Last November 1 at exactly 12 midnight, we went to Eternal Garden.
My Papa died in 1997 due to pneumonia that had complications due to diabetes. If he were alive today, I’m very sure he’d be so fond of my son Maru and my brother’s daughter Casey. He loved children. Noong nasa high school ako at medyo na-late ako ng uwi, binibitbit ko ang pamangkin kong si Jana bago ako magpakita kay Papa para hindi siya magalit. Dahil most of the time, nadi-distract agad siya ng mga bata. Napapangiti siya.
Minsan, nagwo-wonder ako, na kung buhay kaya si Papa ngayon, kung magiging proud kaya siya sa akin. Maybe. Maybe not. Because he wasn’t when he was alive. Or if he were, he never really showed.
Aside from my Papa, we also visited my uncle, Tatay Juancho; his daughter, Ate Macy; Ate Macy’s baby boy Mark; and her brother-in-law Kuya Oscar. In photo above is my nephew Johan, one of Ate Macy’s sons.
A few nights ago, I chanced upon old photos of Ate Macy’s family on Facebook. Grabe, nasa office ako pero hindi ko napigilang umiyak. She died in September 2008 due to liver cancer. If she were alive today, she could have run as Barangay Chairperson in the last elections and won. Everybody in our neighborhood knew her.
After several deaths in the family, I concluded that the number of times you’d get your heart crushed is in direct proportion to the number of people you love in your life. Dahil kung hindi man sila mawala dahil sa kanilang mga pangarap, o maagaw ng ibang tao, death is inevitably inevitable.
So my friends Marlon, Rhods and I actually braved the rains last night and went to Manila Cathedral in Intramuros.
We arrived there at past 11 since they had to wait for me to finish with the Darna presscon. We were thinking that last night was the best time to go since people would hopefully consider that they had to work early so they wouldn’t dare stay late in Intramuros. Plus, since tonight’s the last lamay, more people would probably come tonight.
But no. When we arrived by the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila area, we couldn’t find the end of the line.
Guess where we found the end of the line?
Almost at the foot of Jones Bridge! We clocked in at 12:00 midnight.
And had a painfully slow walking tour of Intramuros, minus Carlos Celdran.
It felt heaven when our line finally reached Manila Cathedral
even when we were pissed that these three old ladies made singit! Inis!
But from there, the line moved on smoothly.
Until we reached the door and the bouncers told us that we couldn’t take any more photos.
We reached Tita Cory by 3:30 a.m. I was able to say “Bless you” – the moment lasted for only three seconds – and then I had to leave.
Even though I’m not a “Corista” and Hacienda Luisita kept on popping in my head, I already forgave her. I understood that she was merely a product of her class. But I couldn’t say that she didn’t give it her all and didn’t mean well. After all, I somewhat owe her my freedom to write as I wish, whether on this blog or wherever.
Ms. Lala of GMA's old Cory doll
I went home dead tired but fulfilled. Thank you Tita Cory.
Ten months into the Cory presidency, Time magazine did an interview with the woman formerly known only as Ninoy’s wife. This interview revealed so much about Cory that if you hadn’t read the article then, you’d still get a bit surprised reading this today at how much Cory had matured after her husband’s death.
CLICK HERE to read Time Magazine’s interview published on January 5, 1987.
Being sold at Ebay.ph with the description: A large campaign photo of Corazon Aquino shaking the hands of rondalla musicians during the 1986 Snap Presidential Elections against strongman Ferdinand Marcos.
Meanwhile, Bulatlat made an honest-to-goodness tribute to the memory of the first woman president. Brutal, but still written with respect. Excerpts:
However, owing to her background, she fell short of implementing substantial reforms. She signed the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law, but the law had to be extended for more than two decades without being completed. The mill and farm workers of the Cojuangco-owned Hacienda Luisita had to fight for the land they have tilled for generations for two decades, paying for it with their blood before being able to gain it. She refused to renegotiate even the onerous foreign debts of the Marcos dictatorship, passing the Automatic Appropriation Law instead. And the Aquino government pursued the same economic policies that have wreaked havoc on the lives of the Filipino masses.
