The Heritage Conservation Society

HCS News and Updates (30 March 2007)

March 30th, 2007 by preservephilippineheritage

I.
COLUMNS AND ARTICLES

1. New book relives old Quiapo
By Tina Santos

Philippine Daily Inquirer, 03/24/2007

MANILA, Philippines — If you have ever wondered how Quiapo looked like
before sidewalk vendors invaded the area, then reading this book would
be like taking a walk back in time.

"Quiapo: Heart of Manila" documents Quiapo’s history, its esteros
(canals), monuments, houses, paintings, sculptures, shrines, among
others, said Fernando Nakpil Zialcita, grandson of Gregoria De Jesus
and Julio Nakpil who used to live in the 1914 house now known as Bahay
Nakpil-Bautista in the district.

Read entire article: http://globalnation.inquirer.net/news/breakingnews/view_article.php?article_id=56762

2. PRIDE OF PLACE: The Mangyans of Mindoro
By Augusto Villalon
Philippine Daily Inquirer, 03/26/2007

MANILA,
Philippines – Heritage covers such scope that its totality is difficult
to grasp. Many of us compartmentalize heritage into one of its many
components: music, dance, visual arts, architecture, literature,
language, costumes, cuisine, depending on where our interests may
happen to lie.

Often we fail to realize that all of the components
interrelate, that each component forms a vital part that weaves into
the splendid tapestry of our own national identity.

Focused (or
hung up) as many of us might be on Philippine lowland Christian
culture, our many cultural communities and indigenous peoples have gone
unnoticed and misunderstood.

Read entire article:

http://showbizandstyle.inquirer.net/lifestyle/lifestyle/view_article.php?article_id=56935

3. LANDSCAPE: Afraid of history
By Gemma Cruz Araneta
Manila Bulletin, March 22, 2007

WHENEVER
I write about the American occupation of Filipinas, I receive angry
letters accusing me of blaming the USA "for our ills." It never fails;
there are fellow Filipinos out there (some living overseas) who are
incensed because they think I am calling the USA bad. Aside from these
"Americanistas," there are "Hispanistas" who are just as enraged at my
constant delving and think that I am up to no good, Frankly, I am
baffled by such negative reactions, which compel me to burrow even more
relentlessly into the forbidden chambers of our history.

Read entire article:http://www.mb.com.ph/issues/2007/03/22/OPED2007032290154.html

4. LANDSCAPE: Afraid of history (2)

By Gemma Cruz-Araneta
Manila Bulletin, March 27, 2007

IN
January 1900, Senator Alfred J. Beveridge delivered a very carefully
prepared speech that belied all the Christianizing and civilizing as it
was a rallying cry to get on with the war against the First Philippine
Republic. Unfortunately for us, Beveridge spoke with authority as he
had just come from a visit to the Philippines where he assessed US
troop positions and claimed to have traveled more than two thousand
miles in the interior.

Read entire article: http://www.mb.com.ph/OPED2007032790562.html

5. ‘Developing Corregidor’
By Beth Day Romulo
Manila Bulletin, March 27, 2007

ON
March 14th, the National Defense College of the Philippines hosted a
roundtable discussion on "Developing Corregidor: Challenges and
Prospects.” Some nit-picking criticism of our present preservation
efforts, under the aegis of the National Historical Institute, which
had appeared on the Internet, had whetted their curiosity and 40
members of the college visited Corregidor the day before the meeting to
see what was actually going on. Both our host, Commodore Carlos
Agustin, and his group and the presidential adviser on veterans
affairs, Jesus Terry Adevoso, agreed that "no desecration had taken
place.” Both seasoned world travelers, they made comparisons to ruins
that have been preserved in Greece and Italy, and Mr. Adevoso suggested
that Corregidor could be the Philippines Acropolis, its Coliseum. But
much needs to be done. What we are working on now is simply the most
urgent repair, that of Middleside Barracks, which took a direct hit in
the last back-to-back typhoons and the trees close to it destroyed
portions of walls.

Read entire article: http://www.mb.com.ph/OPED2007032790560.html

—

Read more articles and columns at http://www.heritage.org.ph/article.php

II. NEWS FROM OUR FRIENDS

1. President of Carcar HCS runs for municipal mayor

http://www.heritage.org.ph/news.php?id=8

Val Sandiego, president of the Carcar Heritage Conservation
Society (CHCS), is running for Mayor of Carcar, Cebu in the May 2007
elections.

Val wants to be Carcar City’s first mayor, vows to help preserve heritage of the community:

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/ceb/2007/03/30/news/val.wants.to.be.carcar.city.s.first.mayor.vows.to.help.preserve.heritage.of.the.community.html
Choreographer runs for Cebu town mayor:

http://www.gmanews.tv/story/36313/Choreographer-runs-for-town-mayor-in-Cebu

—
Send news and updates, articles,
photos, press releases and annoucements related to heritage
conservation and Philippine built heritage resources to
ivanhenares@heritage.org.ph.

HCS website is now online!

March 20th, 2007 by preservephilippineheritage

Visit the HCS website at http://www.heritage.org.ph

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Lust for silver triumphs over Filipino heritage

November 18th, 2006 by preservephilippineheritage

By SEN. ALFREDO S. LIM

The
brilliance of gold is dazzling and blinds the eyes of those who may
gaze upon it. Indeed, it corrupts in much the same way as power, to
which history has been witness from the birth of civilization. Its
metaphorical image in the minds of people pierces deep within their
skin and into their consciousness, excluding neither the poor nor the
rich, that even if juxtaposed with our equally treasured symbols and
relics of traditions and values, its temptation lingers, and not
uncommonly, overpowers. We need not look far beyond, for even right
before our eyes, in the premier City of Manila, it weaves its mystique,
threatening to cast away to oblivion two public and inalienable lands,
and the cultural worth that has been attached to them.

These two lands, inseparably identified with institutions
devoted to education and imbued with memories of the Manileños’ past,
having existed for decades as public schools, accommodating no less
than 10,000 poor students of Tondo, for free, the Rajah Sulayman High
School and Jose Abad Santos High School, are awaiting their unexpected
and dreaded demise, as their death certificates have been signed by no
less than the City Council, with the death sentence struck - with a
thumb-up sign, by its City Mayor. As heralded, from the schools’ burial
sites will rise luxurious malls: the stereotypical symbols of the
modern care-free lifestyle – luxurious wares, expensive foods,
entertainment centers, fully air-conditioned establishments.

Without a doubt, this is the voice of gold, the whisper of wealth, heard and heeded by ears of avarice and greed.

It
is a paradox that those people who traded the worth of these two humble
schools for the sophistication and grandeur of commercial malls, are
the same people chosen by the residents of Manila who put them in
office so that their children may be guaranteed free education. It is
equally ironic, that those who wield the derivative authority granted
by the Local Government Code of 1991, do not seem to know how to
properly exercise it. Or, are they merely pretending to be strangers to
it?

Yet, these "chosen" people in Manila project to be ignorant of
this doctrine in land ownership, a decree that has been consistently
written from the 1935 up to the 1987 Constitution. In its most recent
articulation, the Regalian Doctrine declares in Article XII, Section 2,
of the 1987 Constitution that "all lands of public domain, waters,
mineral oils, all forces of potential energy, fisheries forests or
timber, wildlife, flora and fauna and other natural resources are owned
by the state" and "shall not be alienated", except agricultural lands.

