WHEN THE FILIPINO FIRST PROVED HIMSELF TO THE WORLD by Cielo Reyno       In May 1884, at the Exposicion Nacional de Bellas Artes held in Madrid, the Jury of Honor awarded the first of the three gold medals of the competition to Juan Luna for his painting Spoliarium, his blunt depiction of dying and dead continue reading : When the Filipino First Proved Himself to the World

THE HISTORY OF THE FIRST PHILIPPINE ASSEMBLY (1907-1916)       It was the inauguration of the First Philippine Assembly in 1907 that paved the way for the country’s independence from American rule as it provided the Filipino legislators to have hands-on in the local political affairs. This event was very significant in the history continue reading : The History of the First Philippine Assembly (1907-1916)

SPEAKER SERGIO OSMENA CARRIES ON THE INDEPENDENCE STRUGGLE by Cielo G. Reyno       Perhaps it was not a mere quirk of fate that his death on 19 October 1961 occurred close to the anniversary of the institution that first catapulted him to national prominence, and with which his name will always be intertwined.  Osmeña, together continue reading : Speaker Sergio Osmeña Carries On  the Independence Struggle

THE GATES TO HEROISM: DEFINING A FILIPINO HERO by Diana A. Galang       It is common for Filipinos to look for someone to idolize –saints, politicians, artists, models, etc., somebody they will glorify and imitate. Since the time of the declaration of Philippine independence, 109 years ago, many were acknowledged as Filipino heroes, continue reading : The Gates to Heroism: Defining A Filipino Hero

THE TWO FACES OF THE 1872 CAVITE MUTINY By Chris Antonette Piedad-Pugay       The 12th of June of every year since 1898 is a very important event for all the Filipinos.  In this particular day, the entire Filipino nation as well as Filipino communities all over the world gathers to celebrate the Philippines’ continue reading : The Two Faces of the 1872 Cavite Mutiny

THE BALMIS MISSION: AN EXTRAORDINARY EXPEDITION by Ma. Cielito G. Reyno       On April 15, 1805 the vaccine against smallpox, one of the deadliest and most physically disfiguring diseases ever known to man, arrived in the Philippines.  Headed by Dr. Francisco Xavier de Balmis, court physician of the Spanish crown, the medical life-saving continue reading : The Balmis Mission: An Extraordinary Expedition

RIZAL THE FUTURIST by Dr. Pablo S. Trillana II on the 103rd Anniversary of the Martyrdom of Dr. Jose Rizal (1999) “Protean is the word that comes to mind when we speak of the Filipino national hero Dr. Jose Rizal. Novelist, poet, teacher, linguist, ophthalmologist, sportsman, sculptor, essayist,thinker. He was all of the above. But continue reading : Rizal the Futurist

A GUERRILLA’S TRICK THAT WORKED: REMEMBERING STRATEGIES THAT MATTER By Peter Jaynul V. Uckung       We always remember World War II in the Philippine as a litany of battles and brutalities. From the Fall of Bataan in April 1942 to the destruction of Manila in February 1945 the Filipinos have experienced all the tragedies of continue reading : A Guerrilla’s trick that worked: Remembering strategies that matter

THE BATTLE OF MANILA by Peter Jaynul Uckung       General Yamashita considered Manila as too vulnerable to American attack and ordered his troops to evacuate to Northern Luzon for a last ditch stand where the mountains stood as national barriers to any military assault.       Most of his soldiers quickly obeyed continue reading : The Battle of Manila

THE BATTLE FOR MANILA by Chris Antonette Pugay “Leave a way of escape to a surrounded enemy…”                                                                                           -Chun Tzu        After the successful landing of Mac Arthur and group in Palo, Leyte on October 20, 1944, the American Liberation Force started its campaign moving towards the north.  As early as January 9 of the continue reading : The Battle for Manila

THE PANGATIAN RAID AND RESCUE (With a Brief Introduction on the Liberation Campaign) by Chris Antonette Piedad-Pugay   Background      Camp Pangatian was a former mobilization center of the Philippine Army in the pre-war years that could be found in the east of Cabanatuan. During the war it served as a concentration camp that continue reading : The Pangatian Raid and Rescue

A THORN ON  THE ENEMY’S SIDE: THE ABLAN-MADAMBA GUERILLA GROUP by Chris Antonette P. Pugay       On 8 December 1941 (7 December, 2:30 a.m. US time), Pearl Harbor was attacked by the Japanese warplanes, which prompted the United States to declare war against Japan.  The attack of Pearl Harbor was initiated by the severed continue reading : A Thorn on the Enemy’s Side: The Ablan-Madamba Guerilla Group