On June 13, 1896, Casimiro V. del Rosario, who was recognized in 1984 as National Scientist in Physics, Astronomy and Meteorology, was born in Bantayan, Cebu.
(Dr. Casimiro del Rosario)
Dr. Del Rosario is known for his researches on ultraviolet light of different wavelengths, effect of radioactive radiation on euglena (a genus of unicellular organisms), high voltage electrical discharges in a vacuum, and many other accomplishments.
He finished BS in Civil Engineering with honors at the University of the
Philippines in 1918; MS in Physics at Yale University in the United
States in 1924; and PhD in Physics at the University of Pennsylvania in
1932.
Notably, Del Rosario was the co-founder of the Bartol Research
Foundation (Franklin Institute) in Philadelphia, an institution which
did pioneering researches in physics.
Del Rosario also headed the Philippine Weather Bureau (now Philippine
Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Adminstration
(PAGASA)) for 11 years. He was vice chair for the National Science
Development Board in 1958.
He was given the Presidential Award in 1965 for his outstanding works in physics, meteorology and astronomy.
On This Day - June 12,1898 - General Emilio Aguinaldo proclaimed the Philippine Republic as an independent country, demanding a “dignified place in the concert of free nations.”
The Philippines declared independence after more than 300 years under Spanish rule.
Every June 12th, Filipinos celebrate their freedom by flying their national flag high in the sky.
While there were many who fought for Filipino independence, there are a few people who are honored and remembered as heros for their contributions in securing the country’s independence. José Rizal was a key member of the Filipino Propaganda Movement and inspired a wave of nationalism through his writings. Andrés Bonifacio, “The Father of the Philippine Revolution”, formed a secret society called the Katipunan and led a number of successful campaigns against the Spanish. General Emilio Aguinaldo was another notable figure who fought alongside the United States during the Spanish-American War. It was he who, on June 12, proclaimed the Philippine Republic as an independent country, demanding a “dignified place in the concert of free nations.”
Alongside celebrating the heroes mentioned above, Filipinos also attend parades, speeches and a 21-gun salute in the capital city of Manila. The national anthem is sung far and wide throughout the archipelago, and people usually enjoy the day off at parks and malls. It wouldn’t be a holiday without some famous foods like kare-kare (oxtail and vegetable stew topped with thick peanut sauce) and halo-halo (shaved ice sundae).
Happy Araw ng Kasarinlán, or Independence Day, to the Philippines!
On June 11, 1978, by virtue of Presidential Decree No. 1530,
the Home Development Mutual Fund (HDMF), more popularly known as the
Pag-IBIG Fund was established to answer to the need for a national
savings program and an affordable shelter financing for the Filipino
worker. Pag-IBIG is an acronym which stands for Pagtutulungan sa Kinabukasan: Ikaw, Bangko, Industria at Gobyerno.
Under the said law, there were two agencies that administered the Fund.
The Social Security System (SSS) which handled the funds of private
employees and the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) handled the
savings of government workers. Less than a year after on March 1,
1979, Executive Order No. 527 was signed directing the transfer of the
administration of the Fund to the National Home Mortgage Finance
Corporation, which was one of the operating agencies of the then
Ministry of Human Settlements.
Seeing the need to further strengthen the stability and viability of the
two funds, Executive Order No. 538 was issued on June 4, 1979, merging
the funds for private and government personnel into what is now known as
the Pag-IBIG Fund. However, it was only on December 14, 1980 when
Pag-IBIG was made independent from the NHMFC with the signing of PD
1752, which amended PD 1530. With the improved law in effect, the Fund's
rule-making power was vested in its own Board of Trustees. Likewise,
PD 1752 made Pag-IBIG membership mandatory for all SSS and GSIS
member-employees.
The administration Fund underwent some changes after former President
Corazon C. Aquino assumed leadership of the country. Pag-IBIG
contributions were suspended from May to July 1986. This gave way to
the Presidential Task Force on Shelter to conduct a thorough review of
the Fund and its operations. The task force later affirmed that Pag-IBIG
Fund was run professionally and that there were no anomalies in the
Fund.
On August 1, 1986, former President Aquino directed the resumption of
Pag-IBIG membership under Executive Order No. 35. Membership was still
on a mandatory basis but under more liberal terms. For one,
contribution rate was reduced from three percent to one percent for
employees earning over P1,500. Employer share was likewise cut from
three percent to a fixed rate of two percent. The Maximum Fund Salary
was raised from P3,000 to P5,000.
On January 1, 1987 voluntary membership to the Pag-IBIG Fund was
returned under Executive Order No. 90. While many companies chose to
discontinue their Pag-IBIG membership, quite a number, including big
companies like PLDT and Dole Philippines opted to retain their
membership to the Fund despite the voluntary nature of registration.
Facing challenges head on, confronted with the sudden reduction in its
membership base, Pag-IBIG stood unfazed and took the challenges head on.
As a first step, the Fund implemented an intensified marketing campaign
that focused on membership retention and generation. It was during the
years as a voluntary fund that Pag-IBIG evolved from an institution
primarily for savings and housing into an agency with a wider reach that
covers almost all other needs.
Pag-IBIG introduced innovative benefit programs that heeded the calls
for expansion of membership to include self-employed groups with
informal income, overseas Filipino workers, and non-earning spouses. It
also launched other novel programs such as the Multi-Purpose Loan for
its short-term loans program, and shelter programs that address both
individual and institutional housing requirements. Clearly, the
voluntary nature of Pag-IBIG membership did not stop the Fund from
growing in depth and breadth. During the period, the Pag-IBIG Fund has
claimed its rightful place in the country's economic and financial
system, finally gaining the acceptance of its members, not by force, but
by its continuing efforts to impress upon the members that the Fund
exists solely for their benefit as well as their beneficiaries.
On June 17, 1994, after eight years as a voluntary fund, the nature of
Pag-IBIG membership reverted to mandatory when President Fidel V. Ramos
signed Republic Act 7742. The new law became effective on January 1,
1995.
Today, more than a decade after the universal Pag-IBIG coverage law was
implemented, the Pag-IBIG Fund continues to be a strong partner in
realizing Filipino workers' dreams. Over the years, it initiated more
programs and projects, particularly those that address the needs of
members belonging to the bottom economic level. The Fund has established
special housing partnerships with teachers and uniformed men, among
others. The Rent-to-Own Program was introduced, providing members
another affordable way of homeownership. The Fund's efforts towards
housing the Filipino did not go unnoticed. During the World Habitat Day
celebration in October 2006, Pag-IBIG was given the prestigious Scroll
of Honour Awards by the United Nations Human Settlements Program
(UN-Habitat) for "making the dream of affordable housing a reality for hundreds of thousands of households."
