Sanctuario de San Pedro Bautista

The Franciscan Garden

Just when you thought that Quezon City has nothing to offer but the metro feel, top schools, colossal malls and trendy subdivisions, think again.

When you reflect on the old Filipinas what comes to mind is Manila and the well-known  provincia's (Vigan, Taal etc) but rarely someone would think of Quezon City as having something similar to the grand old churches and casa's of this enchanted Filipino Spanish towns.

The new fascade of the ol' Iglesia (it still stands on the original foundations of the first church, the rearrangement and renovations has drastically altered the first church)

Well, of course there are fine historical sites in Quezon City, I've always wanted to visit President Quezon's final resting place in Quezon circle but never had the time (or find not to have time). In Bagong Silang you have the site of the "Battle of San Mateo", Pugad Lawin and the Tandang Sora Shrine, just to name a few.

But the most amazing discovery I made recently was the Franciscan church in San Francisco del Monte, and it was a wonderful discovery. For hundreds of years it has served its dominion, not only establishing Christianity, which it has successfully completed but also introduce arts, like music. The town organizer and church builder, San Juan was a gifted musician.

Driving from Manila via España to Quezon City most of the times is a taxing charge(especially if your from the south metro), passing through this major roads are always better during the weekends. I thought for awhile that Sr.Gomez would take us to Santo Domingo, the church that was originally built in Manila but was later relocated because of its demolition during the American's unrelenting offensive of Manila (Liberation?). The La Naval de Manila (in Quezon City?) culture lost its continuity - but there must be some divine explanation we don't know that would explain why, the old site I believe is where BPI now stand in Intramuros.

Going back to this goldmine of a discovery, we headed to the San Francisco del Monte Church and was welcomed by its historical markers, appraising it made me appreciate that I was in one of the oldest church in this once Spanish province, here, in the heart of the metropolis.

The Antillan

I found this brief history of the place and its venerated Spaniard saint, San Pedro Bautista & his Iglesia.

Pedro Bautista Blasquez arrived in 1584 with the 4^th group of Franciscan Missionaries to the Philippines, was not an inexperienced man. He was 42 years old who acquired fame as a preacher in the cathedral of Toledo, Spain. He taught philosophy for three years in Madrid and was an excellent musician. He arrived as the head of the mission and was to preside as the chapter of custody. In a word he was a mature man, educated, experienced and placed in a position of authority.



The fourth Chapter of Custody and the first after the arrival of Pedro Baustista was held in the convent of Manila on September 24, 1584. The conference elected Pedro Bautista, Custos of Superiors of all Franciscans in the Philippines.



Apparently he preferred not to accept the position of authority. After the election Fray Pedro hid and only later when his brethren refused to accept his resignation did he took the position. That was in 1588. having accepted the responsibility he put himself dynamically into his work. He animated his religious to live out their profession and to care the conversion of others. To encourage them he learnt the language of the natives. He counseled his Friars living at a distance and encouraged them with his letters worthy of a holy man.

Because of his  deep concern for the spiritual welfare of his friars, Pedro Bautista saw the need for a secluded place where the missionaries, true to reform spirit of their province, could revive their spiritual vigor by prayer, reflection and discipline. After a long search, he selected a site a little over a league from Manila.



On February 15, 1590 Gov. Santiago De Vera donated "Una Pequeña Encomienda", an estate of some 150 hectares to the Franciscans: Pedro Bautista immediately ordered the construction of a small  bamboo  and nipa convent and church under  the title of Nuestra Señora de Montecelli, which however, was popularly known from the very beginnings of "San Francisco Del Monte".



It was opened as a retreat for missionaries and as a novitiate house from 1580 the novitiate had been in San Francisco De Manila but the noise of the city and the coming and going of the friars to the Provincia headquarters made it less than appropriate for contemplation. The first profession recorded in San Francisco Del Monte took place in December of 1591.

The cave for prayers (yes, this guys are pretty serious with their prayers that they dug a cave where they can pray in complete silence)

In 1699, a church was made of stone was built and the convent restructured. This was dedicated t the newly beatified Blessed Pedro Bautista and his companion martyrs. This church had now become the sanctuary with the Baroque altar that is still preserved today.



