Tuesday, January 31, 2012

SANTO NINO DE MALOLOS: CELEBRATING 37 YEARS OF FAITH, LOVE AND DEVOTION

SANTO NINO DE MALOLOS



CELEBRATING 37 YEARS OF FAITH, LOVE AND DEVOTION









Ferdinand Magellan's arrival in Cebu shores led to this grand religious spectacle in the country– a wooden image of the Sto. Niño was given as a gift to Hara Amihan (Queen Juana), wife of Rajah Humabon (King Carlos) – the two with the early Cebuano community were later baptized into the Catholic faith.
One of the carrozas featured during the Grand Procession

The image of the Sto. Niño is said to be the oldest religious image in the Philippines that was brought by the Agustinian Fathers. The very first image of the Sto. Niño known as the Sto. Niño de Cebu is now enshrined in the Basilica Minore de Sto. Niño in Cebu – being the patron saint of the province.  The Sto. Niño, being a representation of the child Jesus, is exemplified by the Roman Catholic Church to celebrate its incarnation and humility.

Aside from the Cebuanos' Sto. Niño de Cebu, many other images and versions of the Sto. Niño were given life in the various festivals dedicated to the holy child. These replicas are also dressed elegantly by devotees and are paraded during the celebrations.
The province of Bulacan known for its Holy Week processions and other grand religious festivities like the Pulilan Carabao Festival, San Rafael Angel Festival, Pagoda Festival in Bocaue, Sayaw sa Obando in Honor of Santa Clara, San Pascual Baylon and Virgen Nasalamabao and the Horse Festival in Plaridel to celebrate the feast of Santiago Matamoros also pays tribute to the Santo Nino through its Santo Nino De Malolos Festival.


Santo Nino Peregrino

Now on its 37Th year, the 10 day celebration started January 20, 2012 with the traditional "Panaog" of the image of Sto. Niño coming from the Tantoco Family residence—the "recamaderos", to the City Hall of Malolos. The City Mayor Honorable Christian Natividad, together with the City Council and the City Tourism Officer welcomed the image and joins in the procession to the Templete de Sto. Niño where the First Novena Mass will open the nine-day "novenario" for the Sto. Niño.  An exhibit featuring hundreds of Santo Nino Images in various sizes and titles also followed the Panaog. It was held at the Museo Diocesano at Barasoain Church.

Santo Nino Dormido during the Exhibit at Museo Diocesano, Barasoain Church, Malolos

To cap off the celebration, a Grand Procession was held last January 29 featuring less than a hundred carrozas depicting Santo Nino all over the world and those bearing Marian titles. 

Thursday, January 5, 2012

QUINGUA: REVISITING PLARIDEL


Plaridel previously known as Quingua was an Agustinian Estate during the Spanish Colonial period. Prior to 1732, Baliwag was a sitio of Quingua. The Southern part of Baliwag was under the Administration of the Augustinians in Plaridel and those in the Northern part including the present day Bustos (Bonga Menor) was under the authority of the Augustinian fathers in Angat.

The Church of Santiago Matamoros is reminiscent of the Moorish architecture in Alhambra, Spain


Early History
Plaridel's history can be traced through records dating back to 1595 during the early years of the Spanish colonization. The place was a vast plain covered with thick forest and cogon grass, with the rivers Angat and Tabang running through it. The Angat River flowed directly to Calumpit meeting the Pampanga River. The Tabang river, a mere branch with adjoining intersections dividing the middle of the present Poblacion, flowed to Manila Bay passing the Guiguinto and Bulacan towns. The water of this river was called "Tabang" or fresh water.

The newly renovated retablo depicting (from left to right) Santa Monica and Sagrado Corazon de Jesus, Santiago Apostol, San Agustin and Inmaculado Corazon de Maria. On top is the image of the Santo Nino.

