Paradise with Strings with pictures

PROLOGUE

While doing my research for this book I ask my partner, a Filipina, “Are you aware of the rich history
of the Philippines?” to which she replied “What?”

I explained that the Philippines have had some outstanding heroes, some horrendous disasters and
some superb sportsman. Your culture has a immense and colorful history, all of which should be
embraced by your people and be very proud of. It’s all part of what has made you and your nation
what it is today.

Her reply was “all I know about is how to eat and sing”.

This is typical of the Filipino rationale. Not many know of their own history and heritage, if just a few
read this book and their perspective of their own country is a little enlightened, then I have been
successful.

ULTIMO ADIOS

Written by José Rizal while awaiting his execution.

Farewell, my adored Land, region of the sun caressed,
Pearl of the Orient Sea, our Eden lost,

With gladness I give you my Life, sad and repressed;
And were it more brilliant, more fresh and at its best,

I would still give it to you for your welfare at most.

On the fields of battle, in the fury of fight,
Others give you their lives without pain or hesitancy,
The place does not matter: cypress laurel, lily white,

Scaffold, open field, conflict or martyrdom's site,
It is the same if asked by home and Country.

I die as I see tints on the sky b'gin to show
And at last announce the day, after a gloomy night;

If you need a hue to dye your matutinal glow,
Pour my blood and at the right moment spread it so,

And gild it with a reflection of your nascent light!

My dreams, when scarcely a lad adolescent,
My dreams when already a youth, full of vigor to attain,

Were to see you, gem of the sea of the Orient,
Your dark eyes dry, smooth brow held to a high plane
Without frown, without wrinkles and of shame without stain.

My life's fancy, my ardent, passionate desire,
Hail! Cries out the soul to you, that will soon part from thee;

Hail! How sweet 'tis to fall that fullness you may acquire;
To die to give you life, 'neath your skies to expire,
And in your mystic land to sleep through eternity!

If over my tomb someday, you would see blow,
A simple humble flow'r amidst thick grasses,
Bring it up to your lips and kiss my soul so,

And under the cold tomb, I may feel on my brow,
Warmth of your breath, a whiff of your tenderness.

Let the moon with soft, gentle light me descry,
Let the dawn send forth its fleeting, brilliant light,

In murmurs grave allow the wind to sigh,
And should a bird descend on my cross and alight,
Let the bird intone a song of peace o'er my site.

Let the burning sun the raindrops vaporize
And with my clamor behind return pure to the sky;

Let a friend shed tears over my early demise;
And on quiet afternoons when one prays for me on high,

Pray too, oh, my Motherland, that in God may rest I.

Pray thee for all the hapless who have died,
For all those who unequalled torments have undergone;

For our poor mothers who in bitterness have cried;
For orphans, widows and captives to tortures were shied,

And pray too that you may see you own redemption.

And when the dark night wraps the cemet'ry
And only the dead to vigil there are left alone,
Don't disturb their repose, don't disturb the mystery:
If you hear the sounds of cithern or psaltery,
It is I, dear Country, who, a song t'you intone.

And when my grave by all is no more remembered,
With neither cross nor stone to mark its place,

Let it be plowed by man, with spade let it be scattered
And my ashes ere to nothingness are restored,

Let them turn to dust to cover your earthly space.

Then it doesn't matter that you should forget me:
Your atmosphere, your skies, your vales I'll sweep;

Vibrant and clear note to your ears I shall be:
Aroma, light, hues, murmur, song, moanings deep,

Constantly repeating the essence of the faith I keep.

My idolized Country, for whom I most gravely pine,
Dear Philippines, to my last goodbye, oh, harken
There I leave all: my parents, loves of mine,

I'll go where there are no slaves, tyrants or hangmen
Where faith does not kill and where God alone does reign.

Farewell, parents, brothers, beloved by me,
Friends of my childhood, in the home distressed;
Give thanks that now I rest from the wearisome day;
Farewell, sweet stranger, my friend, who brightened my way;

Farewell, to all I love. To die is to rest.

CHAPTER 1

The Republic of the Philippines, with a population of over 100 million people is the twelfth
most populated countries in the world. A further 12 million Filipinos live and work overseas,
sending US$21 billion back to families in official remittances in 2011. Unofficial estimates,
including illegal sources, put the figure somewhere between 27 and 29 billion dollars, making
it a major source for Philippines economic growth and investment status upgrades. The
Philippines government has concentrated on removing barriers for migrant workers for this
very reason.

Its 7,107 islands, sitting in the South China Sea are divided into three topographical regions
of Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao serving as a major crossroad to Asia and being one of the
richest biodiversity‟s and distinctive cultures in the world drew 4,681,307 tourists to the
Philippines in 2013. The countries rich history, particularly on the largest island group of
Luzon which holds half of the Philippines population, is also a major draw card, not to
mention the Filipino women who are among the most beautiful, affectionate and devoted
women on earth.

The Filipino culture and simple lives is unique and hard for Foreigners to get their heads
around. Driven by deeply religious principles, their family ties are extremely resilient and
these bonds are almost impossible to
break. This is a reminder of the family
values that have largely been dissolved in
Western society by the stresses of modern
times.

Although crime is rife in the Philippines

and life is cheap due to its extreme and

wide spread poverty, the people are

generally a very jovial, genuinely friendly

and polite lot provided they are treated

with the respect they deserve and this is

something that is often lacking because of They create joy out of adversity
foreign misunderstanding of their culture.

Their ingenuity is born from that poverty with their tradesman displaying extraordinary skills

without the tools of their Western counterparts.

The Philippines has produced some of the world‟s greatest leaders in their fields and suffered
some of the world‟s most heartbreaking disasters. Their people have been able to create joy

out of adversity and fun while living in desperate poverty, mainly through their love of sport

and their undeniable love of music. It is hoped that this book will enlighten the most notable

fragments of Philippines history in all of these areas.

CHAPTER 2

The Early Days

Sixty thousand years before Spanish Explorer Ferdinand Magellan first sighted the island of

Samar in 1521, marking the arrival of Western civilization to the Philippines, the first humans

arrived by raft and primitive boats. These boats were called balangay, a Malay word meaning
sail boat which the government‟s smallest administrative division called barangay was

derived from. Barangay is now a Filipino word meaning village.

The Negrito tribes who inhabited the islands before Magellan's arrival were joined and
largely succeeded by Austronesians although they also spoke the Austronesian language.
These people migrated from countries around Southeast Asia and Oceania. They included
Taiwanese natives, Malaysia, East Timor, Indonesia, Brunei, Madagascar and Polynesia. The
areas that these Austronesian speaking people hail from are collectively known as
Austronesia.

The accumulation of this assemblage quickly divided into tribes of hunters, gatherers,
warriors and maritime domains which developed into a variety of realms who were largely
influenced by the Hindu religion and Indian literature and philosophy in the opening stages of
the Christian era. The small maritime realms prospered by trading with countries that are now
known as Indonesia, China, Vietnam, Japan and Thailand.

They continued to develop their separate kingdoms for centuries until their introduction to
changes to their primitive way of life begun in 1565 with the arrival of Miguel López de
Legapi's campaign and the Spaniards colonization.

Forty four years before Legazpi completed his invasion of the Philippines it was discovered
by Europeans with Spanish explorer Ferdinand Magellan‟s expedition landing at Cebu in
1521. He claimed the land for Spain, befriending the locals, particularly some of the tribal

chiefs and converted them to Catholicism. Magellan
planned to help one of these chieftains reign supreme
over the tribes in the hope that it would be a way of
keeping them loyal to the Spanish King in his absence.

Magellan decided to attack neighboring tribes to prove

his superiority, however his attempt was thwarted by the
reefs along the island‟s beaches disabling his ability to
get within range of his armory. Magellan‟s crew

deserted him when the warriors took to the water

hurling spears and he was killed.

Ferdinand Magellan During the ensuing years before Miguel López de

Legazpi conquered Cebu a number of Spanish expeditions explored the area. One of note

being that of Ruy López de Villalobos in 1543 who named the islands of Samar and Leyte
“Las Islas Filipinas” after Spanish king, Philip II, a title that would eventually pertain to the

whole archipelago.

The first permanent settlement was established by conquistador Legazpi in San Miguel, who
became the first Governor General of the Philippines, when he sailed into Cebu. After
attacking and defeating local villages ruled by Rajah Tupas, colonies were formed and named
Villa Del Santisimo Nombre de Jesus (Town of The Most Holy Name of Jesus) and Villa de
San Miguel (Saint Michael's Town).

The Spanish continued to attack and defeat local communities, probing north before reaching
Manila Bay in 1571 resulting in the unification of most of the archipelago which brought
about the countries first draft and the naming of the islands as the Philippines hence
beginning three hundred years of Spanish colonization and rule, controlled from Mexico City
and Madrid until the Spanish/American war in 1898 except for a short period when Britain
presided over Manila.

Legazpi, hearing of the rich resources in Luzon, sent two of his commanding officers, Martin
de Goiti and Juan de Salcedo to explore an colonize the area.

In 1796, the town head of San Fernando, Don Ángel Pantaleón de Miranda, and his wife,
Doña Rosalia de Jesus, portioned out a new settlement, which they named “Culiat” (later to

become Angeles City) because of the copious nature of vines of that name in the area. Don

Ángel built his first home on the intersection of Sapang Balen and the road going towards the

town of Porac in 1824. It is today the site of Nepomuceno Coliseum

In 1812, Don Angel attempted to make
Culiat a self-governing town but the friars
resisted. 1822 saw Don Ángel file a
petition for the township of Culiat to
secede from San Fernando, but it was
denied. Later that year another petition
was filed, jointly signed by Don Ángel, his
son-in-law, Dr. Mariano Henson, and
Henson's father, Severino Henson. He
donated 35 hectares for the construction of
the first Catholic church, a convent and a

primary school while Doña Agustina Don Angel's first home as it is today

Henson de Nepomuceno, the niece of who

would become the first town head of Angeles in 1830, Don Ciriaco de Miranda, gave land for

the new public market. Don Ángel paid the complete amount required by law just for the

political separation of Culiat from San Fernando.

Culiat became a barrio (now called a barangay) of San Fernando for 33 years, until 1829
when it became a separate administrative district and obtained is name of El Pueblo de Los
Angeles.

It took 168 years for Angeles to transform from a jungle clearing to a town during which time
it developed many new industries including sugar mills and wine distilleries. It endured
locusts' infestations, wars, epidemics, volcanic eruptions and typhoons to become one of the
fastest rising towns in the country. When it received its first official municipal charter in
1829, the town contained some 661 residents and 151 houses.

Centuries of exploitation and abuses by the Spanish government upon indigenous Filipinos
led to many isolated uprisings against the Spanish with many Filipinos being extradited to
Spanish penal colonies for the presumed part they took in these rebellions.

The Filipino people were united and their resolve, strengthened by the writings of Filipino
intellectuals exposing the Spanish atrocities upon their population, foremost of those being of
José Rizal. A secret liberation society, Katipunan, was formed and led by Andrés Bonifacio.
They formed a revolutionary government called “Haring Bayang Katagalugan (Sovereign
Tagalog Nation).

The Katipunan plans were discovered by the Spanish which led to the premature beginning of
the “Philippines Revolution” in 1896. Bonifacio led a failed assault on Manila causing
surrounding provinces to revolt. Months of fighting prevailed and Bonifacio was killed in a
power struggle within the movement with municipal Mayor Emilio Aguinaldo assuming
control. Ruthless Spanish retribution however, pushed the revolutionary armies into the
mountains in 1897 and a shortly afterwards an unstable truce was signed with spasmodic
fighting continuing. Aguinaldo fled to Hong Kong.

He returned to the Philippines in 1898 and rejoined hostilities against the Spanish following
the Battle of Manila where the U.S. Navy attacked and destroyed the Spanish Navy in Manila
Bay on April 21, 1898, taking control of Manila. This was the beginning of the Spanish-
America War. It also ended Spanish rule over the Philippines with Spain conceding control to
the U.S.

