Landmarks of Manila, 1571-1930

AYALA FOUNDATION , I NC

FILIPINAS HERITAGE LIBRARY

Copyright ~98l by Visjtacion R. de la Torre an~ Filipinas Pou,ndation, Inc. All rights reserv; d. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in any retrieval system or transmitted 'i n'any form or by any mean ,except for so e excerpts il) a book review, without prior erl'T\ission路 of the author and publisnet.

PubJished for Se urity an'k and T.rust Company y Filipit'ilas Foundatj'o.n; Inc., 4thfloor, Makati Sto~ ~"change Bldg., Ayala Avehlle-l Makati, Metro Manila.

Malacanang Palace, the Philippines' White House, can by no stretch of the imagination be called a white elephant. Originally a leisure bahay na bato (stone house) with a bath and gardens enclosed by a stone fence in the 17th century, it was transformed into the governor-general's summer residence and later became the official residence of the country's presidents.

Often simply called Malacariang, or The Palace, this landmark is located on J.P. Laurel Street (formerly Aviles) in the San Miguel district. Conflicting versions attest to the etymology of the term " Malacariang." One would have the name deriving from the Spanish word "malacaria," or " bad cane, " referring to the poor quality of bamboo groves at the banks of the river Pasig. Another insists that it was originally a Tagalog phrase - " may lakan diyan" or "malakaniyan," meaning " there are many nobles or aristocrats there" or simply " place of the chief there. " One Don Luis Rocha is said to have entertained his guests with elan and pomp in the imposing stone house. How he came to acquire the property remains moot. What is known is that he later sold it to a friend, a Spanish colonel, Don Jose Miguel Formento who in turn sold it to the government on January 22, 1825. By a Royal Decree of August 27, 1847 this stately house was designated the summer residence of the Spanish governor-general, as a salubrious, fitting getaway from Intramuros' walls which could at times be constricting .

Governor-General Narciso Claveria y Zaldua, who decreed that the natives take on Spanish surnames as one means of zoning towns and provinces, was the first to use Malacariang as a summer haven . Ht re fleet commanders and visiting dignitaries were entertained. Even when relieved of their command they stayed here con mucho gusto

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Seen from across the Pasig River, this pho. toengraving of Malacanang (top) helps one visualize how the present Palace has evolved.

Its neo路classic architecture features capiz tran路 soms. cuatro aguas or high pitched ceil ing . ell iptical arches and barand illas. Photo above features the neo路Napoleonic fashion worn by guests in one of the Palace's room s.

Photo at right shows an interior view of the Palace around 1890-1898 with the port rait of Regent Queen Maria Cristina on the wall. The present "'Ialacanang, framed by two Spanish lanterns. exudes stately grace_ At the bottom is an interior view of Malacanang hall on the night of November 19,1855 during a dance given by Governor-General Crespo in honor of Queen Isabel II of Spain . Note exposed carved beams, doors almost from floor to ceiling , console framed whole mirrors and Florentine gas lamps.

.till they departed for the Motherland.

The destruction of the Governor's Palace in Intramuros by an earthquake forced the governor to permanently move quarters here.

On June 3,1863, Governor Rafael de Zulueta set up his palace in this summer house, then called "Posesion de Malacanang." He had it renovated , adding a two-story structure at the back and completing his provisions " of bath, dressing and relaxation. " A total of 14 Spanish governor-generals, 13 American governors and nine Philippine presidents (President Manuel L. Quezon, was its first Filipino occupant) have stayed here, redesigning and adding buildings, wings, azoteas, and galleries till finally, it acquired an architecture and an ambience more than worthy to be the home of the highest official of the land.

Not a single trace, however, was left of the original "bahay na bato." Instead , various imprints of its occupants may be gleaned from its present form. Venue of official as well as social functions , it is now a veritable treasure chest where diamonds of history sparkle with memories of gold to enhance them.

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A neat, two-story affair of colonial architecture on Claro M _ Recto Avenue (before you reach Divisoria, San Nicolas), the Philippine National Railways' Tutuban is an anachronism . In the heart of Manila's commercial district, the building defies the onslaught of progress and modernization. Like a smug, sleepy giant as seen from a dist9nce, Tutuban stands its ground, reminding one and all of a centu ry's passing.

On July 21, 1887 , the Manila Railroad Company, Ltd . of London scheduled the laying of the cornerstone of this main railway station where the PNR's track begins and ends. But heavy rains spoiled the proposed grand celebration, moving the inauguration ten days later.

The Spanish Governor-General, Don Emilio Terrero, dedicated the stone with His Grace, Archbishop Pedro Payo blessing it. Maria Cristina, acting as Queen Regent for her infant son Alfonso III, sent her royal greetings. The document formalizing the occasion was signed with a quill dipped in an inkstand of gold-edged nickel fashioned like a locomotive.

How and why it is called "Tutu ban" is not exactly known . Most likely it is so-called because of the shrill , familiar tooting sound o( the " iron horse" . Or the name comes from that of the locality. Tutuban 's museum holds old paraphernalia related to the country's vital development of a transportation institution, antiquated parts of the first locomotive, snapshots of some train rides taken by President Quezon, and assorted pictures of the different personages who helped build, salvage, and manage the PNR. The building is now painted green and rust to simulate the color of bricks it was originally made of. Housing fractions and wholes of activities replete with human interest, it is certainly a vital storehouse of humanity. In the pre-departure area enclosed by transparent glass and wood panelling, there are plastic chairs in bright, garish colors where you can comfort your aching feet. A 23-inch television set atop a two-level wooden cabinet drives away boredom or sleepiness. Just sitting here and waiting affords you a ringside seat to a macrocosm of people in the raw.

Some busy themselves plying their trade - the hawkers, usually 1O-to-12-year-old kids, selling butong pakwan (melon seeds), cigarettes, magazines or newspapers_ No sooner have you turned 11

D ef y in g t he onsla u ght of progress.

Tutuban's Philip pine colonia l architecture remain s charming. Its facade and part of its inter iors surely reek w ith age.

them away when shabby bootblacks confront you. The tiny boxes they carry are fully equipped. A few bring their small transistor radios or komiks with which they pass the time while waiting for customers.

Other children convert Tutuban's premises into their private playgrounds. Sessions of cara y cruz (heads or tails) are punctuated by shrills and screams. This is petty gambling indeed; shouts, pouts, and grimaces are exchanged in place of money.

It seems that a raw belief in life as a series of arrivals and departures is as graphically as it is sharply felt by most of Tutuban's habitues. They may not intellectualize it, neither articulate nor philosophize it. Nevertheless, it is palpable in the way they behave and react in a train station. Now it is the beginning of a trip; several days later, it is the end. Things come and go. People arrive and depart from their puny holes of existence. As itinerant pilgrims, they are vulnerable to life's oftentimes tedious flux.

prese nt " iron horse" at rest at the r utl [,an terminal (top) as compared to the Bri tl.h路run railway coaches in the 1880 '5 (right) looks more masculine and aggress ive.

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And you move, too , to Plaza Lawton (now Liwa sa ng Bonifacio) at the foot of Santa Cruz Bridge (formerly Jones Bridge). Drop by the Manila Post Office to encounter a perfec t model o f neo路 cla ssic architecture. Juan Arellano , one of the foremost pre-wa r Filipin o architects, left a number of landmarks in th e city, but thi s is concededly his magnum opus. It exudes grace and so lidity. It has 14 Ionic pillars, rectangular attic story, a simple fa ca de and blank walls.

Inside you will notice huge central pavilion s flank ed and buttressed by two semi-circular wings. The main lobby has subsidiary halls at each end which are amplified by semi-circular spaces roofed with do mes.

This official transmitter of mail , money and goods traces its beginnings to Act No . 462 of the Philippine Commission on September 15,1 902 , creating the Burea u of Posts. Posta l service in the country, albeit crude and slow, bega n during the Spanish period with horse-riding couriers till it reached the marked improvements which the Americans initiated . The prese nt building which houses the

A letter-carrier (above) stands in front o f the Post OfflC" building. Lock boxes (below) as old as the Commonwealth. What rem ained after World War II (upper left) has since bee n rebuilt (lower left).

bureau hums daily with brisk postal service.

Now .un~er the Ministry of Public Works, Transportation and Communication, the Bureau of Posts, like a blanket that has been washed with considerable effort, is beginning to smell clean . It even sports a modern and efficient look with its mechanized automatic letter-sorting machine, new Postal Code, Metropolitan Airmail Network, motoriz~d letter carrie~s (aside from the Barrio Self-Help Postal Centers which hasten mail delivery) and all other new facilities.

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One government building which has had a colorful life for more than six decades is the Legislative Building located on P. Burgos Street, only a few blocks from the Rizal Park. Where many a bill was lambasted or approved after the third reading, many a national policy initiated and barely survived , where many a budding Filipino parliamentarian bloomed and wilted (some are luckier than others since they merely moved to the new law-making building, now called " Batasang Pambansa") - the halls of the Legislative Building , more popularly known as " Congress", are now mute reminders of those filibustering days.

This edifice was originally designed as a simple, unassuming public library by Ralph Doane and Antonio Toledo. Construction began at the turn of the century. Financial pressure later dictated that it be used for a number of years by the Legislature. Interestingly The Legislative building follows the neo- enough, this purpose remained till the proclamation of Martial Law in classic (Renaissa nce) architectural sty le with a 1972 while making the necessary modifications, like the addition of a statue of Presid ent Manuel Quezon fronting it. fourth floor, changing the central facade into a classic one, adding the stylized Corinthian columns, and incorporating the ornamentation and sculptural works.

It was always an amusing diversion to visit the Congress halls in the 50's and 60's. Here political fortunes changed hands as easily as winds changed course. Sometimes when Congress was in session it was just as good as having gone to a fish stall in a public market, depending on what was being tackled and more crucially, who was tackling it.

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The old Congress building now houses the National Museum, the official repository and guardian of the national cultural heritage and natural history. Appropriately enough , this august agency has had a storied evolution from modest beginnings through a number of official " periods" , and now happily occupies its latest home as a belabored specimen of bureaucratic gestation .

The earliest predecessor of the National Museum was the Museum of Ethnology, Natural History and Commerce under the Department of Instruction. Born 1901 through the fatherhood of Philippine Commission Act of 284 , this Museum of Ethnology, through Philippine Commission Act No. 1541, changed its name to Bureau of Ethnological Survey under the Department of Interior. Soon after the 1904 St. Louis Exposition, from where a considerable portion of the materials exhibited became part of the Museum's collection, the Bureau acquired another name - Philippine Museum.

In 1916, the Philippine Museum and the Philippine Library were merged and renamed the Philippine Library and Museum although no aclual transfer of the materials took place under the Bureau of Science. In 1928 the National Museum of the Philippines was recreated and placed under the Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources. In 1933 the National Museum was abolished as a separate Bureau and its activities and functions were distributed to three different divisions. In 1939 an administrative order changed the name of the National Museum Division to Natural Histo ry Museum Division , still under the Bureau of Science. In 1942 the Japanese Occupation Government Decree abolished the National History Museum Division. A Commonwealth Order in 1945 reestabl ished the Division with a skeleton force under the Department of Ag riculture and Commerce. In 1947 Philippine Republic Executive Order No. 94 merged , for the second time, the Gallery of Arts and History Division of the Department of Agriculture and Commerce wh ich now became the present National Museum , but placed under the control of the Executive Secretary. In 1951 Philippine Republic Executive Order No. 392 transferred the National Museum to the care and charge of the Department of Education. The year 1973 found the Museum in the now renamed Ministry of Education and Culture. And finally , in 1979, the National Museum moved to bigger and better quarters - to the old Congress building where it now continues to strive towards a " tridimensional goal covering diverse fields of knowledge through various educational, scientific and cultural activities."

If you wish to acquaint yourselves with the Tau 't Batu sub路group

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A detail of the Legislative bUilding which now ho uses Nationa l Museum (left) shows class ical figures depicting law, medicine. etc. in the center of the architrave. At one center of the Muse um 's exhib it hall is a sta tue of Gen. Antoni o Luna (below).

of the Palawan cave dwellers inhabiting the Singnapan Basin, Quezon, Palawan or the cultural materials excavated from the Paleolithic and Neolithic archaeological sites in the Cagayan Valley and Palawan, including the fossil remains of the 'Tabon Man" or the "balanghai" (a 13th century watercraft recovered in Butuan , Agusan in Mindanao), please proceed to the Anthropology Division which may enthrall your historical sense.

The art buff may go to the Arts Division where the collection is by no means trivial. These include old coins, medals, amulets, badges of extreme interest or historical relics like swords, sabers, instruments of surrender and of episodic import. There is too, happily, a collection of Dr. Jose Rizal's (he whom the Filipinos honor as their foremost hero) sculptures like his " The Mother's Revenge " . Other paintings are

by Filipino masters like Juan Luna , Felix R. Hidalgo, Fabian de la Rosa , Fernando Amorsolo, and contemporary artists like H. R. Ocampo, Vicente Manansala, and Cesar Legaspi.

The National Museum's ex hibit halls con路 tain bu sts o f national leaders, m emora bili a and archeological material.

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Close to the National Museum building on the southeast side of Rizal Park is the city's official fount of knowledge, the National Library. Its building faces Teodoro M . Kalaw Street, significantly named after a former director of the National Library. It has three floors of reading rooms , three mezzanines, eight floor levels of stacks, six floors of administrative offices, a lobby, an exhibition hall , an auditorium and a bookstack capacity of 1,000,000 volumes. This new building was built from popular contributions and inaugurated in June, 1961 in commemoration of the 100th birth anniversary of the Philippines' national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal.

The National Library, as it should , plays a vital role in national development. It may not crow about the services it gives the reading public but quietly, assiduously, it has remained an institution where you may want to linger. In the span of eight decades, it has tried to achieve its dual role of a public library and a national library as well.

Like the National Museum, the National Library has undergone a series of shifts in nomenclature and jurisdiction. When it was organized in Manila on March 9, 1900 by Mrs. Charles R. Greenleaf as a tribute to the American servicemen who d ied in the country, it was called the American Circulating Library. The following year it was donated to the Philippine Government and placed under the control of the Director of Instruction. Then when PLlblic Law No. 1935 was passed , integrating all libraries belonging to any branch o f the Philippine Government, it \Vas called the Philippine Library.

This was replaced in 1916 by the Philippine Museum under the supervi sion of the Secretary of Public Information. Public Law No. 3477 , 12 years later, changed the name Philippine Library and Museum to National Library. Then in 1947 , thi s office beca m e the Bureau of Public Libraries. Fortunately, in 1964, Republ ic Act No. 3873 restored to the bureau its old and more appropriate name National Library. The Ministry of Education and Culture cu rrently supervises the National Library.

In 1979, the National Library received photo duplicating equipment from the International Research Development Centre of Canada as part of the latter's grant to the National Libraries and Documentation Centres路Southeast Asia Consortium on the Interchange of Library Materials. This spells bounty to all Filipino thesis writers, researchers, academicians and businessmen who need government publications, books and periodicals published by t he Asean nations. No need to worry about t ra nsmission either. The library's telex facilities are available at minimum cost. Go to the Microfilm room of the Filipiniana and Asia Division of the National Library for these services.

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A very modern structure, designed by Jose Maria Zaragoza . contains some very old books.

Books and pamphlets bearing the publication date after 1900 to the present are found in the Filipiniana Collection on the third floor of the building. Included are a wide-ranging variety of resources from catalogues to bibliographies to histories to newspapers, gazettes and periodicals during the revolutionary period and the American regime to personal book collections.

As far as the stack of original papers and unpublished documents are concerned, the Rizal paper, the " Insurgent Records" revolutionary papers written in Spanish and Tagalog covering the Filipino-American war of 1898-1903 - and the Manuel L. Quezon papers stand out. The Library has also acquired the personal papers of other past presidents of the Philippine Republic (Emilio Aguinaldo, Serg io Osmena Sr., Manuel Roxas, and Carlos Garcia).

What forms the core collection of the Filipiniana's rare book hold ings is the Tabacalera collection acquired in 1912, but it is unfortunate that only a small fraction survived the last World War. Maps, photographs, microfilms, posters and musical scores, moreover, have been earnestly collected to aid the scholar-researcher.

Strong on Ph i lippine literature in English and in the vernacular, as well as on linguistics and history, the Filipiniana Collection is

Two of the earliest bo oks printed i n the Philippines (top). Space , quiet and lig ht co l路 laborate to enha nce readi ng area (botto m).

presently occupied with building up the local history collection.

Ephemeral material like posters, souvenir or fiesta programs, and brochures are gathered. Thus you can know too who was the mayor of such and such a town in such and such a place or year or who initiated a worthy project for rural development or a region 's pundits, craftsmen or a locality's peculiar folk habits and wit.

The National Library publishes the Philippine National Bibliography which lists new works published or printed in the Philippines, by Filipino authors, or about the Philippines even if published abroad ; those, on the other hand, who'd like to get a mini National Library in terms of its contents can secure the National Library Research Guide Series.

Generally a quiet institution , the National Library moves forward with the needs of the times as it pushes the use of technology in the research and retrieval of information. Art and culture vultures may devour the National Library any time (except Sundays and holidays).

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Once you are in the heart of Manila or its approaches, t he Manila City Hall should help keep your sense of d irection and t ime.

It is located at a junction which branches to three bridges - to the right, to Quiapo, straight ahead to Santa Cru z and to t he left , Binondo. If you 'd like to check the time, City Hall's three路 sto ried cement edifice is topped by a tower whose four sides are giant d ial s to announce the time.

Of course Manila City Hall has more irT)portant f unctions ot her than j ust giving time or direction. It is where Manila's mayor holds office and from whose office emanates the official acts, deci sions, projects on keeping Manila , along with the other four adjoin ing cities which comprise Metro Manila , the '路City of Man : 路 It houses all the other departments and offices in the City of Manila save that of the Police Department, Office of the Sheriff and some salas of the Municipal Court.

The present City Hall you see runs along a great length of Arroceros Street and Taft Avenue, between the stately buildings of

Clocks on all four sides of a tower top the Manila City Hall ( left). The Oregon.pine building , circa 1910. was the original structure of the Manila City Hall (below.left). The marker below identifies the Municipal Board Officials before the last World War.

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the old Congress (now the National Museum) and the Bureau of Post.

The original structure was an old Oregon-pine building constructed in 1901. It stood then on filled ground, taking up one third of the area occupied by the present building. After several decades, in 1932, City Engineer Santiago Artiaga declared that "the structure supporting the hall where the sessions of the municipal board are held was on the verge of collapse, and this office was compelled to reinforce the floor and prevent the overcrowding of the hall and the corridors."

It took some four years before a City Hall suitable to the dignity of a national capital was built, and it was finished just before the outbreak of the war in 1941. You can claim it was ill timing because this newly built edifice was destroyed in February, 1945. Rehabilitated through the assistance of the United States Army and the city government, the new City Hall emerged, with the new building using up a total floor area of 8,422 square meters, some 200 rooms and uniform windows all over. Subsequently the east wing, actually an additional wing, was built to accommodate other offices.

A corridor in the second floor of the Manila City Hall.

Manila City Hall teems with people of sundry persuasions, professions and protestations. This is the Manilenos' office; they lord it over the place even as you spot stray guests, foreigners applying for a marriage license or official visitors of the city government.

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As to the buildings owned by private citizens or groups of business entrepreneurs, we start with the country's two venerable institutions: the Bank of Philippine Islands - the first private commercial bank, and the Monte de Piedad and Savings Bank - the first savings bank .

Some one hundred fifty years ago, when the Philippines was experiencing a wave of prosperity with the opening of the Suez Canal which brought our ports closer to foreign trade and infused a new, vibrant life to th e native economy, mother Spain felt that it had to join " the rest of the world " (British , American, Chinese, etc.) if but to broaden her colonial authority. By this time, the new powerhouses of business and trade, the banking firms , were certainly smiling when the money ed class kept coming. Thus the Banco Espai'iol路Filipino de

Th e Banco Espanol路Filipino de Isabel II was originally housed in a section of the Royal Customs House (above) which was to subse路 quently house the Insular Treasury. forerunner of the Central Bank. The Philippine Senate first held office here, too. In 1862, the bank moved to its own building on the corner of Cabildo and Victoria Streets in Intramuros.

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Isabel II was established on August I, 1851 , following a royal order (twenty years earlier) decreeing the foundation of a public bank. The bank's express aim was to encourage the use of savings for commercial purposes.

Banco Espanol.Filipino de Isabel II , the first private commercial bank , came auspiciously, you might say, since Philippine trade at that time started to grow in volume and in market reach. This newly established bank was housed at the Royal Customs House on Aduana in Intramuros, its glorious symbol , the royal coat of arms, awarded to it by the Queen. Hon. Jose Ma . Tuason was its first president.

It should be noted that when Banco officially opened its doors on

The coat of arms awarded to the Bank by Queen Isabel II. and the facade of the new build ing.

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Eminent architect Juan Arellano's bluepri nt of the Bank 's p roposed build ing after it celebrated its dia m o nd an niversary in 1927 (top). This was how the Man ila head o ffice.

Current and Savi ngs Accou nt Departm ent . then si tuated in Binond o. looked (above).

May 1, 1852, it was given exclusive authority to issue the first bank notes in the country , the pesos fuertes. A decade later, the bank m oved to a bu ilding at the corner of Cabildo and Victoria Streets, Int ramuros , f rom where, in the span of twenty years, it would be able to lend the government (P200 ,OOO) and British bank branches in the co untry (P300,OOO). A time when the banking concept was ultra· co nservative, the Banco extended loans and services for public works and t ransport as in the construction of the Arranque market and the o pe ration of the Manila·Malabon Tramway, " grass loans" for the support of the country's stock in export trade (sugar, abaca, indigo, coffee), and loans to charitable institutions like the Hospital de San Juan de Dios and the Monte de Piedad and Savings Bank. When it pionee red in branch·banking in sugar· rich Iloilo in 1897, it introduced to the countryside cash crop lending , precursor of present·day production loans.

Indicative perhaps of the change of rulers in the land , Banco was renamed Bank of the Philippine Islands as it entered its sixth decade of service in 1910. As in the past, Banco was designated the depository of government funds. Then when its second branch in Zamboanga was set up in 1912, it became the fund custodian for the Treasury ot the Muslim P'rovince and for the Zamboanga Customs House. From its inception, the bank's quasi· public nature has pressed it to perform unusual services to the government.

A well· told tale in the history of the bank is narrated to us by a BPI man who rose from clerk· messenger to the bank's presidency in 1966 and chairmanship in 1979 - Don Alberto P. de Villa·Abrille. He recalls: " In 1944 the bank gave me a sealed envelope with instructions that I open it only when an emergency should arise. At the height of the fighting for the liberation of Manila in 1945, unceasing air raids toppled the bank's Plaza Cervantes office. The building was practically ravaged except the vault containing safety deposit boxes and other valuables." Together with Mr. Eduardo Miranda (now president and 24

This m odern logo of the Bank of Philipptne Islands simpl ifies the o ld one. Only one crown is depicted to give way to the bank's initials _ B.P.I (left) whil e the new. im posing edifice strikes a strategic van tage point (below) at the corner of Paseo de Roxas and Ayala Avenue, Makati.

chairman of Monte de Piedad). Don Alberto made an ocula r inspection of the damaged building shortly after the bombing had ceased.

This was one such emergency. opined Don Alberto. Thu s he opened the sealed envelope and to his pleasant surprise. found that it contained a board resolution vesting in him the powers of a vice路 president. He immediately contacted a fr iend . a United States Provost Marshall . for soldiers to guard the vault which "contained an ything valuable you could think of especially in a time of war. " Don Alberto adds that the Archbishop of Manila also requested him to secu re guards for the vaults of the Philippine Trust Company and the Monte de Piedad. In the annals of the bank . this was a heroic move.

Another former BPI man. Gonzalo del Rosario who is now vi ce路 president of Solidbank . recalls that " BPI was not as big and as complex as it is now but we were like one big family then with Don Alberto as head - in fact . he was both my professional and personal counselor. " Villa-Abrille also initiated the sending of promising BPI executives abroad to learn the latest trends in banking and adapt them to local needs.

This bank's innovative spirit continued as it moved into the 20th century and its 123rd anniversary when it merged with People's Bank and Trust Company. with minority equity participation of Morgan Guaranty International Finance Corporation - even before such a merger was sought by the government. Recently. when the government once again sought to strengthen the country's banking system through increased bank capitalization. Bank of P.1. had already reached its P300-M capital. Also. last year saw the eventual merging between the Bank of the Philippine Islands and the Commercial Bank & Trust Company. thereby accentuating its tradition of leadership in the country's commercial banking system.

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I nte de Piedad and Savings Bank holds its pre ont main office in a build ing which is neo路 modern in design, with a center arch motif and bas relief on the main axis (right). Detail elow shows the arches and art nouveau grills, dentils and greca design for the upper portion f the hi gh windows.

On the other hand . the first savings bank in the Philippines. and in the Far East as well . the Monte de Piedad and Savings Bank (its present name). came to light under entirely different blessings. It was born-to be "the poor man's bank." In fact. its original capital was borrowed from the unexpended funds of certain pious works, obras pias, of certain men and women who had donated part of their money to sh?re with those who had little or nothing at all . with the prisoners. with the missionaries. with the heathens - all in the name of charity.

The foremost Franciscan historian Rev. Fr. Felix Huer~as saw it wise to utilize these funds from the obras pias to establish a bank that would save the poor and the needy from usurers and unscrupulous money路 lenders. With it, the very purpose for which the funds from the obras pias were set aside could be disposed of. This suggestion of Fr. Huertas one council meeting presided by then Archbishop of Manila.

Most Rev. Pedro Payo, and Governor路General Domingo Moriones in 1879 hit the nail on its head. Soon Governor Moriones issued a decree on February 3 . 1880 creating a special board that would organize this unique bank under the name "Monte de Piedad y Caja de Ahorros de Manila", headed of course by Fr. Huertas.

His idea, however. was implemented only after two years when Monte de Piedad welcomed its first clients on August 2. 1882 at the small. modest quarters on the ground floor of the Real Colegio de Santa Isabel in Intramuros. Its early operations showed the bank truly catered to the needs of the lowly.

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Examples of the kind of valuables pawned were: Four pairs of white cotton pants. new One colored silk shirt. used Several " peinetas de caray con oro" (turtle shell lady's comb with gold) each Gold rosaries interspersed with pearl or coral beads each A pair of golden earrings and gold button One silver spoon

P2,00 1.00 1.00 2,00 to 5,00 1.00 1.00

Another instance tells of a family who carted the entire family fortune into the Monte de Piedad all for a loan of P90.30 excluding interest.

In one of the reports in the bank's old and musty volumes. there is this statement: "Many persons who ask for bigger loans should not be considered npt needy because poverty is not less worthy of commiseration when it hides behind silk and laces and conceals its tears by forced smiles than when it makes a show of its rags and begs for charity with groans and complaints, " Gradually the bank grew so that by 1889. it found itself with a big excess in its working capital. Then Managing Director Don Manuel Marzano proposed . in line with Monte's noble objectives. to use the extra funds as loans to small farm owners on easy terms and low rates of interest. Little did he know that with this move. Monte had established the first agricultural bank in the Philippines, Monte's first home was. on a I'ot on Plaza Goiti (now Roman Santos Building) which the city government had ceded to it.

Moreover. it also acquired City Architect Don Juan Hervas' free professional services as architect and constructive officer-in-charge, When inaugurated. the building drew a certain unusual appeal from the on-lookers because of its centrally located position at the foot of the bridge leading to the Escolta (then the ommercial hub) and commanding the vast expanse that was Plaza Goiti. As a Monte depositor. amusement tinged with haughty pride would fill you as you Centrally located at the foot of the ' Jridge gazed at the early classical temple design of the edifice (a novelty at leading to the Escolta, Monte de Piedad s first that time with its four solid marble pillars supporting a pediment home dramatized wealth and prosperity with its early classical temple design , sculptured with grand Roman figures dramatizing wealth and

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Handwritten correspondences of the ban k, including President Quezon's notations as a bank clerk (below) and the bell , beli eved to be more than a hundred yea rs old, used duri ng auction sales, proclaim antiqu ity.

prosperity. Definitely this building brought about added confidence in the Monte de Piedad and its mission.

But not for long. As years passed , the bank suffered reverses (some serious enough to force it to discontinue) but somehow, its " grace under pressure" emerged and solidified it all the more. As early as 1917 , " homes for the poor" were built by Monte, It was also the first to introduce the Students' Savings Plan and the Workers' Savings Plan , and the first bank to incorporate under the General Banking A ct.

To bask in the glory of being " first" and " the only" may seem like much ado , but facts are facts, As the only institution organized with th e principal aim of helping th e poor to fight usury, in the past until today, Monte is the place where church agencies like schools, religious o rders and parish priests borrow money , As the only bank with a j ewelry pawnshop in the head office and in its branches in Parari aque and Cubao, it demands the lowest rates of interest.

Its present main office located in front of the Santa Cruz Church may apparently deceive the sophisticated bank depositor, But come closer and the historical marker on the bank's facade will strike a curious chord , President Quezon once worked in the bank as a clerk (later you ' ll find out that the Cubao branch of Monte boasts a Quezon memorabilia where you may view the ledgers bearing Quezon's handwritten notations).

Not a simple piece of jewelry nor any of its valuable papers and documents entrusted to the bank has ever been lost or damaged, not even during the entire period of Japanese occupation and holocaust.

W ithin the bank's vault is a blessed image of the Santo Cristo del T eso ro , a reproduction of the reputedly miraculous image venerated in the chapel of Santa Isabel College , Since 1904 when the bank ~h ose it to be its patron saint, Monte has kept its growth and develo pment and attributes its good fortune to this saint, whose name appears on the bank's marker in its main office.

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28

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The history of Compania General de Tabacos de Filipinas, more popularly known as Tabacalera, is linked to a significant stage in Philippine history - the abolition of the tobacco monopoly. Instituted

by Governor Basco y Vargas, the monopoly was an instantaneous success in generating income for the government but it also spawned abuses and anomalies.

The tobacco factories of the Spanish government were then set up for bidding. Against British and French firms which competed , Tabacalera won the bid. Incorporated in Barcelona , Spain on November 16, 1881, it had for its prestigious incorporators the first Marquis of Comillas, His Excellency Don Antonio Lopez y Lopez and the Banco Hispano Colonial , the Sociedad General de Credito Inmobilario Espanol and the Banco de Paris y de los Paises Bajos.

Thus, Tabacalera not only rented the five Spanish Government factories but also set up its own factory in 1895 in one big block Marques de Comillas (now Norberto Romualdez Street), between Isaac Peral (now United Nations Avenue) and estero de Balete. Once one of the world 's largest tobacco factories, Tabacalera housed thousands of employees who rolled " La Flor de la Isabela" cigars and cigarettes smoked throughout the world for its fine , mild blend.

It was through a systematized process of growing, manufacturing and exporting of the finest tobacco leaves from Cagayan and Isabela that the company soon became a byword. Its continued development brought about its consolidation during the first few years of the First World War when sugar, copra and hemp were included in its umbrella of products for purchase and export. Once again , the methodical use of agencies, sub路 agencies and warehouses proved effective. Two sugar companies, the Central Azucarera de Bais (1918) and Central Azucarera de Tarlac (1927) were formed though today these are under a different management.

At the Casa Grande of Bais Central, Negros Oriental , on February 20, 1942, President Manuel L. Quezon, his family and skeleton staff 29

The Tabacalera fa cade as it is today (top) and at the turn of the centu ry (bottom).

Tabacalera ci gars. known the world over, are pand路 manufactured.

stayed before t hey proceeded to Australia where they were later evacuated to America.

Utilizing bagasse as a raw material, Tabacalera pioneered in paper路making in 1918, producing very fine paper for many years.

To facilitate transport of its products, the company formed its own fleet of steamships which was used till just before the outbreak of the Second World War. After the war, the company's factories and other business concerns had to be rehabilitated and reanimated. And even as Spanish products and goods exported to the Philippines were channeled through this company, it also created contacts for other Ph ilippine goods (hemp and sugar) in the European market.

Post路war Tabacalera saw its partnership in the development of industrial Philippines. Salt and other important ingredients for industry were manufactured by Tabacalera through the thermal process.

At the third floor of the pre路war Tabacalera building, there was a room the bachelor expatriates dubbed the " Republica ", which ' President Manuel Quezon frequented and where he enjoyed some hearty moments. And by way of citing more interesting tidbits, Land Reform was practiced by President Quezon when about 300 to 500 hectares of land in Arayat, Pampanga was divided among the people.

Other Philippine presidents followed and each time, Tabacalera gave and sold pieces of land at extremely low prices.

It will be remembered too that this premier tobacco company once gifted the country, through President Quezon , with an ornate Spanish chest (delicately filigreed with steel , gold and marble by master craftsmen) to be the repository of the Philippine Constitution .

Another valuable piece of Filipiniana added to the country's collection donated by Tabacalera to the Philippine Government through President Ramon Magsaysay are the rare six volumes of Fr. Manuel Blanco's Flora de Filipinas.

As Tabacalera celebrates its first centennial this year, a computerized building will house its business offices. As to its other commercial activities, it continues to do business with Indonesia, Japan , Latin America, North America and Europe, ranging from tobacco to sugar to consumer goods from Spain and other parts of the world. The country benefits tremendously from these contacts since indirectly the Philippines is brought to focus. And all because of that tobacco leaf.

30

The Elizalde building on Ayala Avenue, Makati, is modern , yet unimposing. Rather than be awed by a skyscraper, you are drawn to a historical marker which tells you briefly what the company had been in the past. Successor to the Ynchausti y Cia., the marker says, and you realize that tradition dies hard.

The Filipino spirit in Elizalde and Company is linked with the spirit of its pioneering ancestors, the Spaniards. In 1854, the first Elizalde generation in the Philippines opened a modest trading post by the banks of the Pasig River. Daring odds and risks, Joaquin M. Elizalde, together with his uncle, Don Juan Bautista Yrissary and another cousin, Valentin Teus, emigrated from Spain to the Philippines and formed a partnership with Joaquin M. Ynchausti.

Soon the two Joaquins acquired their first steamboat from which evolved the Manila Steamship Company, Inc. With their initial successes, a distillery business was added to the list. This interest was initiated by Don Valentin , Don Joaquin , Elizalde's cousin, who had previously acquired it from its owner, Elias Menchacatorre y Cia. Today the distillery is housed on Tanduay Street in the San Miguel district where Tanduay Distillery, Inc. relies heavily on modern facilities and constant research to produce internationally acclaimed spirits like Tanduay Rhum.

Sugar production, mining and other industrial fields then followed . It was in 1893 when the management of the growing industrial complex passed into the hands of Jose Joaquin Elizalde, the late father of Don Manuel Elizalde, Sr. The partnership, then known as Ynchausti y Cia, was gradually controlled by the Elizaldes as the brothers Joaquin, Tiburcio and Santiago Elizalde assumed greater roles in its management. Eventually, in 1934, a new name for the organization, Elizalde and Co. , Inc., emerged as the Elizaldes bought out the shares of Ynchausti. Jose Joaquin Elizalde was the first chairman of the board and Joaquin M . Elizalde its first president.

In 1931 the old Ynchausti building was levelled to the ground, but an efficient staff kept business going in makeshift quarters. One of the company's inter路 island vessles berthed on the Pasig River was

31

The Elizalde building in Binondo burned down (below, right) during the last war. Bottom photo shows the Elizalde family's Span ish coat of arms conspicuously stamped on the right side of the facade of Elizalde's present offices on Ayala Avenue , Makati (left).

Ro pe m a'1 ufacturing remains Elizalde's ma ;') industrial lines.

one

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used as its business office. The rest of the company's personnel occupied the pilot building close by. Two years later a new building was built on the same site on Muelle de la Industria, Binondo. Records say that it was the first of the new German style of architecture applied to Philippine industrial concerns. By this time too the company had moved on to modern management.

It is interesting to note that as early as 1936 the company had distinguished itself in handling employees and workers. On November 15 , 1936 the company was named "Model Employer", with Commonwealth President Quezon writing Elizalde: " That you should have been awarded the prize as being a model employer shows how much you and your associates as well as your predecessor have had at heart the well -being of those men working under you."

After the havoc wrought by WW II, Don Manolo Elizalde restored the company's crippled industrial complex to vigorous me.

The company's rope factory was rehabilitated first. And the "finest rope in the world quickly went into the services of the United States Armed Forces," the company's document boasts. The sugar centrals of La Carlota and Pilar, the wine distilleries, the mining firm, followed suit in the company's effort to put them back to winning form .

Today, 18 independent Elizalde companies and other subsidiaries make this corporation one of the biggest business conglomerates in the country. It includes, among other ventures, YCO paints and waxes, a radio network, insurance, tinplates and hard tools, safes and vaults, and marketing services.

32

Philippine beer flowed from the fi rst beer fountain in t he country at number 6 , Calzada de Malacaliang (renamed Aviles, now J .P. Laurel Street) on October 4, 1890.

Midst pomp, circumstances and considerable froth , Don Enrique Ma. Barretto y de Ycaza, together with representatives of the Church of Rome, the Spanish Crown's militia and government and the country's highest society ladies, toasted to the beer's good life. The masses of Manila were there, too, curious and excited, as they overran the brewery that stormy evening when the inauguration finally pushed through after two postponements. Such was the excitement attending the event that for months it was the talk of the town.

Fabrica de Cerveza de San Miguel, founded by Don Enrique, was a single proprietorship company under a Royal Grant from Spain . It was the first in the Philippines as well as in Southeast Asia . With only 70 employees attending to a modern process (the refrigeration system) and the most modern facilities at that time, San Miguel turned out 3 ,600 hectoliters of lager beer during the first year.

Demand necessitated the expansion of the business so that three years later, on June 6, 1893, San Miguel Brewery was incorporated.

Don Enrique appointed Don Pedro P. Roxas of the prominent Roxas路 Ayala clan as manager. Together they saw to the company's continued adherence to the highest quality standards. San Miguel began to outsell all imported beers in the Philippines. In 1895, San Miguel Beer won the first of its many awards as a product of the highest quality at the Exposicion Regional de Filipinas.

The twentieth century saw further modernization of technology.

The use of electric conveyors and automatic machines enabled the company to meet the ever路i ncreasing demand. On August 21 , 1913, San Miguel Brewery became a corporation with Don Antonio R. Roxas as its first president. A year later San Miguel started exporting beer to Guam, Hong Kong and Shanghai.

Don Ramon J. Fernandez, a perspicacious and hard路driving 33

The p resent office of San Miguel Corporation along Ayala Avenue. Makati also houses the San Miguel Audi tori um (top). Now a piece of history is San Miguel's old logo (above). It used to be the official seal of the city of Manila. with slight mod ifications. This escudo continues to be used for beer and other brewery products.

A prominent landmark along Aviles Street in the district of San M iguel for many decades in the past centu ry was the Fabrica de Cerveza de San Miguel. t had a free-standing penthouse, an open shallow caida and a balcony (below, right). An auspicious beginning for the first beer company in the country and in Southeast Asia was its inauguration which ea rn ed columns o f praise in the news dailies then (below).

nephew of Don Antonio Roxas, became the next company president.

In 1918, Don Andres Soriano y Roxas was employed as a bookkeeper; inauspicious as this beginning was, this humble though impulsive man was to lead the company five years later as general manager with Don Antonio Brias. From this point on, he would be the genius who would catapult San Miguel into one of the country's leading corporations. From this point on, his name would become synonymous with San Miguel Corporation.

From 1931, at age 33 when Don Andres assumed the presidency till his death in 1964, at age 66 the company would distinguish itself for its amazing growth, inspired vision and national commitment.

Who was Don Andres to be able to create this business phenomenon?

Some accounts describe him as indefatigable, responsive to challenge and intense in producing results_ " He was a man with a big heart," say the people who had been close to him. As he improved and expanded his business interests, his generosity and concern for his neighbor in need grew_ " The man's benevolence won him friends and admirers many of whom looked up to him as a sort of redeemer. People in civic and social circles remembered him for his philanthropic gestures. They invariably complimented him with invitations, letters of thanks, or plaques of appreciation," says another write-up on his records.

Atanacio Adriano, San Miguel's Assistant for Building Administration, recalls that when he worked as personal messenger for Don Andres (for more than 10 years) he would see him going through the plants daily, including Sundays, in his familiar white sharkskin suit, wearing only two colors of shoes, either black or brown . " He would spend minutes talking to individual workers and sig ning vales on the backs of the borrowers, with his favorite police dog, Pritchie, besicile him ."

Don Andres must have been a devotee of the Black Nazarene in Quiapo, too, as Adriano recalls . He observed that before leaving and after returning from his trips abroad, Don Andres would go to Quiapo Church, even requesting the parish priest to open the church door if it happened to be late in the night.