Spanish Colonial (1595 -1898)
Very few people lived here, and most were closely related. Each group had a leader called "tandis". Different groups spoke different dialects; Pampango, Pangasinan, Ilocano and Tagalog. From Calumpit, Spanish priests and missionaries of the Augustinian Order, led by the Rev. Fr. Bernardino de Leon, frequently visited the place, preaching the Catholic faith, using the "balsa" or bamboo raft as their means of transportation.
The Augustinians decided to clear the land and establish settlements, from which they could work to bring unity to the people. They needed ideas to bring this about so each "Tandis" drew up a plan to pursue. For seven years, the groups of people labored, so much so that when the priest returned they found the area completely cleared. They inquired among the natives for who should be credited and the Pampangos exclaimed, "Quing wawa". So every now and then, to every question of the friars, the people would reply "Quing wa". Thereafter, the place was called Quingua.



American Colonial Period (1898 -1945)
One of the greatest battles in the Philippine-American War was fought here by Gen. Gregorio del Pilar . Del Pilar’s troop fought with those of Col. John Stotsenberg during a battle on April 23, 1899 where the latter was killed. A marker now stands at the site of this historic event in Barangay Agnaya.
Jose J. Mariano, then the "Alcalde" or town mayor, took the initiative of renaming the town. Congressman Pedro Magsalin, a friend of the Alcalde, sponsored a bill changing the name of the town from Quingwa to Plaridel. The bill was passed by the Philippine Congress and was approved by President Manuel L. Quezon. On December 29, 1936, the town was renamed 'Plaridel' in honor of the great hero of Bulacan, Marcelo H. del Pilar. The celebrations were attended by the political luminaries, Speaker Gil Montilla, Congressman Pedro Magsalin, Honorable Nicolas Buendia, Honorable Eulogio Rodriguez, Honorable Elpidio Quirino and Governor José Padilla, Sr.


A monument to Saint James, slayer of the Moors

Japanese Occupation (1942 – 1944)
The Imperial Japanese armed forces occupied Plaridel in 1942 during in World War II. The Japanese military garrisons were stationed there from 1942 to 1945. Bulaceño guerrillas fought side by side in Plaridel attacking Japanese troops from 1942 to 1945 before the liberation. Local Filipino forces under the Philippine Commonwealth Army and Bulaceno guerrillas liberated Plaridel in 1945.


The century old Carroza (float) of Saint James

Tourism
The Church of Santiago Apostol situated in the center of the town with its fantastic combination of Neo-Gothic, Mudejar, Moorish and Neo-Classical motifs. The Simboryo Chapel which dates back to the early 1800s is characterized by its beautifully-cut volcanic stone and enclosed in a Renaissance plaster and cornice design. The Stotsenberg Monument is a tribute to John W. Stotsenberg, a West Pointer and a decorated commander of the US Army whose heroic deed saved the lives of many and whose legacy is of fond remembrance to many.

The Church at night

There are several ancestral homes in Plaridel which are among the largest and most beautiful in this part of Bulacan displaying the Bulakeños’ love for cultural heritage and artistic excellence, which the people of Plaridel have well-preserved. They do make beautiful architectural attractions. The Plaridel Airport is the only municipal airport in Bulacan. Built in 1935 by the US Bureau of Aeronautics, it is a historical site that brings back memories of the Japanese-American war. The airport is a major base for training pilots.
One of the tourist highlights of Plaridel is its horse festival held on Dec. 29 which features the “salubong” of Santiago Apostol and St. James the Great. It is a parade marked with the attendance of brass bands accompanied by horseback riders in beautiful gala outfits.
The town likewise boasts of its cottage industry making beautiful abanikos or fans that make good pasalubong and rare gift items. There is also the abundance of native bags, rattan and marble crafts, handcrafted wooden accessories and furniture that are sources of delight to tourists, whether local but more so the foreigners who have started to flock to Plaridel to see the beauty of the place and the hospitality of its people.
Today, the municipality is beaming with progress, and to the delight of travelers who might just be passing by Plaridel are the culinary specialties of the town known as Gotong Plaridel with its distinct taste and flavor.

