A BOY’S MEMORIES OF MANILA (UPDATE)

A  BOY’S MEMORIES OF MANILA

Manila Chinatown Prior to the arrival of the Spaniards in 1571, trade between ethnic Filipino Malays and Chinese traders was already established in pre-colonial Manila. Manila's Chinatown is one of the oldest in Asia, established sometime in the late 17th century. It is home to many ethnic Chinese who left the Chinese mainland for a home in the Philippines. Binondo is a stone's throw away from the District of Intramuros, which was the Philippine's administrative capital under Spanish rule. The district was within the range of Intramuros' canons to quell any uprising the Chinese could have started. Binondo became a center of commerce during the American colonial era of the Philippines, since the Chinese were known to be experts in trading and finance. Banks, department stores, restaurants, insurance companies, nearly all giant commercial establishments were built in Binondo, the most prominent of which are located in the Escolta Avenue, though these are somewhat out of vogue and dilapidated today. World War II destroyed much of Binondo's commercial establishments. After the war, most companies relocated to Makati, the current central business district of Metro Manila.

Taal Volcano Left Photo

The Jones Bridge, initially named as the Puente Grande and later known as Puente de España, crosses the Pasig River and connects the districts of the Binondo, Chinatown and Escolta areas with the center of downtown Manila. This bridge is considered to be the oldest in all of the Philippines.

calesa terminal. Kalesa (sometimes called a karitela) is a horse-driven carriage used in the Philippines. The word predates the Spanish conquest and descends ultimately from an Old Church Slavonic word meaning "wheels." This was one of the modes of transportation introduced in the Philippines in the 18th century. Manila Yacht Club, Roxas Boulevard across the Blvd. was our old quarters at the Manila Naval Station (MNS)

My early recollection of the Legislative, Post office and the fortification near the Pasig River deserved some mention. Along these walls of Fort Santiago were a lot of Cogon grass that we use to clean and cut back in the mid 1950 as a civic duty and as a project for my cub scout den, designated then as Pack Number 1. During World War II, Fort Santiago was captured by the Japanese Imperial Army, and used its prisons and dungeons including the storage cells and gunpowder magazines for hundreds of prisoners who were killed near the end of the war. MY SISTER ALETA, BELOW MY TITA CORING AND BABY CECILE In the old days the walls were used as security and protection. Threats of invasion by Chinese, Japanese, Dutch and Portuguese pirates prompted the construction of defenses consisting of high stones walls, bulwarks and moats. The walls stretch to 4.5 kilometers in length, enclosing a pentagonal area aprrox. 64 hectares. The area consisted of residences, churches, palaces, schools and govt. buildings. Entry was made possible through gates w/ drawbridges, which were closed before midnite and opened at the break of dawn. When the National Defense Act was approved on December 21, 1935, the Philippine Constabulary Academy was renamed Philippine Military Academy and was permitted to grant its graduates Bachelor of Science degrees after completion of their four-year curriculum. My early socialization with non relatives of my age started within the elementary School from Grade 1 to 7. It was 1950, 5 years after the war, when I started schooling. The limited amount of classroom space was clearly evident then for the newly established Parochial School. It did not bother me about the location, maybe of my innocence about the specter of death, as we have our class inside the catacombs at the basement  of Espirito Santo Church. I can recall the names of my favorite girl classmates, just like yesterday. To me, they seem to be much nicer, more intelligent than what I feel about the boys. My early perceptions of the bullies in the class, that they were probably motivated by competition for attention, and reminder of who rules among the boys. Those who feel superior though, was never given any quarter, as I have that early sense of justice given to the underdog. So it follows in the years, how many scraps I have to go thru. This is the same all through High School. It is also a lesson to know about myself, as my motivation to study depends on who my teacher was. The more attractive she was the more studious I became. What I remember about  Espiritu Santo Parochial School: it was  formally established in 1947 by Rev. Fr. William J. Duschak, SVD, former Vicar Apostolic of Calapan, Oriental Mindoro. Initially, classes were held in the parish hall. Due to the unprecedented increase in student enrolment, the high school department, the Annex 1 and the Annex II buildings were constructed in succession. The following years, Fr. Antonio Albrecht, SVD, the Holy Spirit Sisters and the Secular Clergy efficiently administered the operation of the school. In 1973, the Religious Missionaries of St. Dominic took over its management. Our song…… E.S.P.S. all praise to thee Glad the song we raise to thee. Down the years we’ll love thy name. Thy renown we’ll all acclaim. Thy love and truth will ever be Stars to guide our loyalty A light to shine . . . . on life’s high sea Alma Mater ESPS. Sons and daughters sing to thee, Worthy gifts we bring to thee. Hearts we give thee loyal truth To those rare gifts we owe to you.

Philippine Military Academy, Fort del Pilar, Baguio City. PMA was modeled after the United States Military Academy with  officers from the Philippine Scouts and regularUnited States Army as instructors and members of the general staff. With the outbreak of World War II, training was disrupted at the PMA with Classes 1942 and 1943 being graduated prematurely and assigned to combat units in Bataan and other parts of the country. Many of these young officers perished in the war. After the war, the Academy was reopened on May 5, 1947, at Camp Henry T. Allen in Baguio City. But due to its increasing need for larger grounds, it was soon moved to its present location at Fort Gen Gregorio H Del Pilar, Loakan, some ten kilometers from downtown Baguio. During the 1960s, as a need for more well-rounded individuals was found to be desirable, socio-humanistic courses were added to the school's curriculum. Sangley Point My father became the CO of Sangley Point Cavite Naval Base in the 70’s.1960-photo   Ayuntamiento Building, Intramuros, Manila Papa in the 60's as Commanding Officer(CO)  MNS, extreme left Cdr. Oscar L. Tempongko

1960: I became aware of my heritage in my junior year at UP Prep and began preparation for my appointment as a cadet of the PMA at Fort Del Pilar. This was a period in my teen years that I remember fondly, memories in my High School, of the hectic days, dashing thru the corridors catching my schedule of classes at Rizal Hall. I recall my bag loaded with books, eager, wide eyed, and quick to learn the tenets of math, the arts and sciences. I remember past friends and stormy situations that most teenagers weathered through. As in life surviving the unspoken pecking order among bigger classmates and the so called in crowd was the rule. That lone wolf streak that kept me apart, which peers seemed to see as a weakness was a measure of heritage that set me off from the current teenage precepts of the day. Later, being a late bloomer, when of age and after further studies, scholarships for a Masters in Civil Enginering at a California State U, having ever spurred curiosity, whetted my appetite for a life of adventure, of soldiering and foreign lands. 

My early socialization with non relatives of my age started within the elementary School from Grade 1 to 7. It was 1950, 5 years after the war, when I started schooling. The limited amount of classroom space was clearly evident then for the newly established Parochial School. It did not bother me about the location, maybe of my innocence about the specter of death, as we have our class inside the catacombs at the basement  of Espirito Santo Church. I can recall the names of my favorite girl classmates, just like yesterday. To me, they seem to be much nicer, more intelligent than what I feel about the boys. My early perceptions of the bullies in the class, that they were probably motivated by competition for attention, and reminder of who rules among the boys. Those who feel superior though, was never given any quarter, as I have that early sense of justice given to the underdog. So it follows in the years, how many scraps I have to go thru. This is the same all through High School. It is also a lesson to know about myself, as my motivation to study depends on who my teacher was. The more attractive she was the more studious I became.

What I remember about  Espiritu Santo Parochial School: it was  formally established in 1947 by Rev. Fr. William J. Duschak, SVD, former Vicar Apostolic of Calapan, Oriental Mindoro. Initially, classes were held in the parish hall. Due to the unprecedented increase in student enrolment, the high school department, the Annex 1 and the Annex II buildings were constructed in succession. The following years, Fr. Antonio Albrecht, SVD, the Holy Spirit Sisters and the Secular Clergy efficiently administered the operation of the school. In 1973, the Religious Missionaries of St. Dominic took over its management.

Our song…… E.S.P.S. all praise to thee Glad the song we raise to thee. Down the years we’ll love thy name. Thy renown we’ll all acclaim. Thy love and truth will ever be Stars to guide our loyalty A light to shine . . . . on life’s high sea Alma Mater ESPS. Sons and daughters sing to thee, Worthy gifts we bring to thee. Hearts we give thee loyal truth To those rare gifts we owe to you.

 

Quezon Memorial Circle Elliptical Road Quezon City, Manila

Dr. Jose Rizal Memorial Paco Park and Cemetery Paco, Manila

Andres Bonifacio EDSA cor. Rizal Avenue Caloocan, Manila

Andres Bonifacio's monument in Caloocan City, Andrés Bonifacio was one of the chief leaders of the revolution of the Philippines against Spanish colonial rule. The 1896 Philippine Revolution was the first revolution in Asia against European colonial rule.

Dugo sa Magdalena. Kinalugmukan ng duguang katawan ni Emilio Jacinto sa simbahan ng Magdalena, Laguna

Mabini monument.This is Apolinario Mabini's monument located at the plaza fronting the city hall. Mabini, tagged as the "Sublime Paralytic", is a son of Tanauan.

In my days we just call this place as Luneta. Manila is the site of the country's premiere park, Rizal Park, which was erected for the country's national hero, José Rizal. Besides having parks and green areas, Manila is the home to several plazas, such as the Plaza Balagtas and Plaza Miranda, the site of the1971 politics-related bombings. Within Manila lies notable parks and green areas, such as the Cultural Center of the Philippines, the Rajah Sulayman Park, Manila Boardwalk, Liwasang Bonifacio, Mehan Garden, Paco Park, Remedios Circle, the Manila Zoological and Botanical Garden, Pandacan Linear Park, and the Malacañang Garden.   National Press Club Legaspi Urdaneta Monument  right photo

Intramuros – Manila This was the place where as a child, I  watched young men in fatigues with rifles. Later in college, I would be here, ROTC drills right there at the back of San Ignacio Church ....beside Ateneo ....on the Western side of Sta Lucia

Sangley Tower Phillipines Naval Special OperationsA member of the Naval Special Operations Group (NAVSOG) fires his automatic sub-machine gun during an anti-terrorism rescue operation at the Philippine Navy headquarters in Sangley Point, Cavite

Fort San Antonio Abad in Malate, Manila, Philippines,  from the south looking northwest. Fort Abad is of significant historical importance and a Philippine national treasure. It is strange that so few know about it. It is great that it survives today in good condition and is being protected. It has so much history behind it. The British invasion of Manila in 1762 took this fort first then the American invasion in 1898 did the same. It is located behind the Metropolitan Museum of Manila on Roxas Boulevard. This was the site of the old Manila Naval Station our old military quarters, across the Cultural Center of Imelda.   Sangley Point  Papa became CO of this base in the 1970. Return of Sangley Point to the Republic of the Philippines    An O2U floatplane flies over the Cavite Navy Yard, circa 1930. The seaplane tender Jason is docked at the yard, directly below the plane. Sangley Point is in the background.

Going Home     A Japanese air raid on 10 December 1941 leaves the Cavite Navy Yard in flames.

I remember my father on the bridge of RPS 1133, like the ship on the right. I was a pre school kid then, looking at a young Lt. taking his ship out to the open seas, out of Manila Bay. 1960: I became aware of my heritage in my junior year at UP Prep and began preparation for my appointment as a cadet  at the PMA at Fort Del Pilar. This was a period in my teen years that I remember fondly, memories in my High School, of the hectic days, dashing thru the corridors catching my schedule of classes at Rizal Hall. I recall my bag loaded with books, eager, wide eyed, and quick to learn the tenets of math, the arts and sciences. I remember past friends and stormy situations that most teenagers weathered through. As in life surviving the unspoken pecking order among bigger classmates and the so called in crowd was the rule. That lone wolf streak that kept me apart, which peers seemed to see as a weakness was a measure of heritage that set me off from the current teenage precepts of the day. Classmates underestimated me a poor kid, just a son of a sailor, short in stature and have not reached  the growth expected of my age. My inner strength was formed this way. My full attention was now focused to strive, improve myself and  the planned transfer of the whole family to the USA by advanced education.  Later in full bloom, when of age and after further studies and scholarships, having ever spurred curiosity, whetted my appetite for a life of adventure, of soldiering and foreign lands. Dewey Blvd: The jetty potruding out to Manila Bay is the future Cultural Center, on the other side of Dewey is the Manila Naval Station (MNS) where we lived from 1965 to 1966. the headquarters of the Philippine Navy was relegated to a small block of land south of the Manila Yacht Club. The original plan was to reclaim the site of the cultural center(CC) to replace the location of the MNS by the Central Bank together with the Gold Reserve of the Philippines. The Marcoses, made this sinister evil plan to transport easily 400 tons of gold to navy ships across the street, also saw this valuable real state and confiscated the plan for her project the now this monstrousity Cultural Center. The yacht club remained, the Navy base (MNS) was transferred to Fort Bonifacio.

Fort San Antonio Abad Malate; Manila I remember this building pretty well. When I was a child, my mother and I would collect the salary from the cashier’s office, while my father was away on missions. Then later on, lived across Roxas Blvd. when father was the CO of the Manila Naval Station. Above is the Philippine Navy headquarter building in Metro Manila. This was also the venue of my High School graduation ball at the officer’s club in 1961. The old  Navy base inside Manila Naval Station at Dewey Blvd. adjacent to the Manila Yacht Club. The Manila Cultural Center foreground/below

Papa and his various duty assignments in the 60's who left our midst Feb. 2010. Early in his career as a naval officer, seldom we see him for a decade as he was out to the Southern seas in Mindanao fighting the banditry and secession movements of the muslims. He will go on to higher positions, to take command of his own ship, then a number of ships as a task force commander, then Chief of Staff of the Philippine Coast Guard, a professor in academia at the National Defense College of the Philippines, Dean at the Command and General Staff College, a base commander at the Manila Naval Station and Cavite Naval Base at Sangley Pt. But what I remember most was him on the bridge of RPS 1133, and I a pre school kid, looking at a young Lt. taking his ship out to the open seas, out of Manila Bay. Ramparts of Fort San Antonio Abad where the old HQ of MNS was an addendum perched on top. The old building is gone but the fort remains in its original grandeur.

MANILA  NAVAL  STATION now Jose V. Andrada Naval Station Manila, Philippines.

