Category Archives: Historical Sites

On the Road to Baler

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Canili-Diayo Dam (Alfonso Castaneda)

Baler, the provincial capital and center for trade and industry of Aurora province, recently hit it big when its namesake movie Baler won Best Picture and a host of other awards in last year’s Metro Manila Filmfest, its plot based on the 337-day (June 27, 1898-June 2, 1899) siege of its Spanish garrison by Filipino rebels.  When it finally surrendered (the last to do so in the country), Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo, in admiration, declared, on June 30 (now Philippine-Spanish Friendship Day), that the remaining 33 Spanish soldiers were not be imprisoned but honored as friends.  Me and my family watched it and, being actually filmed on location, I was also impressed by its rugged scenery and decided to visit it, doing so on Holy Week.  Joining me were my two kids, Jandy and Cheska, plus lady friends Ms. Lourdes “Lulu” Siguenza and Ms. Rosevie “Vi” Sevilla, an avid photographer.

As we left Manila late afternoon of April 8, Wednesday.  Traffic was relatively light considering it was the eve of the Holy Week break but, once out at the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX), I took the wrong exit and was, instead, on our way to Zambales before I realized my mistake and backtracked, losing valuable time (not to mention the gasoline) in the process.  Dinner was at a Chowking outlet at a rest station along NLEX.  Late evening caught us in San Leonardo, Nueva Ecija, and tired from all these misadventures, decided to call it a night, pulling into a roadside drive-in motel.  I was speechless when Cheska inquired as to the strange furniture as well as the bathroom with the see-through glass in our room.

Camp Pangatian

Come morning, we continued on our way and made a short stopover, along the Cabanatuan-Palayan Rd., at Camp Pangatian, 8 kms. from Cabanatuan City.

Check out “Pangatian War Memorial“

Provincial Capitol (Palayan City)

There are 2 routes to Baler – the Baler-Bongabon (Nueva Ecija) Road and the longer Pantabangan-Canili Road. As the former was impassable during the rainy season, we opted for the latter.  Just the same, at least 20 kms. of the trip was along gravel roads at Alfonso Castaneda (Nueva Vizcaya), the last town before entering Aurora province.  Here, we made photo op stopovers at Pantabangan Lake (a man-made lake resulting from the construction of the Pantabangan Dam) and its tributary, the Canili-Diayo Dam and Reservoir, probably the most picturesque irrigation dam in the country.

Check out “Canili-Diayo Dam and Reservoir“

 

Millennium Tree

We entered Aurora province at Maria Aurora town (the province’s biggest).  Here, we made another stopover at  Balete Park and its star attraction – the Millennium Tree, a  massive, 49-m. high, 10-15 m. wide balete tree.

Check out “Millennium Tree“

The City of "Angels" (Angeles City, Pampanga)

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Angeles City

After the culmination of Clark’s Hot Air Balloon Festival, Jandy and I drove on to Angeles City for a walking tour of the City of Angels.  Many know Angeles City only as a rest and recreation area frequently visited by the U.S. servicemen from nearby Clark Air Base.  Even with the base’s closure, Angeles is still home to a large colony of expatriates as many Americans chose to permanently settle in city, particularly in the Balibago District.  They were just about everywhere I looked in the city.  However,  not many people know that, on March 17, 1899, Angeles was briefly made the capital of the First Philippine Republic by Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo.  In fact, the first and only anniversary of the Declaration of Philippine Independence (June 12, 1899) was celebrated here.  Upon its capture by the Americans on November 5, it was made the headquarters of Maj.-Gen. Arthur MacArthur (father of Douglas).  Angeles, once just a jungle clearing and a northernmost barrio of San Fernando called Kuliat (after an indigenous vine that grew abundantly in the area), soon grew rapidly around the former Clark Air Base and was made into a chartered city on June 22, 1963 by virtue of Republic Act No. 3700.

Holy Rosary Cathedral

Many relics of the city’s Spanish and American era past still exist, all within the Sto. Rosario Historic District and all within walking distance from each other. My walking tour started at the Holy Rosary Cathedral (where I parked my car), along Sto. Entierro corner Sto. Rosario St.