In 1895, the friars abandoned the lace and Filipino revolutionary forces occupied the church. In 1898, American Negro soldiers of the occupued the church. the church was left idle until it was repaired in 1912. In 1914, the Church was blessed and a town fiesta was held in honor of San Pedro Bautista.



On November 11, 1932, the Church was declared a parish name in honor of its founder and patron saint, San Pedro Bautista, before the decree, the parish belonged to the parish of Caloocan.



In 1989, the three century old baroque altar was transferred to the main sanctuary. In 1990, a statue of San Pedro Bautista was enshrined at the center of the altar. One February 5, 1997, the parish marked the 400^th anniversary f the Martyrdom of San Pedro Bautista. On February 25, 2007  the parish church was declared an  archdiocesan shrine to be known as Sanctuario de San Pedro Bautista in view of its monasterical and religious significance.



After a successful effort from Padre Gobo left for Manila but he was lost at sea. Gov. Dasmariñnas waited one futile year for his return then decided to send Pedro bautista as his new ambassador. brother Gonzalo Garcia who knew Japanese very well was designated as the new emissary's interpreter; tow other completed the group. after his diplomatic mission Pedro Bautista was to stay on as the permanent representative of the Governor of Manila and labor for the conversion of the Japanese.



That was the plan of the Governor but the "Superior of the Jesuits in Manila" reminded him of the prohibition of Gregory XIII. The Governor called a meeting at the church of San Agustin on May 18, 1593 to discuss with the prominent theologian and authorities what could be done. The outcome was his firm decision to send Bautista's party.



On May 30, 1593 Pedro Bautista and his companions sailed for Japan, their new work and eventually their martyrdom four years later.



Continuing  the policy of his famous predecessor Fray Juan de Placentia, "The Father of Reductions", San Pedro worked to gather  the native of the towns. In Morong, he obliged the numerous rancherias spread throughout the mountains to form the "Doctrinea" of Morong. He was the moving spirit behind the behind the foundation of many towns. In Camarines: Quipayo, Cagsawa, Baac, Oas, Libmanan and Buhi. In Laguna - Rizal area: Tanay, Baras, Longos and Paquil. And in Bulacan: Catangala (Polo). He likewise started churches and convents of Meycuayan and Calilay, centers in the days of Bulacan and Tayabas.

It was a great experience walking around, seeing people celebrate mass on a Sunday, thinking that Catholic tradition here is almost as old as the founding of the walled city, it was alive, surviving the wars (both sectarian and military conflicts). The place is a legacy of the Catholic missionaries. It reminded me how it all happened, the religion and the country.

One of the most interesting historical facts that were not taught in schools is that this Catholic missions, founded almost all of our old towns, paving the way to unanimity, inspiring the shape of the islands into what we know now as the Philippine Islands, christianization and domination, and perhaps its unseen and under valued gift, our identity.

As I was walking along the Franciscan garden I tried to visualize what it was like living their lives, far away from their beautiful mother country, the endless prayers and the remote, often, perilous missions to convert, some say we never desired their interference and Christian convertion but we still remain transformed Katoliko's anyway, to say now that 'all Friars' - are wicked and that they corrupted us, is plainly erroneous.

Let's give credit, where credit is due

...speaking of credits, this two brought me here.

...speaking of credits, this two brought me here.

Gracias, mis amigos...

Pepito, me & the man, the legend GGR

Remember Heneral Cailles!

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="225" caption="The great Heneral Cailles"][/caption]

One of the greatest commander in Aguinaldo's army, Juan Cailles the great field general in Tayabas and Laguna is all but forgotten now. Unpopular to our history text, unfamiliar to most of us, the Nasugbu born, half French half Indian Cailles, got his early education in the Jesuit run Escuela Normal in Manila and became a maestro in Cavite towns. He taught in Spanish and would be regarded even later in his life as ‘El Maestro', a fitting moniker for he was a brilliant strategist in battle and in public administration.

At the outbreak of the war against mother Spain, he enlisted and held an officer rank under revolution heroes Evangelista, Tria Tirona and Noriel. Due in part to the deaths of his battle masters, the colonel rose from obscurity to become head master himself, he was commissioned heneral by Aguinaldo in the years that followed. And this adopted son of Laguna would not disappoint.