On August 10, 1899, U.S. forces began the attack on Angeles and it took almost 3 months
before they took control of the city. The Battle of Angeles is considered to be the longest in
the history of the Filipino-American War in Pampanga. This led to the establishment of an
American camp in Barrio Talimundoc (what is now Lourdes Sur). In January 1900, General
Frederick D. Grant organized the first U.S. Civil Government in Angeles by appointing a
municipal mayor. This was the beginning of
American colonization in Angeles.

By 1902, The U.S. Army was studying the
relocation of their post from Barrio
Talimundoc to a fertile plain in Barrio
Sapang Bato. A year later, U.S. President
Theodore Roosevelt signed an order,
establishing 7,700 acres (31 km2) of land in
Sapang Bato as Fort Stotsenburg (which
later would expand to 156,204 acres
(632.14 km2) in 1908 to become Clark Air
Base). It was centered on what was Clark
Air Base's parade ground in modern years.

Spanish POW's held by the Americans in Manila, 1902

Aguinaldo and the Filipino people were originally happy with the role of the United States in
their combined struggle against Spanish rule however, it soon became evident that the U.S.
had no intention of leaving the Philippines when they would not support Philippine
independence.

The Philippine-America war begun in 1899 which was to become more devastating than the
America-Spanish war with some 4,234 American and 20,000 Philippine soldiers losing their
lives and more than 150,000 Filipino civilians dying as an incidental result of hostilities,
mostly from a cholera epidemic.

The American Army was swift in overcoming the Philippine Republic Army but the Emilio
Aguinaldo organized guerilla troops were much harder to defeat. It wasn‟t until March, 1901

that he was captured, calling for his troops to cease fighting and swearing allegiance to the

U.S. thus ending the Philippine-America war although spasmodic insurgent fighting was to

occur until 1913.

Later in 1901 the First Philippine Republic came into being with the government controlled
by the ”U.S. Bureau of Insular Affairs” with the aim of eventual Philippines independence. In

1902 power was passed from a military governor to Adna Chaffe who became the first U.S.

governor-general of the Philippines.

There was no governmental authority assigned to Filipinos until 1907 when an election took
place allowing for Filipino participation in the lower house. In 1916, law was passed in the
U.S. congress allowing for Filipinos to sit in both houses with the promise of Philippine
independence.

In 1934 The Commonwealth of The Philippines was launched and the Philippines became
self governing with a ten year transition period to full independence although foreign policy
and some legislation was to be approved by the President of The United States. The U.S. was

to maintain control of military bases.

A full Filipino government was installed in

November 1935 and full independence was to
be declared on the 4th July, 1946.

Manuel Roxas was elected the first president of
the independent Republic of the Philippines in
April 1946 with the U.S. relinquishing its
control over the Philippines on July 4. 1946.

Signing of the Philippines Commonwealth and Roxas died of a heart attack in 1948 from a
independence act by Franklin D. Roosevelt, 1934 sudden heart attack and the vice president
Elpidio Quirino was installed as president. He

claimed his post again, winning the 1949 election.

Following the Japanese invasion of the Philippines and subsequent defeat, the United States
backed Ramon Magsaysay won the presidential election on a platform of extensive fiscal
reform and became an extremely popular president until his untimely death in a plane crash
in 1957, crushing Filipino moral.

Carlos Garcia became president after Magsaysay‟s death, a post he retained in the general
election later that year, however government corruption saw his popularity wane and he was
defeat in the presidential elections of 1961 by vice president Diosdado Macapagal.

Macapagal lost his presidency to the Nationalista Party‟s Ferdinand Marcos in 1965 and he

became the first Philippines president to win a second term in 1969. His determined public

works programs and increased taxes brought about healthy pecuniary success throughout the
1970‟s. He constructed more roads and schools than all previous governments collectively.

Because the Marcos administration was deemed to have become corrupt and ineffectual his
adversaries began to block legislation and the Philippines financial progress stalled. In 1971
when Filipino moral was at its lowest, lawlessness experienced a sharp increase prompting
Marcos to declare martial Law. He stifled freedom of the press and other civic rights,
ordering the arrest of his political opponents and sending opposition leader Benigno Aquina
Jnr, into exile. He altered the form of government, allowing
him to remain in command.

During the 1970‟s the Filipino economy flourished. Tourism
prospered, a huge trade surplus evolved and the GNP (Gross
National Product) soared from P55 Billion to P193 Billion by
1980. Despite his successes, Marcos, his government and wife
Imelda were considered to be consciously involved in
widespread corruption.

Bowing to Catholic Church pressure, Marcos repealed martial Ferdinand Marcos, 1966
law in 1981. Public discontentment and corruption led to a
profound decrease in Philippines fiscal progress and the
boycotting of the 1981 election which Marcos won in a
landslide.

The 1986 assassination of Benigno Aquino upon his return from exile further dampened
public content bringing about a snap presidential election in 1986 with Aquino‟s widow,
Corazon Aquino running for president. Marcos was declared winner in an apparent
duplicitous outcome that was rejected by Aquino and condemned on the international stage,
leading to the withdrawal of support for Marcos and the “bloodless coup” now known as
“The People Power Revolution” which sent Marcos into exile and presented Aquino with the
presidency, returning the Philippines to democracy.

Backed by Aquino, Defense Secretary‟ Fidel Ramos narrowly won the presidency from seven
other candidates in 1992 followed by actor Joseph Estrada in 1998. In 2000 it was alleged
that Estrada had received millions of peso in grafts from illegal gambling. While his
impeachment proceedings broke down when the senate blocked the investigation of his bank
accounts, he was forced to resign following widespread protests, party resignations and
revocation of support from the military in 2001.

The daughter of President Diosdado Macapagal, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo succeeded

Estrada. She was re-elected in 2004, but her reign was not without complications when she

admitted to incongruously speaking with an election official after a recorded conversion was
produced of her asking the official “if her winning margin could be maintained”. She rejected

calls for her resignation and survived impeachment proceedings.

The son of former president Corazon Aquino and vice president Benigno Aquino, Benigno
Aquino III became the fifteenth President of the Philippines in June 2010.

ANGELES CITY

The Japanese destroyed half of the American aircraft on Clark Naval Base

Hours after the attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941, Japan attacked the Philippines,
targeting the American military presence, as well as the Philippine Army, and taking over the
government.

The bombing of Fort Stotsenburg on December 8, 1941 is considered to be the most
destructive air raid in World War II. In thirty minutes, the air might of America in the Far
East was completely destroyed.

In the early morning of the New Year's Day of 1942, the first Japanese troops entered
Angeles occupying it up to January 1945. During the Japanese invasion, another type of local
government was formed. During the Japanese occupation, Clark Air Base became a major
center for staging Japanese air operations.

Clark Air Base was recaptured by the Americans in January 1945, after three months of fierce
fighting in the Philippines. Following three years of atrocities committed by Japanese forces,
the town and the rest of the Philippines were finally liberated by the combined United States
and Philippine Commonwealth troops in 1945.

Today with a population of 326,336 in the May 1, based on the 2010 census and an average
increase of 2% per annum, Angeles City has been ranked by Money Sense magazine as “The
best place to live in the Philippines”. Metro Angeles which encompasses San Fernando,
Mabalacat, Porak and Bacolor, produce one of the highest GDP (Gross Domestic Product) in
the Philippines at 8.5%.

Angeles City was heavily reliant on Clark Freeport Zone, the largest U.S. military facility
outside of the United States, and its international airport until the eruption of Mount Pinatubo
in 1991. The Angeles economy was severely affected by the base closure, however, in 1993,
a U.S. clean up of volcanic fall out saw the re-emergence of the base as Clark Special
Economic Zone.

Angeles and Clark now together form the center of business, industry, aviation and tourism in
the Philippines. It is currently the heart of the leisure, fitness, entertainment and gaming of
Central Luzon.

BALIBAGO

One of the early settlers of Culiat was a Spanish pioneer, Captain Aniceto Gueco, who made
the decision to explore the plains heavily populated with wildly growing Balibago trees to the
north. He cleared and built the first settlement at the location which he duly named Balibago
after the prevailing flora.

Gueco lured his own relatives and many other families to the area and the thriving
community of Barrio (Spanish for neighborhood) Balibago was born.

The position of Barrio Captain was created in 1946 with Balibago's first Barrio Captain being
Alberto Pabalan. By 1972 the word Barrio was replaced by Barangay and it became
recognized by law as the basic political unit of government. Barrio Balibago thus became
Barangay Balibago.

Following the liberation of Angeles City from Japanese occupation and the opening of the
Balibago gateway as the main gate to the U.S. military base (later to become Clark Air Base)
and U.S. sanctions for off base housing for their serviceman and families, the growth of
Balibago became enormous.

Thousands converged on Balibago from
all over the country, setting up
businesses and seeking employment
with many new sub divisions such as
Diamond and Moutainview coming into
being.

Hundreds of bars were opened along

Field Avenue and the MacArthur

Highway with most employing girls. In

these early days of the 1970's a San

Miguel beer could be purchases for Fields Ave., Balibago, 1970's

P1.50. The girls would approach the customer for a chat hoping for a ladies drink which

would reduce the wallet by P5.00 and for P30.00 the girl would become theirs for the night to

accompany them to restaurants, bar hopping and bed.

From there Balibago and its delectable reputation has grown to what it is today drawing tens
of thousands of tourists each year.

PAMPANGA

The early inhabitants of Pampanga (its name derived from the Tagalog word meaning
riverbank) migrated from Central Java, building thriving settlements along the river banks
and coastal areas of Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Pangasinan, Tarlac and Zambales. The
Pampangans initially resisted the Spanish attempts to conquer fervently until Martin de Goiti
was sent from Mexico City to subdue them and take control of the area

For political control and tax functions the area was subdivided into towns and further into
districts (barrios or as they were later to be called, barangays) by the Spanish.

During this time Pampanga was a vital source of food, forced labor and timber for the
Spanish colonists. A tax levy, called tribute payment was placed on rice which was grown in
great abundance and locals were forced to work for 8 months in terrible conditions with no
payment for their labor for the rice they produced. In 1645 a revolt against the tribute
payments and forced labor being extracted by officials was led by Francisco Maniago which
is known as the Maniago Revolt. Although the Spanish forces were depleted by their fighting
with the Dutch, The Spanish Governor, Manrique de Lara succeeded in quelling the revolt.

The Maniago revolt, however, led to a larger and much bloodier revolt against the Spaniards,
led by Andres Malong in 1660. Many other lesser revolts were all suppressed by the Spanish.

As the population grew, new provinces immerged, engulfing some well-established towns.
Battaan was born in 1754 by the absorption of Abucay, Balanga, Dinalupihan, Llana,
Hermosa, Orani, Orion, Pilar and Samal. Aliaga, Cabiao, Gapan San Antonio and San Isidro
combined to form the province of Nueva Ecija in 1848 and in the same year the province of
San Miguel de Mayumo became the province of Bulican.

Pampanga, which now encompasses two thousand two hundred square kilometers, had its
current boundaries drawn up in 1873 to
become the richest province in the
Philippines. Manila's survival depended
on the Pampangan agricultural, fishery,
and forestry products and supply of
skilled workers.

during the 1800's, men from Pampanga Pampanga. 1989

were enlisted by the Dutch to serve with
the “Royal Netherlands East Indies
Army”. They became known as the
“Papangers Contingent” and their legacy

can still be found in North Jakarta

through a small community still existing

in Kampung Tugu.

The towns of Bambam, Capas, Conception, Victoria, Tarlac, Mabalacat, Magalang, Potac and
Floridablanca were removed from Pampanga in 1860 to come under the jurisdiction of the
military command called Comandancia Militar de Tarlac. In 1873 Mabalacat, Magalang,
Potac and Floridablanca were returned to Pampanga while the other five combined to form
the new province of Tarlac.

On December 8, 1941, when the Japanese bombed Clark Air base, the invasion of Pampanga
begun with the Japanese penetrating Pampanga over the next two years.

