in the Spanish colonial guardia civil. When Gen. Sakay then took to the hills and established the Republika ng Katagalugan, Carreón served as both Sakay's vice president and executive secretary, he drafted manifestos of the Republika ng Katagalugan. Carreón was imprisoned in the old Bilibid Prison and was later released in 1930 through a pardon.

# Macario Sakay (President of Republika ng Katagalugan and overall commander of the Revolutionary Army. 

# Maj. Gen. Leon Villafuerte - born on April 11, 1887 in Guiquinto, Bulacan, before joining Gen. Sakay, he had a sweetheart named Basilisa Sotto of Del Pan, San Nicolas who latter died and for this reason Villafuerte joined the revolution. He became a general at the age of 24, latter met Maria Martinez, married her.

...Standing left to right:
# Maj. Benito Natividad - (not related to the Natividad of Nueva Ecija) was commanding Tanawan, Batangas. He was sentenced to 30 years but immediately pardoned thereafter. 

# Lt. Col. Lucio de Vega - commanding Cavite. Most ruthless and vicious of Gen. Sakay’s generals as Montalan and the assassinated Cornelio Felizardo. De Vega’s wife was captured by the Philippine Constabulary and who was allegedly made a concubine of a P.C. officer. 

...the source of this picture was among the personal documents of Gen. Sakay’s Republika ng Katagalugan confiscated by the Americans.
(many thanks to I.J.R.A. for the colorization of the original sepia picture)
- ka tony

Ang radikal na ideyang "Primer Filipino" (First Filipino)

"Primer Filipino" (First Filipino) - ay makatulad o makawangis ang Kastila, sa wikang Ingles ito'y "assimilation." Tulad ng karamihang mga bansa ngayon sa Amerika na dati'y kolonya rin ng Espana, ang mga naghimagsik laban sa kolonyalismo upang maging isang malayang bansa ay ang mga Kastilang nagtungo at nanirahan doon, mga "creoles" na naging anak nila na doon isinilang at mga mestizo na pinanganak mula sa dugong Kastila at katutubo.
Sa lahat ng naging kolonya ng Espana, Pilipinas lang ang bukod tanging masang lipunan "Indio/Tagalog" ang nagtaas ng kanilang kamao na sinimulan ng Supremo Andres Bonifacio at Gat Emilio Jacinto, himagsikang para sa kabuoang kalayaan laban sa kolonyalismo. Hindi tulad ng ating "viceroy" na Mexico na mga Kastila, creoles at mestizos ang siyang naghimagsik at humiwalay sa "Madre Espana." Ang hagdanan ng lipunan noong panahon ng mga Kastila sa Pilipinas ay ang mga sumusunod:

1) ...penisulares - Kastilang naninirahan sa kolonyang Pilipinas na ipinanganak sa Espana
2) ...insulares/creoles - mga anak ng purong Kastila na ipinanganak sa Pilipinas
3) ...mestizos - anak ng Kastila at Indio
4) ...indio/tagalog - dugong Tagalog o Katutubo
5) ...sangley - Insik

Dahil sa diskriminasyong tinatangap ng mga insulares/creoles at mestizos mula sa mga penisulares, nagkaisa ang mga creoles na magbuo ng samahang propaganda na sinimulan ng radikal ng paring creole Pedro Pelaez, na sumulat noong 1880 kay Reyna Isabel ng Espana sa pagtataguyod ng Sekular na Simbahan ng Pilipinas, sanhi rin ng nararanasang diskriminasyon ng mga paring creoles mula sa mga peninsulares. Sa lahat ng mga creoles/insulares na itinaguyod at pinagmalaki ang hagdan ng lipunan na kaniyang kinatatayuan ay si Don Luis Rodriguez Verela (El Conde Filipino), ang kauna-unahang creoles/insulares na tinawag at pinagmalaki ang kaniyang sarili na "Primer Filipino" (First Filipino). Ang radikal na ideya ni Padre Pedro Pelaez at idelohiya ng Rebolusyon ng mga Pranses ay pinagsama ni Luis Rodriguez Verela sa kaniyang mga sinulat na mga aklat, tulad ng: "El Parnaso Filipino" (Filipino Parnas), "Elogio a las provincias de la Espana Europea" (Eulogy to the provinces of Spain), "Himno Patriotico que en la Solemne publicacion de la Constitucion Espanola en la Capital del Reyno de Filipinas" (Anthem patriotic to the solemn publication of the Spanish Constitution in the Capital of the Kingdom of the Philippines), atbp... na ang kabuoang repormang hinihiling ay:

# ...pagwakas sa kasalukuyang segregasyon nangyayari at pagtataguyod ng pantay na lipunan sa lahat ng naninirahan sa kolonyang Pilipinas
# ...gawin probinsya ng Espana ang Pilipinas
# ...magkaroon ng kinatawang Pilipino sa pamahalaang Madrid, Espana
# ...pagtataguyod ng mga libreng paaralan para lahat ng mga naninirahan sa buong kapuluan
# ...pagwawalang bisa sa patakarang "polo" (labor service) at "vandala" (forced sale of local products to the government)
# ...bigyan ng pagkakataon ang sino man na naninirahan sa buong kapuluan na makipagkalakalan, tuloy bawasan ng monipolyong karapatan sa kalakalan ng mga penisulares at sangley.

Ang radikal na ideya ni Padre Pedro Pelaez at "El Conde Filipino" Luis Rodriguez Verela, ganoon din ang mga radikal na creoles na sina Manuel Zumalde at Jose Javier de Torres, ay nakapagbukas sa mapusok na kaisipan ni Padre Jose Burgos, na naging estudyante at disipulo ni Padre Pedro Pelaez. Bagamat lahat sila'y Kastilang creoles at pinagmamalaki na sila ay "Filipino," tulad din ng ginawang insureksyon ng creoles na si Andres Novales sa Maynila (Intramuros, "Palmero Revolt of 1828), silang lahat ay hindi sangayon na humiwalay ang Pilipinas sa "Madre Espana."

