After he read the Treaty of Paris, signed by Spain and the United States of America in December 1898, Mark Twain wrote to a friend: “Apparently, we are not proposing to set the Filipinos free and give their islands to them, and apparently we are not proposing to hang the priests and confiscate their property. … Read more
Until recently, I had not bothered to scrutinize the newly-circulated 5 peso coin; it feels much lighter and is smaller than the old one, and could very well be mistaken for a 1 peso coin. When I received an email from reader Arturo Boquer, I hastened to take a closer look because he said: “Since … Read more
In 1882, two decades before the USA invaded the Philippines and crushed the First Republic, a German expat, Dr. M. Koeniger, observed that “…an illness appeared among the natives that was new to them and at the beginning carried off its victims without exception in a few days or weeks.” The mortality rate of that … Read more
The Filipino-American War was still raging in 1902, when American colonial authorities precipitously declared it over. There was a cholera epidemic which, according to eminent historians like Dr. Reynaldo Ileto, was the direct result of the devastation caused by the Filipino-American War. Cholera was used to justify the unconscionable “hamletting” of Filipino communities. No wonder … Read more
My siblings and I were not advanced students of performing arts and our ages varied markedly, but that did not deter our mother from giving us her master classes in history. Without fail, on the 4th of February as we gathered for a family meal, she could tell us about the significance of that day. … Read more
Limpieza de sangre, purity of blood in English, was primordial in Spain especially after the Fall of Granada in 1492, and the expulsion of the Jews shortly after. “Old Christian” ancestry was at a premium while “New Christians” (conversos), descendants of Jews, Moors, heretics, and idolatrers, those illegitimate at birth were considered “tainted.” In the … Read more
Last week, I received an email from historian Dr. Reynaldo C. Ileto because had I lamented that the anniversary of the First Republic of the Philippines (23 January 1899) is never celebrated with the pride, pomp, and circumstance it deserves. I also said Emilio Aguinaldo who is often shown in a bad light, as in … Read more
Write about driving in Metro Manila and you will receive a lot of messages from people agreeing with you. The following is a rather personal assessment of driving in Davao City; a reader, Mr. Tony Kobine, sent me his interesting observations: As a foreigner driving in Davao City, it is good to hear a Pinoy … Read more
Last Tuesday, 23 January, Dr. Jose Vicente Torres of the Department of History of De La Salle University posted on FB that it was the 118th anniversary of the First Republic of the Philippines. “Ating ipagbunyi ang mga sakripisyo ng mga Pilipino para sa Kalayaan ng Ating Bayan.” As usual, there was no national commemoration … Read more
“How is my driving?” You see that question stenciled on public service vehicles and delivery vans, followed by a phone number where you can call in your complaints. I believe the question is rhetorical and the number. who knows? My cynical mind says it is connected to a recorder. I have never tried calling, so … Read more