Manila Bay is a natural harbour which serves the Port of Manila (on Luzon), in the Philippines. The bay is considered to be one of the best natural harbours in Southeast Asia and one of the finest in the world. Strategically located around the capital city of the Philippines, Manila Bay simplified commerce and trade between the Philippines and its neighbouring countries, becoming the gateway for socio - economic development even before Spanish occupation. With an area of 1,994 km 2 (769.9 sq mi), and a coastline of 190 km ( 118.1 mi ), Manila Bay is situated in the western part of Luzon and is bounded by Cavite and Metro Manila on the east, Bulacan and Pampanga on the north, and Bataan on the west and northwest. Manila Bay drains about 17,000 km 2 ( 6,563.7 sq mi ) of watershed area, with the Pampanga River contributing about 49% of the freshwater influx. With an average depth of 17 m ( 55.8 ft ), it is estimated to have a total volume of 28.9 billion cubic meters ( 28.9 cubic km ). Entrance to the bay is 19 km ( 11.8 mi ) wide and expands to a width of 48 km (29.8 mi). However, width of the bay varies from 22 km ( 13.7 mi ) at its mouth and expanding to 60 km (37.3 mi) at its widest point. The islands of Corregidor and Caballo divides the entrance into two channels, about two miles ( 3.2 km ) towards the North and 6.5 miles (10.5 km) wide on the South side. Mariveles, in the province of Bataan, is an anchorage just inside the northern entrance and Sangley Point is the former location of Cavite Naval Base. On either side of the bay are volcanic peaks topped with tropical foliage: 40 km to the north is the Bataan Peninsula and to the south is the province of Cavite. Anchor at Fort San Antonio Abad Wall of Fort San Antonio Abad Defense Secretary Ramon Magsaysay overseeing the capture of William Pomeroy, an American ideologist and leader of the  Nueva Ecija Huk Propaganda Corps. Prior to assuming the presidency, RM was Defense Secretary in Pres. Elpidio Quirino’s Cabinet.  For more information on the capture of William Pomeroy L   Atty. Diosdado Macapagal raises the Philippine flag at Turtle Islands Atty. Macapagal got his first break as a public figure in 1948 when  Vice President Quirino, then concurrently Secretary of Foreign  Affairs, appointed him as Assistant Chief of its Law Division and  assigned him to negotiate the return of the administration of the  Turtle Islands from the United Kingdom to the Philippines.  He succeeded and [Vice President] Quirino gave him the privilege  of raising the Philippine flag over the islands. Ruins at Corregidor Ferry Dock Across the entrance to Manila Bay are several islands, the largest of which is Corregidor, located three kilometres from Bataan and, along with the island of Caballo, separates the mouth of the bay into the North and South Channels. In the south channel is El Fraile Island and outside the entrance, and to the south, is Carabao Island. El Fraile, a rocky island some four acres ( 1.6 ha ) in area, supports the massive concrete and steel ruins of Fort Drum, anf island fortress constructed by the United States Army to defend the southern entrance of the bay. To the immediate north and south are additional harbors, on which both local and international ports are situated. Large number of ships at the North and South harbors facilitate maritime activities in the bay. Being smaller of the two harbors, the North Harbor is used for inter-island shipping while the South Harbor is used for large ocean-going vessels. Manila Bay was connected to Laguna Lake ( or Laguna de Bai) about 3,000 years ago. Recurring episodic uplifts along the West Marikina Valley Fault caused the two to break up. Interaction between Manila Bay and Laguna Lake occurs only through Pasig River. The bay was the setting for the Battle of Manila Bay in 1898 in which American troops led by Commodore George Dewey, seized the area. Significantly, this battle showcased the United States' naval strength when all major Spanish ships were destroyed and captured. With its proud historic past and the place brimming with marine life, Manila Bay became the ocean portal to its epicentre for government, economy and industry. Seven years later during the Russo-Japanese War at the close of the Battle of Tsushima in 1905, three surviving Russian protected cruisers, the Aurora, Zhemchug, and Oleg, managed to make port in then-United States-controlled Manila for repairs. But because the US was a neutral power, the trio of warships and their crews remained interned by the U.S. until the war officially ended in September that year. In World War II, Corregidor Island was annexed by Japanese forces fighting from this bay once again in 1942. Even earlier various other battles were fought from this naval base including the La Naval de Manila in 1646, which finally put a stop gate to the Dutch trials to seize the Philippines Independent Philippines and the Third Republic (1946-1972). In April 1946, elections were held. Despite the fact that the Democratic Alliance won the election, they were not allowed to take their seats under the pretext that force had been used to manipulate the elections. The United States withdrew its sovereignty over the Philippines on July 4, 1946, as scheduled. Manuel Roxas (Liberal Party), having been inaugurated as President as scheduled, on July 4, 1946 before the granting of independence, strengthened political and economic ties with the United States in the controversial Philippine-US Trade Act, In Mar., 1947, the Philippines and the United States signed a military assistance pact (since renewed) which allowed the US to participate equally in the exploitation of the country's natural resources—and rented sites for 23 military bases to the US for 99 years (a later agreement reduced the period to 25 years beginning 1967). These bases would later be used to launch operations in the areas of Korea, China, Vietnam, and Indonesia. During the Roxas administration, a general amnesty was granted for those who had worked together with the Japanese while at the same time the Huks were declared illegal. His administration ended prematurely when he died of heart attack April 15, 1948 while at the US Air Force Base in Pampanga. Vice President Elpidio Quirino (Liberal Party, henceforth referred to as LP) was sworn in as President after the death of Roxas in April 1948. He ran for election in November 1949 against Jose P. Laurel (Nacionalista Party, henceforth referred to as NP) and won his own four-year term. During this time, the CIA under the leadership of Lt. Col. Edward G. Lansdale was engaged in paramilitary and psychological warfare operations with the goal to hold back the Huk Movement. Among the measures which were undertaken were psyops-campaigns which demoralized the superstition of many Filipinos and acts of violence by government soldiers which were disguised as Huks. By 1950, the U.S. had provided the Philippine military with supplies and equipment worth $200 million dollars. The huge task of reconstructing the war-torn country was complicated by the activities in central Luzon of the Communist-dominated Hukbalahap guerrillas (Huks), who resorted to terror and violence in their efforts to attain land reform and gain political power. They were finally brought under control (1954) after a dynamic attack introduced by the minister of national defense, Ramón Magsaysay. By that time Magsaysay was president of the country, having defeated Quirino in Nov., 1953. His campaign was massively supported by the CIA, both financially and through practical help in discrediting his political enemies. He had promised sweeping economic changes, and he did make progress in land reform, opening new settlements outside crowded Luzon Island. His death in an airplane crash in Mar., 1957, was a serious blow to national morale. Vice President Carlos P. García succeeded him and won a full term as president in the elections of Nov., 1957. In foreign affairs, the Philippines preserved a firm anti-Communist policy and joined the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization in 1954. There were difficulties with the United States over American military installations in the islands, and, in spite of formal recognition (1956) of full Philippine sovereignty over these bases, tensions increased until some of the bases were dismantled (1959) and the 99-year lease period was reduced. The United States rejected Philippine financial claims and projected trade revisions. Sangley Point NAVAL STATION SANGLEY POINT, Republic of the Philippines  Lcpl. Kenneth Pollard assigned to Fleet Anti-Terrorism Security Team Pacific (FAST), teaches sailors and marines martial arts techniques during a professional development exchange with the Armed Forces of the Philippines. FAST is embarked on board the U.S. 7th Fleet command ship USS Blue Ridge (LCC 19), which is in Manila, Republic of the Philippines for a port visit, and on it's spring patrol of the Asia-Pacific.(US Navy photo by Mass Communications Specialist 1st Class Greg Mitchell/Released) Estrella DEL NORTE, ESCOLTA 1955 Philippine opposition to García on issues of government corruption and anti-Americanism led, in June, 1959, to the union of the Liberal and Progressive parties, led by Vice President Diosdado Macapagal, the Liberal party leader, who succeeded García as president in the 1961 elections. Macapagal’s administration was marked by efforts to combat the mounting rise that had plagued the republic since its birth; by attempted alliances with neighboring countries; and by a territorial argument with Britain over North Borneo (later Sabah), which Macapagal claimed had been leased and not sold to the British North Borneo Company in 1878.   Inside the walls of Intramuros, The location of MIT.  One of the seven Gates. The construction of Intramuros started in 1571 by Miguel Lopez de Legaspi, a Spaniard. The walled city covers an area of about 160 acres. Intramuros was a fortress city with walls 6 metres high and a commanding 3 kilometres in length, it is no wonder it was impenetrable. Only the Spanish elite and Mestizos (mixed race) were permitted to live inside Intramuros, where at night the city gates were locked down. Return of Sangley Point to the Republic of the Philippines     An O2U floatplane flies over the Cavite Navy Yard, circa 1930. The seaplane tender Jason is docked at the yard, directly below the plane. Sangley Point is in the background.   Across the entrance to Manila Bay are several islands, the largest of which is Corregidor, located three kilometres from Bataan and, along with the island of Caballo, separates the mouth of the bay into the North and South Channels. In the south channel is El Fraile Island and outside the entrance, and to the south, is Carabao Island. El Fraile, a rocky island some four acres ( 1.6 ha ) in area, supports the massive concrete and steel ruins of Fort Drum, an island fortress constructed by the United States Army to defend the southern entrance of the bay. To the immediate north and south are additional harbors, on which both local and international ports are situated. Large number of ships at the North and South harbors facilitate maritime activities in the bay. Being smaller of the two harbors, the North Harbor is used for inter-island shipping while the South Harbor is used for large ocean-going vessels. Manila Bay was connected to Laguna Lake ( or Laguna de Bai) about 3,000 years ago. Recurring episodic uplifts along the West Marikina Valley Fault caused the two to break up. Interaction between Manila Bay and Laguna Lake occurs only through Pasig River. The bay was the setting for the Battle of Manila Bay in 1898 in which American troops led by Commodore George Dewey, seized the area. Significantly, this battle showcased the United States' naval strength when all major Spanish ships were destroyed and captured. With its proud historic past and the place brimming with marine life, Manila Bay became the ocean portal to its epicentre for government, economy and industry. Seven years later during the Russo-Japanese War at the close of the Battle of Tsushima in 1905, three surviving Russian protected cruisers, the Aurora, Zhemchug, and Oleg, managed to make port in then-United States-controlled Manila for repairs. But because the US was a neutral power, the trio of warships and their crews remained interned by the U.S. until the war officially ended in September that year. In World War II, Corregidor Island was annexed by Japanese forces fighting from this bay once again in 1942. Even earlier various other battles were fought from this naval base including the La Naval de Manila in 1646, which finally put a stop gate to the Dutch trials to seize the Philippines Fort San Antonio Abad • Manila Looking across Manila Bay on top of the wall of  Fort San Antonio  Abad in Malate, Philippines. This picture shows how close Manila Bay was to  the Fort prior to the Cultural Center.  Right breakwater MNS  I missed this early morning and late afternoon call to the colors at (MNS), this bugle call melody is used to accompany the raising of the Flag (the national colors). It's used when no band is available to render honors. "When it's played on military bases, all uniformed personnel are required to come to attention and present a salute, either to the flag, or in the direction of the music if the flag is not visible" I remember this building pretty well. When I was a child, my mother and I would collect the salary from the cashier’s office, while my father was away on missions. Then later on, lived across Roxas Blvd. when father was the CO of the Manila Naval Station. Above is the Philippine Navy headquarter building in Metro Manila. This was also the venue of my High School graduation ball at the officer’s club in 1961. LATE 1960: DESTINATION SAN FRANCISCO USA I would be remiss if I do not mention my favorite swimming hole in Tanay, Daranak Falls. Remembering fondly, cherishing memories of early summer vacations spent at this place. This 14-meter high falls is truly a refreshing site. A short walk over the top of Daranak are smaller, cascading streams known as Batlag Falls. It is located at Bgy. Tandang Kutyo in the town of Tanay. The place has been transformed into a public park/resort operated by the government. Aurora Blvd.-Cubao1950's-1970's Metro Manila, Old Capitol Movie Theater Capitol Theatre Art Deco in Escolta, Manila. Capitol used to be one of the finest movie houses in the Philippines until the 1960s. A smile shines thru. The Philippine Santa Cruzan celebration is held each month of May. It highlights a religious procession participated in by beautiful ladies, among them a "Reyna Elena." They depict the historic search of the Holy Cross by Queen Helena and her son Constantine the Great. Typical corner cafe and street vendor up front Manila hemp arriving in cart loads at a Manila warehouse Carabao cart hauling lumber the old energy efficient Filipino way, Manila Ayuntamiento Building, Intramuros, Manila Beyond Human's wildest hopes, the Philippines is home to a wealth of archeological discoveries that have revolutionized our knowledge of human history. Right from the finding of mutilated rhinoceros bones in the Philippines, which casts doubt on the current knowledge of the 709,000-year-old human migration across Asia, to the amazing finding of the homo Luzonensis fossils in the Philippines, which serve as evidence of the worldwide archaeologists' cooperative efforts. There are lots of terrifying findings about the Philippines that have changed its status quo. What brought about the discovery of the Angono petroglyphs? Let’s find out. Scientists have exquisitely traced the evolution of the Philippines into existence to about 709,000 years ago, with the earliest known human activity in the archipelago. At this intriguing period, the Island of Luzon was once home to the extinct human species Homo Luzonensis, at least 67,000 years ago. The first anatomically modern Human was found at the Tabon Caves in Palawan approximately 47,000 years ago. Amazingly, research revealed that the Negrito clans were the first people to settle in the ancient Philippines. Following them were Asiatics, Papuans, and South Asians. Maritime Austronesians, who migrated southward from Taiwan in 3000 BC, make up most of the current population. By 2000 B.C., the archipelago served as the hub of a Trans-Oceanic Philippine jade culture. discovery,unexplained,mysterious,top 10,top 15,space,universe,science,techology,mystery,facts,interesting,discovery channel,discovery plus,scientists discovery,aliens,ufo,terrifying discoveries,top,they discovered,invention,future,galaxy,james webb,elon musk,business,entertainment,Uncovered Files,betelgeuse,space news,universe news,largest underwater volcano has suddenly cracked open the earth,yellowstone volcano,terrifying discovery,volcano, We stumbled at this little town of lipa Laguna not knowing the significance of this place in the history of the Philippines. Brace yourselves for a jaw-dropping revelation that will shatter everything you thought you knew about the Philippines. This is not your typical travel brochure tale; it's a mind-blowing journey into a realm of scientific discovery that will leave you questioning the very fabric of history. Are you ready to uncover the secrets hidden in the heart of Southeast Asia? Buckle up because what we're about to reveal will send shockwaves through your understanding of this tropical paradise. Nestled amidst over 7,600 islands, the Philippines has long been celebrated for its diverse beauty and captivating charm. From world-renowned beaches to lush mountain landscapes, it's a tropical haven like no other. But beneath its surface lies a secret that has the scientific community buzzing with excitement. Forget the stereotypes; this isn't just about karaoke and street basketball. Beyond its economic rise and territorial disputes, the Philippines conceals a treasure trove of archaeological wonders that rewrite the narrative of human history. Frequently, it is stated that the Philippine's history is commonly associated with foreign colonization. There are limited historical records that document the diverse culture of the indigenous Filipinos before the arrival of the Spanish. Nevertheless, archaeological findings, such as the evidence of rhino butchering and the discovery of Homo Luzonensis, provide compelling proof that ancient humans had already inhabited the country thousands of years ago. CABALLO ISLAND AT THE MOUTH OF MANILA BAY Caballo Island (which means "Horse Island" in Spanish) is a bluff, rocky island located at the entrance to Manila Bay in the Philippines. It is about 1.2 km (0.75 mi) long with the highest elevation at 381 feet high. Caballo, along with the larger Corregidor (2 km to the north), divides the entrance to the bay into two broad and deep channels, known as the North and South Channel. I remember this building pretty well. When I was a child, my mother and I would collect the salary from the cashier’s office, while my father was away on missions. Then later on, lived across Roxas Blvd. when father was the CO of the Manila Naval Station. Above is the Philippine Navy headquarter building in Metro Manila. This was also the venue of my High School graduation ball at the officer’s club in 1961.