Check out Cathedral of the Holy Rosary

The Holy Family Bldg., the former convent, was used by the U.S. Army from August 1899 to December 1900 as a military hospital and by the Japanese Army as a troop barracks, officers’ quarters and arsenal in early 1942.

Angeles Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Center

Adjacent to the cathedral is the 2-storey Museo Ning Angeles, the former City Hall built in 1922.    This museum, opened on December 8, 1999, now showcases Kapampangan lifestyle and culture.

Check out Museo Ning Angeles

The Angeles Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Center, now a center for polio and stroke patients, was first built in 1899 as the deposito for religious statues and carriages used in religious processions.   From 1899 to 1901, it was utilized by the U.S. Army as a jail  for recalcitrant U.S. troops and, from 1946 to 1947, as headquarters of U.S. Army 11th Film Exchange.  From February 6, 1967 to 1986, it was  the City Post Office.

Bale Matua

The oldest building in the city is Bale Matua, also known as the Founder’s House.  It was built in 1824 by Don Angel Pantaleon de Miranda, the former gobernadorcillo of San Fernando, and his wife Doña Rosalia de Jesus.  Together, they founded Angeles in 1796.  On December 8, 1829, the barrio was separated from San Fernando and was renamed Angeles in honor of Don Angel and the town’s patron saints, the Holy Guardian Angels (Los Santos Angeles de los Custodios).  To build Bale Matua, Angel used materials salvaged from their older house built around 1811. The house was later inherited by their only daughter, Doña Juana de Miranda de Henson.  It has high stone walls and an ornate gate and was declared as a Historical Site by the National Historical Institute.

Nepomuceno Ancestral House

The Nepomuceno Ancestral House, along Sto. Rosario St., was the home of Don Ciriaco de Miranda, the first gobernadorcillo of Angeles. Built in 1840, it was inherited in 1868 by Don Ciriaco’s niece, Doña Agustina Henson de Nepomuceno.  A restored grain storehouse (kamalig), along Sto. Rosario St., between these two old houses, was also built in 1840 by Don Ciriaco. In 1980, it was restored by Armando L. Nepomuceno and is now home to Armando’s Pizza and the Camalig Restaurant.   Bale Herencia, at the corner of Lakandula and Sto. Rosario Sts., was built in 1860 by carpenters from Vigan (Ilocos Sur). Said to have been built for the mistress of a parish priest, the current owners now use it as a banquet hall.

Bale Herencia

Rizal Shrine (Fort Santiago, Manila)

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Rizal Shrine

The Rizal Shrine, Fort Santiago’s most prominent attraction, was the highlight of our tour.  The shrine, housed in a restored (in 1953) 2-storey building formerly used as barracks for two Spanish artillery companies, remains under the supervision of the National Historical Institute (NHI).

 

National Hero Jose Rizal was imprisoned in an improvised “chapel cell” on one corner of its ground floor at the fort’s eastern side.  Here, he was held for two months prior to his execution (November 3 to December 29, 1896) when his sentence was read at 6 A.M..   He also wrote his “Mi Ultimo Adios” (“My Last Farewell”) in this cell.  As a prisoner condemned to death, he was moved into this church-like setting for spiritual contemplation.  He was never confined in a dungeon unlike captured Katipunan members.

Rizal’s Execution (Carlos Botong Francisco, 1961)

Upon entering the first room (Pagbukas ng Alaala), we were greeted by the late National Artist Carlos “Botong” V.Francisco’s commissioned mural (1961) of Rizal’s execution.   Immediately to the right is the door leading to the airconditioned Bulwagan ng Panunulat(Chamber of Texts).  Here are displayed old photos of Rizal’s parents, his sweetheart Leonor Rivera and of Rizal as a child and adult.

Triumph of Science Over Death

Reproductions of original sculptures done by Rizal, “Triumph of Science Over Death” (a torch-bearing Muse of Science standing over a skull) and “Prometheus Bound”, are also prominently displayed. On mounted steel plates are Rizal’s own opinions and analyses as well as those on Rizal done by various scholars.

Rizal’s Opthalmological Instruments

Also on display here are faithful reproductions of Rizal’s handwritten manuscripts Noli Me Tangere(published  in Berlin, 1887) and El Filibusterismo (published in Ghent, Belgium, 1891),  his ophthalmological instruments (Rizal was an ophthalmic surgeon), his shell collection, his Hongkong calling cards, his chess and damaset and  skeletons of frog (Rhacophorus rizali) and lizard (Draco rizali), both named after him.

