Manila, My Manila

Book Summary: Manila, My Manila is not your ordinary history book; it gives you not just dates,
names and places but more importantly, it gives you stories that brings life to these names, dates and
places that shaped our Manila. Some of these stories are not even heard by many of us but as
equally interesting as Rizal’s El Filibusterismo. The aim of this book is actually stated in the title; to tell
the story of how manila came to be for the enjoyment of the younger generations. It also aims to
preserve these stories through every word imprinted to the pages of this book. The style of writing
here of Nick Joaquin is quite interesting. He wrote the book not in the manner of how most of the
historians and textbook writers would do; he did it as if he was writing a novel about a whimsical town
called Manila. As a result, readers of this book will definitely not get bored but instead, will hold on to
every page and thus making them more informed of the story of the place they were born or if not, at
least hear of all the time because of the claims of many that this place will give them a better life.
Because of the outstanding style of writing of Nick Joaquin, readers would wish that they could weave
his sentences into a rug to roll around. That’s why I really think that through this, the younger
generations would have a better understanding and appreciation of not just only Manila’s history but
the entire history of our country. What I like most with Nick Joaquin’s books is that he narrated the
history of Manila using a very different approach. He stirred away from the objective type of telling
history; he made it more fun by telling stories. These stories are not the ones you commonly hear
from other historians like how the Japanese bombed the Pearl Harbor or how many Soldiers died in
the Death March. These stories brought us back to the past by intricately describing how the society
looks like and how they carry on with their lives. He shared stories that are almost never heard of.
Nick Joaquin started narrating the journeys of our Manila by first giving us a picture of what used to
be it and connecting it to the present appearance of Manila. He pointed out that the buildings now that
are erected around Manila were used to be cliffs, river, and seas before. From the Physical
characteristics, he went next to describing the first Filipinos. Malay is our breed. (Manila, My Manila,
5) From travelling by foot, they restlessly wandered to the Malay Peninsula, Indonesia, and Marianas
and from the South Pacific, moved north to the Philippines and settled there. These tribes, along with
others, started the first settlement found in the Philippines. From the nomadic life of the stone era
through the more civilized life of the metal age. They established barangays and divided their
community to three social classes; the datus or royalty, Maharlika and the Alipin. Even before the
Spaniards came, they have already come into contact with other neighboring countries like China for
business. They trade products with one another. It was in 1500s when the Manileños came into
contact with white people. It was this time when Soliman and Goiti sealed their treaty with a blood
compact (which was not honored) and when Miguel Lopez de Legazpi occupied manila on the name
of the King of Spain. On June 3, 1571, Legazpi formally gave Manila the title city and proclaimed it
the capital of the New Kingdom of the Castile. The King of Spain honored the new city with another
title: insigne y Siempre Leal or Famous and Ever Faithful. (Manila, my Manila, 21) A lot of changes
and improvements happened during this era. One of them is the immergence of the Galleon Trade.