Defense Secretary Ramon Magsaysay overseeing the capture of William Pomeroy, an American ideologist and leader of the  Nueva Ecija Huk Propaganda Corps. Prior to assuming the presidency, RM was Defense Secretary in Pres. Elpidio Quirino’s Cabinet.  For more information on the capture of William Pomeroy   Atty. Diosdado Macapagal raises the Philippine flag at Turtle Islands Atty. Macapagal got his first break as a public figure in 1948 when  Vice President Quirino, then concurrently Secretary of Foreign  Affairs, appointed him as Assistant Chief of its Law Division and  assigned him to negotiate the return of the administration of the  Turtle Islands from the United Kingdom to the Philippines.  He succeeded and [Vice President] Quirino gave him the privilege  of raising the Philippine flag over the islands. Ruins at Corregidor Ferry Dock

Hospital Jabidah Grafitti. There is another story of Corregidor that is much less well known. Back in 1968, there was a slaughter of muslim Filipino soldiers training on the island by then Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos which became known as the Jabidah Massacre. To make a long story short for my American friends think of it in these terms: It's as If President Kennedy during the Bay of Pigs had killed all the Cubans he trained to invade Cuba because they changed their minds and refused to go through with it. Having a large force of disgruntled, well trained and armed revolutionaries on Corregidor, Marcos decided to have them liquidated. On 18 March 1968, all these specially trained soldiers meant to invade the Malaysian island of Sabah were murdered at Kindley Airfield. As the story is told from the Corregidor guide, these soldiers that were killed apparently wrote their names on the walls of the hospital in the days preceding their deaths. I missed this early morning and late afternoon call to the colors at (MNS), this bugle call melody is used to accompany the raising of the Flag (the national colors). It's used when no band is available to render honors. "When it's played on military bases, all uniformed personnel are required to come to attention and present a salute, either to the flag, or in the direction of the music if the flag is not visible"

I missed this early morning and late afternoon call to the

colors at (MNS), this bugle call melody is used to accompany the raising of the Flag (the national colors). It's used when no band is available to render honors. "When it's played on military bases, all uniformed personnel are required to come to attention and present a salute, either to the flag, or in the direction of the music if the flag is not visible". When World War II began, the Philippines had no significant naval forces after the United States withdrew the Asiatic Fleet following the Attack on Pearl Harbor by the Imperial Japanese Navy. The The Philippines had to rely on its OSP with headquarters located at Muelle Del Codo, Port Area, Manila which composed of a high-speed Thorneycroft Coast Motor Boat (CMB) 55-foot (17 m) and 65-foot (20 m) PT boats, to repel Japanese attacks from the sea.During the course of the war, surviving personnel of the Offshore Patrol conducted guerilla hit-and-run attacks against the occupying Japanese forces.

Corregidor on the horizon. Between December 24, 1941 and February 19, 1942, Corregidor became the temporary location for the Government of the Philippines. On December 30, 1941, outside the Malinta Tunnel, Manuel L. Quezon and Sergio Osmeña were inaugurated respectively as President and Vice-President of the Philippines Commonwealth for a second term.

The Tail of Corregidor Island with Hooker's Point at the farthest end

Church at the Campo Santo de La Loma. Today it is All Saints' Day. Filipinos observe this day by visiting their dead relatives in cemeteries and memorial parks and columbariums, go to church and light candles in commemoration of this day deci In late December 1941, following the failure of MacArthur's gamble to hold the Japanese invaders at the beaches, the fate of the Philippines seemed sealed. As the Japanese successfully stormed the shores of Lingayen Gulf and Lamon Bay, splitting Luzon, the largest island in the Philippines, in half, MacArthur had no other alternative but to order his troops to withdraw to the Bataan peninsula, where he planned to make a last stand and at the same time he ded to abandon all efforts to defend Manila declared it an open city, to save the capital from destruction and to minimise civilian casualties. Father in the mountains of Vancover Canada with Lt. Munoz and Lcdr. Cabal, I also remember him on the bridge of RPS 1133, like the ship on the right. I was a pre school kid then, looking at a young Lt. taking his ship out to the open seas, out of Manila Bay. 1960: I became aware of my heritage in my junior year at UP Prep and began preparation for my appointment as a cadet  at the PMA at Fort Del Pilar. This was a period in my teen years that I remember fondly, memories in my High School, of the hectic days, dashing thru the corridors catching my schedule of classes at Rizal Hall. I recall my bag loaded with books, eager, wide eyed, and quick to learn the tenets of math, the arts and sciences. I remember past friends and stormy situations that most teenagers weathered through. As in life surviving the unspoken pecking order among bigger classmates and the so called in crowd was the rule. That lone wolf streak that kept me apart, which peers seemed to see as a weakness was a measure of heritage that set me off from the current teenage precepts of the day. Classmates underestimated me a poor kid, just a son of a sailor, short in stature and have not reached  the growth expected of my age. My inner strength was formed this way. My full attention was now focused to strive, improve myself and  the planned transfer of the whole family to the USA by advanced education.  Later in full bloom, when of age and after further studies and scholarships, having ever spurred curiosity, whetted my appetite for a life of adventure, of soldiering and foreign lands. La Loma Cemetery, memorable for its vegetation and semi rural setting that attracts the youth for adventure specially at twilight and even at pitch dark on a moonless night. Every year in the last week of October, Filipinos take a Roman Catholic inspired holiday to remember the dead. Cemeteries all over the country come alive during these days, as relatives of the dead spruce up the graves of their ancestors.

Japanese Sentry Tower - Camp O'Donnell, Capas, Tarlac   Camp O'Donnel (Capas Tarlac). the American sector of the war memorial. Bataan Death March Box Car In San Fernando the POW’s where loaded on the trains bound for Capas, Tarlac, The Boxcars normally carried 50 persons, but the Japanese packed them up 100 to 115 Prisoners. At each stop, The Boxcars were open to give the Prisoners fresh Air. The POW’s got off the train at Capas and marched the final kilometer to Camp O” Donnell.

Libingan ng mga bayani. Fort Bonifacio. Camp O'Donnel (Capas, Tarlac) Camp O'Donnel (Capas, Tarlac)Established in 1940 as a USAFFE training camp, Camp O’Donnel became known as the Capas Concentration Camp where some 60,500 survivors of the Bataan Death March were incarcerated. Around 30,000 of these prisoners-of-war were dead by 1942. Camp O'Donnell was the final stop of the Bataan Death March and was used as an internment camp for Filipino and American prisoners of war. Around 20,000 Filipinos and 1,600 Americans died at Camp O'Donnell.[1] Filipino and American soldiers were said to have been beheaded in front of open graves. It was liberated by the US Army and Philippine Commonwealth Army on 30 January 1945.The remains of the dead were started to be moved to the Libingan ng mga Bayani and United States Military Cemetery in Fort Bonifacio in 1946. Reconstructed hut and guard tower

Although La Loma  was not a haunted Cemetery,  to my belief, there was a time I got stranded after an afternoon play with a classmate. It became a different setting when darkness fell, I felt so alone and just walked fast to get away from the surrounding concrete fence of La Loma. I have been there in 1953 to 1957 and many stories of the ghost of recent burials and internments were circulating around. The image of a young Japanese artillery officer with a close beard  haunted the outside graves. Walking  in short pants with his samurai sword slung at his side wearing his soldier’s tunic, or seen sitting alone smoking. The description is aptly backed, by the presence of canons, field pieces in the cemetery. He just walks up to visitors and usually asks for a light. Many startled mourners say he will attend a funeral and walk up at the end of services tap you on the shoulder ask for a light. Simply it has been said that, you turn and he's not there. Camp O'Donnel (Capas Tarlac). the American sector of the war memorial. The Cement Cross In wishing to honor our comrades who died so far away from home the battling bastards of Bataan Death March commissioned the construction of this Replica of the “Cement Cross” in the hope that all those who may pass by to view this memorial will remember the many young Americans who gave their lives in defense of their country and of the Philippines. In June of 1942 the Japanese authorities at the American side of the Prisoner of war enclosure at Camp O” Donnell, two kilometers north of this site presented the prisoners with some Cement. The American Prisoners decided to build a Cement Cross to honor the memory of their dead comrades. Completed later that month. The cross remained hidden amidst tall grass until was discovered by returning American Forces in 1945. Left where it originally stood unknown to most and battered by the elements. The cross was again forgotten. Rediscovered by Bataan Veterans visiting the area in 1961. The cross became the historical symbol of the American Prisoner of war enclosure and its dead. When American military presence ended in the Philippines in 1992. The cross was brought to the National Historic Site Andersonville, Georgia, USA. Where it is now kept and displayed. This Replica stand as a reminder of America’s unprepared ness before the outbreak of World War II.

Libingan ng mga BAYANI Coast Guard At Port Area Manila left photo, La loma Cemetery next above, Libingan ng mga Bayani (heroes cemetery) Fort Bonifacio close to where we live at the Navy Village, Fort William McKinley then (Fort Bonifacio)   It was the final stage of the tragic death march and a concentration camp with an open field which served as the dumping grave site of Filipino and American soldiers who died with debilitating diseases. It has witnessed the endless sufferings of the sick and the neglected only to die, then dropped in mass with three and half feet depth and those who survived the darkest moments of their lives, they narrated with tears clouding their eyes, the traumatic experiences encountered during their detention, as they gasped with depression and sadness and said CAMP O” Donnell, that was.

Escolta 1953-Insular Life bldg in the background

My first car a 1947 Lincoln 76H Sedan with it's 292c.i. 2BBL 125 H.P. Flat Head V-12, 3 Speed Manual Transmission,  Stock Rear Axle & Gear Ratio. The video above is  the same as my first car. Like any boys yearning to have his wheels and freedom, I learned  to drive at the age of 14 barely reaching the gas pedal and my head above the dashboard. Later I bought the car from my father at the measly sum of 100 pesos.

Coast Guard Cutter in the Port Area, similar to ships we used  to patrol offs Remnants of Daniel Burnham's stamp in Manila - the old Dewey Blvd. - now Roxas Blvd. Driving through the boulevard feels like driving through Chicago's Lake Shore Drive ... This picture of the boulevard feels like it was taken from a highrise on Chicago's Lake Shore Drive near Goethe and Inner Drive. The US Embassy is situated along this boulevard around the area of the lights jutting into the bay. Remnants of Daniel Burnham's stamp in Manila - the old Dewey Blvd. - now Roxas Blvd. Driving through the boulevard feels like driving through Chicago's Lake Shore Drive ... Actually Burnham designed plans for Manila (1905) before he designed Chicago (1909). Parts of the design, based on the City Beautiful movement were implemented - like this boulevard along Manila Bay. He also designed Baguio City, the summer capital of the Philippines, situated up in the mountains of Northern Philippines.

Espirito Santo Church

The place where the parish church of Espiritu Santo stands now was an old cemetery, officially closed by the Sanitary authorities already in 1913 due to the growing population in the vicinity. (There was a tree that served as an improvised belfry; on its branch hanged a bell. The two young seminarians studying at CTS, Juan Tugadi and Tomas Pacano, used to climb it to ring the bell. The two later became SVD priests.) In January 1926, Archbishop Michael O.Doherty of Manila blessed the place where a church dedicated to the Holy Spirit was soon to rise. His Excellency gave a substantial donation for the construction of the church in the amount of P20,000.00. In 1928 our SVD missionaries started the construction of a church building. When Fr. William Finnemann was consecrated Auxiliary Bishop of Manila in 1929, Fr. Philip Beck took over as parish priest in December of 1931 - to him fell the burden of continuing the construction of the church. A crypt which contained 444 niches was built underneath the altar. The niches were sold to local residents and the proceeds used for the completion of the church. After much sacrifice and support from generous benefactors, parishioners and friends, the church was finally finished. It was blessed on the occasion of the parish fiesta on May 14, 1932 by Bishop William Finnemann himself - the first parish priest of Espiritu Santo Church.

February 9, 1946, the Capuchins obtained the official authorization from the government to restore the church of Lourdes in Intramuros. An official letter indicating the approval of the church and its condition, a plan of the church building was approved and signed on February 17, 1946. However, the Capuchins decided to build a beautiful and wide church in Quezon City, Retiro St. because Intramuros was a deserted place, abandoned by people and nobody’s land. The property of Intramuros where the Church of Lourdes and the Central House was sold to support the building of the new church at Quezon City. Feast Day of Our Lady of Lourdes 1946 (Sta. Teresita Parish)

Altar at Our Lady of Lourdes retiro , Q.C  One cannot mention the devotion to Our Lady of Lourdes in the Philippines without citing the people behind the devotion. It was a layman Don Regino Garcia who ordered the Filipino sculptor Manuel Flores to make a statue of Our Lady of Lourdes, which was placed at the side altar of the church of the Capuchins in 1892. March of the same year, the capuchins with the help of Fr. Mc Carthy, an Augustinian priest, brought the image of Lourdes to the University of Santo Tomas. During Palm Sunday of the same year, the image of saints are covered with veils by the Dominicans including the image of Lourdes and handed it over to the Capuchins and carried it to the chapel of Santa Teresita for the celebration of Flores de Mayo.

It was during the Novena at Our Lady of Lourdes when the Japanese ordered all residents of Intramuros to go out of their houses and gather together at the four (4) main places of Intramuros: the Hollywood Theater, the San Agustin Church, the San Francisco Church and the Cathedral. Our Virgin of Lourdes and all the most necessary things were transferred from to altar to the receiving room of the convent of San Agustin Church. On February 11, the Feast of the Virgin of Lourdes, the capuchins and devotees appealed to the Japanese for permission to say 3 masses in the sacristy. The permit was granted, allowing 3 Superiors celebrating 3 masses for the feast: Franciscans, Augustinians and the Capuchins. How was the image of Lourdes was saved during the war? Many people especially the devotees of Lourdes cried out to the capuchins to see the beautiful Virgin of Lourdes wondering how it was saved. According to history, when the capuchin brothers abandoned the church of Lourdes, Intramuros and the central house, they carried with them the image of Lourdes. Some days later, the Capuchin Custos, ,Fr. Florencio of Lezaun, gathered all religious articles: chalices, ciboriums, monstrances, relics and the treasure of the Virgin of Lourdes: crowns, rosaries and jewels. All together they put in iron box at the bank of D. Raimundo Salonga in Binondo. For the refuge of the Capuchin brothers, they were ordered by their superior to go to San Agustin and placed the images of Lourdes in the wide sacristy of the church. They continued on the daily novena exercises together with the religious of other orders and devotees including Doña Martina Azucena who was miraculously cured in 1896 before the image of Our Lady of Lourdes. On February 23 of the same year, the image of Lourdes was abandoned in the sacristy of St. Augustine. Men young and old and the religious were horribly massacred by the Japanese sometime between January 5-19. Around 3500 women and children and all other refugees of St. Augustine were ordered to abandon the building.