Pag-IBIG is the first Philippine government agency to be awarded such
recognition. The Fund likewise strengthened its partnership with
accredited developers by way of its various institutional lending
programs, among which is the much-sought after program for the
development of medium and high-rise condominium buildings. The program
provides a ready inventory of condominium units for sale at affordable
prices, and allows members to experience condominium style living in
areas close to their places of work.
In recent years, the Fund has embarked on its successful bid in the
financial market, moving a step closer to its vision of becoming a
premier and globally competitive provident financial institution. In
2001, the Fund floated P2 billion-worth of Pag-IBIG Housing Bonds to
generate additional funds for its shelter financing programs, which was
warmly received by both institutional and individual investors. The
bonds matured in late 2006.
HDMF Law of 2009 Recognizing HDMF's contributions through the years and
the need to further strengthen its capability as the biggest source of
housing finance in the country to date, President Gloria
Macapagal-Arroyo signed into law Republic Act No. 9679 or the Home
Development Mutual Fund Law of 2009. The law was signed on July 21,
2009. Under the new HDMF law, membership to the Pag-IBIG Fund is made
mandatory for all SSS and GSIS covered employees; uniformed members of
the AFP, BFP, BJMP and PNP; as well as Filipinos employed by
foreign-based employers.
Now more than ever, Filipino workers will enjoy the benefits that are
available only to Pag-IBIG members. Likewise, the law grants the HDMF
exemption from tax payments like other government provident
institutions. With its tax-exempt status reinstated, Pag-IBIG will have
more funds to finance housing and short-term loans as well as
investments in government securities. Income from these endeavors is
distributed exclusively to Pag-IBIG members in the form of dividends.
The HDMF Law of 2009 also gives the Board of Trustees the authority to
set the contribution rates, thereby paving the way for members to save
more for their future. Similarly, this will bolster the Fund's resources
for home financing.
To this day, the Pag-IBIG Fund continues to harness these four sectors
of the society to work together towards providing Fund members with
adequate housing through an effective savings scheme.
References
Philippine News Agency archives
About page, Home Development Mutual Fund (http://www.pagibigfund.gov.ph/)
On This Day - June 9, 1904 - Artemio Ricarte was accused of conspiracy, rebellion and insurrection against the Americans
On June 9, 1904, noted Filipino General, Artemio "Vivora" Ricartewas accused of illegal possession of firearms, conspiracy, rebellion and insurrection against the Americans.
(General Artemio "Vivora" Ricarte)
Dubbed as the "Father of the Philippine Army", Ricarte was the Chief of Operations of the Philippine forces during the Philippine-American War which started in 1899.
Ricarte
was captured in Manila in 1900 and deported to Guam along with other
leaders of the insurrection. General Ricarte, Apolinario Mabini and
others were eventually pardoned and were allowed to return home in 1903.
Mabini pledged his allegiance to the Americans but died few weeks later
of cholera. Ricarte who refused to take the oath was not allowed to set
foot in the Philippines and was instead shipped to Hong Kong. He
secretely returned shortly after and raised a revolt in the Rizal
province area.
Ricarte would spend the next six years at Bilibid Prison.
In
1910 upon his release from prison he was again ordered to pledge his
oath of allegiance to the United States but would again refuse and would
again be deported to Hong Kong.
Ricarte
and his wife eventually moved to Yokohama, Japan where they lived in
self exile until the invasion of the Philippines by Japan in 1941. It is
said that the Japanese flew "Vibora" back home to help the Japanese
pacify the Filipinos.
In
1944, during the Japanese occupation, Ricarte together with fellow
veteran revolutionist Generals Leon Villafuerte, and Andres Villanueva,
Benigno Ramos of Ganap Party (formerly Sakdal Party), Pio Duran and
others, established the MAKAPILI(Kalipunang Makabayan ng mga Pilipino- "Patriotic League of Filipinos"), an armed pro-Japanese militia to fight the American forces.
Some
accounts said that towards the end of World War II, Ricarte was asked
by a Japanese military officer to evacuate the Philippines but Ricarte
declined, stating:
"I
can not take refuge in Japan at this critical moment when my people are
in distress. I will stay in my Motherland to the last."
Due
to the hardship and difficulties from evading American and Filipino
attacks, Ricarte became ill and suffered from debilitating dysentery.
On July 31, 1945 at Hungduan, Ifugao, Artemio "Vivora" Ricarte died at the age of 78.
Sources:
Philippines News Agency archives
American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, Volume 29, Number 2, February 1953
History of the Philippines, David P. Barrows, 1925
On June 8, 1625, the revolt Nueva Segovia (present day Cagayan province) took place in a village called Abulag led by Don Miguel Lanab and a person only known as Alababan. The rebellion started with the killing of Fray Alonso Garcia and Fray Onofre Palao by Lanab and Alababan, followed by burning a church.
The following is the account of this event extracted from Chapter XXVIII of Aduarte's Historia, The Philippine Islands, 1493-1803, Vol. 1, no. 32, Emma Helen Blair, et. al.
On the eighth of June, the first Sunday after the most Holy Trinity, a great misfortune occurred in the revolt of some Indians of the province of Nueva Segovia. Turning their backs on the faith, they gave it up and fled to the mountains - a thing which caused great grief to the ministers of the holy gospel.
In that province, above a village named Abulug, near a river which comes down from the mountain, two villages had been formed by gathering the inhabitants together. They were called Nuestra Sefiora del Rossario de Fotol, as has been recounted in this history, and San Lorenzo de Capinatan. In the latter there lived some Indians known as Mandayas, a wild and fierce tribe whose native abode was in mountainous places about the bay of Bigan in Ylocos.
The religious ministered to them and assisted them in their necessities, taught them the law of God, and baptized many people, for these people generally asked holy baptism from them. Their evil nature, which was perverse and restless, and their affection for their ancient places of abode so attracted them that it seemed as if in that village they were caught fast by the hair. Three times they endeavored to escape to the mountains; and though they were prevented twice, and their efforts came to nothing, this last time they so planned their attempt, and kept it so secret, that they carried out their evil purpose. With this object, they stirred up the old inhabitants of Capinatan, and persuaded those of Fotol, bringing them to join them by means of threats and prayers. Some of the people of Fotol became so obstinate that they were worse than the Mandayas, the first movers of the insurrection. Afterward the Mandayas who were in Capinatan rose; and two of them, Don Miguel Lanab and another chief named Alababan, set the enterprise in motion by going to the church to speak to the religious who was there at the time. This was father Fray Alonso Garcia, a son of the convent of San Pablo at Valladolid, who had said a first mass in the village of Fotol, and a second in Capinatan, and was now at dinner with brother Fray Onofre Palao, a lay religious from the convent of Manila. They were seated at their meal in a little corridor of the house.