The Galleon trade between Manila and Acapulco has been described as the “first world economy of
modern times”. (Manila, My Manila, 33) Aside from that, I could say that this is my personal favorite
chapter in this book, the Intramuros. We all know what and where Intramuros is but we never really
had a true glimpse of what is Intramuros like during the Spanish era. As Nick Joaquin described it in
his book, Intramuros is like a whole new world inside. The story goes that, on being told once again
that money was needed to complete the walls of Manila, King Philip II rose and peered out the
window and said, “Considering how much they’re costing I should be able to see the top of those
walls from here!” That’s why Intramuros became that beautiful. Inside the city are churches, hospitals,
a market place and the seat of the government. The way Nick Joaquin described the “lost” Manila is
comparable to how J.K Rowling described the wizarding world. Aside from Filipinos and Spaniards,
Chinese and Japanese people also inhabited Manila. The Chinese became very important to
Intramuros because their Parian became the market place of the Manileños. But this importance did
not stop the Spaniards from imposing taxes to them. To escape these taxes for 10 years, they
converted themselves to Christians and enjoyed the rights of being able to be married to a Christian
girl and hold public office. Dilao, a village occupying the present location of City Hall and the San
Marcelino area, included a Japanese quarter on the banks of the Estero Tripa de Gallina. In 1592, the
Jesuits established a mission there for the Japanese. This became a trouble because in 1603,
Archbishop Benavides decreed that mission work among Japanese settlers should be administered
only by the Fransicans. To avoid discord, Jesuits decided to separate their mission from Dilao. Thus,
the birth of San Miguel Parish. Another magnificent infrastructure that rose in Intramuros during the
Spanish era is the Palacio del Gobernador. Behind this magnificent building is a story of crime and
passion, the story of Fajardo and Venegas. Diego Fajardo was an austere man, a very mirror of
honesty. The only trouble with him is that he had a blind spot; Manuel Venegas. So anyone who
came to the governor with a complaint against the favorite was automatically expelled as a
scandalmonger. No one ever dared to cross Venegas. He became greedy and used his power to
satisfy his greed. But one victim of Venegas chose to fight back. A retired Spanish captain, with the
help of the friars, showed evidences to Fajardo how evil Venegas was. When he finally saw what he
wasn’t able to see, he ordered Venegas to be executed. The dazzling mansion of Venegas was
confiscated and became Palacio Del Gobernador. Just like other nations, when Holland knew of the
Moluccas Island, they became interested on it and wanted to conquer it. The objective of Holland was
the Moluccas, but those islands could not be won while Manila kept eye on them. To secure the
Moluccas and control of the spice trade, the Dutch would have to crush Manila, drive the Spanish
away and occupy Philippines. The Great War in our history was the combat with the Dutch. This was,
for us, decisive battle, more crucial even than the Revolution or the war with the Americans. In 1890s,
we were not just fighting for nationhood but instead, we are also fighting for our identity. If Holland
had won that war, we would have become a part of the Dutch East Indies and we might today be an
Indonesian province. The 17th century was called “the metaphysical century”. Mystical movements
among lay people happened. The most notable of them are the Beaterio de Santa Catalina and Sor
Dionisia de Santa Maria and Sor Cecillia Rosa de Jesus. Beatterio de Santa Catalina was established
by three beatas, Hermana Sebastiana de Santa Maria, Antonia Ezguerra and Francisca Fuentes. All
of them have similar stories, their spouses died and they are said to be faith healers. Another thing
that these beatas can boast off is that they were the first Filipinas to use ballot. The Sor Dionisia and
Sor Cecilia were established by two sisters, Dionisia and Cecilia Talampas. Like the beatas of
Intramuros, the sisters also had to fight hard for the right to start a religious house. But finally, on July
16, 1728, they were clothed with the mantle of a Recollect tertiary and permitted to live in community
according to the Rule of St. Agustine. If 17th century was metaphysical, the 18th century was
distinctly physical. A lot if infrastructures were developed and erected during this time. Streets were
being repaired, bridges were constructed, and a new Ayuntamiento was started. We can never speak
of our History without mentioning our national hero, Dr. Jose Rizal. Rizal will never be the man that he
was if he did not go to Manila. The universities that he attended (Ateneo and Sano Tomas) are one of
the tools that sharpened his mind and shaped him. He did not only gain knowledge here, he also
learned how to love. He fell in love with his landlady’s daughter, the 13-year old Leonor Rivera. The
affair lasted barely three years. She was 15; he was 20 when they parted. Aside from that, Manila has
also been the setting of the two novels that allegedly caused his death, Noli Me Tangere and El
Filibusterismo. Another important persona in our Philippine History is Andres Bonifacio. Manila has
been the center of the revolutions that he planned. KKK was established here. For him, once they
conquered Manila, everything will already follow. Revolution! Filipinos had enough. The death of Rizal
ignited the fire inside their hearts. They fought for what they think should belong to them. The
Philippine Revolution began in August 1896, upon the discovery of Katipunan by the Spanish
authorities. In a mass gathering in Caloocan, the Katipunan leaders organized themselves into a
revolutionary government and openly declared a nationwide armed revolution. Bonifacio called for a
simultaneous coordinated attack on the capital Manila. This attack failed, but the surrounding
provinces also rose up in revolt. In particular, rebels in Cavite led by Emilio Aguinaldo won early
victories. A power struggle among the revolutionaries led to Bonifacio's execution in 1897, with
command shifting to Aguinaldo who led his own revolutionary government. That year, a truce with the
Spanish was reached called the Pact of Biak-na-Bato and Aguinaldo was exiled to Hong Kong.