Lourdes Church FacadeOL of Lourdes Fiesta 2010, OL of Lourdes Shrine, Amoranto Ave., Q.C., Philippines Portal to Old San Lazaro Hospital RuinsShrine of St. Lazarus, Avenida Rizal cor. Tayuman, Manila, Philippines

San Beda Church (Manila) A Swedish architect, George Asp, designed the church that was completed in 1925. Fr. Peter Celestine Gusi (OSB) later added the side chapels and galleries between 1947 and 1958

San Beda Church (Manila)The church is reknowned for its paintings that were done by Fr. Lesmes Lopez (OSB) and Bro. Salvador Alberich (OSB) from 1930 until 1939. Right Photo San Beda Church (Manila) A closer view of the main altar.

Old San Lazaro Hospital Ruins. Shrine of St. Lazarus, Avenida Rizal cor. Tayuman, Manila. The Manila Jai Alai Building was a building designed by American architect Welton Becket that functioned as a building for which jai alai games were held.[1] It was built in the Streamline Moderne style in 1940 and survived the Battle of Manila. It was considered one of finest Art Deco buildings in Asia. It was demolished on 2000 upon the orders of the Mayor of Manila Lito Atienza amidst protests, to make way for the Manila Hall of Justice, which was never built

Summer of 1950 sparked the beginning of the Korean War. As a police action the United Nations sent 16 member nations to uphold peace and democracy in South Korea. One of these countries was the Philippines who arrived in September of 1950. Very little is known about the Philippines' participation in the Korean War, let alone the soldiers who fought for democracy. These are their memories, the memories of the Forgotten. Jai Alai structure on Taft Avenue, photo at the right and below.

Old San Lazaro Hospital Ruins Shrine of St. Lazarus, Avenida  Rizal cor. Tayuman, Manila

Paco Park ( Manila). Visita Iglesia during vacation in the Philippines. Paco Park's Chapel of San Pancratius is where the remains of Spanish colonial Governor General Ramon Solano was interred. The park was originally designed by Nicolas Ruiz as a cementery of the Spanish colonial elite. It was built in the later years of the 1700s making it one of the oldest, if not the oldest, cementery in the Philippines. The GOMBURZA martys- Fr. Mariano Gomez, Fr. Jacinto Zamora, and Fr. Jose Burgos- were buried here after their execution in 1872. Twenty-four years later in 1896, the executed Dr. Jose Rizal was also secretly buried in the cemnetery. His remains were later exhumed in 1912 and moved to what his now his grand monument at the Luneta. Interment in the cementery was probihited in 1912 and most of the remains of those who were buried were moved out. The cementery became a national park in 1966. Paco Park, Manila. A cross now marks the burial site of the GOMBURZA martys inside the park. Paco Park (Manila) Dr. Jose Rizal was secretly buried in the park after his execution. His remains were later exhumed and interred beneath the Rizal Monument at the Luneta. San Juan, Metro Manila. Unique to the San Juan church is the massive buttress walls covering its facade. Butress walls are usually the side walls in the case of most Philippine colonial churches. San Juan, Metro Manila. The Dominicans built the first parochial buildings in 1602 that were razed during the 1639 Chinese revolt. These were rebuilt in 1641, burned down during the British invasion of 1763, and rebuilt again in 1774. The city of San Juan is unofficially the "Town of Philippine Presidents" having had 5 Filipino presidents as residents namely Diosdado Macapagal and his unpopular daughter Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Ferdinand Marcos, Joseph Estrada, and Elpidio Quirino. San Miguel, Manila. The Jesuits probably built the first parochial structures during their administration of the San Miguel ecclesiastical district in 1603 until 1768. The Franciscans took over the mission in 1777 and in 1835, Fr. Esteban Mena (OFM) was reported to have started building a church. Fr. Francisco Febres (OFM) made repairs and improvements after the 1852 earthquake. The church was destroyed during the 1880 earthquake and rebuilt by Fr. Emilio Gago (OFM) in 1886. It was rebuilt IN 1913 through the patronage of the Roxas clan and was sedignated by Msgr. Michael O’Doherty as a Pro-cathedral of the Archdiocese of Manila after it was inaugurated in 1913. Paco Church, Manila. The Franciscans built the first parochial buildings of light materials in 1580 that was probably rebuilt with stronger materials in 1599 by Fr. Juan de Garrovillas (OFM). This was burned down during the Chinese uprising of 1603, rebuilt, burned down again by the invading British in 1762, and replaced with a temporary structure in 1791. Fr. Joaquin Segui (OFM) who built a stone convent in 1793 probably built another church. A new stone church was started to be built by Fr. Bernardo dela Concepcion (OFM) in 1809 while Fr. Miguel Richar (OFM) added a bell tower in 1839. The church was probably damaged during the 1852 earthquake, repaired, then destroyed during another earthquake in 1880. Fr. Gilberto Martin started rebuilding the church in 1881 that was partly destroyed by a typhoon in 1892 before being completed 1896. This was razed during the Filipino-American War and, in 1909, a temporary church was built beside the ruins of the old one by the Belgian missionary Fr. Raymundo Esquinet of the Congregatio Immaculatie Cordis Mariae (CICM). The present church was started to be built by Fr. Godofredo Aldenhuijsen (CICM) in 1931 based on the proposal of Fr. Jose Billie (CICM). It was damaged during World War II and repaired in 1948.

University of the Philippines at Diliman The Volcano Taal is one of the Philippines' active volcanoes and has also been regarded as one of the smallest in the world. It's situated in the middle of Lake Taal in Batangas. Perhaps what makes this volcano unique is that a lake has also formed in its main crater, so you can say there's a lake within a lake.   Left Photo. Mayon Volcano, also known as Mount Mayon, is an active stratovolcano in the province of Albay, in the Bicol Region, on the island of Luzon, in the Philippines.It has a perfect cone shape; It was named after a legendary folk Daragang magayon. It was among the 7 wonders of nature in the Philippines. 1 Jones Bridge, Probably one of the most romantic  bridges in the Philippines because of the stories it  can tell about Manila as it crosses towards  enchanting Chinatown and the once legendary business  district. Built in honor of the American politician  that passed a bill trying to grant independence to the  Philippines during the 1920's.…………… University of Sto. Tomas is the oldest school in the  Philippines. It was founded in 1611 and prides itself  to be even older than Harvard. Plaza Moraga San Lazaro Leisure Park Race Track San Lazaro Leisure Park Race The Jesuits built the first Roman Catholic Church in the area where the present Santa Cruz Parish stands on June 20, 1619. The Jesuits enshrined the image of the Our Lady of The Pillar in 1643 to serve the pre-dominantly Chinese residents in the area. The image drew a lot of devotees and a popular cult grew around it. On June 24, 1784, the King of Spain gave the deeds to about 2 km² of land that was part of the Hacienda de Mayhaligue to the San Lazaro Hospital which served as a caring home for lepers in Manila at that time. At the Santa Cruz Parish, a small park was built that linked the area into the headquarters of the Spanish cavalry, the building that once was the College of San Ildefonso, operated by the Jesuits. The district in the Spanish times also had a slaughter house and a meat market and up north was the Chinese cemetery. The Franciscan fathers were given the responsibility to care for the lepers of the city and specifically the San Lazaro Hospital. A Fr. Felix Huertas developed San Lazaro into a refuge for the afflicted and it became a famous home for those afflicted in the north side of the Pasig River.   The Philippine General Hospital located on Taft Avenue beside my High School at Padre Faura was a public hospital but regardless was fortified by the Japanese in violation of the Geneva Convention.  Inside there were many Filipino patients and several thousand Filipino refugees that were seeking what they thought would be safe shelter. On the roof on both ends there were large white circles with large red crosses. From Feb. 14 to Feb. 17, 1945 the Americans shelled the area. Some of the shells hit the buildings and many innocent Filipinos were injured and many lives were lost. Notice that the right end of the building was hit with an exploding shell. And notice a hole through the roof on the left end of the building in the white circle area close to the red cross where a shell hit but did not explode. Tutuban Railroad Station The construction of a railway line traversing the island of Luzon was initiated according to a plan submitted by Don Eduardo Lopez Navarro, then head of the Public Works Office. The line stretches from Tondo, Manila to Dagupan, Pangasinan. On July 31, 1887, the cornerstone of the Tutuban Station was laid by General Emilio Terrero, marking the start of the railroad track. When the PNR began its operations on November 24, 1892, Tutuban Station became a place of business. It opened its doors to businessmen coming from different parts of Manila. Commerce played a large role in awareness about Tutuban, and it served as an important trading complex due to its very strategic location in Divisoria. Produce coming in by bulk from several provinces are unloaded in the station, and then distributed to retailers awaiting at the station. The etymology for the name “Tutuban” was believed to have come from the sounds made by the locomotives stationed in the area. However, the word actually comes from “tuba,” the name of the local alcoholic drink made from coconuts, since previously Tutuban was the center of production of this beverage. Natives referred to the place as Tubaan ... meaning a place where the "tuba" (native alchoholic beaverage) came from. Tutuban Station is also famous for being the birthplace of the revolutionary Andres Bonifacio. In commemoration, a monument stands in the current mall's plaza.  Tanay Lighthouse RIZAL'S LAST FAREWELL Farewell, dear Fatherland, clime of the sun caress'd Pearl of the Orient seas, our Eden lost!, Gladly now I go to give thee this faded life's best, And were it brighter, fresher, or more blest Still would I give it thee, nor count the cost. On the field of battle, 'mid the frenzy of fight, Others have given their lives, without doubt or heed; The place matters not-cypress or laurel or lily white, Scaffold or open plain, combat or martyrdom's plight, T is ever the same, to serve our home and country's need. I die just when I see the dawn break, Through the gloom of night, to herald the day; And if color is lacking my blood thou shalt take, Pour'd out at need for thy dear sake To dye with its crimson the waking ray. My dreams, when life first opened to me, My dreams, when the hopes of youth beat high, Were to see thy lov'd face, O gem of the Orient sea From gloom and grief, from care and sorrow free; No blush on thy brow, no tear in thine eye. Dream of my life, my living and burning desire, All hail ! cries the soul that is now to take flight; All hail ! And sweet it is for thee to expire ; To die for thy sake, that thou mayst aspire; And sleep in thy bosom eternity's long night. If over my grave some day thou seest grow, In the grassy sod, a humble flower, Draw it to thy lips and kiss my soul so, While I may feel on my brow in the cold tomb below The touch of thy tenderness, thy breath's warm power. Let the moon beam over me soft and serene, Let the dawn shed over me its radiant flashes, Let the wind with sad lament over me keen ; And if on my cross a bird should be seen, Let it trill there its hymn of peace to my ashes. Let the sun draw the vapors up to the sky, And heavenward in purity bear my tardy protest Let some kind soul o 'er my untimely fate sigh, And in the still evening a prayer be lifted on high From thee, 0 my country, that in God I may rest. Pray for all those that hapless have died, For all who have suffered the unmeasur'd pain; For our mothers that bitterly their woes have cried, For widows and orphans, for captives by torture tried And then for thyself that redemption thou mayst gain. And when the dark night wraps the graveyard around With only the dead in their vigil to see Break not my repose or the mystery profound And perchance thou mayst hear a sad hymn resound 'T is I, O my country, raising a song unto thee. And even my grave is remembered no more Unmark'd by never a cross nor a stone Let the plow sweep through it, the spade turn it o'er That my ashes may carpet earthly floor, Before into nothingness at last they are blown. Then will oblivion bring to me no care As over thy vales and plains I sweep; Throbbing and cleansed in thy space and air With color and light, with song and lament I fare, Ever repeating the faith that I keep. My Fatherland ador'd, that sadness to my sorrow lends Beloved Filipinas, hear now my last good-by! I give thee all: parents and kindred and friends For I go where no slave before the oppressor bends, Where faith can never kill, and God reigns e'er on high! Farewell to you all, from my soul torn away, Friends of my childhood in the home dispossessed ! Give thanks that I rest from the wearisome day ! Farewell to thee, too, sweet friend that lightened my way; Beloved creatures all, farewell! In death there is rest !   Rizal Park, Ermita. At the centre of it all is the 1913 bronze Rizal's monument situated a few metres away from the marker indicating the actual execution site. An honor guard is on duty 24 hours a day. Behind the monument, the original Spanish version of the poem "Mi Ultimo Adios" is engraved, along with translations in other languages. Rizal wrote this poem while imprisoned in his cell in Fort Santiago from November 3, 1896 to December 29, 1896. Many national dedication days are held in front of the Rizal monument. It is also where foreign leaders attend wreath-laying ceremonies during state visits. Located on the monument is the statue of the national hero, but also his remains. On September 28, 1901, the United States Philippine Commission approved Act No. 243, which would erect a monument in Luneta to commemorate the memory of Jose Rizal, Philippine patriot, writer and poet. The committee formed by the act held an international design competition between 1905–1907 and invited sculptors from Europe and the United States to submit entries with an estimated cost of 100,000 peso’s using local materials. Monte de Piedad Building in Sta. Cruz. One of the older buildings in the Sta. Cruz area is the quite inconspicuous building of Monte de Piedad. It is just beside the Filipino Chinese Friendship arch at the end of Ongpin Street in Sta. Cruz district. Monte de Piedad is considered as the Philippines first savings bank having been established in 1882. The bank was established to cater to the financial needs of the poor. What’s more, the Catholic Church of the Philippines had strong ties to this bank, in fact the chairman of the board is usually the Archbishop of Manila. Taken from Fort Santaigo, Fort Santiago is a citadel first built by Spanish conquistador, Miguel López de Legazpi for the new established city of Manila in the Philippines. The defence fortress is part of the structures of the walled city of Manila called Intramuros ( within the walls ). The fort is one of the most important historical sites in Manila. Several lives were lost in its prisons during the Spanish Colonial Period and World War II. José Rizal, the Philippines' national hero, was imprisoned here before his execution in 1896. The Rizal Shrine museum displays memorabilia of the hero in their collection and the fort features, embedded onto the ground in bronze, his footsteps representing his final walk from his cell to the location of the actual execution. The fort was named after Saint James the Great ( Santiago in Spanish ), the patron saint of Spain, whose relief adorns the facade of the front gate. It is located at the mouth of the Pasig River and served as the premier defence fortress of the Spanish Government during their rule of the country. It became a main fort for the spice trade to the Americas and Europe for 333 years. The Manila Galleon trade to Acapulco, Mexico began from the Fuerza de Santiago. The fort has a perimeter of 2,030 feet ( 620 m ), and it is of a nearly triangular form. The south front, which looks toward the city, is a curtain with a terreplein, flanked by two demi-bastions - the Bastion of San Fernando, on the riverside, and the Bastion of San Miguel, by the bay side. A moat connected with the river separates the fort from the city. Near the beginning of the north face, instead of a bastion, a cavalier called Santa Barbara was built with three faces of batteries, one looking seaward over the anchorage place, one facing the entrance, and the third looking upon the river. The latter is united with a tower of the same height as the walls, through which there is a descent to the water battery placed on a semicircular platform, thus completing the triangular form of the fort. The 22-foot ( 6.7 m ) high walls, with a thickness of eight feet ( 2.4 m ) are pierced for the necessary communications. The front gateway facade measures 40 feet ( 12 m ) high being in the south wall and facing the city. The communication with the river and the sea was by an obscure postern gate - the Postigo de la Nuestra Señora del Soledad ( Postern of Our Lady of Solitude ). Inside the fort were guard stations, together with the barracks of the troops of the garrison and quarters of the warden and his subalterns. Ferry, Pasig river.Makati, Manila, Also inside the fort were various storehouses, a chapel, the powder magazine, the sentry towers, the cisterns, etc. The location of Fort Santiago was once the site of a palisaded fort, armed with bronze guns, of Rajah Sulaiman, a Muslim chieftain of pre-Hispanic Manila. It was destroyed by maestre de campo ( master-of-camp ) Martin de Goiti who, on arriving in 1570 from Cebu, fought several battles with the Islamic natives. The Spaniards started building Fort Santiago ( Fuerza de Santiago ) after the establishment of the city of Manila under Spanish rule on June 24, 1571, and made Manila the capital of the newly colonized country. The first fort was a structure of palm logs and earth. Most of it was destroyed when the city was invaded by Chinese pirates led by Limahong. Martin de Goiti was killed during the siege. After a fierce conflict, the Spaniards under the leadership of Juan de Salcedo, eventually drove the pirates out to Pangasinan province to the north, and eventually out of the country. The construction of Fort Santiago with hard stone, together with the original fortified walls of Intramuros, began in 1590 and finished in 1593 during the reign of Gomez Perez Dasmariñas. The stones used were volcanic tuff quarried from Guadalupe ( now Gualupe Viejo in Makati ). The fort as Dasmariñas left it consisted of a castellated structure without towers, trapezoidal in trace, its straight grey front projecting into the river mouth. Arches supported an open gun platform above, named the battery of Santa Barbara, the patron saint of all good artillerymen. These arches formed casemates which afforded a lower tier of fire through embrasures. Curtain walls of simplest character, without counter forts or interior buttresses, extended the flanks to a fourth front facing the city. Tanay San Ildefonso Church Bomod-ok Falls. Sagada, Mt. Province, Philippines Curvy Road over Mt. Province Plaza Sta Cruz. Prior to the arrival of the Spanish conquistadors to the Philippine Islands, the district of Santa Cruz was partly a marshland, patches of greeneries, orchards and partly rice fields. A Spanish expedition in 1581 claimed the territory and awarded to the Society of Jesus or more commonly called the Jesuits Manila Cathedral