Their assailants came up, and each one standing beside the religious whom he was to decapitate, they made a pretense of asking permission to go to some villages on their ancient lands. Father Fray Alonso, who had but recently come, referred the request to the regular minister of the village, and asked them to wait till he should come, because he was in another village. At this point Alababan raised his arm, and with his balanao or knife he struck such a blow on the neck of Fray Onofre that he cut off his head to the backbone, leaving it hanging by only a little bit of skin. Don Miguel Lanab, who had not acted so promptly, lifted his knife, and father Fray Alonso naturally raised his hand to protect his head. The knife cut through this and the blow went on and reached his head. Father Fray Alonso rose from the table and fell on his knees like a gentle lamb; and the Mandaya traitor repeated the blow, giving him another on the head.
The Indian boys who served at the table began to scream; and the transgressors, that they might not be caught in so perfidious an act, made their escape. Some Indians who were ignorant of the conspiracy came, and took father Fray Alonso to the house of a chief, where some medicines were applied to the wound. As they were preparing a barge in which to take him down to the village of Abulug, the Mandayas came, and prevented them from doing so by threats. They took him back to the house of the chieftainess: and while father Fray Alonso was exhorting the people to come back to obedience, and expounding to them the evil of which they were guilty in apostatizing from the faith, three Mandayas came in, and with their keen balanaos or knives cut to pieces the confessor of Christ. They afterward threw out the pieces from the house, to be eaten by the swine who were there.
As a result of this atrocious deed, the Mandayas rose in a body and roused the Capinatas; and, coming down to Fotol, they forced the people there by menaces to flee with them to the mountains. They set fire to the churches, and, as members of Satan, they defiled them by a thousand sacrileges. They struck off the head of a Christ, and cut the body down the middle, dividing it into two parts, which were afterward found by the religious who came to bring them back to obedience. The religious buried these, the uprising of the Mandayas (of whose severe punishment we shall soon hear) allowing no opportunity for anything else.
With regard to Fray Alonso Garcia, several matters worthy of remark were noted. The first was this. Some months before, while he was living in the convent in Capinatan, he one night had put himself into the posture of prayer in the dormitory, with his breviary in his hand. At this time the convent was disturbed by an imp who caused so much trouble that he would not give the religious any rest, and from whose visitations there was not in all the convent any place that was free. He disturbed them in the dormitory, he made a noise in the cells, he feigned the noise of a struggle in the church; and sometimes he let himself fall with a clatter that was heard in the village, and he would throw himself down from the choir. He used to walk up and down in the church, and he made his appearance in the larders, where he broke all the plates there were; he made a noise under the beds, and struck the heads of the bedsteads; and sounded the strings of a harp which they had for use at masses on some feasts. This disturbance lasted until the breaking-out of the uprising, and must have been a prognostication of it, and a sign of what the devil was devising to disquiet the Christians of this village.
Now while father Fray Alonso was praying, the imp came to him, invisible to everyone in the dormitory, and struck the father a heavy blow, so that he felt pain in the same hand and wrist, in the place where the blow afterward fell which cut it off. This was the first of the things referred to. The second was that he thought so little of himself, and had so little confidence in his own works, that he was accustomed to say that if he did not die by some fortunate blow which should take away his life and despatch him to heaven, he did not know whether he should go there. This he said because of his humility, and the event was as he said. Another matter was that, although father Fray Alonso was not a very skilful linguist, and not one of those who had made the greatest progress in speaking the language of that tribe, yet when he was wounded by the first blows and was urging the Indians not to flee, and telling them of the harm which would come to them if they did so, he spoke with such elegance and precision that the Indians were amazed to hear him; and they noted this as a striking fact at the time, and told of it afterward. He was very charitable, and was in the habit of praising all and of speaking of the defects of himself alone. He came to the Philippinas in the year 1622, and lived in the province of Nueva Segovia- where, in his third year, he met with the happy death which keen knives, directed by hands of apostates from the faith, bring to ministers of the holy gospel.
The intermediate chapter of 1628 made mention of these two religious in the following words: "In the province of Nueva Segovia father Fray Alonso Garcia, a priest, and brother Fray Onofre Palao, a lay brother, died happily by the hands of impious apostates, an uprising of the Indians to whom they ministered having occurred."
In the place where father Fray Alonso was cut to pieces, there was afterward raised in his honor a small shrine. The Indians were brought back in the following year, and this tribe used devoutly to frequent this shrine. The dwelling of the religious had stood where Fray Onofre had been killed, and here it was erected again.
Since the first building was burned, it was supposed that the fire had consumed his body at the same time - although some Spaniards have some small bones which they value, believing that these are his, because they found them where he was decapitated.
References
Philippines News Agency archives Chapter XXVIII of Aduarte's Historia (via The Philippine Islands, 1493-1803, Vol. 1, no. 32, Emma Helen Blair et al, 1911, University of Michigan Digital Library).
On This Day - June 6, 1875 - Norberto Romualdez Sr. was born
On June 6, 1875, Norberto Romualdez Sr., Leyte's favorite
son and delegate to the first constitutional convention, was born in
Burauen, Leyte. He was the brother of Vicente Orestes Romualdez, the
father of Imelda Romualdez Marcos.
(Norberto Romualdez Sr)
Romualdez was one of the "Seven Wise Men" who drafted the 1935 Constitution for the Philippine Commonwealth.
He finished his Bachelor of Arts with honors at the Ateneo Municipal de Manila in 1895 and earned his title of Maestro de Segunda Ensenanza (high school teacher) at the University of Santo Tomas before the outbreak of the Philippine Revolution.
He studied law during the American Occupation and passed the Bar in 1903.
The Americans took notice of his qualifications and appointed him
assistant city attorney of Manila in 1910, judge of the Court of Land
Registration in 1911, judge of the Court of First Instance for the 22nd
District (Capiz, Iloilo, Antique, and Negros Occidental) in 1914, and
associate justice of the Supreme Court in 1921.
Notably, when he attended the Postal Convention in Barcelona, Spain, in
1920, he worked for the adoption of the Philippine peso as the postal
monetary unit of the country, and also performed other significant
services while in Spain.
He initiated moves for the return of the Spolarium, the famous
painting of Juan Luna. He was also commissioned to bring home the
remains of Marcelo H. Del Pilar, which he accomplished on December 3,
1920.
In the Commonwealth National Assembly, he was chairman of the Committee
on National Language. He sponsored Act No. 184 which provided for the
adoption of the National Language and the creation of the National
Language Institute. Romualdez was the author of Philippine Orthography where he proposed how to systematically write in the native language.