Hostilities, though reduced, never actually ceased. On April 21, 1898, the United States began a
naval blockade of Cuba, the first military action of the Spanish-American War. On May 1, the U.S.
Navy's Asiatic Squadron under Commodore George Dewey decisively defeated the Spanish navy in
the Battle of Manila Bay, (which was also called the “mock battle”) effectively seizing control of
Manila. Spanish rule in the islands officially ended with the Treaty of Paris of 1898 which ended the
Spanish-American War. In it Spain ceded the Philippines and other territories to the United States.
There was an uneasy peace around Manila with the American forces controlling the city and the
weaker Philippines forces surrounding them. During the American regime, Manila has drastically
changed. Manila has established the Manila Fire Department. A lot of infrastructures got destroyed
because first of all everything was made of wood and second, they don’t have a systematic way of
putting out fire. Fire fighting has always been a means of bayanihan to them. The health service was
also strengthened. One notable man who can never be forgotten in the field of medicine was Dr.
Heiser. Because of him, a lot of diseases have got rid of. The moat around the Intramuros was
decontaminated, Filipinos were taught of proper sanitation. The movie industry and cabaret also
boomed. The way Nick Joaquin describes Manila is comparable to New Orleans (at least for me).
War came unexpectedly to the Philippines. Japan opened a surprise attack on the Philippines on
December 8, 1941, when Japan attacked without warning, just ten hours after the attack on Pearl
Harbor. Japanese troops attacked the islands in many places and launched a pincer drive on Manila.
Millions of Filipino died, a lot of infrastructures were broken. Japan’s efforts to win Filipino loyalty
found expression in the establishment (Oct. 14, 1943) of a “Philippine Republic,” withJosé P. Laurel,
former Supreme Court justice, as president. But the people suffered greatly from Japanese brutality,
and the puppet government added little support. MacArthur's Allied forces landed on Leyte on
October 20, 1944. Landings in other parts of the country followed, and the Associates pushed toward
Manila. The landing was followed by the greatest naval engagement in history, called variously the
battle of Leyte Gulf and the second battle of the Philippine Sea. A great U.S. victory, it effectively
destroyed the Japanese navy and opened the way for the recovery of all the islands. Luzon was
invaded and Manila was taken in February. On July 5, 1945, MacArthur announced “All the
Philippines are now liberated.” The Japanese had suffered over 425,000 dead in the Philippines.
Fighting continued until Japan's formal surrender on September 2, 1945. The Philippines suffered
great loss of life and monstrous physical destruction by the time the war was over. An estimated 1
million Filipinos had been killed, and Manila was extensively damaged. But despite this. Alas, the
Philippines is now truly free. In September 21, 1972, the Philippine Independence was once again
threatened because Ferdinand Marcos declared martial law. The assassination attempt (which was
later revealed as staged by the government), along with the growing threat of the New People's Army
and citizen unrest, gave Marcos enough reason to declare martial law. But this injustice did not last
long because the Filipinos along with other national leaders like Ninoy Aquino and his wife Cory
Aquino and Juan Ponce Enrile, made sure that this will not end. They succeeded through a peaceful
people Power movement. Once again, the Manileños are free from the oppressors.
Biag ni Lam-ang (Summary)
BIAG NI LAM-ANG (Life of Lam-ang) is pre-Hispanic epic poem of the Ilocano people of
the Philippines. The story was handed down orally for generations before it was written
down around 1640 assumedly by a blind Ilokano bard named Pedro Bucaneg.