He was with Noriel when the General was itching to capture the walled city, American historian Benjamin Beede in his book "The War of 1898", "assigned to the primera zona, Cailles warned of a US troop build up and defied US forces' attempt to persuade him to retreat. His daring won him praise from Aguinaldo."

But Aguinaldo, cowed by that American might, later conned by its sales pitch, never took the city. Much to the disappointment of his field commanders, Noriel and men like Cailles, so close but it must have felt like light years for the brave Filipino warriors. No, Intramuros, Manila belongs to the new American lords, not to Aguinaldo's revolutionary state. The American stole what could have been the greatest victory of the revolution, Americans became new conquerors, It completed the vicious cycle from one master to another. The cry for freedom, remained a cry for it never materialized, no one was liberated. It snapped before it could fulfill its promise. Foreign domination looms as the future of the Filipino state.

The Tagalog warrior would continue fighting for his el Presidente. The most skillful commander in Aguinaldo's army was only in his mid 30's; he was young, brilliant and fearless. He was battle tested, he gained invaluable experience fighting the most powerful military force then, and now. The white men he saw  Manila bay, the same men who stole Intramuros from his hands is already inland and there is nothing more he could ask for. The war is now in the Tagalog heartland.

"War, War, is what we want!", he told Aguinaldo. The size of the American contingent is nothing to him, he was a confident fighter.

The same year he was appointed by Aguinaldo's revolutionary government as military Governor of Laguna. He would employ guerilla warfare, it was his antidote to the overly large American army. Hit and not be hit. He was so successful in his campaigns that it was told then that the confident General proclaimed himself successor to Aguinaldo. The self appointed heir apparent was the shimmer man of the Luzon battlegrounds.

He was ruthless; he commanded deaths for Filipino collaborators. He used terror to his advantage. The New York Times on April 29, 1901 reported about a unit in Cailles army called Mando-Ducats, this men conducted assassinations for American collaborators. In that paper, it was reported that the group was also involve in burying men alive, an act intended to strike fear among the population. He went after the Federalistas, tagged them as traitors and executed them in public. He was branded; warlord by some, Aguinaldo never restrained his actions, communication between the leader and follower even reflected a common stand. He would not be held responsible for the alleged war crimes even during the peaceful years of Quezon's commonwealth nation. He smoothly transitioned from warrior to public servant.

The American so hated him that they would employ their entire arsenal chasing the Lagunense's army, much to their disadvantage. He was fighting small, they were fighting big, and it was a classic elephant versus tiger confrontation. So effective that he dealt a major blow to the Americans when he defeated them in their invasion of Mabitac.

The Americans in their desperation to capture the mustached hero circulated 16 blown up photographs and suggested rewards leading to his capture.

Americans portrayed him barbaric and murderous but he would surprised everyone, even his men and his adversary Col. Cheetham when the morning after the battle he allowed Cheetham to retrieve his dead soldiers in the fields of Mabitac, making sure that wounded and dead would be brought to their camps, a sharp contrast to the American propaganda against the brave Heneral.

His military genius would be put to use as Governor when he suppressed the Sakdalan rebellion.

Cailles failure to make progress in Tayabas and in light of Aguinaldo's capture led him to accept terms for his surrender in Santa Cruz, ending his legendary war career that goes back to his gallant stand with Noriel in the gates of Manila. Together with 650 of his men they laid down their arms. In a ceremony, he tendered his sword to Gen. Summer. The General would return the sword and revolutionary flag to the local hero. Cailles would present these items to Gen. MacArthur, marking the end of his resistance.

He served Laguna as its Governor in 1901 - 1910 and again 1916 - 1925. Later on he was appointed, representative of Mountain Province in the national legislature in 1925, until 1931. He then again became Laguna governor in 1934. He was Laguna's first Filipino governor.

During his term he built the capitolyo, regional hospital and other important provincial service buildings. He donated years of his salary to a school, being a schoolteacher he understood the importance of educacion, this would later became  the Cailles Fund. His adversaries hated him but during his years as public servant, his people loved him.