In the landmark case of Chavez vs. PEA and AMARI, 384 SCRA
152, the origin of the doctrine was re-examined. It dates back during
the Spanish conquest of the Philippines when "all lands, territories
and possessions" were public domain of the King, except those he
disposed of by grant or sale to private individuals. In the adoption of
the Regalian doctrine, the State took the place of the King, manifested
initially in Art. 339 of the Civil Code of 1889, and restated in Art.
420 of our present Civil Code, wherein it is written that property of
public dominion are not only those devoted to public use but also to
property not so used and employed for some economic or commercial
activity, yet designed to increase the national wealth. Republic vs.
Court of Appeals, 383 SCRA 611.

But as early as 1919, the Philippine Legislature approved Act
No. 2874, the Public Land Act, which authorized the lease but not the
sale of public lands of the government to corporations and individuals,
even before the passage of the 1935, 1973 and 1987 Constitutions. Upon
approval of the 1936-Commonwealth Act No. 141, also known as Public
Land Act, the President was authorized by the National Assembly to
classify lands of the public domain into "alienable or disposable"
lands of the public domain and declare them open to disposition or
concession.

Then President Ferdinand Marcos, through his 1977 PD No.
1084, created the Public Estates Authority (PEA), which was empowered
to hold titles, not only of private lands but also of the public
domain. Yet, it needed legislative authority to sell these lands, in
view of Commonwealth Act No. 141 which provides that it can only do so
when authorized by Congress. The late dictator also mandated the
creation of the old Local Government Code, BP No. 881, which granted to
local government units the authority to acquire, possess and own, as
well as to dispose of their own property.

With the passage of the Local Government Code of 1991 or
Republic Act No. 7160, authored by no less than our esteemed colleague,
Sen. Aquilino Pimentel Jr., the era of local autonomy saw its advent.
The authority then enjoyed by local government units under the old
local government code was adopted. Thus, by virtue of Section 18 of
R.A. 7160, they were empowered to generate and apply resources, among
which was "to acquire, develop, lease, encumber, alienate or otherwise,
dispose of real or personal property held by them in their proprietary
capacity", making the same even more meaningful especially since the
thrust was administrative independence. Still, the privilege was not
unlimited, just as what the Constitution decreed. Particularly, as far
as disposition of property is concerned, only those patrimonial in
nature can be alienated.

These legal premises considered, disturbing, to say the least,
are the circulating reports that the City of Manila, through its
colluding City Council and Local Chief Executive, and despite the
contrary mandates of the Constitution and the laws, is lustfully eager
with selling several of its strategically posted properties -
properties as old and famous as the important events to which these
have been witnesses through the years. Who would not know the aged
Rizal Memorial Stadium, the nearby Harrison Plaza and Sheraton Hotel?
How about the Army and Navy Club where the present historic Museum
stands and a host of other priceless places which became part of our
national economy and patrimony?

What is the forthcoming fate of these portals of Filipino
heritage if the vagabond conscience of those authoring their lucrative
dispositions is not flustered? Commercial districts being projected to
rise from their ruins, is a nightmare forthcoming to the Manila
constituents in the not-too-distant future, if we fail to manacle this
excessive penchant for the sale of our symbols of heritage and culture.

Indeed, we ask: why are these City Officials of Manila so
obsessed with selling otherwise key establishments and institutions in
the City, only to have in their places the usual commercial centers
which have casually become the "theme parks" for our people, promoting
indolence and impracticality, and further diverting their attention to
more meaningful and worthwhile activities?

Without a doubt, it is the lust and avarice for commissions
expected to be generated from these multi-million peso projects – the
hunger for power and wealth, summoning the vicious appetite for
absoluteness and perpetuity, defying the voice of righteousness and
integrity.

Of course, even these local executives will admit that
majority of them saw light, later than the birth of those historical
edifices and buildings, yet, they connive to deliberately pretend that
these places are classified as agricultural lands and therefore
alienable. Sadly, they project to be unknowing that Section 3 of the
same Article XII of the Constitution is absolute and unalterable:
public properties, being outside the commerce of man, could not be
alienated or leased or otherwise be the subject matter of contracts, as
ruled in Municipality of Cavite vs. Rojas, 30 Phil. 20; Li Seng Giap
vs. Municipal Council of Daet, (CA), Off. Gaz. Supp., November 1, 1941,
p. 217.

In the course of business, they may well argue that under Art.
422 of the Civil Code, the property of public dominion, when no longer
intended for public use or for public service, shall form part of the
patrimonial property of the State or its private property. Yet, it may
be so only upon a declaration by the government, through the executive
or legislative departments, to the effect that it is no longer needed
for public use or service. (Ignacio vs. Director of Lands, (SC), 58
Off. Gaz. 2403; Cebu Oxygen and Acetylene Co. vs. Bercilles, 66 SCRA
481) For so long as the property has been intended for public use or
service, and the government has neither devoted it otherwise, nor
adopted any measure removing it from the public domain, the same
remains property for public use or service, its non-employment as such
notwithstanding. (Capitulo, et al. vs. Aquino, etc., (SC), 53 Off. Gaz.
1477)

Hence, the mere possession of land does not by itself
automatically divest it of its public character. (Cuevas vs. Pineda,
143 SCRA 674; Director of Lands vs. Court of Appeals, 129 SCRA 689)

Consider
the Roppongi site in Japan. Its non-use in a long time for actual
diplomatic service did not automatically convert it to patrimonial
property. Any such conversion happens only if the property is withdrawn
from public use, since it is not, it continues to be part of public
domain and thus, outside the commerce of man (Cebu Oxygen and Acetylene
Co. vs. Bercilles, 66 SCRA 481 [1975]; Ignacio v. Director of Lands,
108 Phil. 335 [1960]).

No less than the Supreme Court was emphatic in several cases
that where the municipality has occupied lands distinctly for public
purposes, such as for the municipal court house, the public school, the
public market, or necessary municipal building, in the absence of proof
to the contrary, there can be no presumption of its grant from the
state in favor of the municipality. (Municipality of Hinunangan vs.
Director of Lands, 24 Phil. 125)

Beyond cavil, the extent of legislative control over
properties of municipal corporations is simple. If the property is
owned by the municipality or city in its public and governmental
capacity, the property is public and Congress has absolute control over
it. But if the property is owned in its private or proprietary
capacity, then it is patrimonial and Congress has no absolute control.
Province of Zamboanga del Norte vs. City of Zamboanga, L-24440, March
28, 1969

Although there is some authority to the effect that at the
common law a municipal corporation, unless restrained by the express
terms of its charter or by necessary implication, could dispose of
lands and other property in the same manner as private persons, there
is a clear distinction, recognized by practically all authorities,
between property purchased and held by municipal corporations for the
use of the corporation as an entity and that purchased and held by such
corporation for the public use and benefit of its citizens. In other
words, its title to and power of disposition of property acquired for
strictly corporate uses and purposes are different from its title to
and power of disposition of property acquired for and actually
dedicated to the public use of inhabitants. As to the former class, the
power of the corporation to dispose of it, unless restrained by charter
or statute, is unquestioned. As a general rule, the power of a
municipal corporation to convey such property is equal to its power to
acquire it. A municipal corporation having absolute title to property
without limitation or restriction as to its alienation may dispose of
such property at any time before it is dedicated to public use.