While growing up in his native Leyte province, he first achieved status as a writer in the Waray-Waraylanguage. He published his Bisayan Grammar which was intended to be for
American soldiers stationed in Tacloban, Leyte who wanted to learn the
language.
Leytenos respected him as an educator when he taught at the family's Colegio de San Jose.
Until his death, he was president of Sanghiran San Binisaya, a group which he founded and initiated projects to cultivate and enrich the Waray-waray language.
Norberto died in Palapag, Samar (present day Northern Samar) on November 4, 1941.
On June 5, 1899, General Antonio Luna was killed in the plaza of a rectory in Cabanatuan, Nueva Ecija. Luna was to attend a council of war called by General Emilio Aguinaldo.
(General Antonio Luna (left), and General Emilio Aguinaldo)
Luna arrived with two aides-de camp and a mounted escort of twelve men. After dismounting and dismissing his escort, he proceeded alone to the rectory where Aguinaldo had his headquarters. On mounting the stairs, he was met by a junior officer, who informed him that Aguinaldo had left with his command. Luna felt slighted and expressed himself very strongly on the matter and prepared to take his departure. As he turned to leave the room, a sergeant of one of the two companies that Aguinaldo had left at Cabanatuan, sprang from behind the door, where he had been concealed, and attacked Luna from behind, inflicting a severe wound with a bolo.
General Luna, seeing himself surrounded and realizing that he was practically in the same strait as Andres Bonifacio had been at Naic, some three years previously, drew his revolver to defend himself. Not wishing to be overcomed by numbers in a hand to hand struggle in the rectory, he forced his way through his assailants and rushed down stairs into the plaza to summon his escort to his assistance. On arriving in the plaza, he was confronted by one of the companies that Aguinaldo had left in Cabanatuan to arrest him at all costs. The officer in command, judging that Luna, if arrested alive, would only be a source of embarassment to Aguinaldo, ordered his men to fire a volley. Luna fell at the first discharge but did not die before he wounded a number of assailants with his revolver.
Earlier, on about March or April, 1899, there were some overtures between Emilio Aguinaldo, Felipe Buencamino, and Pedro Paterno on the one hand and the American authorities on the other, towards a compromise on the basis of an autonomous government. It is unknown with whom these overtures originated, but Aguinaldo was disposed to listen to them. General Antonio Luna heard of this and, at a cabinet meeting at Cabanatuan, reproached the dictator with wishing to betray the "extreme" party. It was this party, according to Luna, which represented the people at large. It certainly did represent the majority of the Filipino leaders and Katipuneros who had gone into the field to fight for complete independence. They would be satisfied by no such half measure as autonomy.
The conversation became heated. Luna, who had a violent temper, threatened to kill Aguinaldo. The latter, however, managed to avoid an encounter just then. But Luna followed up and struck Buencarnino in the face. Buencamino then made his escape with Pedro Paterno and both took refuge in a stable.
To Aguinaldo, compromise or no compromise, autonomy or complete independence, there was not sufficient room in the Philippines for himself and General Luna. He thereupon determined to lay a trap and rid himself of the violent patriot for once and all. To this end he summoned General Luna to attend a council of war at Cabanatuan.
References
An army officer's Philippine studies, Captain John Young Mason Blunt, University Press, Manila, 1912
- The Siege of Baler ended after 11 months, with 35 surviving Spanish
soldiers surrendered including their commander, Lt. Saturnino Martín Cerezo.
The Filipino revolutionaries laid siege to a fortified church of San Luis
Obispo de Tolosa that defended by Spanish troops in the town of Baler, Aurora,
for 337 days, from 1 July 1898 until 2 June 1899.
Baler was garrisoned by a 50-man detachment of the Second
Expeditionary Battalion Cazadores (“Hunters”) under Capt. Enrique de las
Morenas, as the district political-military governor. On June 1, 1898, Morenas
began to stock food supplies and ammunition, and to fortify the church compound
of San Luis de Tolosa in Baler’s town square against a possible attack.
Then on the night of June 30, 1898, 800 Filipino troops
under Teodorico Luna attacked, and the garrison fell back to the church. The
Spanish had to endure confinement in a small, hot, humid space. As the siege
progressed, their food supply began to diminish through usage and spoilage. On
November 22, 1898, Capt. Morenas succumbed to disease and died, the command
fell to Lt. Saturnino Martin Cerezo. The Filipinos attempted to smoke them out
by setting fires beside the church wall, but were repulsed.
By November 22, 1898, a total of 145 days had elapsed since
the siege began, during which 14 Spanish soldiers died of disease. The
Filipinos also had suffered casualties, mostly from rifle fire the Spanish were
able to inflict on them from their protected firing positions.
By January 1899, Spanish emissaries were brought to Baler,
but again Martin Cerezo turned them away. By April 1899, the Spaniards were run
out of food; they resorted to eating stray dogs, cats, reptiles, snails and
crows. By May 1899, there was yet another attempt to get Lt. Martín Cerezo to
surrender, this time, it was a fellow Spanish officer named Lt. Col. Cristobal
Aguilar y Castañeda, but Cerezo turned it away. However, Lt. Col. Cristobal
Aguilar had brought recent Spanish newspapers, which Cerezo initially
dismissed. Until Cerezo read an article concerning a close friend’s posting.
Convinced that the newspapers were genuine and that indeed Spain had lost the
war, Lt. Martin Cerezo and his men surrendered to the Filipinos on June 2,
1899. Three months later, the survivors, including Martin Cerezo, arrived in
Barcelona where they were received and honored as heroes.
Sources and References:
1. Westfall, M. (2012). The Devil’s Causeway: the true story
of America's first prisoners of war in the Philippines. Guildford: Lyons Press
2. Martin Cerezo, S. (1909). Under the Red and Gold: being
notes and recollections of the siege of Baler. Kansas City: Franklin Hudson
3. Reyes Roces, A., ed. (1978). “The period of armed
struggle, 1896–1900.” Filipino heritage. Vol. 8. Manila: Lahing Pilipino
On June 2, 1899, the Malolos Congress declared war on the United States, with its President, Pedro Paterno, issuing the Proclamation of War.
(Opening of the Malolos Congress on September 15, 1898)
Prior to this proclamation, several battles had already occurred between the Filipino and American forces.
Accordingly, this phase of the Philippine–American War, also known as
the Philippine War of Independence or the Philippine Insurrection (1899–
1902) was an armed military conflict between the Philippines and the
United States which arose from the struggle of the First Philippine
Republic
to gain independence following annexation by the United States.
The Filipinos under the leadership of General Emilio Aguinaldo rejected
the annexation of the Philippines and were determined to defend their
freedom.
From the very start, the Americans manifested bad faith when they
refused to recognize Philippine Independence after it was declared by
General
Aguinaldo on June 12, 1898 in Kawit, Cavite.