34

The Big Man who made little things count a lot saw to th e growt h and d iversification of his company (well, today as it conti nues to grow, his son, Andres, Jr. does the seeing for him). A s early as 1922 th e company opened the RoyarSoft Drinks Plant, p roducing Roya l T ru Orange and other Royal products. In 1925 San M iguel went into t he ice cream business after purchasing the Magnol ia Plant o n A viles, which was transferred a year later to a new site in Echague, Q uiapo .

In 1927, the company secured the rights to bottle and d ist ribute Coca· Cola.

Also at this time, the company thought o f being sel f· suff icie nt in its operations. Thus, in 1930, it produced its own carbon d ioxide fo r its soft drinks products, and dry ice, for the ref rigerat ion needs of its products. In 1938 it opened the Glass Factory on Isla de Proviso r, Paco, for its own bottling requ irements . Came the t im e too to expand outside of Manila, and in 1941 the Cebu Royal Plant was bu il t.

After the Second World War, San Miguel exerted efforts to reconstruct and rebuild . Emerging strong and whole aga in, it acquired and modernized a second brewery in Polo, Bulacan in 1947. Th en in 1949 it built the Manila Glass Plant to replace the g lass facto ry destroyed during the war. This compound was later to house the plants producing cartons, collapsible tubes and plastic caps. Other soft drinks plants in different parts of the country were built too.'

A rapid and sustained growth characterized San M iguel some years after. The B·Meg Poultry and Livestock Feeds Plant, using brewery by· products among its raw materials, was constructed in 1954. With the onset of the '60's, San M iguel had grown into a food and beverage company with a wide range of product lines.

Investments were likewise placed in diversified products like copper, wood and paper, textiles, prestressed concrete, cement, coconut oil, wine rope, steel drums, polypropylene woven bags, coffee, chocolate, infant foods, canned milk and flour.

In 1963, San Miguel Corporation (SMC) was born . A year later, another brewery was started in Mandaue, Cebu which was inaugurated in 1968. Don Andres' son, his junior, took over the presidency in 1964 and like his father, nurtured it towards other horizons that would keep SMC at the top. The huge and modern Magnolia Dairy Products Plant in Quezon City came up in 1971 ; poultry breed ing and production expansion in 1973; and agribusiness hybrid seed corn, shrimp culture and green coffee a few years later.

As the country's number one tax· payer among the business corporations (P996 million in 1979) San Miguel Corporation does not 35

Ready for action - that is, delivery o f the San Miguel Brewery products. horse·d rawn beer wagons and trucks. Backgrou nd shows th~ bu ilding. circa 1914, with a typical turn·of·the century facade and small pediments on top of the windows (top, left). In these gigantic copper ke ttles above, the wort is " hopped" by the addi· tion of hop flowers. an important stage in the beer brewing process. Hop flowers give to the beer not only flavor and aroma but dietetic pro· perties as well.

\part from beer and beverages, San Miguel rporation is also well路 known for its dairy pro路 .cts. The Magnol ia Dairy Plant sits on a prime ,t on Aurora Boulevard, Quezon City.

believe in accumulating all its income for its own selfish interests.

Since the beginning, the company has been deeply conscious of its social responsibility. The Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) attests to the company's commitment to those who have less in life in terms of material comfort and to those institutions dedicated to the upliftment of the handicapped, the infirm, the indigent. Also, it has sponsored the Pope's Easter and Christmas Message via satellite to the Filipino people.

Cultural awakening, moreover, is part of the company's involvement. The " Balik路 Banda" project which searches for the best band in town is a definite contribution towards promoting indigenous cultural traditions. It received the " Grand Anvil Award" from the Public Relations Society of the Philippines for having the best public relations program and another Anvil Award for " Most Outstanding in Community Relations".

Then as a corporate citizen, San Miguel has consistently supported the government's programs and policies such as foodsufficiency, better nutrition programs and anti路 pollution effort by establishing waste water treatment plants in its facilities. Stimulating business activity in every imaginable area from Batanes to Jolo, the company's plants and facilities greatly help in the unemployment problem of the country.

The current 27 ,000 strong working staff of San Miguel and its 20 ,000 stockholders will certainly not complain against the company as it keeps changing in magnitude, in style and in management resources. After all, it is change rooted in growth.

The '80's now beckon. The beer that flows from San Miguel's breweries tastes as good or even better than when it was first brewed in 1890. But the beer mug has overflowed into other industries. It can be said that the San Miguel mug is one that runneth over.

36

To point out highlights in the life of Don Carlos Palanca, Sr., patriarch of La Tondei'ia, Inc. and various other Palanca business interests is to recount what would otherwise seem fantastic legend.

At three years of age, Don Carlos, whose Chinese name was Tan Guin Lay, was orphaned . At 7 , he had to stop schooling. At 14, in 1883, life in his village of Willy, Amoy, Fukien, in the province of ma inland China, did not seem promising, so he came to the island of Liu路Sung (Chinese term for Luzon, Philippines) to try his luck . He settled in Manila and worked as a clerk in a Chinese firm. Then he apprenticed in the textile company of a relative , while already manifesting his diligence, native intelligence and perseverance. Driven by a desire to improve and to learn, he studied Spanish as well as the local dialects. And to guide him in his business ventu res, he also studied the local laws and legal procedures.

By 1890, at 21 , he had opened his own dry goods store. The high level of ethics he had imposed upon himself was slowly reaping its rewards. In addition, while still beginning his career, he had for "Godfather" in 1899, Don Carlos Palanca Tan Chuey-Liong , the prominent Chinese governor in the Chinese community then , from whom he got his name Carlos Palanca. Tan Chuey-Liong had also acquired his own name from his godfather, Col. Carlos Palanca y Gutierrez, a Spaniard. Accord ing to some records, Tan Chuey-Liong was the last Chinese capitan during the Spanish period and the first Chinese consul-general of the Philippines.

In 1902, he ventured into a small disti llery business, the La Tondena, in Juan Luna, Tondo. This modest company manufactured liquor for the local market. Then in 19Q8 he bought out the Distillerias La Locomotera from Don Patricio Ubeda .

During this period molasses was merely considered a waste byproduct of sugar cane syrup and locally produced alcohol wa ~ d istill ed from nipa sap. However, with swamplands (where nipa palms thri ved)

....

The old building (left) of Ll Tondel'la . Inc.. a Fili pino路Chinese-owned company. Below is an aeri al view of the plant in Valenzuela, Tondo.

being converted into fish ponds Don Carlos knew there might not be enough nipa palms from wh ich to derive the raw material for his liquor trade. Hence he introduced an industrial innovation by switching to molasses and deriving alcohol from it.

An anecdote recalls that once there was a shipment of molasses from Java which completely hardened on its way to the country.

37

Wooden statue of San Miguel in the lobby of La Tondel'\a's new bu ilding is of 17th century vintage (below). The Archangel is shown in his popular stance in overpowering the devil.

"

There must have been a technical flaw in the preparation. So Don Carlos pumped steam into the boat to prevent the cargo from being wasted.

By early 1920's Don Carlos could rightfully be called the 'Alcohol King. " He had cornered the market for molasses for his alcohol and was he jubilant! In 1924 he purchased Distelerias Ayala from the illustrious Ayala clan and thus acquired the rights to manufacture Ginebra San Miguel , the gin with the devil's head being swiped at by the famous Archangel, San Miguel, or St. Michael, on its label. Incidentally, at the present La Tondena main office lobby on Carlos Palanca Street (formerly Echague) named in honor of the patriarch is a wooden statue circa 1700 of San Miguel in this stance above a bronze peana circa early 1800's.

In 1929, La Tondena was incorporated and became the country's leading distillery - a distinction it holds to this day.

This insistence on quality, of course, stemmed from Don Carlos' passion to produce only the best kind of local liquor. On various occasions he imported the best technical help for his distillery, among them , Messrs. Powell, Tillbury, Rory, Baigues, Castin and Shoemacher. In its maiden year of operation, the company won a prize in an exposition in Hanoi, a feat which it repeated for three consecutive years. Then another award followed in 1904 which gave the silver medal to the company at the San Luis, California Exposition . In 1907 , it won another silver at the International Exposition in Madrid, Spain. Other awards, both local and foreign , have followed through the years.

The first La Tondena Building in Echague, Quiapo, Manila was inaugurated in 1947. In 1950, Don Carlos Palanca died at the age of 81 , a legend in h is own time, but in the tradition of hard work and vision carried over from his little village in Amoy.

"Our fat her was a disciplinarian. Though we had household help, he insisted that all of us serve him," points out the present executive vice president of La Tond ena , Inc., Mr. Antonio Palanca , the second son in a family of eight. In fact, Don Carlos trained his children not to get used to ordering the maids about. An unquestioning obedience, a

38

demand ing loyalty, but an endearing respect and affect ion he exacted from his family .

To his employees, Don Carlos was more consid erate tha n to his children who worked for him. Attests Mr. Palanca, " His t reatment of the company was paternalistic. If we had employees or wo rk ers who died while in the call of duty, or ret ired , we would contin ue help ing the respective families until such time that one member in the fam ily could adequately support the fami ly concerned ."

While others might have found him strict or unapproachable and autocratic, it was generally agreed that he was a man worthy o f loyalty and hard work. Here was a man who treated everyone with kindness and authentic personal concern.

The present vice president of sales, Mr. Johnson Chan, who has worked with the company for more than forty years, along with other old路timers, confirm the old man's exemplary leadership and sincere concern for his employees. " And the children have followed his footsteps, " adds he. He recalls that once when he was absent becau se his mother was seriously ill, Don Carlos asked about his mother's condition and offered help instead of his customary queries on t he day's sales.

Civic, cultural, educational , youth and sports development programs have consistently been supported by La Tondena, Inc. Don Carlos was a generous benefactor to Ph ilippine Chinese schools. The first Chinese school in the country and overseas, the Philippine路Anglo Chinese School (founded in 1899) is ever grateful to Don Carlos for his unstinting support. He also encouraged the adoption of the Philippine curriculum in the Chinese schools as well as the employment of Filipinos in sa id schools. Of course, the overall contribution of Don Carlos to strengthening the Sino路 Filipino bond is seldom matched.

In Philippine literature, the Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards (from 1951 to date) has become a measure of excellence. Although not all ofthe country's established poets and essayists, playwrights land fictionists have participated in it, the diamond of scintillating support this literary contest polishes remains flawless. Through it, the country has been enriched with literary gems which gene~ations of Filipinos can cherish.

39

Don Carlos Palanca's interest in education superseded his own need for it as he supported the f irst Chinese school in the country whose edifice is shown here (top, left). Awards are given annually to wi nners of the Palanca. sponsored Jiterary con test (below).

That La Tondena, Inc. should undertake such noble projects raises no eyebrows. It is to the memory of Don Carlos Palanca, Sr., the unschooled but totally human entrepreneur, that the annual literary awards have been instituted. He who had missed out on the lim itless avenues education opens has become a fitting symbol to all lovers of the written word that it is in living the prosaic, day路 to路 day challenges of Mother Life that poetry emerges and scores a grand prize in the awarding ceremonies beyond.

Even in his business dealings, Don Carlos exemplified personal sacrifice. It is this self路sacrificing attitude which explains in large measure the inner strength of La Tondena. Once he lost Pl .B million in an investment conducted purely on a gentleman's agreement. At the cost of great personal pain , he nevertheless paid the account to the last centavo. In the same way that he spared no rod with his children , he spared no effort nor time to manage his business the way he wanted to - with discipline. It is this quality which, according to Mr. Antonio Palanca , characterizes La Tondena, Inc. today.

A tradition of quality m aintained over ha lf a century to the streamli ned industrial plant La Tondena is today.

Mr. Carlos Palanca , Jr. - the patriarch's eldest and favorite son, took over th e leadership of the company in 1951. He modernized the La TondeM facilities to further improve the quality of their products.

Furthermore, not only did the company expand its operation by developing new formulations of wine and liquor, but contracted licensing rights from other companies as well.

A significant milestone in the company's history would be in 1965, the year it introduced the first natural rum in the market - " La Tondena Natural Rum ". It also marked La Tondena 's appointment as exclusive licensee for the distillation and bottling of three internationally prestigious brands: Gilbey's Gin , Smirnoff Vodka and Rhum Negrita. A year later, Bois, one of the oldest and most prestigious European liqueur producers, entered into a similar licensing agreement with La Tondena, to produce the world路 renowned BoIs Cherry Brandy, Creme de Menthe, Creme de Cacao, Parfait Amour and other agreements had been linked with other European liqueur.producing companies recently.

As the country's biggest distillery, La Tondena , Inc., with Mr. Palanca, Jr. at its helm , continues to garner awards, both locally as well as internationally.

40

In the summer of 1905, Manila residents experienced the first smooth ride in their lives. The new electric railway was formally inaugurated on the afternoon of April 10. On the Belgian single路track jardinero or open路sided cars that MERALCO (acronym for the Manila Electric Railroad and Light Company) had acquired for the service, curious and delighted residents were treated to free rides thru the Walled City, Intramuros. Two nights earlier, the whir of an electric trolley broke the deep stillness of Intramuros and for almost a week at night, the street cars made pilgrimages, allowing everybody free rides.

The Meralco tranvia (trambiya in Pilipino) had arrived! Earlier, before the turn of the century, the Compania de los Tranvias de Filipinas was organized by Jacobo Zobel Zangroniz of the Zobel.Ayala clan.

The following day, the electric railway officially began commercial operation. Cash registers rang up fares (12 centavos for first class in the front section of the cars and 10 centavos for second class at the rear) and Manila entered the advanced stage of its career as a modern city. By the end of the year, Meralco's basic street railway network had been completed.

Although the various streetcar routes were changed from time to time, the company's track system in general consisted of rail lines with Plaza Goiti as its hub. Then from the city's commercial center, Meralco's track network crossed the river Pasig to the south side of the city at two points: the Puente de Santa Cruz from Plaza Goiti and the Puente de Espana from. the junction of Escolta and Calle Nueva.

As early as 1905, the network initially completed by Meralco covered not only the areas formerly served by the horseCilrs in the city and the steam tramway to Malabon but also other important sections of the city. The city then had hardly any paved streets. It is to the credit of the Meralco that many of Manila's streets were f irst paved and widened in connection with the laying out of Meralco路s tracks.

Operating an electric street railway meant generating and distributing electric energy to drive the streetcars. It was natural , therefore, for Meralco to take over from La Electrisista in 1903, the task of providing electricity for lighting and other purposes to the city. The American Charles M. Swift, through his internationally known engineering firm , J.G . White and Co. Inc. of New York, founded Meralco. On March 24 , 1903, he received the franchise to

This is the old powerhouse of Meralco in San Marcelino, Ermita, a little more than a stone路s throw from the City Hall. This site at the turn of the century was admirably located, being on the dividing line between the two sections of the city separated by the Pasig River.

41

For some decades, Meralco's electric railway or trambiya cap tured t he imagination of the commuting Manilans. In comfort and safety, riders were given a first路hand view of Manila's streets (right).

operate an electric street railway system and to provide electric current for light, heat and power in the city and its suburbs, for fifty years. Through Swift, Manila experienced the initial blessings of electricity.

Over the years, Meralco's transportation service grew and improved . In 1927, it introduced 20 autobuses to augment the service, so that towards the end of the 1930, 85 auto buses were plying routes totalling some 52 miles in length , while the number of streetcars had been reduced to 133 with 8 trackless trolleys. Before the war broke out, Meralco had serviced 28 million passengers using the streetcars and 31 million passengers using the buses.

While Meralco's transportation services grew, its electric service had developed at a faster pace. Thus, before the war broke out, the company earnings were " roughly 80 percent electric, 10 percent autobus, and 10 percent railway. " The company's franchise area embraced , besides Manila proper, 94 municipalities in 13 provinces in Luzon.

In 1919 the Manila Electric Railroad Company was reorganized into a single new corporation called the Manila Electric Company, the name which it bears today. This new name indicated the increased emphasis on the electric side of the enterprise. Then in 1925, Meralco was purchased by the Associated Gas and Electric Company (AGESCO) of New York.

It is interesting to note that apart from ensuring an abundant supply of electric power, Meralco popularized it as well. Newspapers and periodicals of the 1920's and 1930's carried advertisements encouraging greater consumption. They also enticed customers into buying electrical appliances for the home and electric motors for industry. Eventua lly , from 1930路1935, Meralco itself began selling these appliances. In fact, on the ground floor of its general offices in 6scolta, Meralco operated a modern retail store and a showroom for the sale of electrical appliances.

During the war, the Japanese managed the tranvias as well as the electric system. The company's facilities, so the records say, deteriorated due to inadequate maintenance. In the efforts to rehabilitate the company, it was decided that the street car system should not be rebuilt. In May, 1948, all the buses accumulated by the company were sold to Fortunato Halili , owner of the Halili Transit.

From hereon, Meralco confined all its resources and services to supplying electricity to the city of Manila and its suburbs.

The completion in 1950 of the new Rockwell generating station in Makati , Rizal, together with other works related to it, culminated the company's postwar struggle to restore its former standards of

42

service. The efforts paid off as Meralco became the recipient of an award from the Business Writers Association of the Philippines (BWAP) as 'The Power Firm of the Year" for "progressively increasing power production and electric services in the Manila area." Then in 1958, the BWAP cited Meralco once again as 'The Public Service Utility Firm of the Year" for "maintaining low power rates and for keeping pace with the increasing power needs of the industry. " Through the next decade, Meralco was purchased by a group of Filipino investors led by Eugenio Lopez, Sr. The far路seeing group organized the Meralco Securities Corporation (MSC) in which over 600 Filipinos initially bought shares of stock. A milestone was marked on January 8, 1962 Meralco elected its first all路Filipino board of

directors. This acquisition by private Filipino investors of the leading public utility in the country was hailed "as a major step in the growth to maturity of the young republic that had been politically independent since 1946."

With Filipinos at the helm now headed by President Mario D. Camacho, Meralco's pace of corporate growth appeared unrelenting .

There was increased efficiency and expansion of service even as Meralco kept abreast of technological progress in the power industry, including the development of nuclear power. On March 14, 1968, the company moved from its cramped quarters in San Marcelino, Ermita to a plush , 14-story building on a 17-hectares Ortigas Avenue, Pasig, Rizal (now part of Metro Manila). The building, called the New Meralco Center, soared above what was then a relatively bare area, reflective of the expansive, confident spirit of its Filipino management. In 1969, Meralco became the first billion-peso nonfinancial corporation in the Philippines.

To further broaden the ownership base of Meralco, the Meralco Foundation, Inc. (a non-stock, non-profit organization) was formed in 1973. Today the Foundation owns 100% of Meralco. Furthermore, in 1978, Meralco sold all its power generating plants to the National Power Corporation. Today, Meralco's sole function is to distribute electricity to its franchise areas in seven cities and 41 municipalities in the provinces of Bulacan , Cavite, Laguna, Rizal, Quezon and Batangas.

43

The new Meralco Center on Ortigas Avenue is designed by Architect Jose Maria Zaragoza.

T he second bu ilding of Insular Life (top) shortl j after the outbreak of the First World War and third bu ildi ng (below) somehow r,flected its growin g influence on a people not I,,, oiliar with acqu iring protect io n f ro m life's I; ,I ,I ities.

Thanks to one sunny Sunday morning stroll in the Luneta (now Rizal Park) in 1910, an enterprising group of Filipino businessmen decided that it should put up the first Filipino life insurance company i t he country.

The incorporators, led by Antonio Ma. Baretto as its first president, included respected figures in the Filipino business community, Daniel Earnshaw, Leon Mooser, Ariston Bautista, Ramon Soriano, Jean Pizat and L.V. Limpangco. On November 25,1910, Insular Life opened for business in a two-room office on the second floor of the Lack and Davies Building on Echague Street (now C. Palanca Sr.) in Quiapo. Its maiden year of operation yielded P3 million - surely a production feat at that time. Two years later, well路 known philanthropist Teodoro R. Vangco, took over the helm . By this time, the company had moved to more spacious offices at the Kneedler Building in Santa Cruz.

The success of Insular Life during the First World War years can be attributed to the abaca and copra boom then as it sold policies to Filipinos who now had the practical philosophy of insuring the future against death , disability or old age. By 1930, the seven-story edifice at Plaza Moraga, Binondo had become the new home for Insular Life .

This imposing landmark stood on a lot which was formerly a Chinese cemetery. Reportedly haunted by ghosts, it was nevertheless a recipient of an award for being the best commercial and office building. More important to the company, it was here where for several decades, Insular Life firmed up its prominent position in the industry. In 1931 , it established the first insurance underwriters association in the country - the Insular Life Underwriters Association.

In 1932, it was cited by then Governor路General Theodore Roosevelt, Jr. as a " great stabilizing influence" in the country's economic progress. Two years later, Insu lar Life pioneered in branchinsurance overseas when it inaugurated its offices in Honolulu, Hawaii.

The overall growth efforts of the company intensified even more in the succeeding years so that by the time the Second World War broke out, its prestige and profits had been laid out, as it were, on a grand buffet table.

44

But as irony would have it, the war years stand out in the company's history as the most crucial and excruciating. The Japanese Occupation Forces compelled it to resume operations in 1942.

Several months after the war, when Insular Life was allowed to reopen , its operations were limited to the servicing of existing policies.

Despite the huge losses at war's end, it had to honor its pre-war and Occupation commitments.

It should be noted that policies with premiums paid during the war in " Mickey Mouse" currency were deemed in force. Almost one million pesos in Victory Notes were paid out to beneficiaries of policyholders who died or were killed during the war. To top it all, the government nullified all bank balances then outstanding in a drastic move to rehabilitate the banks. More than 92% of the company's bank deposits (which comprised about 51.5% of its total assets), went down the drain.

Stripped of its assets, Insular Life was tempted to simply close shop and shed off its obligations by paying out with whatever resources it had left and probably start afresh. But the company was reared in a philosophy that it owed the public its trust in the insurance industry.

Thus in ] 946 , Insular Life, with the help of preferred stock subscriptions from the Rehabilitation Finance Corporation (now Development Bank of the Philippines) resumed operations. Thi s time, with a courage as fierce as the tiger's and a pers isten ce as determined

The present Insular Life building with vertical sun路 breakers features a mural on Philippine rustic life on its facade. It was designed by National Artist for sculptu re Napoleon Abueva (left). Detail below shows a religious proces路 sion.

45

The seven·story edifice of Insular Life at Plaza Moraga, Binondo was acquired in 1930 when the company was well on its way to leadership among the domestic life i nsurance firms operating in the country (below). At right is a facsimile of one of the earliest insurance policies of Insular Life.

as the bull's, Insular Life reentered the insurance business.

By 1950, the company recorded a total insurance in force of P26 million and opened branches in other parts of the country. In 1954, Insular Life lowered all premiums, the first insurance company to do so. The year also marked one of the biggest insurance transactions in the insurance industry as Insular Life took over the peso business operations of the Occidental life Insurance Company of California in Manila. Soon, in 1958, it also pioneered in industrial life insurance in the Philippines with Filipinas Life Insurance Company, to serve the needs of low· income workers. Other "firsts" included the establishment of the IL·FGU School of Insurance, the first of its kind in the country, the introduction of the family plan, and other such innovations.

The '60's and the '70's saw the steady rise and continuous growth of Insular Life as it moved further ahead with a new high in performance. "It reached the P6 billion mark, and benefit payment totalled more than P46.5 million increasing its cumulative payments close to P5 billion, a record of service yet unmatched in the history of the entire industry," company records attest.

The company is now housed in an imposing 16·story structure at the corner of Ayala Avenue and Paseo de Roxas, Makati. One of the most distinguished buildings in the Makati skyline, it has on its curved facade a much· photographed mural on Philippine rural life.

The Insular Life President's Conference Room features a prominent historical furniture piece. It is a table that was used by the 1935 Constitutional Convention with a metal tablet at the center of the table top. How did it get there? Former President Vicente Singson Encarnacion happened to be the Chairman of the Constitutional Convention Committee and Public Accounts which used the table during their deliberations.

In 1976, the novel move of mutualization was the company's answer to the government's policy to democratize wealth, vesting in the policyholders the ownership and management control of the company.

Interestingly, long before social responsibility in business became a byword in the business community, the company had manifested a serious commitment to the Filipino youth. Since 1962, the Insular Life Educational Foundation (ILEF) has supported scholars through college. Funds are also directed to other worthwhile charity, civic or cultural endeavors.

Seven decades for the Philippines' pioneer Filipino insurance company have not been exactly dull but in fact, meaningful and productive.

46

It is not in every grand hotel's history that it be included in a plan to develop a city. But when Daniel Hudson Burnham (a first·rate American builder) was sought by the American Civil Governor·General William Howard Taft in 1907 to propose a development plan for the city of Manila, the architect's blueprint included the construction of the Manila Hotel; " to the north of the Luneta Park is a space approximately 500 to 600 feet , reserved for a hotel whose size, surroundings and appointments are intended to deliver Manila once and for all from the standing reproach of inhospitality toward a traveler. " The fabled hospitality of the Philippines during the early American era did not seem to include the value of public accommodations. What to do with transient foreign travellers (the Americans in particular), businessmen, and dignitaries? Obviously they couldn't all be invited into private residences. These hapless Manila visitors had to bear the inconveniences of third·c1ass accommodations. American architect William Parsons selected a " California Mission Style - a large, white·washed concrete house with green·tiled steep roofs, wide eaves, with a lobby framed by twin Doric columns of white plaster and separated by arches, with two grand Resurrected from the ruins of the last World stairways which lead to a mezzanine floor where other rooms are," as War (above) the new Manila Hotel (top) won The Beth Day writes in the book , The Manila Hotel. It was also the first Most Beaut iful Hotel in the World award for hotel in the Far East to be equipped with an intercom system and a 1976. telephone in every guest room , with push. button service.

One the 4th of July, 1912 (which is America's Independence Day and the Philippines' too, until the _60's), a full scale concert, 47

splendid fireworks, a grand ball , and 400 specially invited guests (including some curious stray guests) welcomed the official opening of the Manila Hotel. A tour of its facilities, including the roof garden, highlighted the evening's attractions, Those who came that night and those who would later sample the hotel's amenities gushed over the hotel's location . It was not only strategic (near the center of the harbor) but also perfect for a commanding view of Manila Bay's majestic sunsets. Looking west toward the sea you could sight Bataan and Corregidor, historic vanguards of Philippine freedom.

Originally an American concept to suit American tempers and moods, Manila Hotel through the years has become the Philippines' foremost hotel. It saw the arrivals and departures of top echelon of the Philippine, American and Japanese governments. For a while it was th e official government guest house for distinguished visitors.

Here the socially prominent with their elitist balls, debuts and weddings held fort. Soon the monickers " The Aristocrat" or " The Address of Prestige" stuck . Here the politicians suffered their political debacles or triumphed to greater glory. Here, cultural happenings and international conferences, private evenings and public joys were celebrated.

As it is, the Manila Hotel conjures a hotelful of memories. Here on a personal visit with his wife was that great American novelist Ernest Hemingway. Claire Boothe Luce honored her husband , publishing ty coon Henry Luce, with a dinner at this hotel. Dwight Eisenhower, George and Margaret O 'Brien , Douglas Fairbanks, Theodore White, the Duke of Windsor, the Tyrone Powers had reg istered here too. When President Quezon offered General Douglas MacArthur the post of Field Marshall in the Philippine Army, his demand was to have a place like MalacaJiang and presto! the

Part of the distinctive pre路wa r Manila Hotel >'by (below, right) which proves that f irst im 路 P' 5sions last as celebri ties, dign ita ries, heads state savor their stay in th is " Grand Ol d Dame of Beauty" (below).

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MacArthur Penthouse designed by Pedro Luna (son of Juan Luna , one of the greatest Filipino painters) came to be.

Memories of children (the young Arthur MacArthuT, Jr. included) and wards of Chinese amahs who played in the garden of the hotel would always warm the heart. Here too was celebrated the establishment of the Philippine Commonwealth and the fram ing of the Constitution of the Philippines.

Did you know, that Manila Hotel was converted into a military headquarters for the use of high-ranking Japanese army and naval officers during the last war? Or that Manila Hotel's skeleton staff loyally stayed on duty through that period? Or that here the Commonwealth Act that would govern the Armed Forces of the Philippines, and which still governs it, was drafted?

After the war, in 1949, Manila Hotel, to cope with competition from other emerging hotels, had to abandon some of its stuffiness and cater to the needs of the less sophisticated . It launched its " Eat all you want for P500 Saturday lunchtime buffet" and for nighttime entertainment, provided exhibitions of the mambo, the latest dance craze, with San Miguel Brewery (now San Miguel Corporation) sponsoring the dance contest. The " 19 hole", a favorite pre-war watering hole, was also resurrected and guests were offered merienda daily from 4 :30 to 5 :30 .

Then in 1976, The Manila Hotel's successful , if not brilliant renovation (thanks to the team路up of internationally-acclaimed Filipino architect Leandro Locsin and American路born interior designer Dale Keller) made it a unique hotel of Old World ambience with ultramodern conveniences. All 570 luxurious rooms and suites showcase the best of Filipino artistry. If you 're billeted in the adjoining 18路story tower, the early Mission colonial motif weds the old with the new. Four-poster beds, wicker chairs and night tables that go back to the charm of early Spanish-Filipino days delight transient 49

D ining at The M an ila Hotel, in the past as it is today, is a singular experience in style and elegance.

The Ma nila Hotel's restored main lobby.

StateIy pillars and arches, enhanced by ornate Spanish lanterns, stir graceful reminiscences of a colon ia l past. The ceiling of the main lobby is adorned wi th three magnificent chandeliers made o f brass, crysta l prism s and seashells, all created locally by skillfu l artisans.

guests. Moreover, shells and tiles, carpets and handicrafts along with the finest of Philippine woods, offer a fascinating ethnic journey.

The Manila Hotel today continues to make history as it hosts celebrities. Among others, they include the controversial chess champion Victor Korchnoi, world-famed ballerina Dame Margot Fonteyn, some heads of states of Asia and Australia , the noble and t he titled from Europe, Hollywood stars like Marlon Brando, Sean Connery, Lee Majors, entertainment stars like Bob Hope, Andy Williams, Dionne Warwick, and Sammy Davis, Jr. It has also revived the tradition of ballroom dancing at the Fiesta Pavilion with its monthly evening festival of graceful dances - the tango, the waltz, the pasodoble, the cha-cha and the samba.

The most recent innovation, " Maynila" , is a Filipino restaurant where the ultimate in native cuisine is served midst continental elegance, a concept which was nurtured to reality by its present â&#x20AC;˘ chairman of the board , Roman Cruz, Jr. , himself a gourmet.

It is not in every great city that you have an equally great hotel.

But The Manila Hotel, along with the Raffles in Singapore, or the Imperial in Tokyo, ranks first in Asia. After all, this institution's history blends with the growth of the Philippines' premier city Manila .

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The game of billiards or pool, although it has somewhat degenerated today to a game played by good-for-nothing bums, truant students or out-of-school, was a pastime enjoyed by many a Manileno before the " racket" game laid siege. Unknown to many Filipinos during the early 1900's when Intramuros was the commercial center of Manila, the first billiard hall set up by Don Gonzalo Puyat was the meeting place of respectable businessmen and political figures of those times. The cream of Manila's society even had their own private billiard tables installed in their mansions.

Photo shows the bu ilding where Don Gonzalo Puyat establ ished his fl edgling furniture shop.

Together with his wife and two children, Gonzalo Puyat decided to move to Manila from his town in Guagua, Pampanga. The year 1907 found him working in a billiard hall owned by a Spaniard earning P18.00 a month. Soon, through hard work and thrift he was able to buyout the Spanish owner and began operating the billiard hall himself on Crespo Street, Quiapo. In 1909 he began repairing his billiard tables which were then very expensive since they were imported. "With deft hands, " as some accounts say, "he soon acquired a reputation for repairing billiard tables." And the demand for such a skill was heavy.

Encouraged thus, Don Gonzalo converted his small business into a billiard table repair shop and in all of his work, quality worksmanship was evident. In fact in 1912 at the First Industrial Exposition in Manila, when he exhibited one of his billiard tables, his entry won the grand prize. By this time, Don Gonzalo was already manufacturing the first billiard tables in the country. From these humble beginnings Gonzalo Puyat and 50ns, Inc. would emerge to embrace the vast industrial and commercial complex that it is today.

By 1918 the Puyat billiard table factory was producing enough to meet the demand and Don Gonzalo turned his efforts to other ventures. In 1938 he pioneered in the manufacture of related products like laminated doors, parquet flooring and panelling and miscellaneous millwork. By now, the various enterprises needed breathing space since the old Puyat compound in Intramuros was becoming cramped. Thus Don Gonzalo moved his plant and office to the Rodriguez Arias Compound in San Miguel, Manila which still stands to this day. Modernization was the keyword to further progress at this time and Don Gonzalo was not one to lag behind. Here he installed the latest dry kiln plant for treating hardwood .

The Second World War temporarily halted the growing business empire of Don Gonzalo. He summoned all his energy and optimism in the painful task of rehabilitation after the war. In the early '50'5, he pioneered in manufacturing galvanized iron sheets which were then 51

Extants from the o ld Puyat plant are this sti ll functioning woodshaping machi ne, and rece nt路 Iy restored billiard table. Speak of durab ili ty!

being imported. " Our father had foresight. He studied things very carefully and then set his mind into doing something which no one dared but which the country's economy needed," says Mrs. Leoncia Puyat Reyes, present president of Gonzalo Puyat and Sons, Inc. and eldest daughter of Don Gonzalo. Thus, in 1956, Don Gonzalo put up a steel plant in Mandaluyong , Rizal, some meters off the Guadalupe Bridge. It was indeed a wise and timely move because the city of Manila , and the whole country for that matter, was caught in a wave of fever-pitch building and construction materials were imperative.

Today the Puyat business complex has expanded to new fields including flour milling , timber concessions, banking , real estate, export of furniture and logs, wire-rope, memorial parks, insurance, a resort complex and just recently, the development of the Surigao Coconut Development Company.

To his employees, Don Gonzalo was exacting but human. Being industrious, he expected his workers to be no less. Agapito Guanlao, one of the oldtimers in the company, remembers his strictness. He recalls also how Don Gonzalo admonished his workers to pick up every single dropped nail. It was valuable and even a crooked nail could be straightened out, the " Old Man" would say.

The Puyat shop was like a trade school during the early days, avers Mr. Martin Cruz, another oldtimer. Aside from the regular workers, apprentices joined the Puyat establishment to gain skills.

Some of t he apprentices later found employment in the company.

Don Gonzalo freely imparted his skills as well as his attitudes and basic philosophies in life.

Like other employers of the old vintage, Don Gonzalo was paternalistic. He t reated his workers as part of his family to the extent of enjoining his faithful laborers to have their children work with the company, " when you are already old. " He also advocated the use of locally grown materials to be less dependent on foreign sources. In his factories, he saw to it that his products utilize locally-derived chemicals in the galvanizing process.

The citations, plaques and awards of Don Gonzalo that adorn the office of the late president Gene Puyat in the steel plant, attest to Don Gonzalo's deeds of service and charity. The business he fathered still operates. But more importantly, the spirit behind all these activities still prevails.

52

The oldest existing corporation in the country, the Ayala Corporation began as Casa Roxas when in 1834, it was fi rst organ ized through the partnership of Don Domingo Roxas and his so n-in-l aw, Don Antonio de Ayala_ It p ioneered in high-risk and extractive industries such as alcohol distillery, sugar cent rals, coal m ining, manufacture of bricks, indigo blue, porcelain, corda ge, street cars and insurance_ This different breed of entrepreneurs overcame the tem ptatio n to engage in more lucrative foreign commission business at that t ime_ The Ayalas, of Spanish blue blood and the Roxases, a Creole fam ily o f working landowners, knew how to bless those who worked for th em and with them_ From Don Domingo Roxas to Don Pedro Pablo Roxas to Don Jacobo Zobel de Ayala, father of Enrique Zobel , it was a continuous bond of keeping fa ith with one's avowed convict ions - even to the point of prison, exile or humiliation_ Mr. Zobel's " private sector socialism, " a partnership between big business and small producers, generated heated discomfort among those who thought it silly or threatening _ It is perhaps also traceable to the Ayala Corporation's revered past of Domingo Roxas, the pregenitor of the Zobel Roxas de Ayala clan, who was born in 1782 _ He was said to have introduced in the Philippines the use of machinery for the processing of sugar, cotton and lumber. He also initiated smelting and refining of iron ores some time in the early 1800's_ While other rich families were content to reap the fruits of the land without so much as dirtying their hands, The early wide- rang ing business concerns of Ayala Corporation incl uded that of the alcohol Roxas cultivated his lands with his own hands, planting sugar and distillery on Echague Street which th is photocotton in Batangas and Laguna _ He was imprisoned twice for reproduct ion (top , left) taken at the turn of the complicity in pro-Filipino movements and was finally banished to the century shows; the street cars or tranvias (midCarolines for the same activity _ He died there in 1843_ dle); and a drugstore (above) in Intramuros.

His children - Margarita, Jose, Bonifacio, and Mariano inherited the Casa and renamed it Roxas Hijos_ In 1864 when Mariano died, Roxas Hijos now known as Roxas Hermanos, passed into the care of D ona Margarita and her husband, Antonio de Ayala _This indefatigable couple ran the enterprise with amazing expertise which had now been named Casa Ayala_ A daughter, Trinidad, married Jacobo Zobel Zangroniz, thus commencing the Zobel-Ayala lineage of the family _ Both Don Pedro and Don Jacobo assumed management of Casa Ayala_ When Don Jacobo died in 1896, his wite Dona Trinidad Ayala de Zobel took over the reins of business_ Don Pedro's estate, on

53

Where the Ayala Museum is, the dioramas are. The particular diorama at bottom depicts that fated day of January 2, 1942 when Japanese soldiers by the truckloads entered the city of Manila to expand Japanese designs for a co路 prosperity sphere in the East路Southeast Asian region which brought the Second World War to the Philippines. Below is a period photo of the horse路drawn fire truck of o ld Ma ni la at the turn of the century.

the other hand, was managed by his son Antonio Roxas, while his Hacienda de San Pedro de Makati was transferred to the control of the Zobel de Ayala branch of the family.

The company's stewardship then passed to Dona Trinidad Ayala de Zobel's son , Fernando and son-in-law Antonio Melian. The Ayala saga of contemporary times topbills three exceptional men: Joseph M cMicking , Enrique Olgado Zobel and Don Jaime Zobel de Ayala, son of Don Alfonso Zobel Roxas de Ayala. Since McMcking's retirement in 1968, which also marked Ayala's incorporation , the chairman of the board of directors and president of Ayala Corporation has been Mr. Zobel with Mr, Jaime Zobel de Ayala as vice chairman of the board of directors and executive vice president Part of th e corporation 's present socio-civic involvement may be g leaned , for instance, at the Ayala Museum , Those who prefer to indul ge in v isual information and delight on centuries of Philippine history and culture have found an oasis in this museum in Makati right in the heart of a throbbing commercial complex. The dioramas (i ngen iously handcarved by Paete craftsmen) depict significant historical events from 150,000 B.C. to the signing of Philippine Independence in 1946. There are archaeological exhibits, too , of art ifacts such as tools during the Paleolithic, Neolithic and Metal Ages as well as fossilized bones of extinct animals such as the stegodon, rhinoceros and pygmy elephant Paintings by National Artist Fernando Amorsolo and other painters of note hang on the walls for easy appreciation , Th e airconditioned Ayala Museum Library is stocked with Fil ipiniana books, including the original of the collection of sketches

by Damian Domingo, and a copy of the first book printed in the Philippines, Doctrina Christiana. Photographs, microfilms and transparencies of almost all facets of Philippine life are made available t the public. Another room is used for poetry and dramatic readings , conferences and screenings of ethnological films on the Philippines as well as foreign films_ Gallery III of the Museum is a favorite venue for art exhibits - anything from cartoons to jewelries to ethnographic c rafts to paintings to water transport models of the Second World War.

54

Part of the literary legacy the Ayala Corpora路 tion maintains is the Premio Zobel which logo is shown top, left. Within the Ayala triangle is this interesting new monument to the defenders at Bataan (left) while this other new monument to Gabriela Silang of the 1I0cos Region stands between two main roads (below).

Green is not missing. The birds are singing at the Ayala Aviary, located in Greenbelt Park, only a few meters away from Ayala Museum . Some 500 birds, chosen on the basis of their behavior, are kept by a giant net cast over 60 feet high and supported by specially. treated poles in strategic areas. People flock to this place where cemented lanes, elevated catwalks, a wooden viewing tower, and artificial ponds, induce an atmosphere ideal not only for bird watching.