BUOD (SUMMARY) OF BIAG NI LAM-ANG
Don Juan and his wife Namongan lived in Nalbuan, now part of La Union in the
northern part of the Philippines. They had a son named Lam-ang. Before Lam-ang was
born, Don Juan went to the mountains in order to punish a group of their Igorot
enemies. While he was away, his son Lam-ang was born. It took four people to help
Namongan give birth. As soon as the baby boy popped out, he spoke and asked that he
be given the name Lam-ang. He also chose his godparents and asked where his father
was.
After nine months of waiting for his father to return, Lam-ang decided he would go look
for him. Namongan thought Lam-ang was up to the challenge but she was sad to let
him go. During his exhausting journey, he decided to rest for awhile. He fell asleep and
had a dream about his father's head being stuck on a pole by the Igorot. Lam-ang was
furious when he learned what had happened to his father. He rushed to their village
and killed them all, except for one whom he let go so that he could tell other people
about Lam-ang's greatness.
Upon returning to Nalbuan in triumph, he was bathed by women in the Amburayan
river. All the fish died because of the dirt and odor from Lam-ang's body.
There was a young woman named Ines Kannoyan whom Lam-ang wanted to woo. She
lived in Calanutian and he brought along his white rooster and gray dog to visit her. On
the way, Lam-ang met his enemy Sumarang, another suitor of Ines whom he fought
and readily defeated.
Lam-ang found the house of Ines surrounded by many suitors all of whom were trying
to catch her attention. He had his rooster crow, which caused a nearby house to fall.
This made Ines look out. He had his dog bark and in an instant the fallen house rose up
again. The girl's parents witnessed this and called for him. The rooster expressed the
love of Lam-ang. The parents agreed to a marriage with their daughter if Lam-ang
would give them a dowry valued at double their wealth. Lam-ang had no problem
fulfilling this condition and he and Ines were married.
It was a tradition to have a newly married man swim in the river for the rarang fish.
Unfortunately, Lam-ang dove straight into the mouth of the water monster Berkakan.
Ines had Marcos get his bones, which she covered with a piece of cloth. His rooster
crowed and his dog barked and slowly the bones started to move. Back alive, Lam-ang
and his wife lived happily ever after with his white rooster and gray dog.
Mga Epiko ng Pilipinas
The Tagalog word for 'epic' is epiko from the Spanish. Philippine epics are lengthy
narrative poems based on oral tradition. The verses were chanted or sung while being
passed from generation to generation before being written on paper. The plots of their
stories revolve around supernatural events and heroic deeds.
With the diversity of ethnic groups in the Philippines, Filipino epics are not national in
scope the way the Kaleva is in Finland, for example. Instead of glorifying national
heroes, Philippine epics are specific to a particular part of the country, and thus they
are referred to as ethno-epics or regional epics. In fact, the epic poems of the
Philippines are in many different languages, not just the currently dominant Tagalog.
Many of the Philippine epics that have survived and been recorded are from areas that
have seen the least colonization by the Spanish and Americans. These are mostly pagan
groups and the Moros who were not Christianized by missionaries.
There are around twenty known Filipino epic poems. Among the more famous ones are:
Luzon
the Hudhud of the Ifugao
the pre-Hispanic epic poem Biag ni Lam-ang
the Ullalim epic songs of the Kalinga
the Ibalon epic from Bicol
WESTERN VISAYAS
the Hinilawod
–
the longest and oldest epic of the Hiligaynon people
MINDANAO
the Darangan of the Maranao (recognized by UNESCO as a Masterpiece of the Oral and
Intangible Heritage of Humanity)
The Darangan relates the adventures of a warrior-prince named Bantugan, who was the
brother of the chieftain of a village called Bumbaran. Bantugan owned a magic shield,
was protected by divine spirits and was capable of rising from the dead.