Inevitably, the Santa Mesa incident on February 4, 1899, led to the outbreak of hostilities when an American sentry shot a Filipino soldier.
Hence, the Philippine-American war ensued between 1899 and 1902 with
Filipinos at a disadvantage, for they had no sufficient arms with which
to
fight the enemy. But it took the Americans almost three years to
conquer the Filipinos.
The proclamation urging the Filipino people to continue the war.
TO THE FILIPINO PEOPLE:
No one is ignorant of the fact that since we took the direction of the
ship of state we have sacrificed ourselves to the service of the
government of our republic, offering ourselves as victims for the sake
of peace, without abandoning the sacred ideal of liberty and
independence which fires our country, but the North Americans refuse to
suspend hostilities asked for by us to consult the national assembly,
seat of the free popular will.
Well, since they wish it, may the responsibility for the war and its
consequences fall on the great nation of the United States of America.
We have behaved as patriots and human beings, showing the great powers
of the world that the present cabinet acts with a diplomacy which
protects our cause as do the arms which defend our rights.
The council of government, deciding to preserve our republican
institutions, national independence and the presidency of Don Emilio
Aguinaldo, in spite of the Americans, who intend to construct upon our
ruins the edifice of tyranny, has concluded to continue the war,
preserving unhurt in their spirit and letter our constitution and laws,
which we have conquered with so much blood such sacrifices.
To war, then, beloved brothers, to war.
In order that the people be free it is necessary for them all to be
brave. Rich or poor, learned or ignorant, beloved Filipinos, hasten to
unite to save our native land from insult and ignominy punishments and
scaffolds, and from the sad and fatal inheritance of enslaved
generations.
The God of war, in whom we have put our faith and hope, is helping us.
Confusion, interior and international di;ssensions and conflicts rend
the invading army. Its volunteers, being aware that we are in the right,
fight without enthusiasm and only in compliance with their forced
military duty. Within the American nation itself a great political party
asks for the recognition of our rights, and Divine Providence watches
over the justice of our cause.
Forward, Filipinos, and the sun of victory will shine on us.
Viva the Filipino sovereign people!
Viva national independence!
Viva the liberating army!
Viva Don Emilio Aguinaldo, President of the Republic!
PEDRO A. PATERNO.
Source: The Development of Philippine Politics, Pages 199-200.
References
Philippines News Agency archives
The Development of Philippine Politics, Maximo M. Kalaw, Manila, 1927.
On May 31, 1764, the Spanish troops led by Simon de Anda y Salazar
re-entered Manila,
took back possession of the city in line with the
terms of the peace treaty at Paris, ending the British occupation of
Manila.
The peace treaty that ended the Seven Years' War, and the consequential return of the Philippines to Spain, was signed on February 10, 1763 by Britain, France, and Spain after having agreed on a preliminary treaty signed earlier by the same on November 3, 1762.
The president and auditors of the audiencia was taken prisoners a day after the British assault on Manila. The archbishop, Manuel Antonio Rojo del Rio, who was acting governor and captain general at the time of the British invasion was also captured. Anda, a judge in the audiencia, escaped captivity, assumed the position of governor and captain general and established resistance from the provinces.
The first news of the suspension of hostilities was brought to Manila by a ship from Madras (India) on July 23, 1763, and was sent forthwith to Anda by the archbishop. The preliminaries of peace, signed by both sides, were brought from the same port on August 26, 1763. Although Anda was also informed of this immediately, he has paid no attention to it, and has steadfastly dared to violate the orders of his sovereign.
On September 19, 1763, the British published an edict declaring Anda responsible for any further bloodshed because of his disregard of the news of the suspension of hostilities. Hence, if Anda does not acquiesce in the suspension, he or any of his adherents, will be attacked, wherever met, with arms; and at the first opportunity, information regarding his obstinacy and arrogancy will be sent to Spain.
Anda countered by issuing an edict on January 24, 1764, stating that when the British give truthful declaration that they will abide exactly by articles 21 and 22 of the peace preliminaries that have been signed between the English and Spanish, and which relate to the evacuation of the places occupied by the former, then hostilities will cease, and the British will be given all necessary help in their transportation. But until such time, the war will continue.
In a separate note addressed to the British military and civil chiefs of Manila, January 28, 1764, Anda cites two clauses of the treaty of February 10, 1763. Article 22 provides:
"That all the countries and territories that might have been gained by conquest in any part of the world, either by the arms of his Britannic and most faithful Majesty, or by those of his most Christian and Catholic Majesty, which are not comprehended in the present articles, article of cession, or article of restitution, shall be returned without raising any difficulty, and without asking compensation."
Article 22 provided that restitution and evacuation of places that might have been captured in the East Indies were to be made within six months. That time, declares Anda, was in August 1763, yet the British still hold Manila and Cavite, and if they do not leave in the next month, they must remain until the monsoon of 1765. He earnestly asks that the terms of the treaty be observed, and all hostilities suspended. In such case, the British will be furnished with food and all necessary supplies at a just price; otherwise hostilities will continue.
A note from the British officials to Anda on March 9, 1764, informs him of the arrival of an English vessel from Fort St. George (India) with the definitive treaty, of which a copy will be sent him as soon as possible.
A note from Anda of the same date, states that he was about to send his agents to Manila, but was holding them until receiving the copy of the treaty above mentioned. These agents will have power to treat on all matters. Anda would go himself, but necessary business renders it impossible.
On March 10, Anda writes again to the effect that he will facilitate the furnishing of supplies to the British as far as possible. He will appoint persons to arrange details of the delivery of Manila and Cavite, though the delivery itself is to be made to the troops in military style. Another note from Anda on the same date, announces that he has appointed the treasurer, Nicolas Echauz, Sargento-mayor Francisco Salgado, and the infantry captains, Mariano Tobias and Raymundo Español, to formally receive the effects of Manila and Cavite and other matters that may arise.
In the night of May 31, when the Spaniards took back Manila, a banquet was given to the British commanders. This was reciprocated on June 4 when Captain William Brereton tendered a banquet to Anda and other officials on his ship.
The British vessels left the Manila bay for India on June 10 and 11, 1764.
Fernando Amorsolo, Filipino painter was born (d. 1972)
Fernando Amorsolo was born on May 30, 1892 in Calle Herran in Paco, Manila to Pedro Amorsolo and Bonifacia Cueto.
Although born in the nation’s capital, Amorsolo would spend most of his childhood in the small town setting of Daet in Camarines Norte where his love for the simple rural life would become the foundation for his artistic output for which he is most well-known.