Concrete contributions to history (aside from making it) have also been provided by Ayala Corporation in a triangle of streets in Makati (Ayala Avenue, Makati Avenue, Paseo de Roxas). These are the four monuments of personages in Philippine history from Sultan Kudarat to Gabriela Silang to General Pio del Pilar to the defenders of Bataan.

Together they fuse the enduring message that the Filipino is at heart a fighter, especially for his native soil. Shades of Ayala Corporation' s precursors?

The literary world also acknowledges the Zobel路Ayala family for "Premio Zobel", an award given to any outstanding Filipino writer for past and present contributions in strengthening Filipino路Spanish culture. Originally, it was conceived " to promote the study of Spanish in the Philippines, to spread the language in its most correct literary forms, and to reward the labors of those who cultivated it. " Before the First World War, it was annually awarded on July 25 , feast of Spain's patron, St. James or San Ignacio de Compostela. Recently, it has been given on February 17 , the birth anniversary of its founder,

55

Casa Hacienda (below) circa 1926 hummed with activity as the company ventured in real estate. To the Ayala Museum , (bottom) locals and tourists hie off to have a foretaste of Philippine history and culture.

Enrique Zobel de Ayala.

What is today a well-maintained plaza and cheery playground for Makati's residents along the Pasig River was originally a one-and-ahalf story concrete and wooden structure over 2 ,881 square meters of land, the Casa Hacienda. As the Makati Office of Ayala y Compania, it was for some time the nucleus of the family's real estate development projects. On various occasions it served as a warehouse, a poultry house, a hat factory, an extension of Makati Fire Station, Makati High School, and a dorm for displaced Jolo students. In line with the First Lady's beautification program and to answer the need for a children's playground, the valuable property was donated to Makati residents.

But the most visible gift of the corporation to Metro Manila was its conversion (some claim it's a miracle) of Hacienda San Pedro, Makati, a good 930 hectares, from a sleepy, worthless town that sold its grass as horse fodder in 1946 to a beautiful commercial complex where urban planning has been most effective. Makati today is one monument of pride whose development has become the model for an urban rehabilitation project in Bangkok, Thailand.

With its very high standards of quality architecture for buildings and houses, street construction, utility layouts, sanitation, traffic planning, parking requirements and strict zoning laws, the wonder town (now the hub of business in the country and soon in the Far East) that is Makati points to the Ayala's visionary planning.

As one of the country's leading corporations today, Ayala Corporation breathes the business genius of the Roxas-Ayala-Zobel clan. It is the name to reckon with in real property development, and the holding company of diverse enterprises like real estate management, banking (it manages the Bank of the Philippine Islands), finance (Ayala Investment and Development Corporation or AIDC, which is the group's merchant banking arm), insurance (Ayala established the first Filipino life insurance company, the Insular Life),

56

hostelry (Inter-Continental Hotel and Davao Insular Hotel) and manufacturing and trade.

Two new firms have been recently formed as part of the company's further diversification: a) a wholly owned Ayala International Corporation based in Hong Kong, to handle investments abroad, particularly in other Asian countries; b) Ayala Marketing Corporation, to distribute products of other Ayala companies, with Berli-Jucker Co., Ltd. of Thailand and Armour-Dial, Inc. of the United States as partners.

Through the Makati Development Corporation, Ayala's construction arm, Ayala plans to export labor and scout for more contracts overseas in places such as Papua New Guinea and Middle East Countries. The New Alabang Commercial Center promises a different appeal, even as the Makati Commercial Center undergoes redevelopment.

Ayala's present thrust in business reflects the company's sensitivity to the needs of the changing times. Innovative, imaginative, creative - these are marks of the corporation. As the present chairman of the board of directors and president, Mr. Enrique Olgado Zobel once articulated, "I shall share with you a burning hope: that private enterprise can change society instead of merely passively fitting into it."

A truism not only in business but in life as well. Mr. Zobel is aware that in changing a society, you change the men and women in it. Thus, even before he officially embarked some 12 years ago on his new management orientation as " total human beings" , he must have felt that all along, Ayala Corporation, under the umbrella of his ancestors, had been changing, growing with every sign of the times.

Having met the needs of the employee in his wholeness a company is most willing to change, to grow.

But even if you desire change, if the means and the milieu for change and growth are not at hand, everything falls like a deck of cards. Obviously with the long life that Ayala Corporation has seen, the management's grasp of planning, constructing and painstakingly implementing blueprints ancj goals comes like second nature, an

57

The Makati Stock Exchange building houses A yala's present corporate offices.

From a sleepy, worthless town whose grass was fit only as horse fodder, Makati emerges as the prime example of Ayala's vaunted expertise at urban development.

intuition , a divine hand. This corporation for the total man, therefore, is born out of the inspiration of the moment but history and tradition have caught it for keeps . .

The company is big all right but it is big because it cannot stop its growth . And its growth has been nurtured in the midst of healthy competition, and difficulties and setbacks in between. Oh, yes, Ayala Corporation's mettle has been forged and shaped by all these.

Curiously, its bigness is not at all ostentatious. Its offices at the topmost two floors of the Makati Stock Exchange Building along Ayala Avenue (Manila's Wall Street) in Makati are conservatively tasteful, cozily warm.

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Santa Ana Church circa 1850 as the center of the town's activities is graphically presented in this engraving by Juan de Ribelles (bottom).

The present Church. after more than four cen路 turies of meaningful existence. retains its solid appeal (below).

Behind the swift stroke of colonial power, Spain's romance with the Philippines and the Filipinos has not been merely skin路 deep but with the Cross, has penetrated the core of a good percentage of the population. The churches the Spanish missionaries built endure more than the mightiest exploits the Spanish conquistadores marshalled in their day. And as landmarks, these churches fortify where foundations have weakened, especially among the faithful who, mortal as they are, have only the Cross to hang onto.

Once the gift of faith has been freely accepted and fully appreciated, then the church can afford to be reduced to rubble - by fire, by water, by' earthquake, by man. Only to be rebuilt. Only to acquire greater tensile strength.

The church in Santa Ana, Manila, for example, has seen through more than four centuries and even as it projects a smug and stolid look, its provincial , unassuming character underneath prevails. Since the church is located in an arrabal or suburb south of the River Pasig and enjoys the rare honor of being the first Franciscan missionary settlement outside Intramuros, then it probably cares to remember only its distinct past. The first church, made of bamboo and nipa in 1578, was dedicated to the Titular Patroness, St. Anne. Then in 1599 the Superior Government granted permission to construct a stone church which was finished after several years of construction.

The new church which still stands today was rebuilt in 1720 but in a place different from the one it previously occupied. Made of stone and wood, the church this time housed a convent for the entire religious community.

Archbishop of Manila and concurrently Governor and Captain General of the Islands, Fr. Francisco de la Cuesta laid the cornerstone on September 12, 1720. Apart from his donation to the construction, he gifted his crystal scepter or baston de mando which has been pre路 served and borne by the Nuestra Senora de los Desamparados or Our Lady of the Abandoned during annual processions.

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The image of Nuestra Senora de los Desamparados, a tiny, lovely and brown路skinned statue (a copy of the original is still venerated in Valencia , Spain), was brought to Santa Ana by Fr. Vicente Ingles, Superior of the Franciscans, during that time. Today its multitudes of devotees come from all places, attributing to her miracles or special favors . The abandoned, the oppressed, the suffering draw from her the most inspiring, uplifting consolation. Her compassion, not in any way contemptible, for the sintu-sinto or mali-mali or the mentally ill is legendary. Native residents even claim Santa Ana perpetually takes care of such unfortunates. At present, novenas are held in Her honor every Saturday afternoon .

A chapel called " camarin de la Virgen", which houses the image of Nuestra Senora de los Desamparados, is located over and slightly at the back of the main altar. Here one is transported to a completely different world where one can be transfixed in a powerful dialogue with the Lady. The chapel is hexagonal in shape, musty in odor and broken in tiles with some very precious religious paintings (Marian biblical scenes on wooden panels) on the ceiling (probably done by one or two gifted native craftsmen?). Duly restored , this chapel has a lure beyond reason. Also noteworthy are paint ings of the 12 apostles on wooden panels depicted on the cupola of the Church . Fully restored by artist Dumlao, they will surely be a marvel to behold.

A jewel of a church, Santa Ana has suffered the inclemency of tropical weather and has survived major earthquakes, some of which wrought heavy damage. When the Spanish. Filipino war broke out, the church was looted and despoiled of priceless objects wh ich it had accumulated through the centuries.

However, while almost every church and area was desecrated and destroyed during the Second World War, Santa Ana and its church remained unscathed. Why? Was it due to the Lady's protective grace, as most of Santa Ana's residents would like to believe, or was it simply by chance, as some cynics would explain? Probably it was not by a miracle per se but by the working of some fortuitous events buttressed by the fact that indeed, faith outlives and conquers all.

Santa Ana residents recall that in 1943 to 1945, the tradit ionally devout parishioners had more reason to attend the daily afternoon rosary and benediction services in the church, including novenas to the Lady even in October and not in May, as it is the month of the town 's fiesta. They recall too that the church bells rang mysteriously one afternoon in February, 1945, as if calling people to flee to the church for safety and refuge as the liberation of Manila began .

Now behind the Santa Ana Parish Church fronting Lamayan Street is a chapel with a copy of the image of Our Lady of the Aban路 doned. People refer to this image as Our Lady of the Well because underneath the chapel there is a well whose water, it is claimed, gave

61

An American flag during the precarious Liberation period flies unperturbed (left). The Church's inner patio or courtyard (above) ha' this statue of St. Francis of Assisi side by side with the site of the archaelogical diggings

The fame of Santa A na lies partly in its reputation as a seat of cent uries-ol d diggi ngs (below) which have not been com p lete ly and accu rately analyzed _ The restored Church 's gradual shedding of old clothes may be visi ble in the changes undertaken in its interiors (bottom).

help to sick persons who drank it with faith. However, this well was ordered sealed in 1919 by the health authorities who claimed that it was a threat to public health. Tradition has it that after its closure, it rained continuously for about 20 days and Santa Ana experienced one of its worst floods which took about three months to subside. Some people thought the flood was a sign that Our Lady of the Well was displeased by the order of closure.

Today devotees still frequent the chapel and votive candles are always lighted in front of the image as a sign of their devotion and love for the Lady. At times, sick children are brought to the chapel with the hope of a cure.

In July, 1977 a group of concerned citizens of Santa Ana rallied to the cause of restoring the Church to a more dignified and fitting place of worship. The project is being executed by Architect Juan Nakpil with the pa rt icipation of artist-painter Antonio Dumlao in beautifying the church with his unique and fascinating stained glass windows.

Apart from the fame of Santa Ana Church, this district doubles its prestige by being the oldest settlement along the Pasig, attests historian Carlos Quirino. Here the Malay Kingdom of Lacantagcan and his wife Buan (Tagalog word for moon) reigned in blue-blooded splendor and prosperity. Mr. Quirino adds, however, that no record exists of present-day lineal descendants of the rulers of this once prestigious kingdom.

The archeological excavations in Santa Ana offer an interesting exhibit. Begun in 1966, the diggings reputedly support an emerging picture of the incredibly complex and detailed way of life of Filipinos before the re-discovery of the islands by the Spaniards. Moreover, the excavation, according to the Abaya Report, reveals that the church itself was built on a large amount of deposits formed by aggrupation du ring pre-Span ish times although this fact is highly questionable.

(Burial customs of previous residents, which included the Chinese, may d isclose that the diggings are only two centuries old). The midden is composed of water shells, mostly oysters, as well as considerab e iron slag. Teeth and bones of the carabao were also found.

The layers of burnt soil, charcoal and slag point to Santa Ana as an iron-making center.

62

r

-~

The San Agustin Church in Intramuros is another must for the history buff. Patterned after some of the magnificent temples built by the Augustinians in Mexico, its present ed ifice was built in 1587, and completed, together with the monastery, in 1604. A veritable repository of Iberian culture, its atmosphere is decidedly medieval since " both church and monastery symbolize the majesty and equilibrium of a Spanish golden era. " The massive structure of the church (its facade is in classic lines with a f10reated main door) leaves the visitor in awe as he notes the symmetry and splendor of its interiors (painted by two Italians who succeeded in producing masterful trompe I'oeils), the contou r lines of the mouldings, rossettes and sunken panels which appear as three·

A n archetype of colonial monastic architec· ture, the San Agustin Church and monastery distinguishes itself for its modest exterior and sumptuous interiors. Or'the two original twin towers, the one facing Juan LunaStreet cracked d uri ng the trem o rs of 1863 and 1880 as the photo above indicates. In this demolished tower there was a huge bell. according to an Augusti· nian historian, which used to ring only to welcome the arrival of a new Governor·General to Ma nila or in cases of big fires (above). At bot· tom are four open· m outhed lions engraved in gra nite to keep watch at the base of the col· umns. According to thE' same Augustinian historia n, this is reminiscent of the Chinese in· fl uence on F il ipino architecture.

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· his is the ch urch's side chapel where the reo mains of Spa nish conquistador Miguel Lopez de Legazpi. who founded the city of Manila. are kep t.

dimensional carvings, a baroque pulpit with the native pineapple as a motif, the grand pipe organ, the antechoir with a 16th century crucifix, the choir seats carved in molave with ivory inlays of the 17th century and the set of 16 huge and beautiful chandeliers from Paris.

The remains of the Spanish conquistadores Salcedo, Lavezares and the Adelantado Miguel Lopez de Legazpi are kept in this church.

A side chapel is dedicated to Legazpi, founder of Intramuros. The first structure of San Agustin Church in 1571, made of nipa, was expressly desired by Legazpi upon establishing Manila as the country's seat of power on June 24, 1571. Fr. Diego de Herrera, builder of this first church, was proposed to be the first bishop of Manila but he died before the diocese was established in 1579.

This church withstood the earthquakes of 1645,1754,1852, 1863 and 1880 but was profaned and pillaged during the British inva· sion of 1762 . The last World War also brought incalculable loss. In February, 1945 the atrocities of men of war saw the church filled with civilians and clerics as prisoners. One account says that in the final days of the war, these prisoners were herded by the Japanese into a dungeon in nearby Fort Santiago. Just a few survived, among them an Augustinian who managed to crawl out after two horrible days of staying in a common grave. It is said that when he emerged , the Walled City was gone.

As a parish, San Agustin is known as the Immaculate Conception Parish founded in 1945. Its first parish priest was Fr. Antonio Garin, O .S.A. There are many transient parishioners here - the " 8 A.M . to 5 P.M." working people in the many buildings surrounding Intramuros today. Only 150 families can be counted as permanent parishioners.

As a monaste ry, it is meant to be the Motherhouse of all Augusti· nians in the Far East. Here Fr. Manuel Blanco did his classic, the fabulous book Flora de Filipinas which won the first prize for scientific reo search in the International Exposition in Amsterdam in 1883.

A historian has written that Blanco's famous tropical garden reflected the wholehearted cooperation of the Augustinians towards the completion of Flora. Well , it did cost a fortune during those times.

You see, the central garden proved insufficient so that the Augustinian provincial council even approved the idea of setting another one, along Rea l Street in Intramuros. The publication of the book, besides, was exclusively subsidized by the Augustinian order.

This monastery has also served as the first school, the first printing press, the first sanitarium , and the first research center in Spanish Manila. Here was held the first National Synod in 1581 where the Church Council examined the legal basis of the colony and convinced the civil authorities to abolish any form of slavery. It was also here, in the vestry of the Church, where acting General-in-Chief of the Spanish Forces of the Philippines, Fermin Jaudenes and U.S. Commander·in·Chief in the Philippines, Major General Wesley Merritt signed the capitulation of Manila to the Americans in 1898.

San Agustin Church is also a museum which treasures a vast collection of religious art and objects of historical worth. The four art rooms , located on the ground floor, are open to the public. The first is the vestry where one views the delicate carvings of a big lectern and other antiques. The second is the ancient sacristy which boasts of liturgical vestments embroidered in gold, oil paintings and ivory statues. The third is the old refectory which contains part of Luis Araneta 's (one of the country's major art collectors) collection donated to the museum. The fourth , a sala, invites one to a pictorial exhibit of the apostolic, scientific and artistic work of the Augustinians. This museum, together with the monastery, was declared a National Monument in 1975. Today it attracts some 200 tourists a day.

A monument of religion, art and humanism, San Agustin Church is a landmark that might as well be gold!

64

路 '.

A few meters away your gaze comes upon ano th er church, in fact, a cathedral - the Manila Metropolitan Cathedral. On the sam e pre-Spanish site where stood a Muslim settlem ent, th is Cathedral rose to be the first parochial church of Manila in 1571. Made of bamboo and nipa, it was erected by an Augustinian pr iest , F r. Juan de Vi ve ro for Miguel Lopez de Legazpi's troops. It was converted into the Man ila Cathedral on December 21 , 1581 on the strength of a Papal Bull issued by Pope Gregory Xlll and under the administration of Manila's first bishop, Msgr. Domingo de Salazar, O .P. Destroyed no less than five times, the Cathedral was rebuilt each time, asserting spirit over structure.

Interesting anecdotes lend color to this primary church of the Archdiocese of Manila . For instance, it lost its silver and jewelry to make up for the one million pesos demanded by the British when they occupied Manila. Then during the earthquake in 1883, discovered among its wreckage were the bodies of two Filipino priests: Fr. Pedro Pelaez (regarded by some as the first prophet of the Propaganda Movement) and Fr. Pedro Pablo Ponce de Leon.

The Cathedral, at one time or another, contained the remains of the benign yet audacious Governor-General Simon de Anda in the catacomb, served as an asylum for fugitives from justice during the Spanish regime, as a stable for horses of conquering armies, as a hospital for wounded American soldiers, and as the site of a Te Deum on the occasion of the inauguration of the Commonwealth of the Philippines on November 15, 1935.

65

The Cathedral after the earthquake of 1880 (top). Note the shattered tower on the left.

Above, the present Cathedra)"s baptismal font.

The present, reconstructed Man i la M etropoli. tan Cathedral. Balance is achieved between the large volumes of spatial m asses at the three en路 trances and the flat rectangular plane of the church proper.

When the Manila Cathedral was destroyed in 1945, all its ecclesiastical functions and religious services were transferred to San Agustin Church. Even the title of Immaculate Conception to which the Manila Cathedral was dedicated was given to San Agustin officially.

Restored and inaugurated in 1958, the Cathedral resumed its ecclesiastical and religious administration but never took back its title from San Agustin. Strangely enough, its records of baptisms, confirmations, and marriages, are always handed over to San Agustin for official record purposes.

At present this magnificent Cathedral still stands as an eloquent witness to Filipino faith as well as artistry. Intricately carved bas reliefs depict the life of Christ and of religiOUS saints. " You can teach the entire Catechism through the stained glass windows alone!" exclaims its present Rector, Msgr. Augusto Pedrosa, who has launched a program to improve its various facilities. The Cathedral serves as a venue for significant religious events like the Exhibit of the Shroud of Turin, the 4th Centennial of the Archdiocese of Manila', the Manila Synod of '79 and the International Mission Congress in December, 1979. " Our main goal is to make the Manila Metropolitan Cathedral a relevant and meaningful temple of worship from which Christian life can be enriched. On the side, for non路believers, we hope to impress the people, through the Cathedral itself, with the level Filipino genius has attained in architecture, engineering and the arts," so declares Msgr. PedrosCl as he elaborates on the plan to restore the Cathedral which has recently become a basilica.

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T he Ch urch where Our Lady of Guidance is enshri ned is linked wi th history as far back as M ay 19, 1571. though its 19th century exterior may not appear formida ble.

The image now venerated in the Ermita Church of t he Nuestra Senora de Guia or Our Lady of Guidance was found on May 19, 1571 by a group of Spanish soldiers during Legazpi' s Manila exped ition .

They saw the natives worshipp ing a brown icon atop a cluster of pan路 danus shrubs near the place where the church stands. Where thi s foot路 tall virg in with overly long arms and clasped hands really cam e from continues to baffle historians. One strong conjecture is that the image, painted in rich red , blue and gold, is indigenous. Her sarong路 like robe (the Spanish soldiers who found her called her " La Virgen de Sarong" ) which resembles that worn by the native Ermitanos cannot possibly be the work of European artists. She is now dressed , how路 ever, in an ornamental silk robe of European rena issance finery .

At any rate , this oldest Marian image in the Ph ilippines has wrought marvels and miracles that, to date, she is still considered " the queen of the islands" and the patroness of sailors and ships. As her title suggests, Nuestra Senora de Guia's historico-religious benevolence inclines towards those who travel.

History notes that a journey to Mexi co during the Spanish tim es was always preceded by novenas and masses in her honor. Then , when the galleons were delayed in return ing to the Philippines, the image was brought in procession from Ermita to the Manila Cathedral where Te Deum services were held. Either during or at the end of the services, the galleons would arrive safely after-a dangerous voyage. At present, the Virgin still wears suspended from one wrist the gold cane presented to her by a grateful Spanish admiral. The band also used to play " Marcha Real Espanola," "Naos (galleons) de Castilla." You realize therefore that because Nuestra Senora de Guia had been here even before the Spanish dominion, her link with Philippine history is as intimate as it is deep.

One curious account about the image is that each time it is removed from its place of origin, it would be found restored the following day, such as the time when the soldiers who found the image brought it to a small church built on the present site of the Manila Cathedral. Thus it was decided that a church be built on the

67

The p re sent Ermita Church.

site where it was discovered. Of hewn stone, the church was built in Ermita (derived from La Hermita or the Hermitage since the place was the site of a Spanish monk's meditations). This church was destroyed by an earthquake in 1610. In 1771 another earthquake leveled the church which forced the priests to transfer the image to the Manila Cathedral. Here the image stayed for 146 years until, in 1918, the residents claimed back their Virgin and brought it to the district.

An elaborate ritual punctuated by festive joy marked the occasion. Young ladies and little girls would shower the image with flowers after much singing and to this day, the ritual is known as Bota Flores. The fiesta is celebrated every last Sunday of December while the anniversary of the founding of the image on May 19 is observed with a special novena.

Apparently, a Gemini soul resides in this district of Ermita - the time-honored tradition of Manila's families who relished the quiet, unobtrusive neighborhood of blooming trees and intellectual sophistication (but most of these families have moved out) juxtaposed against today's upsurge of touristic trade including the sybaritic pleasures to which men are heirs.

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If you want to try a church hereabouts which spells the masses the common tao, the pedestrian. the man on the street (and there are all kinds of them), go to Quiapo Church in downtown Plaza Miranda.

Here, morning. noon and night the people venerate the Nuest ro Senor Jesus de Nazareno (a dark figure of Christ carved by a Mexican artist from black wood) whose image. reputedly miraculous. was brought to the country in a Spanish galleon in the 17th century.

The pulse of the city. of humanity. is strongly felt here as you see devotees of diverse callings petitioning with unabashed intensity. or hawkers lingering awhile in its pews. or mothers walking on bent knees fingering rosary beads. You do spot o f course some well路 dressed men and women. presumably professionals. who seem to be less demonstrative in the ir devotion but nevertheless storm the heavens with their petitions.

Right outside the church you come across stationary peddlers of anting-anting, of herb路sellers minding the ir open路air stores of medicinal concoctions. Ambling sweepstakes vendo rs people the area,

t

The Quiapo Church in 1906 (above). Half a century later, it found itself in the midst of a bustli ng metropolis. A t left. every January 9 and Ho ly Monday, the Black Nazarene is borne in a procession through Quiapo's tangled streets.

69

Replete with human interest , these scenes characterize the people's fi erce devotion to the Black Nazarene ( ri ght) and ambience i n the vicinity: a kaleidoscope o f se llers, from herbs to cigarettes to perfume and pedestrians (ce nter), and a mother dressing her boy in eager an路 tici~ation of the an nual p rocession (bottom).

too, as they offer sweat less, instant fortune in the lottery.

Quiapo Church on Fridays, as Baclaran Church on Wednesdays, is transformed into a moviehouse filled to the seams. A noisy, disorderly, even crazy note is sounded before the novena begins as devotees to the Black Nazarene troop in and emit their strings of petitions. Here you encounter the folk Catholicism of some Filipinos as you see devotees climb the narrow flight of stairs to kiss the Senor's foot or wipe it with a handkerchief, often soiled, since it is the one and only handkerchief they use every time they visit him. This display of veneration or affection, coupled with adulation, appears to be their only hold for a better, livable life. Oh, don't forget that the pickpockets, the thieves, pray too, as they mingle with the throng.

But there are those who mature in their faith and realize that a Mass attended brings the grace they need. It's a heartwarm\ng scene all right a5 they leave the church's portals and you see their faces light up, their gait brisk and their petition apparently granted.

Comes January 9 and each time of the year, Quiapo is a sweaty spectacle. Traffic is re路routed round the multitudes who troop for this district's fiesta . Why the legions of men (barefoot, some bare路backed, carry the kingly-pastoral Senor in his deep maroon robe) who come for this procession manifest such blatant devotion, no one has really diagnosed. They have a panata, a vow to serve the Lord in this fashion. Probably they honestly believe that one afternoon's participation in the procession can deliver them from their year路 long shady deals or truant ways. Or they find comfort in being close to

70

Him as the carriage bearing His statue is pushed or pulled before their very eyes.

Like any town fiesta, Quiapo's festive mood radiates a piety traditionally devout Filipinos are known for. Except that here, the business of living goes hand-in-hand with the business of petitioning.

All told, however, Quiapo is Quiapo precisely because some quarter of the Filipino nation chooses to love the Senor this way.

Formerly a visita of Santa Ana, Quiapo Church was founded in 1588 by a Franciscan friar, Fr. Antonio de Nombella. It was declared the Parish of St. John the Baptist, the precursor of Christ who called every one to penance before one can receive Him - a fitting prophet to all devotees of the Senor. The Church was burned down in 1603 and the parish was temporarily entrusted to the Jesuits till the secular priests objected. On April 8 , 1639 the administration of the Church was returned to the seculars who, after all, had always looked after the church's welfare.

Earthquakes and fires hit the church in the succeeding centb'l'ies.

Fr. Magdaleno Castillo commissioned Juan Nakpil (now National Artist) to design a new church for Quiapo's faithful. A convent came with the plan and it was completed in 1941 during the term of Msgr.

Vicente Fernandez. Then on January 18, 1964 the church was consecrated by the late Cardinal Rufino Santos, once Archbishop of Manila.

71

Statues guard the church walls (top). Inside, devotees kneel before the Black Nazarene (above).

Pre-war San Francisco del Monte Chu rch (right) contains an exqu isi tely carved retablo vene rating San Pedro Bautista (below) whose statue outside the church welcomes the faith fu l (bottom)_

Nestled on top of solid, natu ral rocks (an elevation of 100 feet a bove sea leve l) is a church and a parish district in the heart of Q uezon City. Its strategic location belies its gentle hermitage. But like any adve nturous adolescent, it begins to cavort with the very first sig ns of progress, taking on a mature outlook - where prosperity and g rowth do not necessarily exclude the simple joys of living. For the people of San Francisco del Monte or more popularly, plain "Frisco ," rema in as tra nqu il and warm, as content and hard-working to whatever beckons and dawns.

The new chu rch which now stands traces its beginnings to San Pe'd ro Bautista Blasquez y Blasquez. A Spanish Franciscan missionary in the Fa r East, he came to the Ph ilippines in 1584 to spend eight years of dedicated apostolic life. When he was elected Major Superior of the Franciscan mission in the country in 1586, he envisioned a place where his fellow Franciscans could spiritually renew themselves since it was customary in the Franciscan order to have a house to retire to and to reflect in the course of their missionary work. Since there was land for such purposes, and Father Pedro liked the elevated piece of land offered to the Franciscan order, his wish was at once fulfilled . On February 17 , 1590 there began an enduring affair since this elevated piece of land, a desert actually, came to be what is now known as San Francisco del Monte, apparently to distinguish it from San Francisco de Intramuros.

A church and a small convent both made of bamboo and nipa were therefore constructed and the church dedicated to our Lady of Monte Coeli (Heavenly Mount). In 1593 the church was rebuilt, this time of wood, and in 1599 a new structure of adobe rose. This, however, burned down during the Chinese uprising of 1639. For some thirty years, the church was left in ruins until it was rebuilt in 1684.

Through the generosity of Don Tomas de Endaya, the church was built of stronger material in 1699. It was dedicated to San Pedro Bautista, who together with 25 others, was martyred in Nagasaki, Japan on February 5, 1597. They were later canonized by Pope Pius IX on June 8, 1862. In fact he and his other Franciscan companions are the only canonized saints who have worked in the Philippines.

Strangely enough, this church, this retiro, courted danger and disruption several times. During the Philippine Revolution in 1896, the friars deserted the place when the revolutionary forces used it as their headquarters, first by the men of General Hermogenes and later

by General Guillermo's staff. Then when the Filipino forces fled to the mountains, Americans occupied the hermitage until it was abandoned 72

for several years. But through the persistence of-a Franciscan brother, Jose Maria Manjabacas, the Franciscan Superior had the church repaired in 1912. Thus, on January 20 , 1914, the repaired church was blessed and the town celebrated its maiden fiesta that same year on February 5, the day San Pedro Bautista gave up his life on th e cross.

A rehabilitation program for the church and convent was soon initiated. On July 16, 1931, a minor seminary known as Colegio Serafico opened and a new building was constructed in 1935 to accommodate more Filipinos heeding Christ's call to a religious life.

However, when World War II broke out, the studies of the seminarians were interrupted. In 1952, its doors reopened.

San Francisco del Monte officially becdme a parish on November II, 1932 through a decree of Manila Archbishop Michael O 'Doherty.

Its first parish priest was Fr. Francisco Santos who served until March, 1938.

Renovated in 197 1. the San F rancisco del The church which Father Pedro founded and where his image is Monte Church sports th is new front (top) even venerated has kept its cordial relations with the signs of the times. A as it preserves its old . h istoric facade at the new and modern church was blessed and inaugurated on January 31, other end of the church (above).

1971. The facade of the historic church of 1699 has been preserved though.

San Pedro Bautista Church has one of the most exquisitely carved retablos in the classic baroque style. This retablo used to be the main altar (today it is a side altar) where the image of San Pedro Bautista is venerated. Another side altar contains the image of St. Francis of Assisi.

If you take a walk inside the convent (often used as a realistic locale in movies where the classic colonial influence is very strong), you' ll feel transported to a different time and place. Its cuatro ciaustros, a patio typical of Spain and Italy, two natural cisterns leading to another well outside the convent, plus the statue of St. Francis midst tall, star-apple trees, banana plants and other shrubs will convince you thus; the convent is made of natural adobe and ladrillo espan ol for its roof and flooring. To your surprise, there is also an underground tunnel believed to be a passageway leading to the west riverside. Under what used to be the old church's sanctuary is the cave of San Pedro, also said to be an underground path leading outside, where up to ten years ago, masses were celebrated. Its natural adobe makes it cool and damp.

73

On a marshy area not far from the mouth of the Pasig River where the Dominican friars of the Order of Preachers planted the cross for their future convent, the simple nipa and cogon Santo .

Domingo Church was built. It was inaugurated on January 1, 1588 but not long after, it was burned and another church, this time made of stone, rose in 1592. In 1596, the present ivory image of the Rosary Virgin of " La Naval" enshrined in the Santo Domingo Church in Quezon City was given to the church as a gift from a devotee, acting In different places and in different historical Governor路General Luis Perez Dasmariiias, out of gratitude for a great periods, the two Santo Domingo Churches; the old one in Intramuros (below) and the contem路 favor obtained through her intercession . A fire in 1603 broke out in the city premises but the image of the Virgin escaped harm. porary (bottom) in Quezon City.

So a third church, this time consisting of thick stone walls which supported a massive vault, also came about after almost a decade. It was unsurpassed in beauty and grandeur when it was completed. A span of 15 yards offered a spacious presbytery next to the transept.

Within it was the main altar where the image of " La Naval" was ensconced . Its interior illumination was provided by 14 silver lamps, one large candelabra, 41 chandeliers and 14 smaller ones. An earthquake, however, destroyed it in 1645.

A fourth church of stone was built from the rubble and , to protect it from earthquakes, it had a wooden vault and three aisles. The naves were superimposed with tiles, the wooden vaults were gilded with artistic carvings to serve as decoration and protection. This new church lasted till 1863, although it underwent several modifications, especially in its interiors.

For instance, a definitive chapel for the Virgin was built in what used to be the convent's sacristy. This special oratory dedicated to the Blessed V irgin of the Rosary became one of the most frequented places of devotion in Manila . And there was no feast more crowded during October, the month of the Rosary, than the " La Naval de M nil a" on which festivities were with great solemnity and splendor. It was then " Ia procession de las processiones" . It is claimed that the

church endured and became distinguished not so much for its architectural perfection nor beauty of ornamentation but because in this very sanctuary the heroes of La Naval battles (1646) marched before the image to fulfill a vow, in gratitude for the complete victory granted to them. By this act of fidelity to the vow, an annual procession of the Rosary image around the city premises came into being. This stirring manifestation of the nation's faith in the Lady is celebrated every second Sunday of October.

The sack of Manila by the British in 1762 left the church in direst conditions and the image, divested of its costliest jewels. Moreover, the British soldiers cut off the head of the Mother and the arm of the Child, (vestiges of which are still evident on the Virgin's neck and the Child's arm today). Two years later, solemn rites were held at the Santo Domingo Church as an act of reparation for the profanation of the image.

A severely strong earthquake hit this fourth church and levelled it to ruins. But note that the revered image of the Virgin again escaped destruction. To meet the demands for the veneration of Our Lady, an improvised chapel out of the university (University of Santo Tomas) paranymphus (where they held oral examinations and debates) was transformed into a provisional church. In this makeshift church , the faithful uninterruptedly thronged and solemn novenas and processions were held. In 1864, the university hall next to the lobby of the convent was converted into a public chapel. This provisional church continued till August, 1867.

The fifth church was considered S~nto Domingo Church at its best. It was a Neo·Gothic·inspired church in pre·war lntramuros as gleaned from the architectural design of the vaults, stained glass windows, cornices, doors, pillars, pulpit and four biblical alta r pieces; one of the four found at the Rosary chapel stood out singularl y since it depicted beautiful portraits of the fifteen mysteries of the Holy Rosary. It was also considered the biggest of pre·war lntramuros. It measured 227 feet long excluding the thickness of its walls, 101 feet wide, with the central nave extended up to 50 feet with an elevation of 72 feet high. The total area of the church was approximately 31 ,605 square feet, out of which 16,362 comprised its main body. Thus this spacious worship hall accommodated the increasing devotees of our Lady who thronged to her shrine coming from far and wide to pay homage to the Mother of God. Another striking feature of this Church was the high altar. It was a two·story niche, " beautifully gilt with ascending filigrees that almost reached the ceiling of the central nave." Other art forms included the

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The hig h altar of this fifth but biggest Gothic· inspired Santo Dom ingo Church in pre·war In· tramuros (below, left). It was richly carved and decorated and presented an entrancing spec· tacle. especially when illuminated. It was desig ned by the first Filipino architect. Felix Roxas, Sr. The image of Ou r Lady of the Most Ho ly Rosary (below) wi th her retinue of angels bathed in fl owers.

The bas路 re lief on the facad e of the present Santo Domingo Church re路enacts the first " La Naval" procession.

ceiling where hung costly heavy chandeliers which looked like huge clusters of flowers; a magnificently carved pulpit patterned after that of St. Stephen's in Vienna ; and images carved in wood showing the different stages in the life of Christ depicted on the side walls of the church 's interior while Dominican saints of Spanish descent lined the columns of the presbytery. This beautiful church was inaugurated in solemn ceremonies on August 14, 1867 .

The last war, unfortunately, destroyed this church and the Dominican community had to be dispersed to different houses of the Order in th e islands. Some stayed at Sulucan, now known as the Sampaloc area , while others went to the Sanctuary of the Holy Cross in San Juan del Monte , Rizal , which cared for the Dominican sick and convalesci ng .

A s to the shrine of Our Lady, the people thought it should be rebuilt. After careful investigation, the block bordered by Quezon !\ve nue, Santo Domingo A ve nue , Mariano Cuenco Street and B iak nabato Street , was chosen and bought in 1950.

On October 12, 1954 (a Marian Year) the most impressive, the most well attended (about a million - a mammoth procession indeed) blessing of the new shrine and its proclamation as the National Shrine of the Rosary by the Philippine Hierarchy, and the solemn transfer of the miraculous image of the Rosary from her house of ref uge at the University of Santo Tomas chapel to her new home in Quezon City, were held. The late Cardinal Rufino J . Santos, then Arc hb ishop of Manila , officiated at the historic rites.

The si xth, and the present Santo Domingo Church is considered th e b iggest of th em all , and is claimed to be " the roomiest house of wo rship among local churches." It has no columns to support the roof o ve r its 30-m eter width , the widest in the country. It measures 85 m eters in length , 40 meters in width, widening to a central nave of 50 meters at the transept and 25 meters in height. On a 3,400 square m eter area , the church has a marbled presbytery, Belgian tiled floor spa ce with a worship hall that has five aisles running across the ce ntral nave and two at the lateral which afford ample space for movement of the faithful before and after religious services.

The church's cupola rises towards the center where the seal of the Order is engraved. There are beautiful murals executed by Professor Antonio Llamas (the four end corners featuring the symbols for the four Evangelists) and the National Artist Carlos "Botong" Francisco's (eight murals depicting important incidents in the life of St. Dominic, the titular patron of the church), and the colorful stained glass windows done by painter-artist Galo Ocampo. Other works of religious art add a significant glow to this church (the spacious choir loft, bells, giant doors, etc.). Recent innovations to the church stand in contrast to the heavily ornate pre-war Santo Domingo. The main new altar is austere and simple. Only the huge mosaic of st. Dominic by Architect Jose Maria Zaragoza serves as a relief to the bare background. To the right of the main altar is the special chapel that houses the miraculuous image of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary.

76

The Queen of Ruins lay prostrate and abandoned after the Philippine-American War- For many, many long years, the Guadalupe Church and monastery were deserted, left to the elements to further decay. The residents of this town in Guadalupe Viejo, Makati, where these edifices stood, even claimed that they could hear voices and see men in white robes strolling around the compound while darkness draped the environs.

Came the wrath of the Second World War, and the Japanese used the Guadalupe ruins as their garrison camp so that when the Americans liberated the city of Manila, they directed much of their fury on these already battered ruins.

But the worst was yet to come. This time there was no war, nor enemies, but a decisive plan to establish the Archdiocesan Minor Seminary. Thus in the late '50's when the seminary was slowly rising, the monastery had to be crushed to its very last piece. And the stones? They were carted away to be used for the restoration of the Manila Metropolitan Cathedral. " There was even a cemetery here," recalls the present parish priest, Fr. William Arana, O .S.A. , of the Augustinian Order- The remains of Fr- Manuel Blanco, author of Flora de Filipinas, was interred here, along with other Augustinian missionaries. What remained were those thick, damp, original walls which were solid vestiges of a church and a monastery of Doric architecture.

The church had massive buttresses to support its vault wh ich was all made of hewn stone gathered from the quarry of Guadalupe.

Starkly simple, the church's walls were so solid and strong that they still stand today as when Fr- Estacio Ortiz, O.S.A. , completed them in 1629.

This church was dedicated to Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe of Badajos, Spain and Mexico whose image was brought here in 1604.

Some nine years earlier, the very first church and convent were built

by Fr- Juan de Montesdoca who was elected Provincial Superior of the Augustinians. Believed to be the actual builder was Juan Macias, the same person responsible for the San Agustin Church and convent. On

77

Guada lupe Church today may not faithfully depict its architectural past - a striking exam路 pie of Doric columns and baroque moti f design , having massive buttresses to support its vault which was all made of hewn stone. Much manual labor was required for the construction of the church .

March 7 , 1801 the church and convent were formally received as a Domus Formata of the Augustinian order with the title of Nuestra Senora de Gracia. But it was not long before the title was changed to Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe to accede to the request of the people who were fierce devotees of the Lady. Fr. Juan de Villalobos, O.S.A., was appointed Prior of the house in 1602.

In fact, the devotion to Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe spread so fast that the missionaries had to build a dock on the Pasig River with a stone staircase of a hundred steps leading uphill to the big stone courtyard in front of the church. To accommodate the numerous pilgrims, particularly the sick who sought physical as well as spiritual health , a big house close to the staircase was built.

Of the many miracles attributed to Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe, one deserves particular mention. When some 23 ,000 Chinese (not 60,000 as reported in many books) rose in arms in Calamba, Laguna in 1639, the Augustinian Prior at that time, Fr. Alonzo Carvajal, wrote Fr. Juan de Villalobos of Guadalupe Church of the impending danger.