Ibalon (Three Heroes of the Bicol Epic)
16JUL
When the hero Baltog came to the rich land of Ibalon, many monsters still roamed
around in its very dark forest. Baltog, born in Baltavara to the brave clan of Lipod, was
the first to cultivate the fields in the rich land of Ibalon.
2 Then the Tandayag attacked and destroyed Baltog„s fields and crops. The Tandayag
was a monstrous wild boar but the hero Baltog was not afraid. One night, he waited for
the Tandayag and wrestled with it with all his might. The Tandayag had very long fangs. The earth
shook at the Tandayag„s step. But Baltog was strong and brave. He
was able to pin down the monstrous wild boar and tear out its mouth.
3 Baltog carried the Tandayag and hung it on a talisay tree in front of his house in
Tondol. The people celebrated when they learned of the victory of their king Baltog.
The clans of Panicuason and Asog came over to marvel at the monstrous wild boar in
Ibalon.
4 At that time the hero Handiong came with a band of warriors to the land of Ibalon.
Handiong and his men had to fight thousands of battles, and face many dangers to
defeat the monsters. They first fought the one-eyed giants in the land of Ponon. They
fought without rest for ten months until all the one-eyed giants were killed.
5 They went to the lair of the giant flying fishes called Tiburon which had slimy, scaly,
and hardy flesh and sawlike teeth that could crush rocks. Handiong and his men did not
stop until they vanquished every Tiburon.
6 They tamed the fierce tamaraws. They drove away the giant Sarimaw which was
larger than an elephant and very fierce. They used their spears and arrows to kill all the
crocodiles which were bigger than boats. The savage monkeys were frightened and hid
when they
saw the rivers and swamps of Ibalon turn red with blood.
7 Oriol was the hardest to kill. A serpent with a beautiful voice, Oriol could change its
image to deceive enemies. Oriol had escaped every trap and disappeared.
8 All by himself, Handiong looked for Oriol in the heart of the forest. He followed the
beautiful voice and was almost enchanted by it in his pursuit. It is said that Oriol
admired Handiong„s bravery and gallantry. Thus, the se
rpent taught the hero how to
conquer the monsters until peace came to the whole Ibalon.
9 Handiong built a town in Isarog and a season of progress followed. Under Handiong„s
leadership, the people planted rice which they named after him. He built the first boat
to ride the waves of Ibalon seas. Because of his good example, inventors came forth
from his people. Ginantong made the plow, harrow, and other farming tools. Hablom
invented the first loom for weaving abaca clothes. Dinahon, an Aeta, created the stove,
cooking pot, earthen jar, and other kitchen utensils. The brilliant Sural thought of the
alphabet and started to write on white rock. It was a golden period in Ibalon when even
slaves were respected under the laws of Handiong.10 But there came the big flood freed by Unos,
with earthquakes and the eruption of
the volcanoes of Hantik, Kolasi, and Isarog. Rivers dried up and the seas receded. The
earth parted, mountains sank, and many towns in Ibalon were destroyed.
11 Then appeared the giant Rabot, half-man half-beast, with terrible powers.
Bantong, Handiong„s good friend, was ordered to kill the new monster in Ibalon. He
took with him a thousand warriors to attack Rabot„s den. Bantong used his wisdom
against Rabot. He did not attack the giant„s den right
away but instead observed
Rabot„s ways. He saw many rocks around the den. They were people turned into rock
by Rabot.
13 He also learned that Rabot loved to sleep. When Rabot slept very soundly, Bantong
was able to go near him. The giant died with a single stab by the brave and wise
Bantong. Ibalon was at peace once more.
HINILAWOD
When the goddess of the eastern sky Alunsina (also known as Laun Sina, “The
Unmarried One”) reached maidenhood, the king of the gods, Kaptan, decreed that she
should marry. All the unmarried gods of the different domains of the universe tried to
win her hand to no avail. She chose to marry a mortal, Datu Paubari, the mighty ruler
of Halawod.
Her decision angered her other suitors. They plotted to bring harm to the newlyweds. A
meeting of the council of gods was called by Maklium-sa-
t‟wan, god of the plains,
where a decision by those present was made to destroy Halawod by flood.