On the other hand, it is generally held that a municipal
corporation has no implied power to sell real property which is held
for a public use, and that such power cannot be implied from general
charter or authority to acquire, hold, or convey property. The
principle is that all such property is held by the municipality in
trust for the use and benefit of its citizens and is dedicated to the
use of the public, and the corporation cannot divest itself of title
without specific authority from the legislature. It is only when the
public use has been abandoned, or the property has become unsuitable or
inadequate for the purpose to which it was dedicated, that a power of
disposition is recognized in the corporation. Municipal Corporations,
etc., 56 Am Jur 2d, 602-604

Considering these precepts, the city officials of Manila, for
instance, cannot rely upon the March 3, 2006 endorsement to the City
Council of Manila from the Office of the City Mayor relative to the
projected "sale, lease or for joint venture of the city’s patrimonial
properties with a lot area of less than 250 square meters in Manila",
in line with its granted authority to Manila Mayor Jose Atienza through
its enacted Resolution No. 10, dated February 1, 1996. Indeed, recourse
to legal procedures of exercising the power of expropriation through
enacted Resolution of the City Council is not an iron-clad guarantee of
its success.

At the moment, let us be reminded of the lessons eruditely
written by the ponente in the landmark Manila Hotel case, in which we
may liken the present City Mayor and City Council of Manila to those
GSIS officials who nearly sold to a Malaysian firm-bidder the block of
51% shares of the Manila Hotel, deigned as the repository of the 20th
century Philippine history and culture, the reflection of the Filipino
soul and not an ordinary piece of property in a commercial district.
The Highest Tribunal aptly censured them in the Manila Hotel vs. GSIS,
267 SCRA 408, in the following tenor:

"The conveyance of Manila Hotel, an epic exponent of the
Filipino psyche, to alien hands cannot be less than mephistophelean,
for it is, in whatever manner viewed, a veritable alienation of a
nation’s soul for some pieces of foreign silver."

It is for these reasons that I call upon you, my esteemed
colleagues, who have been chosen not by our constituents in one
locality or region, but by the multitude of our fellow Filipinos across
the land and even beyond its borders, to remind the aldermen in the
City of Manila not to be blinded by the dazzling brilliance of gold,
and certainly not to be blind to our past embedded and reflected in the
gates, hallways, walls of the very same institutions which they would
apparently bury in history with the sale of the lands on which they are
situated.

Our experience more extensive, our concerns more
nationalistic, our perspective more comprehensive, we, the Senate, have
not been daunted nor cowered by attempts at intrusions into our own
prerogatives and desecration of our own place in the Philippine
Government and society by even the most powerful of the powers that be.
Surely, we would not let other lesser people from fooling us right
before our eyes!

Let us therefore make this firm: that Congress did not enact
the Local Government Code in order to make council members and local
executive officers in the localities and provinces masters above their
makers, nor masters within their own respective domains. For while we
in the National Government remain servants of our true sovereign, so
should our creations in the local government, which we have made our
agents in our goals for this country, remain loyal and faithful to
those who have chosen them, and to their respective oaths to uphold and
protect the Constitution and our laws.

As a final statement, let those officials in Manila be
reminded: The postulates of our Constitution are not mere platitudes
which we should honor only in rhetoric but not in reality. To contract
for the sale of an inalienable property is illegal; to bargain the
ideals of our Constitution through such sale is suicidal.

Ivan About Town (Ivan Henares) http://ivanhenares.blogspot.com
HCS Database of Philippine Built Heritage Resources
http://heritageconservation.wordpress.com
HCS Database of Heritage Articles &Columns

http://preservephilippineheritage.blogs.friendster.com
Philippine Heritage Watch http://heritagesentinel.wordpress.com

ICOMOS Philippines
http://icomosphilippines.blogspot.com

The Gabaldon Legacy http://gabaldon.blogspot.com

Old Manila Walks (Ivan ManDy)

http://oldmanilawalks.blogspot.com
Essays on Filipino Identity (Butch Zialcita) http://www.dsa-ateneo.net/fzialcita

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RP 61st state to join UN convention on heritage protection

September 1st, 2006 by preservephilippineheritage

By Veronica Uy
INQ7.net

THE
Philippines has become the 61st state party to the Convention for the
Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage of the United Nations
Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the
Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Friday.

In his
report to the home office, Philippine Ambassador to France and
permanent delegate to UNESCO Jose Abeto Zaide said UNESCO
Director-General Koichiro Matsuura acknowledged receipt on August 18 of
the country’s original instrument of ratification of the convention,
which is expected to take effect for the Philippines this November 18
as per Article 34 of the convention.

"Director-General
Matsuura, who was in Manila last May, welcomes the Philippines as the
61st state party to the convention, which already counts a broad and
diverse range of membership from Lithuania to Gabon, Oman to
Nicaragua," he said.

After the UNESCO sounded the alarm over
the loss of cultural heritage, it sought through the convention to
protect and preserve oral traditions and expressions, including
language, performing arts, social practices, rituals and festive
events, knowledge and practices concerning nature and the universe, as
well as know-how linked to traditional crafts.

The
Philippines’ Hudhud chants of the Ifugao and the Darangen epic of the
Maranaos were among the 90 masterpieces of the oral and intangible
heritage of humanity proclaimed by the UNESCO.

"The
Philippines as a major biodiversity trove is complemented by its
cornucopia of cultural diversity. The Philippines intends to actively
contribute to the success of the Convention, in order to preserve our
rich cultural heritage for the benefit and enjoyment of all humanity,"
Zaide said.

Matsuura noted the "urgent need for [cultural
heritage's] international protection given the threat posed by
contemporary lifestyles and the process of globalization."

"It is absolute necessary to fill in the legal void concerning this
essential aspect of cultural diversity and to offer to living cultures
inherited through tradition adequate means of preservation," he added.

Aside from the Philippines, the state parties to the convention also
include France, China, Japan, India, Vietnam, Cambodia, Romania, and
Algeria.

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More transport terrorism

September 1st, 2006 by preservephilippineheritage

By Paulo Alcazaren
The Philippine STAR 09/02/2006

I’m
still getting a lot of e-mail about that Palawan misadventure and taxi
terrorism. It hit a nerve among a lot of people. First, here’s an
update on the Palawan issue. BEH e-mailed to say that a few days after
the article came out, Palawan authorities contacted her and informed
her that all tour operators were warned to police their ranks and
ensure public safety. The DPWH was tasked to look at rationalizing
transport access and other stakeholders informed that the province has
to address these issues immediately. BEH was also informed that the
tour operators in question had their license suspended for three
months. Other owners and operators of hotels and tour companies assured
me that their outfits do ensure tourist safety and that visitors should
check on the reputation of the outfits they choose.

Well, that is all and good but, of course, the incident should
not have happened in the first place. We have far too many tour,
travel, and transport mishaps every year to blame it all on bad luck or
fate. We have got to really achieve levels of safety acceptable in all
other sane countries. This is true of all provinces and cities.

On the terrorism of taxis – many wrote in to expand the axis
of transport terror to include tricycles and jeepneys. Here is a
sampling of the many e-mails I received.

"I just finished reading your column about the horrific
experiences of both foreigners and locals in taxi rides. Let me share
with you another monster in the Philippines which causes both traffic
jams and undiagnosed hypertension (undoubtedly due to anger) to private
car drivers like me. It is the jeepney. The mongrel vehicle is
considered a colorful part of the Philippines’ history and a reminder
of its American ties. Because of this, the country promotes the jeepney
ride as a great experience that cannot be found elsewhere in the world.
The lavish descriptions of jeepneys on Philippine tourism websites make
foreigners want to ride in them, completely unaware that the difference
between the photographed jeepney and the actual jeepney in Philippine
reality is like black and white, earth and sky – you get my point.