Whatever else happens in her rule, Aquino has already given her country a bright, and inviolate, memory. More important, she has also resuscitated its sense of identity and pride. In the Philippines those luxuries are especially precious. Almost alone among the countries of Asia, it has never been steadied by an ancient culture; its sense of itself, and its potential, was further worn away by nearly four centuries of Spanish and American colonialism. The absence of a spirit of national unity has also made democracy elusive. Even Jose Rizal, a political reformer shot by the Spanish and a national hero, called the Filipinos “a people without a soul.” Yet in February, for a few extraordinary moments, the people of the Philippines proved their bravery to the world, and to themselves.
Though I’m not a “Corista,” it’s still sad to hear of her passing.
According to sources, the family made an occular visit of Heritage Memorial Park in Taguig the other day for Cory’s funeral arrangement. A presscon will be held today at 11 a.m. Manila time regarding Cory’s passing and funeral.
UPDATE: President Cory Aquino’s wake will be at the La Salle Greenhills and will be buried at the Manila Memorial Park, says spokesperson Deedee Siytangco.
UPDATE 2: Cory will be buried beside husband Ninoy Aquino at the Manila Memorial Park on Wednesday. Public viewing of her remains will be at the La Salle Greenhills starting 5 p.m. today until Monday. A mass will be officiated at 8 p.m. tonight. There will be a gap in public viewing from 4 a.m. to 7 a.m.
On Monday, Cory’s remains will be transferred to the Manila Cathedral Church in Intramuros for necrological service.
The best thing about living in Manila is that you’re about one song away from many historical sites. I went to CCP last night to watch Jerome’s Karera and from where I live in Tondo, the taxi drove past Binondo, Jones Bridge, and the Intramuros area on my way there. I was just looking at photos from Old Philippines’ Facebook the other day and while inside the cab, wished we had preserved the beautiful structures that once stood in these areas.
This was Binondo during the 1900s.
The Binondo Church during the early 1900s
The luxurious Hotel de Oriente, where Jose Rizal once stayed in (Room 22), and La Insular Cigar and Cigarette Factory in the early 1900s
A closer view of the intricate architecture of Hotel de Oriente
Another Hotel de Oriente shot
But the Battle for Manila destroyed many of the city’s great architecture. This is the site of the once grand Hotel de Oriente and La Insular Cigar Factory.
On the Hotel de Oriente site now stands the Tytana Plaza, also known as the Metrobank Building. On the right, where the La Insular Cigar Factory once stood, are the offices of PSBank and First Metro Investment. I used to frequent First Metro since my Tito works there.
Is this a replica of the old fountain in front of Hotel de Oriente? When I passed by Binondo last night, I checked the fountain and I think it is now painted white.
On my way home, the cab driver gave me an instant tour of Intramuros just so we could cross Jones Bridge. So we passed by Ayuntamiento. This was the glorious Ayuntamiento during the early 1900s, when it was still the headquarters of the Civil Government at that time.
This is how Ayuntamiento (right) and Aduana (center) looked like after the Battle for Manila.
And this is Ayuntamiento now. Sad to see it rotting and unrestored.
We also passed by Pasig River going to Binondo, with the view of the El Holgar Filipino and the First National City Bank buildings.
On Facebook, the Old Philippines owner says, “Looking across the Pasig River to Binondo from the south end of the Jones Bridge. Left to right along Muelle de la Industria Street is the El Hogar Building. Built in 1914, the five story building housed the first Filipino financing institution. The next was the First National City Bank building, it was built in 1915.”
These are the El Holgar Filipino and First National City Bank buildings today.
Upon crossing the Jones Bridge, I once again saw the restored Insular Life building, which is said to be the oldest building to have survived in that area.
This is a shot of the old Insular Life (the one with the small dome tower) and Uy-Chaco buildings in 1945 after the Battle of Manila.
The Binondo Church is now surrounded by buildings, tindahan ng hopias (Eng Bee Tin), and other establishments. But in 1945, everything around it seemed to have been pulverized.
Buti na lang the church still stands there. It is now airconditioned.
How I wish we could recreate the great architecture found in old Manila. After all, it is once considered the Queen of the Pacific. With that I’m leaving you with a 1938 video of Manila. Notice the intricate design on the foot of Jones Bridge. Divine!
We say...