Aside from the jueteng allegations that Quezon administration raised as a concern, the president said it was more of his wife's doing - "brave as he is", the Mestizo leader said, "like all men he's afraid of his wife", he would later recognize and call on Cailles as the greatest provincial governor the nation ever had. He lived a peaceful and honest life after he swore allegiance to the new government. He died in 1951 of heart attack.

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I dedicate this incomplete history of General  Cailles to his great grandchildren, who now tries to learn more about the heroism of their great lolo.

Remember Cailles.

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Los Baños' Poblacion

I was corresponding with Traveler on foot about the historic town of Los Baños, he told me to post it on the net so people would know, he is much better at this, hands down.

Here is my shot at photo slash travel blogging!

Agua Santas stone road that leads to the lake. During the WWII, the Americans made this a make shift hospital, later they recreated the old baths. It is now abandoned


Although this looks like a modern structure, its foundation and its walls(some of it) are said to be as old as the town. It is said that this is where the town was founded, for this is the site where the Friars built the first ever bath, their Los Baños."][/caption]

"The Oldest church in town, the Immaculate Concepcion church. It has been renovated many times; its façade (front part) is the only remnants of the original."


Paciano Rizal's Grave, he was buried in his garden.

The facade of Paciano's humble house.


View from the Municipio terrace.

Dreams of America

I was reading the opinion section of Philippine Star last Saturday. My day of reading would not be complete without Alejandro Roces' Roses and Thorns. One of my favorite commentary in print. His article was entitled, The great US experiment - the Philippines. Although I happen to disagree with what was written, I was even more surprised by the comments when I scrolled down.

Bunch of people were talking about the good years we had with the US, and how we could have benefit as a nation if we were an American state - that we needed them, one even went far as saying that we should lobby to be part of the states today. When I signed in, and shared my view of how far fetch their ideas were, they made jokes out of it, in fairness to them they were funny.


"The Forbidden Book"

It's unfortunate that some of our young people would even spend time dreaming about the this so called 'land of opportunity'. It's a clear sign of desperate times, aspiring that we could go back in Americas good graces, that they could retake their prodigal son and help it regain past glory.

I'm reminded of the "federalistas" during the turn of the century, when America cut short Aguinaldo's republic before it could even legitimize its existence. When US was already in power, this party was so eager to join the American states that they shamelessly threw themselves at the feet of the new rulers, untiringly lobbying for the poor Philippines to be assimilated to the great empire, to be with the great states in the mainland, only to find out that we were unwanted, that US does not need this country to be theirs, only its resources and its strategic location.

I love reading old notes, it reminds me of the reality - how we were treated as a people, like this one from Senator Albert Beveridge of Indiana in 1900, his take on Filipinos, ''not of a self-governing race . . .. Savage blood, Oriental blood, Malay blood, Spanish example -- are these the elements of self-government?''

It was said that imperialism is always, racist. I think with that kind of statement from an American leader. It is.

American regards themselves for converting us to Christianity, when we already are Christians, thanks to Catholicism. We have stronger Christian values and beliefs than them when they came, that I am sure.

We are all happy to recall our deep relationship with the US, but we find it hard (almost impossible in most cases) to even visit relatives in the US mainland when we want to, while Japan, who once attacked them, killing thousands, not counting their soldiers who fought in the Pacific - enjoys the luxury of a pass, without restrictions. Its high time that we accept that America is a friend, when it can find good benefit, but if you're the third world nation, the sick ol' man of Asia, reminding them of history is fruitless.

I've come full circle in my political history studies; I have been an admirer as a young man of the American ideals for this nation of ours. Later on, when further study has shown that, the ideals that I once admired are but a façade of a more intricate plan, that of an ambition of an imperialistic super power, the "large policy" as it was called by its leaders.

And like Aguinaldo and his men, many people have been fooled by the cunning of the American leaders. For they have been after this lands long before the revolution has even begun, only using it to further their advance here and in the region, their real purpose can be understood by this letter of John Hay to his friend Theodore Roosevelt, referring to the war with Spain, "a splendid little war, begun with the highest motives, carried on with magnificent intelligence and spirit, favored by that Fortune which loves the brave."