May 28: National Flag Day; Unang pagkakataong iwinagayway ang bandila sa Boac, Marinduque, Hunyo 27, 1898

Presidential Proclamation No. 374 ay nagdeklara na Mayo 28 ang National Flag Day. Ginugunita ang araw kung kailan ang pambansang watawat ay unang iwinagayway ng matalo ng puwersa ng rebolusyonaryong Filipino ang puwersang Espanyol sa Labanan sa Alapan, Imus, Cavite noong 1898.

Ang pagkamakabayan ng mga Marindukenyo ay naisuat sa maraming mga tala noong panahon ng Digmaang Filipino-Espanyol, Digmaang Filipino-Amerikano, at Digmaang Filipino-Hapon. Kung tutuusin, ang mga pinuno ng Marinduque na pinamunuan ni Gobernador-Militar Martin Lardizabal ang mas nauna kaysa sa alin mang provinsya sa pagdedeklara ng paghiwalay mula sa pamamahala ng Espanya sa Pilipinas.

Nang ang pinakahuling natitira pang mga casadores ng Espanya ay umalis sa Marinduque noong Abril 23, 1898, idineklara ng Marinduque ang kalayaan nito mula sa Espanya. Naganap ito sa petsang nabanggit sa pamamagitan ng isang pormal na pagpupulong at pagpapatibay ng mga kinatawan (mga opisyal ng bayan at ilustrados) mula sa limang munisipalidad ng Boac, Gasan, Mogpog, Sta. Cruz at Torrijos. (Buenavista, dating Sabang ay bahagi pa ng Gasan).

Ancestral house ng Lardizabal-Trivino*. Larawan ni Phil Lim

Hindi nakakagulat kung gayon, nang ang unang Watawat ng Pilipinas ay dinala sa Marinduque makalipas ang dalawang buwan, at makalipaas ang dalawang linggo nang idineklara ni Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo sa Kawit,Cavite ang kasarinlan ng Pilipinas.

Napakalaking kaganapan sa bayan ng Boac, Marinduque ang pagtitipon ng mga taga rito upang bigyang pagpupugay ang watawat. Naisulat ni Ramon Madrigal, ang mahalagang tala ng lokal na kasaysayan tungkol sa pagsalubong ng mga Marindukenyo sa watawat:

 

"Noong Hunyo 27, (1898), mensahero ng Gobernador (Gobernador Martin Lardizabal), na si Canuto Vargas, ay dumating sa Boac na dala-dala ang unang Watawat ng Pilipinas para sa Lalawigan ng Marinduque. Isang malaking pulutong ng mga tao ang nagtungo sa Bundok  Santol upang salubungin ang Bandila habang ang tagadala ng watawat ay pumapasok sa bayan sa Calle Real.

"Napakaraming mga tao ang sumalubong pero ang Bandila na nakatali sa dulo ng mahabang poste ng kawayan ang makikitang dahan-dahang gumagalaw, hindi makita kung sino ang tagadala ng watawat.

"Nang nakarating pa lamang sa panlalawigang gusali* nakilala kung sino ang may dala at nakilala ngang si Cabuto Vargas, isang maliit na tao, pawisna pawis at mukhang pagod na. Ang mga tao ay tuwang-tuwa na makita at hangaan ang kauna-unahang watawat ng Pilipinas sa lalawigan ng Marinduque -  ang Bandila na kanilang kinilala at iginagalang ng labis na may pagmamahal."

(* Ayon sa tala, ang gusaling tinutukoy dito ay ang tahanang Lardizabal-Trivino na nasa tapat ng Boac covered court ngayon.)

Once upon a time in Marinduque there was a very rich man

Once upon a time in Marinduque, there was a very rich man named Don Leon Lardizabal. Here's his story written by Dr. Jaime C. Laya, former Central Bank governor, education minister, UP dean, culture administrator (Intramuros Administration, NCCA, CCP), art collector, author and columnist; others refer to him as a 'renaissance man'. 

Dr. Laya was married to one of many descendants of Don Leon. In a story first published in his column 'Wala Lang' (Manila Bulletin) in 2014, and reposted below, Laya wrote among others, thus: 

"Generations later, my five grandchildren can each look to 888.9 square meters of Marinduque hillside with maybe 40 coconut trees from their great-great-great-great grandfather."

 Note: Among Don León’s descendants are Marinduque Governors Don Martín Lardizabal (1898-1901) and Vicente Triviño (1919-1922); educator Pilar Hidalgo Lim; Bayanihan’s José Lardizabal; Supreme Court Justice Edgardo Parás; radio and TV personality Johnny Midnight; AIM Dean Ricky Lim; media figure CheChe Lázaro; and Landco Pacific’s Alfred Xérèz-Burgos, Jr. - JCL

TILL DEATH DO US PART

By Jaime C. Laya

A FAMILY LEGACY Don Leon Lardizabal’s granddaughter Eulalia and her husband Luis Hidalgo with their family, taken at their Magdalena St. (now Masangkay), Trozo home, ca. 1910. Standing are Augusto, Ursula, Rafael and wife Rufina Zamora, Pilar, and Clemente. Between his parents is Nicanor and seated on the ground are Concepcion and Nieves.