During the Counter-Insurgencies under the Japanese Occupation from 1942 to 1944,
Kapampangan guerrilla fighters and the Hukbalahap Communist guerrillas fought side by
side in Pampanga, attacking and retreating the Japanese for more than three years of conflict

The formation of the military general headquarters and military camp bases of the Philippine
Commonwealth Army was active from 1935 to 1946 and the Philippine Constabulary was
active from 1935 to 1942 and 1944 to 1946 in the province of Pampanga. During the military

engagements of the Anti-Japanese Imperial Military Operations in Central Luzon from 1942
to 1945 in the province of Bataan, Bulacan, Northern Tayabas (now Aurora), Nueva Ecija,
Pampanga, Tarlac, and Zambales, the local guerrilla resistance fighters and Hukbalahap
Communist guerrillas, helped the U.S. military forces fight the Imperial Japanese armed
forces.

In the 1945 liberation of Pampanga, Kapampangan guerrilla fighters and the Hukbalahap
Communist guerrillas supported combat forces from both Filipino and American ground
troops in attacking Japanese Imperial forces during the Battle of Pampanga until the end of
the Second World War.

An interesting by product of the war was the introduction of Right-Hand drive in the
Philippines to accommodate the movements of both Filipino and U.S. troops. Until the 10th
March 1945 the Philippines was Left-Hand drive and from that date all newly registered
vehicles were to be converted to Right-Hand drive.

While road traffic was converted to Right-Hand drive in 1945, it wasn‟t until 2010 that rail
traffic completely switched to the right.

BRITISH OCUPATION

Many believe the Philippines were under British rule for two years by Britain but that is not
essentially true. They only dominated Manila from 1772-1774

During the final years of the war of 1754-1763 (later known as “The Seven Year War”)
between France and Britain, Britain declared war on Spain in the belief that the war would
cripple Spain‟s commerce and Britain could secure its post-war mercantile development.

At the time Manila was one of the most influential trading cities in Asia and as Britain
already had troops stationed in the East Indies (lands of South and Southeast Asia including
India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka), the British Parliament approved a scheme to

take Manila with some of these troops.

In September 1762, a British fleet of 8 ships and 6,839
crew sailed into Manila Bay led by Brigadier-General
William Draper. Some 5,000 bombs and 20.000 balls were
rained upon Manila. More than 550 lives were lost and 400
wounded before Britain took what was then known as
“The Greatest Spanish Fortress in the Western Pacific”
twelve days later.

General William Draper The Real Audiencia de Manila, the governing body of
Spanish East Indies, including Guam and the Philippines
and the highest assembly within the Captaincy General of
the Philippines, sent the judge of the Royal Audiencias and
Chancillerías Simón de Anda y Salazar to Bulacan to
organize a resistance against the British. He was also
appointed Lieutenant Governor and Visitor General.

He rapidly acquired strong endorsements, raising an army of over 10,000 to effectively keep
the British restricted to Manila.

Anda arrogated the position of Governor under the legislative act of the Council of the Indies
which authorized the delegation of control from the Governor to the Audiencia “In cases of
riot or invasion by foreign forces.” Anda, being the highest member of the Audiencia not
captive by the British, assumed all powers.

The “Treaty of Paris” was signed in 1763 following the conclusion of the “Seven Year War”,
however, the signatories were unaware that Manila had been captured by the British and it
therefore fell under the precondition that “all other lands not otherwise stipulated be returned
to the Spanish.”

The British were therefore, forced to recognize Simón de Anda y Salazar as Governor of the
Philippines and ended their occupation of Manila and Cavite in April 1774.

CHAPTER 3

Heroes

Over the centuries there have been countless acts of heroism by Filipinos defending their
nation against Spanish, American and Japanese conquest. The most famous is José Rizal with
a public holiday held on December 30 every year in commemoration of his death. His heroics
were performed mainly with the pen while many others not celebrated put their own lives at
risk for the good of their country and fellow man. Three of these brave men were to be
awarded the “Congressional Medal of Honor” and should also be honored by Filipinos.

José Rizal who was born into a wealthy farming Filipino family in Calamba, Laguna on June
19, 1861 is considered one of the great Filipino national heroes.

He was a true child prodigy displaying precocious intelligence at an early age. He could read
and write by the age of five and was already showing immense talent as an artist and in clay
modeling. He obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree at 16 and by the age of 17 had degrees in
Surveying and Assessing.

After travelling to Spain he obtained further degrees of Licentiate
in Medicine (leading not only to an academic degree but also a
professional qualification) and Philosophy by the age of twenty
four.

He continued to travel expansively through Europe becoming
fluent in twenty two languages, and becoming touted as a
versatile genius. He wrote extensively with many articles tending
towards Filipino nationalism and revolution.

He published a book in 1887 describing the proud Filipino Dr. Jose Rizal
history before the Spanish colonization and the conceit and
tyranny of the Spanish ministry, followed by another with much
deeper revolutionary connotations exposing Spanish abuses in
socio-political and religious aspects. His writings were thought to
have encouraged passive activists and revolutionists in the
Philippines.

When he returned to Manila in 1892 he had already been affirmed as an enemy of the state by
Spanish Hierarchy because of his publications. He instituted “La Liga Filipina”, an

association promoting temperate social reforms but it was quashed by the Spanish

government.

At the onset of the Philippines revolution of 1896 he was falsely implicated and arrested in

Spain while on route to Cuba where he had volunteered his services to an outbreak of yellow

fever. He was convicted of rebellion, sedition and forming an illegal association and

sentenced to death. While awaiting his sentence to be administered he composed the poem
that later was to be known as “Ultimo Adios”, describing his great love of his country and its
people. He also delivered a statement renouncing the revolution and asserting that “the

education of Filipinos and their achievement of a national identity were prerequisites to
freedom.”

He was put to death in 1896 by a Filipino firing squad of the Spanish Army who was held at
gunpoint themselves by the Spanish army in the event that they refused to carry out the
execution.

The execution of Jose Rizal by Spanish troops, 1896

There have been many more Filipinos who can claim the integrity of a true Filipino hero,
some even with credentials above that of José Rizal.

There is no higher honor bestowed by U.S. military than the Congressional Medal of Honor
which is awarded for “Bravery in Combat, Above and Beyond the Call of Duty”. Only 3,440
soldiers have been granted this military prestige for valor since its inception during the
American Civil War of 1862 and 842 throughout the entire U.S. World War II campaign.

On the 4th February, 1899, when war was declared on the United States, by the First
Philippines Republic, the Philippines first ”Medal of Honor” recipient immerged. The war
raged from 1899-1902 and produced some 220,000 Filipino casualties.

The First Philippines Republic or Malolos Republic was a short lived revolutionary
government formed to secure independence from the Americans.

José Baliton Nisperos who was born in San Fernando, Philippines in 1887 was a member of
the “Philippine Scouts” when his actions during this war on the 24th of September, 1911, led
to him being bestowed the “Congressional Medal of Order”. He became the first Asian to
receive this, the greatest of military honors.
Nisperos‟ unit, the U.S. Army‟s 34th unit of the Philippines Scouts, had been directed to
Basilan, Mindanao to mollify revolutionary forces that were resisting the U.S. takeover of
Mindanao. His unit was ambushed by a large squad of rebels armed with bolos (type of
machete) and spears.

His unit had incurred some casualties and Nisperos was badly injured, with a broken left arm,
badly lacerated left hand and several spear wounds. He continued to fire his rifle with one
hand until the rebels retreated to the hills, sparing his unit from annihilation and mutilation of

their bodies as the resistance was known for.

Due to the severity of his injuries, José Baliton Nisperos was medically discharged from the
army, receiving a pension of $55 a month and was awarded his Medal of Honor on
November 12, 1912. He passed away ten years later at the age of thirty four following a
lengthy illness.

Fireman 2nd class Teleforo Trinidad from Capiz in the Philippines became the only sailor of
Asian descent and second Filipino to be awarded the Medal of Honor for extraordinary
heroism in peace time aboard the U.S.S San Diego in Mexican waters near La Paz, 1915.

A boiler explosion occurred while Trinidad was working in fire room 2. He was forced out by
flames but returned to rescue injured compatriot, fireman 2nd class R. E. Daly. While exiting

fire room 4 with Daly he was struck by another explosion in fire room 3 where he received

severe burns to the face. Without considering his own injuries or safety he passed Daly out to

other sailors and returned to fire room 3 to rescue another seaman.

Trinidad was born in Cavite in 1890, passing away in 1968. He was awarded his Medal of
Honor in 1915.

In the December of 1941, 23 year old, Captain Jose Cabalfin Calugas, through his heroic
actions on the Bataan battle fields of World War II, became the third Filipino to be awarded
the Congressional Medal of Honor.

Born on the 29th December, 1907 in Barangay, Leon, Iloilo, Philippines, he joined the

Philippine Scouts, a crack military unit made up of native Filipinos formed by the U.S in

1901 until the end of World War II and led by U.S. Officers, after hearing about it from
friends in his Barangay. The Philippines Department‟s General had, in the same year,

sanctioned the conscription of Filipinos to

join the unit, with 5000 men being recruited

to fill 50 companies. Calugas was drafted into
Company “C” 24th Artillery at Fort

Stotsenburg in 1930, where he became an

expert marksman and soldier.

Following Japanese successes in China and Jose Calugas (right) during Battle of Bataan
their prosperous incursions into Indo-China in
1940, a request was made to the U.S. War
Department for re-enforcements of troops and
supplies with the Philippines Scouts numbers
growing to12000 by 1941.

Part of Japanese strategy was to take control of the Philippines as part of their plan for a
“Greater East Asia War” and on December 8, 1941 “The Battle of Bataan”, the most intense

of all Japanese battles to take the Philippines, lasting four months, began.

Although the Japanese were greatly outnumbered they possessed a far greater fire power and
for the most part, trained personnel and the “Battle for Bataan” was becoming a forlorn
exercise for the allies. Calugas‟s division had been placed in cover of the withdrawing 26th

Calvary Regiment of the Philippines Scouts and the U.S. 31st Infantry Regiment, behind the
Culo River that had been held by the 26th Calvary.

On January 6th, 1942, Calugas was on KP (Kitchen Police) duty, organizing some of his men
as Mess Sergeant, preparing for the days meals when he observed that one of his division‟s
guns had become dormant and its crew killed by enemy fire.

Sargent Jose Calugas raced 1000 yards through heavy, Japanese artillery fire to the
decommissioned gun position, organizing a troop of volunteers who returned fire for most of
the afternoon. Sargent Calugas manned the 75mm cannon alone, terminating some 60
advancing Japanese vehicles and many enemy soldiers. This enabled ally soldiers to reinforce
their position, after which he returned to the kitchen and KP Duty. It was for this brave action
that Jose Cabalfin Calugas was later awarded “The Congressional Medal of Honor”

By the 8th of April, 1942, the allied position in Bataan had become hopeless and on the
following day, U.S. Commander on Bataan, Major General Edward King surrendered some
76000 Filipino and U.S. troops to 54000 Japanese soldiers. Nowhere in U.S. military history
has a surrender of this magnitude ever been affected.
April 9, 1942, saw Sargent Calugas join 78000 Filipino and U.S. surrendered soldiers in what

was to become known as the “Death March”
through 65 miles of dust and heat from San
Fernando to Camp O‟Donnell prison camp
in Tarlac. Marching without food and water,
and enduring appalling beatings, 21000 men
and women perished during the march.
Calugas himself was savagely beaten about
the head after being caught drinking water.
He managed to survive the march by
outsmarting his captors by feigning the
seriousness of his condition to avoid further
beatings.

Bataan Death March. 1942

During his stay at Camp O‟Donnell he suffered severe attacks of malaria, dysentery and
beriberi, but Calugas never gave up and fought on bravely. He was to regain his strength and
fitness during 1943 when he was transferred from the prison camp to a Japanese rice mill
where he began spying for a local guerrilla group based in Luzon. Later that year he became a
second Lieutenant of a squadron of that unit following his escape from the rice mill.

During January and February 1945, they joined a successful raid on a Japanese stronghold in
Karanggalan. Calugas and his platoon successfully aided allied forces in attacks on the
Japanese in Muoz, Bongabong, Rizal and Dingalan Beach which led to the liberation of the
Philippines.