"First, let me point out that most pictures of the said pest
of the Philippine roads in tourism-promoting media are ‘fake’ –
colorful and creative images featuring smiling, polite drivers. How can
I say fake? Well, heck, has any one of us seen an artfully-decorated
jeepney on Manila’s roads in the past decade? Flags, colorful lights,
and even paintings were once used to beautify the simple jeep, yet
today, most of what you’ll see is scratched aluminum, broken lights,
black smoke emanating from mufflers, and drivers shouting at passengers
to hurry up to get on or off their vehicles. Where is the creativity in
that? I won’t fly 10,000 miles to see an ugly moving wreck, much less
trust the sweaty, shouting driver with my life.

"The jeepney drivers’ undisciplined ways are not ignored by
foreigners. This can be evidenced by the phrase ‘only in the
Philippines,’ joined by a pitiful description of the uniqueness, or
shall I say "weirdness," of the Philippines. One description I
encountered from a foreigner friend was: ‘Only in the Philippines will
you find innumerable road signs which end up as graffiti canvases
because motorists ignore them.’ It may be funny, but then, as you have
said, promotion of tourism is best shared through word of mouth. What,
then, are the impressions of other foreigners who have set foot on
Philippine soil?

"They were once icons of the Filipinos’ creativeness and
ingenuity, but today they are more like symbols of Philippine
corruption, undisciplined ways, and plain stupidity. They stop
anywhere, and even have the nerve to suddenly cut in front of you with
no warning whatsoever, and if they find themselves in a situation
wherein they get your car wracked up, I assure you that their answer
would be ‘Sorry, Ma’am, pero wala akong pambayad (Sorry, ma’am, I don’t have money to pay for the damage).’

"My conclusion for all this is that we should first fix our
country before we promote our beautiful islands to the world. Not only
would foreigners be disappointed when they set foot on our land, it is
also beyond a doubt that they will experience horror stories that
should have been a great family vacation in the tropics."–PC

Yes, PC, jeepneys may have started as a stopgap solution to
post-war transport needs, but it has been over half a century since and
we have not progressed to a saner, safer mode of transport. Another
e-mail adds tricycles to the ring of terror:

"The problem mentioned about taxi drivers is not just isolated
to taxi drivers. I have been living in the US for over 27 years and
whenever I come back to Manila and ride taxicabs, the drivers always
pretend like they don’t know the place at all and they will play a game
with passengers and take you for a ride all over the place. Another
terror is tricycles. Their drivers play a similar game and when you
take a ride and ask them how much it will cost you to go from point A
to point B, they will tell you ‘I don’t know.’ For goodness sake, these
guys ply the same route day in and day out, and they don’t know? The
word for these people is ‘mapagsamantala.‘ They take advantage of unsuspecting passengers.

"Filipino workers in the US are the most sought-after group of
workers because we are hardworking and honest. At home is a different
story. We are dishonest even to our fellow kababayan. If they
can do it to their fellow men, then it is easy to do it to a foreigner,
especially when they don’t know the language. In Tokyo, taxis have
upholstery in white and the cab drivers have uniforms. In the
Philippines, taxi drivers even wear tsinelas (flip-flops) and
the cabs are falling apart yet they are still allowed on the road. The
ACs are not working and trunks are held shut by pieces of twine." – MTT

What can I say, MTT? I wish I could slap these drivers silly with my tsinelas (or
actually take a number of them to jail as my niece was mugged by one of
these trike bandits, who even ran over her after snatching her cell
phone!).

Another horror story from a late-night taxi user:

"I just read your article yesterday about taxi drivers and how
horrible the situation is. I had an experience once with my wife after
a college reunion. After the party, we decided to queue for a taxi. It
turned out to be a nightmare. Our driver was an old manong and
we went into the usual discussion on the best route to our house. I got
a little sleepy because of the night’s revelry, but my wife was still
alert and noticed that the meter was running fast. She woke me up and
warned me. We were talking when we noticed the taxi was swerving like a
boat. My wife freaked out: The driver was sleeping at the wheel! My
wife noticed that he reeked of alcohol, too, so we demanded he pull
over but he refused, saying: ‘Relax lang, I’m okay, hindi pako nababanga at nahuhuli at lalong lalo na hindi ako lasing (I
won’t crash the taxi or get caught and I’m not drunk)!’ Thank God we
arrived safely although the crazy driver charged us twice the fare.
Something has to be done about drunken extortionist drivers who prey on
the public." – GA

Yes, GA, something has to be done – but no one will claim
responsibility. It is not only drunken taxi drivers that are a menace
at night but drugged-out cargo-truck drivers. I try not to go out at
night anymore.

Finally, an e-mail with disturbing news of a travel advisory circling the globe about the Philippines:

"We always enjoy your writing. After reading about the taxi
situation, what can one say? There is no enforcement of the taxi trade.
In the United States and elsewhere, they have taxi enforcement units,
but that’s not why we are writing. The problem is much greater than the
filthy Filipino taxis. I just read an e-mail that is going around the
world advising tourists not to travel to the Philippines. Before I
continue, let me state that we are happy campers here. I am European
and my wife is Filipina. We have a son – a mestizo Pinoy. We have
happily been living here for 20 years, but it has been difficult. Let
me quote the highlights of the e-mail:

"’Never trust the police. They appear to actually be behind
the organized crime in the islands and are linked to murders, robberies
and cases of extortion. Better to forget requesting assistance in event
of a problem. Best to arm yourself.

"’All government employees are corrupt. Better believe that.
Everyone wants ‘grease’ to perform even a simple task. Children see
their teachers sell overpriced sweets and food in the classroom for
better grades.

"’Never build a house. Why? Because that process will expose
you to the corrupt permits people and all sorts of shakedown artists.

"’Never invest in anything in the Philippines. Rules change.
You are the loser. Long-term education/insurance plan providers simply
close down, leaving hapless parents stranded with no government
intervention whatsoever.

"’The government, from the top down, stinks of corruption.
They estimate six million Filipinos go hungry every night (although the
truth is it is closer to 20 million). Every caring country in the world
has given billions of dollars to help lift the Philippines out of
poverty, but none of it reaches those in need. The funds go to corrupt
politicians’ bank accounts.

"’Final advice. Trust nobody in government. Keep to yourself
and mind your own business. The Philippines is a banana republic of the
worst kind, ruled by corrupt leaders and an inutile corrupt legislature
and judiciary. But nevertheless, enjoy this country. It has lots to
offer and the Filipinos are the warmest people. Sad to say, they have
had nothing but bad government for four administrations.’

"Well, Paulo, I have to say that I agree with this e-mail 100
percent. I personally know of many ex pats who have just given up and
left in disgust. Getting simple things like a driving license,
electricity service, broadband connections or telephone service is a
nightmare for expats. ‘Grease’ is everywhere. We, as an expat family,
have survived and want to stay because we love it here – we just have
learned to avoid the sharks in the water." – MGG

That’s it, MGG. All this makes me want to do a Jim Paredes and
give up hope for any change in this country. Not that I have done as
much as Jim – and I don’t blame him or the hundreds of thousands of
fellow-middle class Filipinos like him who have made a choice to fend
for themselves or their immediate families. And what can we really do
when terror is everywhere anyway. But oops – I’m late for my next
appointment. Taxi!