Regina Building. This building is one of the few American Era buildings that remained along Calle Escolta. Regina bldg. right photo.   Roman Santos Building The Heritage Bells, the bigger one cast in 1832, the other one fifty years later, were once used to signal the start and end of classes at the Ateneo de Manila campuses in Intramuros and Padre Faura St. During my High School days, the basket ball court at Ateneo was always our venue, most probably due to the trees which shaded the court. The Padre Faura campus continued to house the professional schools until 1976. Fr. Francisco Araneta, S.J. was appointed as the Ateneo de Manila's first Filipino Rector in 1958. In 1959, its centennial year, the Ateneo became university. The Escolta I remember Plaza Moraga. I remember passing this way before ... I just could not determine if this is the foot of the the Jones Bridge.

Jeepney Surplus US jeep converted into a mini-bus, painted fancy, seats 10 plus driver. Five cents to ride from suburbs to downtown Manila Houseboats on the Pasig amid Nila plants. Hence the name, Manila is part of the Pacific Ring of Fire and is jostled regularly by earthquakes. Escolta Manila Harbor,  and Intramuros, Philippines, late 1950s or early 1960s. Notice that this photo was taken before much rebuilding in Intramuros and there is lots of empty land showing just how much of the city was cleared after WWII. Papa as a young Ensign on training attached to the US Navy

Customs Building, Port Area, Manila Port Area Manila Which ever way ...Different kinds of transportation to bring in and bring out people to and from the island of Cebu in the Philippines. Coast Guard Port Area Manila End of Day Sun just about to disappear from the horizon. The ship on the foreground is the PMI training ship. Luzon, Sagada is nestled in a valley at the upper end of the Malitep tributary of the Chico River some one and a half kilometers above sea level in the central Cordillera; enveloped between the main Cordillera Ranges and the Ilocos Range. Mt. Data in the south and Mt. Kalawitan in the southeast pierce the horizon. Mt. Polis, Bessang and Mt. Tirad in the east, and Mt. Sisipitan in the north mark the Mountain Province - Abra boundary. Kalinga-Apayao Province The Banaue Rice Terraces (Tagalog: Hagdan-hagdang Palayan ng Banawe) are 2000-year old terraces that were carved into the mountains of Ifugao in the Philippines by ancestors of the indigenous people. The Rice Terraces are commonly referred to by Filipinos as the "Eighth Wonder of the World". It is commonly thought that the terraces were built with minimal equipment, largely by hand. The terraces are located approximately 1500 meters (5000 ft) above sea level and cover 10,360 square kilometers (about 4000 square miles) of mountainside. They are fed by an ancient irrigation system from the rainforests above the terraces. It is said that if the steps are put end to end it would encircle half the globe. Contrary to popular belief, the Banaue Rice Terraces are not part of the Rice Terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras UNESCO inscription but are declared a National Cultural Treasure as the Ifugao Rice Terraces. Ancient sprawling man-made structures from 2,000 to 6,000 years old, other terraces are found in the provinces of Kalinga, Apayao, Benguet, Mountain Province and Ifugao. But only those in Batad, Bangaan, Mayoyao, Hungduan and Nagacadan, all in Ifugao, are inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. battery grudds Corregidor CLICK EACH ALBUMS BELOW Melchor Capili's Wake 9 September 2011 EPHESUS 2014 Italy & Middle East 1998 Tuscany Fall 2007 2009 Scandinavia Cruise Dover and Copenhagen 2009 Montecatini Lucca Fall 2007 Marissa's Debut June 6, 1964\ Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Iguazu Falls, Buenos Aires Christmas Islands or Kiritimati Islands 1993 Seattle to Alaska Cruise II June 2008 Madeira, Atlantic Crossing Fall 2007 Fjords NZ in South Pacific NZ Australia Cruise Malaga Fall 2011 UP Prep High Then And After The Sixties Today Classmates MIT CHE' 1966 BEFORE AND AFTER EUROPE ROME 2007 MED 2007 MIT REUNION Early Years Hawaii Nov. 2012

Eisenhower visit. I was there observing the motorcade as a sophomore at U.P. Prep. Luneta below.  This was the Luneta I remember ... I was in my 2nd year High School at the University when  "Ike" visited the Philippines. ... of course Ike used to live here before the 2nd WW when  Philippines was a Commonwealth of the United States and was aid to the Field Marshal ...now  President of the USA. Funeral practices and burial customs in the Philippines encompass a wide range of personal, cultural, and traditional beliefs and practices which Filipinos observe in relation to bereavement, dying, honoring, respecting, interring, and remembering their departed loved ones, relatives, and friends. Sources of the various practices include religious teachings, vestiges of colonialism, and regional variations on these. In the past and in present times, Filipinos believe in the afterlife and give attention to respecting and paying homage to dead people. Wakes are generally held from 3 to 7 days. Provincial wakes are usually held in the home, while city dwellers typically display their dead at a funeral home. Apart from spreading the news about someone’s death verbally, obituaries are also published in newspapers. Although the majority of the Filipino people are Christians, they have retained superstitious beliefs concerning death. Hanging coffins are coffins which have been placed on cliffs. They can be found in various locations, including China and the Philippines. In China, they are known as Xuanguan which also means "hanging  coffin". Kalinga (Tagalog pronunciation: [kɐˈliŋɐ]) is a landlocked province of the Philippines in the Cordillera Administrative Region in Luzon. Its capital is Tabuk and borders Mountain Province to the south, Abra to the west, Isabela to the east, Cagayan to the northeast, and Apayao to the north.  - Sagada   Banaue Luzon Kalinga-Apayao Provinc Kalinga (Tagalog pronunciation: [kɐˈliŋɐ]) is a landlocked province of the Philippines in the Cordillera Administrative Region in Luzon. Its capital is Tabuk and borders Mountain Province to the south, Abra to the west, Isabela to the east, Cagayan to the northeast, and Apayao to the north. Prior to 1995, Kalinga and Apayao used to be a single province named Kalinga-Apayao, until an ethnic/tribal war prompted separation Ifugao kids Ang mga Igorot ay isang grupong etniko sa Pilipinas. Matatagpuan sila sa Cordillera, sa isla ng Luzon, sa hilaga ng bansa. Mayroong anim na lalawigan sa Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR): ang Abra, Apayao, Benguet, Ifugao, Kalinga, at Mountain Province. Nag-iisang lungsod sa CAR ang lungsod ng Baguio. May anim na etnolinggwistikong grupo sa parte ng mga pook na tinitirhan ng mga Igorot: ang Bontoc, Ibaloi, Ifugao, Isneg (o Apayao), Kalinga, at Kankanaey. Ang mga Igorot ay kilala sa kanilang pagiging masipag, matatag, at tapat sa kanilang pinagmulan. Mga ugaling hindi basta basta hinahayaang makuha ng iba ang kanilang mga namana o nakuhang mga kayamanan. Mahalaga sa kanila ang lupa, sapagkat ito ang pangunahing ikinabubuhay nila. Ang isang patunay nito ang Hagdan-hagdang Palayan ng Banawe na matatagpuan sa isang tribu sa Ifugao. The walk from the road down to the village and back up takes no longer than 1 ½ hours. Much of the walk is through rice fields, so take shelter from sun and rain. The village has become an historic sight, with many traditional houses still standing. Souvenir shops have been set up by the locals and some provide coffee, cold drinks (even beer) and shelter from the rain. We chose hot coffees and were entertained by Conchita at her outdoor tables. We found her conversation so interesting and informative that we stayed for more coffee and finally a beer. I bought one of the excellent knives manufactured by a local blacksmith. He uses steel from old car springs and mounts the pieces in a wooden sheath, bound with rattan, as is the knife handle. battery crockett

1945-2005-escolta

CHINA TOWN
 

AT LIPA LAGUNA  ANCIENT DISCOVERIES (709,000 years old) ON OUR WAY TO LOS BANOS

Beyond Human's wildest hopes, the Philippines is home to a wealth of archeological discoveries that have revolutionized our knowledge of human history. Right from the finding of mutilated rhinoceros bones in the Philippines, which casts doubt on the current knowledge of the 709,000-year-old human migration across Asia, to the amazing finding of the homo Luzonensis fossils in the Philippines, which serve as evidence of the worldwide archaeologists' cooperative efforts. There are lots of terrifying findings about the Philippines that have changed its status quo. What brought about the discovery of the Angono petroglyphs? Let’s find out. Scientists have exquisitely traced the evolution of the Philippines into existence to about 709,000 years ago, with the earliest known human activity in the archipelago. At this intriguing period, the Island of Luzon was once home to the extinct human species Homo Luzonensis, at least 67,000 years ago. The first anatomically modern Human was found at the Tabon Caves in Palawan approximately 47,000 years ago. Amazingly, research revealed that the Negrito clans were the first people to settle in the ancient Philippines. Following them were Asiatics, Papuans, and South Asians. Maritime Austronesians, who migrated southward from Taiwan in 3000 BC, make up most of the current population. By 2000 B.C., the archipelago served as the hub of a Trans-Oceanic Philippine jade culture. discovery,unexplained,mysterious,top 10,top 15,space,universe,science,techology,mystery,facts,interesting,discovery channel,discovery plus,scientists discovery,aliens,ufo,terrifying discoveries,top,they discovered,invention,future,galaxy,james webb,elon musk,business,entertainment,Uncovered Files,betelgeuse,space news,universe news,largest underwater volcano has suddenly cracked open the earth,yellowstone volcano,terrifying discovery,volcano,

We stumbled at this little town of lipa Laguna not knowing the significance of this place in the history of the Philippines. Brace yourselves for a jaw-dropping revelation that will shatter everything you thought you knew about the Philippines. This is not your typical travel brochure tale; it's a mind-blowing journey into a realm of scientific discovery that will leave you questioning the very fabric of history. Are you ready to uncover the secrets hidden in the heart of Southeast Asia? Buckle up because what we're about to reveal will send shockwaves through your understanding of this tropical paradise. Nestled amidst over 7,600 islands, the Philippines has long been celebrated for its diverse beauty and captivating charm. From world-renowned beaches to lush mountain landscapes, it's a tropical haven like no other. But beneath its surface lies a secret that has the scientific community buzzing with excitement. Forget the stereotypes; this isn't just about karaoke and street basketball. Beyond its economic rise and territorial disputes, the Philippines conceals a treasure trove of archaeological wonders that rewrite the narrative of human history.

Frequently, it is stated that the Philippine's history is commonly associated with foreign colonization. There are limited historical records that document the diverse culture of the indigenous Filipinos before the arrival of the Spanish. Nevertheless, archaeological findings, such as the evidence of rhino butchering and the discovery of Homo Luzonensis, provide compelling proof that ancient humans had already inhabited the country thousands of years ago.