PHC Plaque

Outside the room is the Galeriya ng Halamanan (Garden Gallery).  On its right is the Silid ng Paninilay(Contemplation Room) which is interconnected to Rizal’s cell (Ang Piitan).  The former was a pantry of food rations for Spanish troops (Cuarto de Menestra) before it was made into a receiving room for Rizal.  The latter, a narrow, dark and nearly airless room, was formerly a storage for military supplies (Cuarto de Repuesto) before being converted to Rizal’s cell.  Rizal’s untitled farewell poem was believed to have been written here. Inside is the familiar sitting wax statue of Rizal done by the late National Artist Guillermo E. Tolentino.  Both rooms are closed to the public.  Two of its doors are original.

Portrait of Rizal at Stairwell Gallery

To the left of the Garden Gallery is the Galeriya sa Hagdanan (Stairwell Gallery).  Here on display, from the foot of the stairs all the way to the top, are oil paintings depicting key moments of Rizal’s life as visualized by painters (Romeo Enriquez, E. Gonzales, Rudy Herrera, etc.) who won in a painting competition during the centenary of Rizal’s birth (June 16, 1961).

A Glass Urn With a Piece of Rizal’s Vertebra With Bullet Wound

Upon reaching the top of the stairs, we entered the Silid ng Nalalabi (Reliquary Room).  Enshrined in a glass urn is the fort’s secular relic: a piece of Rizal’s vertebra with a bullet wound.

Rizal’s Cerrada Coat

Other Rizal personal effects and relics on display in glass cases are two vests made by Rizal’s sisters (1878-81), a cerrada coat, a winter overcoat, fencing sword, dumbbell and walking cane.

Rizal’s Dumbbell and Fencing Sword

2 Vests Made By Rizal’s Sisters

The adjoining airconditioned, 18 meter by 8.5-m. room, Ang Tulang Walang-Hanggan (The Valedictory Poem) is nearly empty except for a glass case with Rizal’s original poem (written on both sides of a tiny piece of paper) and the alcohol burner where the poem was hidden.  Rizal gave this stove to his sister Trinidad with word of its hidden content.  The end of the wall facing the door is inscribed with the words of the “Mi Ultimo Adios” written in Spanish.

Rizal’s Original Mi Ultimo Adios

The last leg of the tour was the Galeriya sa Beranda (Veranda Gallery) where guests sign the guestbook.  Its Museum Shop sells reproductions of old photos, old promotional posters of movies and VHS tapes on the life of Rizal as well as paper bills, medals, stamps, books, key chains, T-shirts and even a cross stitch, all emblazoned with Rizal’s likeness.

Museum Shop

On the walls are plaques with Rizal’s “Mi Ultimo Adios” translated by individuals or groups into different languages : English (Nick Joaquin), Tagalog (Jose Gatmaytan), Korean (Korean Embassy), French (Jean-Claude Masson), Serbo-Croatian (“Povelja” Magazine) and Chinese (Shen Kwang Literary Association of the Philippines).

Czech and Spanish version of Rizal’s “Mi Ultimo Adios”

Translations in Romanian and Indonesian are found in the Garden Gallery. 

Stotsenberg Parade Grounds (Clark Field, Pampanga)

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When one mentions Clark Field in Pampanga, the first thing that comes in most peoples’ minds is duty-free shopping.  Having booked ourselves for an overnight stay at Hotel Vida, we also did that, doing some shopping at Puregold.  However, there’s more to Clark than just duty-free shopping.  For one, there’s history.

Stotsenberg Parade Grounds

Lots of history exists around the Stotsenberg Parade Grounds.  Large houses called “barns,” built with Oregon pine shipped from the U.S. and used as officers’ quarters, are arranged in a row along the grounds.  Built from 1910-1913 at a cost of US$1,309.9 each by Filipino, Chinese and Japanese laborers, they were the first permanent structures in Fort Stotsenberg (named after Col. John W. Stotsenberg, killed in the Battle of Quingua, Bulacan on April 23, 1899), the forerunner of Clark Field (renamed as such in 1919 after Army aviator Maj. Harold M. Clark who was killed in an air crash in the Panama Canal).  