* * *

Feedback is welcome. Please e-mail the writer at paulo.alcazaren@gmail.com

Posted in City Sense | 1 Comment »

Those Gabaldons

September 1st, 2006 by preservephilippineheritage

By Gemma Cruz Araneta

PUBLIC
schools were to the American colonial regime what Baroque churches were
to the Spanish period. In their time, both were the most imposing
structures in all our provinces, cities and towns. As Spain used
religion to colonize and Hispanize, the United States of America
established the public education system for "pacification" and
Americanization.

Lamentably for heritage conservation, most of the school
houses built during the Spanish colonial period were reduced to rubble
during the Philippine-American War (1899-1911) and when the Philippine
Commission sent the American Secretary of War a telegram about the
"pacification" strategy, Eng. Edgar K. Bourne was instructed to go to
Manila. Daniel Burnham, famous city planner, and other American
architects soon followed.

Acting rapidly, the Philippine Commission passed Act No. 268
creating the Bureau of Architecture and Construction of Public
Buildings, with Mr. Bourne as its head. The construction of
schoolhouses in Manila and the provinces began and this activity was
viewed as the most important work of the Bureau.

No sooner was the Philippine Assembly formed after the
elections of 1907, when Act No. 1801, authored by Assemblyman Isauro
Gabaldon of Nueva Ecija, was approved and became widely known as
GABALDON ACT . This appropriated Php 1 million between 1907 to 1915 for
the "construction of schoolhouses of strong materials in barrios with
guaranteed daily attendance of not less than sixty pupils…"

Funds for each school could not exceed Php 4 thousand unless
the municipality contributed a counterpart sum of not less than fifty
percent of the total amount granted to it by virtue of the Gabaldon
Act. The municipality was authorized to appropriate its own funds,
receive voluntary contributions in cash, kind, or in manual labor, for
the construction of schoolhouses.

The Gabaldon Act stipulated that only on land owned by the
municipality could schools be constructed. Because proposed sites had
to be surveyed and registered with the Court of Land Registration, very
few schools were erected in the first three years. As separate planning
for each school was burdensome, the Bureau of Public Works and Bureau
of Education soon came up with standardized designs. These were known
as "Gabaldon School Buildings" or simply "Gabaldon," long after the
expiration of Act 1801.

Fifty-one "Gabaldons" were completed by 1911 and by 1916, four
hundred five more were constructed bringing the total number of
classrooms to one thousand eight hundred fifty-two. Three hundred
twenty seven of these "Gabaldons" were made of concrete. In the
Gabaldon-style school, there was architectural harmony between the main
building and other accessory structures. As it turned out, an
elegantly-designed school instilled in both teachers and students a
certain pride and an appreciation for the finer things in life. (
gemma601@yahoo.com)

Posted in Landscape | 12 Comments »

Spanish heritage complex in the heart of Manila

September 1st, 2006 by preservephilippineheritage

By Augusto Villalon

Published on page C2 of the August 28, 2006 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer

WHO
SAID CONSTRUCTING A NEW building beside an old one is not good design?
Many people believe that the new building must "conform" to the old one
by attempting to look alike or at least somewhat similar.

Philippine architects today still follow the outdated "conforming
architecture" concept, pairing old and new, designing new buildings
that mimic the old by grafting a detail or a feature that echoes a bit
of the old building in the new one.

Many times the borrowed heritage detail is force-fit into the new
structure, resulting in an uneasy, out-of-place architecture that
awkwardly attempts a blending of old and new.

The truth is that the new always pales in comparison with the old.
The original is always better. Imitation is seldom better than the
original. So why imitate? Why put the old ill at ease with the new?

In planning its new headquarters on San Luís Street in Manila,
Instituto Cervantes decided not to imitate the historic Casino Español
de Manila beside it. Instead what it built was a new, totally modern
building that relates wonderfully to its heritage neighbor.

The two buildings are totally at ease with each other.

Respected

Among the oldest private clubs in the country, the Casino Español is
a respected Manila institution. The club premises, designed in 1951 by
architect Jose Ma. Zaragoza, are done in the fluid
"Filipino-California-Spanish style," a hybrid architectural style
popular during the post-World War II years.

The venerable building, a low single-story structure whose arched
loggias spread around a shaded interior courtyard, is one of the last
surviving Manila structures from that forgotten era.<!–
D(["mb","

The membership should be commended for retaining the original structure of their club and for resisting "modernization."

Now comes the new Instituto Cervantes. Erected on Casino Español\nproperty, the new building located on the far side of the existing club\nquadrangle is architecture unmistakably of the 21st century, a\nstructure in total contrast with the Zaragoza building on the other\nside of the shared quadrangle.

Contrasting with the arches of the Casino\'s loggia, the Instituto\npresents a two-story all-glass wall looking out to the quadrangle from\nbehind a covered open walk connecting classrooms on the ground floor\nand exposing the library above. Although no details in the new building\nmimic the old Zaragoza structure beside it, there is full architectural\nrespect between the two structures.

Interiors

The interiors of both buildings mirror the eras when they were\nbuilt. Beneath the low ceilings of the Casino everything is\nwell-burnished wood, polished red tile floors, and insets of azulejo\ntiles shipped from Spain.

Javier Galván, architect and former director of the Instituto\nCervantes, takes the traditional Philippine bahay-na-bato as his\norganizing principle for his conceptual design of the new structure.

The lobby evokes the traditional zaguan from a Spanish colonial\nhouse in the Philippines. Ground-floor walls are rendered in raw\nconcrete, reminiscent of the stone walls of old. A grand staircase\nrises to the upper floor, where wood makes an appearance on the floors\nand walls, much like traditional Philippine houses. Evoking capiz\nwindows in old houses, wooden grids frame the glass on doors and\nwindows.

Finishes are definitely 21st century. So is the allocation of space and the handling of natural light.

On the ground floor, gray ceramic floor tiles link walls rendered in\nraw concrete bathed in natural light from rooftop skylights that\ncontinue into the second-floor library, whose floor stops short of the\nperimeter wall to allow more natural light to filter into the enclosed\nclassrooms below.",1]
);

//–>

The membership should be commended for retaining the original structure of their club and for resisting "modernization."

Now comes the new Instituto Cervantes. Erected on Casino Español
property, the new building located on the far side of the existing club
quadrangle is architecture unmistakably of the 21st century, a
structure in total contrast with the Zaragoza building on the other
side of the shared quadrangle.

Contrasting with the arches of the Casino’s loggia, the Instituto
presents a two-story all-glass wall looking out to the quadrangle from
behind a covered open walk connecting classrooms on the ground floor
and exposing the library above. Although no details in the new building
mimic the old Zaragoza structure beside it, there is full architectural
respect between the two structures.

Interiors

The interiors of both buildings mirror the eras when they were
built. Beneath the low ceilings of the Casino everything is
well-burnished wood, polished red tile floors, and insets of azulejo
tiles shipped from Spain.

Javier Galván, architect and former director of the Instituto
Cervantes, takes the traditional Philippine bahay-na-bato as his
organizing principle for his conceptual design of the new structure.

The lobby evokes the traditional zaguan from a Spanish colonial
house in the Philippines. Ground-floor walls are rendered in raw
concrete, reminiscent of the stone walls of old. A grand staircase
rises to the upper floor, where wood makes an appearance on the floors
and walls, much like traditional Philippine houses. Evoking capiz
windows in old houses, wooden grids frame the glass on doors and
windows.

Finishes are definitely 21st century. So is the allocation of space and the handling of natural light.

