The unit next to my townhouse was sold a few months ago and the new owner decided to extend their fenced yard which is allowed by the HOA. They have two dogs and they want more room for their dogs to run around. Last Friday evening around 7:30 pm, I heard a knock at … More Fence makes good neighbors
Islam was referred to as mohammedanism when I was growing up in the Philippines. There were several religious sects in the country and one of them was mohammedanism, not Islam. Mohammedans (Muslims) practiced mohammedanism. Most of the muslims lived in Mindanao and Sulu Archipelago. Spaniards called them moros because of their perceived resemblance to the … More The Coming of Islam in the Philippines
The Philippines was ruled by various Asian empires during its early history. Trade with Indonesia, Borneo, mainland Southeast Asia, Japan, Persia and India developed shortly after the Ice Age and many merchants made the Philippines their base. Between 1500 BC and 1440 AD, the Philippines traded with several Asian empires and from 200 … More Philippine PreHispanic Relations With Neighboring Countries
After Ferdinand Magellan, other Spanish expeditions were dispatched to the Philippines over the next decades. In 1543, Ruy Lopez de Villalobos gave the name Las Islas Filipinas to the islands of Samar and Leyte. However, it was not until 1565 that the Spaniards, under Miguel Lopez de Legazpi, founded a colony on Cebu, and … More Other Spanish Expeditions to the Philippines
Magellan established friendly relations with the treacherous King of Cebu, Humabon, who professed Christianity in order to win the help of Magellan. The great navigator was induced to undertake an expedition to conquer the neighboring island of Mactan for the Catholic faith and the King of Cebu. At the muddy island called … More The Spaniards Discovered the Philippines – Part 2
The Philippines was once a part of mainland Asia. The first sign of man in the Philippines dates back to at least 35,000 years ago. Since prehistoric times, the islands have been populated by peoples of the Malay race. Most of them lived simply in scattered villages at river mouths. Their houses were made of … More Philippines’ Early History – Human Migration
Excerpts from Col. Irvin Alexander’s memoir, “Surviving Bataan and Beyond”, edited by Dominic J. Caraccilo. As soon as he hung up, General King sent for General Parker and his chief of staff, telling them that General Jones reported he did not have a single organization that was capable of making a march followed by … More April 9, 1942 – The Fall of Bataan
Holy Week in the Philippines is celebrated with religious fervor. Here is an excerpt from “The Iron Butterfly”. During Cuaresma (Holy Week), from Domingo de Ramos (Palm Sunday) to Pasko ng Pagkabuhay (Easter Sunday), Catholic rites in the Philippines were infused with special fervor. It was a time for street pageantry and spiritual … More Holy Week in the Philippines
About two million years ago, the land was already formed. One large land area reached out into the Pacific Ocean from the Asian continent. Only the South China, Sulu and Celebes basins remained as seas. But events were taking shape in the earth’s polar region, causing three successive ice ages which lowered sea levels … More The Ice Age – Part 1
Today, March 18, 2018 marks the 75th wedding anniversary of my parent and if Dad did not pass away in May 2007, I’m sure there would be a party. Filipinos love parties. They will find any excuse to have a party. What made their marriage endure for so long? Love, patience, total commitment and … More March 18 – My parents’ wedding anniversary
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