Sept. 1966: The Brothers Alpha Phi Omega (APO) Fraternity of the Delta Chapter Philippines circa 1966, from L# 1 Renato Perez, L #2 Virgilio Macalinao, L#3 - kneeling, me Alexander Custodio,  4-kneeling, Warlito Boquiren ChE66,   L#5 Johnny Lee, ?,L#7 Roberto Sobrepena, L#8 hidden halfway Camilo Assuncion Standing on the far left Derige (the brother of Rosalina Corbet, Mario Templado, Rolly Calumpong, Joe Calvo, Cesar Frias, Jojie Catibog, ?, Advisor Prof. Sevilla and daughter, Bonni Tong, Alex Tiquia, Jonah Molina.   More than 350,000 members have joined Alpha Phi Omega National Service Fraternity since it's founding, at 366 college campuses here in the US alone, not counting other countries. Our mission is to prepare campus and community leaders through service. Our purpose is to develop leadership, to promote friendship and to provide service to humanity....... ASC 45 years later, Feb 19, 2011: After the years of absence from the Alpha Phi Omega fraternity, I rejoined the fold and found the warmth of friendship. Getting reacquainted with old friends and meeting new brothers. I am in my advance years, but my youth came back amongst the Brods, which is invigorating. I am very much in good company when I say ahh youth, as the older  Brods Tito Cerdan at age 84 can still hang around with us, Rey Cacabelos, and Cesar Frias, who are from earlier batches, can feel the same thing in their hearts, as emotions betray them. I intend to make a separate blog entirely for APO, ie. like my Sixties, and then place all the pictures of our Valentine excursion from Stockton,  California. Rejoiced, as it was a sweet reunion too, of my long lost best buddy Brod Cesar who was also a neighbor  a classmate at MIT a twin brother in our escapades on dates and trips to Tanay. We have not seen each other for 45 years. We just have to makeup for the lost years, ie.  the same with Brods Rey Cacabelos, Fortune Cumigad, Jonah Molina. We give our sincere appreciation to the family of Brod Jonah and Rose for the warm, kind accommodations and specially to Marjoe and Jo Ann for the warm beds rendered. The food was excellent. You guys missed the "alimango" when Mel Gonzales of ETA chapter came in after lunch. I hope to see you again in the near future, as the warm and cordial  mood pervading the celebrants and guests was uplifting to the spirit. The only thing  I wish,  was to remember all the  names of the Brods present during the gathering like Jojo Lobusta, Jun Malan, Tony Santilan, Larry of Gamma, Oliver our youngest, Trigo from  Dist7, Betcha Dist4, (Caltrans designation for areas in California of which I was in HQ Sacramento and Dist. 4 San Francisco during the 60’s /my youth) Reigel my neighbor from the Bay Area, Ferdie who was an inspirational MC, Joel Pablo, who was kind enough to share his prize, Oca Atienza a long lost acquaintance from my MIT years. Forgive my senior mind in the advent of forgetfulness,  if I was not able to mention the rest of the Brods. To those who did not make it, it was a fine dignified affair at the Hilton, that continued on toward the wee hours of the AM at Brod Jonah’s place to the consternation of the neighbors. I think some of the Brods continued their celebration outside, and got shooed away by some friendly but sleepy neighbors. With all the talk, laughter, and joyous celebration, I can not wait for the next one. Till we meet again….ASC APO 2011 Valentines Party Celebration Stockton Hilton, 19 February 2011 "Marami ang naghahangad na makadalo sa pagtitipon ng Alpha Phi Omega lalong lalo na sa Chapter natin Delta, dahil sa kaka-ibang pagka-alam ng karamihan sa lapit ng ating kalooban, sa init ng ating pagmamahal sa isa't isa, at ito ay kina-i-ing-igitan ng marami at sila ay nanghinahinayang sa pagkakataon sapagkat hindi sila kasapi sa ating kapatiran. Sa aking palagay ay lalong nanghihinayang ang mga kasapi na hindi dumalo sa ating pagtitipon na ito , dahil hindi nila binigyan kabuluhan ng gintong katuturan at malasap at mapatunayan ang higpit ng ating turingan magkakapatid." These were the opening words or close to what said by our Brother Cesar Frias, ETA 61A, an affiliate of our beloved Chapter, the Delta Chapter. His wife, Sister Ceny and him drove miles and miles from Windsor, N-E Canada to Stockton, just to be with us at our Celebration of the 2011 APO Delta Valentine's Day Celebration. It was a tuortous and hectic drive he said, but the significance to attend and meet us, was his ultimate desire and he proved to our Sister Ceny that he can drive and do it, after buying and installing expensive snow chains, a flat and changing tire on a extreme cold weather. He made a promise to be present more often on our incoming affairs, to be with us more after decades of absence. He mentioned the brevity of unity that binds us because of the things he said, heard and read at the internet about the problem that caused misunderstanding between us brothers and sisters. His inspirational talk was indeed deep and its purpose i thought hit the mark to perpetuate the true meaning of our brotherhood. i paralleled the misunderstanding with a destroyed bridge over a treacherous unpassable waters where both sides can not cross to the other side unless the bridge is rebuilt. I would like to see the old times when we were one Delta, and those were the most memorable times. I will keep on praying/hoping before my sun sets permanently to see us as one, united, and this image will be etched on my being and will stay,  till my last breath. The day started seeing Brod Tony Santillan, his wife Sister Anne, Brod Anthony Ty and the daughter of Brod El Prez preparing the Hall. The decorations were just marvelous, lots of reds, and of course APO emblems, coat of arms, were displayed. Brother Saniel Cuison arrived and set up his music/band instruments who gave us the life of the party with his magnificent and beautiful music of the oldies and the new tunes. The Lady singer was excellent and the guitar playing of Brother Sonny was just beyond words. Your Manang Linda(my wife) was really impressed and she enjoyed the night tremendously. Brother Ferdie and Sister Betcha del Rosario co-emceed the event,and after my invocation, food was served. Grilled salmon wrapped with bacon, rice and mixed veggies, beef steak with your choice how it was cooked, rare, medium rare or well done. i guess it was really finger licking good because our long lost brother Alexander Custodio finished his, in a flash. Brother Cesar Frias finished his, almost the same fashion and it was not enough I presumed because his wife, Sister Cora shared more of hers, lol! I observed how Brother Fortune Cumigad cut his steak very delicately  to savor and enjoy the fresh, moist tenderness of the choice cut beef. El Prez and wife, Sister Rose were sitted accross , i was not able to see what they had. My wife and I enjoyed our grilled salmon, it was an excellent choice of menu, and the cake was delicioso. Kudos to the committee. After dinner were speeches, talks and dancing in between. El Prez thanked everyone for their presence, their supports, the efforts exerted by the different committees, the brothers and sisters who were not able to attend, that he called them up and he knew the reasons why they were not able to attend. Bravo, bravo, mabuhay ka my Brother El Prez, Jonah Molina, excellent job,  brother. Brother Alex Custodio, who was lost and found after 45 or so odd years was ecstatic to meet everyone, and promised that the Valentine's Party will be the beginning for his active participation in all the incoming events. Brother Tito Cerdan, The oldest Deltan, a Charter Member was happy to be with us, his younger brothers, and for his demeanor, his well being, his young looks, are very inspiring and i am envious as well, lol! The games conducted by our energetic Brother Rigel Abueg, and wife, Sister Mindy. I laughed my behind off the entire time. The "cheating" of Brothers Wilson Lautchang and Bong Hernandez, I don't have anything to do with it, lol! My heartfelt thanks my Brothers, your deep concern is appreciated especially Brothers Joel Pablo and Brother Wilson Lautchang, my wife and I are grateful. When both of you are around i felt very special with your love and i will remember. Brother Fortune, although you are one of the most senior, you still represent the true legacy of a Deltan. No need to elaborate, you know what i meant. Sister Betcha, muchas gratias para nada for the prizes given. lol! Ahhhhhh, the wittiness of Brother Trigo Leyva, our Afghanistan Veteran Brother. I thank you for your service. I should be aware of the things of you did to get away with 'em, your lapses, lol!. i was wondering if my men did the same things you did when i was the the Field First Sergeant, lol! you were the wily coyote. As always, Sister Minda is always there to help us in some ways on our affairs. Indeed, the night was a memorable night, everyone enjoyed. i felt the electricity of contentment on everyone. Wished we could have stayed longer but our time ran out, and the Hotel policy on the time  alloted,  indexed. My honor meeting you young brothers.You are the future of our Delta traditions and legacies. My apology for not being able to make the continuation of the fellowship at Brother El Prez house because of difficulty driving at night. The day after:  The sumptuous breakfast prepared and served by our Brod El Prez, Jonah Molina and wife, Sister Rose. Dinuguan, longaniza, tilapia fried, lumpia shanghai, and many more. Endless boiled balut, steaming coffee, buko, fruit drinks and more, everyone had their fill and even have pabaon. We continued and enjoyed the camaraderie atmosphere with the memories of the past. I overheard Brother Alex Custodio telling Brother Oca Atienza about his college girlfriends before his wife collarred him, lol! A gift of appreciation was accorded to Brother Jun Malam for the printing of the Souvenir Program, which i thought was done very professionally. We watched the demolition of the Mexican Bantamweight Champ by our own Pinoy Champ, Nonito Donaire. I was rattled by Brod El Prez' daughter jubilations when the Mexican was knocked out on the second round. More pictures taken, the hardest moment once again loomed, the time of parting, time of good byes. When to meet again only time can tell. It was a long drive to go home, 5 hours, 5 times rest stops along the way. Driving back was better with the weather situation than when coming in, it was raining then and the road was slippery. The APO Toast Song, sang heartily with the piano accompaniment of one of the Brothers and i got overwhelmed, i shed some joyful tears, hid them behind my sunglasses, no one saw me cried, lol! Hope next event, more attendees will be present, I expect my far away sister, Sister Nette Villanueva to be with us. Praying your lowly/humble Apong is still breathing and mobile when that time comes. You be blessed my Brothers and Sisters, may your hearts remain kind. Remember our Brother Tony Manalo who needs our help right now with his accident and will incur an excessive hospitalization expense to be able to get well, and other Brothers and Sisters who need our help. My Brothers and Sisters may love and compassion live in you, to forgive and forget. Remember always, Life is too short.  LFS, Apong Brod Alexander Brod Tito Cerdan Hi  Brod El Prez Jonah Molina, the other officers of the APO Delta Chapter Overseas Alumni Association, , Committee members of the different committees and all those  who in one way or another were involved in the preparation and in organizing an enjoyable and memorable valentine's day celebration, CONGRATULATIONS. Just so sad that the fun and merry making and the last miniute meeting  had to be cut short by house rules and the meeting had to be continued in Brod El Prez Jonah's place. That was indeed an affair to remember and I am so glad and happy that I did not miss this wonderful occasion. The atmosphere that pervaded  was so cordial that  one could feel the happiness and the close comeraderie of all the attendees. The program was short but was full of fun and enjoyment and the music so enticing that even the elderly could not help but join in the fun.. Sister Betcha and the other lady sister really did a wonderful job prepaing the venue and the parlor games, bursting the balloon, blowing the balloon, the raffle, etc. were all but terriffic. Thank you all , for inviting me to this occasion. I am so happy that God has granted my prayers to give me strength to be able to endure the rigors of the gathering so I could renew acquaintances wih kabrods that I met in 2009, during my first time ever to attend a gathering of Apo Deltans since I was initiated to the Fraternity in 1952. I am afraid that Mr. Alzeimer is fast approaching on me that I may not be able to remember all of those whom I met in 2009. .It was also an opportune time to  meet new ones. I could not help but remember with  heartfelt gratitude and thanks that it was  Brod Joel Pablo who woke me up from my deep slumber as a Deltan. It was Brod Joel who introduced me to the APO Delta Chapter Alumni Association USA and Canada.Valentine's Day celebration in Sacramento CA., in 2009. This was my first time ever to attend a gathering of APO Deltans since 1952. Thanks to Brod Jun Malan, who together with hiis wife Vangie, fetched me from San Jose, so I could attend the celebration. Also my thanks to Brod Tony and his Wife Anne, for the nice Jacket and cozy accomodation then. Thanks to Brod Ben Gacusan for taking me back home to San Jose. Brods Ben Gacusan, Sam Pitman, Enting Ellescas, who are all in the Philippines right now and were not able to join the fun, (I missed you guys), and Brod Ferdie del Rosario, dropped by my  place in San Jose on their way to the reunion in September 2009, to find out if I can join them to the reunion. Much as I wanted very much to do so, my health condition at the time did not warrant my joining them.By the way,  Brod Ferdie, together with wife Betcha were  not only great MCs but were also a very cordial hosts. With them around one can always be at ease.   I would like to  acknowledge with gratitude the kind help of Brod Jojo Lobusta, whom I met only two weeks ago but had become so intimate, that we are now like friends of long ago. It was Brother Jojo, who picked me up and brought me back to San Jose and he was also my tutor in the new APO hand shake and whistle. These new tricks  came in handy during the sumptous brunch gatherng at Brod Jonah and Sis Rose place.. IIt was amusing to see kabrods , the  young ones, looking amazed upon hearing a  whistle imanating from , the young once,  an old guard of the 52s. Thanks to the proddings of my Tutor Brod Jojo. we almost slightly put the  house down.  It was during this time that I did have the pleasure to exchange short pleasantries with Brod Fortune Cumigad and Brod Bong Hernandez. I hope we will have a longer chit .chat  next time .around.  Upon arrival at Brod Johna's place,. where we were received so warmly that I felt instantly at ease, we  introduced ourselves to all the Brods and Sis who were already  there, I had the pleasure of  meeting for the first time, ka brods who like me may likely be called "The Young Once".  There was Brod Alex Custodio, who said he had been in the USA for the past 45 years without having gone back to the Philippines since then. Brod Alex  was to become our room mate with Brod Jojo for the  night so  early morning re of the next day  we  did have a brief  but interesting exchange of views. Brod Jonah, Sis Rose, Jomar and Jo Anne  thank you so much for the cozy and wonderful accomodation.  IIt  was a pleasure to meet Brod Cesar Frias and his wife Cora, who, If only to emphasize the need for unity and closer comeraderie in the group,,drove all the way from Windsor, Canada to Stockton, USA, a distance of only more than three thousand miles, just to attend the Valentine's Day celebration.. Thus he said,  he  also proved to his darling wifey Cora that he can still drive to another gathering like this in the near future. Brother Norie Cacabelos , whom I had the pleasure of meeting in 2009, although now maybe considered as one of the "Young Once", did compete with the "Young Ones",led by Brod Reigel and wife Mindy, in the dance floort giving the impression to all and sundry that "Hindi pa kami Laos". Though only for a brief chat I was so happy to learn  from Sis Linda that your health condition has greatly improved. Carry on Brod, just do it. Am so sorry Brod Norie if my attendance deprived you and the other "Young Once"  Brods  the Calling as the "Most Senior" among the attendees. I did so again in 2009 when I did deprive Brod Ben Gacusan of the Calling. Pero huag kayong mainip mga Brod. You will have your time..  It was a pleasure to meet Brod Wilson Lauchang who was always there ready to assist in many ways. Brod Wilson, Jo Anne, and Brod Jojo  thank you so much for taking pictures for me, Then there was Brod Larry, who dropped by and whom I had a very pleasant chit chat. I was happy to meet and talk to his wife Elsa? in the Bolinao dialect which is an adulterated Zambal dialect, her native tongue.. Sitted at our Table No  4, were myself, Brod Joel "Abu Bakar" Pablo,, Brod and Mrs Trigo Leyva, Brod Anthony Ty,his wife Fe and daughter Karissa, and Brod Oca Atiensa. The encounters of Brod Trigo as a Coast Guard which he and  Brod Joel presented as a comedy skit was very amusing.and very impressive.  The affair was indeed a success and once again congratulations to the Officers of  the Association headed by Brod El Prez Jonah Molina and  the Committees who were responsible in  making the affair a resounding success. …Brod Tito Cerdan

