MINIATURES

Prelude-The British Invasion of Manila during the Seven Years’ War Simón de Anda defense of the Philippines against British Indian attacks Alegoría de la defensa de Filipinas The Seven Years’ War (1756–1763) was a global conflict driven by colonial rivalries. In 1762, Spain joined the war on France’s side and attempted to invade Portugal, a British ally. In response, Britain ordered the British East India Company to attack Manila, a Spanish colony in Asia. A diverse British force—over 6,000 strong—led by Brigadier General William Draper and Vice Admiral Samuel Cornish, sailed from Madras, India, to Manila. Their troops included British regulars, Indian Sepoys, African Caffrees, Lascars, Portuguese Topazes, and even French prisoners of war conscripted into British service. At the time, Manila was under the weak leadership of Archbishop Manuel Rojo del Río y Vieyra, who lacked military experience. With no knowledge that war had already begun, the Spanish were caught off guard when the Br...

  In late 1936, Luis C. Valencia came to the attention of Austrian violin pedagogue Gottfried Feist—it was mainly due to his triumph in Manila in a contest that would determine who would represent the Philippines in the 1937 Eugene Ysaÿe Violin Competition, named after the Belgian violin virtuoso. Valencia, then under the tutelage of Ernesto Vallejo, topped the competition—thereby earning a trip to Brussels. Luis Valencia was born in Aliaga, Nueva Ecija. In his teens, he went to Manila and enrolled at the UP Conservatory of Music, studying the violin under the freshly returned-from-U.S.-studies Ernesto Vallejo. In between, he became concertmaster of the Manila Symphony Orchestra under Austro-Hungarian conductor Alexander Lippay. Incidentally, it was Valencia who was one of the early popularizers of Kreisler pieces in Manila--Playing it in salon musicale and evening performance (soiree) around the city. In 1937, upon arrival in Europe for the competition, he went straight to the Vi...

Unang Mga Balita sa Masamang Sinapit ni Bonifacio Noong Mayo 10, 1897, binitay si Supremo Andrés Bonifacio ng sariling pamahalaang Pilipino na pinamumunuan ni Pangulong Emilio Aguinaldo. Sa panahong iyon, hindi agad nalaman sa Maynila ang totoong sinapit ng Supremo. Gayunman, sa mga kumalat na balita, nabanggit na mayroong hidwaan sa pagitan ng panig ni Aguinaldo at ni Bonifacio. Narito ang isang ulat mula sa isang pahayagan sa Sevilla, Espanya, na may petsang ika-15 ng Mayo, 1897, na nagbabalita hinggil sa naturang pangyayari: "Ang nasabing katutubo ay isa sa mga huling empleyado ng kompanyang Fessell, ngunit inihalal ng mga kasapi ng Katipunan upang gampanan ang tungkulin bilang pangulo ng konseho. Ang iba pang mga ministro ay may kaparehong kalagayan at hindi rin higit ang taglay na katalinuhan, kaya’t maaaring ipagpalagay na ang tinatawag na pamahalaan ay isa lamang pantabing na ginagamit upang pagtakpan ang mga tunay na pinuno ng kilusang insurrekto. Si Andrés Bonifacio, na m...

  I have been intrigued by Panecillos de San Nicholas, a delicately molded biscuit available at Panaderia Dimas-Alang in Pasig, one of the oldest surviving bakeries in the country. It is modestly labeled as “San Nicholas bread” in their glass display, yet not many people coming in the bakery perhaps know that the name and form carry a deep legacy. My fascination with it began when I started exploring the intersection of early local industries and the spread of Catholicism—an inquiry that naturally led me to the history of the construction of the Pasig Cathedral. Panecillos available at Panaderia Dimas-Alang , Pasig Why should a study of local history begin with a biscuit named after a medieval saint? San Nicholas of Tolentino, a 13th-century Augustinian friar from central Italy, was said to have received a shortbread-like loaf from the Virgin Mary after a long period of fasting. The bread miraculously restored his health. In time, San Nicho...