The image of Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe was brought to Calamba for the solemn novena. Strangely enough , the Chinese spared the Guadalupe Church and monastery but not San Pedro, Makati. To top it all , the Chinese made Guadalupe Church a seat of their devotion for almost three centuries. In gratitude for the alleged miraculous intervention of Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe, Governor Corcuera went to Guadalupe Church in November, 1640 to make his own solemn novena.

The Guada lupe Church rem ai ned in ru ins for many years. This photo, taken befo re the Se路 cond World War, depicted the dense growth of bush, moss and v ines in the two路story colon路 nades of the inner court of the church and con路 lent (right). A bell tower detail of the p resent church is shown below.

A former resident of Guadalupe, now over 50 years old, has another curious story to tell. In a dream, a lady in blue told her about a special church where, if she entered, she would start trembling and sweating. The lady said this would be the church, where she, the blue lady, would be venerated. Our informant tells us that these tell-tale signs only happened to her inside the Guadalupe Church . She says she has followed the Lady's instructions to help spread the devotion to Her. At her house in Makati, Rizal , she has a chapel for Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe where for some time now she has been curing people from all walks of life. The Lady in her dream had also told her she would find a well right in her house. Sure enough, investigations opened up a well from where flowed medicinal water. This "chosen" woman admits she is just an instrument of the Lady. The devotees who have been cured by Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe now troop to Guadalupe Church every Saturday afternoon for a thanksgiving.

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novena. When queried about the veracity of this story, Fr. Arana replied that he is neither encouraging nor discounting this " manifestation".

Like a mother whose passion is to keep all her children under her wing, the church·cum.monastery served as an asylum in 1882 for children who were cholera·afficted. That year claimed thousands of victims so much so that cadavers began to fill the streets of Manila .

Hundreds of orphans who sought shelter and education were housed and taken care of in the Guadalupe Church. In 1885, the boys from the Mandaluyong orphanage were transferred to the Guadalupe monastery. Dormitories, classrooms and professors in practical arts and trade were provided to boys. A trade school was soon set up for them which included a printing press. Apparently, these efforts bore fruit so that the Augustinian fathers even decided to increase the number of students. Many of them turned out to be skilled artisans and craftsmen.

When the British occupied Manila in 1762 the sanctuary of Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe was desecrated . Images were destroyed and robbed of their jewelry while the archives were pilfered. It is said that only the image of the Blessed Mother was spared due to t he timely intervention of an Irish official who happened to be a Catholic.

He took the image and brought it to Pasig where it was kept until 1764.

This pillage happened to be a gentle introduction. On February 19, 1899 while the Filipino·American War was raging, the roofs of 79

Capping the pediment of the church's facade is a rhythmic spiral of Mexican Aztec origin and plateresque details such as acanthus leaves and blooming typical flowers. In addition , there is a fl eur·de·lis design on either side of the pedi· ment.

The interiors of the present Guadalupe Church (bottom ) are austere and simple. The roof has been completely added through the pooled efforts of parishioners and some kind路 hearted donors. Part of the Guadalupe ruin s below.

both church and monastery were demolished. The statue of Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe was taken by Filipino soldiers. Where to? To this day, this statue is still missing.

What was left in the church was the heavy image of San Nicolas de Tolentino, perhaps because it could not be easily carried away.

This, by the way, is the oldest image in Guadalupe Church. San Nicolas is the patron saint of Chinese musicians, tradesmen and travellers. Jose Rizal in his novel EI Filibusterismo cites the legend of San Nicolas who converted a Chinese infidel swimming in a crocodile路 infested river (supposedly Pasig) close to the Guadalupe ruins.

Also du ring the Filipino路American War, General Pio del Pilar set fire to the church and monastery. It was fortunate that some friends of the missionaries helped them salvage valuable documents, manuscripts and books.

Since then , this church and monastery lay in ruins so that people came to know the structure simply as the " Guadalupe Ruins." Only when an agreement was reached between then Archbishop of Manila, the late Rufino Cardinal Santos, and the Vicar Provincial of the Augustinians, Rev. Fr. Casimiro Garcia, on June 29, 1970 did the Augustinians return to Guadalupe. A parish was erected that same year under the patronage of the Blessed Mother in her title, Nuestra Senora de Gracia , to distinguish it from another parish of the same title in Eng lish, Our Lady of Grace Parish in Caloocan City.

Perhap s because they had been away so long (75 years) or people had been used to seeing only the vestiges of the past that the " Balikbayan Augustinians" were met with indifference, even hostility.

It is even said that the structure which had become a Cursillo house, " Casa del Clero ." was stoned almost every night for the first few months. But gradually the first parish priest, Fr. Arsenio Pioquinto, O. S.A. , wo n the t rust and cooperation of the parishioners.

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Nothing much has changed from the first pre路 fabricated all路steel church in the Philippines towards the end of the Spanish regime to its present appearance.

Now, would you like to meet a church whose fame spread fa r and wide for its face rather than for its spirit? No offense meant, but really, for a long while, the San Sebastian Church in Plaza del Carmen, Quiapo, drew the attention of people whenever they chanced to see it. Well , from afar, you would be curious about those red lights atop the 52路meter路tall towers (a familiar faithful beacon to seamen who were certain they were now in Philippine waters). Or be spellbound by the twin Gothic towers of the Church , all steel and stately and soaring to great heights.

Coming in , you ' ll marvel at the stained glass windows from Belgium , dramatizing in vivid, brilliant hues key scenes from the Bible. Iron chandeliers (designed by a Filipino architect, Isabelo Tampinco and molded in the foundry of Hilario Sunico) hang from the steel rafters. Other attractions are the side altars, confessionals, pulpit and carvings by Filipino artists Lorenzo Rocha and Eulogio Garcia which adorn the altar. The image of Our Lady of Mount Carmel , enshrined on the altar, was brought from Mexico by the Augustinian Recollect fathers in 1611. It is regarded as miraculous. The image of San Sebastian, the saint known for suffering through his Christian 81

The San Sebastian Church interiors (right), details of its construction (below) and the rose window with the image of the su ffering martyr (bottom).

faith during the early years of Christianity, overlooks the entire church interior, above the image of the Lady.

This only existing steel basilica in the country became a novelty when it was completed in 1890. In a way San Sebastian Church was known more for its technological appeal than its ability to summon devotees.

The original church was only a simple chapel in the early 17th century, and when an earthquake crumbled it to pieces in 1859. a new church was built despite the powerful tremors. The statue of Our Lady of Mount Carmel remained intact. Another earthquake destroyed this church in 1863, and then another in 1880 tore down the third church built on the same site.

Obliging with the Recollect fathers' dream of a church that could withstand nature's onslaughts, then well -known engineer, Genaro Palacios presented them with an earthshaking idea - why not build an all -s teel basilica , the first ever to be done in the world? So it came to pass. This first pre-fabricated all-steel church had to wait for the metal , piece by piece, from Belgium . A total of 50,000 tons of steel shipped in two years' time was not exactly long in coming and the waiting not really in vain, for today one can see what an architectural wonder came of it!

- Ironically, this beautiful church was open to the public only on special occasions, mostly events when nearby San Sebastian College students used it. The residents in the area did not go to it for Mass nor for consolation. The all-steel church just stood there - lonely and forsaken as it were.

On August 13, 1975, San Sebastian was decreed a parish and what was formerly the "recluse" church now opened its doors and welcomed the parishioners into its warm and secure interiors_ The first parish priest, Recollect Fr. Antonio Calvo, was succeeded by Fr. German Chicote, who is the official host of the parish and church .

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Those who might want to take a look at the o~iginal " downtown" area should go to Bjnondo where the 17th century church once stood as one of the finest examples of Spanish colonial architecture in the Philippines. On a lot donated by Governor路General Luis Perez Dasmarinas, the Dominicans set out to serve Manila's Chinese population (actually the third mission established by the Domin ican s for the Chinese) and minister to victims of the Chinese uprisings.

The Dominican Father Alberto Santamaria writes that it was " the largest and most sumptuous church in the entire district - most beautiful , very spacious, well lighted by its 50 windows, very pleasant, solid and impressive; 38 brazas long, more than 8 brazas wide and 81/4 brazas high. " Some accounts say that the convent was big enough to have rooms accommodating seven priests although usually there were never more than two or three. The area was originally dedicated to Saint Gabriel but in 1751 , it was recorded as to be under the patronage of Nuestra Senora del Rosario (Our Lady of the Rosary).

In the 18th century major structural repairs to damage caused by fires and earthquakes gave the church a different look . For instance, the octagonal cupola was reconstructed in oval form, and four main arches of Meycauayan, Bulacan stones were built over the existing ones, to support the vaulted dome.

It should be noted that the district of Binondo was peopled with Chinese so it was next to essential that at least one of its pr iests spoke and understood them and their language, and the Domin icans always had one who knew Chinese and Chinese Iifeways. When the Dominicans left Binondo in 1898 and the secular priests took over, the parishioners petitioned Archbishop Msgr. Michael O 'Doherty to assign one who could minister to them in their tongue.

This predominantly Chinese parish was once again transferred to the Dominicans on December 7 , 1923. However, since there was no parish church, the Archbishop ruled that the parish priest of the Chinese use the old church of Binondo for ministerial purposes until such time as a church could be built. This was t he only chu rch in the world that was the parish church of two parishes with two parish priests: one for the Filipinos and one for the Chinese.

From the time the Chinese settlers outside Intramuros moved here in the 17th century until the last turn of the century, the Binondo The baroque facade of Binondo Church (below) has a structural un ity achieved through the logic of repetit ion and variation. The church i n 1878 (below, left) and a row of commercial establi shments.

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Church and parish enjoyed considerable prestige. Binondo had become Manila's central trading post between Asia and the New World . In time, not only Chinese or Sangleys, as the Spaniards called them , but also Japanese, Hindu, Malay as well as Spanish and British merchants congregated by this northern bank of the Pasig, Thus this church , dedicated to Nuestra Senora del Rosario, held the grandest weddings, finest baptismal rites and elaborate, elegant funerals for its prominent and affluent residents.

Nothing save the bare stone walls was left as a result of the fire caused by American bombing in the last World War. The parishioners deserted the church , now dark, dank and deteriorated , The Binondo Catholic populace, after the war, was divided into two: the Chinese who were given a new church 'behind the old one and the Filipinos who retained this old Binondo Church or whatever remained of it The parish priest for the Chinese, Fr. Antonio Garcia, O.P" according to the Dominican historian· professor of Church History, Fr. Pablo Fernandez, built in 1945 a church and convent in very limited space and with crude facilities. But at last, the Catholic Chinese in Binondo achieved their wish for their own independent church , Fr. Garcia managed to add a school which opened on July 6 , 1946. His successor was able to put up a high school and the combined elementary and high school came to be known late, as the " Crusader's School . " The ruined , original Binondo Church was reconstructed through the efforts of the parish priest, Msgr. Narciso Gatpayad, who for many years laboriously sought funds from the few Filipino parishioners in Binondo and the scattered old Binondo residents. He lived in a shack beh ind the ruins of the church and old convent for many years, until he was retired because he suffered a stroke that left him almost co mpl etely paralyzed. After Msgr. Gatpayad, Msgr. Guillermo Mendoza succeeded as Parish Priest and continued the reconstruction.

A team of dedicated and history·conscious secular priests, Fr. The dome of the Bi nondo Church (below) is a replica of t he Pope's t iara. Calesa and cars, the Federico Navarro, parish priest, and Fr. Roy Rosales, assistant, today old and the new, go past an old·and· new chu rch direct the finishing touches to the restoration of the church. After decades of being left in shambles, the church now hopes to rise anew. awaiting complete restorat ion .

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84

You may not judge a book by its cover but churches often fall into this kind of "holy" trap. The Malate Church by Roxas Boulevard is remembered and known for its striking, impressive facade and its compact stone structure. Of the many outstanding Philippine churches, the Malate Church is only one of two (the other one being the Franciscan Church in Daraga, Albay) that has a twisted column.

The Malate Church facade has in effect a retablo type of facade .

There is an interplay, soft and smooth, of Muslim design and Mexican baroque. Says one writer, "It is in the design of the facade where the significance of the Malate Church lies. " This happy, if elaborate, mixture of quasi-medieval and Muslim baroque has resulted in a most interesting colonial style, a uniquely "mudejarisimo Filipino," in the words of Alice Coseteng in her book , Spanish Churches in the Philippines.

Flanked by two projecting cylindrical buttresses, the three-story facade is a solid rectangular plane. These buttresses are shaped into half-embedded hexagonal forms and converted into belltowers by employing the third tier as belfries. The embellishments on the stone surface are worked onto the natural surface, making it appear as if the ornamental designs had emerged on the surface as an intrinsic part of the entire design. What lends it the illusion of solidity and height are the use of a twisted column which is a popular feature of Mexican baroque and used extensively in retablos but hardly on facades. The combination of Romanesque columns on the first story, the twisted columns on the second and the blind balusters, are clearly baroque.

85

The Malate Chu rch (above) takes pride in its un ique facad e with a deta il of the niche on the third sto ry (below).

Malate Church , as it looked at the turn of the century, (top) was reconstructed after the earth路 quake of 1863. Embellishments (the col um ns, blind arches, the miniature flu ted pilasters) serve to reinforce the vertical orientation of t~e design.

The Muslim influence, on the other hand, is dramatized by the trefoil niches, the blind and open arches, blind balusters and the hexagonal shape of the end buttresses. Laid out across the tiers like cornices are diamond and rectangular designs, as well as the shallow relief work of the ornament which suggest Muslim art.

The book's cover, however, is not deceiving. The inside pages speak well of substance. Indeed , there is the image of Our Lady of (Rem edies Nuest ra Senora de los Remedios) enshrined on the main altar. This image came from Spain and was brought here by the Augu stinian Fathers who were the early administrators of the church in the 16th century. Her special power is directed towards mothers with sick children. Every Saturday at the church's portals, vendors of candies, toys, food , flowers , and pins cheer up the children . Today the mothers who shuffle into the church may not be legion but they do manifest their devotion by lighting special candles and pouring forth their private petitions .

The Malate Church was considered a dangerous stronghold if captured by outside forces. Stone churches outside Intramuros could provide convenient cover for the enemy. True enough , when the British came in 1762 they operated from the church's tower and Manila was subsequently sacked.

If Santa Ana was the summer resort by the Pasig River from the 17th to the 19th centuries, Malate Church was the counterpart by the Manila Bay. Seaside villas along the chalet towns prettified the place as a virtual college town emerged, what with St. Scholastica's and De La Salle College on the south , University of the Philippines and Ateneo Padre Faura on the north and some other private schools within the rectangular boundaries of the college town .

In 1863 the church was destroyed by an earthquake but it was reconstructed by Fr. Francisco Dulanto. The next decades saw the church attract more devotees. But when the holocaust of 1945 came, the church and convent ended up in complete ruins. Records of the church went up in smoke.

The Columban fathers, who today administer the church, parish and the adjoining Malate Catholic School, go about their activities with the same zeal and concern of their predecessors. The parish, one of the most active in the archdiocese, keeps up the relevant commitment its 路Christian faith demands.

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The last town on the southwestern end of the Metro Manila complex is Las Pinas, once a fishing village of Paranaque, Rizal. In 1762, the umbilical cord was cut and Las Pinas began its independent struggle for identity. With it came fame upon the arrival in 1797 of that gifted musician路scientist, Fr. Diego Cera, an Augustinian Recollect. He built the Las Pii'ias Church and the internationally known bamboo organ - the first and the finest in the Philippines and in the world!

Just a year after his arrival in the Philippines, Fr. Cera made news because he personally constructed a piano (perhaps the first in the country) which was so well crafted that it proved a worthy gift for Queen Isabel II of Spain . Then in 1793 or thereabouts, Fr. Cera started working on a pipe organ for the San Nicolas Church of the Recollects in Intramuros, Manila . Completed in 1798, it was used until August 13, 1898 when government troops destroyed it during the siege of Manila . He also built a smaller organ for his parish church by the sea. It wasn 't long before the talented friar created his grand novelty - an organ completely made of bamboo.

The o ld Las Pilias Church (left) built by Fr. Diego Ce ra . Below is a view of the choir loft directl y above the ma in entrance and the world路 renowned bamboo organ.

Wh en he was assigned pari sh priest of Las Pir'las in 1795 he immediately set up the town's first chapel and convent (made of nipa and bamboo) near the seashore. This proximity to the sea inspired fear among the townspeople of impending floods and typhoons as well as the attacks of Muslim pirates. Thus a stone church in a different location was imperative.

With Fr. Cera's leadership, the ch urch was built from 1810 to 1819 on land that had been part of the Recollect estate and where it still stands today. It had "three naves, a dome, a tower with three posts topped by a spiff~, side altar with Romanesque-styled tables, crypt stones each with a repli ca of the Nuestra Senora de la C?nsolacion on one side and St. Augustine on the other, a baptistry With a stone altar and two sacristies with two wall closets each and a 87

Today the C.I.C.M . Fathers maintain the Las Pir'las Church with its lush greenery and faithful resto ration as executed by Architect Francisco Mar'lo5a.

table with si x drawers in one," writes Helen F. Samson in her book , the Bamboo Organ of Las Pifias. In time the church acquired jewels and images so that a visiting Recollect Provincial was amazed that as poor a town as Las Pinas could give so much to its church.

In 1817, at about the time he was finishing the construction of the stone church, Fr. Cera started working on the bamboo organ. He had buried bamboo pieces in the sand near the sea to remove all traces of sugar and starch found in the wood, thus guaranteeing a tougher and more mature wood for construction.

Helped by some Las Pinas residents, Fr. Cera painstakingly completed the organ in 1824. Although he tried to use bamboo for the 122 trumpet pipes, he later replaced them with pipes made of metal since the experiment proved unsatisfactory. So what Fr. Cera did was to use these initial bamboo trumpets as purely ornamental pipes, placing them at the rear . Measuring 5 .17 meters, 4.11 meters wide and 1.45 meters deep, this bamboo organ was a typical Spanish baroque model.

An earthquake in 1829 ruined the church, parochial convent and organ. After efforts to rehabilitate these structures, earthquakes struck again in 1863 and 1880 to completely destroy the church. All church services were temporarily held in a nipa hut adjacent to the ruined church. When a typhoon hit the town in 1882, the bamboo organ fell into a terrible state. One account says some portions of the organ were found adrift in the floodwaters which entered the church.

Repairs were made on the organ several times in subsequent years, the last recorded repair being in 1891. It is said that the repairs were executed by the same men who assisted Fr. Cera in building the organ. The Philippine路American War years, of course, left their mark on the church and organ which was to be silenced for almost two decades since Las Pinas was close to Cavite where the action was.

When rehabilitation on the church was made in 1912, the organ was left untouched. But even in its deteriorated state, the organ 88

attracted tourists. In 1932, a Wagner motor was installed and the organ could be heard again in full volume. But the damage to the instrument was becoming more and more extensive. By 1962 when the Historical Conservation Society considered restoring the church and organ, only one路fifth of the organ was working.

After the Augustinian Recollects administered Las Pinas Church, the C.I.C.M. Fathers (Congregation of the Immaculate Heart of Mary) took over and while they were conscious of the status of the bamboo organ as early as the turn of the century, it was only in 1970 that their efforts paid off. Total restoration was the verdict and the C.I.C.M. Fathers, Mark Lesage and Leo Renier, contacted the proper authorities. So to Bonn, Germany the organ was shipped for repair by Mr. Hans Gerd Klais in March, 1973. A Filipino, Marciano Jacela of Leyte, was also sent to Germany to train as organ technician under a scholarship program.

On February 18, 1975, the restored organ was resurrected! It had 86 new pipes, 33 trumpet pipes and 53 bamboo pipes, and while 89

Close路 ups of the centu ry.old bell (left) and the restored organ (above) form part of the attrac路 tio n that Las Pinas Church in Pa ranaque ho lds.

These ca ndleholder (below) and baptism al font (right) may be considered as footnotes to the history of Las Pil'las Ch urch si nce they are believed to be as old as the church.

a majority of its old pipes were retained . a great many of them sustained repairs. You can just imagine the elation when German organist Wolfgang Oehms played the organ to a rapt audience at a one-hour concert. It was the first time the historic instrument was played as Fr. Cera himself played it in 1824!

Meanwhile. the church was also being restored at the time the bamboo organ was undergoing full repairs. Architect and interiordesigner Francisco Manosa succeeded in making the church look the way it did when Fr. Cera built it. The bricks came out. as well as the original framework. Added to these were the potted native palms, a ceiling with bamboo halves. bamboo chandeliers with capiz shells. a choir loft with antique balustrades made of carved wood, confessionals made of latticed strips of abaca stalks and bamboo. carved Stations of the Cross. and a restored baptismal font.

The restored church was ready to welcome the restored bamboo organ . The whole town came out to celebrate the return of the bamboo organ on March 16. 1975. This date heralded a fame regained and a Fr. Cera fondly remembered.

90

The billboard is deceiving - at Opera Ho use today. the "stars you meet in person" are dead.

Gone are the days when it made stars of vaude路 ville actors.

Before it was converted into a show house, the site on which the Manila Grand Opera House (MGOH) was built was the National Cycle Track owned by N.T. Hashim. Banas, in his book, Filipino Music and Theater, describes it as having a circumference of about one fourth of a mile and a nipa-roofed building. Bicycle races naturally were held here every Sunday.

In 1900 it was converted into a National Theater where the Russian Circus Troupe performed each time it visited Manila. As it was not built as a theater house, improvements were imperative and plans were hatched as early as 1901 to redesign and remodel it. Two years later when the Italian Opera Company under Balzofiere arrived in Manila , Balzofiere signed a contract with Hashim to have the theater improved , particularly its dome, in two months. Though completed behind schedule, the reconstructed building was both spacious and well -ventilated.

Looking at the MGOH today in Rizal Avenue, Santa Cruz you wonder how this second路c1ass show house could afford to have a signboard which proclaims it a " theater with a history. " On closer inspection you read on the historical marker that a milestone occurred here on October 16, 1907. That was when the First Philippine Assembly was inaugurated. It was a well-attended affair with the Secretary of War, William H. Taft (who later became first American Civil Governor of the Philippines, and then not much later, President of the United States) opening the Assembly and delivering a speech defining " the office of the legislature and the chief duty of a re presentative to the Assembly. " The first Filipino bishop of Nueva Caceres, the Right Rev. Jorge Barl in, gave the invocation . Members of the Philippine Supreme

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92

In its heyday, the Opera House was the cultu ral center of Man ila. The comedy " La Ra za" (left), played on the eve of Spain's na路 tional ho liday hono ring its patron saint, San Santiago. History and antiquity seem to be the perfect backg ro und for thi s o ld female cigarette vendor who loo ks pensive about the future (below).

Court, officers of the U.S. Army and Navy, representatives of foreign governments and ranking government and ecclesiastical officials also came.

Rizal Day programs, grand concerts of Filipino as well as foreign artists, zarzuelas, vaudevilles and the like found a home and an audience in the Opera House. The gaiety and glamour, however, metamorphosed into gloom as the theater was reduced to ashes on November 16, 1943. Only the theater basement remained.

By 1945, the theater was completely demolished and a modern concrete edifice was built by shoe magnate Toribio Teodoro; part of the area occupied by the former theater gave way to commercial offices. In 1947, an important exhibit of murals celebrating great Filipino men from the rajahs to post路war Republic personages wa s held. Towards evening a Rizal Day program enthralled the audience as the people listened to a kundiman written by Rizal , the Philippines' national hero.

Today the rundown " theater with a history" is perhaps waiting for another historical event which will resurrect it to its former prominence. Stage shows featuring performers who want to hit it big in Philippine showbiz and sometimes local movies take their initial bow here. The rounds of applause can still be heard but hardly are they thundering and overwhelming.

93

AND

OPERA HOUSE

THE THEATER WITH AHISTORY

I The succl!ssful restoration of Met (top) has som ehow augured well. Today it is a busy hive of cultural and artistic presentations. Above, one of the bas路 beli ef figures adorning the buildi ng's facade.

A building that rises on " wings of song", the Metropolitan Theater (Met for short) has survived as a cultural showcase. Its recent restoration has clearly marked it as the people's theater.

The idea to construct a theater which Manilans could call their own came in 1924 when the Philippine Legislature approved a project by Senator Alegre to build a people's theater in the Mehan Gardens (now Sining Kayumanggi), It wasn 't until six years later that the cornerstone was laid on a small part of 8 ,293.58 square meters of public land. Its grand inauguration on December 10, 1931 triggered a colorful , rich line-up of zarzuelas, dramas, translations of foreign classics and stage shows that were to be presented before and during the war years.

This dream of Filipino architect Juan Arellano calls to mind a " modern expressionistic" style where the theater's " face" is a great rectangular window of translucent glass, highlighted on either side by tapestries of colored tiles and its " forehead " crowned with stylized Muslim minarets. Inside, two mural paintings, "The Dance" and "The Spirit of Music" by the country's National Artist, Fernando Amorsolo, complement the modern sculpture of Italian Francisco Monti. The auditorium has a beautiful rectangular proscenium , decorated on top with bas-relief figures emblematic of Music, Tragedy, Comedy and Poetry, with a ribbon of jewel-like plaques in silver on both sides.

Sleek, elongated lamps of translucent glass in the shade of bamboo stalks ornament the walls on either side of the auditorium. The ceiling, too, bursts with a cornucopia of mango fruits and leaves.

The decade that followed its inaugural year, the Met hosted with pride international artists like Ted Shawn, Heifetz, Galli-Curci and Kreisler, even as it presented local shows such as the " Smiles of 1936," " Querer Ranchero" and " Luisa Fernando" .

94

While many establishments during the Japanese occupation were laid inactive, the Met presented shows (operas, pageants and Spanish plays) to support, even particularly, the guerilla underground . After the war, the Met fell into a long, idle sleep.

Civic·spirited and culturally·conscious people led by the First Lady and Metro Manila Governor, Mrs. Imelda Romualdez Marcos, later stepped in . The onc~ drab and deteriorated structure of the Met was restored to its full radiance on December 17 , 1978 when the theater was rededicated with a premiere offering by the Kabataang Barangay of "Isang Munting Alamat."

An auspicious beginning for young theater.goers, the play marked the theater's commitment to the preservation of the true, the good and the beautiful in the Filipino. In his message, the President and Prime Minister Ferdinand E. Marcos voiced hopes that the Met " will'emerge as the shining monument to the cultural enlightenment of the New Filipino. "

95

Another bas· relief figure, a South Sea mask, (top, right) a close· up of the entrance with the impressive stained glass touched by Kraut magic, (top, left) are some of the Mel's in· teresting features. A pre·war photo of the theater (above), showing period automobiles, brings back memories of fashionable theater evenings in old Manila.

This second house of the members of the Manila Club in San Marcelino (above) once had the best international library and a snake pit (where the ladies were allowed). Today the Man i la Club. Inc. exudes an ambience of the old London clubs.

As th e oldest existing social club in the country (founded in 1878) the Manila Club or Hel club de los Ingleses" (as it was then known) was the brainchild of Englishmen. Its first known clubhouse was located in Nagtahan , Paco and described by one of the earliest members as " long, low and rambling . The reading , writing and music rooms in front of the river, and the glossy hard路wood floors , hand路 hewn out of solid trees, seem to suggest music and coolness. " Sports activities like tennis and badminton filled the members' hours, although the mere fact that they were together and able to exchange pleasantries and notes of common interest was enough. A "tiffin" club in downtown Binondo (at that time the center of commerce) usually had the members for lunch.

An interesting anecdote would be the time when Manila Club members observed the arrival in Manila of the Americans in May and

96

A cozy, tranquil atmosphere prevail s Inside the cl ub's lounge (Iert) which also reatu res its "honorab le" members (below) who figured heroically in the past two World Wars.

August of 1898 from the roof of the clubhouse. The naval battle in Cavite and the final capture of the city placed the members at ringside seats, right where the action was.

The club moved to San Marcelino in 1907 (a 50-year charter was granted to the club) and during the last war, the Americans partially destroyed the clubhouse. Rebuilt in 1948 , the clubhouse had 29 resident bedrooms for members, four bowling alleys, two full-size snooker tables, a big library (reputed to be the best international library at that time) and a snake pit (where the ladies were allowed) among other appointments. Apart from the social functions, cultural activities were held too. The Philippine British Society of Manila which is closely associated with the Manila Club hold their meetings and social affairs in the clubhouse too, like the St. Andrew's Ball , Robert Burns Supper, and various sports tournaments. It was in 1959 that the club was incorporated as the Manila Club, Inc. with other nationalities, mainly Filipinos and some Americans, Spaniards and other foreigners as members. The clubhouse then was situated on Dewey (now Roxas) Boulevard.

The present site on F. Agoncillo (formerly Colorado), Ermita previously housed a motel. It has been completely reconstructed and refurbished. The ambience embodies the atmosphere of the old London clubs like Brooks and Whites. Excellent cuisine (the Friday and Sunday Indian curry especially), a well-stocked bar done in the British fashion of course, British as well as international magazines, library, and facilities for bowling, billiards, cards, and conference room are its attractions. And for culture vultures, films and play readings from the Repertory Club of the Philippines.

The club also offers its members who are just dying to breathe countryside freshness and swim in placid waters the club's beach house in Matabungkay, Batangas.

97

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In 1898, the Club Filipino, the oldest social club organized by Filipinos during the turbulent period of the Filipino struggle for independence, was formed. It was decidedly nationalistic. All the other existing clubs catered to the Spanish, British or American nationals.

Naturally among the organizers were members of the Propaganda Movement and the revolutionary press: Antonio Luna, Rafael Palma, Jose Abreu, Dr. Baldomero Roxas, Dr. Trinidad H. Pardo de Tavera.

Its emblem is highly appropriate, featuring the club's initials in the pre·Spanish Filipino alphabet.

The unassuming Spanish·style house of Valentin Guidote at No.9 Calle Alix (now Legarda) in Sampaloc became the birthplace of " Club F i lipino Independiente" which was later changed to " Club International ". By this time Americans were suspicious of any such organization that onl y in 1906 was the club's name restored, dropping " Independiente". The club's quarters moved to its new home at No. 4 Val enzuela Street, Santa Mesa. Here the Club's New Year's Eve Ball, an event of social glitter which was to become a tradition for the next 33 years, was first celebrated. To be invited to this grand ball, acco rding to Aida Sevilla Mendoza in her book. Club Filipino, meant that one had " arrived".

In its first years of expansion, part of the club 's educational project was to send scholars to the United States to pursue scientific and technological careers. One of these scholars was Santiago Artiaga who later became the first Filipino to be appointed City Engineer of Manila .

After a series of other houses, the postwar villa of General Douglas MacArthur in Casa Blanca , Manga Avenue in Santa Mesa, Manila became a home close to the members' finer sentiments. Its permanent home in an elegant, sprawling bungalow in Greenhills, San Juan, today elicits a quiet pride matched only in the structure's lived·in <\omfort.

Its activities cut through a thick swath of colorful events and gat herings which are civic and cultural in nature. In the past, for example, it had an exposition of 91 paintings by 19 turn·of·the· century Filipino artists, an exhibit of indigenous Filipino ornaments,

98

Dance cards from the 1906路 1907 New Year's Eve parties (left) and invitation (bottom) evoke fond nostalgia and so does this " remembrance photo" of the guests at the elitist New Year's Eve Ball , circa' 1916 (below).

" Bakas ng Kahapon", and garden exhibits. Soon, " Palarong Pinoy" (palosebo, sack rice, hitting the palayok) shall be introduced as well as cultural festivities like "La Naval" or " Salubong" or " Flores de Mayo" .

The youthful members also have their monthly disco. Today the club members attempt to retain the club's intimate warmth, and their activities highlight personal encounters.

As to its Filipino character, the club's public relations manager, Mrs. Remedios Morco, says, "Club Filipino is trying to preserve its pagka-Filipino in ownership, membership, ambience and orientation ."

In fact, the club honors the ideals of Jose Rizal, the country's national hero, with monthly lectures and soirees on Rizal as the non路 violent revolutionary. Moreover, it plans to have a Rizal marker placed at the club's entrance to serve as permanent tribute,

99

When the Army and Navy Club (ANC) marked its transfer from its site near the National Museum building in Intramuros to its p resent, permanent home on the extreme eastern shore of Manila Bay fronting the Luneta (now Rizal Park) to the north in 1908, the transfer wa s unique, if not grand.

The gala occasion commenced with a march at sundown to the music of a snappy military band. Every member was asked to carry one arti cle from the old clubhouse. The most popular items (but natural ly!) we re bottles of whisky soon emptied along the way. Ot hers b rought ash t rays, paper lanterns, signboards or pictures which had adorned th e old quarters. The evening celebration in the fashionable cl ubhouse was rip-roaring , described as " magnificent" in the newspapers, an event wh ich was " Manila's biggest party ever. " Attun ed to t he spirit of the times when the Americans ruled the The Army and Navy Club was destroyed in country, the cl ub's ce lebration was fitting and appropriate. After all, the last war (above) and rebuilt (below). th e ANC was t hen Mani la's largest social club. It was founded in 1898 in Intramuros for the convenience of officers and ex-officers of the Armed Forces of the United States and other qualified residents.

Wherever it was located , to the members it was " a home away from home."

The club's first president was Admiral George Dewey who commanded the fleet that defeated the Spanish armada on May I , 1898. He was followed by Major General Arthur MacArthur, famous father of the more famous son, Douglas MacArthur. In its early decades of existence, the ANC proved to be a congenial environment " conducive to reconciliation as well as socializing," as Lewis Gleeck , Jr. reports in his book on the club 's history_ You will note that the activities here were more or less an accurate barometer of PhilippineAmerican relations. The club 's premises, for example, had intimately known most of the military heroes of the United States_ The list included , among others, Admiral Dewey, Generals Arthur MacArthur 100

and Douglas MacArthur, General Leonard Wood, General John Pershing, Generals Eisenhower and Wainrigl\t, Admirals Nimitz and Sprague, General Lemnitzer and Admiral Arthur W. Radford, and General Abrams - military heroes all , from the Spanish路American, First and Second World Wars to the Korean and Vietnam Wars.

Gleeck cites an interesting account in his book of the liberation of ANC in February, 1945. He mentions how an American commanding officer entered the ANC grounds and found a squad of Filipino guerillas who had the similar objective of liberating the area.

The guerillas were led by a lieutenant, " a rooting路 tooting soldier who took pride and pleasure in his work," as the American officer described him. He was the late Mayor Arsenio Lacson , dubbed the "best mayor Manila ever had".

The c1ub's former manager, the soft路spoken but charming Mr. Montenegro, contributes another anecdote. Prior to WWII, the club, foreseeing that the war would be a long.drawn affair, purchased food supplies from the People's Food Supply (which supplies the club to date) in huge quantities. The club had to store the food in the club's basement and at the Insular Ice Plant in Plaza Lawton.

Interestingly, many of the club's employees returned to the club after the war. One of these was the old Chinese No . 1 boy, Sonny Wong, but in late 1946 he decided to return to his homeland to be buried with his ancestors.

One of the Filipino employees who also went back to the club was Ciriaco "Mang Java" Gonzales who has worked with ANC for 43 years. He remembers that the club members and employees have always been cordial. Before the war, he adds, there was nightly dancing at the club's pavilion, with guests drunk with revelry.

In the early '50's, with the changing relations between the United States and the Philippines and the equally changing mores in both countries, the ANC decided it would offer the same family club atmosphere as the pre路war club but, take note, with a "greatly expanded, civilianized and Filipinized membership." Moreover, as companies and foreign embassies moved their offices to the new 101

At one end of Rizal Park , the present Arm y and Navy Club has a family atmosphere with " a greatly expanded, ci vilianized and Filipinized membership...

business center in Manila's Ayala Avenue, the club's activities dwindled . Other social clubs, you will observe, have sprung, attracting clientele right and left.

The Manila Theater Guild (MTG), at this time, used the ANC club ballroom as the guild 's home base. Since the group itself was international in composition but predominantly Filipino, the entertainment fare provided by the MTG strengthened the Filipino atmosphere of the club.

By the late '60's, Gleeck reports that prominent Filipino officials with offices nearby increasingly made use of the club's facilities, especially at luncheon time . Then on November 12, 1973, the club 's board decided that all those who had served extended active duty with the Philippine Armed Forces would be admitted for regular membership. This naturally made the Armed Forces of the Philippines the largest single group in the club, apart from the fact that the move signalled the complete conversion of the originally American ANC to a Filipino ANC,so to speak. Col. Eustaquio V. Meim, Philippine Constabulary Chief of Staff, was the club's first Filipino president.

The social club of the city for over two quarters of a century, the three-story building housing the ANC has definitely taken part in the city's growth and development.

The lobby or the present ANC edifice is spacious (right) and its game rooms breezy and casual (below).

102

Of the existing social clubs founded in the first decade of th e 20th century, the Philippine Columbian Association (PCA) has evolved from a fraternal body of newly路arrived Filipinos from Am erica to an association whose multi.million路peso club comp lex on Pla za Dilao, Paco belies the sentiments of a true Columbiano.

The group, which was founded in December, 1907, with m embers limited to Filipinos who had graduated from American colleges and universities, bonded themselves precisely because they felt they were not welcome in other cosmopolitan clubs already in existence th en.

While they felt nationalistic, they chose a name that linked them spiritually to the Great Voice of America - Christopher Columbu s; thus the group's appelation - Philippine Columbian .

Its first clubhouse, a nipa and sawali affair, stood in Pasay, on a property donated by Don Teodoro R. Yangco, where the Asian Development Bank building now stands. Among its organizers were Ponciano Reyes (who was later elected president), Luis and Antonio Torres, Marcos and Rafael Roces and Felipe, Jr. and Victor Buencamino. They were soon joined by returning government pensionados who later became super achievers in their own fields Dean Jorge Bocobo, Justice Mariano de Joya , Francisco and Conrado Benitez and Francisco Delgado. Their first goal was social equality, and naturally, their chief end was to attain national dignity for the Filipino.

The sprawling , new house where the peA Years later, a better house was decided upon by the group and so stand s (top), ready to accumulate m ore a building was constructed in 1923 along Taft Avenue which for many historical events as the plaque on its facade (above) proclaims. years was the scene of many a historic event. The first Independence Congress (February 22路26, 1930) was held here. Having achieved social equality, the next aim was political independence.

The first President of the Philippine Commonwealth Manuel L. Quezon led this fight and for this, Columbians fondly refer to him as the " No.1 Columbiano". The PCA served as a sounding board for Quezon; here he would pronounce a new government policy and ask his fellow Columbianos what they thought of it. Every year since the war, the association has remembered to celebrate in appropriate 103

For a long time the PCA led in the deve lop. ment of tennis and for a time. it was thought of exclusively as a tennis club. The new building offers the best facilities (right) for the sport.

Leaders of the land frequented and graced the political meetings held at the PCA along Taft Avenue (below).

ceremonies. Other national leaders like the first President of the Philippine Republic, Manuel A. Roxas, the late Executive Secretary Jorge Vargas, Sr. and Antonio de las Alas, Sr. chose to wage their political campaigns here.

The last war wrought serious damage to the building and its activities slowed down. After the war, the club concentrated on civic and cultural affairs until group members embarked on a beautiful dream - that of having a permanent place. The PCA has since acquired that splendid spread on Plaza Dilao, Paco. With complete and luxurious facilities for sports, cultural and civic occasions, the club (since it moved here last December, 1979) "has become a sort of community club". Its non路 partisan Wednesday luncheon forums keep the members aware of national issues as in the old days. It has guested international figures like Spanish philosopher Salvador de Madariaga , British historian Arnold Toynbee and the well-known author and authority on Asian Affairs, Gunnar Myrdal.

Baldomero Olivera , one of the senior members of the club, intones, "PCA today would like to revive its pre-war status as a civic and cultural touchstone from a representative cross section of the Filipino SOciety."

104

The charm of the cl ubhouse on T. M. Kalaw Street, Erm ita is decidedly Castilian - in looks and decor, cuisine and ambience. This is Casino Espanol de Manila, where you receive the traditional genteel Spanish hospitality.

Make sure you are a member so that you can indulge in your favorite sports or linger in its Patio de Orquidias where the shrubs and flowers seem always in full bloom , or lounge in its salon dominated by a tapest ry with the seal of Spain and a reproduction of a big Velasquez.

A Count of Perecamps, Don Antonio Melian y Pavio, along with other Spanish路Filipino colleagues, orga nized this social club in 1913.

By this time, the Englishmen had their Manila Club, the Am erican s their Army and Navy Club, the Fil ipinos, their Club Filipino, and returning Filipino pensionados, their Philippine Columbian Association. In all the years the Spanish.Filipinos were in the country they had not felt it necessary to form themselves into an association, until then.

