In the Philippines, not a single ripple was felt when the Bolshevik Revolution or the Great October Socialist Revolution ripped Russia asunder in 1917. A communist party was established in 1918 and the year after, the first Communist International (Comintern or CI) was convened in March. The CI invited other revolutionary movements to send representatives … Read more
Thanks to President Diosdado Macapagal, we no longer celebrate our Independence on the very same day that the USA does, 4 July. Although 12 June seems more appropriate than 4 July, it may not be as accurate as you may wish it to be. The Declaration of Independence (Act of Proclamation) dated 12 June 1898, … Read more
Since 1962, we Filipinos have been celebrating Independence Day on 12 June. Before that, it used to be on 4 July, a historical aberration corrected by Pres. Diosdado Macapagal who said Filipinos, “… called the whole world to witness their powerful resolve to consider themselves absolved of allegiance to the Spanish Crown…The Revolution which culminated … Read more
In the winter of 1889, Filipino ilustrados in Madrid were alarmed that the Russian flu, first spotted in Bukhara, then in St. Petersburg attacked Madrid with ferocity after only five days. Already, 6, 180 deaths were reported and in Barcelona, 52,000 were infected with the disease. Officials of the kingdom seemed to be in denial … Read more
Seventy-eight frustrating years had passed since the promulgation of the 1812 Cadiz. Constitution which stipulated that colonies and overseas possessions should be considered as provinces, integral parts of Spain, the Metropolis. As provinces, these territories would be ruled by the current laws of the peninsula, no longer by the ancient Laws of the Indies. Natives … Read more
Time to foray into history: 31 May 1890, in the lead story of “La Solidaridad, editor Marcelo. H. del Pilar (a.k.a Plaridel ) argued the obvious. How can the Cortés (Spanish parliament) legislate in favor or against the Philippines without first-hand knowledge of what is happening there, without hearing the voice of the natives through … Read more
The first electoral law of the Spanish Empire, contained in the Decree of 29 January 1810, called for representatives from Las Islas Filipinas, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Guatemala, Chile, Venezuela, in short, from all of Spain’s colonies in America and Asia to join the Cortés, that is, the Spanish parliament. The Philippine representative was Don Ventura … Read more
Who was Pi y Margall? There is a street in Sampaloc named after him and when last I saw the sign, the name was misspelled. Not even the City Administrator could tell whether Margall was a famous or an obscure Spanish colonial official, or someone’s birth place in a god-forsaken corner of Spain. None of … Read more
A UP professor friend sent me a photo of a burly band of youngish males, properly protected with surgical masks and face shields posing in front of the Maginhawa community pantry after depositing donations in kind. They were wearing tees of various colors and designs, with a single blaring message —Sara Duterte. On the heels … Read more
I am convinced that the policeman who first set his eyes on that community pantry in Quezon City must be afflicted with terminal dyslexia. Upon seeing a handwritten sign saying “community pantry” he read “communist party” and was alarmed at the audacity of that leftist anti-government group to set up shop on Maginhawa street, a … Read more