Brod Alex, I'm glad you enjoyed our gathering and we look forward to seeing you again.   I myself had a good time mingling with brothers and sisters from Batch 1952 (Tito Cerdan) to Batch 2000 (Oliver Vergara) and those in between.   It was nice to see Brod Saniel Cuison (Batch 1980) play the guitar (ala Neal Schon of Journey) and made us dance all night long.  It was fun seeing the 60's brods participate in a baloon game to see who could "blow" the biggest balloon!  It was nice to see Brod Cesar Frias and wife Cora, who drove over 3,000 miles from Windsor Canada and bravely climbed over the snowy Sierra mountains, experienced using tire chains, and had a flat tire on his way to Stockton, to endure all of these and still inspire us with his Unity speech.  It was especially nice to see Brod Norie and wife Linda lead the line dance and made us look like amateurs.   It was nice to see everyone enjoyed each other company and drank the wine (all 12 bottles) and beers - as Brod Tito Cerdan call it "agua de pataranta".  It was nice to hear my batchmate, our comedian Brod Joel na "nataranta" as Abubakar and surprisingly a junior Abubakar is emerging - Brod Trigo who gave us an insight of the funny side of being a soldier in Iraq.  A brave soldier indeed he is and an emerging Abubakar.  It was nice to hear President Jonah speak about our fraternity and how it has shaped our lives from our college days to now.  Lastly, it was nice to see everyone helped out to make the event a success.   Oh what a night!!! In LFS, Brod Ferdie Hereunder are the links to the various video clips/pictures of our Valentines party at the Hilton Hotel in Stockton.  Emceed by Brod Ferdie del Rosario (Batch '75C) and wife Sis Betcha (Batch '77), the 2011 Valentines Party was a complete success.  From the favors and centerpieces made by Sis Betcha, to the room set-up prepped by Anne Santillan, Mindy Abueg, and Minda Abalos, set a very meaningful Valentines ambiance.  The slide show, put together by Brod Wilson Lautchang (Batch '72), made us reminisce the past Valentine affairs.  We were honored by the presence of Brod Tito Cerdan (1952- Charter Member), and Brod Oliver Vergara, (Batch '2000C), the oldest and youngest attendees.  Brod Jojo Lobusta (Batch '88A), who took charge fetching Brod Tito, felt a great relief on learning that Brod Oliver will be attending because he will not be considered the most junior in the group and thus avoid being the"utusan". Brod Cesar Frias (Batch '62-eta) and wife Cora of Windsor, Canada travelled by car for three days and two nights just to attend the party.  "No regrets" they said,  because 'the party was well worth their long travel'. Brod Fortune Cumigad (Batch '64), also travelled alone continuously for 6 1/2 hours to join us. Brod Alex Custodio (Batch '64), after 45 years of hibernation, for the first time joined us in the gathering.  Brod Anthony Ty (Batch '82B) and wife Fe came with their beautiful daughter Karissa. Some brods, in their eagerness to arrive early forgot to bring their party suits and had to go to the mall to buy  themselves one.  Brods Bong Hernandez (Batch '75C), Wilson Lautchang, Joel "Abu Bakar" Pablo (Batch '75C), and Oca Atienza (Batch 64-eta) came one day earlier and played golf in the early morning of Saturday.  Brod Oca Atienza, despite his gout insisted on playing.  Right after they finished the 18th hole they joined other brods to a luncheon party hosted by a brod Mel Gonzales of Eta. Brod Norie Cacabelos (Batch '61-beta) and wife Linda and the rest of the attendees enjoyed dancing to the continuous live music from the band of Brod Saniel Cuison (Batch '80B).  Songs from the old sixties to the new raps filled the dance floor air.   The party was not complete without the energy and laughter-filled parlor games planned and conducted by Sis Betcha del Rosario, Brod Rigel Abueg (Batch '77B) and his wife, Mindy.  The Iraq experience of Brod Trigo Leyva (Batch '77B) was transformed into a hilarious skit by Brod Joel that brought the house down. Through the untiring efforts of Brod Tony Santillan (Batch '69A), Brod Jun Malan (Batch '70), and Brod Joel Pablo, we were able to come up with a Souvenir Program which will serve as our reminder that the Valentines affair is one event that brings closer camaraderie among us. When you thought everything was going great and all of a sudden….kaboom! Lunchtime, Saturday and Brother Mel Gonzales Eta ’77 invited the Delta Brothers at Jonah’s place. However, after Brother Mel had saidthe grace for lunch, I had to accompany Brother Jonah to go back at his place who got a call from Jun Malan and wife Vangie. All we can think of was the sumptuous feast the Brothers were having at  Mel’s while Bro. Jonah was driving on an empty stomach and I just had six roasted peanuts on the shell. I was imagining the crunchy piece of “chicaron with meat” at Brother Mel’s table when all of a sudden, I noticed that Bro. Jonah was entering the opposite ramp of the freeway – I told him ”Look out bro, the white arrow is pointing in our direction!” Perhaps it was the existing hunger or an Alzheimer’s moment that got into him. Thank God, I was able to notice it and there was no vehicle exiting the freeway or we’d be spending the Valentine Affair at the hospital. After two more unsafe lane changes accompanied with two loud honks from irate drivers, we arrived alive at Jonah’s place. What luck it was, Jun Malan told us that he forgot his suit and coat for the party thus, we have to go out again and accompany him at the mall to get one. Actually, it was a blessing in disguise  - Jonah remembered that he haven’t picked up his pants in the cleaner as well. Going back at Jonah’s place, we found Brother Alex Custodio  - Delta ’64 and Brother Fortune’s batchmate, Brother Jojo Lobusta ’88 who picked up Brother Tito Cerdan, Charter’52. After my lunch of pear and a packet of Sky Flakes (lost my appetite), I asked Jonah that I need to go to the hotel and get dressed. On the driveway, we saw Brother Tony Santillan who just arrived and wearing a frown – the reason why? Well, he was also missing his pants and what happened next was Jonah had to take Tony with us, drove him to the mall and pick him up after dropping me at the hotel. Hey, we found a new talent during the program – Trigo “Trigger” Leyva and yours truly, Abu Bakar! Brother Ferdie, the MC called me up for my Abu Bakar jokes during the course of the program as usual but, I wasn’t really prepared. Remembering Brother Trigo telling us his funny experiences during his training and post Iraq days the night before, I just decided to call him up on the stage and interviewed him as one of our “unsung heroes.” The whole antic turned out as a comedy act that made the Brothers and guests in the audience roared with laughter. FYI, Brother Trigo is a reserved Coast Guard and a member of the elite Delta force (like you, I am also wondering how it happened J!). One of the funniest moments came right after the party when everyone decided to go back at Brother Jonah’s place for a nightcap. Brother Oca Atienza Eta’64 – upon seeing everyone’s condition (wasted as ever), had volunteered to drive for us, a senior doing a service to the younger Brothers, thank you, Brother Oca! After staying there until 4:00 am, Brothers Rigel, Bong Anthony Ty, and yours truly went back to the hotel. Bong was surprised to find out that because he was all wasted, he wrongfully put on the wrong pair of shoes – no shoelaces. And mind you, he was ever so careful on not to step on the laces while treading the wet sidewalk! Brother Wilson couldn’t go back to sleep anymore because he was dying of laughter. Wilson suggested that he just took it with him and send it back later since we were in a hurry, but Bong said that it was an expensive pair making it mandatory to return to Brother Jonah’s place. It was Brother Alex Custodio’s shoes that Bong wore by mistake.  Finally, it was time for us to depart. Tight handshakes and hugs were exchanged. Brother Oca couldn’t help getting misty eyed, he has to wear his Ray Bans to hide it. Sadness and happiness both can be seen on each other’s faces as we bade goodbye to the brothers at Jonah’s place. I can’t forget the tight hug that Brother Tito made – reluctantly letting you go, his eyes reddened with tears. Thanks so much to Brother Jojo Lobusta for teaching Brother Tito the “APO whistle”. It was fun watching Brother Tito sound that whistle with a nod and a wink! I miss you all my dear brothers. Brothers Cesar Frias, Alex Custodio, and Oliver Vergara, I am really honored to meet you all and I hope to see you again and let the experience remind you of what we are. It was one of the most memorable event and I felt sorry for all who missed it. Manang Linda, Brother Norie’s wife said: “This is the most alive and joyous Valentine Party that they had attended.” Lastly let us remind ourselves what brother Cesar Frias stressed in his word of wisdom – “Let unity be the main reason to keep the fraternity alive!” Always in LFS, Bro. Joel

Through the untiring efforts of Brod Tony Santillan (Batch '69A), Brod Jun Malan (Batch '70), and Brod Joel Pablo, we were able to come up with a Souvenir Program which will serve as our reminder that the Valentines affair is one event that brings closer camaraderie among us.

Muse APO DELTA 1966  MY WIFE TO THE RIGHT   ST. THERESA  GRADUATED  CLASS  1967  BS BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION   WITH  TOP  HONORS ........  SUMMA  CUM  LAUDE

Pre-Hispanic period Before the first arrival of Europeans on Luzon island, the island was part of the Majapahit empire around the 14th century, according to the epic eulogy poem Nagarakretagama which described its conquest by Mahārāja Hayam Wuruk. The region was invaded around 1485 by Sultan Bolkiah and became a part of the Sultanate of Brunei. The site of Intramuros then became a part of the Islamic Kingdom of Maynila ruled by various Datus, Rajas and the Sultan. Construction of the defensive walls was started by the Spaniards in the late 16th century to protect the city from foreign invasions. The 0.67-square-kilometre (0.26 sq mi) walled city was originally located along the shores of the Manila Bay, south of the entrance to Pasig River. The reclamations during the early 20th-century obscured the walls from the bay. Guarding the old city is Fort Santiago, its citadel located at the mouth of the river. Intramuros was heavily damaged during the battle to recapture the city from the Japanese Imperial Army during the Second World War. Reconstruction of the walls was started in 1951 when Intramuros was declared a National Historical Monument, which is continued to this day by the Intramuros Administration Angeles del Pilar Samson……..1919-1994 I have always regarded my mother as the most patient, gentle and beautiful person in my life. She was my model during my search for my future wife who will be NO LESS THAN MY MOTHER. As a little child I loved her most of all, now that I am old, my love for her has grown beyond this world. I terribly miss her presence and tender care. 1

Intramuros - Manila Hotel Intramuros is the oldest district and historic core of Manila, the capital of the Philippines. Known as the Walled City, the original fortified city of Manila was the seat of the Spanish government during the Spanish colonial period. The walled part of Manila was called intramuros, which is Latin for "within the walls"; districts beyond the walls were referred as the extramuros of Manila, meaning "outside the walls" The Manila Hotel which opened in 1912 and extensively remodeled in the 1970s is a Philippine landmark, home to high society and to political intrigue, and often a scene of historic events. 1898- Judge William Howard Taft issued of the first decrees of the Second Philippine Commission, to create an urban plan for the Manila. Architect and city planner Daniel Hudson Burnham drafted a wide and long tree-lined boulevard that would begin at the park and at the spit’s end of the bay, a boulevard that would be dominated on one end by a hotel. 1908- William Parsons was appointed to continue where Burnham left off. He supervised the design and construction of Manila Hotel and was completed four years later. Soon, a magnificent, white, green-tile-roofed California Missionary-styled edifice emerged housing 149 spacious and high-ceilinged rooms. Since then, it is a hotel that commands the best westward view of Manila’s fabled sunset, the fortress of Corregidor, the poignant ruins of the medieval fortress that was Intramuros, and the palm-lined promenades of Luneta Park.

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In my late seventies, I begin to see the value of childhood memories, as a legacy worth sharing it to my family and that I, hopefully, will not be forgotten when I leave this physical world.  My consciousness started on a bright November day in 1946 at the age of two. I experienced my new relation with my sister Aleta newly arrived from the hospital the night before. On this early morning, while waking from deep sleep in the bedroom, I saw my mother and the new born baby. I stood up watched my sister take my place as the new “baby” supposed with the jealousy of a child wondering what his new status is. At a distance I could see my mother's pretty face nourishing my little sister, as I ran toward her. I can only imagine her smiling face filled with assurance to know how I felt, tinge with a fear of rivalry, little legs running toward her. Right photo, was taken one month before Aleta was born, bottom photo further down taken at graduation from Grade 7, March 17, 1957. O mother-my-love, if you’ll give me your hand, And go where I ask you to wander, I will lead you away to a beautiful land,– The Dreamland that’s waiting out yonder. We’ll walk in a sweet posie-garden out there, Where moonlight and starlight are streaming, And the flowers and the birds are filling the air With the fragrance and music of dreaming. There’ll be no little tired-out boy to undress, No questions or cares to perplex you, There’ll be no little bruises or bumps to caress, Nor patching of stockings to vex you; For I’ll rock you away on a silver-dew stream And sing you asleep when you’re weary, And no one shall know of our beautiful dream But you and your own little dearie. And when I am tired I’ll nestle my head In the bosom that’s soothed me so often, And the wide-awake stars shall sing, in my stead, A song which our dreaming shall soften. So, Mother-my-Love, let me take your dear hand, And away through the starlight we’ll wander,– Away through the mist to the beautiful land,– The Dreamland that’s waiting out yonder......EF MY ARTS TEACHER MS Viduya_Marita Y SCIENCE TEACHER MISS JULLIETA DAYAP In 1960: I became aware of my heritage in my junior year at UP Prep and began preparation for my appointment as a cadet at  PMA in Fort Del Pilar. This was a period in my teen years that I remember fondly, memories in my High School, of the hectic days, dashing thru the corridors catching my schedule of classes at Rizal Hall. I recall my bag loaded with books, eager, wide eyed, and quick to learn the tenets of math, the arts and sciences. I remember past friends and stormy situations that most teenagers weathered through. As in life surviving the unspoken pecking order among bigger classmates and the so called in crowd was the rule. That lone wolf streak that kept me apart, which peers seemed to see as a weakness was a measure of heritage that set me off from the current teenage precepts of the day. Later, when of age and after further studies, having ever spurred curiosity, whetted my appetite for a life of adventure, of soldiering and foreign lands.     TO MOM WITH ALL MY LOVE AND PRAYERS T O ALL MY LADY PROFESSORS ND  A SPECIAL MENTION TO Mr RUBIO ONLY

June 1967: This photo courtesy of Rosalina D. Corbett, showing the oath taking of newly registered Chemical Engineers. Taken sometime June 24, 1967 in Makati, Sarmiento bldg. From far left is Jose Catibog, me, Reynaldo Santos, Maximillan Ui, Audie Vergara, Florencio Roxas, Lorna M. Jereza, Rosalina Derige Corbett, Oscar Santos, Rey Sequerra, Celso Chua, Romeo Olalia........................Alexander I graduated right in front of this building with class 1966 ChE and Carlos P. Romulo as guest speaker. The Institute is a reputable source of architects, engineers, and science graduates and constantly produces top notchers in the architectural and engineering fields. Photo below of the American Cemetery at the old Fort Bonifacio, where we lived close by. Chapel Sculpture Facade of the 60-ft tall chapel of the American Cemetery in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City. The sculpture represents, from bottom to top, the young American warrior symbolized by St George, fighting his enemy, the dragon, in the jungle. Above them are the ideals for which he fought: Liberty, Justice, Country. Columbia, with the child symbolizing the future, stands at the zenith. Information sourced from the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial pamphlet.