The club 's first clubhouse was inaugurated four years later, on January 22, 1917 , on Taft Avenue. Th is building , however, was destroyed during the war after which the Casino moved to a big , two路 story house on the corner of Oregon (now Apacible) and Perez Streets, Paco.

In his book , The Manila Americans: 1901-1964, Gleeck records that the big social event of the 1930's was the birthday celebration feting the King of Spain. Purely invitational, it was an elegant gathering of genteel Spaniards, other elite nationals, and a few Filipinos.

The present clubhouse was constructed in 1951, right behind the club's original location.

As a social club, Casino Espanol fulfills the needs of its members to exchange amenities or information from the motherland, and 105

Casual elegance marks the interiors of pre路 war Casino Espa~ol as shown (top) during a farewell party. An interesting feature on the grounds of the present Casino is this wishing well (above).

The Casino Espanol lounge (right) showing ti ~ Ph ilippine and Spanish flags and a tapestry 01 Spain's coat of arms du ring the regime of Generaliss imo Franco and the hall (below) that leads to the patio.

promote goodwill among other members. Present members run over 600 and there are plans to evolve the membership into proprietary shares. M embers are classified as Socios de Honor or Honarary m embers, Protectores Numero, Super-numerarios, Aspirantes and Transcientes. Honorary members include the Ambassador of Spain in t he Ph ilippines, th e President of the Philippines and the Mayor of Manila wh i le t he protectores include the four member-companies, namely: Roxas y Cia , ~lizalde ÂŁ, Co. , Inc., San Miguel Corporation and Taba calera. There are al so lady members, most of them widows of fo rm er male members and only one unmarried lady member.

What are its activities? The club has annual interclub bowling, pelota, football and bridge tournaments. There are the traditional celebrations of Three K ings's Day, the Dia Espanol de Santiago feting Spa in's patron, St. James on July 25, the New Year's Eve Dance, the Employees' Party in December.

Dining in the Casino has always been an event, probably because of its excellent cuisine (specialties of the house include " Paella a la Valenciana ", " Arroz a la Marinera" , " Lengua a la Financiera", and " Callos ala Andaluza " ) coupled with its quiet, elegant atmosphere.

Sunday evenings at the club vibrate with activity as compared to regular weekday evenings.

The air-conditioned library contains rare volumes on FilipinoSpanish life and culture and Spanish (with a small number of them in English) as well as general information. To those who wish to brush up on the latest in Spain, the library has the latest magazines and periodicals. It is unfortunate .that due to the language barrier, the very interesting volumes in the library are not easily devoured.

106

Asia's oldest university, founded three decades earlier than America 's Harvard University, was born out of a dying man's will. The third Archbishop of Manila, Bishop Miguel de Benavides, a.p., died in 1605 and in his will donated his library of books and 1,500 pesos for the pu rchase of lots, to the Santo Domingo Church in Intramuros, to be used as the site of a seminary路school where its students could " study the science, arts and theology."

His will was fulfilled and on April 25 , 1611, the Colegio de Nuestra Senora del Santissimo Rosario was founded to be later renamed Colegio de Santo Tomas in memory of St. Thomas of Aqu inas, foremost Dom inican theologian-saint. In 1624, it was allowed to confer degrees in Arts, Philosophy and Theology; in 1645, it was declared a university by Pope Innocent X; in 1785, it was endowed the t it le " Royal " for the exceptional loyalty shown by the administration and students who volunteered to defend Manila against

A well路 known landmark is this main buildin of the country's and Asia's oldest university (below) with the facade of the old building at the tu rn of the century (right). The entire U.S.T. comp lex occupies prime land in Sampaloc which is one of Manila's most densely populated areas.

108

the British invasion.

Although it prepared clerics solely in the first century of its existence, it later created the faculties of Law, Medicine and Pharmacy. In 1865, due to a government reorganization of curricula in the islands, the university became, in effect, a kind of bureau of secondary education with the Rector as chief inspector of all private schools.

Declared as a Pontifical University at the turn of the century (1902), the University of Santo Tomas , UST for short, admitted women in 1924; opened the Interdiocesan Seminary in 1927; constructed modern buildings, created new colleges and acquired new facilit ies and equipment. UST counts among its alumni, nationalists of the first caliber: Rizal , Burgos, Mabini , Cayetano Arellano. Marcelo del Pilar, Isabelo de los Reyes, Epifanio de los Santos, M . L. Quezon , and

109

U.S.T .'s " arch of the centuries" located at the Espana Street entrance to the campus reo crea tes the o riginal doorway of the old U.S.T. in l ntramu ros (top) while photo at left features the interior o f the old U.S.T. Activity Hall for Stud ents. Above, the statue of Faith with her cross held up high with the cross towering in the background.

Sergio Osmena among others.

To thousands of civilians both local and foreign , UST is unforgettable. The last war saw them interned here as UST was transformed into a prison camp. Freeing the internees was in fact one of the first objectives accomplished by the Manila liberation forces .

From its venerable halls, UST has trained a good number of Fil ipino bishops and 路priests. Pope Paul VI addressed its student youth and presided over the Asian Bishops Conference held in UST when he came in November, 1970.

Exploring the university grounds which cover a little less than 22 hectares, you will notice the " arch of the centuries" located at the Espana Street entrance to the campus. This archway is a reconstruction of the original doorway of the old UST building in Intramuros from the original stones, and as it looked at the end of World War II . Seated atop the archway is a statue and on the side facing th e street two commemorative plaques have been placed .

Th ese plaques honor two of its outstanding alumni: Dr. Jose Rizal , the country's national hero and President Manuel L. Quezon, first President of the Ph ilippine Commonwealth.

A monument to its founder, Msgr. Miguel de Benavides, stands in front of the main building. A bronze statue cast in Paris in 1889, it

In front of U.S.T .'s m ai n bui lding, this monument to founder, M sgr. M iguel d e Benav ides, seems like an all-seeing father (top). Those who were interned at the Pontifi cal Un iversi ty during the last World War speak of tales of depri vati on, sufferi ng and ho rror (midd le). The triumvirate seems, to the onlooker of the U.S.T . main building, to be actin g out a dramatic scene (rig ht).

110

Earthquake路proof, U.S.T:s main building is com posed of forty separate structures joined together by loose concrete; the structures are one inch apart (left). The interior of the U.S.T. Museum below.

On the pedestals on the fourth floor of the ma in build ing are 15 statues, all done by the late Italian sculptor Francesco Monti. They symbolize the spiritual as well as the intellectual aspirations of the university. Located on the right side of the Fathers' Residence is the Pharmacy Garden founded by Fr. Lorenzo Rodriguez, former dean of the College of Pharmacy. It is said that the gardens probably have the largest botanical collection of any size in the city of Manila. It also features a stage, the Fatima Monument and the Castle Pavilion .

The library of the university boasts of rare and ancient manuscripts (some volumes date back to the 15th century) and Filipiniana. Through the centuries, like the lighthouse that guides ships at sea , the library has served its readers with steadfast devotion.

You will also be delighted to come upon the UST Museum of Arts and Sciences which began almost Simultaneously with the establishment of the university. The collection of plants and animals (from China , Southeast Asia, and Europe) here was originally meant for the students of the School of Medicine. Included in the museum is the UST art gallery which is extremely artistic and historical.

Perhaps the largest private hospital attached to an institution is the UST Hospital. But more than this distinction is the fact that here the helping hand of the university is dramatized . The UST Clinical Division Hospital is where charity patients are extended help ranging from free hospitalization to medical tests to medicines. It has survived the Spanish-American War, the Philippine-American insurrection and the Second World War. Now the main building itself is an attraction. Its unique design by Fr. Roque Ruano, O .P., answers the threat of earthquakes. 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 one inch apart, and as 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 .

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Always a source of pride is the country's oldest existing college exclusively for girls, the Colegio de Santa Isabel on Taft Avenue. This time¡honored school originally grew out of a charitable institution the Hermandad de Santa Misericordia founded in 1594 for the care of sick and orphaned girls. Since most of the members of this brotherhood were soldiers whose lives were constantly in danger, they decided to establish a school similar to Colegio de Santa Potenciana for the safety of their daughters.

Thus, on March 25, 1733 this school was called "Real Colegio de Santa Isabel" since the Spanish sovereigns financed it altogether. It was only much later, on September 18, 1864 that the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul began to administer it.

The courses then were naturally geared towards preparing the girls for marriage and housekeeping. Anecdotes during this period reveal that the young ladies, the students, were courted right in the

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school with the nuns acting as intermediaries. When the ladies' hands were finally won in marriage , th eir classmates sewed their gowns and the grooms-to-be had to give dowry .to the sch o ol.

Enshrined in the main altar of the college chape l is the bla c k surrowing Christ called Santo Cristo del Tesoro, the college's patron saint. It is a miraculous image, so Isabellans and man y others claim .

His feast day falls every 14th of September, feast of the E xaltation of the Holy Cross. This Santo Cristo is the collel=le's real benefactor as He has protected its students, faculty and administration into bu ild ing " a community of brothers that will realize and make present the kingdom of God in this world ."

At present this college , still prim and proper in its facade and surroundings, offers liberal arts, secretarial and business courses. The college's Music Department continues to be a source of p ride. T wo of its former teachers have become National Artists: M iss Jovita "Th e Maestra " Fuentes - the country' s grand Filipino diva and Professor Antonio Molina , celebrated composer and cellist.

Recently, the Colegio was the first to establish an extension service for the Vietnam refugees . Five years ago, the Center for Assistance for Displaced Persons was established , its function to help refugees from Vietnam . One of its nuns, Sister Pascal , a Vietnamese, came to the Philippines in 1970 to study until the fall of Vietnam overtook her in the Philippines.

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Where the coll ege chapel is (top) the Santa Isa bel Co ll ege honors the "mi raculous image" of the black , sorrowing Christ called " Santo Cristo del Tesoro" while depicted above is the o ld ed ifice.

From two different angles and periods o f time, Letran College is photographed rather faithfully, that is, architecturally speaking. But the building on the foreground inaccurately dates its founding.

Separate efforts by two generous men (Don Juan Geronimo Guerrero, a retired Spanish Captain , and Diego de Sta. Maria, a Dominican lay brother) to feed, clothe and educate orphans to become useful citizens fused into one to bring forth the CoJegio de San Juan de Letran, an exclusive school for boys founded in 1630 in Intramuros. By 1690, it was declared an ecclesiastical college after a survey disclosed that most of its alumni were priests. The Spanish King even granted six scholarships in 1738 to Chinese, Japanese and Tonkinese students. One of these scholars was Blessed Vincent Liem de la Paz, a Vietnamese who died a martyr in 1773.

In May, 1865, Letran became a College of First Class and the school's curriculum adapted to European and American standards. A three-story building replaced the old structure in 1937 but it was bombed in 1941 and turned into a garrison by the Japanese in 1944.

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The college was temporarily housed at the Dom inican 's sanctuario in San Juan, Rizal, and only returned to Intramu ros in 1946.

Post路war Letran was renovated extensivel y and major expan sion was effected. Then an unorthodox move, to accept women fo r its regular college course, was instituted in 1967. A year later, the Masters in Business Administ ration program was offered . Th en agai n, in 1974, it introduced the non路graded system of education in elementary and high school - the Letran Innovative Education Li ne (LINE). According to this approach, the student proceeds at his own pace of learning and individual potentials and abilities.

Some of Letran's products include great Filipinos in arts, history and national leadership. They include Francisco Balagtas, the bro thers del Pilar, Fathers Burgos, Gomez and Zamora, Emilio Jacinto, Apolinario Mabini, Cayetano Arellano, Emilio Aguinaldo and Manuel L. Quezon whose monument is right within the school premises. If you are heir to a historical tradit ion of nobility and service then you can look up and shout with these Letranites: " Arriba , Letran! " 115

The school's courtyard features a statue of one of its distingu ished alumni, Manuel L. Quezon, first President of the Philippine Co",路 monwealth (top); the historical marker (above. left) and the elaborate interiors and panelled ceiling of the halls of Letran in the J 9th century (above, right).

TI ,e grand Spanish vilta which the welt·loved benefact ress, Dona Margarita Roxas de Ayala , donated to become the La Concordia Coltege (above). A detait of the present buitding shows this corridor with modern oil lan terns and a statue (below).

The grand villa of Dona Margarita Roxas de Ayala, a well· loved philanthropist in the 19th century, located on a three·and·a·half· hectare lot known as " La Concordia Estate" in Santa Ana, Manila is the original site where she desired to build a school for Filipino girls, both ric h and poor. This estate was to become the Motherhouse of the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul (till 1971 when the Provincial House was built on Sucat Road, Paranaque) with Sister Tiburcia Ayanza as its first Mother Superior.

Not only did Dona Margarita donate her family residence, she also worked to bring eight more Daughters of Charity from Spain to staff the class. Only six years earlier did the Daughters of Charity first set foot on Phnippine soil. On May 3, 1868, Dona Margarita's dream saw reality. The school was named Colegio de la lnmaculada Concepcion , later to be renamed La Concordia College.

The Sisters, slowly but with quiet assurance, continued the foundress' dream of giving the best education possible to its students.

Year after year, the enrollment increased and the school grew as it graduated students to become teachers in far·flung Philippine towns.

About this time too , the young Jose Rizal frequented this school, not simply because his sister Olympia was studying here but because his first romance , a short, willowy wisp of a girl, Segunda Katigbak, from Lipa, Batangas was here too. But the shy Rizal was not even able to verbalize his feelings although Segunda must have sensed this.

Going through the school's history, note that when the Americans arrived , they ordered that all schools be recognized by them. Thus in 1911, the school's primary and intermediate courses were recognized and in 1930, other courses (secondary, home economics and secondary commerce) were recognized too. The Junior Normal College Course was opened in 1937.

When the Japanese came, La Concordia was spared from being commandeered by the army and so it reopened its doors. The curriculum was changed to include the teaching of the Japanese language. Food was scarce and so food production became an obligatory course even in girl's schools. This situation continued till

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1944, although earlier in 1943, part of the building of La Concordia was occupied by the Japanese Army.

It is understandable that when the Americans returned to liberate the city, La Concordia became the target of much bombing. A fire razed the place, forcing the Sisters and their wards to scamper to Santa Mesa and Santa Ana. Only on May 15, 1945 were the Sisters able to return to La Concordia and rebuild once again .

Through the years, La Concordia acquired more buildings and added some courses so that today it offers four collegiate courses with a total student population of 2,300. Interestingly, this exclusive girl's school has working students, both ex terns and interns. It still retains its very homely atmosphere with the hard-working Sisters.

There is no snobbish appeal in La Concordia, probably because the school has always catered to the middle and lower midole income groups, as the Sisters of Charity have always wanted it.

Recent memories of this Concordia estate were the fires that struck within its vicinity. On these two occasions the people claim that the Sisters threw miraculous medals on the raging fire and the fire just went in a circle and died, sparing La Concordia . Whether this is true or not, it is a fact that La Concordia has bested nature and war in its avowed commitment to give education to eager Filipino girls.

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This extended L路shaped bu ildi ng of the pre路 sent La Concordia presents an inner courtyard and a statue of Our Lady.

Between Arzob ispo and Anda Stree ts l~ II]· tramuros. the Ateneo de Ma nila too k rool as the Jesuits ran this progressive schoo l.

The Jesuits returning to the Philippines in 1859 (after their expulsion in 1768) thought they would simply do missionary work in Mindanao. But they came just in time to take over Don Pedro Vicencio's "Escuela Pia de Manila" . Originally a free school supported by donations from wealthy families, the municipality of Manila then took charge of it, supplementing with municipal funds what charity could not supply. The school was thereafter known by the name of " Escuela Municipal de Manila", the forerunner of Ateneo de Manila.

It is this public primary school which the Spanish Jesuits administered upon their return at a new location on Arzobispo and Anda Streets in Intramuros. Apparently the Jesuit Fathers did their homework because not long after, they introduced the secondary level of instruction in 1862. Three years later, the Jesuit Fathers' plan of studies for an eight·year program leading to a Bachelor of Arts degree was implemented. The course counted three years of primera ensefianza; five years of segunda ensefianza which included history, classics, sciences, philosophy and special courses in music and the arts. By this time, the " Escuela Municipal de Manila" had been changed to " Ateneo de Municipal de Manila." In 1870, the first ten students to complete this new course were graduated.

Considered Ateneo's premier alumnus, Dr. Jose Rizal, then a perceptive 1 I ·year·old boy, entered Ateneo in 1872 for the Bachelor of Art s Degree. Rizal's years at the Ateneo were exceedingly fruitful as evidenqed by his c ultural , scientific and artistic accomplishments.

In 1883 , the Jesuits purchased a five· hectare lot on the present Padre Faura site to build a seminary. Three years later, the observatory ru n by the Jesuits (then in the Walled City or Intramuros) and the Ph ilipp ine Normal School were transferred here. The establishment of the Seminary of San Francisco Javier (Diocesan

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World War II and the Liberation later took a toll on the bui ldings within the vicinity of In路 tramuros. Ateneo's building in Padre Faura was destroyed (left). Below is a view of the Ateneo rronting Arzobispo Street, berore the Second World War broke out.

Seminary of Manila) phased out the Normal School in 1906 although some students were still admitted till 1910. However, on May 19, 1913, San Javier ceased to be the Diocesan Seminary and the name was changed to Colegio de San Jose. This new seminary was opened on June 16, 1915 and graduated the remaining non路ecclesiastical students in 1918. At about the same time, the Padre Faura building began to house the Novitiate.

As Fr. Leo Cullum recalls, it was in 1932 when the Ateneo de Manila in Intramuros transferred to Padre Faura after a disastrous fire hit it. Now the seminary, Colegio de San Jose, transferred to the San Ignacio Convent in the Walled City and the novices to Santa Ana .

It is interesting to note that during the war, with the school closed, the premises served as residence for many Jesuits under house concentration as well as for many civilians like the refugee families rendered homeless by the Cavite bombings. Meanwhile, studies of the young Jesuits in Intramuros and the San Jose Seminarians in Santa Ana continued. In the liberation of Manila , the building in Padre Faura was destroyed and the school reopened in quonset huts and ~refabs in 1946.

The College of Law and the Grade School reopened at Padre Faura and the following year, the Graduate School opened its doors to those who wanted to pursue their studies further.

In 1951, the entire college and high school departments transferred to Loyola Heights, Quezon City three years after which the Grade School followed suit. Meanwhile, the Law School building was erected on Padre Faura.

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The" blue eagle" has, since 1951, roosted at Loyola Heights, Quezon City (below). Note the two logos which were used when Ateneo celebrated its centennial in the country. Bottom photo shows the old library of the Ateneo in In路 tramltros.

But it was on July 31 , 1959 that the Ateneo academic community truly rejoiced. For the first time in one hundred years, the first Filipino Rector, Fr. Francisco Araneta, S.J., was installed. A highly esteemed priest-academician, Fr. Araneta prefigured the kind of leaders and students that the Ateneo would nurture and the nation would need in the succeeding years. His affable, inimitable ways belied the perspicacity of his mind and the depth of his spirit.

Meanwhile the " blue eagle" has flown high in diverse circles: in sports, like the NCAA basketball tournaments; in debating sessions with the " Arrneow" accent and the sharp, precise logic; in dramatics; in the ACIL cathechetical activities; in writing and literature; even in politics.

In March, 1969, Fr. Pacifico Ortiz, S.J. , was elected president by the board of trustees, marking the first time that a president was not appointed. Fr. Ortiz was simultaneously appointed by Rome as Rector of the Jesuit Community at the Ateneo. This was again a Significant and tim ely move . Ateneo, a F i lipino institution , must continue to be a repository of Philippine thought and behavior. Thus when student militancy rocked the country in the next few years, Ateneo was prepared to maintain its stand.

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The Philippine Normal College on Taft Avenue has one of the two earliest buildings made of reinforced concrete (the other one being the Philippine General Hospital). Designed by William Parsons, it has "glazed tile ornamentations aligned with the window head of the third floor and six flat gable ends," which reminded one of buildings in American boom towns at the time it was built. At present this state路 supported college still retains the terra cotta roof and the old California gables.

At PNC, they turn out the best elementary school teachers, supervisors, and administrative researchers. If the Americans have their Thomasites you could say the Filipinos have their "Normalites."

Philippine Normal School (as PNC was known then) was the first institute for teacher education under the American regime. It was founded on April 10, 1901 although it formally opened on September I, 1902 at the Escuela Municipal Building where it shared quarters with the Manila Grammar School.

The present main building was occupied in 1912, the Normal Hall (a dorm for girls) in 1912, and the Training School in 1928, the same year the normal school became a junior college. The school grew steadily until in 1950 the PNC was inaugurated with Dr. Macario Naval as its president. Today PNC offers doctoral degrees and other academic programs related to the training of teachers and administrators.

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Philippine Normal College's main building in the 1930'5 exemplifies an American colonial ar路 chitecture.

The war·da maged U.P. Library (right) and the College of Dentistry both at Padre Faura (mid· die) and the oblation to academic freedom ex· ecuted by National Artist Guillermo Tolentino in Diliman, Quezon City (bottom) present dif· ferent. interesting vignettes.

The University of the Philippines was founded on June 18, 1908, thereby completing the public school system in the land. A few years earlier, the Americans put up the first primary public school , then the elementary and the high school. This first state·supported institution in the tertiary level occupied prime land on Padre Faura, Ermita.

The University of the Philippines' first colleges included the College of Liberal Arts, Engineering, Medicine, Music and Dentistry. " A carbon copy of American universities," according to U.P. President Salvador P. Lopez, the U.P. was charactE:rized then by a strong democractic attitude; its liberal principles setting a mood of genuine academic freedom.

Lopez relates that President Quezon had high esteem for the U.P. since he made it a point to address its students at least twice a year to enunciate or explain adopted government policies or return the fire of critics. Quezon , according to Lopez, engaged in open debate with the students even as he maintained harmonious relations with them .

The Second World War, however, destroyed the entire physical plant so that in December, 1948 (except for the College of Medicine and Institute of Hygiene) U.P. transferred to its vast new quarters some 490 hectares - in Diliman, Quezon City.

Here in Diliman, U.P, has kept its vaunted tradition of academic excellence so that numerous government leaders (including the present President), private business executives and leading professionals have graduated from this venerable institution which upholds freedom with a deep sense of responsibility. In the '70's, when student militancy took to the streets, the U.P. students were the most involved.

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PRINTING

HOUS€S

University of Santo 124 Tomas Press 126 Cacho Fiermanos £armelo and Bauermann 128

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In the Philippines, printing as a craft was introduced as early as 1593. The Dom inican Father Domingo de Nieva, with the help of a Chinese Christian convert, Keng Yong, established the first printing press in Manila. From this xylographic press (using wood engraving for the impressions) the first book, the famed bilingual (Spanish and Tagalog) catechism, Doctrina Cristiana, came forth. Its complete title, according to Fr. Jesus Gayo's book, is Doctrina Cristiana, en lengua espanola y tagala, corregida por los religiosos de las Ordenes, impresa con Iicencia en San Gabriel, de la Orden de Santo Domingo.

The printing press in this country during those years was in its crudest form. The movable type press was first built by another Chinese Christian convert, Juan de Vera, through the guidance of another Dominican, Fr. Francisco Blancas de San Jose, aided by some Spaniards. This press was housed in Juan de Vera's residence in Binondo, Manila. Fr. Pablo Fernandez, O.P., lists in his recently published book History of the Church in the Philippines, the first works that came off the press: Libro de las excelencias del Rosario de Nuestra Senora y sus misterios (written in Tagalog by Fr. Blancas); Postrimerias, 0 Iibro de los cuatro novisimos (also by Fr. Blancas); Ordinationes Generales; Memorial de la Vida Cristiana (written in Chinese by Fr. Domingo de Nieva); and Simbolo de la Fe (written in Chinese by Fr. Tomas Mayor).

In 1610, Fr. Blancas printed in Abucay, Bataan (where he was assigned as parish priest) Arte y Reglas de la Lengua Tagala, a grammar of Tagalog written in Spanish for the use of Spaniards. This is the first recorded work of Tomas Pinpin (considered the first Filipino printer) who worked as apprenctice to Juan de Vera.

This year also marked the " disappearance of the Chinese managers" and t he printing press of Fr. Blancas to have become the property of the Dominican Order. Fr. Fernandez surmises, " It is not certain whe ther t hey sold the press first to the Franciscans in Pila, Laguna and then, in 1618, to the Augustinians in Lubao, Pampanga, in 1622, it returned to the Dominicans and, by 1625, it was housed at and belonged to the College of Santo Tomas where it has since been T his r. storical ma rker on the facade of the pre·war U.S.T . Press building easily ca tches one's curiosi ty (right) as does this facsimi le of t he cove r of t he first book printed in this coun· try (below) which is now in the Vatican lib rary.

DOCT RI NA CHIli STIANA

!.A f'RIMrr' A IIoIIPR~NTA O~

PRIMER UBRO lMPRL'!O EN FUJPINAS

FIL IPI ... "';

~NTtGUA o E:N'fRt: ~A'" ExIBT<:~Tt:!' EN F.L MUNDO . f"u .. ' )ADA EN EL CO"V'-NTD DE BINO"I'(1 .oq LOS PA:lRES DoMINICD!'.CO" L \ .VUOA DE " U!< CONVERSOS CHINO" f r ILIPINOS FRIMERA 1"'~NE!iION ~ILOGRA~'ICA. COCTRINA CRIS'lIA"' ... .

UNto JE ..... AS MAS

t1ISPANO.eli'Nl. E HISPANO ·TAPI<LA,

1593 PRIM!.RA IMPRt:SION TIF' UG" ... • EXC£LLNCIAS DEL Rn!lARlu .

1&02. TRA&LAOAD.5. AL HC!'!FI'TAL J£ ~AI\I GAbRlr:L. 811'101'1::;0; EI1IT1 ') EN 1622·/623. LIBRD8I:N [ ',PAlo/OL Y I'ICA.

JAPO~. Tr. ... IILADADA ~AS TARO>" A LA UNVt:RSIDAD D£ STD. TO~AS !~T" AW"Oc... 1&25. INST.L ADA '-"I E~TE [nirICID . '1940. .

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until the present. " Significant books have issued from this press in Intramuros, one of which is Fr. Diego Aduarte's, O.P. , compendium of the Dominican missions in the Far East which was released in 1640. The succeeding decades had not been fruitful though . In fact the press declined; a new mold had to be produced from which the Franciscan Printing Press developed .

A series of ups and downs for the U.S.T. Printing Press followed till the period of recovery in the middle of the 19th century when Brother Marcial Funcia Ramos almost singlehandedly installed a new system of casting . New types were imported and in 1845, four iron presses and one hand-operated machine, a complete set of types, vignettes, ornamental borders and cliches, in addition to all the necessary equipment in a modern printing press, were purchased .

Brother Marcial even set up a lithographic shop which had to close shop later for lack of skilled artisans.

Improvements continued to be introduced until 1901 when an electric machine was installed. Two notable works of the time were the six-volume history of the Dominicans authored by Fr. Joaquin Fonseca and the collection Correo Sino-Anamita.

The UST Printing Press has since been renamed Novel Printing Press and is now owned by a private corporation. It continues to print books, periodicals (mostly those of USTs) and other commercial ventures.

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The old composing room at the U.S.T. (top. left) and the machine that has survived the last war which is stiIJ at work (top. right) form part of the history of the Press whose present building is shown above.

Entrance to the present offices of the oldes commercial printing press in the country is homey.

As to the first commercial printing press, credit goes to the firm name, Tong Cheong Sons, which owned the press on San Vicente Street near the corner of T. Pinpin, in Binondo, Manila. After the last war the company was dissolved . What is considered therefore the oldest existing printing company in the Philippines is Cacho Hermanos.

The modern structure of Cacho Hermanos can be found on a 15,000路square路meter-lot which is one whole block comprising Union, Pines and Madison Streets in Mandaluyong, midst other manufacturing companies. A historical marker greets your observant eye as you enter the spacious, comfortable interiors. The lobby has a wood mural graphically depicting the printing industry.

Don Salvador Chofre, a colorful Sp-anish gentleman of French descent, imported a lithographic press from Germany in 1880. The printing shop he put up soon after he purchased the press ran smoothly. Then the Spanish government, realizing its role in administering the islands, quickly subsidized it. The government used its facilit ies to publish government circulars as well as print lottery tickets. Yes, sweepstakes tickets first saw light here.

After Don Salvador's retirement in 1902 the press was acquired

by Senores Mendezona , Chicote and Rebautizada who named the press " Germania. " As a commercial printing press, it printed almost all kinds of jobs till 1919 when it was sold to Don Enrique Montorio.

By 1927 the management of the press changed hands again and this time, Don Jesus Cacho, a noted numismatist, philatelist, and antique book collector acquired it. He named it " Cacho Hermanos" after himself and two other brothers, Jose and Mariano Cacho. " He knew the printing business because he trained as a printer somewhere in the States, " said his son-in-law, Atty. Antonio Castillejos who became president after the old man's death, in an interview before Castillejos passed away. Atty. Cas~illejos recalled that

126

before Cacho Hermanos moved in 1962 to its Mandaluyong plant, it was located in a camarin in Legarda, Sampaloc. He informed us too that when he came to Cacho Hermanos in 1954 he became Don Jesus' assistant. Together they worked for the company till it became one of the leaders in the industry.

One of Cacho Hermanos' employees who has stayed 30 years in the company is Mr. Carmelo Lazaro, now production manager. He recalls that the company printed government books, calendars, advertising labels, religious books, " Taliba " (a newspaper in the vernacular), the first edition of Rizal's Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo and other commercial jobs.

The company is now being run by another corporation but it continues to serve the reading public. Mr. Ponciano Aveo, Jr. , who grew up in the trade, is the present general manager. He explains that the name Cacho Hermanos has been retained because " one hundred years is no joke. It's one of the pioneers in the printing industry."

Quality titles like the reprint of the voluminous and valuable Blair and Robertson, Nick Joaquin's popular book series of his essays previously published in the Philippine Free Press magazine and oth er titles of diverse character have issued from th is press " with a history ."

Primarily, Cacho Hermanos services the National Book Store in its production of books, notebooks, pads and other printing needs.

As Cacho Hermanos celebrated its centennial in 1980, plans for expansion are afoot. The expansion naturally has to do with the acquisition of new machinery to ensure greater production output. Mr. Aveo beams as he says, " We 're one of the few printing presses today on a 24-hour basis." Though the company has gained a vast number of personnel, it maintains cordial management-labor relation s. The challenge lies in keeping up the tradition of efficient and quality printing.

Part of the historical memorabilia at Cacho Hermanos printing plant are these stone molds or plates of some very old religious and secular materials.

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In this house at Calzada de Iris (now Claro M .

Recto Avenue) a troi ka o f lithog raphers (Don Eulalia Carmela, Gustav Otto and William Bauermann) brought about the golden age of lithography in the Phi lippines.

Fine printing in the country is a tradition which Carmelo and Bauermann or C and B, for short, upholds. Its offices are still on the same 24,OOO-sq -meter-lot along E. de los Santos Avenue in Guadalupe, Makati which it has occupied since 1962. Its plant is now in Rosario , Pasig on a 4,000 sq . meter area .

C & B has the distinction of being the oldest printing firm still under its original ownership, dating back to the time an able designer and engraver, Don Eulalio Carmelo, and an equally skillful lithographer, Herr William Bauermann , joined hands in 1887. For a long time, it was the largest commercial printing plant in the Philippines with a working force of over 500 men and women.

The management and technical skills of C & B run through five generations. Don Carmelo, a humble and dedicated Filipino artist, was employed by the Spanish department of public works as a designer and draftsman . Mr. Bauermann , a long-time friend of Mr. Carmelo , was employed as a lithographer in a Spanish government printing plant, whey they decided to form a partnership. They acqu ired a few lithographic stones, hand press and other equipment necessary for the production of lithographic jobs. The printing shop succeeded so well that on July 10, 1887 Carmelo and Bauermann opened its doors to the public at No. 10 Carriedo Street in Santa Cruz. More modern stone flat presses were purchased from Germany as more jobs came in , with these two entrepreneur-friends working like mad .

128

When Mr. Gustav Otto, Mr. Bauermann1s step·brother, came to the country in 1891 , he jo ined C & B as foreman . Bu si ness wa s do ing well t ill Don Carmelo was imprisoned for his nationalistic activi t ies.

He later left for Europe where in Germany he updated hi s knowl ed ge with the latest in lithography and photo·engraving .

From 1900 to 1902, the compan y had grow n so la rge t hat a steel· framed edifice on a lot on Calzada de Iris (now Cla ro M . Recto Avenue) wa s built in 1900. Th e three (Carm elo, Otto and Bau eFmann) forged an unbeatable team in printing that it is said th ey brou g ht about the golden age of lithography in the Ph il ippines. Indeed th e firm at that time produced lithography equall ing t ha t don e in Europe and America . The death of Don Carmelo and the eventual t ran sfe r o f the business to Mr. Otto ended these halcyon y ears.

In 1914, C & B was incorporated with Mr. Otto as president and with members including Mr. Domingo Ordoveza and artist'painter Jorge Pineda. While Pineda worked his way up to be the company' s chief artist, he did sketches, oil paintings, and cartoons, In hi s t im e he was regarded as the finest oil painter in the country, He reaped many awards, among which are those of the St, Louis' Exposition in 1904, Club Filipino, and Centenario de la Imprenta in 1911.

In 1923, C & B's technical expertise was further strengthened by the entry of Sam Wilson , a specialist in the new photo· lithograph ic process in New York City, into C & B's operations. It was a marked improvement from stone to offset lithography, Mr. Ramon Ordoveza , C & B's present treasurer and son of Don Domingo Ordoveza, says that before the war C & B was the biggest printer of cigar and cigarette labels, posters and other advertising materials. He loves to recall that time when the company enjoyed its heyday printing cigar labels for cigar export companies. At that time , everything was done by hand and the cigar box was covered with trimmings and 1abels, from the ring to the flaps to the oval stamp of

129

Th is extant stone press (top) was inst rumen· ta l in C£'B's qual ity tradition in pri nting and the ma rker (below) commemorates the firm's first half of a century's contribution to the industry.

The printing house along the perpetua lly busy E. de los Santos Avenue.

the box itself to the sides of the box, whereas now only the cigar itself has a label.

The Second World War came and while almost all other establishments were ordered to shut down or were razed or destroyed, C £, B was churning out "Mickey Mouse" money for the Japanese.

Later the U.S. Office of War Information used the plant, printing virtually all materials used in the Pacific area of war operations.

After the war, C £, B diversified into printing books, brochures and other publications like the Philippine edition of Reader's Digest and the Asian editions of Time, N.ewsweek and Life. It's slogan, "No job too small; no job too big for C £, B" attracted clients of all kinds so that when it moved to the EDSA plant in 1962 its more modern facilities only made printing more reliable and satisfactory.

What C £, B is more occupied with at present, according to General Manager Henri Pascal (who is married to Don Alfredo Carmelo's daughter), is printing children's books for export to Australia and other countries. Apart from children's books, it does commercial printing of calendars and boxes for dolls.

Come to C £, B's offices along EDSA and they' ll eagerly show one extant stone press - a reminder of those days when C £, B never had it so good.

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The marker embedded on the facade of the present DMHM edifice (bottom) proclaiming that the chain of newspapers had been involved in the communications development o f the country in three languages (below). At right. a pre· war masthead of Herald.

A three-story edifice along Muralla Street in Intramuros appears shy and sedate. But come closer and you will notice a plaque at the entrance of the building. This edifice is the home of a chain of newspapers: DMHM (stands for Debate - a morning paper in Spanish; Mabuhay - a morning paper in Tagalog; Herald - a daily in English; and Monday Mail - a weekly tabloid in English).

Simply known as the Herald building. the plaque commemorates a singular achievement in pre-war Filipino journalism - The Pulitzer Prize for Journalism in 1941 awarded to Carlos P. Romulo (now Minister of Foreign Affairs). then its editor and publisher. for his series of articles on Southeast Asia.

The Philippines Herald was the pioneer Filipino daily in English.

Born on August 18. 1920. its maiden issue had an eight-column format and story-heavy front page. It was printed in Platerias, Quiapo.

At a time when all the major newspapers in English were owned by Americans who were understandably quite reluctant to publish Filipino sentiments on the independence issue, then political leader

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Manuel L. Quezon rallied Filipino financiers to put up a paper primarily to give voice to t he " Filipino aspiration for political freedom and self路determination. " Employing some of the first Filipino journalists in English (Romulo, Conrado Benitez, and later, Salvador P. Lopez) Philippines Herald shaped public opinion on national leadership and interpreted international events as well as bla zed the trail in fostering Filipino arts and culture.

Writes historian Carlos Quirino: " As a newspaper, the Herald was a success; the E nglish.readi ng and speaking Filipinos , a fast路growing class since the use of that language in the public schools throughout the archipelago from the beginning of the American regime , became subscribers by the thousands. Financially, however, it did not prosper.

For one thing, the biggest advertisers on whom any newspaper depends for its existence, were Americans and naturally, they looked with distaste on this product of Filipino nationalism."

The Pacific War si ngled the Heral d as an enemy target and the building was reduced to rubble, forcing the paper to transfer operations to the M anila Dail y Bulletin and when the B ulletin's offices were also destroyed, H erald stopped publ ishing until it resu m ed publication on July 10, 1949. It should be noted t hat here an in te rim publication was carried on by Jose A . Lansang, Sr., who pu t ou t a

Innocents Day in December. 1941 turned out to be a savage ho liday bombing as the Herald staffers viewed their own offices on fi re (left) and reported it while other Herald staffers hur路 ri edly moved over to the offices and plant of the Manila Daily Bulletin at the corner of Raon and Evange lista Streets in Quiapo to meet press deadl ines. ' - I~ " lU \T . . Ulr.1t

wee k ly tab loid in 1945 . But after th e first five mimeog raph ed issues, it ceased to com e off the press. An o rder of stoppage, re ported ly from the United States military authoriti es, p roved to be th e cu lprit.

Since its founding , the Herald changed owners but its editori al policy remained the same - national istic. Its slogan , " Th e Nat io nal Newspaper," reflected its chief dedication to anything of nati onal interest. However, it d ied when martial law was procla imed o n September 21 , 1972 . From 1972路1977 , it helped in printing The Bulletin Today.

At present. DMHM confines itself to comm erci al printing (business and social forms , company organs, annu al papers, etc.).

Interestingly we are told that people still think Herald is still bei ng published and subscriptions for, and corresponden ce he re and abroad persist. Today the Herald's main press purchased in 1962 is sti ll intact and is still being used. Aware that posterity awa its th e printed media, the entire library of Herald has been donated to the U.S.T .

Library.

133

Its predecessor, Photo News, came off the press on June 15, 1922, sold at 15 centavos a copy and published fortnightly. It had 24 pages devoted exclusively to photos and short captions in Tagalog, English and Spanish. Curiously enough , it didn't carry a masthead although it indicated that the publisher was the editor himself, Don Ramon Roces. His staff included well路 known playwright and story路 tell er in the vernacular, Severino Reyes, and vernacular fictionists Deogracias Rosario and Dr. Fausto Galauran. The subsequent issues contained a longer text, a Span ish section for news and serials of Pilipino novels.

After about five months or ten issues of Photo News, an entirely new magazine with a new forma\ and a new rationale was issued.

Liwayway, Pil ipino word for "dawn" ("We choose Liwayway in the hope that this wi ll be the beginning of a new life and new enthusiasm .") came out on November 18, 1922. It was a 24-page magazine entirely in Tagalog because as it explains, " Recent events prove tha t not only the Tagalogs are after Tagalog to be the national official language but also those residing in the other regions." For 10 centavos, the avid reader could have his fill from the output o f Deogracias Rosario, Severino Reyes, Cirio Panganiban, and Tomas L. de Jesus. The place of publication was listed as 334 Carriedo, Quiapo, Man ila. Soon Liwayway became a byword, a favorite read ing material " which can be brought home as food for thought not only of the mature but also of the youth. " In 1927 the editorial offices of Liwayway transferred to 715 The present editorial offices and plant of the Liwayway Publications on Pasong Tamo, Calero, Santa Cruz where the plant of Liwayway Publications, Inc. was loca ted. In 1938 it moved to the new Roces building at 655 Soler, Makati show no trace of antiquity at all.

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The predecessor of Liwayway, Phot o News, circa 1922 , was a 24路page magazine entirely in Tagalog (left) and was published and printed in the old offices on Soler, Santa Cruz (below).