Following the liberation of the Philippines in 1945, Calugas was presented with his “Medal
of Honor” and was offered a commission in the American Army and assigned to the 44th
Infantry which overseered the occupancy of Okinawa, Japan. It was while stationed there that
he gained United States citizenship. In 1947 he was transferred to a post in Ryukyu Islands,
South China Sea until 1953 when he was assigned to Fort Lewis, Texas.

Jose Calugas earned a number of other military honors following the Medal of Honor. He
was also awarded the Presidential Citation, Prisoner of War Medal, Good Conduct Medal,
Army of Occupation Medal, National Defense Service Medal, American Defense Service
Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, World War II Victory Medal, Philippine Defense
Medal, Philippine Liberation Medal, Philippine Independence Medal and United Nations
Korea Medal.

After his retirement from the army in 1957 he earned a degree in Business Administration
and took up a position with the Boeing Corporation.

Jose Cabalfin Calugas passed away at the age of 90 in 1998

CHAPTER 4

Disasters

The Philippines has had more than its fair share of natural and man-made disasters over the
centuries resulting in massive loss of life and property. At least 20 typhoons a year strike the
Philippines and along with volcanoes and earthquakes, have serious ramifications to the
Philippines economic development and has certainly hindered its economic growth.

Most of the Philippines 7107 islands have a volcanic beginning. Of the 37 volcanoes on the
Philippines Islands 18 are still active. An active volcano is considered one that has erupted in
the previous decade and future eruptions are expected.

The Philippines sits squarely on the Pacific Ring of Fire, a 40,000 kilometer stretch of
oceanic trenches, volcanic arcs, volcanic belts and plate movements which encompasses 75%
of the world‟s volcanoes with 81% of the world‟s most destructive earthquakes occurring
along the Ring of Fire.

Most Philippines quakes transpire on the Pacific East coast, particularly around Mindanao
and Samar were the most significant fault line, the “Marikina Valley Fault” runs just North of
Manila, almost parallel to the C5 road encompassing Manila.

During the twenty first century a total of 18 earthquakes of magnitudes from 5.2 to 7.5 have
hit various parts of the Philippines, however at least one measurable tremor above 2.5
magnitude are recorded every day in the Philippines.

VOLCANOES

The most active of all volcanoes, having erupted about fifty times since 1616 is that of Mount
Mayon, situated in the province of Albay on the island of Luzon. It is regarded as the world‟s
most symmetrical volcano because of its classical conical shape.

Mayon‟s most catastrophic eruption took Mount Mayon and Cagsawa church, 1814
place in 1814, and while its lava flow was
not as profuse as other eruptions, it
discharged millions of tons of volcanic ash
covering the terrain with up to 30 feet (9
meters) of debris and completely burying
the town of Cagsawa with tephra. The
countryside was devastated, trees
destroyed and rivers damaged with 2,200
people losing their lives. Its accretion of
atmospheric ash was believed to have
contributed to the world‟s “Year Without
Summer” of 1816.

There have been many eruptions and earthquakes emanate from Mayon since, causing tens of
thousands of evacuations without casualty until 2013 when a phreatic eruption (steam
explosions) lasting 73 seconds killed 4 tourists and their tour guide.

In August 2014, a surge in sulphur dioxide discharges was noted followed by a fresh lava

dome appearing on its apex. The next 2 months saw some 300 rock fall events with steam and
lava emitting from Mayon‟s peak bringing about tens of thousands of evacuations from the

area.

Authorities fear a major eruption is eminent at the time of writing.

The Taal volcano, with 33 recorded eruptions is the second most active volcano in the
Philippines. Not only is it the world‟s smallest volcano, it has been the Philippines most

deadly with almost 6000 deaths documented from six of its eruption throughout history. All

of these eruptions have transpired on an island sitting almost in the center of the Taal Lake in

Batangas, Luzon, named Volcano Island.

Ongoing communities are prohibited on the island, however, poor families have settled there
to take advantage of the abundant fishing from the lakes waters and farming from the fertile
volcanic soil. Being one of the most beautiful scenic attractions in the Philippines with its
unique make of an island inside a lake, they could also take advantage of tourism to the
island.

Eruptions during the 1700‟s closed the Taal Lake from the sea, trapping sardines causing
them to evolve into freshwater fish and they are now the world‟s only fresh water species of
sardine. They are the staple food fish of the Filipino, being eaten dried and salted and have
been commercially fished from the Taal Lake for hundreds of years. The Giant Trevally was
also a regular catch for the fisherman in Lake Taal.

The most destructive eruption in the Philippines was that of the Taal Volcano in 1911. The
loud shocks and explosions taking place woke residents of Manila 50 kilometers (30 miles) to
the South. There was absolute devastation on Volcano Island with the official death toll being
registered at 1,335. However, all seven barangays present on the island along with their
records were completely wiped out and the death toll is believed to be much higher.

The most famous of all volcanic eruptions
in the Philippines was that of Mount
Pinatubo, near Angeles City and Clark Air
Base.

Victims of the Taal eruption. 1911 Before Mount Pinatubo‟s 1991 eruption it
was a typical and heavily eroded mountain.
It was heavily forested and supported many
thousands of indigenous Filipino people
(Aeta). Its last eruption is believed to have
been about 500 years ago and it was listed
as a non-active volcano.

On the fifteenth of June 1991, Mount Pinatubo awakened from a 500 year sopor to become
the second largest volcanic eruption of the 20th century, only surpassed by the 1912 eruption

of Novarupta, a new volcano on the Alaska Peninsula in Katmai National Park and Reserve.
Pinatubo produced 10 times the amount of magma than that of the 1980 eruption of Mount
St. Helens in the U.S.A.

Although more than 800 people died and 100,000 became homeless, it is estimated that 5,000
lives and at least $250 million in property were saved because the Philippine Institute of
Volcanology and Seismology and the U.S Geological Survey had predicted the eruption.
Most commercial airlines avoided the damaging ash cloud with prior warnings, however a
number of craft flying to the far west of the Philippines encountered ash causing $100 million
in damage to aircraft.

Parallel in magnitude to the 1906 San Francisco quake, a 7.8 earthquake struck 100
kilometers northeast of Mount Pinatubo on July 16, 1990. Apart from a few minor steam
emissions from Pinatubo it seemed unaffected by the earthquake and remained in its 500 year
old dormant state. However, early in 1991, magma began rising to the surface of Pinatubo
from some 32 kilometers below causing thousands of small earthquakes and strong steam
explosions with many thousands of tons of pernicious sulfur dioxide being emitted.

In mid-March, 1991 earthquakes began to rock villagers who lived on the slopes of Pinatubo,
including about 30000 indigenous Filipinos (Aetas) who had fled the lowlands in 1565 to
escape ill-treatment by the Spanish and set up some 25 barangays who hunted and gathered
very successfully in the dense forests. They survived by growing crops of wheat, barley and
rice and raising animals.

These quakes forced volcanologist to study

the mountain and on April 2 after villagers

were sprayed with volcanic ash from vent

explosions, 5000 people were evacuated.

The continued earthquakes and explosions

brought about a level 3 alert on June 5 as

authorities believed a major eruption was

eminent. June 7-12 saw the first magma

appear on the surface of Pinatubo which

lead to the calling of a level 5 alert on June Clouds of gas and hot ash burst from Pinatubo, 1992

9. The next day all 18000 personnel from

Clark Air Base were evacuated, some to Subic Naval Station, but most returned to The

United States and on June 12 a total evacuation to a radius 30 kilometers of the volcano was

enforced.

More highly gas charged magma began building up on Pinatubo's surface and at 1:42pm on
June 15 the mountain exploded in a destructive eruption that lasted for 9 hours and exuding
more than 5 cubic kilometers of volcanic substances. An ash cloud rose to 35 kilometers into
the air with a blanket of volcanic ash covering the surrounding areas. Satellites tracked the
resulting ash cloud several times around the world.

Immense slides of searing hot ash, gas, and rock fragments thundered down the slopes of
Mount Pinatubo, filling deep depressions with fresh volcanic deposits as much as 200 meters
thick. The eruption removed so much magma and rock from below the volcano that the
summit collapsed to form a large volcanic depression (caldera) 2.5 kilometers across.

At the same time the eruption struck, the area was being ravage by typhoon Yunyan bringing
about heavy rainfall. The volcanic ash mixed with water vapor caused a torrent of tephra
(volcanic rock fragments) to fall right across the island of Luzon. The deposits measured up
to 33 centimeters deep in places and 10 centimeters of ash ariled 2000 square kilometers of
land. Most of the deaths occurred from the weight of ash collapsing roofs and killing
occupants. If Typhoon Yunyan had not been present at the time the death toll and damage
would have been far less.

Mount Pinatubo expelled up to 30 million tons of sulfur dioxide gas and this mixed with
water and oxygen in the atmosphere produces sulfuric acid. The result is damage to the ozone
layer and during 1992-1993 the hole in the ozone layer over Antarctica grew to levels never
before being recorded.

Within two hours of the eruption, the resultant plume of gasses and ash rose 34 kilometers
into the atmosphere and over 400 kilometers wide making it the largest disturbance of the
stratosphere since the eruption of Krakatau in 1883. Within one year the cloud had engulfed
the earth and the average planet temperatures had been reduced by .4 to .5°C. The peak
decrease in global temperature come about in August 1992 with a reduction of 0.73°C. The
eruption is believed to have caused such events as 1993 floods along the Mississippi river and
the drought in the Sahel region of Africa. The United States experienced its third coldest and
third wettest summer in 77 years during 1992.

The eruption of Mount Pinatubo caused
almost 500 million dollars in property and
economic damage. The economy of central
Luzon was totally disrupted. There were
4,979 homes destroyed and 70,257
damaged. The following year 3,281 homes
were destroyed and 3,137 were damaged.
Another Mount Pinatubo eruption in August
1992 killed 72 people.

The United States military never returned to

Village buried in lahar Clark Air Base, turning over the damaged base

to the Philippine government on November 26, 1991.

TYPHOONS

The Philippines is the world‟s most prone country to typhoons with thousands of deaths
recorded as a result. The deadliest of all was in 1881 when a typhoon hit Haiphong (now
Vietnam) and the northern part of the Philippines killing more than 300,000 people and at
least 20,000 in the Philippines. It was the most deadly cyclonic storm in history.

Tropical Storm Thelma (Uring in the Philippines) which hit Ormoc City, on the west coast of
Leyte, six months after the Mount Pinatubo eruption in 1991, was the deadliest in the
Philippines during modern times until typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) created havoc in 2013.

Thelma did not reach the wind speeds of 118 kph (73 mph) required to be declared a typhoon.
Most of the damage and deaths was brought about by torrential rain caused by Thelma‟s
contact with the islands elevated landscape, dumping 150mm (5.9in) of rain on Visayas and

580.5mm (22.85in) on parts of Leyte in the space of three hours. The ensuing run-off over
inadequately cultivated land and through the Anilao-Malbasag watershed, rushed towards
Ormoc City, overwhelming it in just one hour. Across Leyte the death toll was 159 but in
Ormoc City at least 5,081 people lost their lives with up to a further 3,084 declared missing,
presumed dead.
Total losses amounted to $27.67 million with 4,446 homes totally demolished and a further
22,229 damaged. $5.8 million in donations was received from an International Relief Effort
organized by agencies affiliated to the United Nations.
Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda in the Philippines) was not only the most powerful ever recorded
but produced the strongest wind velocity ever recorded, worldwide.
When Yolanda struck in November 2013, it caused horrendous damage to much of Leyte
where entire towns and cities were destroyed. Winds of up to 315km/h (195 mph) were
recorded accompanying up to 281.9 mm (11.1 inches) of heavy rain in some areas over a 12
hour period. Tsunami like storm surges of up to 6 meters (19 feet) caused horrific damage
and huge loss of life. The terminal at Tacloban Airport was totally destroyed by a 5.2 meter
(17 Foot) wave.