The Early Years
Amorsolo’s earliest memories would bring him back to a quiet life in the countryside. When he was only seven months old, his father moved the family to Daet to work as a bookkeeper for two abaca firms. Pedro was able to earn a modest income, enough to keep his family comfortable.
Fernando showed early signs of his artistic talent. He would go out to the coast to draw pictures of the ships by the wharves. It was his mother who recognized the young Amorsolo’s talent. She would send her son’s drawings to her cousin Fabian dela Rosa, a prominent painter in Manila. At this early age, Amorsolo displayed an affinity for the rural landscape --- a reflection of his own small world.
Tragedy struck early in Amorsolo’s life. One night, when Fernando was still very young, his father was awakened by shouts coming from outside his window. It was the head of the revolutionary movement fighting against the Spaniards demanding that Amorsolo’s half brother, the eldest son Perico, join the group. Against his father’s wishes, Perico relented and went down to join the rebels. The family never saw him again. After the failure of the 1896 uprising, neighbors told the family that they saw Perico, bound with a bamboo pole strapped to his back, being taken to jail. He was later executed by the Spaniards. Shattered with grief by the death of his son, Amorsolo’s father Pedro never recovered from the ordeal and died of a heart attack a few years later.
Amorsolo’s penchant for depicting an idealized world is viewed by his critics as the work of someone who has never experienced pain in his life. It is apparent that the artist’s preference was not due to a lack of exposure to the ills of society but to a conscious effort to hang on to what is pure and good before the harsh realities of the world shattered his peaceful life in the countryside.
His father died when Amorsolo was eleven years old. Before he passed away, Pedro made his wife promise to give Fernando a proper art education. The widowed Bonifacia gathered her family and returned to Manila in hopes of finding better prospects to provide for her family. Her cousin Don Fabian dela Rosa opened his doors to the family. It was here that Amorsolo had his first real exposure to the art world.
To make ends meet, Bonifacia did embroidery to feed her family. Fernando made himself useful by assisting Don Fabian in his studio. It was during this time that Amorsolo received his first art instruction from Don Fabian. The family’s limited financial means made it difficult for the artist to receive consistent formal art instruction. He earned money the only way he knew how. Amorsolo drew sketches and sold them for 15 centavos a piece to help his family and to pay for his schooling. Despite the family’s financial difficulties, in 1914, he finally earned his degree, with honors, as a member of the first graduating class of the University of the Philippines School of Fine Arts.
Amorsolo lived during a turbulent time in the Philippines. He came of age during a transition period in Philippine history. The former Spanish colony became a territory of the United States of America. As American influence slowly crept into Filipino culture in the bigger cities, the artist yearned for the life he knew during his early childhood days in Daet. This clearly manifested itself in his artistic output where he clearly showed a partiality towards the rural setting where American culture was slow to trickle down. His paintings would embody an affinity for the traditions and lifestyle he knew during the Spanish era. His canvases were filled with scenes of fiestas, old churches and rituals that were the legacy of the Philippines’ former colonial masters.
Striking
Out on his Own
Success came early to Amorsolo. His
professors at the University of the Philippines were quite impressed
with the young painter. Some of them thought that Amorsolo’s brush
work surpassed their own. Apparently they were not the only ones who had
this favorable opinion of the young artist.
The artist became a professor in his early
20’s and was already establishing himself in the art world. At the age
of 25, he was already married to Salud
Jorge and had a daughter, Virginia, when he caught the eye of
one of the most influential figures in Filipino society.
Amorsolo had designed the logo for Ginebra San Miguel, still in use in
its original form today, depicting St. Michael vanquishing the devil.
The owner of the beverage company, Don Enrique Zobel, a leading
figure in the business community and an ardent patron of the arts, was
so impressed by his work that he offered to send Amorsolo to the
Academia de San Fernando in Madrid for further studies with a
generous stipend for himself and his young family. The artist took
the standard entrance exam at the Academia. To Amorsolo’s
surprise, after evaluating his work, the school informed him that, based
on the results, they would accept him not as a student but as a
professor at the school.
Amorsolo was a painfully shy man.
After his acceptance at the Academia, a banquet was held in his honor.
When he was escorted into the banquet hall, he was so nervous that he
excused himself to go to the men’s room. He hurriedly went through
the back door and went back to his hotel room. A school official
later found him and prevailed on him to return to the banquet. He
steadfastly refused. It is ironic that someone as talented and
accomplished as Amorsolo was also known for his diffidence.
Throughout his career, he shied away from any public event that was
thrown in his honor. His confidence was almost purely reserved and
confined to the practice of his trade. His precise brush work
certainly shows someone who was very sure of his artistic skills.
So confident was Amorsolo of his brush stroke that art conservationists
have frequently been surprised at how thinly paint was applied on his
paintings. It took him significantly fewer attempts, and
consequently fewer layers of paint, to get the results that he wanted.
Amorsolo was by no means a Renaissance man.
He had no other significant talent other than illustration and painting.
Unlike artists such as John Singer Sargent, who was also an
accomplished pianist, Amorsolo’s hands were permanently and solely
associated with the paint brush. As a consequence of this
exclusive association, the artist truly became the master of his craft.
Amorsolo eventually settled in and spent
seven months in Madrid where he was able to observe the works of the
masters. He visited art galleries and museums to study the works
of Diego Velasquez, El Greco, Goya, Monet, Manet, Van Dyck, Sargent,
and Joaquin Sorolla. It is here where he honed his skills
and perfected his technique. Diego Velasquez was one of his major
influences, learning from his superior brush work, painterly style, and
mastery of color. He would also learn from and build upon
Sorolla’s technique of utilizing the sun to draw out the most dramatic
effects from the heightened sunlit colors and dramatic contrasts between
light and shade. The perfection of this technique would set
Amorsolo apart from his contemporaries.
Despite his exposure to Western influences,
Amorsolo retained his Filipino consciousness. He was drawn more
towards the gentle rolling hills and verdant rice fields of the
Philippines rather than the cosmopolitan world of Europe’s proud cities.
Even his illustrations of Spanish women were drawn with slender
physiques, narrower hips, and smaller breasts more typical of Filipinas
rather than full bodied Caucasian women.
After his stint in Madrid, Amorsolo came
home to the Philippines ready to apply what he learned. His bright
sunlit rural landscapes were a stark departure from the elegantly dark
European style that was practiced during the time. American
servicemen, officials, and businessmen sought out his paintings to bring
home to the States as a token of remembrance for their stay in the
Philippines. Amorsolo made his mark and carved a niche for himself
in the local art scene. Demand for his chosen genre reached a high
point.
Amorsolo’s
first wife passed away in 1931 leaving him with six children. He
had six more children by a common-law wife. In 1935, he married Maria
del Carmen who gave him eight more children. Fortunately, his
reputation was growing as fast as his brood and his work was more than
enough to provide for his rather large family.