Santa Cruz w ith the editorial staff composed of Jose Esperanza Cruz, Teodoro Virrey, Gregorio Coching and Pedrito Reyes. When the Japanese forces seized Manila in January, 1942 Liwayway stopped publication although Manila Simbun-sya was form ed by th e Japanese occupation army which printed it , using the Ramos Roces Publicati on printing plant. The plant, however, was destroyed during the Liberation and Liwayway was revived on April 23, 1945. Th e ed ito r was Pedrito Reyes, assisted by Catalino Flores, Jose Domingo Karasig and Gervacio Santiago.

A new corporation, Liwayway Publishing, Inc. was formed in 1950. It published Liwayway and its sister magazines, Bannawag (i n 1I0cano), Bisaya (in Cebuano) and Hiligaynon (in 1I0ngo). General Hans Menzi bought this corporation in October, 1966 and from hereon Liwayway changed its ed itorial content. Instead of purely novels and short stories in comic book form , it covered, as it still does, news supplements, features for schools, home, movies, economics, and agriculture. Moreover, there were features on important human events, editorials and caricatures.

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To better print magazines and newspapers of the Liwayway Publications, this printing plant in Makati boasts of up路to.date equipment and facilities.

In the '50's and '60's literary contests were conducted and the winning pieces translated and put out in book form . In no small measure, fiction in Pilipino, especially those written by the young who blended craft with relevant , significant themes, assumed vigor. It also sponsored cycling, marathons, beauty contests and awarded medals of valor to any Filipino citizen who died in the act of saving another person. Liwayway has since become inseparably linked with the way of life of the Filipinos, much as they would eat balut or green mangoes with bagoong.

The popular chain of Liwayway publications then moved in 1973 to a modest two-story structure in Pasong Tamo, Makati. The family has grown to include Song Cavalcade (music), Balita (news), Who (general interest), and Sine (entertainment). Hiligaynon was phased out in 1970 while Sine died in early 1980.

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Among the elegant hotels, posh condominiums and colorful, vibrant strip of night clubs which line Roxas Boulevard is a modest edifice in white which houses the oldest existing institution in the Philippines. Like pure gold of matchless quality in history and tradition, Hospital de San Juan de Dios tells a saga of men and women aware that service to the sick, afflicted and wounded could only be carried out with love. For over four hundred years it has endured all kinds of calamities.

The founder, far from being rich and intelligent, was an unschooled lay Franciscan brother, Fray Juan Clemente who arrived with the first group of Franciscan missionaries in 1578. He was a porter of the Franciscan convent in Intramuros and while his fellow brothers set out to evangelize the country, he turned his time and attention to the city's sick. Working with his natural gift with medicinal plants, he gradually learned how to cure and treat people.

Soon the improvised infirmary in the porte ria off the Franciscan convent swelled with patients from all walks of life.

F r. Jesus Cavanna, a 76-year路old Vincentian priest who has done intensive research and study of the history of San Juan de Dios Hospital tells us that men , women and children not only from Manila but also from neighboring countries like Thailand, Cambodia, Borneo, India and even Africa sought Fray Clemente. "Fray Clemente admitted everybody; there was no racial discrim ination but the hospital was really for the natives of the Phil ippines, " says Cavanna.

This explains why the hospital founded by him in 1578 was named Hospit al de los Naturales. At that time there was a hospital exclusively for the Span ish, the Hospital Real.

The hosp ital which Fray Clemente named Little Hospital of Santa Ana was built ou t of nipa and bamboo and housed some 200 patien~s.

But a fire in 1581 ra zed it and from its ashes another hospital sprang.

An institution that belies histo ry and sig路 nifica nce (below) is the Hospital de San Juan de Dios. Its tradition of compassion and care for t he poor afflicted, more incredible. The facade of its present edifice (right) has a b ig cro ss below the clock as well as the institution's Christia n seal of charity.

A little later, a secular priest, Fr. Juan Fernandez de Leon, who was once a patient of Fray Clemente, was inspired by what he saw. Thus, he went around begging for alms so that the humble hospital with limited space could have an additional structure in 1593.

By this time two Franciscan brothers, Fray Francisco Andrade de San Miguel and Fray Gonzalo Garcia worked with Fray Clemente around 1588-1593. Then together with Fray Pedro de Bautista and other religious, they went to Japan and became martyrs of the faith to be canonized by Pius IX in 1862. Significantly, they are among the 138

first saints who have lived and worked in the country's evangelization, particularly in this hospital for the natives.

In 1594, following the pattern set in Portugal where a confraternity took care of their charitable deeds, Fr. de Leon, together with religious and civil authorities of the city, put up La Santa Hermandad de la Misericordia, a brotherhood whose m embers were prominent Spaniards whose profits in the galleon trade were poured into this hospital as well as other works of mercy.

Four years later the beloved founder Fray Clemente died after more than 20 years of working in his dear hospital. Fr. Cavanna relates that he died side by side with his patients. All the highest officials of the government and church came for his funeral , not to mention the grieving masses of people with whom he had worked.

The crowd, overpowered by the goodness and near sanctity of this humble healer, snatched and tore pieces of his garment as relics. " They had to dress him at least two times and they had to bury him The Fa culty o f Medicine building of the at once before the crowd could do further display of veneration ," hospital in Intramuros (top) and a view of its remarks Cavanna. He attributed to Fray Clemente several chapel (below) as they looked in the past. extraordinary conversions, almost miraculous, during his twenty years of work in the hospital.

When another fire gutted the hospital in 1603 the Franciscans were ordered by the government to transfer their establishment outside lntramuros. Here they built another hospital for lepers, the San Lazaro Hospital which still exists today.

After the Hermandad took over the administration in 1603 they renamed it Hospital de la Misericordia . At this time it catered mostly to household helpers. When the community of lay brothers of San Juan de Dios began managing the hospital in 1656, among the conditions of transfer was the agreement to keep the name " Hospital de la Misericordia ." The brothers agreed but as their work ran smoothly people began calling it the " Hospital de San Juan de Dios" until the official documents {"after half a century or almost a century," Cavanna says) began to carry the new name. The brothers stayed here till 1866. Documents disclose that often this community lacked food since the hundreds of patients who flocked there had to be fed first.

These Juaninos, as the people called them , endeared themselves to their patients.

In 1728, Fray Antonio de Arce of the Order of San Juan de Dios built a new hospital and church. Unfortunately these structures were destroyed by an earthquake in 1863. The Daughters of Charity took 139

San Juan de Dios Hospital's ambulance ca r in the 1900's,

over the hospital in 1868, reconstructing it by holding fairs and bazaars and gaining donations from generous, well路 heeled families.

Under these dedicated nuns the hospital improved greatly in terms of facilities and personnel.

The coming of the Americans, however, changed the order of things, one of which was the decision to take in pay patients. Then in 1913, the School of Nursing of San Juan de Dios Hospital with Dr. Benito Valdez as the first hospital director, was established. At this point it would be worth citing that under the administration of the first Filipina Daughter of Charity in the hospital, Sor Taciana Trinanez (first director of the School of Nursing), the School of Nursing of San Juan de Dios Hospital earned the reputation of being the best training school for nurses in the entire country. By June, 1936 an annex was inaugurated to accommodate the charity patients. The hospital had grown to become the largest private hospital in the Philippines.

Administered by a board of trustees headed by his Eminence Jaime Cardinal Sin and still managed by those durable Daughters of Charity, the present hospital has a service ward and dispensary for indigent patients. As one respectable historian intones, "It is founded in charity and once this spirit is lost, it would be time to attend to its funeral."

Having been the hospital chaplain for several years, Fr. Cavanna recalls, suppressing laughter, "Oftentimes I give all the sacraments in one day, except the sacrament of priesthood, to the patients." On call anytime, he nevertheless admits the fulfillment he reaps from having worked here. Specially for him who is one of God's laborers in the vineyard, he notes that a hospital "is a place where God sends many who could be drawn to Him. "

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Through no fault of this saint, his name has unfortunately been linked to a disease which causes spontaneous abhorrence. In point of fact, the Bible creates no such picture. He is simply the poor man with sores all over his body who had to content himself with picking and eating the crumbs that fell from the rich man's table. Or he is the disciple whom Christ resurrected. At any rate , to catch leprosy is to catch the world 's load of pain, physical , social and moral.

Here in the Philippines the San Lazaro Hospital in that big complex in San Lazaro, Santa Cruz originated from the followers of St. Francis. When the other hospital they built in Intramuros, the Hospital de Naturales (now Hospital de San Juan de Dios), was burned in 1603, the Franciscans set up this hospital in the premises of the Philippine Normal College. When Christian lepers from Japan were shipped to Manila in 1632, they were treated and cared for in the hospital. In 1636 Governor Corcuera removed the administration of San Lazaro Hospital from the Franciscans but the Franciscans filed a complaint to the King of Spain and it was returned to them in 1641.

Then in 1662, when Manila was threatened with the invasion of Chinese pirates, this building was completely torn down and moved to another structure in 1678 between Dilao (now Paco) and Balete by the Franciscan Fray Fernando de la Concepcion. In 1783, for the safety of the city, the building was demolished once again and the government gave as compensation to the Franciscans a hacienda in Mayhaligue, Santa Cruz. Here they built in 1788 two large pavilions improved by that renowned Franciscan historian, Fr. Felix Huertas. In 1859, for 35 dedicated years, he gave direction to the hospital and infused it with an innovative spirit.

This hospital was declared a Contagious Disease Hospital in 1898

141

The image of San Lazaro Hospital in the chapel's hospita l is often mistaken fo r that of San Roque's (below). Early building of San Lazaro Hospita l (bottom) elicits more warmth than the present structure.

This view of the old Sa n Lazaro build ing in the 1900's co nsisting of plai n pavilion s made o f wood hi nts at its humble circumsta nces.

when it was taken over by the Americans. Dr. Pablo Guevarra was appointed physician with Domingo Pacheco as administrator.

Insufficient funds and the outbreak of the Filipino-American War, among other exigencies, turned hospital conditions from bad to worse. This caused the Provost Marshall General to place the hospital and its inmates under direct control of the Board of Health. In 1918, Dr. Eliodoro Mercado, house physician for the lepers, devised the first formula of chaulmoogra oil for curing leprosy by intramuscular injection.

The present chief of the San Lazaro Hospital , Dr. Cesar V. Uylangco, when interviewed, disclosed how leprosy scares people away, including enemies. During WW II, the Japanese did not dare enter San Lazaro's premises because they read in Japanese characters that it was a hospital for the treatment of lepers, venereal diseases, bubonic plague and other communicable diseases.

Operating in time of war, San Lazaro admitted war prisoners from the Capas Concentration Camp and American internees from the Un iversity of Santo Tomas' Camp who were stricken with malaria and dysentery. With the liberation of Manila in 1945, the hospital hummed with activity as thousands of casualties were treated. A portion of the hospital ground was even used as burial pits for the dead.

During San Lazaro's Day (two Sundays before Easter) the hospital gives extra benefits to the patients - gifts for the children, much better food, a little celebration. People from Batangas, Laguna and other provinces come over to San Lazaro as part of a panata, a devotion.

In 1978, San Lazaro Hospital was declared a Special National Hospital for Infectious Diseases. That same year, the hospital marked its fourth centennial because lepers were accepted in the general Hospital de los Naturales of Fray Clemente although strictly speaking , it was a hospital exclusively for the lepers.

Today it has 900 beds, a new administration building , a four-story structure, modern sports courts and other small conveniences. The lepers have no longer been at San Lazaro since 1949 when they were moved to the newly established Tala Leprosarium in Novaliches.

Quezon City. But the poor, distressed patients of other communicable diseases, unhappily have only San Lazaro as their haven.

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The Chinese community or " Communidad de Chinos" (as it was called during Spanish times) dates the beginnings of the Chinese General Hospital or Ch'ung-jen I-yuan only in 1891. But some documents indicate that during the cholera epidemic of 1879 a certain Antonio Yap Caong, who was then gobernadorcillo, collected 500,000 pesos and quickly built a Chinese hospital in the La Loma district near the cemetery _ According to writer Edgar Wickberg, this move was imperative due to the number of Chinese casualties and the need for a hospital that kept the Chinese segregated from the Spanish population_ The Hospital de San Juan de Dios, however, normally admitted them _ Epidemic or not, there was a serious need for a hospital exclusively for the Chinese who, at that time, were averse to Western medical methods_ Besides, the Chinese populace was growing at an alarming rate so that coping with their health needs meant setting up their own hospital. The benevolent and visionary Don Carlos Palanca , then duly-appointed Chinese capitan who supervised the activities of the local Chinese, launched a campaign to raise funds for the construction of a humble medical clinic. The campa ign succeeded so in 1891 , a clinic-hospital, with simple equipment but manned by a competent staff, rose at the south side of Blumentritt Street in Santa Cruz district. Its operation relied on contributions from the Chinese community as well as taxes collected from Chinese imm igrants into and leaving the country. Having formally registered with the Spanish 'government in 1893, the hospital was placed and still is under the direct administration of the Communidad de Chinos, now called the Philippine-Chinese Charitable Association, Inc. Small though it wa s, it rendered mostly charity medical services to the ind igent sick, largely Chinese.

Through the years, the Chinese General Hospital (CGH) Rept its commitment of service to Filipinos and Chi'nese alike and in 1917, another fund-raising campaign was initiated. T hrough it, a new wing was added, housing an operating room , pharmacy, diagnostic facilities, rooms and wards for patients. More equipment and

143

A modern , fully equipped Chinese General Hospital accommodates patients of all races.

In the first decades of the 19th century, the Chinese General Hospital looked like this (top, right) while this present modern edifice (below) is devoted to the hospital's school of nursi ng.

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apparatuses such as X·Ray units, clinical laboratory facilities and others were also procured. A nursing school was also put up together with quarters for doctors and nurses. A distinct Charity Division which catered mostly to Filipino indigents was opened years later. Dr. Jose Teehankee, Sr. was appointed its first director. From 1917 to 1940, therefore, the Chinese General Hospital sustained a program of development.

At the outbreak of WW II , the hospital was taken over by the Japanese Occupation Army. Nonetheless, it tended to the sick and wounded without let·up nor consideration for the personal comfort and safety of the staff. In 1948, the board of directors of the Communidad de Chinos, Inc. approved a resolution to reconstruct the hospital so that two years later, new and updated equipment was acquired and greater and better facilities provided for in the Radiological and Clinical Pathology, Pharmacy and Nursing Services.

A nursery was built too, in addition to more rooms and wards.

The concept of a fully expanded and improved ultra· modern CGH and Medical Center came with the election of Mr. Vicente Dy Sun, Sr. in 1964 as president of what is now called the Philippine·Chinese Charitable Association, Inc. His vision, shaped into rC!ality in 1966 with the Medical Center's ground·breaking. A general re·organization in all levels and areas was implemented as the most modern equipment and most competent staff formed the new seven· story CGH and Medical Center, sitting on an area of 20,000 square feet.

The completion of the new edifice resulted in a tremendous increase in the number of patients, particularly those handled by the Emergency Department. Again under the aegis of Mr. Dy Sun, Sr., the new three· story edifice of the Emergency Department rose on a 1,000 square·meter·area located directly behind the main building of the CGH . It works independently (operationswise) from the other departments or sections of the hospital.

CGH and Medical Center is remembered for being the first private hospital to perform open heart surgery in 1970 on its first patient, " Twinkle" Vinzon. World famous heart surgeon Christian Barnard came over to supervise the open heart surgery. It has also trained some of the country's prominent medical specialists.

Totally committed to provide optimum health care to all people, this hospital continues its deep involvement in charity cases (mostly birth deliveries to a 99% Filipino clientele) even as it maintains free professional, medical help to other clinics and community health centers.

144

This general hospital , along Taft Avenue, Ermita is ang suki ng bayan, roughly translated, "the town's favorite. " Of the eleven general hospitals run by the government, the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) seems to enjoy the privilege of being the most popular. It confirms what the late Dr. Fernando Calderon, a reputable physician who later became the first director of PGH, once prophesied , " The hospital will be named the Philippine General Hospital because it will be destined principally for the Filipino people. " Designed by an American architect, William Parsons, PGH was inaugurated in September, 1910 mainly through the efforts of then Secretary of Interior Dean Worcester, U.S. President William H. Taft and Governor路General Forbes. It began as a division of the Bureau of Health, the Department of Public Instruction and then under the Office of the President, M. L. Quezon . By July 1, 1947 , it was entrusted to the University of the Philippines. Through the years it gradually expanded its facilities and imposed a high standard of efficiency and competence among its staff.

The war years made PGH a haven for refugees and battle casualties even as medical supplies and facilities were inadequate to cope with wartime needs. It is recalled that one of its valiant staff, Honorato Quisumbing (after whom the Quisumbing Hall was named), a student leader, was killed by the Japanese because he was mistaken for somebody else while on his way to the supply room to get some badly needed medicines.

Reconstruction and rehabilitation followed soon after and the 1950's and '60's saw the modernization of the hospital organization , laboratories and equipment.

What distinguishes PGH from other hospitals, accord ing to Mrs. Josie Fermin , Assistant Administrative Officer, is its academic atmosphere. Even as it dispenses medical services, there is a continuous intellectual exchange, investigation and research . Thus

145

This neo路classic architecture of the Philip路 p ine General Hosp ital is typica l of the period from the com ing of the A mericans in 1898 to the next twenty years.

The people路s hospital is a training hospital and its facade today may be the most familiar (above). The interior (top) of the old hospital looks spic and span.

this technical expertise enables the hospital to give highly professional ("except the facilities" ) service. Its residency training program (" We train the trainees to be trainors. " ) as well as its clinical research are rated as superior.

In the past only well路 heeled and highly-placed government officials, including President Quezon, were confined at PGH. But today the majority of its patients come from the lower income bracket. Human drama unfolds every minute of the day at the Emergency Room. And with PGH patients treated gratis, the letters of gratitude keep coming from a great number of people who have benefited from the hospital.

Congestion has been slightly eased by the so-called referral system instituted by then PGH Director Dr. Gabriel Carreon. All kinds of cases are admitted here though since PGH is a " training hospital. " Persons who require open heart surgeries. kidney and limb transplants. or suffer from neurological disorders, eye defects also go to PGH for treatment.

146

On a 64-hectare lot in Barrio Mariway, Mandaluyong , stand a little more than a hundred buildings in staid off-white. A human community, an institution dedicated to mental health, th e National Mental Hospital is a landmark where close to 6 ,000 pati ents try to regain their lost paradise of sanity_ It was in the early part of the 19th century when a sailor of the Spanish Royal Navy fell mentally ill. He was confined at the Hospicio de San Jose upon the request of Span ish naval officers_ More pati ents suffering the same condition soon followed so that by 1897 th e Hospicio was serving 548 mental cases, provincial pati ents exclud ed .

A department for the insane was opened in 1904 at the San La zaro Hospital to accommodate more patients. In 1918 the city of Manila acquired its own mental hospital in the City Sanitarium in San Juan, Rizal , and in 1925 the government decided to put up a hospital mainly for mental and nervous disorders.

Thus that red-letter day came on December 17 , 1928 when som e 379 patients were trC'nsferred from the San Lazaro Hospital to th is new hospital - the Insular Psychopatic Hospital - now the Nationa l Mental Hospital.

147

NMH's main building is a pl acid witness to the turmoils of the human psyche.

The building exclusively for women (be low) and the entrance to this institution (bottom) where people try to regain a clear distinction between illusion and reality.

Through periods of war and rehabilitation, this hospital has seen many difficulties, mostly that of a lack of accommodations. The hospital cannot seem to keep up with the n~mber of afflicted inmates.

At present, NMH's bed capacity has increased to 7 ,000. Its personnel and number of buildings have likewise expanded. NMH remains a center of research and training. The rate of recovery in 1979 was 95%, according to Atty. Alberto Mendoza, Administrative Officer. He points out, however, that there are more cases of readmission since ex路patients are not usually given a good welcome by the people "outside."

There is a higher percentage of male patients in the NMH. On this, Atty. Mendoza says, " This may be because the males are more destructive and violent than the females in their non路 lucid moments."

Besides, the families of the female patients would rather keep and protect them at home. One curious fact is revealed by lawyer Mendoza : " Experience says that more male patients lose their sanity because of economic reasons while with the female patients, it is due to family or domestic worries."

Romance blooms within the hospital's premises too but usually it is after the patients are discharged that wedding bells ring. The hospital has also been the scene of some local films although only the buildings and facilities are allowed to be filmed and never the patients.

148

155 156

Divisoria means "dividing line," suggesting the location of the populous area between Binondo and San Nicolas. As the most alive of all areas in San Nicolas (one of the smallest of Old Manila's 14 municipal districts), Divisoria or "Divi," for short, is the market of markets. Divisoria began simply as a street around which an entire marketing district sprang, each street associated with a particular piece of merchandise.

San Nicolas was once Manila's commercial hub when the galleon Divisoria as we know it today was con路 trade held sway for more than two路and-a-half centuries. Trade boomed structed on January 20 , 1901, completed at a in that small alcaiceria de San Fernando (raw silk market) built in total cost of PI55.469.50 and stalls rented out 1582 and which was expanded only in the 18th century. The on November I , 1901. marketplace was then described to have consisted of " an open building octagonal in shape and surrounded by roof-supported shafts. " As centuries rolled by, San Nicolas assumed the look of a Spanish town with its squat stonehouses with arched doorways, peopled by Chinese who were later joined by Filipinos.

Today Divisoria's goods spill out onto the streets as buyers inch their way through the narrow, grimy alleyways where vehicles stall for passengers. Everyone from the youngest mais (corn on the cob) vendor to the oldest hardware merchant displays skill hawking his wares. The din is shrillest when it is hottest in the day at noontime, when the place is engulfed with all kinds of people. With the variety of merchandise it peddles, " Divi" is a mecca for Filipinos and tourists alike. They adore " Divi." Going to "Divi," for them , is not just buying; it is an experience.

But before you take the plunge, note that "Divi" is a favorite hangout for the dips, or underground characters, as the police blotter names them. They work as hard too; so please don't complain that L --==--=-_-==::::::==::::===-_ _ _..J you have not been wa rned.

150

Arranque Market on Claro M. Recto Avenue and La Quinta (which means " country house") Market on C. Palanca Street, Quiapo compete with Divisoria in attracting the mass clientele. As prime examples of Manila's palengkes (Tagalog word for market), they do offer a variety of merchandise at the most reasonable prices . Haggling is the name of the game.

But as in all other public markets in Manila of which there are 35, the need for modernization is most urgent. Of course sweeping away the antiquated concept of market structure and procedures is not a new plan. Yet the steps have been long in coming .

At any rate, you will have to bear the filthy, unsanitary conditions, the serious structural defects of the weathered buildings and the constant threat of fire, for Divisoria has been continually ravaged by fire. Quinta's drainage facilities are monstrous. Arranque is so overcrowded it has to lease private property for an annex.

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Arranque (top) and Quinta (bottom ) Markets in the past also typified the architecture of the period, though less simple and natura lly free flowing in terms of space. Today these markets overflow with goods and buyers. In fro nt of the Qu inta market, right under the span of Quezon Bridge are makeshift stalls for cheap assorted handicrafts. These popular stall s where smart tourists can strike fabulous bargains are called , simply, "ils de tuls" or ilalim n9 tulay (under the bridge).

Charity as an institution in the Philippines was not created ; it was simply born. The indigent, the infirm , the beggars, the aged and the prisoners were already recipients of charity in the early decades of Spanish sovereignty. Child-care institutions in the country, however, were established only in the late 18th century.

That can only mean that close kinship ties in the Filipino family worked; that there was at least a home that could accept one more orphan . Or did it mean there was a home for almost everyone since the population then was small or that the rate of infant mortality then was high?

Anyway, of the orphanages established during the Spanish regime, two are still functioning as child-care agencies: the Hospicio de San Jose and Asilo de San Vicente de Paul , both managed at present by the Daughters of Charity. In an unpublished work by Fr. Manuel A. Gracia, a Vincentian archivist and former chaplain of Hospicio de San Jose, he relates that the Real Hospicio del Senor San Jose was put up due to the bequest for a hospice for the poor and the abandoned of Manila by a magnanimous couple, Don Franciso Gomez Enriquez and his wife, Dona Barbara Verzosa. The bequest of 4 ,000 pesos for a hospicio general was made in 1778 but it was only in 1810 that the actual foundation opened its doors to the first group of beggars on a huge lot that would now extend from Concepcion Aguila to Arroceros up to the foot of Quezon Bridge.

When it fi rst accepted orphans is not exactly known but most likely it was soon after its founding.

Ran by a board of directors headed by the governor-general , the

Vi ewed from the Pasig River, this engravi ng of the 19th century Hosp icio de Sa n Jose helps one visuali ze how it was in the past (above).

Below, the present build ing wh ic h shows the chapel in the background and a statue to our Lady.

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hospicio was placed under the title, protection and patronage of St. Joseph. When the Daughters of Charity arrived in 1865, they were invited by one of its benefactors, Doria Margarita Roxas de Ayala (the Conspicuous but discreet is the "tornocuna" same philanthropist who established La Concordia College) to manage (below) for parents who fail to bring up their own bab ies. A rustic view of the Hospicio in the institution which the kind sisters are still doing to date.

1892 is shown in bottom photo.

For a while the hospicio served not only the waifs but the aged and the mentally deranged as well. Adult inmates were accepted too, and were taught a trade so they could earn a little. They wove hats, made bayong and embroidered fineries, giving them enough to indulge in their buyo or tobacco, according to one account. Then with the specialization of cases, the hospicio remained as the home for abandoned babies, lost children and homeless orphans.

The Sisters had to see to their holistic development. For instance, the curriculum in the 1860's included reading, writing, catechism and sewing. The boys who showed some inclination for vocational skills apprenticed in shops of different individuals of high moral stature and notable honor, says Fr. Gracia.

November 21 , 1873 was a red路 letter day for the hospicio because it marked the transfer of the inmates to a new building all to themselves, on the historic Isla de Convalescencia - a tiny fertile island straddling the Pasig River and dividing it into two channels which flowed under the Ayala Bridge. At about this time, the hospicio evolved into a kind of trade school for training in other skills such as silkworm culture for silk production , shoemaking, tailor ing, clothweaving and a smithy for training blacksmiths. By the time the

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country was under Uncle Sam, the hospicio added another service a reformatory for juvenile offenders.

Then till now, hospicio's curious point of interest is the torno cuna or turning cradle which is situated in a separate little building at the entrance to the hospicio. The Sisters know the arrival of each new foundling by the ringing of the bell inside the cradle. The baby is usually accompanied by a note which indicates when and where the baby was born, whether baptized or not and if baptized, whether in Catholic rites, and other details.

Most of the babies left in the cradle, the Sisters say, are adopted while they are still infants while those who cannot be adopted due to some physical or mental handicap are cared for in this compassionate institution as long as necessary. Again , what happens to those infants after they have been adopted no one really knows.

The main building of Hospicio before the wa r is shown at right. while a view of the faca de of the present edifice (below) has another stat ue of the Blessed Virgin Mary. T he Daughters of Charity know where to ent ru st their suppl ica路 tions for the waifs that come und er thei r cha rge.

HOSPICIO DE SAN JOSE IUT.aUIWIiO 1'10

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Founded much later, in 1885, the other child-care institution is the Asilo de San Vicente de Paul, located in Paco, on what is now United Nations Avenue. Asiladas, as its wards are still called, look back with affectionate gratitude to Sor Asuncion Bautista Ventura, a Daughter of Charity who donated her inhe,ritance for the welfare of the needy, unfortunate or indigent girls. Its chief objective is to provide temporary shelter for girls whose parents or guardians cannot afford to raise and educate them . After some time, the girls are allowed to leave.

The atmosphere here is one of preoccupied serenity. The girls follow a regular schedule of schooling and learn some kind of craft, particularly embroidery and needlework, which the Asilo was noted for in the past. Those with the most talent are given special training .

Groups of girls alternately help out in housekeeping, laundry and kitchen work so that in less than a year, each girl has tried and learned all kinds of work. Recreation for the body as well as food for the spirit are also provided to the asiladas. As well-rounded individuals, their place in the sun is better secured.

On this two-hectare area (at the time it was found , it stood on a six-hectare lot) of two-story buildings, Asilo now offers a regular elementary and secondary education for its wards as well as for extern students. The present edifice was completed in January, 1956 after the original building was gutted by a fire during the liberation of Manila in 1945.

It is said that bachelors during the early years of the institution up to the mid-'50's, visited Asilo to look for " nice, educated ladies" as prospective wives and mothers. The Sisters must have been heartened to know that their efforts paid off. Most of the women who have been under their care now experience fulfillment and success and for some, even positions in present-day government offices.

Whereas Asilo was self-sufficient in the old days, today it functions like any other charitable institution which relies on government subsidy and/or private donations.

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Towards the end of the 19th century, Asil o de San Vicente de Paul wa s founded to give tem 路 porary shelter for girls. Today it is more of an educational institution. The present build ing (bottom) and detail (below).

The concerned women of the "Associacion de Damas de Filipinas," most of whom are wives of the first members of the Philippine Columbian Association, put up the Settlement House in 1919 in a rented building on 834 Avenida Rizal. In 1925 it moved to Canonigo Street (now Quirino Avenue), Paco, Manila where it occupies a choice lot. Why another home for destitute babies, neglected children and unwed mothers seeking help?

You realize that times have changed and babies sprouting like mushrooms must have prompted these civic-oriented women to lend a hand . After all, the Daughters of Charity could not accommodate them all . In fact when their organization was founded, it was one of the first initiated by lay people. The first years of their service-oriented activities included raising funds for the Culion Leper Colony and various orphanages, fire victims as well as expectant mothers.

Reaching out to the young and the lost, this institution serves as a home for children of every creed and nationality, from three months old to below seven years old for boys, as long as they are physically

Fortunately the main building of the Settle路 ment House has been spared in the last war as i , pre路war photo (right) and ,>rese nt structure ( elow. right) point out. Below, wards peep at the outside world

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and mentally normal. These children of unwed mothers, or of parents living together but who are economically unstable, may seek comfort and settle at Settlement House - at least temporarily.

For mothers who have to work and have no one to take care of their young, the Settlement House is also a day care center for normal children. While here, the children participate with their peers in physical, social, and mental activities. Fostered too is their emotional growth as they are thrown into circumstances where they learn how to give and take, how to play with a group, how to compete, how to be patient, or how to be humble.

At present, the Settlement House Foundation , Inc. runs this institution. It is the recipient of funds from the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes, Community Chest of Greater Manila, Catholic Relief Services and contributions from private individuals.

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Not exactly behind bars, these children at the Settlement House enjoy playing by the win路 dows every afternoon.

An American educator from Columbus, Ohio, Miss Delia Delight Rice, founded the country's pioneer school for the handicapped - the Philippine School for the Deaf and Blind in 1907, With three pupils recruited from the provinces, she started the school in a small rented house in Ermita, Manila and when the school term opened, she had 13 more pupils. The school moved to lntramuros and later to Port Area , In June, 1923 a more decent structure with more adequate facilities was offered to these handicapped. , It is this two路story building located along F.B. Harrison Street, a hundred meters south of Libertad, Pasay City, which now houses the Philippine School for the Deaf. Under Republic Act No. 3562 (an act to promote the education of the blind in the Philippines) approved in 1963 , an independent school for the blind was organized and thus the blind were separated from the deaf effective school year 1970-71.

On this two路 hectare lot donated by a benevolent American lady, the school houses both the elementary and high school departments in addition to the post-secondary vocational/technical courses like electricity, automotive, watch repairing, general motor works, wood trades, barbering , garment trades, cosmetology and handicrafts. There are at present six buildings in the complex with some newly built prefab houses for the 613 students, majority of whom belong to average路 income families . As a government-run institution, it hopes to get a bigger slice in the budget pie.

Curiously, more male students are enrolled . It is surmised that girls who are deaf tend to be less induced to exposure (academic and otherwise) and their parents over路protect them. " Most of the students are already overage since they're brought here by their parents, guardians or friends rather late, " observes Miss Isabel Leuterio, the present assist ant principal.

Like normal people, the deaf are trained to develop their potent ial through communication , academic, vocational and social skills to the extent that they could lead productive, meaningful lives.

The present Ph ilippine School for t he Deaf, feat u ring A merica n colonia l architectu re, Cul tural activities, like dancing , Iipsynching, staging plays and even performing at the Cultural Center of the Philippines are integral to thrives in quiet, idy llic surroundings.

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their well· balanced daily schedule. " Every year, we are given a slot in T .V. shows for their benefit, " informs Miss Leuterio. However, she clarifies that the school accepts " the educable deaf and those whose only handicap is deafness." She beams as she relates that some of its products are now gainfully employed and that two of its present teaching staff were forme r students.

The Philippine School for the Deaf graduated its first batch of elementary students in 1916 and high school students in 1949. Before the war it was purely a residential school. Now it is both a day and boarding school (from Mondays to Fridays only). Miss Leuterio says, " We can only accommodate 50 dorm·staying students for those who live in the provinces or who have no homes to stay in. " During the war, the school closed and was used as quarters of Japanese soldiers. It reopened on November 18, 1946 with students under Mrs. Maria V. Francisco, first Filipino school principal. Toda y it is a busy hive for hearing. impaired children and adults.

The school's interior. where silence is golden (left). "People" in sign language is demo ·ns· trated by deaf·mute student in above phot o

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The woman is at the heart of the flow of life. As such, the pioneer clubwomen in the country worked on a socio-civic-politico program so wide and varied in scope that it practically embraced all facets of public service, And since they were women, they felt sharply the problems affecting women and children .

As a unit independent from its "mother", the Manila Woman 's Club organized as early as August 12, 1912, the National Federation of Women's Clubs (NFWC) officially born nine years later on February 5, 1921. The mother club was composed mostly of Filipino women leaders and some Americans and when it was set up, its founder Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt (herself a champion of American woman suffrage) had in mind the political emancipation of women in this island-country. Seeds of what is today known as " Women's Liberation" ?

Anyhow, the country then and probably its women, were not ready for such a revolutionary step - women then being relegated only to domestic affairs. So the Manila Woman 's Club focused its efforts on improving the country's social conditions. To meet this end, three committees were formed: the Civic Committee, the Penology Committee, and the Committee for the Care of Children.

Prison reforms under the Civic and Penology Committees included, among them, the appointment of policewomen to take charge of female prisoners, segregation of men and women prisoners which led to the creation of the Correctional Institution for Women, and vocational industrial arts training for prisoners to help them get jobs after they had served their terms. The Committee for the Care of Children established day nurseries to allow children of working mothers to be taken care of by graduate nurses. In turn , these nurseries formed the nucleus of puericulture centers. Other notable After 11 yea rs of contributing and saving, the projects of t he club saw the putting up of a training school for girls at club bought its first clubhouse on April I , 1935 the San Lazaro Hospital Asylum, a massive community improvement on the same lot where the p resent building stands (below). From the ruin s of the first and beautification program , resulting in the planting of trees in streets clubhouse, the second cl ubhouse was built in and plazas, the prompt collection of garbage and the designation , by honor of Mrs. Josefa Llanes ' Escoda. It was in- the city of Manila , of a portion of what was Plaza Lawton for a flower au gurated on November 20 , 1948, coinciding market. wil h the visit to Manila of the president of the Soon the Insular Government recognized the clubwomen's General Federation of Women's Clubs of competence and dedication to public service so that the government America. counted on their support for many of its own welfare programs. For instance, when the Department of Agriculture and Natural Resources launched its Food Production Campaign to minimize food shortage caused by World War I, the campaign was placed under the charge of the Manila Woman's Club. Or the Liberty Bond and Red Cross Drives.

Later the club organized the Provincial Clubs Extension Committee (doing the same civic activities). By then the number of women 's clubs grew rapidly in no time. Thus the convention in 1921 led to the federation of women 's clubs - the NFWC. Mrs. Rosario Delgado was

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Nursery school ing for the underprivileged elected the first president. (started in 1935 by patriot and NFWC lumina ry, Records affirm that "the exemplary work of the clubwomen was Josefa Llanes Escoda) has been the club's so evident at the time that it became a practice for the governorongoing concern. general of the Philippines to include in his annual report to the president of the United States a note on the work of the women 's clubs, " The 1930's saw an NFWC under the aegis of two exceptionally admirable women: Mrs, Pilar Hidalgo Lim and Mrs, Josefa Llanes Escoda, Under them, the Federation expanded its socio-civic activities and adopted " an ambitious program of work touching the rounded interest of human life."

In 1935 the Federation acquired the Old Fellows Order of the Masons Building for its headquarters and offices in California (now Josefa Llanes Escoda) and San Marcelino Streets, Ermita. It was also the year when a permanent Sweepstakes subsidy was granted to NFWC and the now well -known nursery classes for preschool children were started by Mrs. Escoda.

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The day of reckoning with Filipino NFWC members cam e when President Manuel Quezon signed the law givi ng the ri ght of suffrage to Filipino women.

All these years, the desire to achieve the right of the Filipino women to become citizens of their own land by being able to vote and be elected to government office, was not exactly eclipsed. In 1937, under Mrs. Pilar Hidalgo Lim 's stewardship, the most important and historical achievement of NFWC was the granting of the women suffrage by the Philippine government through a plebiscite. And for the first time (at last!) woman power was demonstrated. What makes it more noteworthy is the fact that the Filipina was the first of Oriental women to win this right.

For the Federation as for the whole nation, the war years were a black plague. However, although the Federation had to temporarily shelve the implementation of many of its social programs, it involved itself in another form of social work under the patriotic guidance of its wartime president, Mrs. Josefa Llanes Escoda . This super dedicated civic worker and Federation members aided the war victims and war prisoners by soliciting contributions in kind from friends and symphathizers. By dint of total sacrifice, Mrs. Escoda and the group were able to bring to the prison camps much needed supplies such as food , clothing and medicine.

It is sad and tragic that for their heroic efforts during the Japanese Occupation , Mrs. Escoda and her husband , Antonio Escoda , were imprisoned and killed by the Japanese in Fort Santiago. Today the Social Hall of the NFWC building is named in her honor.

The Second World War's aftermath left the task of rehabilitation and reconstruction to Mrs . Trinidad F. Legarda who was elected the first post路war president. Her able leadership, apart from reorganizing and rehabilitating the NFWC building, produced a number of progressive ideas during her term. Succeeding. presidents, including

162

The present NFWC building (left) stands as a monument to the role of women in our society.

It houses the NFWC national o ffices, the J osefa Llanes Escoda Memorial Conference Hall , a nursery classroom, a Training Center and com· mercial shops. Photo below di splays the NFWC's Presidential Award of Merit in connec· tion with the observance of the Decade of the Filipino Child .

the present president, Mrs. Julita C. Benedicto, have always given top priority to the realization of developmental welfare projects. Since each president has her own personality and orientation , it may be said that the Federation also felt the emphasis on one or more projects over the rest , or in initiating new ones, in keeping with the times.

For instance, Mrs. Legarda spearheaded the international relations aspect of the organization and encouraged the attendance in conventions and conferences of women's organizations in the States.

She was also responsible for the renewal of the Federation's Community Beautification Movement and the launching of the now annual Outstanding Mothers Award . To date it has discovered and acknowledged deserving mothers all over the country.

Mrs. Concepcion Maramba Henares devoted her term to the cottage industry and the Civil Defense Program , in cooperation with the National Red Cross. After her, Mrs. Minerva Laudico intensified all NFWC's projects as well as obtaining grants from both the Philippin e Charity Sweepstakes Office and the Asia Foundation. She also sponsored in 1959 the organization of the Federation of Asian Women's Associations (FAWA), of which she was the first president.

Then Mrs. Enriqueta Benavides' turn came which was characterized by an emphasis on the Nursery Classes Project. During her term the Federation inaugurated the Consumers Education Project geared towards the education and protection of Filipino consumers. On the other hand, Mrs. Concepcion Martelino wholeheartedly supported the Philcag Center for the benefit of the families and dependents of the Filipino soldiers in Vietnam during the height of the Vietnam debacle. Also, she strengthened the Federation's interest in its Youth Preservation and Conservation activities.

During the martial law year (1972·1981) the Federation geared some of its major projects and activities in support of the national program of development under the presidencies of Mrs. Elisa G. Abello, Mrs. Nicolasa J. Tria Tirona and Mrs. Adelina S. Rodriguez.

The incumbent president, Mrs. Julita C. Benedicto, is actually a "Balik Presidente", having served in 1968·1972 (two terms) and now from 1980·82. To her is credited the initiation of the construction of a five·story NFWC edifice on the same site the Old Escoda Memorial Building stood. This structure, inaugurated on August 12, 1971 , was a fitting climax to the Federation's Golden Jubilee celebration. She has also conceived and implemented other worthy projects. In 1980, for instance, the NFWC received a Presidential Award in connection with the observance of the Decade of the Filipino Child.