Tacloban aftermath of typhoon Yolanda

The official death toll is said to be 6,300 although the actual toll is still uncertain with victims
in Tacloban City alone claiming it to be 10,000. Many of the poor communities that were
completely wiped out were home to thousands of people whose births were never recorded.
The Red Cross projected a missing list of 22,000 while locals claim that 65,500 are still
missing. The total damage bill is more than US$2 billion.
Hundreds more typhoons have hit the Philippines, causing thousands of deaths. In 1984,
typhoon Ike (Nitang) run a destructive path from Siargao to Palawan, with 220 kp/h winds
causing 1,363 official deaths with unofficial estimates upward of 3,000 and P4.1 billion
damage .In 1995, the 260 kp/h winds of Typhoon Angela (Rosing) tore through the Northern

tip of Catanduanes to Corregidor Island killing 936 people and causing P10.8 billion on its
way.

Some more of the deadliest typhoons, just in the 21st century, have been Winnie in 2004
officially killing 1,593. Typhoon Reming in 2006 caused 1,399 deaths and Typhoon Frank‟s
death toll was counted at 1,410 in 2008. All of these typhoons caused countless billions of
pesos in damage.

EARTHQUAKES

Earthquakes in the Philippines have been just as devastating as the volcanoes and typhoons,
causing massive loss of life and damage. Just in the 20th century alone there have been
thirteen earthquakes of magnitude six or higher causing a combined death toll in excess of
10,000 people.

In 1976 an earthquake measuring eight on the Richter scale, with an epicenter in the Celebes
Sea, near the islands of Mindanao and Sulu, caused 8,000 deaths and left a further 80,000
homeless along the coast of Southern Mindanao, making it the worst earthquake disaster in
Philippines history.

Following the earthquake residents were ignorant to the need to move to higher ground
because of the impending Tsunami. Ninety percent of victims perished when they were hit by
5 meter (16 ft.) waves that dragged them out to sea. The death toll could have been much
higher but for the fact that the quake hit at night when schools and offices, destroyed by the
Tsunami were empty.

In July of 1990 a magnitude 7.8 earthquake hit the densely populated island of Luzon with
Baguio and Cabanatuan City hardest hit, killing an estimated 1,621 people, mostly in the
Central Luzon area.

The quake was felt in Manila and the destruction of Hyatt Terrace, Bagio, 1990
many buildings there brought about the deaths of
three people. Baguio had twenty eight buildings
collapse including the Hyatt Terraces Hotel were 80
guests and staff died. Some survived in the ruins for
up to two weeks before being rescued. Without food
and water they were compelled to drink their own
urine to subsist. It took three days to clear landslide
debris from routes into Baguio before rescuers could
enter the mountain city by road.

In Cabanatuan City, its tallest building, housing the Christian College of the Philippines
collapsed, killing 150 students and teachers.

MARITIME DISASTERS

The Ferry network throughout the Philippines archipelago is the cornerstone of its maritime
travel, particularly for the poor who do not have the financial means to visit friends and
relatives on other islands aboard local airlines.

With the perpetual hammering of typhoons along with a less than satisfactory upkeep of
vessels, overloading and relaxed enforcement of maritime protocols, sea travel has been
disastrous to passengers.

In just the past 20 years there have been many mishaps with ferries causing the deaths of
almost an estimated 6,000 people.
When the British passenger ship, RMS Titanic hit an iceberg and sank, killing 1503 people in
the icy North Atlantic waters on the 15th of April 1912, it became the most enduring
maritime disaster in history.

The fact is, while a terrible disaster with massive loss of life, The Titanic sinking is nowhere
near the world‟s worst maritime disaster .There have been more prolific loss of life in
maritime incidences that have received little or no recognition.

The Philippines itself has what is recorded as the world‟s worst peace time maritime disaster
ever, with a loss estimated at 4386 lives.

The Philippines registered passenger ferry “Dona Paz” was a Japanese ship originally named
“Himeyuri Maru”. Filipino owned Sulpicio Lines, who operated a fleet of passenger vessels,
purchased the Japanese ship in 1975 and named it “Don Sulpicio”. In 1979, the Don Sulpicio,
while sailing from Manila to Cebu, was declared a total insurance loss after being gutted by
fire, although all 1,164 passengers survived. Sulpicio Lines underwriters repurchased,
refurbished and returned the wreckage to full service as the “Dona Paz”

The Dona Paz began doing twice a week trips from Manila to Tacloban, Catbalogan and
return,
until on the 20th December 1987 it had left Tacloban City, Leyte bound for Manila via
Catbalogan City, Samar. While most of the passengers slept along the Tablas Strait, near
Marindugue, it crashed into the MT Vector, an oil tanker bound for Masbate from Bataan.
The Vector was transporting 280,000 gallons of Caltex Philippines owned Petroleum and it‟s

by products.

On impact the Vector cargo exploded,
quickly igniting both ships into floating
infernos. There were later reports from
survivors of no available life jackets
aboard the Dona Paz and survivors
jumping into flaming, shark infested
waters among hundreds of charred bodies.

The Dona Paz disaster, 1987 Both ships had sunk within 4 hours,
however, Philippines maritime authorities

did not even learn of the incident until 8 hours after it had occurred and it took a further 8

hours to organize search and rescue operations.

Only 26 survivors were pulled from the waters (24 from Dona Paz, 2 from The Vector), most
with varying degrees of burns from the flaming water. Official Sulpicio manifest of the Dona
Paz showed only 1493 passengers and 60 crew members, however many illegally purchased
tickets did not appear on the manifest along with children under 4 years of age. Survivors
claimed that the ferry carried in access of 4000 passengers with people sleeping along

passage ways and on boat decks. Of 21 bodies officially identified five days after the accident
as being on board the Dona Paz, only one appeared on the official manifest. Of the surviving
passengers from the Dona Paz just 5 appeared on the manifest.
In 1988 the PNBI (Philippines National Bureau of Investigations), based on interviews with
family members, announced that there was at least 3,099 passengers and 59 crew on board
the Dona Paz, and in 1999, based on court records and over 4100 settlement claims, a
presidential task force listed the number of passengers at 4341. With 24 survivors and the 58
crew members who died the death toll on board the Dona Paz was put at 4375. With 11 dying
aboard the Vector, the total death toll was 4386.
Ten months after the Dońa Paz disaster, its sister ship, the 2,855 ton Dońa Marilyn also
operated by Sulpicio Lines sank during typhoon Unsang while travelling from Manila to
Tacloban City. There have been varying accounts of the death toll over the years, however a
local newspaper at the time indicated that the ships manifest showed 518 aboard and the
Coast Guard could only confirm 15 survivors. As with the Dońa Paz, the ship manifest may
not have declared the total number of passengers.

More than 500 people perished aboard the capsized Dona Marilyn

Another ferry disaster costing a large number of lives, in 2008, was that of yet another
Sulpicio owned liner, the Princess of the Stars.
It was carrying a manifested passenger list of 862 from Manila to Cebu City when it made a
stop-over at Samar Island during the onset of Typhoon Fengshen (Frank locally). The ship
was considered big enough, at 23,824 ton to withstand the force of the typhoon and was
permitted to continue its journey. It was not and it capsized of the coast of San Fernando,
resulting in the deaths of about 800 people. Again there were possibly many more passengers
than that appearing on the ship‟s manifest.
In 2014, the Sulpicio Lines were absolved of any liability in connection with the ship‟s
sinking.

CHAPTER 5

Sport

BOXING

While the Philippines is an infinitely poor third world country, with basketball and pool being
the only widely played recreational sports, it has certainly had its share of world class sports
champions and a number of world champions.

Organized sport was established in the Philippines during
the American Occupation and since then has seen the
growth of many Filipino sporting heroes

The Philippines has had no less than 35 boxing world
champions since Francisco “Pancho Villa” Guilledo won
the Philippine‟s first world title in 1923 when he knocked

out reigning flyweight champion Jimmy Wilde from

England at the New York Polo Grounds. Named flyweight
of the 20th century in 1999 by Associated Press he was

never knocked out in his career, gathering a huge following

of fans in the U.S. on the way. The Philippines first boxing world
champion, Franciso Guilledo

He was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1994 along with Cebuano,
Gabriele “Flash” Elorde who became world champion in 1960. Elorde defended his title ten

times over seven years making him the longest reigning world junior lightweight champion in
history, winning 79 fights in his professional career which earned him the title of “The

Greatest World Lightweight Champion in WBC history.

Manila boxer, Ceferino “Bolo” Garcia became the heaviest Filipino world champion when he

accounted for world middleweight champion Fred Apostolic in 1939. He was the originator
of the “Bolo” punch, using it to knock Apostolic out in the 7th round.

Garcia also featured in the first world title fight to be held in the Philippines, at Rizal
Memorial Sports Complex in 1939, when he successfully defended his title against American
Glen Lee. Ceferino was also inducted into Ring Magazine and World Boxing halls of fame in
1977.

Not least of all is Emmanuel “Manny” Dapridran Pacquiao, born seventeenth of September,
1978. He is the only boxer to have won world titles in eight divisions. Pacquiao has won ten
world title fights including a win over boxing superstar and Mexican legend Eric Morales in
2006, knocking him out in the tenth round thus inflicting Morale‟s only knockout in his
career to that point. Manny also won world title fights against six division champion Oscar
De Hoya, Miguel Cotto and another boxing legend in Shane Mosley.

Most influential world sporting media rated Pacquiao as the world‟s best pound for pound
fighter and he was named “Fighter of the Decade 2001-2010”, by the BWAA (Boxing
Writers Association of America), the WBC (World Boxing Association) and the WBO (World

Boxing Organization). In 2014 he is ranked fourth on the “Ring” magazine pound for pound
list.

POOL

Most Filipinos begin playing pool at a very early age and can be spotted playing in pool halls
and outdoor venues all over the Philippines for hours upon hours. Therefore, the average
Filipino is normally an exceptional pool player. Many have won tournaments on the world
stage with one of the best being Isabela born Alex “The Lion” Pagulayan who became much
loved by audiences, worldwide, for not only his talent, but relaxed style and humor with his

interaction with spectators.

Pagulayan was an expert in all forms of
snooker and billiards but was an
exceptional talent in nine-ball, making the
US Open Nine-ball Championship final in
2002 and winning the title in 2005.

Among his many world class tournament
wins were the 2008 World Pool Masters,
2007 World Summit of Pool, US Open
Nine-ball Championship, 2004 WRA
World Nine-ball Championship and the
World Trick Shot Championship.

Ronato (Ronnie) Alcano is another pool
player idolized in the Philippines. He
became world nine ball champion in 2006
and followed up in 2007 with the world
eight ball championship, so becoming the
only player to hold both titles concurrently.

Alex "The Lion" Pagulayan Yet another Filipino legend who has
inspired an entire generation of pool players

is Tarlac born (1963) Francisco Bustamante. His long list of credits on the world stage

include the 2010 World Nine Ball Title, 2001 World Masters, 2004 World pool League and

the 2006 and 2009 World Cup of Pool, an event he teamed up with Efren Reyes to win.

None, however, can surpass Pampanga born Efren (Bata) Reyes who has been praised by his
peers and fans as “The Greatest Player Alive.” The June 1966 issue of the Billiards Digest

Magazine ran a poll to find the best player in each category with Reyes being named the best
one pocket player of all time. A quote from the magazine says “While a bevy of one-pocket

geniuses abound, Efren Reyes, whose prowess in one-pocket is sometimes obscured by his 9-

ball stardom, was the popular pick. Is there anything Bata can't do?" He was christened with

the nickname Bata (kid) in his early days to differentiate him from another Filipino player

named Efren.

It would take a second book to list all of Efren Reyes achievements. He has won almost every
major pool, eight ball and nine ball world tournament since 1985, some more than once and
they include the 1990 World Cup, 1992 World Nine-Ball Open, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2004 and

2006 World Eight-Ball Championship, 1996 and 1999 World Nine-Ball Championship, 2006
and 2009 World Cup of Pool.

Reyes learned to play billiards after moving from Pampanga at five years of age to work in
his uncle‟s pool hall in Manila. As he was too short to reach the table he would stand on
Coca-Cola crates to reach his shots and slept on the pool table dreaming of being a pool
champion.

He rose to stardom in the Philippines
during the 1980‟s were he became
almost unbeatable and went to the
United States to hustle. He became an
idol in the Philippines earning
US$80000 a week. He won the 1994
US Open Nine-Ball Championship, the
first non-American to do so which
injected him into the world stage.