The
War Years
Just as his career was reaching its peak
the Philippines found itself in the midst of the second World War.
The artist and his family lived in the middle of the Japanese-occupied city of Manila
and were not spared from the grim realities of war. Amorsolo
rented another house near Raon
Street where the women and
children stayed while the men occupied the Azcarraga
residence during the daytime which was near a Japanese garrison.
Amorsolo did not let the war stop him from painting but his work took a
dramatic turn.
Difficult times during the war took its
toll on the artist and his family. Amorsolo’s customer base
dissipated in the face of the tough economic situation. Acquiring
painting materials was a challenge. More importantly, Amorsolo was
deprived of his frequent sojourns to the rural areas of Marikina,
Antipolo,
and other locales in the outskirts of Manila where he painted his
popular landscapes. Not having access to his traditional settings,
his paintings took on a darker tone.
During the
war, Amorsolo’s younger brother
Pablo, an accomplished artist in
his own right, was branded a Japanese sympathizer. He was captured
and executed by Filipino guerillas in Antipolo.
This personal tragedy, in addition to the devastation all around him,
weighed heavily on the artist.
Depictions of
human suffering and tragedy dominated his canvases. The idyllic
world within which the introverted artist chose to confine himself was
torn asunder. It was during this time that Amorsolo’s work truly
embodied the artist’s inner self. The paintings were not made in
conjunction with a client’s preferences but were reflections of the
conflicting emotions raging within. Amorsolo was deeply affected
as he watched his surroundings ravaged by war. He painted burning
edifices and mothers fleeing the scene with their children in tow.
Women’s faces were filled with terror and despair as they were engulfed
by death and destruction in their surroundings. Gone were the
ebullient smiles, replaced by expressions of desolation. Rather
than the noontime sun illuminating the main subjects, flames and embers
from the burning ruins became the primary light source casting an eerie
ominous glow.
Even during this dark period, Amorsolo
chose to portray despair not with an emotional outpouring of grief.
It was very rare that a person in his paintings would be depicted
screaming with rage or wailing in intense displays of emotion.
Tragedy was portrayed through subtle means. In one of his more
famous works, a woman is pictured clutching her veil while kneeling in
front of her dead son --- apparently a guerilla soldier killed during a
battle. The woman is looking up to the sky with a calm look of
sorrow on her face. The subtle and restrained depiction proved to
be a more powerful portrayal as the woman’s tearless eyes conveyed a
more intense form of pain. It communicated to the viewer the deep
sense of loss a mother feels when her child is taken away from her.
On the flip side, men were represented not with expressions of rage but
with looks of defiance. In his piece entitled Defensa de Honor,
the man protecting the woman from being raped by a Japanese soldier had
a determined but subdued expression. This was conveyed by the
fiery expression in his eyes and the slight but firm downward turn of
the corners of his mouth. Amidst the tragedy of the war, Amorsolo
still inserted a hint of hope personified by the implied resistance of
his characters to the occupying Japanese forces. His wartime
paintings are considered among his finest work and were exhibited at
Malacanang Palace
in 1948.
The
Prime of his Career
In the period after the war, the artist
resumed his rudely interrupted career. The next two decades saw the
blossoming of Amorsolo’s art. He went back to painting the bright
sun-drenched countryside scenes for which he was most well-known. He
reached the peak of his popularity in the late 1940’s and 1950’s
garnering numerous awards and citations along the way. Amorsolo was
widely recognized as the most influential artist of his time.
The end of the war saw
the Philippines gain its independence from the United States. As
a young republic it was seeking its own national identity. Amorsolo’s
work was naturally seen as the embodiment of a Filipino culture unique
from that of the new country’s former colonial masters. His genre
paintings were in such high demand that he catalogued his works.
Prospective clients would choose the painting they wanted. The artist
then painted a different version of the chosen subjects.
Amorsolo’s prodigious
output was helped in no small way by the speed with which the artist was
able to finish his work. His strokes were so sure and true that he was
able to finish a painting in a significantly shorter period of time. It
is believed that the oil paintings that he produced number into the
thousands. If his drawings, sketches, and studies are added, his total
output was in excess of ten thousand pieces. At one point, he was able
to finish no less than ten paintings in a typical month. Part of the
motivation for this incredible pace was the need to support his large
family.
The artist was roundly
criticized for his machine-like efficiency. Furthermore, a blossoming
modern art movement, who considered Amorsolo the de facto leader of the
classical realist school, saw him as a natural target. He never raised
his voice nor took up the cudgel in his own defense yet he had no
shortage of defenders who took up the fight. Among his staunchest
supporters was Guillermo Tolentino, the finest sculptor the
country ever produced and Amorsolo’s best friend. When asked why he did
not speak up in his own defense, the artist responded with a shrug and
said that he had already matured as an artist. He had nothing left to
prove and was comfortable painting what he wished in the form of
expression that he chose. His customers stood by his side and demand
for his paintings remained high.
The
Sunset of his Life
Amorsolo worked until the last year of his
life. Age was starting to catch up with him. He was afflicted with
diabetes and arthritis in addition to his heart condition. His eyesight
was also beginning to fail him and he had to undergo a cataract
operation. In his later works, his compromised vision led to wayward
brush strokes of red and blue lines where a mound of earth should be.
Despite these challenges, the quality of his output remained at high
levels and the popularity of his work never waned.
What were probably the
most painful tragedies struck him in his later years. In 1964, his
eldest son Fernando, Jr. died from asthma and tuberculosis. The
artist was so grief-stricken that he could not bear to attend his own
son’s funeral. Seven years later in 1971, his youngest child Milo
died in a car accident. The pain of having to bury two of his children
was too much for Amorsolo to bear. Five days short of a year after Milo
died, Amorsolo died of heart failure on April 24, 1972.
Amorsolo’s work continues to resonate among his countrymen decades after
his death. His portrayals of an ideal and beautiful world drew the most
ardent praises and the harshest criticisms. To understand the artist
one has to appreciate the man behind Amorsolo. He was shy, innocent,
and most importantly pure. These traits spilled over onto his canvas.
It was not because Amorsolo was not capable of recognizing the dark side
of society. He had his share of heartbreak and disappointment in his
life but he deliberately isolated himself from these and chose to
portray the bright side of the world. Not a shred of wickedness
permeated his character and as a result his art is the purest
manifestation of beauty. The basic desire to identify with what is good
is what people inherently have in common with the artist. It is for
this legacy that Amorsolo will be most fondly remembered.
Today in History May 27, 1942 Czech resistance fighters kill Reinhard Heydrich
The high-ranking German Nazi official was one of the main architects of the Holocaust. In retaliation, the Nazis murdered all male inhabitants over 15 years of age in the Czech village of Lidice and deported most of the remaining people to concentration camps.