Alunsina and Paubari escaped harm through the assistance of Suklang Malayon, the
goddess and guardian of happy homes and sister of Alunsina, who learned of the evil
plot and warned the two so they were able to seek refuge on higher ground.
After the flood waters subsided, Paubari and Alunsina returned to the plains secretly.
They settled near the mouth of the Halawod river.
Several months later Alunsina became pregnant and told Paubari to prepare the siklot,
things necessary for childbirth. She delivered a set of triplets and summoned the high
priest Bungot-Banwa to perform the rites of the gods of Mount Madya-as (the mountain
abode of the gods) to ensure the good health of the children. The high priest promptly
made an altar and burned some alanghiran fronds and a pinch of kamangyan. When
the ceremony was over he opened the windows of the north side of the room and a cold northernly
wind came in and suddenly the three infants were transformed into
strong, handsome young men.
Labaw Donggon, the eldest of the three, asked his mother to prepare his magic cape,
hat, belt and kampilan (sword) for he heard of a place called Handug where a beautiful
maiden named Angoy Ginbitinan lived.
The journey took several days. He walked across plains and valleys, climbed up
mountains until he reached the mouth of the Halawod river. When he finally met the
maiden‟s father and ask
ed for her hand in marriage, the father asked him to fight the
monster Manalintad as part of his dowry. He went off to confront the monster and with
the help of his magic belt Labaw Donggon killed the monster and to prove his feat he
brought to Angoy Ginbi
tinan‟s father the monster‟s tail.
After the wedding, Labaw Donggon proceeded home with his new bride. Along the way
they met a group of young men who told him that they were on their way to
Tarambang Burok to win the hand of Abyang Durunuun, sister of Sumpoy, the lord of
the underworld and whose beauty was legendary.
Labaw Donggon and his bride continued on their journey home. The moment they
arrived home Labaw Donggon told his mother to take care of his wife because he is
taking another quest, this time he was going to Tarambang Burok.
Before he can get to the place he has to pass a ridge guarded by a giant named Sikay
Padalogdog who has a hundred arms. The giant would not allow Labaw Donggon to go
through without a fight. However, Sikay Padalogdog was no
match to Labaw Donggon‟s
prowess and skill in fighting so he gave up and allowed him to continue.
Labaw Donggon won the hand of Abyang Durunuun and also took her home. Before
long he went on another journey, this time it is to Gadlum to ask for the hand of
Malitong Yawa Sinagmaling Diwata who is the young bride of Saragnayan, the lord of
darkness.
This trip required him to use his biday nga inagta (black boat) on which he sailed across
the seas for many months, went across the region of the clouds, and passed the land of
stones until finally he reached the shores of Tulogmatian which was the seaside fortress
of Saragnayan. The moment he set foot on the ground Saragnayan asked him, “Who
are you and why are you here?”
To which he answered, “I am Labaw Donggon,
son of Datu Paubari and goddess
Alunsina of Halawod. I came for the beautiful Malitong Yawa Sinagmaling Diwata.”
Saragnayan laughed. He told Labaw Donggon that what he wished for was impossible
to grant because she was his wife. Labaw Donggon then challenged Saragnayan to a
duel saying that whoever wins will have her.
The challenge was accepted and they started fighting. Labaw Donggon submerged
Saragnayan under water for seven years, but when he let go of him, Saragnayan was
still alive. The latter uprooted a coconut tree and started beating Labaw Donggon with
it. He survived the beating but was not able to surpass the powers of Saragnayan‟s
pamlang (amulet) and eventually he gave up and was imprisoned by Saragnayan
beneath his house.
Back home Angoy Ginbitinan and Abyang Durunuun both delivered sons. Angoy
Ginbitinan‟s child was named Aso Mangga and Abyang Durunuun‟s son was called
Abyang Baranugon.