Efren Reyes has never forgotten his Champion Efren "Bata" Reyes
roots and often returns to Angeles City.

He has frequently been seen playing exhibitions around local bars with local players.

TEN PIN BOWLING

Ten pin bowling is not a sport that is often spoken of, or seen in the Philippines but in spite of

this a Filipino, Rafael "Paeng" Nepomucenois was named by the Prestigious Bowlers Journal
International in 2003 as “The Greatest International Bowler of
All Time”. He is the only bowler to receive the International

Olympic Committee Presidents Trophy and the first

international bowler to be admitted to the International Bowling
Hall of Fame. In 1999 he was named by the “Federation
Internationale des Quilleurs” as the International Bowling

Athlete of the Millennium.

Hailing from Manila, Rafael "Paeng" Nepomucenois a six
times world bowling champion. He won the 1976, 1980, 1992
and 1996 World Cup of Bowling, the 1994 World Invitational
Tournament and the 1999 World Ten Pin Masters Tournament.

He holds the record for most world cups won (4), the youngest

Paeng Nepomucenois person to ever win a world cup (19) and the most bowling

tournament wins (126) all of which are documented in the Guinness Book of Records. He is

also the only bowler to win tournaments in the Americas, Europe, Asia, the Middle East and

Africa. He has bowled 19 perfect 300 games with 23 strikes in a row at international level.

Paeng is a true Filipino ambassador and is still representing his country performing
exhibitions, personal appearances and holding clinics where ever he competes. He is the only
Filipino athlete to be awarded Presidential Citations from 5 different Philippines Presidents.

A Filipina has also risen to the top of international ten pin bowling tree being one of the first

athletes admitted to the International Bowling Hall of Fame. The Prestigious Bowlers Journal
International also named her as “One of the Greatest International Bowlers of All Time” in

2013

Olivia "Bong" Coo is a 4 times word champion.
She has held every title at national, Asian and
world level major championships, the only bowler
to do so. She has also held all those events records
at one time. Coo has won 135 championships and
at least one master‟s title for 28 consecutive years.
She too is listed in the Guinness Book of Records.

Olivia has retired from bowling competition and is
a bowling tutor at the University of Philippines.

Lita dela Rosa, another Filipina, won the World

Cup of Bowling in 1978 and the World

Championships in 1979 also combining with
Bong Coo to win the Women‟s doubles at that

event. Christian Jan Suarez was the last and only 4 times bowling world champion, Olivia Coo

other Filipino to hold a bowling world title when he won the World Cup in 2003.

SHOOTING

Pistol shooting is something that is practiced in the Philippines quite regularly, for all the
wrong reasons, but as a sport no one has reach the heights of Manila‟s Jethro Dionisio who
has earned the title of the “fastest gun alive” in international speed shooting circles. He has

reached the top in a sport that has always been dominated by Americans, the only non-

American to have done so in a sport that is the flagship of the world shooting circuit.

Born in 1972, Jethro won his first national speed
shooting title at the age of fifteen and has gone on
to win it a further six times. He won the first of six
World Speed Shooting Championships at
seventeen years of age and is only one of five
shooters to have won a world title more than
twice.

Dionisio won The Steel Challenge World Speed

Shooting Championship in 1990, 1992 and 1993.

He won the World Shoot-off Championship in

Jethro Dionisio 1993, 1994 and 1995 and was runner up in 1996.

He won the Australasian Handgun Championship in Rotorua, New Zealand in 2013 and was

part of the winning team at that event.

His expertise in Trap Shooting also leaves nothing to be desired with a silver medal at the
2001 “Sea Games” in Malaysia and a gold medal at the 2003 Vietnam “Sea Games”. He shot

for the Philippines at the 2004 Athens Olympics where he unfortunately finished out of the
medals.

Not a bad effort for a boy from a Manila.

Not to be outdone by the boys a Filipina has also Athena Lee
reached the international heights of pistol
shooting. Athena Lee won the ladies World
Speed shooting Championship in (2002 &
2003). She is two-times World Shoot Open
Women‟s Champion (1999 & 2008) and two-
times Australasian Championships Women's
Open Champion (2001 & 2007). Athena
migrated to the U.S. in 1991 to become part of

the U.S. shooting team.

Another Manila World Champion shooter was Adolfo Feliciano. Born in 1930, he reached

the top of the world in rifle shooting, winning the World Shooting Championship in

Germany, 1966 and then again in 1968 when the title was held in Phoenix, Arizona. Adolfo
also won a silver medal for the Philippines at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics in “marksmanship”

(a demonstration sport)

FIGURE SKATING

Seventeen year old Filipino figure skater Michael Christian Martinez may not have reached
the dizzy heights of some of his countryman among sporting‟s world elite, he and his story is
none the less worthy of mentioning among them. In 2014, Michael was the first figure skater
from a tropical country to qualify for the Winter Olympics and the only Filipino competitor.

Against all odds he made the final finishing
nineteenth.

Michael was born an asthmatic in 1996 and

spent much of his younger days in hospital

until, while shopping at SM South Mall in

Manila as a young boy, he spotted a skating

rink and told his mother that he wanted to be a

figure skater. He persisted with his dream until

his mother, not able to afford a coach, learned

everything she could about figure skating and

began coaching him up to the point when

Michael Martinez Viktor Kudriavtsec took over his tutelage in

Manila. His health began to improve and his

mother has been quoted as saying “it's better to spend the money on skating than in the

hospital."

2010 saw Michael begin spending time in the U.S. under the tuition of John Nicks and Ilia
Kulik, having his introduction to competition in the ISU Junior Grand Prix, Lake Placid. He
successfully performed his first triple Axel in the same event one year later.

He had a number of high place finishes until his first win at senior, international level came at
the “Crystal Skate of Romania” in 2012, following a sixth placing at an event in Croatia.
Again he finished highly in a number of international events before running seventh at the
2013 Nebelhorn Trophy in Germany which qualified him for the Olympic Games.

Since the Olympic Games Michael has won the Trilav Trophy in Slovenia which is part of
the ISU (International Skating Union) Challenger Series. At just 17 years of age Michael has
a bright future and many more international wins ahead of him for the Philippines. He is a
sporting hero who Filipinos should be truly proud of.

ATHLETICS

The Philippines have never been a world leader in athletics but a Filipina sprint queen is one
that needs mentioning. Lydia de Vega-Mercado was born in Bulacan (1964) to become the
fastest women in Asia between 1982 and 1990.

She has won 20 gold and 5 silver medals in Asian
Games, Southeast Asian Games and Asian Cup meets
from 1981-1993. She won gold in the SEA Games for
the 100 meters in three consecutive games (1987, 91, 93)
and the 200 meters in four consecutive (1981, 83, 87 and
93).

Vega-Mercado is currently the Southeast Asian, 100
meter record holder at 11.28 seconds, a time she set in
1987 as an 18 year old, which was just .52 sec. outside
the then current world record held by American, Evelyn
Ashford, at 10.76 sec. She also set a 200 meters record
of 23.35 seconds in 1987, and that record was not
bettered for another fourteen years.

She is also a two time Olympian, reaching the quarter Lydia de Vega-Mercado
finals in both the 1982 Los Angeles and 1988 Seoul
Olympic Games.

WEIGHTLIFTING

Weightlifting is another sport introduced to the Philippines during the American occupation.

Salvador (the mighty mite) Romualdo del Rosario, born in Zambales, 1944, competed for the
Philippines in three consecutive Olympic Games (1968, 1972 and 1976). His best result was
ninth in 1972.

In 1966 he established an unofficial world record for clean and jerk and although not winning
a medal at any Olympics, broke the Philippines national records in press, snatch and clean
and jerk at each games. The 1968 Olympics saw him become the only Filipino to lift a
combined 700 kg and was awarded the “Elite Badge of Honor” by the International
Weightlifting Federation for his efforts, an award only presented to elite weightlifters
worldwide that had attained approved standards.

Salvador, known as the „Mighty Mite” in the Philippines had won many titles throughout
Asia, but it wasn‟t until the 1970 Men‟s World Weightlifting Championships in Columbus,

Ohio that he won a world title. With 129 competitors from 28 countries to contend with,

Rosario became world clean and jerk champion by raising 342.5kg.

BASKETBALL

Although the Philippines have never won a basketball world title, it has repeatedly proven
itself to be world class, successfully competing with some of the world‟s leading teams.

In 1913 the Philippines formed its first national team for the inaugural Far Eastern Games
(later to become the Asian Games), which they won. They won the title for a further three
years consecutively before losing to China in the 1921 games, but regained the Championship
title at the next games in 1923. The Philippines won the Far Eastern Games a total of nine
times before winning the first Asian Games gold medal in 1951 and retaining that title at the
next three consecutive games.

The first FIBA Asia Championships was held in 1960 which the Philippines won. They have
been one of the dominant teams in the competition since then.

The first FIBA (International Basketball Federation) World Championships was held in

1950, which the Philippines missed however at the 1954 World Championships in Brazil,

they finished third to claim the bronze medal with a 5-2 win loss record. It still stands as the

best result by an Asian nation at the World Titles. Filipino hero Carlos Loyzaga was the
tournaments third highest scorer and was named in the FIBA “World Mythical Five” team.

The Philippines have been a regular at
the Olympic Games over the years.
Their fifth placing with a 4-1 record,
being beaten 23-56 by eventual winners
team USA, at the first Olympic
basketball tournament in Berlin (1936)
still remains as the best finish by an
Asian nation.

They again qualified for the Olympic

Games in 1948 and although only

finishing ninth, they became the first

The 1948 Philippines Olympic Basketball team ever team to score more than 100 points

in a single Olympics game by thrashing Iraq 102-36.

In 2013, the Philippines national side won the silver medal at the FIBA Asia Championship

which qualified them for the 2014 FIBA World Championships in Spain. While only

finishing twenty first, being knocked out in the preliminary rounds, they again made the

world sit up and take notice with some close, hard fought losses against world leading
nations. The Philippines received the”MVF (most valuable fan) Best Country “award.

YACHTING

With a coastline twice as long as that of the United States it is no wonder that the Philippines
has embraced the ocean and open ocean yacht racing with a passion. Although world ocean
racing is only for the very rich, the Manila Yacht Club (established in 1927) has attracted the
upper echelon of Filipinos to the sport and is now affiliated with more than ninety of the
world‟s leading yacht clubs.

With a KA-48 skippered by the Manila Yacht Club‟s Fausto Preysler, the Philippines became
the first Asian nation to compete in the Olympics at the 1960 Rome games placing 24th then
again in Tokyo‟s 1964 games ranking 21st.

1962 saw the first running of the 565 nautical mile, Rolex China Sea Race hosted by the
Hong Kong and Manila Yacht Clubs, an open sea yacht race from Victoria Harbor, Hong
Kong to Subic in the Philippines. Two years later it became a biennial event attracting the
then current Rolex Sydney to Hobart winning ketch, Stormvogel skippered by Graham
Henry. In 1968 it was incorporated as part of the World Ocean Racing Championships to
become one of the world‟s premier ocean races along with the Rolex Sydney to Hobart and
the Rolex Newport to Bermuda ocean races. Famous Australian America‟s Cup veteran Syd
Fischer has twice won the Hong Kong to Subic event aboard maxi yacht Ragamuffin.

DRAGON BOAT RACING

While Dragon Boat Racing may not be broadly charted, to become the best in the world is
quite an achievement. In 2007 at Penrith, NSW, Australia the 39 members of the Philippine
Dragon Boat Federation, comprising members of the Philippines Coast Guard, Army, Navy
and Air Force, became just that when they won the eighth World Championship 200 meter
race. In doing so they defeated favorites Canada and other powerhouses of Dragon Boat
racing USA, Germany, Russia and China.

They backed up by winning the silver medal over 500 meters and bronze over 1000 meters at
the same regatta.

CHESS

Another sport that doesn‟t create a whole lot of world interest is chess, but to achieve
grandmaster status requires a unique ability.