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On May 26, 1859, Felipe Agoncillo, considered as the first Filipino diplomat assigned by the Revolutionary Government to campaign
for recognition of Philippine independence by foreign countries, was born in Taal, Batangas.
Agoncillo, a brilliant lawyer who got perfect score in the Bar
examination, was assigned by General Emilio Aguinaldo to lobby with
foreign
entities that the Filipinos were well civilized people and capable of
maintaining a stable government.
Late in 1898, Agoncillo went to the United States and filed petition
after petition urging recognition of Philippine independence, but US
President William McKinley refused to heed his appeal.
After being ignored by the US president, Agoncillo proceeded to Paris,
France to present the Philippine cause at the peace conference convened
between Spain and the US, where a meeting was to be held to discuss Cuba
and the Philippines. Agoncillo tried to submit a memorandum but again
failed. The people behind the meeting did not want to have any official
dealings with him. On December 10, 1898, the Treaty of Paris was
successfully signed.
Two days after the signing of the Treaty of Paris, Agoncillo returned to
the United States and endeavored to block ratification of the treaty by
the US. Although this was signed by the commissioners, it was not yet
approved by the Senate of the United States. He filed a State memorandum
to
express that Filipinos must be recognized by the United States.
In 1907, he was elected to represent Batangas province, among others, to the Philippine Assembly.
He was appointed as Secretary of Interior in 1923 during the
administration of Governor General Leonard Wood and fought for the
Filipinization of
the government service.
Chinese and Japanese for public works was prioritized but thwarted by Augustinian Recollects
#OnThisDay May
26, 1609, during the early period of the Spanish colonial rule in the
Philippines, a law was passed that regulates the services of the Filipino
natives by prioritizing the hiring of Chinese and Japanese for public works;
and the Filipino natives should be expected to work voluntarily.
The Augustinian Recollects attempted to thwart this order by
later asking the king (via letter dated June 30, 1610) that they be released
from such restrictions, and claiming that such law would ruin their work in the
archipelago. Later on, the king of Spain granted the request of the Recollects.
Philippine relations with the Chinese and Japanese, which
began during pre-Magellanic times, continued throughout the Spanish period. At
the beginning of their rule, the Spanish authorities cultivated the goodwill
and friendship of both Chinese and Japanese in order to retain their valuable
economic services and to preserve Manila’s lucrative trade with China and
Japan. However, distrust and suspicion marred the Spanish policy. At various
times, the Philippines was rocked by Chinese and Japanese uprisings, which were
suppressed at the heavy cost of many human lives and much property damage.
During the Spanish times, the Chinese were called Sangleys.
The term was derived from xiang and ley; the two words combined means
“traveling merchant.” The early Spaniards asked the Chinese traders in Manila
who they were, and the latter replied: “Xiangley.” The Spaniards, not knowing
the Chinese language, thought that the term applied to Chinese nationality;
hence, they applied the name Sangley to all Chinese.
The economic life of the Philippines during the Spanish
times also depended on Chinese labor and industry. The Chinese residents were
merchants, agriculturist, masons, bankers, painter, shoemakers, metalworkers,
and laborers.
Notwithstanding their valuable economic services, the
Chinese were not given fair treatment by the Spanish authorities. The
increasing number of Chinese immigrants was viewed with suspicion and fear, for
a large Chinese community was regarded as a peril to Spanish rule. To
discourage Chinese immigration, the Spanish authorities taxed them heavily – 64
reales for permission to stay, 5 reales for tribute, and 12 reales for owning a
house.
The Parian (also Parian de Arroceros was an area adjacent to
Intramuros) was the Chinatown in Manila during the Spanish times. It played a
significant role in the history of the Philippines. Originally, the Parian was
situated on the south bank of the Pasig River near the Santo Domingo Church.
Upon this site, the first Parian was erected by Governor General Gonzalo
Ronquillo de Peñalosa in 1581.
Chinese immigrants continued to enter the Philippines, their
population thus increased year in and year out. From around 150 Chinese in
1571, the number of Chinese residents swelled to 10,000 in 1588, 30,000 in
1603, 40,000 in 1748, 67,000 in 1886, and 100,000 in 1896.
The first known contact between the Japanese and the
Spaniards was in 1570 when Spanish Marshal Martín de Goiti, after capturing
Raha Sulayman’s Islamic kingdom of Maynilad, found twenty Japanese residents.
One of them was named Pablo, a Christian. Evidently, he had been converted to
Christianity in Japan by the Jesuit missionaries before he came to live in
Manila. Two years later (1572), Captain Juan de Salcedo, while sailing from
Manila to the Ilocos, encountered three Japanese piratical junks off the coast
of Pangasinan and drove them away after a spirited fight.
In the early years of Spanish rule, trade with Japan, which
began during pre-Magellanic times, was encouraged by the government. Annually
in March, Japanese vessels from Nagasaki anchored at Manila Bay, bringing
salted meats, utensils, weapons, writing cases, and other Japanese products.
They returned home in June, laden with raw Chinese silk, gold, deerskin, wax,
earthen jars, and other Philippine exports. In succeeding years, more Japanese
ships came to Manila for purposes of trade.
Japanese settlers in the Philippines were fewer than the
Chinese. They were better treated by Spanish authorities and no discriminatory
laws were made against them, unlike in the case of the Chinese. This was due to
the fact that the Japanese were a valiant and fighting people, hence the
Spaniards feared and respected them.
Most of the Japanese immigrants who settled in the
Philippines were Christians. They were expelled from their own country because
of their Christian faith. In 1619, the Japanese population had reached around
2,000, and in 1621, this number increased to 3,000. The closing of Japan to the
world by Shogun Iyemitsu in 1639 stopped Japanese immigration to the
Philippines. Thus, the Japanese population in the Philippines dwindled.
In 1853, Commodore Matthew C. Perry, leading a squadron of American
warships, reopened Japan to the world. Consequently, Philippine-Japanese
relations were revived. In 1875, a Japanese economic mission visited Manila to
promote Philippine-Japanese trade. The Japanese consulate was established in
Manila in 1889. Filipino patriots who were persecuted by the Spanish
authorities fled to Japan, where they were welcomed.
Sources and References:
1. The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Philippine Islands,
1493-1898: Volume
XVII, 1609-1616, by Various, Edited and annotated by Emma
Helen Blair and James Alexander Robertson
2. Gregorio F. Zaide, Sonia M. Zaide, History of the
Republic of the Philippines, Metro Manila, 1983, 1987, pp. 97, 99, 102, 106
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"I can not take refuge in Japan at this critical moment when my people are in distress. I will stay in my Motherland to the last."