An image of Apong Tiago welcomes all parishioners and visitors alike at the Parish Museum showcasing photos and mementos from Santiago de Compostela in Spain.





Thursday, December 29, 2011

MAKINANG NA ALAHAS NG MEYCAUAYAN ( THE JEWELS OF MEYCAUAYAN)



Meycauayan means “a place full of bamboo” in the Castilian language (Spanish). The foundation of this town is dated 1578 to 1579, in which epoch they stretched out to the apostolic work of Fray Juan de Plasencia and Fray Diego de Oropesa[1].  

The old Train Station in Meycauayan

Both part of the 1st Franciscan mission that arrived the Philippines on the first day of July, 1577.[2] Meycauayan was formerly the head of the province, and was situated like ½ league more to the east over a small hill. [3]The Church under the patronage of N.S. P. San Francisco de Asis, was at first made of bamboo and nipa, which was ruined by the typhoon in 1588.[4]

The Church of San Francisco De Asis was rebuilt in the 1950s after the original structure was ravaged by fire in 1949.

A request was made to rebuilt the church, and on November 16, 1588, Dr. Santiago de Vera, made justified by such request, instantly dispatch Secretary Gaspar de Azebo to Christoval de Asquera, Mayor of the Province of Meycauayan.[5] By the order of San Pedro Bautista, it was transferred to a place called Lagolo, by R. P. Fr. Antonio de Nombela, Minister of the town.[6]

The carvings on the main portal were patterned after the Main Door of San Agustin Church in Intramuros. It is a Donation of the Ramirez during the 1980s.

As an early Spanish town Meycauayan was also known as Mecabayan.[7] In 1591 its status was Encomienda.[8] “La encomienda de Mecabayan”, that is of, Menor de la Rea(Captain Don Martin de la Rea) had seven hundred tributes, which are two thousand eight hundred people.[9]
The Church Interior

In the “Relación de las encomiendas existentes en Filipinas el 3 de mayo de 1591[10]Includes: Dilao, Zapa y Pandaca, Mecabayan, Taitay, Pila, Mahaihai, Lumban, Panquil, Millarrit, Minalaua, Ynguinan, Linaguan, Nabua. ... In a report of Philippine encomiendas on June 20, 1591, Meycauayan was included in the encomiendas of the province of Pampanga. “Spanish Governor Gomez Perez Dasmarinas reported to the King of Spain that La Pampanga's encomiendas were Bataan, Betis y Lubao, Macabebe, Candava, Apalit, Calumpit, Malolos, Binto, Guiguinto, Caluya (Balagtas), Bulacan and Mecabayan (Meycauayan).

San Francisco de Asis

 The encomiendas of La Pampanga at that time had eighteen thousand six hundred and eighty whole tributes.”
Lagolo proved inhospitable at the time, so the town center again transferred to what is now known as Barangay Poblacion, where the Parish Church of St. Francis of Assisi still stands.In the year 1668 the church was transferred by R. P. Nicolas Santiago to the place it now occupied. [11]It is made of simple material but strong, With 60 yard long and 12 ½ wide.
The Church Dome was a later addition to the structure built in the 1950s

Meycauayan was then one of the largest municipalities in Bulacan. The towns of San Jose Del Monte, Bocaue, Marilao, Valenzuela, Obando, Santa Maria, Balagtas and Pandi were once part of the political jurisdiction of the town.



With the 2 centuries old bell of Meycauayan

During the Spanish colonization in the Philippines, the Spanish authorities tapped Meycauayan's adobe (volcanic tuff rocks) reserves which were used for building stone houses and fortifications in and out of town. Majority of the adobe rocks that were used in building the walls of Intramuros, Manila's "old walled city", were imported from Meycauayan.