Don León Lardizabal was dying. By his side were his tearful wife, Doña Maria Luz del Rosario, and their nine children—Pedro, Agueda, Martín, Petronilo, Fermina, Eusebia, Estefana, Juanita, and Concepción.

He gave instructions on funeral arrangements. A hundred Holy Masses were to be offered for the repose of his soul and P25 were to be given as alms to the poor. That was princely—it was 1870 and town property settled on Andrés Cantones and Cabesang Romualdo were each valued at P30.

Don León announced that half his worldly goods were properly Doña Maria’s, but that they had already decided on who gets what to avoid future discord (“at huag naman niong pagbasagan ng olo bucas macalaua”).

There was indeed a lot to squabble over. The couple owned irrigated riceland, abaca, and coconut plantations; ranchland with herds of carabaos and cows. They were in trading and shipping (goleta “Santísima Trinidad” and pangco “San Gabriel”) and in money lending. Then there were the family home, jewels galore, and plenty more.

Don León’s Testamento (written in Tagalog) dated 7 Marzo 1870 enumerated what each child was to receive except for the already wed Don Pedro and Doña Agueda who had received their portions upon marriage.

Riceland was measured by the quantity of seed needed for planting and Don Martin, for example, received tubigan (irrigated riceland) at Agot, Botón, Balimbíng, Paua, and Bantáy needing seed of 26 caván (sack) and nine salóp (ganta) plus niogan (coconut plantation) in three villages. Other heirs were given equivalent property in Boác, Santa Cruz, and Gasan (including the fields where the airport now is).

The house and its contents (valued at P3,500) were to be for any single children, identifying chandelier (araña walong tubo, P180), table (probably marble-topped, P21), and two virina with images of the Virgin (P100). It is unclear, however, if Don León’s home is the still-standing Lardizabal house, the town’s largest, that occupies an entire block at Boác CBD.

Shares were equalized with jewelry. In addition to land for example, Don Martín got a diamond button set, a watch and a seguro de oro (religious gold pin) worth P363 total. A chest contained a fortune, 14,000 silver peso coins, to be equally divided among the seven unmarried children. Assuming these were 1870 Mexican pesos, current numismatic value would be about P21 million or P3 million each.

Don León concluded with the admonition that the siblings live together in harmony and follow their mother’s wishes.

It’s tough estimating Don León’s net worth, but my late mother-in-law, a great-grandchild, owned sizeable niogan that was originally Don León’s. Since her own mother Doña Eulalia Lardizabal de Hidalgo was one of seven children and her grandfather (Don Pedro) one of nine, the old man could have owned several thousand hectares of coconut land alone had niogan been consistently divided equally among heirs.

Generations later, my five grandchildren can each look to 888.9 square meters of Marinduque hillside with maybe 40 coconut trees from their great-great-great-great grandfather.

Marinduque heroes remembered but forgotten once more in modern day historical amnesia?

What remains of the Cemeterio de Tampus gate

According to oral history, Cemeterio de Tampus was the final resting place of Martin Lardizabal, Marinduque’s first military governor during the first phase of the Philippine revolution in this island-province. 

When the Philippine-American War started Lardizabal was still the governor but due to a lingering illness he appointed Col. Maximo Abad, Chief of the Marinduque Revolutionary Force to replace him.

If the local Church’s death records of that period are still intact today, Lardizabal’s burial place has remained undocumented, however. Surviving descendants may still have memories of one of Marinduque’s noble heroes.

The Church of Boac

Ten years ago in 2008, however, the Philippine Senate in a move to honor the courage and self-sacrifice of Filipino heroes whose deeds remain lost in history books and in memories of the people, adopted a Resolution. 

Resolution No. 54 was adopted for the establishment of a separate grave site or a memorial in Libingan ng mga Bayani to honor the heroism of all Filipino soldiers during the Philippine-American War.

In this significant Resolution lesser known names were cited and included the names of Marinduque’s Martin Lardizabal and Ciriaco Vida (known in those days as “Alapaap”).

Curiously, the name of Marinduque’s foremost hero, Col. Maximo Abad, of the ‘Battle of Pulang Lupa’ in 1900 was not included. Ciriano Vida was one of Abad’s trusted officers.

Libingan ng mga Bayani

This was established by the Philippine Government in 1947, then known as the Republic Memorial Cemetery, to commemorate the lives of fallen Filipino soldiers who fought in World War II.