CDC Exhibition of Kapampangan Crafts

Over the years, until 1922, hundreds of these barns were built but, by the mid 1980s, most of these barn houses were demolished.  Those along Cardinal Santos Ave., now called the Centennial Block, are all that remain.  The huge, shady and century-old acacia (monkey pod) trees in the area were planted in 1903.  

Centennial House: Lifestyle in Stotsenberg Museum

Many of theses barn houses have undergone adaptive reuse. One barn house, Bldg. 2081, houses the Mabalacat Municipal Tourism Office.  Another houses the Clark Development Corp. (CDC) Exhibition of Kapampangan Crafts.  A number also house restaurants such as Cafe Mesa Coffee Shop and Bar (Bldg. 2078) and Red Crab Alimango House (Bldg. 2078).  Another houses a museum (Centennial House Lifestyle in Stotsenberg Museum).

Cafe Mesa Coffee Shop and Bar

The Death Place of  Roxas Marker, directly across the street from the CDC office, close to the Philippine flag, was built in memory of the Philippine president Manuel A. Roxas who, upon the invitation by the U.S. 13th Air Force commander, came to see for himself the massive reconstruction and rehabilitation work in war-damaged Clark on  April 15, 1948.  That same, while delivering a speech at Kelly Theater, he suffered a heart attack and died. 

Death Place of Roxas Marker

At the western edge of Stotsenberg Parade Grounds is the 26th Cavalry Memorial which commemorates the men of the 26th Cavalry Philippine Scounts, U.S. Army, who died during their heroic action at Lingayen (Pangasinan) in 1941.  Next to it is the U.S. Army Air Corps and Philippine Air Force Monument which details the joint participation of the Philippine and American military forces

26th Cavalry Monument
US and Philippine Air Corps Monument

Cafe Mesa Coffee Shop and Bar: Cardinal Santos Ave., Clark Special Economic Zone, Pampanga.  Tel: (045) 499-0694.

Red Crab Alimango House: Cardinal Santos Ave., Clark Special Economic Zone, Pampanga.  Tel: (045) 599-5345.

 

Camp John Hay – Historical Core (Baguio City, Benguet)

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After lunch at the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) cafeteria, Jandy and I again boarded our Toyota Revo and proceeded to Camp John Hay. This attractive, quiet place, with views of the surrounding hills, always offers an abundance of rest and recreation activities such as hikes along a 1.8-km. eco-trail; biking, horseback riding and kiddie rides at Scout Hill; camping, an educational tour of the Butterfly Sanctuary; and golf at its 5,330-yard, 18-hole, par-68 golf course, one of the best in the country.

Club John Hay Golf Course

The Camp John Hay Mile-Hi Center, a former recreation center of the Americans, offers local and exported crafts and garments.  Within the CJH Commercial Mall, located at the former Administration Bldg., is the John Hay Commissary (a duty-free shop), Strumms, Dencio’s Bar and Grill, Side Bar and Nike Stadium, plus a billiards hall, business center and an internet cafe.  There’s also the Camp John Hay Manor and the Camp John Hay Suites, nice places to stay within the camp.

John Hay Manor

A 3-hectare slice of nostalgia within the camp, called the Historical Core, my favorite spot then and now, has been set aside to preserve the camp’s timelessness and allure.  Deemed inviolate to the whims and winds of change, this living museum was envisioned as more than just a window on time.  It consists of the Bell Amphitheater, the History Trail, Honeymoon Lodge, Our Secret Garden, the Cemetery of Negativism and Bell House.

Cemetery of Negativism

Near the entrance is the Cemetery of Negativism, built during the term of camp commander Maj. John Hightower (1979-1982).  A glimpse into the homespun American philosophy of living, here we strolled among the tombstones where bad habits and the scourge of productivity are buried, its touch of whimsy doing little to negate the truth of its message.  Among them are the inept Kant du Nutin Wright, the defeatist Ben Trid Bfor and the notorious General Neg A. Tivism (whose epitaph reads “Died of positive reaction to enthusiasm”).

Bell House (Camp John Hay Museum)

The Bell House, now the Camp John Hay Museum (opened on October 25, 2003), was named after U.S. Gen. J. Franklin Bell.  Initially built as the vacation home of the Commanding General, today it is the repository of artifacts and other indoor exhibits.

