#history365

[filmmakerstherapycouch]

#wisdom beyond his years, keeps me motivated to teach, listen and learn. . . #knowledgeofself #history365 #blackexcellence #blackboy

[theurbanhistorian]

A pseudo Book Review.

Note: If you are following my blog since last month, you might know that most of my information that are posted here are referred from Nick Joaquin's book. So I'll be somehow making a review of the book.

Book Title: Manila, My Manila: A History for the Young (1999 Ed.) Author: Nick Joaquin Genre: Pop History (?), okay it is generally both a Pop Book and a History book, with Manila as the center.

Homer for Troy, Virgil for Rome and Joaquin for Manila.

Nick Joaquin literally celebrated his literary talent in the land of his birth and growth: Manila. Manila with its medieval walls, mystical rituals, labyrinth-like streets and its crazy mix of the Orient, New and Old World. 

This book is generally a history of the Philippines, with Manila as the center. When Manila sneezes, the Philippines catches cold.

From the time the original settlers of the Maynila (not Soliman!) until the creation of the larger Metro Manila, Nick Joaquin's description of the different epochs of Manila was great, especially of Intramuros, owing to the fact that his main hobby was to walk through the Walled City when he was younger. Joaquin's description of the "Lost" Manila is comparable to the description of Rowling to the Wizarding World.

Sadly his Intramuros, with the La Naval of the Dominicanos, the Lourdes of the Capuchinos and the San Antonio of the Franciscanos was gone when after the 1945 Battle for Manila and the transfer of the religious motherhouses outside the walls, only the Agustinos will remain inside the walls.

The book also speak of a Romeo and Juliet, our own version (Salcedo and Candarapa) and a crime of passion (Don Alonso Fajardo's story). We could breathe that Ferdinand Marcos and Imelda Marcos were not the pioneers of cronyism and the Metro Manila executive head. Diego Fajardo will have Manuel Venegas and the first executive head of the Greater Manila, the precursor of the Metro Manila was headed by Jorge Vargas.

It also tells the reader in details on how the different cultures influenced Manila. It was not thoroughly influenced by  the conquerors (Spanish, American, Japanese), but also by all the people in the city. Even in the start of the Spanish Rule, it was conceived that Manila is not "another European City", but a city with its own identity, it isn't too European and too Asian, it is Filipino.

It is not an academician's History Book. It is a pop history book. It is not your typical history book that has dates, places and names. True, it has dates, places and names, but what differs it was the explanation of the significance and repercussions of that particular happening, which sometimes is lacking in some strict history books.

I don't know if this is still for sale in your bookstores but it is widely available in your public libraries especially Manila. I promise my reputation that this book isn't boring, and after that you'll learn about your Manila.

71/365

[theurbanhistorian]

The Idol of Prewar Manila

Before Manny Pacquiao actually thrilled the country and the the world with his lifestyle and his rags to riches story, we could sigh that he was not the first boxing icon to do that.

With the onset of 1920's Europe was ravaged with the First World War, and the American Entry was so late, the Philippines did not feel the war after all! All of this is because Manila is so busy in business: Manila of the 1920's was already experiencing its economic boom. Manila rose from the ravages of the revolution to become then one of Asia's urban city. From a sleepy Spanish town to a prosperous American city, that is how Manila transformed then, and this rags to riches story was personified by the boxing hero of the 1920's, I daresay he is the original.

Francisco Guilledo aka Pancho Villa typified this prosperous era by his magnificent wardrobe, his collections of silk shirts and natty hats, his pearl buttons and gold cufflinks, and his princely retinue. As if this is less, he also had a valet to massage him, another to towel him, another to put on his shoes, another to help him into his trousers, another to comb his hair, powder his cheeks and spray him with perfume.

By 1920's the Filipinos, with their newly found prosperity, are beginning to do thing the big way! And everything pomp and prosperous about the Filipino is personified in his very person. He is more idolized as a magnifico rather than as a boxer. At the height of his career, he died with a gum infection caused by fighting after his wisdom tooth has been extracted. But nevertheless, by his World Championship, he made a statement that is also a boost to the Filipino: Filipinos can compete and excel even against their western counterparts. His exploits just galvanized the vulnerability of the colonial powers.

60/365

[theurbanhistorian]

The National Library

Located in the T. M. Kalaw avenue in Luneta, the National Library has a long history  dating from the Spanish Period and is the repository of some of the country's cultural jewels, including the manuscripts of the Noli and Fili, which is currently hidden in a double combination vault.

It first existed as the Museo-Biblioteca de Filipinas in the Spanish Times housed in the Intendencia, then transferring in Quiapo in the site in which the Mosque currently stands. It was abolished during the American Takeover.

But the Library was revived in the American period as the American Circulating Library (a private library), subsequently the collection will be donated to the government, where the government in 1909 would receive the collection with Act 1935, thus the Library will be recognized as a government institution.

The Library had located itself in Calle Rosario (now Quintin Paredes) in Binondo before it moved to the Hotel de Oriente nearby. Then they moved to the Legislative Building (it was originally solely for the Library).

The Second World War will totally destroy some of the collections of the Library, including the remains of the Supremo Bonifacio either by fires, destruction of the building and looting that happened after the Battle of Manila.

The library after the war will move to several locations more before finding its permanent home near Rizal Park. When the Rizal Centennial Comission was formed, it was planned that the National Library be erected near Rizal to tribute Rizal as an advocate of education. Thus, on the Centennial of Rizal in June 19, 1961. The National Library was inaugurated.

Also, the street TM. Kalaw was named after Teodoro Kalaw, a former head librarian of the National Library.

[theurbanhistorian]

The Current City Seal.

This is the current city seal of Manila. In the Spanish Times, the City Seal looked like this. Only the merlion rampart remained of the Distinguished and ever loyal city. In the case you don't know, the Spanish Manila's City Seal is also the logo of the country's best tasting beer.

48/365

[theurbanhistorian]

The Anda Monument

Located in the Bonifacio Drive (formerly Malecon Drive) just outside the walls of Intramuros, there is a monument dedicated to a Governor General that faced the most serious foreign threat to the Spanish Domination in the Islands: The British Invasion of Manila.

Governor Simon de Anda y Salazar was the Lt. Governor General of the Spanish Colony when the Great Britain invaded the Islands as part of the Seven Years War in Europe. After the invasion, he became the Legitimate Governor General of the colony.

When Manila was invaded by the British in 1762, Anda fled to Pampanga along with Half of the Treasury and some documents and led the resistance against the British there.

The British Occupation however, did not spread outside the walls of Manila. When he died in Manila in 1766, he was buried in the Cathedral and remained there until the 1863 Earthquake. He was re-interred in the Franciscan Church and was returned in the Cathedral after the Cathedral Reconstruction was finished. (I wonder if the current cathedral still bears his tomb.)

The monument was erected 1871 during the leadership of Governor General Carlos Maria dela Torre.

42/365