On the ground floor, gray ceramic floor tiles link walls rendered in
raw concrete bathed in natural light from rooftop skylights that
continue into the second-floor library, whose floor stops short of the
perimeter wall to allow more natural light to filter into the enclosed
classrooms below.<!–
D(["mb","

Light

Light pierces all areas of the building, achieving luminosity and\ntransparency as well as the air circulation so central to tropical\narchitecture. The building captures Philippine lifestyle and satisfies\nlocal climatic conditions perfectly.

Galván, who has devoted years studying Philippine architecture,\nsuccessfully updates historic and traditional references into 21st\ncentury architecture, an approach common in other countries but rarely\nseen in the Philippines.

History and tradition coexist on San Luís Street where both\nbuildings stand in neighborly harmony. The low, horizontal lines of\nboth façades form a harmonious dialogue along the street with the\ntwo-story Instituto building accentuating rather than dwarfing the low\nolder building next to it.

Most important, one does not dominate the other. Each building,\nconfident of its excellence, does not try to outshine the other. There\nis unity of vision on the street.

Think of a May-December architectural arrangement in this fusion of\nold and new where each partner enters the relationship with strong\nperspectives rooted in different generations. In the relationship, one\nis not forced to "conform" to the other nor do the different\nperspectives clash.

Despite an apparent disparity in form and style, the two partners\nbuild a lasting bond that allows each one to maintain his individuality\nas a shared identity is jointly built up.

May-December harmony is the lesson to be learned from Instituto\nCervantes and the Casino Español who show Manila how to be good\nneighbors.

Now, does it still hold that you cannot marry a new building with an older one?

Heritage watch

The new Citibank Savings branch shines on Quintin Paredes Street.\nIts sensitive, straightforward reuse of an old Binondo building\nconverted into a contemporary banking area signals the start of a\nheritage trend in a highly commercial inner-city neighborhood that\nusually has little regard for its rich pedigree. Bravo!",1]
);

//–>

Light

Light pierces all areas of the building, achieving luminosity and
transparency as well as the air circulation so central to tropical
architecture. The building captures Philippine lifestyle and satisfies
local climatic conditions perfectly.

Galván, who has devoted years studying Philippine architecture,
successfully updates historic and traditional references into 21st
century architecture, an approach common in other countries but rarely
seen in the Philippines.

History and tradition coexist on San Luís Street where both
buildings stand in neighborly harmony. The low, horizontal lines of
both façades form a harmonious dialogue along the street with the
two-story Instituto building accentuating rather than dwarfing the low
older building next to it.

Most important, one does not dominate the other. Each building,
confident of its excellence, does not try to outshine the other. There
is unity of vision on the street.

Think of a May-December architectural arrangement in this fusion of
old and new where each partner enters the relationship with strong
perspectives rooted in different generations. In the relationship, one
is not forced to "conform" to the other nor do the different
perspectives clash.

Despite an apparent disparity in form and style, the two partners
build a lasting bond that allows each one to maintain his individuality
as a shared identity is jointly built up.

May-December harmony is the lesson to be learned from Instituto
Cervantes and the Casino Español who show Manila how to be good
neighbors.

Now, does it still hold that you cannot marry a new building with an older one?

Heritage watch

The new Citibank Savings branch shines on Quintin Paredes Street.
Its sensitive, straightforward reuse of an old Binondo building
converted into a contemporary banking area signals the start of a
heritage trend in a highly commercial inner-city neighborhood that
usually has little regard for its rich pedigree. Bravo!<!–
D(["mb","

E-mail the author at pride.place@gmail.com

\n\n

\n\n\n\n\n

\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n",1]
);

//–>

E-mail the author at pride.place@gmail.com

Posted in Pride of Place | 2 Comments »

Revisiting Filipinas Heritage Library

August 21st, 2006 by preservephilippineheritage

By Augusto Villalon

Published on page C2 of the August 21, 2006 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer

NIELSON AIRPORT WAS THE Philippines’ first modern commercial international airport. It was inaugurated on July 17, 1937, and celebrates its 70th anniversary next year.

The old airport is now the home of Filipinas Heritage Library, now in its 10th year offering traditional library services and being a one-stop research center on Filipino national-heritage information.

Not only has Filipinas Heritage Library contributed to library development; it has also contributed to raising the community’s awareness of and interest in studying and preserving the country’s heritage.

By increasing creative interaction, the restored Nielson Tower has also become a source of information, inspiration and national pride, proof that heritage buildings can, indeed, be recycled for contemporary uses.

In the late 1930s, before the days of heavy equipment, a thousand-man construction team built the airport’s two principal runways—now Ayala Avenue and Paseo de Roxas—in the heart of central Makati.

Between the two runways was the airport control center and passenger station, then known as Nielson Tower, among the first airports in Asia.

Only the fortunate few air passengers of the day could view the airplane-shaped building from above. The earth-bound public saw an elegant structure designed in the Art Deco style of the period.

The low-slung building with a control tower at its center captured the romance of air travel, a popular motif of the Art Deco age. From the airport tower, now reused as a function room, was a sweeping view of the runway and of rural 1930s Makati fields.

Although Nielson Tower now houses Filipinas Heritage Library, the ground floor and control tower of the building retain their original 1930s layout.

In 2001, Unesco recognized the library’s restoration efforts by including Nielson Tower among the prestigious annual Unesco Asia-Pacific Cultural Heritage Awardees for outstanding conservation and architectural re-use.

Subsequent Philippine Unesco Asia-Pacific Cultural Heritage awardees were the Gota de Leche building in 2003 and the Far Eastern University campus in 2005.

Impressive
The Unesco citation for Nielson Tower reads: “The impressive conversion of one of Asia’s earliest airports into a heritage library represents a major achievement in preserving an important era of Manila’s history.

“Historical events and architecture are exemplified in the legacy of the structure and in the excellent choice to continue its livelihood as an educational facility.

“In a time of rapid urban development and expansion, the Nielson Tower is an excellent model for others to follow on how to appropriately readapt historic structures in the community.”

Just as the historic Nielson Tower connected the Philippines to the world in the 1930s, Filipinas Heritage Library now links the country globally with its information highway.

The Unesco document states that restoration of the structure painstakingly began when project managers using old photos established the original appearance of the building. Apart from some damage received during the Second World War, it was clear the tower’s structure and appearance had remained virtually unchanged since the 1930s.

Minimal work was required in the exterior. The roof, walls and original window frames were refurbished with a fresh coat of paint, window-glass panels replaced, and the Manila International Air Terminal signage on the rear of the building restored.

The only major exterior modification was the removal of the 1970s-era canvas canopy at the front entrance, replaced with a permanent circular canopy in a new design that complements the building’s architectural style.

While the layout of most rooms in the building was left unchanged and original features such as hardwood doors retained, some major alterations were made to the interior.

The central staircase, which provided access to the basement and the tower, had to be replaced to meet safety standards. A new spiral staircase was installed at the back of the building and an elevator was fitted in to allow access by the handicapped.

In order to meet the space requirements of a library the building had to be expanded. Since maintaining the original external appearance of the building was essential, enlargement was implemented underground in the basement area. Effects on the foundations were minimized by limiting the direction of the expansion toward the rear of the building.

Since its restoration, the building has also become a popular venue for community activities such as book launches, lectures, conferences, poetry readings, concerts and social functions, including weddings.

Filipinas Heritage Library brings Philippine history, literature and culture to the rest of the world through information technology. The library was opened to the public on Aug. 23, 1996.