Only a few days after they were born, Aso Mangga and Abyang Baranugon embarked to
look for their father. They rode their sailboats through the region of eternal darkness,
passed the region of the clouds and the land of stones, finally reaching Saragnayan‟s
home. Saragnayan noticed that Abyang Baranugon‟s umbilical cord have not yet been
removed, he laughed and told the child to go home to his mother.
Abyang Baranugon was slighted by the remarks and immediately challenged
Saragnayan to a duel. They fought and Abyang Baranugon defeated Saragnayan and
won his father‟s freedom.
Labaw Donggon‟s defeat and subsequent im
prisonment by the Lord of Darkness also
angered his brothers. Humadapnon was so enraged that he swore to the gods of
Madya-
as that he would wreak revenge on all of Saragnayan‟s kinsmen and followers.
Humadapnon prepared to go to Saragnayan‟s domain. He emp
loyed the aid of Buyong
Matanayon of Mount Matiula who was well-known for his skill in swordsmanship. For
their journey they rode on a sailboat called biday nga rumba-rumba. They travelled
through the region of the clouds, passed by the region of eternal darkness and ended
up at a place called Tarambang Buriraw. In this place was a ridge called Talagas
Kuting-tang where a seductive sorceress named Piganun lived.
Piganun changed herself to a beautiful maiden and captured the heart of Humadapnon.
Buyong Matanayon begged with Humadapnon to leave the place with him but the latter
refused. After seven months passed, Buyong Matanayon remembered that they have
brought with them some ginger. One evening at dinner time Buyong Matanayon threw
seven slices of ginger into the fire. When Pinganun smelled the odor of burning ginger she left the
dinner table because sorcerers hated the odor of ginger. Immediately
Buyong Matanayon struck Humadapnon, who became unconscious. He dragged his
friend with him and they were able to escape.
They continued with their trek and everywhere they went they exacted revenge on all
of Saragnayan‟s people and relatives. One day they reached a place called Piniling
Tubig who was ruled by Datu Umbaw Pinaumbaw. There was a big gathering in the
village and when they asked what was going on they were told that the datu was giving
his daughter for marriage to whoever could remove the huge boulder that rolled from a
mountain into the center of the village. Many men tried their luck but no one so far was
able to even move the stone.
Humadapnon took off his magic cape and used it to lift the stone and threw it back into
the mountain. The datu kept his word and Humadapnon married his daughter. During
the wedding feast Humadapnon heared about the beauty of the goddess of greed
Burigadang Pada Sinaklang Bulawan from a guest minstrel who sang at the celebration.
After the wedding Humadapnon went to seek the hand of the goddess in marriage.
Along the way he encountered Buyong Makabagting, son of the mighty Datu
Balahidyong of Paling Bukid who was also travelling with the same purpose in mind.
Upon learning of Humadapnon‟s intent, Buyong Makabagting challenged him to a duel.
They fought and Buyong Makabagting was no match to Humadapnon‟s strength and
skill. The fight ended when Buyong Makabagting surrendered and even promised to aid
Humadapnon in his quest. Humadapnon married the goddess and brought her home.
Meanwhile, right after Humadapnon left to seek Saragnayan‟s followers and relatives his
brother Dumalapdap left for Burutlakan-ka-adlaw where the maiden Lubay-Lubyok
Hanginun si Mahuyokhuyokon lived. For the trip he brought along Dumasig, the most
powerful wrestler in Madya-as.
Several months later they came to a place called Tarambuan-ka-banwa where they
encountered the two-headed monster Balanakon who guarded a narrow ridge leading
to the place where the maiden lived.
With the aid of Dumasig, Dumalapdap killed Balanakon. However, upon approaching
the gate of the palace where the maiden lived he was confronted by Uyutang, a bat-like
monster with sharp poisonous claws. There ensued a bloody battle between the
Dumalapdap and the monster. They fought for seven months and their skill and
prowess seemed to be equal. But on the seventh month, Dumalapdap was able to grab
on to Uyutang‟s ankle and broke it. Then he took his iwang daniwan (magic dagger)
and stabbed Uyutang under the armpit. Uyutang cried out so loud that the ridge where they were
fighting broke into two and there was an earthquake. Half of the ridge
became the island of Buglas (Negros) and the other became the island of Panay.