Established in 1947, Libingan ng mga Bayani was first known as the Republic Memorial Cemetery. It was established by the Philippine government to commemorate the lives of the fallen Filipino soldiers who fought in World War II. 

Based on the Allocation of Cemetery Plots at the Libingan, veterans of the Philippine Revolution of 1890, World War I, World War II and recognized guerillas could be interred there alongside Filipino military personnel, other heroes and patriots.

A Memorial for the Philippine-American War heroes should suffice if remains could not be interred. But has such a memorial for the heroes of what was once called by the Americans as “Philippine Insurrection” been built in our time? Ten years after the Senate’s Resolution?

Teatro Balangaw Ensemble in a Battle of Pulang Lupa commemoration (2007)

Republic of the Philippines

Congress of the Philippines

SENATE

Pasay City

14^th Congress

First Regular Session

Resolution No. 54

RESOLUTION URGING THE DEPARTMENT OF NATIONAL DEFENSE TO ESTABLISH A SEPARATE GRAVE SITE OR A MEMORIAL IN THE LIBINGAN NG MGA BAYANI TO HONOR THE HEROISM OF ALL THE FILIPINO SOLDIERS WHO COURAGEOUSLY FOUGHT IN THE PHILIPPINE-AMERICAN WAR

WHEREAS, ON February 4, 1899, or one hundred and six (106) years ago, American Sentry Private William W. Grayson haplessly fired at two Filipinos (one of whom was identified as Anastacio Felix), who were innocently passing along Calle Sosiego;

WHEREAS, that day marks the beginning of the Philippine-American War, a fourteen-year bloody struggle between the Filipinos and Americans;

WHEREAS, FOR ALMOST A CENTURY, THE Philippine-American War has been dismissed by the Westerners as the “Philippine Insurrection”, in an effort to paint a false picture of a second-class people, barely unable to stand up against their white colonizers;

WHEREAS, IT WAS ONLY IN 1979 THAT THE INACCURATE TERM :Philippine Insurrection” was officially designated as the “Philippine-American War” by the United States Library of Congress;

"WHEREAS, during the Philippine-American War, Filipino soldiers, though limited in rifles and ammunition and armed mostly with bolos and bamboo spears, bravely risked their lives to achieve independence;

WHEREAS, General Emilio Aguinaldo, Macario Salcay and General Mariano Lukban are among the familiar names, which come to mind as Filipino heroes during the Pliilippine-American War;

WHEREAS, less popular characters such as Juan Cailles, Martin Lardizabal and Ciriaco Vida, as well as almost 16,000 names of Filipino soldiers who selflessly laid down their lives during the Philippine-American War remain lost in Philippine history books and, sadly, in the memories of the Filipino people;

WHEREAS, the heroism and patriotism of the Filipino men and women, who refused to succumb to American rule, but fought for freedom to the point of death, should not be lost in historical amnesia;

WHEREAS, the heroes and heroines of the Philippine-American War, especially those not identified in the scrolls of history, should be honored for their courage and self-sacrifice, and remembered as a testament of the Filipino people’s love for their country, especially in these times of national crisis;

WHEREAS, it is important that the heroic deeds and patriotism of the Filipino heroes and heroines during the Philippine-American War be honored and immortalized in the hearts and minds of the Filipino people, especially the youth, who can draw inspiration from the ideals and the patriotism, and even learn from the mistakes, of the Filipino men and women who fought for Philippine independence;

WHEREAS, the Libingan ng mga Bayani is a public memorial cemetery for the gallant Filipino men and women who brought honor to the country and who fought for the sake of freedom;

WHEREAS, the Libingan ng mga Bayani does not have a separate grave site designated, nor a memorial structure established in honor of the valiant Filipino soldiers who fought in the Philippine-American War;

WHEREAS, pursuant to Presidential Decree No. 107 issued on January 26, 1977, the Department of National Defense is the agency tasked with the “administration, maintenance and development” of the Libingan ng mga Bayani: Now, therefore be it

Resolved, further. That the Senate of the Philippines calls on the Department of Education and the National Historical Institute to conduct, using the Filipino’s own perspective, studies and research on the personalities involved and the events which transpired during the Philippine-War, and to popularize and inculcate among Filipinos, especially the students, the heroism of the Filipinos during such important period of Philippine history.

Adopted,

MANNY VILLAR

President of the Senate

This Resolution was adopted by the Senate on February 4, 2008.

Marinduque's Struggle for FREEDOM!

Teatro Balangaw actors display the official colors of Marinduque's six municipalities in celebrating Marinduque's 1900 victory, considered the country's most significant victory during the second phase of the Philippine revolution (Philippine-American War).

In 2008, the "Battle of Pulang Lupa", Marinduque's historic contribution to that struggle was highlighted as part of the simultaneous nationwide celebration of the Philippine Independence Day, June 12th.