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For some time many people thought the YMCA was only a place where you could learn to swim , where you could ask your foreign friends to stay during their brief visit to Manila , or where they do not mind if you are Catholic or Protestant. Well, they are right because YMCA is all these but also much, much more. Its history weaves a tale of camaraderie, leadership and involvement among the youth.

YMCA (Young Men's Christian Association) was conceived originally as a "model association to serve not only young American men but also youth from many European countries" by Dr. John R. Moll , Senior Executive of the International Committee of YMCA in 1907. It stands on prime land (35 ,000 sq . m .) bounded by San Marcelino, Arroceros and Concepcion Streets in Ermita, Manila. Thus, right in the heart of the city fronting City Hall , a complex of buildings rose to serve the needs of the body, mind and spirit of the youth, as symbolized by its red triangle emblem . But it was on November 10, 1911 that the YMCA of the Philippines, an indigenous association for the Filipino youth and nation, was born. Incorporators were philanthropist Teodoro Yangco, Judge Manuel Camus and Judge Simplicio del Rosario, among others. Some other Filipino national leaders who had worked closely with this organization include Justice Jose Abad Santos, and ex-senator Gil J . Puyat.

The first significant national service rendered by YMCA was its recreation program. All forms of sports and calisthenics programs were launched nationwide. It pioneered boys' work in all its phases in the country, such as camping, scouting , boys' club, welfare work and

Before Y.M.CA. Phili ppines acqu ired its own building below. the members m et and held their meetings in this simple house typical o f the period in the 1900路s. Note American fl ag flying outside (top, rig ht). Part o f t he huge com路 plex of Y.M.C A . Phili ppines today is this Youth Center (below. right).

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community development.

In fact YMCA boasts of several other firsts . In its original premises was established the first law school in English, which later became U.P.'s College of Law on March 15, 1911. It had the first rural work camp for college students which later was adopted by the government. It was the first to hold student conferences in 1916, in Sibul Springs, as well as the first to initiate the Community Chest agency.

When YMCA's structures were occupied by the Japanese during the last war, the organization created an employment agency and a merchandizing project to give financial assistance to stranded students, war widows and released prisoners. YMCA was also engaged

The last World War razed these two build路 ings of the YMCA of the Philippines; other buildings which were not totally burned down were used by the Japanese as quarters to care for wounded civilians and Death March prisoners.

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Youthful members gather in this pre-war gym of the Centra l Student YMCA for a 4th of July celebration in 1934. Note the old gym with a running track on the second level and the fl yi ng rings connected to the beams.

during the war years in civic and social involvements_ Care of wounded civilians and Death March prisoners, service to PhilippineAmerican figh ters as well as recreation and entertainment for the evacuees were provided within its buildings _ As YMCA grew in membership in the post-war yea rs, its basic thrust became " to t rain Fil ipinos with an independent, democratic cha racter." Mr. Manuel Ad _ Cobarrubias, present execut ive secretary of YMCA of Manila, discloses, "At the height of student activism , YMCA was holding seminars on constructive leadersh ip_ It was only YMCA that was allowed to organize student clubs and continue it s conferences in the different schools. " At present, YMCA has expanded its membership to include women in the organization. To meet present-day needs, it has diversified its services while keeping its basic thrust in mind. New challenges faces its leaders and members who continue to hope to " be t ruly a government's partner in national growth through yout h development. "

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Twenty five thousand Filipino spectators gather every weekend for the 81 races held annually at the San Lazaro Hippodrome, shelling out various sums for the "winner take all event." Upstarts in sports like basketball or tennis or chess may command enthusiasts in the country but not the devotion bordering on fanaticism for a larger base of Filipinos. Besides, horse racing has a history, and a prestigious one at that, which lends color and sound to the sport.

The middle class in Philippine society emerged after a fusion of events towards the second half of the 19th century, with the expansion of Philippine trade effected by the opening of the Suez Canal and the flow of liberalism from abroad. The educational reforms of 1863 likewise helped these factors create a new aristocracy and intelligentsia of Philippine-born Spaniards, Filipinos and Chinese who seemed to have found a common passion - horse racing.

Socios fundadores, they were called - the founders of the Manila Jockey Club. The Spanish Governor路General , His Excellency Jose de la Gandara y Navarro, was the moving spirit behind the formation of the Club, probably the first international organization in the country and surely the pioneer racing club in the Far East. The Manila Jockey Club was born in 1867, only several years after the founding of Churchill Downs, the oldest racetrack in the United States.

Sportsmen all and scions of Filipino, Spanish and English families of Manila (some of whose names still dominate the 20th century business scene today like the Elizaldes, lobe Is, Prietos, Ayalas, Tuasons, Valdeses, Nietos), these socios fundadores formed t he cl ub purely for recreation . Horsebreeding was just a minor aim of th e club. However, as: rabid horse fanciers, the members "were enamo red with the Ph ilipp ine pony which though small , possessed the

1961.

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admixture of blood of the Sulu, Indian and Chinese horses and of the Creole and mustangs brought from Mexico by the Spaniards."

The straight course from R. Hidalgo to the present site of San Sebastian Church of Quiapo (a distance of about one路fourth of a mile) was the venue of these restless, reckless horse路 riders. Held once a year, races on this course gave the winners coveted prizes of gold and silver medals, watches and other ornaments.

The Manila Jockey Club was a very exclusive elitist organization.

Membership was granted only after strict screening of applicants by the board of directors. One dissenting vote, a blackball, was enough cause to bar an applicant from admission. The charter member or socios fundador paid an entrance fee of P50 and monthly dues of P5 (huge sums then) while the associate member or socio transuente paid a monthly fee of P2 which entitled him to limited privileges.

Gold and silver membership pins ordered from France were worn by the charter and associate members respectively.

Horse racing, at the time it was introduced , became an " instantaneous social success:' For a time imported bull路fighting was the popular sport, drawing huge crowds to the Plaza Armas in the vicinity of the Cathedral and Ayuntami ento in Intramuros. In the

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Races at the San Lazaro Hippod rome simmer with excitement and fun as the crowd watches from the grandstand.

august presence of Governor Gandara, Manila's 400, dressed in their finest attire with the bejewelled ladies in their expensive white mantillas, came out for the horse races. Nothing less than festive, grand affairs were the horse races then.

With Quiapo and San Miguel burgeoning with commerce by the 1880's, the Manila Jockey Club moved its activities to a rented piece of land located on rice fields near the Pasig River at the end of what is now known as the Hippodrome Street owned by the Tuason family in Santa Mesa . The club built an oval track and a grandstand seating 800 people. "Each year after the rice harvest the track would be prepared anew and usually the grandstand had to be repaired, " says one account. There was no betting then .

For a sample of the racing season in the 1880's at Santa Mesa from February 19 to 21 or early March which was always a gala affair, here is how a writer at that time describes it: " It was a gala country style affair, where friends met to spend the day with the horses; the racing fans came in carriages drawn by spirited studs. The ladies wore long skirts and pleated dresses with matching parasols. The men, young and old , sported tight pants, four-buttoned coats and black

A n important post for horse ra cing aficionados and bettors is this tower which shows the results of the previous race.

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Ascot ties, lending an atmosphere of color to the hippodrome. After the races the ladies and their escorts returned to the clubhouse where they danced to the tune of the Spanish quadrillo and waltzes. " Moreover, the Governor-General and the Archbishop were usually present for the opening of each racing season while large business houses (banks included) closed shop for the entire season . Races were stopped temporarily with the advent of the Philippine-American War. A few months after Manila was taken over by the American forces in 1899, races were resumed at the Santa Mesa Hippodrome. A year later, the club transferred to its present site - 16 hectares in all where the club built a new grandstand and a six -furlong turf track.

From this time up to the 1930's Manila Jockey Club reigned , even after the introduction of the only other racing club in the Philippines, the Philippine Racing Club in Santa Ana, Manila which was opened in 1937. More and more enthusiasts were drawn to the sport. Today, however, the Manila Jockey Club has ceased to be a social club. Similarly, the horse race has ceased to be a pure pastime where grandeur and prestige attended the occasion.

Now a hodgepodge of racetrack aficionados troop to San Lazaro and the atmosphere has become informal and homey.

Since 1972 the club has been using a computerized machine to monitor the whole process, from sales of tickets to giving out o~ dividends. The photo patrol has been introduced too, to determme whether the jockey has been dishonest or not. The turf has a l,200-meter-circumference. The winners (horses) run the l ,500-meter to 1 OOO-meter and the non-winners take the 1 AOO-meter-course.

Am~nities like the Turf Room and enclosed boxes are provided the "haves."

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In t he 1880's at the Santa Mesa Hippodrome. the ra cing seaso n was a gala country style affai r. Racing fans came in horse-drawn carriages. spending the day at the t ra cks and wal tzing thei r even ings away at the club house.

An offshoot of the Manila Club, Manila Boat Club devotes itself to a kind of sports very few Filipinos take to; despite the fact that the Philippines is an archipelago where the seas and the coasts are as familiar and as commonplace as the nipa hut or the carabao.

Younger British members of the Manila Club, most of whom were English business executives and employees of several English firms , began rowing in 1888 and the Manila Boat Club became a separate entity in 1895. The early Boat Club members rowed in Manila Bay The clubhouse of Manila Boat Club in Santa just off the shelving beach which later became Dewey (now Roxas) Ana in the mid路 1930路s (bottom). The present Boulevard. clubhouse is shown from the rear (below) where Alan May in his detailed book, Manila Rows, narrates that when the boats are docked. the Manila Club moved to San Marcelino in 1907, MBC moved to Isla de Provisor, adjacent to the Meralco generating plant. Other nationals I joined the club which, according to May, " made for better rowing and keen er competition. " Spring and autumn regattas, at this time, delighted the members . Then in 1919 the club transferred to the original site of the Manila Club in Nagtahan , Paco . Invitations to compete overseas, prestigious enough to lift the spirit of the members, came their way but these could not be accepted. Only home路based competitions were participated in till 1932 when MBC hono red th e Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club's invitation .

May recalls an incident when the members found some lady's underwear hang ing on one of the pegs in the clubhouse. They hurri ed ou t, rowed up t he river and found the offending new member with his girl in t he boat. Shortly thereafter th is new unlucky member went

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back to the clubhouse and crept out with his girl's clothes. The old members just stared at him and sure enough, never was the offending party seen again.

Construction of the permanent site for the club was an occasion for members to chip in their brawn and bread. Thus when its inauguration on July 30, 1932 came, social and row ing fest iv ities marked the occasion. This home in Santa Ana, Manila stood on a block of an originally 2 ,000 sq . meter lot which juts out into the riverbank of the Pasig where a wooden deck begins. The succeeding years saw much more fun , camaraderie and naturally, rowing , both local and international.

Curiously, the Boat Club was used to provide accommodations for war orphans and other homeless persons a few months after the Japanese arrived. Then towards the end of 1942, it was occupied by the Japanese and converted into a radio communications cente r. Thus when the American Liberation troops came, the club was severely damaged.

Its present manager, amiable Peter Taclan, says that the club's chief activity is still rowing with squash coming in close and darts fast gaining adherents. MBC's squash courts, are the best in the country in terms of materials, cleanliness and activity. When the seven路 time world champ in squash came over to the club, the squash-playing members were naturally elated. At present the club's members actively join international squash tournaments.

Small as the club is, the sense of belonging is strong even as members (split between Filipinos and other nationals) enjoy drinking from their own personalized beer mugs. Just recently , some of its members organized the Manila Goat Club where the MBC members have goat for their pulutan during socials.

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Ma intaining these imported racing boats (some of which are at least 34 years old) in tip路 top shape is routinary. Regular washing w' ;, soap and kerosene and keeping the boats away from the heat of the sun since they are coated in varn ish are chores performed by the club's boatmen.

Manila Po lo Club's present cl ubhouse (top) with its excellent facilities was once listed as one of the best cl ubs in the world . The club wa s first located on a wide stretch of green land in Pasay (now Seafront on Roxas Boulevard) and inaugurated when American Governor路 General W. Cameron Forbes assumed office (m iddle).

T he American Governor-General Forbes astri de his horse (below).

The man after whom the exclusive enclave of Forbes park, Makati was named also brought that exclusive, ritzy sport called polo to these shores. It is a game played on horseback between two teams of four players each , who score points by driving a wooden ball into the opponent's goal with a long路handled mallet. When he came to the Philippines as a member of the Philippine Commission in the early years of the American occupation, W. Cameron Forbes brought along with him two polo ponies from Boston. And was he glad too that the United States Army Cavalry was here! Before long he was able to pitch an Army team and a civil government team to playa couple of chukkers on the scrubby Wallace Fields (now Rizal Park).

This "selfish interest" which Forbes himself termed proved to be not only the exercise that kept him going during his years in the country (then a seemingly remote and bleak assignment) but also his rationale for setting up the Manila Polo Club in Pasay in 1909 in what is now the Seafront on Roxas Boulevard. The club's inauguration coincided with his formal assumption into office as Governor-General at Malacaf'lang. Like two peas in a pod, Forbes and polo were one, you might say.

Established as a regular sport in the country between 1911-1912, polo graduated from disorganized skirmishes with stick-and-ball

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Unknown to many, the pre路war Manila Polo Clubhouse was the venue of the then Am erican community's social life. It hosted most of the largest community functions, includ ing the greatest social event of pre路 World War II, the vi sit in 1922 of the Prince of Wales who la te r became King of the British throne. Today, the clubhouse (above) still hosts some special celebrations though not as g rand as they were in the past. A polo match in session (left).

sessions on Wallace Field to international matches with British players from Hong Kong. The first international polo tournament was played on the Manila Polo field in 1910. Then, too, the club itself spiced up the Manila social scene at that time. Army and civilian groups came down for the Sunday gatherings to cheer the players and stay on for late tea or drinks and dinner and dance. Says one observer then: "After Malacanang, it was the port of call for all distinguished visitors to Manila."

In 1949, the Polo Club moved to its present site - over 25 green hectares in the choicest Makati neighborhood , where else but Forbes Park. For a super-duper clubhouse and facilities plus the ambience of leisured royalty, Fortune Magazine listed it in 1968 as one of the ten best clubs in the world. That put Polo Club on par with the Le Jockey Club in Paris, the Royal Yacht Club in Athens and the Carlton Club in London.

Mr. Tomas Cosio, the present club's manager, relates with pride that here, then Prince of Wales, Edward, later King of the British realm, honored the club by actually playing in the club's polo grounds in 1929. But the prince, in an accident, fell off his horse and had to 175

The stables at the Manila Polo Club.

cancel his social schedule for the next 24 hours. Cosio also picks out the visit of the Sultan of Brunei and Pahang in Malaysia as memorable. In 1978, the Davis Cup Tie between Japan and the Philippines was held here at the club's tennis courts (now tennis leads all other sports in this club) - the first time it was held outside the Rizal Memorial Stadium on Taft Avenue, Manila. Of interest too is the time Glenn Ford, American hero of the silver screen, came over to the MPC for some cocktails hosted by Phil ippine Airlines.

The first Filipino president of MPC is Mr. Enrique Zobel, one of the country's leading industrialists today. Membership now totals 2,000 composed mostly of Filipinos, Americans, British, and other Europeans. This cosmopolitan membership, cites Cosio, is what makes MPC different from the rest. " Besides, not every club has a long history of tradition," he stresses.

The last formal dinner at the MPC, at least during the last three decades Mr. Cosio has been with the club, was held when American m illiona ire David Rockefeller hosted a grand dinner to celebrate the t ie- up between Com trust and Chase Manhattan which Rockefeller heads. The First Couple, President and Prime Minister Ferdinand Marcos and First Lady and Metro Manila Governor, Imelda Romualdez Marcos, were in attendance. Now in point of attendance, this softspoken gentleman recalls the time San Miguel Corporation invited all its American distributors for a barrio fiesta in 1969. " We had an honest-to路 goodness festive atmosphere with a cockfight yet," declares Cosio.

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The pier of the Man ila Yacht Club.

Sailing , like rowing , has not too many adherents among Filipinos although the sport , according to Miss Irma Estrella of the Manila Yacht Club, is fast gaining popularity. " The Filipinos approach sea sports with trepidation," she observes.

A group of men from the Manila Electric Company led by Mr. James Rockwell and friends who shared a common love for the sea organized the Manila Yacht Club along Roxas Boulevard near the Cultural Center of the Philippines, on January 21 , 1927. This year was, coincidentally, also the first year of the North American Yacht Racing Union's incorporation (now the U.S. Yacht Racing Union) at the New York Yacht Club of the America's Cup. The original clubhouse, a spacious two-story house with a wide lawn that served as a sail -drying

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Above, the Picornell Series attracts big crowds and is one of the club's major annual races.

area, was located at the southeast corner of the yacht basin facing Manila Bay. Then about 1933 or 1934, as Alberto " Cappy" Capostosto narrates in his records on the club's history, the Philippine Navy Patrol, which up till then had been situated in Canacao Bay il) Cavite, moved to Manila and installed itself on the grounds previously solely occupied by the Manila Yacht Club. They filled in a strip of additional land and moved the clubhouse to this location . At this time, the club's largest racing fleet - the " Star Class," with 17 boats - was very active anEl the regularly scheduled races were the hotly路contested series held on Saturday afternoons and Sunday mornings.

Recent photo shows the club's deck (be low) as members gather to watch the dunking 0 some of the top sailors who volunteer to ra ce the "Baron's Cup" in the kids dinghies. Sailing time for the members (right).

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Expensive yachts and sailboats at anchor.

Before the Second World War broke out, the last racin g season saw the participation of a new Star boat named " Jubilee" owned by Mr. G. Atkins, a United States Atlantic Coast champion . Capostosto says " his skill as a helmsman was outstanding" though serving him as crew " was worse than joining the Marines, literally a survival course," according to another senior club member.

When Manila was liberated , the clubhouse rema ined th e same quonset hut built by the United States Army. Only after several years were new facilities added . The present clubhouse wa s built in February, 1950 and inaugurated on May 16, 1950.

The first mention of a boat race is found in the club's m inutes of October 25 , 1948 and the appointment of a racing committee on November 8 , 1948. You will note that the racing fleet in the nex t few years was a mixture of class boats: Stars, Hurricanes, week-end c ruises and backyard wonders. Internationa,l 11 O's and Dragons began to appear too and the first Picornell Cup series was initiated in 1952 .

Capostosto explains that the series was " a race for all classes w ith an intricate handicapping system ." It has become an annual event in the racing schedule and although originally designed for smaller boats, the largest boats, heavily handicapped, are now to be found in there fighting for position. In time, the International 11 O's and the Dragons became the two recognized racing classes. Offshore racing to Corregidor, Subic Bay, Bagac, Bataan , and Hermana Mayor began in the early '60's.

The South China Sea Race, started in 1962 and held every two years, is easily the most exciting and most challenging. The race is run from Hong Kong to Manila , a distance of about 600 m iles. There are also interport regattas with some other yacht clubs of the South Pacific countries (although the MYC competes more frequently with the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club) which club members look forward to. The long endurance contest, members agree, is the Lubang Race 179

When strong gails and typhoons come, the sailboats are as helpless as man (right). But the viewing binocular (left) proves helpful to yachting enthusiasts anytime.

which is almost half the distance of the China Sea Race since they still have to sail home. The difficulty of the race lies in the fact that the crew never really gets any sleep because of many unrecognizable lig hts everywhere .

Some memorable incidents which the MYC members recall with fondness include that time when the Japanese were about to take Manila. A Japanese marine detachment occupied the club and closed the gate so that several boats were shipped to Japan as spoils of waf.

It was fortunate that one undaunted member, Santiago Picornell, saved and kept the club's trophies and records until the war ended .

The members would also like to believe that in 1954, when they planted coconut seedlings along the wall of the club property, they started the beautiful move that we now appreciate because not long after that, the Philippine Navy men followed suit. Moreover, the members fondly recall their overnight cruises to Sisiman Cove, just off Corregidor Island. These cruises broke the customary Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning races during the racing season between 1954 and 1957. " There are many stories to be told of those long, cold and wet rides back with six路to路eight foot waves," Capostosto points out, "but there were lazy days and happy nights in the most peaceful cove within a day's sailing. " Today the atmosphere has changed altogether.

While before only Americans became members and comprised the majority of the club's membership, today Filipinos are accepted as members and they comprise more than 50% of the club's membership. Also, very happily, there are now youth yachting groups to promote this sport.

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What W. Cameron Forbes was to polo, William "Bill" Shaw was to golf. This self路 made American immigrant turned businessman saw the need for a better golf course and a club that would perpetuate the sport. More than that, it would evolve as the only Filipino golf house.

The Muni Golf Links on the Luneta (now Rizal Park) and the nine路hole La Loma Golf Course (then known as the old Wack Wack Golf Club) had already been in existence.

Though as early as the 20th century early American and British settlers brought this game of the fairways in 1900, it was only on February 28, 1930 that the club with its extremely good golf course in Mandaluyong, Rizal was incorporated with Bill Shaw as first president.

Why Wack Wack? The tale amuses even as it warms the heart of any golf bug. Foursome Gil Fargas, Dr. Julio Luz, Mike Cuaderno and Francisco Matias (who was assistant to the manager of the Manila Hotel then) were teeing off at the last tee near the Malecon Drive (close to the wall where Fort Santiago is located and now called Bonifacio Drive) when Dr. Luz hooked his drive with a mid路iron to the tall bushes near the wall which made a crow cry out for safety. As Mike Cuaderno narrates it, Dr. Luz hooked again to almost the same spot where his first ball landed and another crow shot up squawking as it must have been hit by the ball. From then on they used to holler "wack wack" whenever they wanted their opponents' goat (which was actually part of the game's fun). So the logo of Wack Wack Golf and Country Club shows the two wacks or crows. Or, more likely, "wakwak" is the "torn-up field" name of the original site.

After the construction of the first 18-hole course now known as the East Course, Bill Shaw bought an additional parcel of land for the other 18-hole course, now known as the West Course, bring ing the entire area to a total of 115 hectares.

Wack Wack Golf and Country Club is one of the best golf links in the Far East with many fruit-bearing trees and tranquil country air.

Since 1913 it has been the site of the annual Philippine Golf Open which used to be held at the Manila Golf Club in Caloocan. Except for some occasions that the Philippine Golf Open was held outside of Wack Wack, it still remains the best and favorite venue of golf pros and amateurs.

Some of the finest memories of Wack Wack members would include those war-and in-between years. Prominent golfer Manuel _ (Dindo) Gonzales remembers the time when the club had just been bombed. Midst confusion and fear, he stepped inside the club and

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A unique way to pay tribute to the man who saw the need for a better golf course and a club that would perpetuate the sport is th is concrete monument to B ill Shaw.

while sipping calamansi juice, he saw a foursome emerging from the 9th hole. The players were laughing and were playing up to the 9th green as if nothing was amiss. Then he asked another companion what had transpired. This was how an eyewitness explained it: "Did you know that we had to jump into the ditch at No.3 because there were three planes machine-gunning anything that moved on the course? As you see, we all look like basang sisiw (wet chicks). After strafing the clubhouse, the planes veered off to the south and disappeared and we proceeded to play because we had big stakes to decide."

A s Dindo Gonzales found out, the big stakes were that losers pay for their lunch. So with no waiter remaining they prepared themselves a lunch which they would never forget. As he remarked, "We all thought that was the greatest lunch we had in many years." The lunch? Well , it consisted of two fried eggs each , a piece of chicken wh ich was half路raw and cooked without any condiments, plus rice and

The present cl ubhouse of the Wack Wack Go lf and Country Club functions as both a social and sports cl ub.

salt.

A retired colonel , Pedro F. Fernandez, who used to manage Wack Wa c k , c ites the 25th anniversary of the World Cup of the International Go lf A ssociation s as one of the club 's highlights. The mere fact of co urse that Philippine presidents have played here, as well as foreign ambassadors and ministers and of course the topnotch foreign parti cipants in the Philippine Open which count on Australians, Japanese, Americans, Taiwanese, among others, already lends much prestige to the club.

The club still functions as both a social and sports club. And it has put up a Bill Shaw Foundation which finances the needs of caddies, members and the club's employees. An employee who has stayed longest in the club, Mr. Salvador Castillo, discloses the heart of its members - generous, sympathetic and kind. When his house was gutted by a fire , the members pooled funds which enabled him to reconstruct his house.

Caddies, those indispensable partners in golf, earn as professionals, as much as P50 a day. The members pay their own caddies and thus, they may even get as much as a doctor's fee.

Speaking of ex路caddies who have served in WWG and CC and whose names now add glitter to professional tournaments, there are Irineo " Boy" Legaspi, Abundo " Larry" Montes, and Celestino Tugot.

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A photo (below) taken d uri ng the latter part of the 19th century has this carabao in front o f Puerta Real. At bottom is a mid· 19th cen tury shot of the front view of Puerta de l Pari an leading to Intramuros from the Chi nese quarters.

Apart from countless busts and monuments of Filipino heroes and other distinguished men and women there exist city monuments known for their historic value, structural form or aesthetic finish. What are cited here are those which are more important and visibly apparent.

The Walls of Intramuros, now undergoing feverish restoration, wea r the crown of age and dignity. The oldest and most fascinating of t he country's national monuments, these walls around what was then the city of Manila were first built in 1574 by the Spanish Governor· General , Miguel Lopez de Legazpi who is known as the "Adelantado of the Philippines." Succeeding governor·generals pursued what Legazpi began. Jesuit Fr. Antonio Sedeno and Governor Santiago de Vera ( 1584·1590) built the first stone fort with local adobe, called Nuestra Senora de Quia, on the southern site where the Chinese corsair Limahong landed to attack .

The bu ilding of the now-famous stone walls (including Fort Santiago) was the handiwork of Governor·General Gomez Perez Dasm arinas. And believe it or not, it was built from taxes on Chinese food , playing cards, the galleon trade and the king of Spain's resources. Dasmarinas built " some 12,843 feet of wall out of volcanic tufa and brick filled with earth" which took him some three years (1590·1593). The Chinese rose in protest in 1603 so that the need for a moat was fel t. Governor Pedro Bravo de Acuna built the first moat facin g the Ch inese village, Parian , where the Chinese settlers lived till 1860 w hen most of them moved to Binondo and Tondo. This made the city virtually an island connected to the mainland by a drawbridge wh ich was raised f rom 11 o 'clock at night to 4 o 'clock in the morning until 1853. During this period , the entire city was tightly closed and t he sentries guarding the gates called out the hour of the day to indicate that all was well. Did this not lend Manila the ambience of a medieval city in Europe?

You might wonder how people and vehicles entered this fortress.

Well , the Walled City had seven gates: Postigo Gate, Santa Lucia Gate, Puerta Real, Puerta Isabel , Puerta del Parian , Puerta Almacenes and Puerta Santo Domingo. Built by Governor Dasmarinas, these

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gates were elaborate structures with chambers for the guards and a terrace on top for mounting artillery. These gates, unfortunately, were destroyed by the American Liberation Forces in 1945 but are now completely restored. .

The present ruined walls were completed by Governor Valdes y Tamon after 1729 with additional heights completed after 1745 by Governor Juan Arrechedera, blending the Spanish and Italian schools of fortifications. By this time the seven bastions and four ravelins were already obsolete, as proven by the British invasion of Manila in 1762 .

The last governor to improve on the walls was Governor-General Pascual Emile (1830-1835). A total of 245 long years were spent in building these walls - Manila's most fascinating monument. The length of the city within the walls is 1,300 Spanish yards from nurthwest to southeast, its width 744 yards and circumference 4 ,166 yards.

Since Intramuros was the country's capital then , it was surmised that until the early 19th century, government buildings, churches, monasteries, convents, hospitals and colleges comprised about one third of the entire place. The city itself was governed by the Cabildo These walls of Intramuros (top, left) and this corner mirador or lookout tower (below) atop Secular (City Council) and the Church by its Cabildo Eclesiastico (Cathedral Chapter). Today two churches, the San Agustin and Manila the walls are reminders of a storied past.

Cathedral remain there.

Earthquakes and fires damaged Intramuros conSiderably and when the Battle of Manila in 1945 destroyed the walls, these were never rebuilt. Two decades of total neglect and vandalism (what a horrible aftermath to this once gloriOUS city) finally led to President Ferdinand Marcos' Executive Order No. 18 on March 24, 1966 which created the lntramuros Restoration Committee headed by then Secretary of Education Alejandro Roces and Architect Carlos da Silva .

This body was charged with the "restoration, preservation and maintenance of the walls, gates and bastions of lntramuros and other historical edifices and artifacts therein as monuments of cultural heritage and historical past of our country." A number of gates, among them Santa Isabel, Parian, and Santa Lucia, were reconstructed under the committee's stewardship.

Then through Presidential Decree 186 of May 19, 1973 the duties and functions of the IRC were transferred to the National Historical Institute, Other Presidential Decrees and legislations of President and Prime Minister Ferdinand E. Marcos followed which saw the gradual restoration of certain areas in Intramuros. The present restoration and development efforts are undertaken by no less than the First Lady and Metro Manila Governor, Imelda Romualdez Marcos, assisted by Central Bank Governor Jaime Laya and his Intramuros Administration staff.

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The monument te two g reat conq uero rs: Miguel Lopez de Legazpi and Fr. A nd res de Ur路 daneta who were one in coloniz ing the Ph ilip路 pines for mother Spain was conceived by the great Spanish scul p tor Q uerol. The heroi c bronze figures were cast in Barcelona, Spa in and arrived in Manila in 1896 but were not mounted and placed in their present posit ion till 1901.

At the corner of Bonifacio aRd Burgos Drives, close to Intramuros stands a lofty memorial to two great conquistadores, one of the sword and the other, of the cross: Adelantado Miguel Lopez de Legazpi and Fray Andres de (Jrdaneta. Together they secured Manila in 1571 for the next three hundred years or so that the Spaniards stayed in the Philippines. This gleaming sculpture in bronze was unveiled on the same day William H. Taft was sworn in as the first American Civil Governor of the Philippines.

Mrs. Flordeliza Militante of the National Historical Institute says in an article that at the time a monument to these two men was conceived in Manila in 1891, a monument honoring Legazpi was also being planned for his native town, Zumarraga in Spain, although the one in Spain was inaugurated four years earlier.

The statue faces the present Rizal Park (Luneta). On the side toward Bagumbayan Drive is a compass, rope and laurel wreath and the word " Urdaneta" (1568路year of death). Facing the boulevard is a draped allegorical figure of a woman , laurel-leafed and wearing a medallion with a cross at her breast pointing upwards and the inscription " June 24 , 1571 " - the date of the founding of the Spanish city of Manila .

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Clouds form a backdrop to this present Anda monument (left) whereas photo below features part of the driveway "Paseo de Anda" or "Ma lecon del Sur" with the monument to Anda as the background.

Colonial Philippines during the 18th century sat on a pile of problems especially after the British occupied Manila for a few years.

Knowing the problems better than any other official , GovernorGeneral Simon de Anda who led the Spanish forces during the AngloSpanish War of 1762-64 embarked on numerous development projects, encouraging the mining industry by sending out expeditions to locate iron deposits, studying the most advantageous sites for mills and supporting experiments with cinnamon plantations_ Spanish historian Lourdes Diaz Trechuelo points out, moreover, that Anda sent exploratory voyages to establish a new trade route to New Spain or Mexico, passing around the southern end of Mindanao.

This move was vital , since many galleons had been lost to typhoons in the Pacific and silver currency was running low.

The Anda monument located at the corner of Bonifacio Drive and Aduana Street was initiated in 1871 by Governor-General Carlos Maria de la Torre, reputedly the most liberal Spanish governor-general the Philippines ever had. The Second World War almost caused it to fall so that it was restored and transferred to its present site through the initiative of the former Philippine Historical Committee and the Manila Lions Club_ An important detail about this monument is that it heavily used local materials like granitic seats from Mariveles, Bataan , stones from Meycauayan, Bulacan and Cebu, baked mineral carbon, molave and bricks from San Pedro, Makati and plastic made of calcium , cement and ground stones from Meycauayan, Bulacan.

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Queen Isabe l II has finally fo und her p lace in appropriate envi rons (top) while photo above gives a closer view of the Q ueen, serious o f mien and regal.

Qua intly travelled by circumstances, the bronze statue of Queen Isabel II stands just off t he gate of Isabel II , (sometimes called Puerta Magallanes since it leads out to Plaza de Magallanes and the monument to Magellan formerly stood near it) near the National Press Club in Intramuros, Manila . Originally it stood on Plaza Arroceros (then named Plaza Lawton and now called Liwasang Bon ifacio) from the t ime it was unveiled in 1860. But when the Anti -Bourbon revo lut ion in September, 1868 overthrew the faithful supporters of the Queen at Alcolea and General Carlos Ma. de fa Torre was appointed Governor-General , he resolved to remove the statue of the deposed queen upon his arrival in the country. A rich merchant and government official , Bartolome Baretto, was entrusted to remove and destroy it but this resolution aroused an indignant storm of protest.

So Baretto, unwilling to break it up, kept the statue in his own house for some ti me.

The Municipal Board of the city of Manila at that time promised to k eep it for a while but nothing came of the plan and finally, the Economic Association of the Friends of the Country founded by Governor Jose Basco y Vargas asked for it to be placed in its museum .

Governor-General de la Torre, perhaps exasperated , therefore cons igned it to a storeroom in the old Ayuntamiento building in the Wall ed City or Intramuros. Here it remained until 1896 when it was transferred again in front of the Malate Church and remained there till 1970 wh en a typhoon hit the city, and the statue was partially destroyed . When the present monarch of Spain , King Juan Carlos and his wife Sofia came to the country in 1974, the monument to this poor Queen was unveiled at its present site.

The marble pedestal on which the statue stands comes from Romblon, the country's central source of the highest quality of marble. The statue itself is the work of a Spanish sculptor, Ponciano Ponzano.

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The Carriedo Fountain, for a long time situated at the crossroads of Nagtahan Rotonda, Santa Mesa and now at the new Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System building in Quezon City, honors the memory of Francisco Carriedo, "Manila's greatest benefactor," by virtue of his gift of water. The construction of the waterworks of Manila came as a refreshing boon because water supply had always been a serious problem ever since the Spaniards occupied the city.

Although the Dominicans attempted to lay a pipeline to convey the water from a spring flowing from the rocks in San Juan del Monte which began in 1686 and completed in 1690, the water was not carried directly to the houses of private citizens. It was also to remedy this deficiency that Carriedo made his bequest.

In his will executed on July 27 , 1743 Carriedo bequeathed 10,000 pesos to establish a waterworks system for the city. This bequest was made according to a previous offer of the same amount made in December, 1733 , which had been accepted by the Municipal Government to convey water through pipes from San Pedro, Makati to Manila. The Municipal Board decided not to utilize the money at once but rather, invested it year by year in the merchandise of the annual galleon which went from Manila to Acapulco.

Only the original capital was retained in the Treasury under the name of Caja de Carriedo. The profits from these investments were so considerable that in 1762, the total amount availabl e was almost 250 ,000 pesos. However, Carriedo's plan was postponed until finally, an eminent Franciscan historian , Fr. Felix Huertas, approached Governor-General Domingo Moriones to proceed with Carriedo's waterworks project.

The resto red Carriedo Fountain bea rs a charming design (top and left) while photo above shows a comely detail of the angel.

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A rare photo of Carriedo Fountain , desolate and destroyed (minus the fou ntain itself) after the ra gi ng, howling storm of 1880.

The day was June 24, 1882. The jubilation of the residents was such that the entire city was " decorated and illuminated throughout the whole week. " Take a look at the activities: band-playing in the Luneta under the direction of the artillery bandmaster; a castle of artificial fire sent up in Luneta; a ball; a procession participated in and formed at the Ayuntamiento by all the civil , military and religious functionaries which proceeded to the Rotonda along the gaily decorated streets accompanied by salvos of artillery and chimes of bells.

When the water was turned on by Governor-General Fernando Primo de Rivera, medals were distributed commemorative of the occasion_ In the evening, a long line of decorated carriages drove around Luneta and free musical entertainment was arranged for in Spanish and Filipino theaters. The holiday air was matched only by the other benevolent activities performed in gratitude to Carriedo, as masses for his soul, and grants of twenty pesos to each child born and to each person married on June 24. Ever wonder why San Juan district celebrates St. John the Baptist's Day with water drenching?

Carriedo must certainly be part of the reason.

Today who would care to remember that this Carriedo Fountain was made as a monument to one man's generosity and foresight?

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Of course, right at the center of Luneta Park (now Rizal Park) the sentinels that guard the national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal's monument stand in serene dignity as well as pride. You certainly know that they're happy to stand close by in vigil to him whose life has exemplified the best of the Malay race. The monument consists of a granite pedestal supporting an obelisk at the base of which are two sets of figures in bronze in addition to the statue of Dr. Rizal.

An international competition for the design of a Rizal monument was held in 1910. An Italian scufptor, Carlos Nicoli, copped the grand prize but since he had insufficient money to post the required performance bond, the entry of second prize winner, Richard Kissling of Zurich, Switzerland was finally selected to be erected at the Luneta , near the spot where the hero fell to his death. RizaJ's remains were entombed within the base of the monument. On December 30, 1913 the monument was inaugurated, a faint attempt at glorifying an ideal.

The Rizal monument is easily the object of much wreath路 laying by visiting dignitaries the whole year round. Travellers throughou t the island of Luzon, moreover, use this spot as point of reference and it is often referred to as kilometer zero. A detail on the monument center depicts the role education plays in na路 tional growth, as Rizal often espoused in his writings (below).

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Th e date - February 23 , 1918 - might stir no public interest This Bonifacio mon ument is high ly artistic as it is sym bolic (top, rig ht). Every detai l (below) nor significance but that was the day Act No. 2760 was passed - an serves to dramatize revolutionary fervor. act which authorized the erection of a monument in honor of Andres Bonifacio, the city of Manila's foremost patriot. The plan submitted

by Guillermo Tolentino (proclaimed National Artist for Sculpture in 1973) was chosen to be executed in stone and concrete in Caloocan where the first cry for independence rent the air. The ceremonial cornerstone was laid on November 30, 1929 by Dona Aurora A. Quezon , wife of Commonwealth President Manuel L. Quezon .

This dramatic, imposing monument is acclaimed as Tolentino's masterpiece. One of his earlier works (done from 1931-33 with the help of another sculptor, Anastacio Caedo), it breathes power even as it speaks of the gentility of Tolentino's creative hand. The 23 bronze figures done with the lost-wax technique surround a four-sided marble pylon that rises from a four-sided marble base. According to Tolentino's notes, the eight sides of the base represent the first eight provinces which took part in the revolution of 1896 while the steps of each of the stairways stand for the three centuries the Philippines was dominated by Spain . The chief figure , of course , is Andres Bonifacio as he stands proudly at the head of his army, on the southern side of the pylon with the flag of the Revolution being gloriously unfurled _ A highly moving piece, this is indeed a monument to the F ilipino spirit of patriotism which depicts the raw seeds and mature grains of Philippine nationalism.

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In the effort to restore Intramuros, a statue in bronze upon a marble base was removed from where it was previously relegated to where it is now, which is actually its original site. This is the statue of CARLOS IV which for a long time faced the Manila Metropolitan Cathedral in Plaza Roma, Intramuros. However, with the strong wave of nationalism sweeping the youthful studentry in the first years of the last decade, the GOMBURZA monument took its place. But today, this statue of Carlos IV is now back at its original site.

Ironically the militant students might have overlooked the fact that this member of Castilian royalty was responsible for checking the rapid spread of smallpox in the country with the vaccine virus he ordered to be dispatched from a vessel from Mexico to Manila on April 15, 1805. With the benefits of vaccination for smallpox available, General Folgueras created an Insular Bureau of Vaccination and issued strict orders with regard to vaccination.

Those tradt:smen of Chinese and other Asiatic goods also acknowledged and appreciated as well the decree of Charles IV issued in October, 1806 since he lowered the duties on goods exported through the Philippines to Mexico.

Only a reddish marble pedestal of stone, brought from Mariveles, Bataan, stood in the middle of the square in 1820, and it was only four years later that this statue of King Carlos IV was erected in 1824 under the rule of Governor Terrero.

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The photo (top) was taken before the last World War. The photo above shows the statue of King Charl es IV of Spain, erected from Filipino subscriptions in gratitude for the gift of vaccination.

Some sources maintain that Tomas Pinpin was an itinerant printer going wherever the printing press was established in Abucay, Bataan, Binondo , and Pila , Laguna , etc. But the meticulous artist who was also an engraver did not mind the rigors of travelling.

To be considered the first Filipino to write and print a book is a si ngular honor. Tomas Pinpin therefore deserves a landmark and his monument was erected in 1916 in Plaza Cervantes and later tran sferred in 1970 to Plaza Calderon de la Barca in Binondo.