Chess Grandmaster is a title bestowed upon players by the FIDE (World Chess
Organization). It is the highest title that can be attained aside from World Champion,
however once awarded it is a title carried for life.

The Philippines has produced no less than 16 Grandmasters with the youngest being Wesley
Barbasa So born in Cavite in 1993, at fifteen years of age. In doing so he became the eighth
youngest Grandmaster of all time.

The first Asian Grandmaster was Eugenio Torre, born in 1951, is deemed to be the
Philippines best ever, having beaten the then current world champion, Anatoly Karpov to win

a tournament in 1976, a game that has gone down in Filipino chess history. In the 1992
World Championship he was Bobby Fischer‟s second against Boris Spassky.
He holds the world record for the most consecutive appearances at the World Chess
Olympiad at 19 and is tied for the most non consecutives appearance with 20. During those
tournaments he played 236 games, losing only 39.
Torre was granted Grandmaster status at the age of 22 in 1974 when he was placed second in
the Nice, France Chess Olympiad.
The chess FIDE Master ranks two below Grandmaster but is still a title held for life. A 7 year
old Filipino, Alekhine Nouriis was the youngest in the world to achieve this title in 2013
when he won a FIDE sanctioned tournament in Thailand.
Born in Negros to parents Hamed, himself a FIDE chess master, and Roda he was named
after former Russian world chess champion, Alexander Alekhine. Hamed, once recognizing
his son‟s latent abilities, quit his job to concentrate on Alekhine‟s full time coaching. At 8
years of age this fledgling Filipino chess genius is currently the world‟s youngest FIDE
Master.

Wesley So wins the 2012 Toronto International Chess Championship

CHAPTER 6

Filipino Ingenuity

If nothing else the Filipino poverty and drive to make a peso has initiated them to probe into
the depths of their ingenuity. Over the years there have been a number of startling inventions
that have change the world in their fields, by Filipinos
.
The huddled seating and brash decoration of the Filipino jeepney is the most prevalent form
of public transport in the Philippines and a permeating symbol of Philippines culture. With,
for the most part, the drivers being ignorant and oblivious to anyone else using the roads it is
also the major cause of absurd traffic jams and major frustration to other road users on
narrow over crowded Filipino thoroughfares.

THE JEEPNEY

The jeepney came into being in the Philippines following the conclusion of WWII in 1945
when hundreds of jeeps were either sold or given away by the departing American troops.
The jeeps were seen by locals as an economical way to replace a public transport system
destroyed by the war.

They realized that with a few minor adjustments to the rear tray, such as parallel benches to
accommodate more passengers and a shaded cover they had found a perfect and creative

method of public transport and a means
by which to feed their families.

The original jeepneys were merely
refurbished military jeeps while the
modern day jeepneys are manufactured
with surplus engines and parts
predominately imported from Japan.

With the use of jeepneys becoming

pervasive, the government began to

control them by issuing special licenses,

systematic routes and static tariffs. They

are now color coded according to their

Original Willy's Jeepney registered route and are an integral part
of the Philippines public transport

system along with the even more abundant trike or tricycle.

THE INCUBATOR

The medical incubator is an important component of any world hospital today.

While the invention of the nursery incubator for premature babies is credited to Frenchman
Alexandre Lion in 1891, an amazing Philippine pediatrician, Fe Del Mondo's research led to
the invention as it is today. She devised an incubator made of two different sized native
laundry baskets placed one inside the other. Hot water bottles were placed between the wall

of the outer and inner basket to create warmth with an improvised hood placed over them to
allow oxygen to circulate around the baby. It was created to accommodate the need to control
new born babies temperature in areas with no electricity.

Del Mondo, who was born in Intramuros, Manila in 1911, received her medical degree from
the University of the Philippines in 1933. It was the death of her sister at age 11, of
appendicitis that created her desire to become a doctor to the poor and her exposure to child
medical afflictions in the provinces during her studies that drove her towards pediatrics.

Following her graduation she passed her medical board exam with such honors that she was
awarded a scholarship to any U.S. University. She accepted and chose Harvard Medical
School where she became, not only the first Asian to be enrolled at Harvard but, the first
women to be ever enrolled at Harvard at a time when only male students were accepted.

Del Mondo completed three pediatrics courses at Harvard over the next two years before
taking up residency at the Billings Hospital of the University of Chicago, returning to
Harvard Medical School Children's Hospital in 1939 for 2 years research fellowship. She also
enrolled in the Boston University school
of Medicine were she acquired a Masters
Degree in bacteriology in 1940.

Fe Del Mondo returned to the Philippines

in 1941, just prior to the Japanese

incursion where she joined the

International Red Cross. She also

volunteered to care for detainee children

at the University of Santo Tomas

internment camp, setting up an

improvised hospital where she became
known as “The Angel of Santo Tomas”.

Following Santo Tomas's closure by the

Japanese in 1943 she became head of a Fe Del Mondo in 2011
Children‟s Hospital in Manila which was

later converted to a full medical center. The Hospital was renamed North General Hospital

( later becoming the Jose R. Reyes Memorial Medical Center) were she remained as director

until 1948, also building her own private pediatrics clinic.

Disappointed with the officialdom restraints of heading a government hospital, she sold her

home and personal belongings, obtaining a loan from the GSIS (Government Service
Insurance System) and financed the erection of her own hospital, “The Children‟s Medical
Center” in Quezon City containing one hundred beds. It was later named “Del Mondo
Children‟s Medical Center” were she remained and resided until 2007 when she was still

rising at 5am each morning to do her rounds, although wheel chair bound and 99 years of

age.

Del Mondo's groundbreaking work on infectious diseases is well documented and it was her

research on Dengue Fever that lead to a better understanding of the diseases effect on the

young. She wrote hundreds of articles on such afflictions as Dengue, Polio and Measles in
medical journals and authored “Textbook of Pediatrics” which is now the basic text book

used in Philippine Medical Schools.

She also buried herself in the public health of poor rural areas, organizing social units to
advise young mothers on breast feeding and child care and providing links to hospital, health
workers and immunization and nutrition programs. She has always advocated family
planning and population control.

She became, in 1980, the first women to be named as a National Scientist of the Philippines
and in 1966 was conferred the international “Elizabeth Blackwell Award” for outstanding
service to humanity. In 1977 she was cited as Outstanding Pediatric and humanitarian by the
International Pediatric Association and was also awarded the Ramon Magsaysay Award for
public service in the same year. In 1980, President Gloria Arroyo awarded Del Mundo the
“Order of Lakandula” with the rank of Bayani in 2010.

Fe Del Mondo died in 2011, aged 99 years of cardiac arrest.

THE YO YO

While the history of the Yo Yo is being argued in many quarters, it is commonly believed it
originated in Greece in 500BC as a tool for hunting game. While it may prove to be

unproductive as a weapon the theory behind being able to refire a
missed attempt on an animal is quite an ingenious concept.

The design has changed through the ages. A patent was taken out
in 1866 with a design featuring a rivet, holding the two halves
together. In 1867 a yo yo like toy was patented as a “Return
Wheel”. In 1916 an article was printed in an American Science
magazine titled “Filipino Toys” with instructions on how to make
the toy. This was the first time the object was referred to as a Yo
Yo.

The name “Yo Yo” was first used as the name of the toy in the
Philippines. Filipinos were the first to loop the string around the
axle instead of tying it and in 1928, Filipino Pedro Flores,
emigrated to the U.S. and begun selling Yo Yos using an
improved Filipino design and trademarked the name “Yo Yo”. He
formed the “Yo Yo Manufacturing Company". Pedro was the first
to understand the tricks that could be performed with a Yo Yo and devised the very first Yo
Yo competitions.

THE LUNAR ROVER

Most of those old enough will remember visions of the Lunar Rover which was built to
transport astronauts around the moon during the American Apollo program. The majority
would not know that a Filipino Mechanical engineer born in Manila was its primary designer.

Epifanio San Juan, Jnr., (the space junkman) is not officially credited as the Lunar Rover
inventor with American scientific magazines attributing its design merely to a group of space
engineers. San Juan however worked with that group and is widely regarded as its chief
creator.

HORTICULTURE

Dr. Ramon Cabanos Barba, born in San Nicolas, Ilocos Norte in 1939 became a renowned
inventor and horticulturist after completing a Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture at
the University of the Philippines, majoring in Agronomy and Fruit Production.

Barba discovered that by spraying mango trees with potassium nitrate they would generate
fruit all year round. Many were skeptical of his findings until he conducted an experiment on
400 trees on a friend‟s farm in San Antonio. The procedure proved successful when trees
began blossoming over the following one to four weeks.

Roman Barba‟s discovery meant that farmers could produce mangos all year round making
the Philippines the world leaders in mango growing and exportation.

His dissertation titled “Induction of Flowering of the Mango by Chemical Spray” was named
best paper by the Crop Science Society of the Philippines in 1974 and he was named one of
the “Ten Top Men in Agriculture” in that year.

COMPUTERS

Although we are thanking the likes of Charles Babbage who invented the first computer, Bill
Gates and Steve Jobs for the computer age we now live in, spare a moment for a Filipino
genius who has helped make computers what are today.

Born in Malabbac, Philippines in 1946, Diosdado
Banatao invented the first single chip graphic
interface accelerator which enabled users to
interact with computers using images and a
mouse rather than text commands. This made a
huge leap towards the development of the
computers of today that operate with small chips
rather than large boards at much faster speeds.

Dado Banatao He is also credited with inventing the Ethernet, a

widely used networking protocol that plugs into
personal computers.

KARAOKE

The most favorite of all Filipino pastimes is Karaoke and most Filipinos can sing. Karaoke
bars are ubiquitous in the Philippines with Karaoke being present at almost all Filipino
celebrations.

While Karaoke is a Japanese term for singing along with famous records, the actual inventor
was Roberto del Rosario, a Filipino from Pasay City, in 1975.

A Japanese inventor, Daisuke Inoue was initially credited with its invention but he never
applied for the patent that Rosario was granted in 1983.

It took Rosario, and his family when his health began to
deteriorate, 20 years of fighting before a law suit before The
World Intellectual Property Organization for patent
infringements against a Japanese company who were
manufacturing a Karaoke system identical to the one Rosario
had patented, was finally ruled in his favor granting him sole
patent rights. Unfortunately this was after his death.

A Supreme Court resolution quantified in 2007
“Plaintiff Roberto Del Rosario owns the patent rights for a

sing-along system, popularly known as the KARAOKE. On

Bert Rosario and his Karaoke Music January 18, 1993 plaintiff filed a case with the Regional

Box, 1975 Trial Court (RTC) of Makati City, for patent infringement

against defendant Janito Corporation who, without his consent, was manufacturing and

selling a sing along system marketed as “Miyata” which was substantially similar and

identical to his (Del Rosario’s) patented invention”.

As president of the Trebel Music Corporation, Rosario patented over 20 inventions within the
music industry making him the Philippines most prolific inventor.

Innoue is now only credited as “One of the Asian influences in the creation of the Karaoke
system.”

BOARD GAMES

The Game of Generals is a classic board war game, played all over the world, invented in
1970 by Filipino Sofronio Pasola jnr. It was originally designed for his son Ronnie and its
progress inspired by James Bond and Mata Hari.

Simulating armies at war it was introduced to the electronic age in 1980 by “Ideal” with the
same theme as the original board game. It is now played worldwide by millions, allowing
players to communicate with each other, relating false information to obtain a better winning
position. This is just one more example of Filipino inventiveness.

KAMIKAZE PILOT

Most people know of the Japanese Kamikaze pilots of WWII and although they weren‟t a
Filipino creation they were certainly devised in the Philippines.

On the evening of October 20, 1944, Japanese Vice Admiral Takijio Ohnishi shaped his
attack squadron, “The Shinpu (kamikaze) Special Attack Corp” to perform the first Japanese
aerial suicide attacks with Zero fighter planes loaded with 250kg bombs. It consisted of 24
suicide pilots divided into 4 squadrons.

It was from Mabalacat Airfield, on the 25 October, 1944, that the very first Japanese
Kamikaze Squadron (The Shikishima), led by Lieutenant Yukio Seki, took off and
successfully performed Japans first official aerial suicide attack, sinking the escort carrier St.
Lo (CVE-63) and severely damaging several other American warships.