Bell Amphitheater

Personally designed by Gen. Bell who took inspiration from the Ifugao’s terracing technique, the amphitheater was once a venue for social and cultural gatherings known for its perfect acoustics.  Anything said under the gazebo at the center is amplified, audible from any point within the amphitheater.  Its rows of chairs have since been replaced and it is now a multi-level landscaped garden with rare flowers.  The amphitheater is now available for concerts, weddings and other special occasions.

The History Trail

The History Trail, designed to wind its way amidst pine trees, offers landscaped resting areas.  Our Secret Garden is planted to blooms that add a splash of color and scents. It also has a gazebo. The Honeymoon Cottage is rented out to newlyweds.

San Agustin Church (Manila)

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Francis and Vicky Dionela, our balikbayan relatives, from Vienna, Austria, were in town  and my brother-in-law Mark and I toured them around Intramuros, availing of a calesa to do so.   Joining us were Mark’s sons Miguel and Matthew.  The first stop in our calesa tour was  the San Agustin Church.  I have been inside this church a couple of times, notably during the wedding of the former Susan O. Bilog, my wife’s first cousin, to Alfredo Azarcon on January 31, 2001.  However, this was my opportunity to explore it in detail.  During our visit, the church was again being prepared for another wedding.

San Agustin Church

Named after St. Augustine, Bishop of Hippo, San Agustin Church is the fifth church to be built in the country.  The mother church of the Augustinian Order, it is said to be the first mission constructed in Intramuros after the defeat of Rajah Sulayman by Miguel Lopez de Legaspi in 1571.  The first two churches were destroyed by fire on December 2, 1574 during invasion of Chinese pirate Limahong and by fire caused by a candle spark on February 28, 1583 during Gov.-Gen. Gonzalo Ronquillo de Penalosa‘s funeral.  Again fire damaged the church on the evening of March 30, 1586.  It was also damaged during the major earthquakes of 1645, 1754, 1852, June 3, 1863 and July 19, 1880.  During World War II, it was the only church in Intramuros (there are 7) to have survive the American bombardment during the liberation of Manila in 1945. Only the roof was destroyed.  However, the adjacent monastery was totally destroyed but rebuilt in 1970.  It is now the San Agustin Museum.  In 1994, the church was declared by the UNESCO as a World Heritage Site for Baroque Churches.

       
The adjacent San Agustin Museum

The present 67.15 m. long and 24.93 m. wide church, one of the most typical examples of the colonial Semi-Classical styles, was built between 1587 and 1604 by Juan Macias (said to be a Pampango builder) using hewn adobe stones quarried from Guadalupe, Meycauayan, San Mateo and Binangonan.  It has not undergone major change except for minor restorations and its being able to withstand 5 major earthquakes is attributed to its elliptical foundation (like the hull of the ship) and 1.5-m. thick walls.

       
Corridors leading to the San Agustin Museum

Its design shows Mexican influence.  The unassuming Neo-Classical façade has two levels.  The first level has 4 pairs of Ionic columns and statued niches filling the walls.  The second level has an equal number of Corinthian columns, semicircular arches and square windows.  Above it is a triangular pediment with a circular window.

       
TheProto-Baroque molave main door

The church interior is in the form of a Latin cross.  It has 14 side chapels. The original retablo, built in 1671 by Juan de los Santos, was replaced in 1681, coated with gold leaves in 1704, but was defaced in the British invasion in 1762.  The courtyard entrance and columned facade are guarded by granite lions (fu dogs) given by Chinese converts. 

       
The church interior

The church originally had two four-storey hexagonal bell towers, but the left one was dismantled after the 1863 earthquake.  It has an intricately carved, 24 ft. high and 16 ft. wide Proto-Baroque molavemain door with 4 panels depicting Augustinian symbols, an exquisite Baroque narra pulpit carved in 1627, tombstones on the floor and 12 side chapels (originally 14) dedicated to various saints. 

     
The tromp-l’oeil ceiling

Its vaulted tromp-l’oeil (from the French word meaning “deceives the eye”) ceiling, from which hang 16 crystal chandeliers from Paris (1879-80), was painted by Italian artists Giovanni Alberoni and Caesar Dibella in 1875.  Viewing it from below, the designs appear as 3-dimensional.