Dahil sa himagsikang naganap at naging malaya ang Mexico na "viceroy" ng Pilipinas, sana'y tayo rin ay lubos na malaya na noong pang 1821, kasabay din nito'y ang pagbubukas ng Suez Canal sa Ehipto na nakapagpaigsi ng paglalakbay Europa at Asia, ang kolonyang Pilipinas ay direktang hinawakan na ng Madre Espana. Dahil din sa maigsing paglalabay patungong Espana mula Pilipinas sa pamamagitan ng Suez Canal, ang mga nagsipagyamang mga mestizos dahil sa korap na Galleon Trade, ay nakapagaral at nakapaglakbay sa Europa. Tuloy ang ginawang pagtungo at naranasang kabuhayan sa Europa ay nakapagbigay "liwanag" sa mga indios/tagalog kaya't sila ay tinawag na "Ilustrados" (the enlightened ones). Hiniram at ipinagpatuloy ng ang ilustrados ang kakaiba at radikal na ideya ng mga "Primer Filipinos" at tinawag ang kanilang binuong samahan na "Indios Bravos."

Dahil din sa diskriminasyon na niraranas ng mga ilustradong "Indios Bravos" mula sa mga peninsulares, insulares at mestizos, sila ay gumawa rin ng manipestong na hinintulad mula sa mga creoles na "Primer Filipinos:"

# ...gawin probinsya ng Espana ang Pilipinas
# ...taging uring ilustrado tulad nila lamang ang bigyan ng karapatan na gawing kinatawan na Pilipino sa pamahalaang Madrid, sa Espana
# ...palitan ang lahat ng kura-parokong Kastila ng Pilipinong paring sekular ng mga paroko at sityo
# ...layang makapagtipon at makapagpahayag
# ...pantay sa mata ng batas ang sino man tao na nasa ano man kinatatayuan na hagdanan ng lipunan

Subalit tulad din ng mga creoles na "Primer Filipinos," ang mga ilustrados ay hindi sangayon na humiwalay ang Pilipinas sa Madre Espana. Ito'y kanilang pinaliwanag sa repormanistang propagandang pahayagan na nilimbag sa Barcelona at tinaguyod noong ika-15 ng Pebrero, 1889 - "La Solidaridad" upang mapaliwanag at maintindihan ng pamahalaang Madrid ang repormang hinahangad at minumungkahi ng mga ilustrados. Ang La Solidaridad na pinamunuan ng ilustradong Galicano Apacible (pinsan ni Jose Rizal) at ang naging editor nito na si Graciano Lopez Jaena. Maraming mga ilustradong nagambag ng kanilang artikulong mga sinasaloob na damdamin sa propagandang pahayagan La Solidaridad, subalit dahil sa pangambang sila'y matunton ng mga Kastilang cortes sa kanilang paguwi sa Pilipinas, hindi nila ginamit ang kanilang tunay na pangalan kung di'y kanilang "nom de plume:"

# Graciano Lopez Jaena (Diego Laura)
# Dr. Jose Rizal (Laong Laan at Dimasalang)
# Marcelo H. del Pilar (Plaridel)
# Antonio Luna (Taga-Ilog)
# Mariano Ponce (Tikbalang)
# Jose Maria Panganiban (Jomapa)
...ganoon din ang iba pang mga nagambag ng kanilang mga artikulo: Jose Alejandrino, Anastacio Carpio, Eduardo de Lete, Juan Luna, Miguel Moran, Pedro Paterno, Antonio Maria Reyes, Ferdinand Blumentritt at Miguel Morayta Sagrario.

Ang propagandang pahayagang La Solidaridad ay tumagal mula 1889 hangang 1895, na nakapaglabas nang 160 sipi sa loob nang halos pitong taong tinagal nito. Pinagpatuloy ang pagiging editor propagandang pahayagan ni Marcelo H. del Pilar (Plaridel), hangang sa pagsasara at pinakahuling sipi nito noong ika-15 ng Nobyembre, 1895 sa dahilang wala nang magabuloy ng halaga na pagpapatuloy ng paglilimbag nito at sustentong kinabubuhay ng editor na si Plaridel. Sa kahuli-hulihang sipi ng La Solidaridad bilang pagpapaalam, sinulat ni Plaridel ang ganito...
"Estamos convencidos de que no hay sacrificios son demasiado poco para ganar los derechos y la libertad de una nación que es oprimida por la esclavitud." ("We are persuaded that no sacrifices are too little to win the rights and the liberty of a nation that is oppressed by slavery.")

Bagamat maraming naniniwala na ang repormanistang pahayagang La Solidaridad ay isa sa mga maraming dahilan na nakapagbigay ng ideya patungo sa armadong himagsikan ng Supremo Bonifacio at Gat Emilio Jacinto, ito'y pinabulaan ni Gat Emilio Jacinto, na nagsabi...

"Pitong taung walang tigil na ang La Solidaridad ay kusang nagpumilit na iniubos ang buong lakas niya, upang tamuhin natin ang mga matamo ng kaunting karapatan sa kabuhayan ng tao, at ano ang inabot niyang pala sa mga pagud at panahung ginugol? Pangako, daya, alipusta at mapait na pagkamatay"
- Ika-6 na pahayag ni Gat Emilio Jacinto sa kanyang "Sa mga Kababayan" (Editorial para sa Diariong Kalayaan)

- ka tony
ika-16 ng Pebrero, 2015