Kamikaze (spirit wind) aircraft were
literally piloted explosive missiles,
specially built or converted from
conventional aircraft. Pilots would dive
their explosives, bombs, torpedoes and full
fuel tank laden planes into enemy ships.
More than 1200 Japanese pilots and many
more allied soldiers lost their lives during
these attacks.

Death instead of defeat, capture or shame
was something deeply entrenched in

Japanese military
culture. This was a carryover from the
Samurai and Bushido days whose code was
“Loyalty and Honor until Death”.

Japan had lost aerial dominance during the

latter stages of World War 11 in the Pacific

because of aging aircraft and the

progression to suicide mission became

Kamikaze pilot Yukio Ariki (holding puppy) flew to his death much more affective that traditional
the very next day attacks.
During the closing stages of the Pacific

campaign at least 47 allied ships, from PT Boats to Escort Carriers were destroyed by

Kamikaze pilots and another 300 damaged. Almost 4000 kamikaze pilots were killed during

these suicide missions which all begun in the Philippines.

CHAPTER 7

Pastimes

COCK FIGHTING

While cock fighting is certainly not indigenous to the Philippines, it is considered the world‟s
oldest spectator sport dating date back 6,000 years to Persia, it had long held the title of the
Philippines National Sport.
Contrary to popular belief that it was established in the Philippines by the Spanish, there is
conclusive evidence that cock fighting was popular long before the Spanish colonization. In
fact, the existence of cock fighting in the Philippines was noted in the diaries of Italian,
Antonio Pigafetta who sailed with Ferdinand Magellan‟s voyage in 1521. Sabong, which it is
known as in the Philippines, is now widely believed to have been established through
Southeast Asian culture which the Philippines shares.

In the Philippines, cock fighting has always been legal and regimented by government
although many illegal fights are held away from authorities. Events are only to be held on
Sundays and public holidays without proximity to schools, churches, hospitals and
government buildings as stipulated in a decree “Cock Fighting Law of 1974” by Ferdinand
Marcos. A stroll through any Filipino neighborhood will find numerous residence with their
champion roosters caged somewhere outside their home. Gambling on results is boisterous
and exciting
The world‟s largest cock fighting tournament, the World Slasher Cup, now in its fifty first
years is staged twice a year at Smart Araneta Coliseum in Manila. The event, drawing more

than 350 entries from countries including Spain, America and Guam, is deemed to be the
Olympics of cock fighting and was extended to an 8 day event in 2014.

BASKETBALL

Basketball is far and away the Filipino most enduring pastime and they have become one of
the worlds most dedicated fans of the sport. Filipino youths will shoot hoops for endless
hours on the many basketball courts and hoops outside family homes all over the Philippines.

At the very beginning of the twentieth
century, the American YMCA (Young Men’s
Christian Association) who invented
basketball late in the nineteenth century
introduced the game to the Philippines and it
quickly became the Philippines most popular
sport.

The Philippines was one of the world‟s first
basketball playing nations with their national
team being considered one of the world‟s top nations during the 1950‟s and the dominating
force throughout Asia, its players becoming folk heroes in the Philippines.

Established in 1975, the PBA (Philippines Basketball Association) is the second oldest
professional Basketball League in the world.

SIPA

The Filipino children are resourceful when it comes to ways of enjoying their spare time and
the games they play. The most popular is Sipa, a traditional native game which was once the
Philippines national sport, loosing that title to cock fighting and predating Spanish Rule. Sipa
is not to be confused with Sepak Takraw which is predominately played in Thailand and
Malaysia. Although with similar rules, the two
games are essentially different.

Sipa (meaning to kick) is a very simple game with
the object of keeping the ball in the air for as long
as possible using only the feet.

Kids will for hours, bounce rubber bands knotted
together into a ball, a small metal disc or anything
else that may serve the purpose, off their feet in an
attempt to kick it the most number of times
without it hitting the ground.

The game developed into an indoor or outdoor sport in the Philippines similar to volleyball
that requires a great deal of coordination, something that is not lacking amongst Filipinos. A
hollow wicker type ball is propelled over the net by the foot, knee, head or chest, the hands
must not be used. Penalty points are awarded during the game depending on how many times
the ball hits the ground. A team loses when they reach a defined number of penalty points.

JAI ALIA

Another popular gambling sport in the Philippines is that
of Jai Alia, developed through the ages from a form of
handball to what it is today by the Spanish. Because of its
Spanish American influence, Filipinos have developed a
discreet love affair with the sport although it may be
outshone today by basketball.

It is a game played on a court similar to that of squash
with no back wall and in a similar fashion with the ball
being caught and propelled at great speeds by a long
curved wicker scoop secured to one arm. Jai Aila held the
world record for ball speed at 188 mph (302 km/h) until
2007 when a golf ball speed was timed at 204 mph (328
km/h).

Game Fixing brought about the banning of Jai Aila in the Philippines in 1986 and it wasn‟t
reintroduced until 2010. It was again banned temporarily in some cities because of jueteng
(illegal gambling) in 2011.

HORSE RACING

The Filipino love of gambling was again fueled in 1867 with the first record of horse racing
events. They were originally held as social events for Filipino, Spanish and English families
were a quarter mile straight track was used for races.

The Manila Jockey Club (MJC) was founded as a recreational club in the same year and races
were held, without gambling, once a year. The thrill of horse racing grew quickly throughout
the Philippines Islands.

In 1881 the oval race track was introduced with horses running clockwise but this has since
been changed to counter-clockwise. From 1867-1898 the horses were all of Suluan, Indian
and Chinese pedigree.

Manila Jockey Club

In 1896, horse racing was suspended because of the Philippine Revolution and resumed
following a truce in 1897. The celebrations were to include the running of the “Grand Manila
Cup” in 1898 with an elaborate silver cup being manufactured for the winning rider but it
also was suspended due to the Spanish-American War. The trophy was kept in a Hong Kong

Bank until 1937 when it was returned and put on display at the MJC until it was destroyed by
fire in 1971. The Gran Copa is a replica and was awarded to the winner of the SMB Gran
Copa, the chief and most spectacular race of the year until San Miguel Beer ceased their
sponsorship following Asia Brewery being admitted as a partnered major sponsor. The “Gran
Cop de Manila” (Grand Manila Cup) was first run in 1980, won by a horse named Luminary.
It is now a spectacular days racing and the Philippines version of Australia‟s Melbourne Cup
and the US Kentucky Derby.

Horse racing recommenced in the Philippines in 1899 with the MJC building a new track
with a grandstand and a 1200 meter (6 furlong) straight. In 1901 people from all circles of life
were admitted to the races and gambling on races began in 1930 when Arabian horses were
imported for breeding and racing. The 1930‟s saw thoroughbreds from local breeds begin to
supersede Arabian Horses.

Racing was again suspended in 1941 during World War II. In 1946 the race track was
returned to the MJC and after 2 months of extensive restoration, racing resumed.

Today there are three racetracks in the Philippines, the Metro Manila Turf Club, the San
Lazaro Leisure Park Turf Club in Cavite and Santa Ana Park in Cavite. All provide modern
stables, viewing stands, betting machines, CCTV monitors and off track betting.

Betting continues to be a huge source of revenue for the Philippines government through
taxes.

SINULOG FESTIVAL

With the Philippines being the only Christian nation in Asia, religion is an integral part of the
Filipino life. It provides a central unity to families and communities creating a purpose for
life in a desperately poor life style.

Ninety four percent of the Filipino population abides by Christian beliefs and passionately

celebrate the Christian rituals and ceremonies of the country. One of the most popular and
faithfully celebrated is that of “The Feast of Sto. Nino”

Many delight in the color and joy, if
not the noise, that pervades the third
Sunday of every year, particularly
around Pampanga.

A celebration of baby Jesus The Feast of Sto. Nino is a month long
celebration in honor of the “Baby
Jesus” that brings about colorful
parades and dancing in most cities and
provinces throughout the Philippines.
The most famous and most celebrated
is the Sinulog Festival, held on the

third Sunday of January each year.

In 1521, Spanish explorer, Ferdinand Magellan gave the wife of Rajah Humabon (the Rajah

of Cebu), a statue of the Baby Jesus as part of a baptismal gift, a replica of which is
prominent in most Filipino homes today. The image, known as Santo Nino (Spanish for Baby
Jesus), believed to have been fashioned in Flanders, Belgium, is almost identical to the
picture of the Infant Jesus of Prague.

During the 44 years, following the death of Magellen and the departure of his soldiers, locals

denied that the image was left by Magellan, claiming that its origin was on Philippines soil.
The story of Magellan‟s gift was, however, reinforced by the leader of the next Spanish

expedition, Miguel Lopez de Legazi in 1565.

Because of local fears that this new arrival was in
vengeance for the death of Magellen, a battle broke out,
forcing the native Filipino's to escape to the mountains
leaving their villages burned and decimated by massive,
heavy artillery fire.

Spanish sailor, Juan de Camus, found the statue, in a
wooden box, while scouring the burnt out ruins of a
house, undamaged and unscathed and presented it to
Miguel Lopez de Legazi and his priests. The natives still
denounced the Spanish version of the statues origin,
claiming that it was found and discarded by fisherman
who had it returned to them in a bountiful fishing harvest.
This version of events is still evident in the Filipino
Agipo (driftwood) legend.

Legazi built the “Confraternity of the Santo Nino de

Cebu” and founded the fiesta to celebrate the finding of The original Santo Nino (Baby Jesus)

Santo Nino. These celebrations are still honored by Filipinos today. The Minor Basilica of

Santo Nino was erected on the precise spot where Santo Nino was discovered and is now

considered, at over 400 years old, to be the oldest parish in the Philippines.

A bomb destroyed the church during the Second World War, however the image was again
found undamaged and unscathed. There are many other miracles attributed to the Santo Nino
image. In 1965, Pope Paul V1 bestowed a Papal blessing upon the statue.

EASTER

Easter is, of course, the most eminent religious celebration worldwide along with Christmas,
but in the Philippines it takes on a whole new flavor with Christians coming to the
Philippines from all over the world to witness the style Filipino of Easter celebrations.

The Philippines Holy Week extends from Palm Sunday until Easter Sunday, a time for
solemn penitence. Holy rituals are performed en masse in recognition of good will ask of
god. Priests and statues are robed in purple as a symbol of gloom and towns are strangely
silent with radio stations closing down. Many businesses are shut and only fish are eaten,
many live on merely a liquid diet for the entire week.

As bad things may occur during the time that Jesus was dead, children are not permitted to
play in the fear that their injuries will not heal.

Filipino Crucifixion Re-Enactment

The most prominent characteristic of Holy Week are the re-enactments of the torture of
Christ, imitating the preceding suffering before his death. The streets are crowded on Good
Friday with people dragging heavy crosses and whipping their backs into a bloody mess.
Many literally nail their hands and feet to crosses in a ritual only performed in the
Philippines.

KARAOKE

To say that Karaoke singing is common in the Philippines is a gross understatement. To say
that Filipino people love their music, is also somewhat of an understatement.

There are karaoke bars almost on every corner of every street and in many places four and
five alongside each other. Karaoke machines for hire are big business in the Philippines.
Every celebration, whether it be a birthday, Christmas or a christening, features karaoke
singing.

One of the biggest complaints to barangays is for
loud persistent karaoke to all hours of the morning
with police kept busy fielding complaints on most
nights. Filipino laws forbid loud music after certain
hours but they are treated with scant regard and
authorities seem powerless to stop it or just don‟t
want to.

Violent fights are often sparked in karaoke bars
over poor renditions of favorite songs with one
song in particular, Frank Sinatra‟s “My Way” bringing about six deaths. On one occasion, in
Manila, a security guard shot and killed a singer because, he claimed, “he was singing My
Way out of tune.”

These so called “My Way Killings” brought about the banning of the song from song lists in
Karaoke bars in Manila in 1970. It was said that “The lyrics evoke feelings of pride and
arrogance in the singer, as if you're somebody when you're really nobody”, causing anger

among some patrons.