      
The pulpit

The magnificent choir loft, the only one of its kind in the country, has 68 beautifully handcrafted molaveseats with ivory encrustations supported by huge elliptical arches.  It was ordered by Fr. Miguel Serrano and brought in from Macao by Bishop Hernando Guerrero in 1614.   A crucifix here dates from the 17th century.  The big lectern has 16th and 17th century cantorals.

       
The main altar

Its 18th century pipe organ was newly-restored and inaugurated on November 1998.  Its classical tones, to which are attached renowned composers  Fr. Manuel Arostegui and Pakil (Laguna)-born Marcelo Adonay, echoed again during the 3-day Second International Music Festival  hosted by San Agustin Church.

       
A side altar

The remains of Miguel Lopez de Legaspi, Martin de Goiti, Juan de Salcedo and various early governors and archbishops are buried in a communal vault in a side chapel to the left of the main altar. Their bones were mixed up when the British desecrated their graves when they sacked Manila from October 6-7, 1762.  The reclining bronze statue of Legaspi was done by Spanish sculptor Juan Miguel Iriarte.  The remains of painter Juan Luna, and statesmen Pedro Paterno and Trinidad Pardo de Tavera are also housed in the church.


Another side altar

San Agustin Church: Cor. Gen. Luna St. and Calle Real, Intramuros, Manila.

Baybay City (Leyte)

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After breakfast at Bahia Coffee Shop, I was picked up at the Hotel Don Felipe lobby by Mr. Doods Alcaraz, a medical representative requested by my sister-in-law Paula to drive me to Maasin City where I was to do map updating for United Tourist Promotions (makers of EZ Maps).  We used Dood’s car for this purpose.  We left Ormoc City by 8:30 AM.  The Maharlika Highway, though concreted, was pockmarked with cracks and potholes and first time drivers along this route would have to drive with caution.  Doods, however, frequently plied this route and knew it like the palm of his hand. 

Baybay City Hall

After 46 kms., past the town of Albuera, we made our first stopover for  merienda at a Jollibee outlet at the new component city of Baybay (it became such by virtue of Republic Act No. 9389 and was ratified by a plebiscite held on June 16, 2007) on the central west coast of Leyte where ferries leave for Cebu and the other islands.  This wasn’t my first visit to the city as its port was our jump-off point for our April 22, 2000 visit to the Cuatro Islas (under the jurisdiction of Inopacan).   

Baybay Port

On November 18, 2008, the Supreme Court struck down Baybay’s cityhood law, making Baybay a municipality again.  On December 22, 2009, acting on the appeal of the so-called “League of 16 Cities” (of which Baybay is a part of), the Supreme Court reversed its earlier ruling but, on August 24, 2010, again reinstated its 2008 decision. On February 15, 2011, the Supreme Court upheld, for the third time, the cityhood of Baybay.  Baybay is a city again.

After merienda, I dropped by the town’s Spanish-era Church of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception.  The church was built in 1852 by Fr. Vicente E. Coronado and continued under the supervision of Maestro Proceso from Manila.  In 1866, fire destroyed the church except for the Chapel of the Holy Cross.  It was repaired in 1870 and finished by painter and sculptor capitán Mateo Espinoso (probably a local dignitary and artisan). 

Church of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception

Aguinaldo Shrine (Kawit, Cavite)

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After bringing my son Jandy to school, I decided, on a whim, to do some sightseeing outside Metro Manila, motoring all the way, via the Cavite Coastal Rd., to Kawit in Cavite where I plan to visit the Aguinaldo Shrine, the birthplace of Philippine Independence.  Upon arrival at the shrine, I met up with Mr. Alvin Alcid, the shrine curator, who toured me around the mansion.

Aguinaldo Shrine

The stately, 6-storey (including a mezzanine) Aguinaldo’s house started out in 1845 as a wood and nipa thatch structure before being rebuilt in 1849 as a bahay na bato with a stonewalled ground floor and a wooden second floor with banks of capiz windows.  Emilio Aguinaldo was born (according to his mother) here on March 22, 1869 (March 26 according to his partida de baptismo or parish records).