Reenacting the battle at the site where a historical site marker stands, the site of an annual pilgrimage by freedom-lovers and patriots.

The Marinduque struggle immortalized some local names, among them Gov. Martin Lardizabal, Ciriaco Vida (Alapaap), and Col. Maximo Abad, Lardizabal's military counterpart.

There's a little-known fact, however, that the 14th Congress passed Resolution No. 54, adopted by the Senate on February 4, 2008, urging the Department of National Defense to establish a separate grave site or a memorial in the Libingan ng mga Bayani to honor the heroism of all the Filipino soldiers who courageously fought in the Philippine-American War.

Most significantly, the same Resolution cited "less popular characters such as Juan Cailles, Martin Lardizabal and Ciriaco Vida, as well as almost 16,000 names of Filipino soldiers who selflessly laid down their lives
during the Philippine-American War" that "remain lost in Philippine
history books and, sadly, in the memories of the Filipino people".

For this and many more reasons, this blogger has continued to do research, gather relevant information and use the subject for artistic work. That there's a dearth of information on the issue of local heroes and historic events cannot be denied. Parallel search for documents and photos found in US archives and private libraries has also been undertaken by American national Curt Shepard, who owns a house in Mogpog.

(Col. Abad and his comrades)

Senate Resolution No. 54 reads in part:

"WHEREAS, during the Philippine-American War, Filipino soldiers, though limited in rifles and ammunition and armed mostly with bolos and bamboo spears, bravely risked their lives to achieve independence;

WHEREAS, General Emilio Aguinaldo, Macario Salcay and General Mariano Lukhan are among the familiar names, which come to mind as Filipino heroes during the Pliilippine-American War;

WHEREAS, less popular characters such as Juan Cailles, Martin Lardizabal and Ciriaco Vida, as well as almost 16,000 names of Filipino soldiers who selflessly laid down their lives during the Philippine-American War remain lost in Philippine history books and, sadly, in the memories of the Filipino people;

WHEREAS,the heroism and patriotism of the Filipino men and women, who refused to succumb to American rule, but fought for freedom to the point of death, should not he
lost in historical amnesia;

WHEREAS, the heroes and heroines of the Philippine-American War, especially those not identified in the scrolls of history, should be honored for their courage and self-sacrifice, and remembered as a testament of the Filipino people’s love
for their country, especially in these times of national crisis;

WHEREAS, it is important that the heroic deeds and patriotism of the Filipino heroes and heroines during the Philippine-American War be honored and immortalized in the
hearts and minds of the Filipino people, especially the youth, who can draw inspiration from the ideals and the patriotism, and even learn from the mistakes, of the Filipino men and women who fought for Philippine independence..."

VIVA MARINDUQUE!!! VIVA PILIPINAS!!!













(Jonard Arenas of Bangbang as Abad sings the solo part of "Awit sa Pulang Lupa".)

PROUDLY PINOY! PROUDLY MARINDUQUENO!

More Comment Graphics


HAPPY PHILIPPINE INDEPENDENCE DAY!

The patriotism of the Marinduqueno is well documented in numerous accounts during the Filipino-Spanish War, the Filipino-American War, and the Filipino-Japanese War. Truth is, the leaders of Marinduque led by Military Governor Martin Lardizabal were the first, making Marinduque the first province, to declare separation from Spanish rule. When the last of the Spanish casadores left Marinduque on April 23, 1898, Marinduque declared its independence from Spain, an act formally ratified by the representatives (town officials and ilustrados) from the five municipalities of Boac, Gasan, Mogpog, Sta. Cruz and Torrijos. (Buenavista, formerly Sabang was then still a part of Gasan).

No wonder then that when the first Philippine Flag was brought to Marinduque two months later, it was such a big event that brought the Marinduqueno folks together to worship the flag. Ramon Madrigal, the foremost Marinduque historian's eyewitness account is as follows:

“On June 27th, (1898), the Governor’s (Gov. Martin Lardizabal’s) courier, Canuto Vargas, arrived in Boac bringing the first Philippine Flag for the Province of Marinduque. A huge crowd of people went to Mount Santol to welcome the Flag as the flag-bearer was entering the town on Calle Real. The crowd was so big that only the Flag tied to a bamboo pole could be seen moving slowly, the flag-bearer could not be discerned.

Only when it reached the Provincial building* that the bearer was recognized as Canuto Vargas, a short man who was sweating profusely and looking exhausted. The people were most excited to see and admire the first Philippine Flag in the Province – the Flag they came to know and to revere so much and so fondly.”

(*The provincial building referred to here is the ancestral Lardizabal-Trivino house across today's Boac Covered Court. It served as the first capitol building when Lardizabal assumed governorship. Photo of said house as it looks today (shown above)is courtesy of dennisvillegas.blogspot.com)