[1] R.P. Felix de Huerta, Estado de la Provincia de San Gregorio Magno. Imprenta de N. Sanchez, Binondo Manila 1865 p 71
[2] Fr. Jesus Galindo OFM, Commemorative book, “400 years (1578-1978) Franciscans in the Philippines, , (San Miguel Manila. 1979) P. 13
[3] Huerta p. 71
[4] Huerta p. 72
[5] El P. Fr. Juan Francisco de S. Antonio, Chronicas de la Apostolica Provincia de S. Gregorio, Papa. El Magno…. Sampaloc, Extra-muros de la Ciudad de Manila , 1741 P. 31
[6] Huerta p. 71
[7] Paula Kay Byers, Asian American genealogical sourcebook Gale Research, 1995 p. 84
[8] James Alexander Robertson, The Philippine Islands, 1493-1803: explorations, Volume 55 A. H. Clark company, 1909, p. 569
[9] Wenceslao Emilio Retana, Archivo del bibliófilo filipino: recopilación de documentos históricos, científicos, literarios y políticos, y estudios bibliográficos, Volume 4. Impr. de la viuda de M. Minuesa de los Rios, 1898 P. 51
[10] Archivo Ibero-Americano, Franciscans, 1983
[11] Huerta p. 72

Sunday, December 25, 2011

CHRISTMAS MESSAGE 2011




A blessed Christmas to everyone!
Christmas is a season of hope and joy, a time to give thanks for the blessing of Christ's birth and for the blessings that surround us every day of the year. We have much to be thankful for His endless graces, which we sometimes take for granted. We should recognize that the pains and sufferings are parts of the process of Salvation.  Jesus calls us to help others, and acts of kindness toward the less fortunate fulfill the spirit of the Christmas season. This year, our country experienced calamities that greatly affected the morale of each and every Filipino. On the same vein, it also thought us, the value of giving and sharing; not only our possessions but most specially our time.  This week, the Vatican confirmed the canonization of the second Filipino saint, Blessed Pedro Calungsod: A 17 year old catechist who offered his life to defend our Faith. May he, be a beacon of grace to us, as we face the challenges of our times.
As we gather with our family and friends again this year to celebrate Christmas, let us welcome God wholeheartedly into our daily lives. Let us learn to recognize Him not only in the faces of our loved ones, but also in the faces of those who, like Jesus, are familiar with poverty, hardship, and rejection. And let us be inspired by His example to serve one another with generous hearts and open hands. In this way we will approach the dawn of a new year in God's abundant grace and strengthened by His timeless promise of salvation.
Muli, isang Maligayang Pasko at Masaganang Bagong Taon sa inyong lahat!

Mark James Santos Evangelista at Pamilya

BEDAZZLING BORACAY



For tourists, honeymooners, teambuilding activities, and other corporate events Boracay is the best place to be.  Boracay started to gain popularity in the late 80s when it was branded as the best beach in the world boasting the finest and whitest sand.

Tourists sunbathing at the beach


Two decades after, Boracay is still the best beach frequented by tourists especially on the Summer months of March to May. Koreans are still the number one foreign tourists visiting the world renowned island resort of Boracay. According to the latest data of the Department of Tourism (DoT), from January 2005 to May 2011, 654,100 Koreans visited Boracay.

The Discovery Shores Suites


There were 100,922 Korean arrivals in 2005, rising to 124,618 in 2006 and 128,909 in 2007. The number plunged to 91,579 in 2008 and to 69,438 in 2009. It rose to 95,711, a 27 percent increase. From January to May 2011, there were 42,923 Korean visitors in Boracay. The Chinese came in second, with 131,335 arrivals from January 2005 to May 2011. The Americans were third with 80,423.


Airphil Express has daily flights to Caticlan. After a 50 minute flight, a chartered van of Discovery Shores will welcome you at the airport. It will bring you to the speedboat. The cruise will only take10 minutes most and you will immediately reach Malay. At Malay, another van will bring you to this AAA hotel.