Dumalapdap married Lubay-Lubyok Hanginun si Mahuyokhuyokan and then took her
home. Datu Paubari was very happy when he was reunited with his three sons and he
prepared a feast in their honor. After the celebration, the three brothers left for
different parts of the world. Labaw Donggon went to the north, Humadapnon went
south, Dumalapdap to the west and Datu Paubari remained in the east.
"Generations"
by Ninotchka Rosca

I found this story to be tragic. Misery seems to be hounding the family in this selection, from Old Selo
down to his granddaughter. I felt no shred of sympathy for the father, as he was a pathetic excuse for
a man. Showing neglect for the family, he beat up his wife, and instead of spending time with his
family, he got drunk and got into trouble with the soldiers as a result. After being freed from the
barracks, he probably knew that his daughter was raped (after all, he saw a bruise on her left thigh),
or, at least, that an untoward incident happened to her. A good father would be enraged - and that
might even be an understatement. Instead, he pretended not to notice the bruise, and not even
displayed the least bit of concern for her plight. No wonder his daughter had the final straw and killed
him. I'm not condoning what she did, but given the things she had gone through, I think I could
understand why she decided to put an end to things.

The females in the story were pitiful - a grim reflection of several females of the past, and even of the
present. The mother was the submissive type, who could hardly defend herself against her abusive
husband, and yet couldn't bear to leave him. The daughter was a bit more feisty than her mother, but
she still ended up being a victim to lecherous men. I was disturbed and horrified that she paid for her
father's freedom with her body. Such a young girl didn't deserve to go through the physical,
psychological and emotional trauma of rape. As the girl's grandfather described her, she could have a
bright future, but now her hopes of ever having a better life have probably been crushed. I can't
imagine what pain and torture she must have gone through.

It's a sad reality that many Filipino families, especially those in the lower class, are no strangers to
this kind of misery. Some have probably even gone through worse. While this story was interesting -
not a boring moment in it - it was heartbreaking to imagine the plight of Old Selo and his family.
Magnificence
by Estrella Alfon

The story of Magnificence by Estrella Alfon took place at the house of the two children. The
characters of the story are primarily Vicente the bus conductor, the mother, Oscar the little boy and
the little girl.
The story started with a man named Vicente coming to the house of the two children to tutor them
with their school works. The family, especially the mother trusted Vicente whole-heartedly for they
think that the man was always so gentle, so kind, and there was nothing to fear with when he is
around. When Vicente came earlier than usual one evening, the children immediately put their lesson
down sharing stories to him about his classmates being envy with the pencils he gave them. The
children wanted Vicente to buy them more pencils. Then, Oscar was asked by Vicente to get a glass
of water. Vicente held the little girl up lightly in his arms and held her to sit down on his lap. The little
girl felt uncomfortable and kept squirming. Vicente’s face was wet with sweat and his eyes looked
strange. The girl jumped away from Vicente. The mother saw what has happened. He slapped
Vicente and threw him out of the house.
After reading the story, I was moved by how the mother stepped out from shadows just to protect her
children. I admire how the mother exhibit being strong enough and did not let Vicente feel that she is
inferior because she is a woman. Every mother would definitely do anything to keep their children
safe. I am very thankful and blessed that God gave me a mother who safeguards my wellness. The
act of stepping out from shadows of the mother is somehow similar to getting out of your comfort
zone to try and discover new great things that you never thought or imagine you can do or reach.
I believe that the theme of the poem is about women empowerment. Gender equality implies society
in which women and men enjoy the same opportunities, outcomes, rights and obligations in all
spheres of life. Women empowerment is vital to sustainable development and the realization of
human rights for all. Women should not let men to make them feel inferior. They must show them
their strengths instead of their weaknesses. We, women, must always remember that without us men
cannot live and bring out the best in them and maximize their potentials.