The Independence Balcony

The mansion underwent another facelift from 1919 to 1921.  To commemorate the “original” Independence Day (albeit on a personal basis), Aguinaldo added the elaborate, cannon-capped “Independence Balcony” to replace the bank of capiz windows at the living room. The Philippine sun, stars and foliate patterns decorate its eaves.  The balcony is now used during June 12 Independence Day celebrations.

The watchtower

Before his death on February 6, 1964, at the venerable age of 94 (our oldest president), Aguinaldo, in a fitting, final gesture, turned over his home and a portion of the gardens to the government on June 12, 1963 to “perpetuate the spirit of the Philippine Revolution of 1896.”   Four months later, on June 18, 1964, the mansion was declared a National Shrine and a National Treasure, by virtue of Republic Act No. 4039, and placed under the management of the National Historical Institute (now National Historical Commission of the Philippines).

Aguinaldo’s bedroom

The architecturally-inclined former president also added a family wing of children’s bedrooms; a gabled, 3-storey, spired watchtower (Aguinaldo’s favorite spot for viewing, on a clear day, the skyline of Manila) on top of the mansion (designed to match a 200-year old tamarind tree, since felled by lightning), and below it, a bedroom called the Tower Suite, his favorite retreat in his later years.

Today, the entire house uniquely blends Rococo, Baroque and Gothic architectural styles characteristic of the Spanish and American colonial period.  The entire ground floor, formerly the zaguan or grain storage area, was converted into a revolutionary-theme museum.  On exhibit are Aguinaldo’s personal memorabilia and uniforms, dioramas of the Battle of Zapote River, the Battle of Binakayan and Aguinaldo’s oath-taking as president, an exhibit of prominent Cavite revolutionary heroes, historical relics and weapons.    There is also a chess set and a bowling alley.

Aguinaldo had a very inventive and secretive mind. The antique, mostly Philippine hardwood furniture done by skilled native woodcarvers, some designed by the general himself, includes an armoire, inlaid ivory love seats, four-poster beds, China cabinets and Vienna rocking chairs.  Some chairs and cabinets have secret compartments to hide important documents or even weapons.  Ingenious sliding wall panels, along the narrow stairways to the upper rooms and in the bedrooms, are used as secret storage areas large enough for two people to hide.

The Dining Room

There are also camouflaged secret passages made just for the general.  The one leading to his second floor bedroom is concealed by a wall of shelves at the main stair landing.   Below the ground is a stone air raid shelter concealed under the kitchen’s wooden dining table top.

The decorated dining room ceiling

On the second floor are the general’s bedroom, the grand hall, conference room, dining room and kitchen and the azotea.  The rectangular grand hall is a visual showcase of Aguinaldo’s nationalistic fervor.  On the walls and pillars are recurring flag patterns done in polished wooden mosaic. The floor, a waxed-and-polished jigsaw puzzle of flags, is a mosaic of wooden trapezoids.  The decorated ceiling, which commemorates the events of August 30, 1896 (the start of the revolution), features Inang Pilipinas (Mother Philippines), an eight-rayed sun representing the first 8 provinces to rise in revolt, and the furled flags and dove of the pre-World War II League of Nations (symbolic of Aguinaldo’s aspiration for Philippine recognition in the League of Nations).

Corridor leading to children’s bedrooms

At the end of the hall are the historic windows and the added “Independence Balcony.”  The dining room ceiling is a gallery of soaring symbols featuring a bas-relief map of the country with Cavite (site of his glorious victories) painted red to symbolize war.   Overlooking the grand hall, like an alcove or balcony, is the mezzanine library.   A corridor leads to the mansion’s eastern wing where Aguinaldo’s daughters used to live with their families.

Children’s bedrooms

Another flight of stairs lead me to the Ambassador’s Room, the former study of Ambassador Jose Melencio, Aguinaldo’s son-in-law.  Above it, through a narrow stairway, is Aguinaldo’s Tower Suite.  In it are a brass bed and a large roll-top escritorio.  To reach the spired tower, the general’s favorite retreat, I had to climb a foot-wide, almost ladder-like stair.  Here, I had a bird’s eye view of the town and Aguinaldo Park (Liwasang Emilio Aguinaldo).

Check out “Liwasang Emilio Aguinaldo“

Aguinaldo Park
View of town from Tower Suite

At the garden behind the house is Aguinaldo’s marble tomb, facing the river whose waters often served as a secret escape route.