  Pasig City, often hailed as a model of progressive governance, carries within it an overlooked cultural divide—one that separates longtime residents with deep folkloric roots from newer, often more affluent arrivals. This quiet tension underscores the identity of the Batampasig—a term used to describe those born and raised in the traditional heart of Pasig, from Kapasigan to Pinagbuhatan. —whose faces were often smudged with dust and dirt, marked by runny noses. "We didn’t mind. Our ancestors were the ones Bonifacio described as “tunay na magigiting.” For these residents, being Batampasig is more than birthplace; it is a lived experience shaped by shared struggles, ancestral pride, and community ties that trace back generations. While Pasig prides itself on being inclusive, the distinction between native Pasigueños and so-called dayuhan (outsiders) persists. In practice, a newcomer can shed the outsider label—not through property ownership or social connections—but through genui...

  On March 19, 1976, the bullet-riddled body of Emmanuel "Eman" Lacaba was dragged to the ground and hurled into a military vehicle. It was later positively identified—he was a poet, a warrior, and an exemplary young man who had spent a good part of his life "sa Kumbento." But who was Emmanuel Lacaba? And what is "Kumbento"? For many Pasigueños, the word "Kumbento" evokes deep fondness, pride, respect, and honor. It is more than just a term; it is an endearment, a hallowed institution where many young boys—and later, young girls—spent their formative years in education. Founded in 1913 by CICM missionaries, it began as a parochial school known as Escuela Católica, catering primarily to the education of underprivileged Pasigueño children. It later became Pasig Catholic School before evolving into a tertiary institution now known as Pasig Catholic College (PCC). The term "Kumbento" carries historical significance, as it originally referre...

  Between Don Vicente Y. Sotto and his great grandson, the current Pasig City Mayor, Vico Sotto, span four generations—a century marked by both peace and political turmoil. Each rose to prominence in their respective eras: Don Vicente during the early years of American occupation, and Mayor Vico in the twilight of a political dynasty that have long ruled. The former, perhaps unsuccessful in his battle to rid the nation of colonial power and its lingering influence; the latter, just begun his path—one that may open the country to new possibilities, guided by social virtues, freed from the ills that haunt it, striving for equality and prosperity for all. During the early years of American colonization, Don Vicente Sotto was among the first to criticize the "Yankee" system that was hastily being imposed on Filipinos. His weapon of choice in this resistance was the pen. He was a journalist, a writer and lawyer. Born and raised in Cebu, he elegantly expressed himself in two langua...

  A Philippine election is never complete without its fanfare—marches, stage performances featuring popular movie stars, mascots of all kinds, and candidates dancing or clowning around to the latest beat, stamping the whole experience as a freak show. It is indeed true , our election is a circus. In Pasig, however, a shift is shaping up. Vico Sotto is redefining electoral campaigning by turning it into true people's platform, face-to-face engagement with the constituency. Instead of relying on big rallies and colorful spectacle, he brings the discussion to the kalye and eskinita—the alleys and small streets where the daily struggles of ordinary citizens unfold. The approach moves away from political gimmickry focusing instead on direct dialogue and practical solutions to real community issues. If he wished, given his lineage in the entertainment industry, the mayor could have staged a campaign filled with celebrity endorsements, musical performances, and dazzling theatrics. Yet, he...

  February 28 2025, during Pasig Art Festival, I delivered a lecture titled "Concepts of Western Art and Their Influence on Pasig's Artistic and Cultural Landscape," where I highlighted Cenon Rivera as one of Pasig's most influential artists. Cenon Rivera was a multifaceted disciple of art —a painter, printmaker, stained glass artist, mosaic maker, and sculptor. His son, Noel Rivera, former Executive Director of the Pasig City Museum, also described him as a poet. Cenon Rivera introduced himself to the Philippine art scene with his modernist style, a direction that was expected given his artistic background. Rivera was the most prominent student of Victorio Edades, the Father of Modern Philippine Painting. After Edades' passing, Rivera was widely regarded as his successor, taking on the mantle of leadership in the country’s modern art movement. Born and raised in Hagonoy, Bulacan, Cenon Rivera studied at the University of Santo Tomas (UST) under the mentorship of ...