In 1951, the Mapúa family acquired a piece of land from the La Corporación Fransicana where the present Intramuros Campus stands. The campus opened at 1956 while the building construction were completed in 1963. All college programs were transferred from the Doroteo José campus to the Intramuros Campus in 1973. During my stay, the Institute consistently dominated the top 10 and even the top 20 slots in most licensure exams for architecture and engineering, year after year. It also consistently achieved the highest passing rates in the board exams among other competing schools in architecture and the various fields of engineering. The check marks represent the graduates who passed their CHEMICAL ENGINEERING BOARD EXAM.

High Noon at the Batttlefield Right hemicycle of the Manila American Cemetery, viewed from the entrance of the left hemicycle. The gap between the gray pebbles is the path to the memorial's chapel. For more information, please see In Memoriam Opposites Shot at the Manila American Cemetery. The brownish smooth hardness of the limestone tablets against the dark, disordered patterns of the tree's foliage. Order and disorder. Life. Gone, and the living. Wall of the Missing. Continuing with the B&W project. Shot at the Manila American Cemetery in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City. As the sun gently sinks, the shadows slowly draws across the names of the missing valiant - exactly 36,286 American and Filipino servicemen are recorded in these limestone tablets. Manila American Cemetery and Memorial Manila American Cemetery and Memorial is located in Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City in Metro Manila, Philippines. Manila American Cemetery and Memorial Nave Chapel of Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal, Philippine Women's University, Manila, Philippines Pasig River viewed from old Ayala Bridge Puerta de Isabel Gate through the old Spanish Wall, Intramuros, Manila Puerta Postigo del Palacio Gate, Intramuros, Manila, Philippines   The awesome interior of old Binondo Church ( Basilica of San Lorenzo Ruiz ) .... the patroness of this historic Dominican Church is the Nuestra Senora Del Rosario . In College, I worked in this building with an export import company.

The cemetery, 152 acres (62 ha) or 615,000 square metres in area, is located on a prominent plateau, visible at a distance from the east, south and west. With a total of 17,206 graves, it is the largest cemetery in the Pacific for U.S. personnel killed during World War II, and also holds war dead from the Philippines and other allied nations. Many of the personnel whose remains are interred or represented were killed in New Guinea, or during the Battle of the Philippines (1941-42) or the Allied recapture of the islands. The headstones are made of marble which are aligned in eleven plots forming a generally circular pattern, set among masses of a wide variety of tropical trees and shrubbery.  PROPERTY IN FRANCE FOR SALE BY OWNER   FOR $200,000 IN MONTAIGUT EN COMBRAILLE ( in the Puy-de-Dôme department of Auvergne) Renovattion of the house cost more than $ 120,000 ie. new roof $25,000, Brick Floors in family  room $36,000 , reinforoced dumgeons and new wood in living floor, arch dungeons floor  and spiral stairs $23,000, Finishing up like double pane windows, doors, utilities, $37,000, landscaping concrete work, $12,000 etc. Then antique furnitures, linen included. Living area of 2009 sq. feet, 3 bath and 3 bdr. Click here to see the full album of the house  FROM A MEDIEVAL HOME  As a child, I dream about traveling around the world especially in Europe and living there for for some months abd acquring their culture and language, I would need a house or a home base equidistant to the capitals of Europe. This dream was fulfilled later on above, in my retired years. However, I am done with traveling and will sell this house for a measely sum of $200,000 together with the antique fornitures, see  Inside the house This is the only restaurant that can compete with Auntie Auroring’s pancit mami Makati ... the facade of Sanctuario De San Antonio Church in Forbes Park ( Makati, Rizal ). My parish church at Fort Bonifacio back in the 1960s San Beda College The facade of the Chapel of Our Lady of Montserrat ( San Beda College ) ( Mendiola Street, Manila )...... the primary institution of the Benedictine Order in the Philippines Altar at Sanctuario de San Antonio, Forbes Park 1960: Pasig River still alive then, now heavy polluted and black in color. The Pasig River was a clear, flowing body of water that served as the center of commerce in Spanish colonial Manila. Stretching 27 kilometers, it connects Laguna Lake to Manila Bay and was the major source of water and livelihood of the many communities along its banks. People washed clothes in the shallower waters and fisher folks’ daily catch were always bountiful. The passenger boats that plied the river from the nearby province of Laguna to Manila and back served as the primary means of transportation. Today’s generation, however, has no recollection of the Pasig River in its heyday. Sunset at Manila Bay where the Pasig River empties.  The Pontifical and Royal University of Santo Tomas, The Catholic University of the Philippines (colloquially UST or "Ustê". Filipino: Unibersidad ng Santo Tomas), is a private Roman Catholic university run by the Order of Preachers in Manila. Founded on April 28, 1611 by archbishop of Manila Miguel de Benavides, it has the oldest extant university charter in the Philippines and in Asia. and is one of the world's largest Catholic universities in terms of enrollment found on one campus. UST is also the largest university in the city of Manila. Almost all the MD’s of the family graduated from UST.  Plaza Miranda-Quiapo 1950's-1970's Metro Manila Quezon Blvd.- Quiapo1950's-1970's Metro Manila, Rizal Theater-Makati 1950's-1970's Metro Manila, Philippines Palm Sunday Benediction every Monday afternoon. Our ritual at Espirito Santo Parochial School Centro Escolar University, Manila, FEU Right Photo st joseph's college                    FEU -   Ms. Nympha Galang My kind Math teacher,Ms. Emma Pangilinan My Art Teacher The Pasig River (called Ilog Pasig in Filipino) is a river that  connects Laguna de Bay (via the Napindan Channel) into  Manila Bay.   An Old House  on Tayabas Street   QUIAPO CHURCH   Typical corner cafe and street vendor up front. My parents married in this church in 1942.  The Roman Catholic Church  of San Ildefonso, in its eyes, a marriage is forged by God. The Church states that what God joins together, humans cannot sunder. I was also baptized in this church by Father Price, the parish

Sagada, Mt. Province ABOVE MY TOURS OF WESTERN AND EASTERN EUROPE: As a child, I dreamt about traveling around the world especially in Europe and  living there for for some months abd acquring their culture and language, I would need a house or a home base equidistant to the capitals of  Europe. This dream was fulfilled later on above, in my retired years. However, I am done with traveling and will sell this house for a measely  sum of $_00,000 together with the antique fornitures, see  Inside the house   Pasay City,  Roxas Blvd. at Aristocrat (Barbecue Plaza)   Del Pilar Shrine Marcelo H. Del Pilar Shrine in Bulakan, Bulacan.   View from Old Intramuros prior to reconstruction, towards the Post Office Building and Santa Cruz Bridge from the ruins of Recolectos Church 1950s. Notice the grass and vegetation along the walls that we in our young days have to cut and clean. UP PREP HIGH SCHOOL BLDG. TO THE RIGHT  OF THE SUPREME COURT BUILDING                        MY  GRAND  UNCLE:           Gen. Gregorio  Del Pilar Shrine Below THE BOY GENERAL GREGORIO DEL PILAR My grand uncle General Gregorio del Pilar monument THE BOY GENERAL, HERO OF THE PHILIPPINE AMERICAN WAR

Rizal Hall, University of the Philippines intramuros, manila cathedral The natives and Chinese were not permitted to live inside the walled fortress and were resigned to live outside the great walls of Intramuros. Intramuros was designed with 51 blocks within the vast walls, the only access in or out of Intramuros was via seven fortified gates. A moat around the walled city was added in 1603. Spread throughout the 51 blocks of the city were 12 churches, hospitals, domestic accommodation, military barracks, Governors Palace and schools. My Church in the town of my birth:Tanay, Built in 1778, the church was named after the Archbishop Ildefonso of Toledo, Spain, who was consecrated during the year 657 AD; revered for his spiritual vitality and deep writings contained in “ The Book of the Virginity of Maria”. Behind the heavy stone edifice decorated with Hispanic, archetype windows and stone sculpture of its saint, are legends that found its way to this generation. Tradition has it that an image of the Lady of the Immaculate Conception, was found among the belongings of our fleeing forefathers on the onset of the Spanish Invasion in 1573; the same image found among the remnants from the fire that gutted the first church in 1620- a lone survivor! During the Chinese Uprising in 1639, Father Geronimo de Frias hid it in the fields but was later on found by the Chinese rebel who tried to destroy the image, instead to themselves befell violent death. Cross at Bukal, in Tanay This was always sang to me by my grandmother. Presented in this video are the vintage photographs of the following colonial and historical religious edifices: 1. La Loma Church - formerly Caloocan, now Manila 2. Sto Domingo Church- Intramuros (destroyed by the Americans during world war II) 3. Paco Catholic Cemetery - Paco 4. Tondo Church -Tondo 5. San Sebastian Church -Manila 6. Binondo Church - Binondo 7. San Juan Church - San Juan 8. Sta. Cruz Church - Manila 9. Manila Cathedral - Intramuros 10. Poong Nazareno Church - Quiapo Television was introduced in the Philippines in 1953 with the opening of DZAQ-TV Channel 3 of Alto Broadcasting System in Manila. The station was owned by Antonio Quirino, the brother of the incumbent Philippine president, who was set to run for re-election the following year. The station operated on a four hour-a-day schedule (6 - 10 p.m.) and telecast only over a 50-mile radius. This television station was later bought by the Chronicle Broadcasting Network which started operating radio stations in 1956. CBN was owned by the Lopezes who were into various business concerns. The acquisition signalled the birth of ABS-CBN Broadcasting Network, now considered one of the major broadcasting companies not only in the Philippines but also in Asia. The Lopezes also owned The Manila Chronicle, a leading daily at that time. ABS-CBN therefore became not only the first radio-TV network in the Philippines but also the first cross-media entity owned by a family --- a situation which remains until today. Subsequently, the Lopez group added a second station, DZXL-TV 9. By 1960, a third station was in operation, DZBB-TV Channel 7 or Republic Broadcasting System, owned by Bob Stewart, a long-time American resident in the Philippines , who also started with radio in 1950. The first provincial television stations were established in 1968 in Cebu, Bacolod, and Dagupan by ABS-CBN. The network is supplemented by 20 radio stations located nationwide. Economic constraints during these early years of television forced a dependence on imported programs from three U.S. networks – ABC, CBS, and NBC. Importing programs was cheaper than producing them locally. In addition, canned programs appeared to be more popular among local audiences, even though initiatives were made in educational programming. The commercial thrust of Philippine broadcasting has made it unique among other East Asian countries, where the electronic media are controlled and operated by the government. While this free enterprise environment made local broadcasting globally competitive, the same environment made it difficult to produce and broadcast public service and "development" oriented programs. Philippine television's early dependence on US programs may be partly responsible for "colonial mentality" that has continued to afflict Filipinos during the past several generations. The commercial orientation of TV also engendered a "that’s entertainment" mentality in both the advertisers and the general public. Below photo of Sarmiento building on Ayala Ave. Then after, is Roxas Boulevard at twilight. Beyond is  the breakwater  protecting  the harbor basin of the Navy and the Manila Yacht Club. This was the seaside Avenue at the MNS where we lived, the attraction was the sunset across Manila Bay which I took for granted. This truly beautiful sight served a fitting backdrop for the many hundreds of families and lovers who still flock there each evening to enjoy the cool breeze and precious moments together. The garish artificial illuminations of Luneta take over at dusk, but it surely pale in comparison to the grandeur of the setting sun, nature’s own design for Roxas Boulevard, as the sun slowly descends behind the Bataan peninsula.   The Philippine Santa Cruzan celebration is held each month of May. It highlights a religious procession participated in by beautiful ladies, among them a "Reyna Elena." They depict the historic search of the Holy Cross by Queen Helena and her son Constantine the Great. Calle M.H. Del Pilar Nuestra Señora de los Remedios Church C/ M.H. Del Pilar Malate, Manila Plaza Moriones Plaza Moriones C/ Santa Clara, Fort Santiago Intramuros, Manila Hanging bridge at the Sierra Madre Inn into the woods   Fishing is a major industry in my home town. Of course it would make sense since we live by a lake. Laguna Lake is spanish for Lake Lake. Early 1960:I remember the old beautiful architectural lines of the Manila Hotel, not the new monstrous addition as it is now.  it reinforces the fact that much of the loss of the quality of life in the metropolis owes to crass commercialism, slapdash development, and the regulated chaos that makes up for urban planning in the otherwise overly regulated and bureaucratized regime in the Philippines. I reflect the times in High School when we trek on to this site from Padre Faura, Rizal Hall to the US Embassy Canteen to buy our ice cream cone for 10 centavos. Pleasant memories too of my first exposure to teen age westerners on one to one basis in this Hotel at pool side parties. This song jogs the memory lane. US Embassy Compound, near Rizal Park, Manila, as seen from the Filipinas Hotel. Port of Manila in background. I reflect the times in High School when we trek on to this site from Padre Faura, Rizal Hall to the US Embassy Canteen to buy our ice cream cone for 10 centavos. US Embassy Manila Tanay, Rizal       Bonod-ok Falls

Sarmiento Bldg, Makati, where I worked at Procter & Gamble; ARISTOCRAT. The closest restaurant to our place at MNS. 432 San Andres St. cor. Roxas Blvd., Malate

Top, movie houses, City Hall, Right Photo Bagiuo, the terraces and the Lost highway bontoc-mainit (mountain province). A mountain trail in the Cordillera, Philippines.  Rizal Avenue the street was named after Rizal, it was referred to as Calle  Dulumbayan.  I watched movies at the Ideal, State, Dalisay and Avenue Theaters. Later on ... the Universal Theater  and Odeon and Galaxy. And Scala, Apollo, Alegria and Opera House.

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In the twilight of age all things seem strange and phantasmal,
  As between daylight and dark ghost-like the landscape My heart goes back to wander there,
And among the dreams of the days that were,
  I find my lost youth again.
    And the strange and beautiful song,

    The groves are repeating it still:
  "A boy's will is the wind's will,
And the thoughts of youth are long, long thoughts."
I should not be withheld but that some day
into their vastness I should steal away,
Fearless of ever finding open land,
or highway where the slow wheel pours the sand...RF