Aguinaldo’s marble tomb
Aguinaldo Shrine: E. Aguinaldo Highway, Kawit, Cavite. Open Tuesdays to Sundays, 8 AM-4 PM.

Jose P. Laurel Museum and Memorial Library (Tanauan City, Batangas)

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From the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist, Jandy and I moved on to the nearby Jose P. Laurel Museum and Library, the home of Jose P. Laurel, the president of the Japanese-sponsored Second Philippine Republic (October 14, 1943-August 17, 1945).  Laurel was born here on March 9, 1891.  The Laurels, being a prominent family, built their residence just walking distance from the cathedral and town hall and 100 m.  from the national road. 

Jose P. Laurel Museum and Memorial Library

Built in 1880, this ancestral house was restored by Jose P. Laurel’s son Mariano and daughter-in-law Alicia on March 9, 1964 and was donated to the national government to serve as a public library.  It also houses Jose P. Laurel’s memorabilia.  The 2-storey house has a ground floor of stone and an upper level of wood with wooden posts, sliding capiz windows and a floor of brightly polished wooden planks. 

The dining room
The living room
Laurel’s office

It was a holiday (Labor Day) during the time of our visit but the caretaker gladly allowed us free rein to tour the areas of the house – the living room (with its prominent bust of Laurel), dining room (with its 8-seater dining table and mounted photo of Laurel delivering a speech) and Laurel’s bedroom (with its antique 4-poster bed) and office (with Laurel’s desk and chair).    Beside an oil painting of Laurel is a wooden harp.  Outside the house is an antique church bell.

Laurel’s bedroom
A wooden harp
The old church bell

Jose P. Laurel Museum and Memorial Library: A. Mabini Ave, Poblacion, Tanauan City, Batangas. Open daily, 8 AM-5 PM.

Majestic Mayon Volcano (Albay)

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The Cagsawa Ruins and cloud-shrouded Mayon

Our Roll-On Roll Off (RORO) ferry from Allen (Northern Samar) finally arrived at Matnog (Sorsogon) by 12:15 PM and as soon as the ferry ramp was down, Charlie and I were soon on our way to Naga City (Camarines Sur), hoping to make it there by evening.  At Legaspi City, we had a late lunch at Waway Restaurant along Penaranda St., famous for its Bicolano fare such as laing, Bicol Express and chicharon bulaklak. This done, it was back to our Ford Explorer but, just out of the city, we just could resist making a stopover at the Cagsawa Ruins in nearby Daraga town, with its panoramic backdrop of Mayon Volcano, one of the Bicol Region’s 2 great landmarks (the other is Naga City’s Penafrancia Shrine, home of the Virgin of Penafrancia).

The swirling clouds around Mayon Volcano

Though we can not see its cloud-shrouded perfect cone, the view wasn’t quite disappointing as the swirling clouds covering the volcano halfway up the cone were a spectacle in itself.   Most pictures of Mayon Volcano (including ours) are taken with the Cagsawa Ruins in the foreground.  Many people doing so within the ruins do not know that they are standing on a mass grave.   

Ruin’s of priest’s house

During that dreadful morning (8 AM) of February 1, 1814, the volcano erupted, forming giant cauliflower-shaped gray clouds and spewing red-hot boulders and a river of boiling lava  from the volcano’s crater. It became dangerous for people living around the volcano to stay at home as the huge, hot rocks fell on their roofs and spread fires.   About 1,200 people fled their homes for the seeming safety of the church.  Here, they were buried alive when 40 m. of mud and ash engulfed them.  By 10 AM, the large stones had stop falling, raining sand instead, and by 1:30 PM, the skies began to clear and only clouds of smoke and ash spewed out of the volcano.  Mayon’s short-lived, 6-hr. eruption was over but so were the lives of the people trapped in the church.  

Today, only the blackened top section of the church steeple and some walls of the priests’ house and the municipal building remain.  Stores within the area are now doing brisk business selling souvenirs (T-shirts, postcards and actual photos of the latest eruption) and foodstuff (pili nuts, etc.).  Only the ruins and a historical marker installed in 1940 tell the story of that dreadful day nearly 2 centuries ago.