An exhibit showcasing the transformation of the Nielson Tower has been mounted at the Alcove Photo Gallery of the library.

Feedback is welcome at pride.place@gmail.com

Posted in Pride of Place | 4 Comments »

Remembrances and the streets of Manila

August 21st, 2006 by preservephilippineheritage

By Luis R. Sioson

Editor’s Note: Published on page A17 of the August 20, 2006 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer

CERTAIN
sections of Ermita, Sta. Cruz, Binondo and Quiapo are fascinating
pieces in the city of Manila’s mosaic. But the plazas seem to have
shrunk because there are more people and motor vehicles.

The
churches, on the other hand, remain durable and visible landmarks,
spiritual sanctuaries for hundreds of pedestrians and visitors. People
ply various trade on streets and sidewalks among old buildings and
structures, testaments to time’s quick passage.

The pace is
slower in the Ermita of the Guerreros than in Sta. Cruz and Quiapo
across the Pasig River to the north. There is more space in this
district that still bears traces of its genteel past. Shady trees line
some of its streets and a few old homes still exude the elegance of a
bygone era.

On T. M. Kalaw Street, just off noisy (and polluted)
Taft Avenue that intersects UN Avenue (formerly Isaac Peral), one can
retreat to the quiet of the United Central Methodist Chapel hidden in
the shadows of a large mall that replaced the old Harris Memorial
Building.

The section, bounded on the south by Padre Faura
Street, on the north by T. M. Kalaw (San Luis Street), on the east and
west by Taft Avenue and Roxas Boulevard (Dewey Boulevard),
respectively, is dominated by American Period buildings housing the
Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, University of the Philippines Manila
and Philippine General Hospital.

The old Ateneo and its next-door
neighbor, Assumption College on Adriatico Street (Dakota Street) and
Pedro Gil (Herran), have been replaced by Robinson’s tower and a
sprawling mall.

At the corner of Padre Faura and J. Bocobo Street
(Nebraska) is a cream-colored residence- turned-restaurant, its
charming balcony and stairway remarkably well maintained.

Oldest ‘real’ bookstore

The
nearby Marietta Building also on Bocobo, has been re placed by a
condominium. Ulog was a popular jazz joint on the same street. F.
Sionil Jose’s Solidaridad Bookshop, probably the oldest “real”
bookstore in the city, still sells books on P. Faura. Erehwon Bookshop,
once the hangout of poets, English majors or anyone looking for
hard-to-find books, was once a neighbor.

Za’s Café and Hizon’s
Bakeshop at the corner of Arquiza and Bocobo streets still serve their
famous ensaimadas, raisin bread and pricey coffee. The café has
outlived the other coffee shops in the neighborhood—Taza de Oro,
Country Bakeshop, Rolling Pin and United Supermarket’s.

To the
west of Padre Faura, corner Roxas Boulevard, one faces the unsettling
vista of rundown buildings side by side with a modern glass, steel and
concrete structure. On this corner once stood a beautiful mansion owned
by a prominent family. It became a bank later.

Ermita Church
stands guard over the now quiet tourist belt and a row of naughty bars.
The park in front of it is no longer called Plaza Ferguson but Nuestra
Señora de Guia.

On UN Avenue is the Philamlife building.
Inaugurated in 1961, it has a well-maintained theater that was (and
still is) a venue for memorable musical performances and stage plays.
The glass-paneled cafeteria, with its adjacent chapel and indoor
garden, drew thousands of faithful patrons for lunch and merienda.

Across
the avenue is the Manila Pavilion (formerly Manila Hilton and then
Holiday Inn). Still eye-catching is the tall white and green Don
Alfonso Sycip Building, standing at the corner of UN Avenue and M.H.
del Pilar.

Delightful sight

On a quiet
narrow street called Alhambra that connects UN Avenue to T.M. Kalaw, is
the old Diokno house, a striking two-story white building with a black
iron-railed balcony overlooking the street. It is a delightful sight
amid towering structures and a tangle of telephone and television
cables.

The renovated Bayview Hotel, built in 1935, still stands
at the corner of UN Avenue and Roxas Boulevard. Across is the Bel-Air
Apartment building, designed and constructed in 1937 by National Artist
Pablo Antonio.

Opposite are the former Elks Building and the
fabled Army and Navy Club where members of the elite hosted parties or
watched plays staged by members of the American community.
Beyond the stretch of graceful apartments and glamorous hotels beckons Manila Bay where people watch magnificent sunsets.

Northward
across Jones Bridge, are Plaza Moraga and Plaza Cervantes of Binondo.
The conjoined squares that once comprised the city’s throbbing center
of commerce now lie desolate in the shadows of aging buildings.

The
El Hogar Filipino, almost a century-old, stands forlorn on the seedy
southern end of Juan Luna Street (Anloague Street, where Capitan
Tiago’s house in Jose Rizal’s “Noli me Tangere,” once stood). Standing
beside it are the concrete remains of the old Hong Kong and Shanghai
Bank on storied San Gabriel Street.

Farther north, intersecting
Juan Luna, is Estraude Street where Rizal’s house was located and where
his mother supposedly waited and prayed while he was being escorted to
his execution in Bagumbayan (Luneta).

El Hogar, standing by the
banks of the Pasig River, still has a number of tenants. Its ground
floor gets flooded when the smelly Pasig River—thick and
brownish—swells when filled with wild water lilies. The dank odor of
old buildings follows you as you gingerly step on improvised wooden
planks to avoid the muddy water.

Nearby, the old Insular
Life Building facing the Uy Chaco Building (constructed in 1914) in
Plaza Cervantes looks dreary and worn, shorn of its emblem of a proud
eagle perched on top of its small dome. The top floor used to house
radio station dzRH that featured in its programs popular movie stars at
the time like Rosa Rosal, Jaime de la Rosa, Pugo, Tugo and other
entertainers.

Rizal slept in this hotel

On
the same small block stood the First National City Bank of New York and
the Bank of the Philippine Islands. Paredes (Rosario) Street still does
some business. Plaza San Lorenzo Ruiz (Plaza Calderon de la Barca) in
front of Binondo Church teems with pedestrians and motor vehicles. On
this square once stood Hotel de Oriente, a “five-star hotel” that Rizal
patronized.

Escolta has retained its name but not its unofficial
title, “Queen of the Streets.” The Crystal Arcade, Botica Boie,
Heacock’s, Alonzo, Estrella del Norte, Dencia’s Pansit Malabon, Max’s
Fried Chicken, Henry’s Donuts and other well-known establishments are
gone. But Savory Restaurant is still around.

A dying Escolta

Escolta
has been dying all these years though some businesses still remain.
First-run movie theaters Capitol and Lyric are long gone. Nueva Street,
where Andres Bonifacio once worked as a sales agent of Fressell y Cia,
now carries the name E.T. Yuchengco.

David Street is now Burke
Street while across the City College of Manila (formerly the Philippine
National Bank head office) is Calvo Building. Soda Street, the Love Bus
terminal before, is unrecognizable.

The Perez-Samanillo Building
(now First United) and Regina Building still stand strong, proud
sentinels at the entrance to Escolta from Sta. Cruz Church. The
Samanillo Building, constructed in 1930, was designed by Andres Luna de
San Pedro, son of painter-patriot Juan Luna.

Neglected and
unnoticed by passersby is a historical marker honoring
patriot-newspaperman Patricio Mariano on Banquero (Bangkero) Street,
beside the Escolta Bridge, on the edge of a garbage-congested canal.