Pinpin is believed to be a Chinese from Binondo or at least of Chinese ancestry. His first book , issued in 1910, created a sensation .

Called Librong Pinag-Aralan ng mga Tagalog sa Wikang Pambansa, it is an answer to Fr. Blancas de San Jose's Artes y Reglas de la Lengua Tagala. He wrote and printed a total of 12 books, all of which are rem arkable achievements, to say the least.

A ladino (Filipinos who wrote and read in Spanish and Tagalog), Pinpin must have been a very literate man and an avid reader too. In the introduction to his first book, he showed it off - he did a prayer poem in bilingual Tagalog and Spanish.

The first Filipino printer, Tomas Pinpin, is honored simply with this monument. Detail of the monument shows the ladino's face.

Ai PlUMER.

m OGRAfO

flLlPINP

!lOMAS PIN .....,... ............

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Luneta (RizaJ Park) Paco Park ' Jar.din Botanico ,

196 197 198

A period photograph of Luneta (around 1898) shows the driveway with a band kiosk at the center, next to Manila Bay. Residents and officia ls promenaded here in their carriages in the late afternoons. Today, this part of the Park (bottom) is cozy.

For several hundred years, the southern wall of Intramuros kept watch over the area where its line of battlements was reinforced by a small stone outwork, very like that of a small moon, hence "lunette" or as the name has stuck, "Luneta."

Manila's number one park , leisurely occupying 60 hectares, and bounded by T .M . Kalaw, Sr. Street (formerly San Luis) and Taft Avenue, Ermita has a history of its own . For a time it was called " Bagumbayan" or " new town; " then " Wallace Field" till it acquired its new name "Rizal Park ." As a park during the latter century of the Spanish regime , you could see senoritas and caballeros delightfully promenading in the afternoon air.

People refer to this park also as "Freedom Park." The foremost hero of the Filipinos, Dr. Jose Rizal , met his fatal end here as well as three men of the frock , Fathers Burgos, Gomez and Zamora and other freedom-loving men like Sancho Valenzuela and Manuel Abella . And today, in the name of freedom (or is it frivolity?) thousands of park enthusiasts spend their time, a few pesos and lots of warm sentiments here.

In this broad , green expanse of huge and well路maintained parkland s are an open路air auditorium where Sunday concerts are usually held ; a planetarium; a lively dovecote; a skating rink ; a grandstand where Philippine Independence is commemorated; pagoda s and gardens; a dancing multi路colored fountain , and a children's park . Indeed " Luneta" or " Rizal Park " is many things to many people.

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Photo at left is an outside view of Paco Cemetery, circa 1863, while middle photo takes up the grand , central view of the fountain The circular chapel which has a sma ll bell and cross as curious details is shown at the bottom.

A serious cholera outbreak in 1820 led to the need for a municipal cemetery in Paco then known as San Fernan do de Dilao.

Located in an area of 4 ,500 sq. meters with a unique, circular structure, Paco Cemetery, now a park , bespeaks of total quiet and estrangement from the din and doldrums of this world.

Imagine concentric stone walls, interspersed va ults 'with garden spaces, children 's graves marked by chipped stone angels, a charming chapel at the rear, abundant acacia and kalachuchi trees , moss and lichen growing and attaching themselves to the stone walls plus the fact that here the remains of Spanish i1ustrados and Filipino elite have been interred , including for some time, those of Dr. Jose Ri za l - and you 've got another world.

It is not so much an eerie, bizarre atmosphere but rather a serene and salubrious place, Now laid out as an inviting and exciting park, it has become a popular site for small, intimate weddings (its chapel depicts sheer simplicity with St. Pancratius lording it over the setting), period films, orchid shows (blooms of utmost care and beauty deserve this place), musical concerts (tune in to the park 's soothing strains) and other similar activities,

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Behind the newly restored Manila Metropolitan Theater before you reach Quiapo Bridge is a park which used to be the city's botanical and zoological garden till 1941.

Decreed by then Spanish Governor-General Norzagaray in 1858 as Jardin Botanico (Royal Botaroical Garden of Manila), it changed its name to Mehan Gardens in 1913 after the American Chief of Sanitation and Park Superintendent, John C. Mehan , and became " Sining Kayumanggi," literally " brown art," as it is now known , after a series of art exhibits by Filipino artists were held here.

While it may not be as lovely as the Luneta or Rizal Park or as distinctive as the Paco Cemetery now Paco Park, Sining Kayumanggi is a serene park where tired feet and fatigued souls may linger awhile before catching the next bus or jeep. Probably one reason why it has not attracted many is because of the noise and pollution coming from thousands of vehicles passing by.

At any rate , after battling the mass of humanity at City Hall or after a gruelling court scene at the Manila City Courts or after the work-filled hours at the Government Service Insurance System and other offices close to it, or after the animated though exasperating days at Philippine Normal College, Letran College or Mapua Institute of Technology and other nearby schools, Sining Kayumanggi beckons. For children near the Arroceros-Concepcion area , it is always an inviting playground and for the different theater groups and students of Manila, an occasional stage.

The Me han Gardens in the 1910's (below) burst wi th color, fragrance and activity . In addi路 tion to its flowe r garden, it had a m ini zoo. Both photos at rig ht and bottom feature sections of the present " Sin ing Kayumanggi" Park.

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At this point you may want to tour the city's plazas. It will be recalled that the Span ish lay路out of a town plaza always consisted of the church, the school, and government offices centrally located . The plaza proper is where the folks can sit and linger while savoring the open-air atmosphere or where the children can play games till their bodies strain or where couples in love can make their " paseo" as if they were part of a long. winding procession.

A plaza within half a kilometer from Jones Bridge, (named after American legislator, William Atkinson Jones who authored a law granting autonomous national government to the Philippines) in Binondo is Plaza Calderon de la Barca. Downtown Manila in th e 1850's was Plaza Calderon de la Barca (named after a noted Spanish playwright) and Calle Rosario (after Nuestra Senora del Rosario, the district's patroness; the street is now Quintin Paredes) in Binondo which was the country's commercial capital.

As in any bustling metropolis, trade and glory, transportation and class prevailed . Huge shopping centers, offices of professionals, banks and the grand baroque Binondo Church were thus the places to be seen at pompous fiestas.

The monument at this plaza is of Joaquin Santa Marina who founded the once well路 known La Insular Cigar and Cigarette Factory in 1863. In 1970, however, the monument of the first F ilipino printer, Tomas Pinpin , was transferred here from Plaza Cervan tes.

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A turn.of.the.century scene in this pla7'" recalls days when Spanish Binondo wa s the place to go. Today the plaza has lost much of its special attraction .

Plaza Cervantes (which adjoins Plaza Moraga toward the Escolta) lies cool and complacent in the shadow of tall buildings. It has been named after the Spanish novelist Miguel Cervantes, a hero of the famous Battle of Lepanto who became even more acclaimed with his novel, Don Quijote de la Mancha.

Plaza Cervantes has always been a busy in路 tersection - then (the Plaza's banking section in the 1920's) and now (the present plaza is flanked by tall, modern buildings where can' t nuous commerce takes place).

200

)

The statue of action·o riented Mayor of Manila Arsenio H. Lacso n dominates today·s Plaza Goiti which has now been named after him (left). Plaza Goiti (below) as it looked duro ing the early America n period .

In the early years of American domination, Plaza Goiti was the bustling nerve center of the city's street cars and auto calesas. Mart in de Goiti, Legazpi 's Master·of·Camp and after whom Plaza Goiti was named, deserves such a spot since it was he who tipped off Legazpi on the tremendous potential of that triangular wedge of land between the Pasig River on the north and Manila Bay on the west then ruled by Rajah Sulayman which was to become Intramuros, the Manila of old.

The accretion of years and the penetration of buildings of all kind s have made this plaza smaller and staid· looking.

Up till the late '60's when the " best Mayor Manila ever had" Mayor Arsenio Lacson whose monicker " arsenic" suggests his caustic temper as well as acid perception of people and events - died , the residents of Manila thought of paying him a tribute. One of .them is the renaming of Plaza Goiti to Plaza Lacson in the early '70's.

Now you see the stance of the dauntless and daring Lacson with his conspicuous sunglasses as he walks astride this shortened plaza, Right behind it is the Santa Cruz Church with a new department superstore and the colonial·styled edifice of the Roman Santos building flanking it.

201

The eagle of freedom nestles secu rely on top of this modern, stylized fo unta in whi ch dominates the small area of Plaza Liga AntiImperialista. It is one plaza in Manila which can win, hands down, the title for the clea nest, wel l路 maintained plaza, being situated in t he hallow路 ed grounds of Malacar'la ng Palace.

A landmark on J .P. Laurel Street (formerly Aviles), San Miguel is this triangle-shaped plaza which was once named Plaza Aviles after the Count of Aviles, Jose Vicente de Aviles, a rich man of respectable bearing _ In 1916 it took the name Plaza Liga Anti-Imperialista to recall the efforts of Boston's Anti-Imperialist League.

The neighborhood is generally quiet and unobtrusive although you will not miss the Malacanang Palace as its grandest neighbor.

Today this plaza is known as Freedom Park with a simple white monument and a marker that indicates its very recent history. Is this really the former Plaza Liga Anti-Imperialista? Some accounts say it is; others, that it has been moved to another place. Whatever, this is Freedom Park.

202

Plaza La wton circa 1920 (above) evokes a pastoral scenery which only horse路driven car路 riages and a few automobiles traversed. Today it is the bottleneck of traffic. Poor Gat Andres Bonifacio ca n only remain impassive (left) in contrast to the impetuous urgent message of revolu tion he invoked at Pugad Lawin, Balin路 tawak.

More like an ambivalent, dilly路dallying revolutionary rather than the firm and relentles~ leader he truly is, Andres Bonifacio (th e Katipunan founder and the city's favorite son) stands in bronze at thi s plaza fronting the Post Office bu ilding , Plaza Lawton, previou sly known as Plaza Arroceros and now called Liwasang Bonifac io , marks a confluence of vehicles coming from the Quiapo, Santa Cruz and Jones Bridges.

With an underpass easing the traffic somewhat, Plaza Liwasan g Bonifacio can afford human traffic as the people emerge from the Metropolitan Theater or from the Post Office or from nearby schools like Letran College or the Mapua Institute of Technology. The plaza is unlike other town plazas because there is very little green while there is much dust.

203

Plaza Moraga, on the other hand, is the picture of a nicely kept plaza whose small space is taken up by vehicles as parking space, cramped as it is by commercial buildings and pedestrians hurrying to and from Rosario and Juan Luna Streets. Located at the foot of Jones Bridge (formerly Puente de Espana), this square is a fitting memorial to the Franciscan friar, Fr. Fernando de Moraga. It is said that were it not for him , the Philippines would have had a history totally different from what it is now.

The Venerable Fernando de Moraga was born in a town in the province of Salamanca , Spain . He came to the Philippines in 1597 , stayed a while in Plaza Dilao (now Paco) and some towns in Bulacan and Laguna and became parish priest of Santa Ana in 1605.

Some years later, he became local Superior of the San Francisco Convent in Intramuros. He was elected president of the Chapter and as such , became the delegate to the General Chapter in 1616 in Spa in. Stormy weather diverted him to Iran, Saudi Arabia, Syria and other countries in the Middle East but, undaunted, he travelled by land . Barefoot and begging , evangelizing and baptizing, he reached Spain in 1619.

At that time, the present King of Spain, King Philip III, thru a decree, had seriously considered relinquishing the country. Maintaining a colony as far as the Philippines seemed to be a financial liability, among other problems.

However, with his eloquent supplication , diligent accounts of the colony, its charms as well as fiscal advantages, Fr. de Moraga was able to convince t he King to revoke the decree and decide to keep the Philippines. Excerpt s of the King 's pronouncements include: " Go with God , Fr. Moraga. I assure you that nobody will accuse me of what my A period photograph of Plaza Moraga fat her (King Ph ilip II) has compromised. " Thus for more than three leading to Binondo's banking section. centu ries, the Philippines remained a loyal subject.

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To speak of Quiapo without noting Plaza Miranda is li ke aski ng for a Philippine-grown green mango without the bagoong. For Pla za Miranda does spice up the lives that unfold in th is populated dist rict And like any spice, it whets the appetite_ Th e more peopl e discover Quiapo, the more people discover Plaza Miranda , and more peopl e frequent the place, thus lending it a crisp, crackling ta ste _ From the 1920's through the pre-war years to the mid- '60's, going to downtown Manila meant going to Plaza Miranda and all the streets leading to it Besides, the Filipino masses who hold a fierce devotion to the Black Nazarene (so-called because of the dark wood used to depict the image of Christ carrying the cross) anticipate D-day every Friday where mammon and God serve their own mutual interests_ The crossroads of the nation, too, in terms of airing public opinion, Plaza Miranda is the forum of the Filipino_ But make sure your personal views stand on solid ground otherwise you have no right to speak them out. In other words, you cannot " defend " them at Plaza Miranda _ For a short while, miting de avances or socio-civic programs were held here, then it was converted into a flea market. Stalls of uniform design and size greeted gushing Balikbayans , or provincianos and tourists with a come-on that hardly cast a spell. Fortunately the flea market has been relocated to Antipolo Street in Blumentritt, Santa Cruz _ 205

Moments of truth at the Plaza Miranda are held sacred particularly du ring pol itical campaigns (above) as it was in the past. But this plaza has always attracted vendors and hawkers of every kind _ Top photo shows a reg ula r business day in the plaza _

What remains a memorial to Spanish Governor·General Domi ngo Moriones who in· itiated the waterworks system from the finan· ciallegacy or obras pias of Don Francisco Car· riedo is this water main in San Jua n. Rizal where the reservoir or EI Deposito was located.

However, the Plaza named after him in Tondo is a friendly site for old and young alike to indulge in individual leisure.

Tondo, the most populous district of Manila , has a plaza which every Manil eno would want to go to so he may recall those times wh en his ci ty suffered from inadequate waterworks. This is Plaza Mori ones. It was th e Spanish Governor·General Dom ingo Moriones y Morillo who init iated the waterworks system in Manila .

Records reveal that the Communist Party of the Ph ilipp ines, recogn izing Tondo as a prol etariat stronghold, was organized here in 1930. Then in 1940, a group of writers denounced the trash books and magazines in Tagalog then flooding the streets by burning them there in symbolic fashion. When the '70's came, Filipino activists gathered here for sessions on national issues.

206

There is a square fronting the restored Manila Cathedral in Intramuros. It is Plaza Roma or Liwasang Roma whi c h has undergon e, so to speak . several baptisms, since it has been named differentl y at different stages of Philippine history.

In the 18th century, it was call ed Plaza de Arma s wh ere bullfi g hts were held . Then when the Americans reigned , the square was called Plaza McKinley in honor of American President William M cK inl ey.

Then when in 1961, the Filipinos hailed the first Filipino Cardinal , th e Archbishop of Manila Rufino Santos, the authorities ren am ed it Liwasang Roma after the Sacred Coll ege of Cardinal s in Ro m e to

T he present Plaza Roma wi th its well路trim路 m ed, clean environs (above) and a view of the old plaza, in t he early 1900路s. showing part of the Ayuntam iento or old City Hall (left).

207

King Carlos IV takes center stage in this plaza which has witnessed changes in the ruling power as exemplified by the name the plaza assumed in such historical period (top). Above is a view of the plaza, ci rca 1903, with the Ayuntamiento in the background.

which Cardinal Santos had been elevated.

Another interesting thing about this plaza is the monument which stood here. For a long time it was the monument of King Carlos IV of Spain . Then when " student nationalists" of the '70's emerged, this monument was replaced with that of the three martyrs of the Cavite Mutiny of 1872 - Fathers Gomez, Burgos and Zamora . With the restoration project these last few years in Intramuros, this monument seemed out of place. So poor old Carlos IV was returned to its original site.

208

Even before the house of intellectual patriot Apolinario Mabini in Nagtahan, Paco was declared a national historical shrine in 1968, it was already as celebrated as its former occupant.

In the 1900's after this gaunt, intense lawyer had issued a series of incendiary essays against the Americans (some of which found their way to Hong Kong and the United States) his fame spread not only among his people but also among foreign newspaper correspondents. As one source stresses, "Nagtahan was a mecca to believers and unbelievers alike." You see, Mabini had turned into a " one·man propaganda center."

The patriot Mabini shrine then and now looks Though dead in the limbs as a paraplegic, his mind was as humb le and unpretentious. sparkling as a diamond and as sharp as a razor in dissecting the issue ,---- - - - - - - - - - - - - - , of Philippine independence. In this house in Nagtahan his voice directed the nationwide resistance , and though frail of materials and sparse in possessions, Mabini's house reflected the brave and unyielding spirit of this adviser of Emilio Aguinaldo and the First Republic.

You will note that three·and·a half·thousand square meters of land owned by the Bureau of Animal Industry is the site after the original site of Mabini's house on No. 23 Nagtahan , part of the Tuazon·Legarda estate . Its 15 windows give free access to the breezes from the Pasig River. To the right as you enter the shrine, a copy of Mabini's crude nipa dwelling in Tanauan, Batangas was built. Trees abound and flowering plants break the green monotony of the yard.

Silent and solemn as the shrine is, it befits the hero being honored .

However, th e shrine is also a park where children's laughter and play ful innocence penetrate the atmosphere. Here where the Sublime Paral ytiC with his irreverent attitude against the colonial power lived (soon after he decided to take law in UST, in 1888) and d ied (1903), ~~~~~~~'::::~~~:':::::=:~=~ you can move closer to the grand expanse of Mabini 's vision .

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A shrine within a shrine, like a city within a city, must be extra special and impressive. The shrine of the country's national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal , is situated within the hallowed walls of Fort Santiago as the "Shrine of Freedom ."

Those who come to Fort Santiago, therefore, get a double treat.

Located on the rehabilitated northern end of a two-story brick building originally used as barracks for two Spanish companies of artillery, Rizal's Shrine is one of the oldest structures within the Fort prope~ . You will recall that twice Rizal was detained here, in 1892 when upon his arrival from Hong Kong he was accused of smuggling subversive materials, and in 1896, prior to his execution , What is recreated here is the hero's personality and behavior in his last days of security and steadfastness, from a collection of his memorabilia including books and manuscripts, sketches and sculpture, souvenirs of his sojourns abroad as well as zoological specimens he discovered while exiled in Dapitan, Mindanao.

A wax image of Dr, Rizal writing upon a small table his famous farewell poem, " Mi Ultimo Adios," continues to draw crowds. The Iifesize work was done by National Artist for Sculpture Guillermo Tolentino,

Above, the present, unique Rizal shrine with in a shrine. At left the wax image of the hero writing his immortal "Farewell."

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Before its destruction, Fort San Antonio Abad's typical stance must be the guns poised to attack (below). Today the Fort is dwarfed by the towering Central Bank edifice.

A vital piece of architecture during the time of Spanish rule in the country was Fort San Antonio Abad. It actually stood on the site of the Spanish gunpowder factory.

It was strategically situated in front of Manila Bay against the onslaught of the Americans headed by General George Dewey.

But as sugar melts under fire, the bastion collapsed under a different strategy. The Spaniards suffered defeat, and with irony not only a tool in literature but in life as well, at this very same fort was raised the American flag for the first time in the Philippines.

Right behind the country's money keeper, the Central Bank of the Philippines, this Fort is not exactly what you'd consider a shrine.

No; this Fort stands rather as a reminder of what cannons (the old cannon is still there) and fire and war can do to man and country.

There is clearly more to win than to lose if one focuses on the strength of brotherly understanding.

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The key landmark of old Manila is Fort Santiago. Before the Spanish conquest four centuries ago, the intrepid Rajah Sulayman ruled old Manila, then surrounded by bamboo palisades " along an earthen embankment" which, for historical purposes, is identified as "Fort Maynila." This enclosure was built to safeguard the place against the attack of pirates who continuously harrassed the natives.

This was built and rebuilt whenever local wars brought about partial destruction. Now when the Spaniards came, the Fort suffered a reversal of symbolism.

However, the Spaniards also built fortifications around Manila which in 'the course of time would be known as Intramuros or the Walled City. During the incumbency of Governor·General Santiago de Vera (1584·1590) the wooden palisades were replaced with adobe stone. This continued during the leadership of Governor Gomez Perez Dasmarinas (1590·1593). This citadel was "christened" Fort Santiago in memory of Spain's patron saint - San Santiago or St. James.

Following the medieval fashion, the Spaniards rebuilt Fort Santiago with thick solid stone walls lined with rows of thick·walled cells, There were underground dungeons and low·ceilinged dark rooms, reached by a flight of concrete steps. It should be noted that at high tide water filled these dungeons to serve as drowning pans for inquisitorial tortures.

When the Philippine Revolution broke out in 1896, the infamous "Black Hole of Calcutta" found its counterpart in Fort Santiago. Cells were found filled with dislocated skeletons. Political as well as religious prisoners were kept in these dark cells. Dr. Jose -Rizal, the Philippines' national hero, was incarcerated here before he was executed on December 30 , 1896.

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A photograph of Fort Santiago at the turn of the century with the house superstructure built by the Americans (top). Above, a U.S. Army tank passes through the gate during the Libera· tion of Manila in February, 1944.

L -_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _- - l

L-_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _- - l

Close-ups of the old dungeon and cannon balls are material evidences to the infamous tortures and deaths at the historic Fort.

When the Americans took over, Admiral Dewey planted the first American flag on one of its walls. Till the Japanese Occupation it served as the headquarters of the U.S. Army in the Philippines. Once again when the Japanese occupied Manila, Fort Santiago's cells became torture chambers, dungeons, and graves of decomposing cadavers. There is even a dungeon to be seen , called the Powder Magazine Chamber, where almost 600 prisoners were kept at a time and starved to death.

In another chamber, prisoners were hanged with handcuffs and clubbed while dangling in mid-air and in the three-story building in the northern part of the compound, most of the men in Intramuros were herded in and burned to death just before its shelling. About a hundred prisoners, so the report says, were all that escaped by jumping into the river and swimming across to the opposite bank .

Near Rizal's cell is an elevated lawn where now rest more than 500 victims of Japanese atrocity, whose bodies were recovered by Lt. William Kough , a young American who gave them a mass burial. This common tomb is now named " Kough Hill." You can also see the 1825 cannon which is still fired at six o'clock every evening .

Fort Santiago today is a lovely park. It exudes an atmosphere of peace and serenity, leisure and love. An open air-cafe serves refreshments and plays modern music to entertain sightseers and couples.

It is also the place stage aficionados congregate at the Rajah Sulayman Theater for an evening of cultural enrichment. Whether the visitors like it or not, once they step into these historic walls, they commune with the spirit of Filipinos whose lives were offered so that the Philippine sun would shine ever resplendently, free from any foreign intrusion - as in the deWS when the Muslim king Sulayman reigned.

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AFTâ&#x201A;ŹRWORD

by Nick Joaquin Miss de la Torre's highly informative review of Manila's landmarks cannot but prompt the fascinated reader, if he be a city old-timer, to parade his own remembrance of things past, especially of those landmarks now vanished from the Manila skyline, Foremost of these lost treasures would be the Ayuntamiento de Manila, the luminous Marble Hall that was perhaps the loveliest building in Intramuros and certainly the dearest to us historically, For here, amid Renaissance splendor, the Filipino schooled himself in the art of self-government; here sat our firs national assembly and here , with the young Osmena as Speaker, gat~ered our first Camara de Diputados, in the decade that followed the enactment of the Jones Act. (A sister landmark, but nearer the riverbank , was the old Intendencia, where Quezon sulked as Presidente del Senado, because the Intendencia had neither the prestige nor the grandeur of the Sala de Marmol), A mystery to Manilenos is why, when the Legislature moved to its own building on Burgos Avenue, the Ayuntamiento didn't automatically become the City Hall of Manila, since that had been one of its functions in Spanish times. Two ugly barracks have housed a city government that surely deserved a roof as noble as the old Ayuntamiento de Manila.

Intramuros itself is a litany of vanished landmarks: the cathedral park with its giant balite trees and corner fountains; the law courts off this park; the great granite walls of St. Paul's Hospital ; the famed fonda of La Palma de Mallorca on Calle Real; the Cuartel de Espana on General Luna, cradle of basketball in the Philippines; the Beaterios de Santa Catalina, Santa Rosa, Santa Isabel and La Compania ; and of course the various religious motherhouses: Dominicos, Franciscanos, Capuchinos, Recoletos and Jesuitas. Divided by more than an alley from Fort Santiago once rose the mysterious world of the cloister: EI Real Monasterio de Santa Clara , a mystic silence at the turbulent mouth of the Pasig , Just outside the walls of the city, just off Plaza Lawton , was the Jardin Botanico, with its mini jungle (the winding paths were crunchy with white powdered sea shell) and its mini zoo; and on the other side of Calle Arroceros were the military hospital and the barracks of the 31 st Infantry of the U.S. Army, with Chinese stone lions crouching at the gates, as they had been doing since the days when all this enclave was the Estado Mayor of the Spanish army.

Past the barracks was the Puente Colgante, or Hanging Bridge, a massive wooden span strictly only for pedestrians and ending on the other side at the Quinta Market. When the crossing crowds were large, the bridge would sway perilously, to children 's delighted alarm. At

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night the sides of the bridge served as dormitory for beggars, tramps and other derelicts.

To left and right of Plaza Miranda were two streets that were veritable landmarks of Old Manila. To the right was Calle R. Hidalgo, a double row of great town houses, the mansions of the old Quiapo elite , over which soared the exotic tower of the Ocampo's Japanese castle. And to the left was Calle Carriedo, tree路lined and quiet and shadowy, with its dim antique bookshops and music stores, its side alleys bu sy with goldsmiths and silversmiths and talleres de escultura, the makers of tombstones and holy images.

Both Carriedo and R. Hidalgo have vanished as Quality Streets.

One has been swallowed up by " downtown;" the other, by the " Univers ity Belt. " Gone, too, is the Meralco Tower on Wallace Field, a tower that blazed with light during the carnival. And gone as well the huge Meralco carbarn on San Marcelino, where trolley cars went to seep after the day's journey. The streetcar stations of old (Santa Ana Junction , for instance) now exist only as names; they have lost even the cabarets that used to surround them . A major gateway of the city, Fort San Antonio Abad , is said to be still there in Malate but can no longer be seen , just like old Bilibid, invisible now on what used to be Calle Azcarraga.

Such were the landmarks that identified Manila in younger days; and they endured for so long, for so many generations, that they seemed to be integral parts of the landscape .

In contrast, the landmarks most characteristic of today's Manila are the ephemeral ones: " fad " landmarks that suddenly mushroom all over town , to identify an era, a cultural phase, a fleeting period.

The postwar period was marked by a proliferation of fried路chicken houses, a craze that extended to the 1960s and was climaxed by the appearance of those quaint路styled kioskos housing the Colonel's Kentucky Fried Chicken. Today those kioskos have either been pulled down or are serving other purposes.

From the 1950s on , the great Manila landmark was the gasoline station, which mushroomed so densely all over town that one news columnist wondered in alarm if Manila was to become known as "the city of beautiful filling stations. " Beautiful the stations certainly were: paved and landscaped and brilliantly illuminated, with green lawns and garden hedges and ornamental trees, and occupying large tracts of choice real estate like street corners and crossings. And multiplying. along with these stations were the motels, a sister landmark , with their own elegant though rather mysterious architecture , as amusing as their very fancy names.

Today the motels are still elegantly mushrooming, but the energy crisis has wrought havoc on the filling stations. A familiar sight currently on street corners and crossings is the shut-down gasoline station : the tank dug out, the paving ruined, the bright lights turned off. Which is a pity - for in the heyday of this landmark , it served as

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the poor man's park. At night, children played, lovers strolled, and adults read or conversed under the free lights of the corner filling station .

The later 1960s saw the spread of two new landmarks: the neighborhood bank and the chain drug store. The joke used to be that if, say, an ESSO filling station opened on a street corner, you could bet that in a day or two a Shell station would open on the opposite corner! Now the joke is: If a Banco Filipino opens on your street today, tomorrow there will be a Famil y Savings Bank on the other side of 'the street! And : a Commander Drug Store here today will mean a Mercury Drug Store there tomorrow!

As for the 1970s: the inception of Martial Law wi ll always be associated for Manilenos with the multiplicat ion o f the Hot Pan de Sal shops all over Metro Manila. The Hot Pan de Sal landmark now seems to be dwindling but has been quickly fol)owed by the hamburger stand , the pizza parlor, the fast-food complex (a glamorization of the old turo-turo) and , of course, the disco pub_ Gone are the days of the " soda fountain ," a landmark of the 1950s; today every beerhouse is a pub and the old ugoy-ugoy. a landmark of the 1940s, is now a d isco.

The great landmark of the 1980s, one can confidently predict, will be the condominium - and we' re not referring to the towers in Makati or along Roxas Boulevard but to the amazing skyscrapers now rising in Tondo and San Nicolas. Those slum areas will get a radically new look during the decade, to judge from Chinese activity in those places today. The ill-fated Ruby Towers hasn't stopped the Chinese from building bigger and bigger and higher and higher, as well as with style . The nostalgic who want to remember San Nicolas as it used to be had better hurry to take a last look , for San Nicolas is fast filling up with multi-story condominiums rising on such squalid streets as Asuncion and the alleys just off Divisoria . If you don't believe this, just take a tour of the neighborhood - and will your eyes pop out!

The same thing is happening in Tondo. Already a skyscraper condominium on Calle lIaya challenges the soar of the cathedral across the plaza. And on Juan Luna, on an incredibly minuscule plot of land, a massive and very handsome tower has just been inaugurated on the sordid and ever filthy , ever flooded, ever chaotic corner where the jeepneys line up for the Caloocan passengers.

That sky-bound tower beats anything you can see in Makati or along the boulevard, considering the circumstances - which are the classic Tondo slum ground . Forget all that jazz about that New City out on the sea or up in the mountains. Th e Manila of tomorrow will develop right from the Inner City, right in here on what has seemed to be the hopeless ground of Tondo , Binondo , Quiapo and Santa Cruz.

Makat i and Metro and Cubao are still the provinces_ The current landmarks of Manila my Manila don't point out.

They point in .

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Landmarks 1. Anda. Simon de Monument 2. Army and Navy Club 3. Arranque Market 4. Asilo de San Vicente de Paul

5. Ateneo de Manila 6. Ayala Corporation 7. Bank of P.I. 8.

9.

10.

11 .

12.

13.

14.

15.

16.

Binondo Church Bonifacio. Andres Monument Cacho Hermanos. Inc. Carlos IV Monument Carmelo ÂŁ, Bauermann. Inc. Carriedo Fountain Monument Casino Espat'lol Chinese General Hospital Club Filipino

17. Colegio de Santa Isabel 18. Compania General de Tabacos de Filipinas (Tabacalera) 19. Concordia College 20. Congress. Old 21.

22.

23 .

24.

25.

26.

27 .

28.

Divisoria DMHM Publications (Herald) Elizalde ÂŁ, Co., Inc. Ermita Church Fort San Antonio Abad Fort Santiago Guadalupe Church Hospicio de San Jose

29. Hospital de San Juan de Dios 30. Insular Life Company 31.

32.

33.

34.

35.

36.

37 .

38.

39.

Las Pit'las Church Liwayway Publishing, Inc. La Tondet'la. Inc. Luneta (Rizal Park) Mabini Shrine Malacat'lang Palace Malate Church Manila Boat Club, Inc. Manila City Hall

40. Manila Club, Inc. 41.

42.

43.

44.

45.

46.

47.

Manila Grand Opera House Manila Hotel , The Manila Jockey Club, Inc. Manila Metropolitan Cathedral Manila Polo Club, Inc. Manila Yacht Club, Inc. Mehan Gardens (Sining Kayumanggi) 48. Meralco

Addresses Bonifacio Drive, Intramuros, Manila Roxas Blvd., Ermita, Manila C.M. Rector Ave., Sta. Cruz, Manila 1148 United Nations Ave. , Ermita, Manila Loyola Heights, Quezon City Makati Ave. , corner Ayala Ave., Makati , Metro Manila Ayala Ave. cor. Paseo de Roxas, Makati, Metro Manila Paredes, Binondo, Manila Monumento, Caloocan, M .M. Pines St. , Mandaluyong, M.M. Liwasang Roma , Intramuros, Manila EDSA, Makati , Metro Manila MWSS Building, Diliman, Quezon City 855 T .M. Ka'law, Ermita, Manila Blumentritt, Sta. Cruz. Manila Eisenhower, Greenhill s, San Juan, Metro Manila 210 Taft Avenue . Mani la

Romualdez , Paco; Manila 1739 Pedro Gil, Sta. Ana. Manila P. Burgos, cor. Taft Ave., E rmita, Manila San Nicolas, Tondo, Manila Muralla, Intramuros, Manila 141 Ayala Ave., Makati , M.M. Plaza Ferguson. Ermita, Manila Roxas Blvd .. Malate, Manila Intramuros, Manila Guadalupe Viejo , Makati , M.M. Isla de Convalescencia, San Miguel , Manila 2772 Roxas Blvd., Pasay City Metro Manila 6781 Ayala Ave., Insular Life Bldg., Makati, M .M. Real , Las Pit'las, M.M .

2249 Pasong Tamo, Makati , M.M. 453 C. Palanca, Quiapo, Manila Rizal Park. Ermita, Manila Nagtahan, Paco, Manila 152 J .P. Laurel , San Miguel , Manila Remedios, Malate 103 Havana Street, Sta. Ana. Manila Taft Avenue, corner Arroceros , Ermita Manila 1461 F. Agoncillo cor. Leon Guinto, Ermita, Manila 915 Rizal Ave., Sta. Cruz, Manila Rizal Park, Ermita, Manila 2000 F. Huertas, S!a. Cruz, Manila Cabildo, Int ~amuros, Manila McKinley Road ,-Makati, M.M. 2351 Roxas Blvd., Malate, Manila Arroceros , Quiapo, Manila Lopez Bldg. , Ortigas Ave., Pasig Metro Manila

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49. Metropolitan Theater 50. Monte de Piedad £'Savings Bank 5J. National Federation of Women's Clubs 52. National Library 53 , National Mental Hospital 54. National Museum 55 . Paco Cemetery Park 56. Plaza Arroceros or Plaza Lawton (Liwasang Bonifacio) 57 . Plaza Calderon dela Barca 58. Plaza Cervantes 59. Plaza Goiti 60. Plaza Liga Anti·lmperialista 6J. Plaza Miranda 62. Plaza ·Moraga 63. Plaza Moriones 64. Plaza Roma 65. Phil. Columbian Association 66. Phil. General Hospital 67 . Phil. School for the Deaf 68. Phil. Normal College 69. Pinpin , Tomas Monument 70.

7 J. 72 .

73 .

74.

5.

76.

PNR Tutuban Terminal Post Office Puyat, Gonzalo £, Sons, Inc. Queen Isabel II Monument Quiapo Church Quinta Market Rizal , Jose Monument

77. Rizal, Jose Shrine 78. San Agustin Church 79. San Francisco del Monte Church 80. San Juan de Letran College 8J. San Lazaro Hospital 82 . San Miguel Corporation 83. San Sebastian Church 84. Settlement House 85. Santa Ana Church 86. Santo Domingo Church 87. U.P. 88. U.S.T. 89. U.S.T. Press 90. Fray Andres Urdaneta· Legazpi Monument 91. Wack Wack Golf and Country Club,lnc.

92 . Walls of Intramuros 93. Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA)

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Liwasang Bonifacio, Quiapo, Manila Pleza Sta. Cruz, Sta. Cruz, Manila J .L. Escoda cor. San Marcelino, Ermita, Manila T.M. Kalaw, Ermita, Manila 9 de Pebrero, Mandaluyong, M.M. P. Burgos, cor. Taft Ave., Ermita, Manila San Marcelino cor. Perez Streets, Paco, Manila Arroceros, Sta. Cruz, Manila Binondo, Manila Binondo, Manila Sta. Cruz, Manila J .P. Laurel, San Miguel, Manila Quiapo, Manila Binondo, Manila Binondo, Manila Intramuros, Manila Plaza Dilao, Paco, Manila Taft Avenue, Ermita, Manila 2620 F.B. Harrison, Pasay City, M.M. Taft Avenue, Ermita, Manila Plaza Calderon de la Barca, Binondo, Manila Divisoria, Tondo, Manila Liwasang Bonifacio, Sta. Cruz, Manila Rodriguez Arias, San Miguel, Manila Intramuros, Manila Plaza Miranda, Quiapo C. Palanca, Quiapo, Manila Luneta Park, Roxas Blvd., Ermita, Manila Fort Santiago, Intramuros, Manila Real , Intramuros, Manila San Pedro Bautista, San Francisco del Monte, Q.c.

Intramuros, Manila Quiricada £, Bambang streets, Sta. Cruz, Manila Ayala Ave .. Cor. Paseo de Roxas, Makati , Metro·Manila Plaza del Carmen, Quiapo, Manila Canonigo, Paco, Manila New Panaderos, cor. Pedro Gil. Sta. Ana, Manila Quezon Blvd., Ext. , Quezon City Metro Manila Padre Faura, Ermita and Diliman, Quezon City Espana, Manila Espana, Manila Bonifacio Drive, Port Area, Manila Shaw Blvd., Mandaluyong, M.M. Intramuros, Manila Arroceros, Ermita, Manila

ACKNOWLEDGMENT Goals shared and efforts combined have enabled me to come out with this work. Thus a warm " thank you" to the different peopl e who have lightened the load : Rogelio S. Pantaleon of Filipinas Foundation and Security Bank and Trust Company for publishing and financial assistance; Nick Joaquin , Emilio Aguilar Cruz, Mara Buenaseda Saludo and Architect Jose Maria Zaragoza for their valuable editorial advice and comments; Noli Yamsuan for his photography and Pie David for his book design; Odette R. de la Torre, Emma Coinco, Sandra C. Puno, Peachy E . Yamsuan for the research and preparation of the manuscript, typing and proofreading; Jule Perez and Ponch Onate for the cover illustration; Frank Alviz and Luis Faustino for the reproduction of the old photos; Hermenegildo Estrella, Jr. for his photo on the Ayala Avenue skyline; and the Paragon Printing Corporation as a whole for its printing services and for all the resource persons in each landmark included in this work.

The following institutions and museums, librarians and archivists have also generously helped with their old photos and suggestions: Ayala Museum Library, in particular Lumen Montemayor and Crispina Reyes; University of Santo Tomas Filipiniana Library; National Library; National Museum ; National Historical Institute; Lopez Museum ; U.P. Filipiniana Library; and the "libraries" of the different institutions included in the book.

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We appreciate the assistance of Security Bank and Trust Company in the publication of this book. We know we have a friend in our attempt to document Manila's wealth of he ritage.

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Visitacion R. de la Torre Feature writer, poet and author of Readings in Bilingual Contemporary Philippine Literature: essays, dramas and short stories, and A Survey of Contemporary Philippine Literature in English, an anthology. Patterns of Philippine Life consists of her essays on contemporary Philippine life and culture. Miss de la Torre has just completed a monograph on the history of the first savings bank in the Phil ippines and the Far East.

Born in Baguio City , she was raised in Paco and Santa Ana . She completed her Bachelor of Arts in Engl~sh and Journalism at the Sa int Theresa 's College and graduate studies in Linguist ics at the Ateneo de Manila University. She has also pursued further studies at the University of the Philippines.

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!

THE PHOTOGRAPHER To Noli I. Vamsuan, Jr. , the landmarks of Manila are all too familiar sights. For one who has grown in its heart and has walked its streets in search of scenes to capture with his camera almost half of his life now, photographing the monuments, the edifices of Metropolitan Manila's history was more than a chore, it was an enriching experience.

He studied in one of Manila's oldest landmarks, the University of Santo Tomas, where he finished high school and obtained a degree in Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering. What was once his hobby is now his profession .

Noli has been staff photographer of the Philippines Daily Express since its establishment nine years ago. He has won st!'veral awards in photography. In 1979 he garnered the Photographer of the Year Award in the RSB Photo Contest. That year too, he won in the National Press Club Photography competitions. This feat he repeated the next year.

THE DESIGNER Pie David is an artist with a wide range of talents. Aside from being art director of a monthly magazine, and artist/designer for a number of company publications, annual reports, and brochures, he has also designed exhibits, collaborated on various audio路visual presentation and created corporate 101=10s.

He used to work with the San Miguel Corporation as Consultant for its Corporate Identity Program.

A graduate of the University of Santo Tomas, Pie David holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, major in advertising. He has lived practically all his life in Mandaluyong, in a house beside the Pasig River which he shares with his writer路wife Rina and son, Piepie.

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