Discovery Shores is indeed the best accommodation for all kinds of tourists. As they offer tour packages for adventure tourists. The hotel also has the best massage and spa services. For tourists craving for delicious dishes, the restaurant at the beach side has the best menu in the island.


 Binagoongan, a Discovery Specialty
Beach Piggy and Mango shake
The ambiance of the place is soothing to the senses and gives a good relief after months of office work. If you want to unwind or relax with your family and friends, discover Boracay…and it the experience will definitely leave you spellbound.

DUSIT THANI: EXPERIENCE UNIQUE THAI HOSPITALITY



I visited Thailand four years ago and I can say that it left me spellbound, this Southeast Asian city is definitely a tourism hub. Why not? The city boasts a number of tourist attractions which include cultural and heritage sites like the Wat Phra Keo (The Royal Palace), Wat Arun (The Temple of Dawn), Wat Pho (The home of the largest reclining Buddha), Wat Suthat (near the famous  Giant red swing).


If you want to experience authentic Thai  Dining, visit Benjarong, a fine dining restaurant located at the second floor of the famous Thai Hotel Chain--- Dusit Thani.





Boasting a full course menu of Thai dishes ranging from Phat Kraphao, Tom Yam kung nam khon(Prawn Tom Yum in coconut milk), Phat Sio which are my all time favorite . The food will even be served by Thai chef.



Traditional music will also be played live by Thai musicians which made me feel I am really in Bangkok or in Pattaya.

A BRIEF HISTORY OF MALOLOS

The statue of the Triumvirate, Dr. Jose Rizal, Marcelo H. Del Pilar and Mariano Ponce at the Provincial Administrative Compound

Malolos, once the capital of the short-lived Philippine Republic, is linked to many patriots and heroes in the country's history. Names such as General Emilio Aguinaldo, Pedro A. Paterno, Dr. Jose P. Rizal, Marcelo H. del Pilar, Pio del Pilar, Gregorio del Pilar, Apolinario Mabini, Antonio Luna, Felipe Calderón, General Isidro D. Torres and a host of others are forever engraved and enshrined in the annals of Philippine History, all of whom share one commonality.

An allegory to the History and Development of Bulacan as a province


According to Blair and Robertson, the name "Li-han" or "Li Han" was the ancient Chinese name for Malolos, whose leaders bore the title of "Gat-Salihan" or Gatchalian (derived from "Gat sa Li-Han"). It was in 1225 that a "Li Han in the country of Mai" was mentioned in the account of Chao Ju Kua titled Chu-Fan-Chi.The richness of the soil and the convenience of its location made Malolos an important trading post for the native inhabitants and the traders from Cathay. Ferdinand Blumentritt, a Czech Filipinologist and Jose Rizal's friend, and Wang Teh-Ming, a Chinese scholar, supported this historic development of commercial activities which continued undisturbed until the advent of the Spanish era in 1572. This centuries-long trade relations must have resulted in many generations of Sino-Tagalogs, whose descendants are still omni-present in Malolos. The innumerable Malolos families who bear Chinese-sounding surnames attest to these inter-marriages.

The Museo ng Bulacan now named, Gat. Blas Ople Sentro ng Kasaysayan, Sining at Kultura

In 1580, eight years after the Kingdom of Maynila (present day Manila) was captured by the Spaniards from Rajah Soliman and Rajah Matanda, Spanish missionaries discovered a small settlement called Li Han, with 4,000 unbaptized souls. The settlement was named and founded as "Malolos" by the Augustinians under the direction of Fray Diego Ordoñez de Vivar. Later, after clearing forests and virgin lands, the settlement grew, and the population increased. After the construction of a big church, the place was made into a town. From the very beginning, Tagalog made up the majority of the Malolos populace. They were led by prominent families, among them the Gatsalians (Gatchalian), and the Manahans.