From
the bridge to the left on Plaza Sta. Cruz, the historic Carriedo
Fountain shoots out sprays of water that sparkle in the sun. The
fountain stands between the Sta. Cruz Church and Monte de Piedad, the
country’s oldest savings bank where Manuel L. Quezon, Commonwealth
President, once worked as a clerk. The short Bustos Street links the
plaza to Avenida Rizal.

The strip between the drab dirty-white
Capitan Pepe Building and the equally drab dirty-white Priscilla
Building on the Avenida Rizal-Recto Avenue intersection, southward to
Carriedo Street and Plaza Lacson (Plaza Goiti), was the most popular
part of downtown where one could eat, shop and see first-run movies.

The
popular cinemas—Ideal, Universal Theater (now Universal Park Mall),
Luzon Theaters’ Avenue and State, and Ever—are all gone. Some familiar
landmarks like the Arguelles and Guison buildings remain, but the strip
has been transformed into a pedestrian promenade with dusty alfresco
cafés accented with balding worn-out topiaries.

Locksmiths on
Ronquillo Street still practice their trade. Stores painted in loud
Mediterranean colors of yellow, blue and red, and a barber shop crowd
under the LRT Station on the Carriedo Plaza Lacson junction. This
section has, quite accidentally, developed into a kind of open-air
concert hall.

The crowds form a half circle to watch and listen
to a blind duo of singer and guitarist, static distorting the sound of
the music coming from an amplifier powered by a car battery. The blind
musicians and their motley audience of commuters have carved out a
space under the LRT tracks.

Distracting background

Further
distorting the sound of music is a combination of the hard and heavy
rhythmic roll of LRT cars, the ear-splitting sounds of videoke machines
and the hoarse voices of ambulant peddlers.

On nearby Palanca Street (Echague), Henry Sy’s old Shoemart (some say the first, the original SM) still does brisk business.

Plaza
Lacson honors the colorful Manila Mayor Arsenio “Arsenic” Lacson. He
stands tall on a pedestal across the old Roman Santos Building topped
by a big clock and stone sculptures.

The popular Clover Theatre
that brought the public Don Jose Zarah’s Extravaganza and jazz pianist
Ping Joaquin, has become the City College of Manila annex.

On the
crowded streets leading to Quiapo Church and Plaza Miranda, Sta. Cruz
and Quiapo meet, borderless and offering a mix of colors and scents of
street food, fruit and flowers. The aromas of fishball, smoked fish,
pineapple slices, flowers, burning candles, herbs, roasted castañas and
other “chichiria” fill the air.

Platerias, barely visible on congested Carriedo Street, still offer hard-to-find “piezas” (music sheets).

The
stretch from Sta. Cruz Church to Quiapo Church is almost impassable,
choked by crowds, stalls and merchandise of all kinds. On Plaza
Miranda, balloon vendors, fortune tellers and novena sellers vie for
the attention of church goers.

Take a trip to nostalgia and enjoy
the walk and the remembrance of things past and present. It will be
good for your soul and your sole.

(Luis R. Sioson, president
of the Torres High School Class 1955 Foundation, has been writing
articles about Tondo and other districts of Manila.)

Posted in Uncategorized | 6 Comments »

Krag and concrete

August 7th, 2006 by preservephilippineheritage

Manila Bulletin, Tuesday, 8 August 2006
by Gemma Cruz Araneta

If Spain conquered these islands with the "Cross and sword", the United States of America crushed the First Republica de Filipinas with "Krag and concrete". During three hundred and fifty years of Spanish colonial rule, fortifications, bridges and aqueducts, lighthouses, public buildings and roads were constructed by military and civilian authorities. Not to be outdone, the religious orders who came brandishing the Cross built their own centers of power at vantage points all over the countryside. Ingeniously, they fashioned imposing Baroque churches, massive bell towers and conventos with endemic materials and indigenous labor.

After the Treaty of Paris and during the Philippine-American War (1899-1911) that ensued, the battle cry of infamous General Jacob Smith resounded through the islands– “Civilize them with the Krag!” Samar was left a “howling wilderness”, after all natives above nine years old were slaughtered with the Krag. As America’s “pacification “strategy gained ground, concrete, the latest material in modern construction, was generously poured all over this country. Our war of resistance was still raging, but already, the new masters were flaunting their technological supremacy and imperial architecture. After a Philippine Assembly was elected in 1907, construction became a frenzy and continued unabated until the eve of the Second World War. Soon, the native populace was mesmerized by splendid government edifices that strongly projected the strength of American colonial policies. In provinces were anti-American resistance was particularly fierce, democratic slogans about power and the people were carved, for posterity, on the commanding façades of municipal palaces. Everything built during the American colonial period— town halls, public schools, hospitals, fire stations, bridges, highways, prisons, courthouses, and the Executive House of Malacanan — magnificently imparted the new political ideology. Democracy, though ushered in by the cruel Krag, was immortalized in architectural monuments of concrete.

As early as 1904, the American Secretary of War advised Commissioner W. Cameron Forbes, to hire the foremost city planner, Daniel Burnham., of “White City” fame (the 1893 Chicago World Fair) to do Manila. He had successfully transformed Chicago, San Francisco and Washington D.C. into cities beautiful. Burnham came to the Philippines, stayed for six weeks during which he drafted blueprints for the east and southern margins of Intramuros, including the Manila Bay area. In addition, he was to convert Baguio into a superb hill station for American officials who could not bear the hot summer months of the lowlands. Surprisingly, Burnham was more respectful than his Krag-bearing compatriots. He preserved significant Spanish colonial structures that survived America’s “dirty little war”, impressed by their elegance and convinced of their practical sustainability in tropical conditions. Burnham’s decision to restore and improve, instead of demolish and rebuild was indeed rare in Western urban planners of that epoch.

Like many of his peers, Daniel Burnham favored the Neo-Classical style, monumental buildings reminiscent of Greece and Roman; palatial structures with imposing vaults and domes, though non-sectarian in function. Lush gardens and parks, dramatic tree-lined avenues, reflecting pools and landscaped lagoons were trademarks of “City Beautiful”. Burnham believed that was the way he could create “enduring witnesses to the efficient services of America to the Philippine Islands…”

Famous as Burnham was, it was the almost obscure Arch. William E. Parsons of the Bureau of Public Works (BPW) who gave substance to his colleague’s “imperial space”. There were other Americans like Ralph Harrington Doane who eventually handed the reins over to the first generation of Filipino architects–Antonio Toledo, Andres Luna de San Pedro, Tomas Mapua and the Arellano brothers, Juan and Arcadio. The elegant architectural designs of these pensionados dominated the landscape during the Philippine Commission, the Commonwealth and pre-World War II periods. From the classical revivalist style that came with Burnham , Parsons and Doane, our Filipino architects brought in new forms from Europe, like the Arts Nouveau and Deco, which they transformed with native elements and with such eclectic refinement.(more on Thursday…)
(gemma601@yahoo.com)

“Krus na daan” DZRJ 810 khz, Monday to Friday, 5 to 6pm. Watch “Only Gemma!” RJTV, Mondays, 8pm, Sky 19 Manila & Baguio, Destiny 6 Cebu & 79 Manila, Palompon 23 Leyte, Colorview 40 Zambales, Caceres 6, Comsatel 44 Quezon 29, Mananap 18, Mariveles Space 27, La Union 38, Albay 6, Isabela 18.

Posted in Landscape | No Comments »

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Krag and concrete

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