The Malolos Cathedral, Seat of the Diocese of Malolos


The name of Malolos was presumably derived from the Tagalog word "Paluslos", meaning " downwards". But many claim that it was originally derived from Kapampangan word "Luslos" meaning many rivers toward the bay (which is the Manila Bay).The name resulted from a misunderstanding among the first Spanish missionaries who reached the place. Searching for inhabited places along the Calumpit River, these priests came upon some natives of a riverside barrio (now Kanalate or Canalate). They asked for the name of the place. The natives, not knowing the Spanish tongue, answered that the flow of the river in that part was downstream "paluslos", which the Spaniards pronounced "Malolos" or "Malulos". Corruption of the word through the years led to present "Malolos".

The newly constructed Hiyas ng Bulacan Convention Center


Malolos was once a part of the old pueblo or town of Bulakan, and then became an independent pueblo in 1673.On August 31, 1859, the town was divided into three districts; "Malolos", "Barasoain, and "Santa Isabel" with respective capitanes municipales and parish priests. With the beginning of American rule in 1903, these towns were again reunited into a single municipality. The two other districts became barangays under the political jurisdiction of Malolos..

To cite all the historical events that transpired in Malolos, one could very well fill a good-sized book. The major events especially those that revolved around the first Republic, cannot be left unmentioned. Some of these are the petition of the women of Malolos, the establishment of the Constitutional Convention, drafting and ratification of the Malolos Constitution, and the inauguration of the first Philippine Republic.
The wealth of Malolos lies not only in its more than four thousand hectares of fertile rice lands and more than two thousand hectares of fishponds, but in the character of its people as well. Its people have long been known for their diligence and ingenuity. In early days, farming and fishing were the town's main sources of livelihood. Later, they went into poultry and pigeon raising, carpentry and woodwork, and other profitable cottage industries and handicrafts. A major factor in Malolos' growth and development was the opening of the Manila–Dagupan railways or Ferrocaril de Manila-Dagupan (Spanish) in April 1892. With the advent of the railroad came new ideas from Manila and other places. Another factor is Malolos proximity to industrial and business centers. Only 42 kilometers from Manila, the town and its people are inevitably subjected to an influx of metropolitan thoughts and commerce.

Under the Centennial Tree

In work methods and tools, it is not rare to find Malolos folk using a combination of the old and the new. Ramshackle shops shake to the whirl of modern electric-powered machines. Fishermen go out to sea in the same kind of dugouts or bancas their ancestors used. Many of these wooden bancas are now equipped with outboard motors. Handicraftsmen, woodworkers and weavers still follow the ageless artistic techniques of their forefathers.

The interior of the Malolos Cathedral. The Immaculate Conception is the Patroness of the Diocese

By virtue of Public Law No. 88 of the Philippine Commission, Malolos became the capital of the province of Bulacan on February 27, 1901.
Malolos was the site of the inauguration of Joseph Estrada on June 30, 1998 in Barasoain Church as the President of the Republic of the Philippines. Estrada, whose real surname is Ejercito, traced his ancestry to the Ejercitos who were prominent in the history of Malolos

The newly constructed Bulacan Capitol Gymnasium

It was in summer of 2004, the construction of the Malolos flyover marks a new milestone in their flourishing history being the first in the city. The structure, part of the former Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo's Bridge Program, the construction was undertaken in a record-breaking 60 days only according to the Department of Public Works and Highways. The structure was built to solve the daily traffic jam at the place, which have become a bane to motorist and also to employees in both private and government offices in this city. This remarkable feat hastened not only the city's development in commerce and trade but its neighboring municipalities as well.


The Aguas Potables de Malolos with the monument of the Katipunero, Isidoro Torres on the foreground


During 28–30 July 2008, the city was chosen to host the first National Conference for Philippine-Spanish Relations. The conference's theme was "Philippine-Spanish Relations: Sharing Common History and Culture." This is a project both of the Province of Bulacan's research arm, Center for Bulacan Studies of Bulacan State University and by the Samahang Pangkasaysayan ng Bulacan, Incorporated.