Philippines: September 10

The Widow

Exactly 247 years ago today, bravery of Filipinos is being written in history as a revolutinary leader challenges a powerful conqueror/nation in a historic battle. And these revolutionaries with Ilocano and Tinguian warriors were led not by a General but a woman, a widow named Gabriela Silang. Few days after the battle, Gabriela was executed but her legacy lived on.

Born in Barangay Caniogan, Santa, Ilocos Sur, Silang was a mestiza, of Spanish and Ilocano descent. In 1757, she married a 27-year-old Ilocano insurgent leader, Diego Silang. She became one of his closest advisors, a major figure in her husband's collaboration with the British and the brief expulsion of Spanish officials from Vigan, Ilocos Sur during the British occupation of the Philippines.

After her husband was assassinated by order of royal and church authorities in Manilaon May 28, 1763, Gabriela fled on horseback to the mountains of Abra to establish her headquarters, reassemble her troops, and rally the Tingguian community to fight. They descended on Vigan on September 10, 1763. But the garrison was ready, amassing Spanish, Tagalog, and Kapampangan soldiers, and Ilocano collaborators to ambush her and rout her forces. Many were killed. She escaped, alongside her uncle Nicolás and seven others, but later caught on September 29, 1763. They were summarily hanged in Vigan's plaza, with Gabriela being the last to die.

Her complete name is María Josefa Gabriela Cariño Silang.

Philippines: April 7

After arriving to Samar on March 16, 1521, Magellan decided to explore more of the islands that will later become the Philippines. On April 7, 1521 Magellan reached Cebu and meet with Rajah Humabon. The two performed a sacred tradition of the native people called the blood compact as part of the tribal tradition to seal their friendship and treaty.

Seven days later,Rajah Jumabon and 500 of his men were baptized as the first Christians (Catholics) in the Philippines. Humabon was named Carlos in honour of king Charles I of Spain, while his principal wife Hara Amihan was named Juana, after king Charles' mother, Johanna.

According to Antonio Pigafetta, a Venetian scholar born in Vicenza who was traveling with Magellan, it was Humabon who had requested Magellan to kill his rival Datu Lapu Lapu, the Datu (chieftain) of nearby Mactan island. Humabon's conversion to Christianity however, had an adverse affect of allowing the Spaniards to control Humabon and his people. After quarrel and mis-understanding erupted between the Spaniards and the Cebuanos, Rajah Humabon and his warriors plotted to poison the remaining Spanish soldiers in Cebu after the death of Magellan at the Battle of Mactan.


On April 7, 1976, the Philippines Arts Center was inaugurated in Mt. Makiling, Laguna by First Lady Imelda Marcos as a haven for young and aspiring artists. Its various buildings and facilities are scattered over 13.5 hectares of the Makiling Forest Reservation and also houses the Philippine High School for the Arts, a government-run secondary educational institution for gifted young artists.

Philippines: April 6

On April 6, 1924, the first Balagtasan was held in Manila between Jose Corazon de Jesus and Florante T. Collantes. They are both from Bulacan.



José Corazón de Jesús, also known by his pen name Huseng Batute, was a Filipino poet who used Tagalog poetry to express the Filipinos' desire for independence specially during the American occupation of the Philippines, a period that lasted from 1901 to 1946. He is best known for being the lyricist of the Filipino song Bayan Ko.

On March 28, 1924, De Jesús and other leading Tagalog writers met at Instituto de Mujeres (Women's Institute)in Tondo, Manila to discuss how to celebrate the birth anniversary of Tagalog poet Francisco Balagtas on April 2. They decided to hold a traditional duplo, or a dramatic debate in verse that was in its waning days in the 1920s. They changed the format of the duplo and renamed it balagtasan in honor of Balagtas.

There were three pairs of poets who participated in the first balagtasan on April 6, 1924 at the institution, but the audience were most impressed by De Jesús and another Filipino poet, Florentino Collantes.

The balagtasan was an instant hit and it later became a common feature in Manila's biggest and most expensive theaters until the 1950s. De Jesus and Collantes were pitted against each other in a contrived rivalry and a showdown was set for Oct. 18, 1925 at the Olympic Stadium. De Jesús was acclaimed winner of the showdown and was dubbed "Hari ng Balagtasan" (king of versified debate). He held the title until his death in 1932.

Philippines: August 30

On August 30, 1896 the Revolutionary action in Pinaglabanan, San Juan and Governor General Blanco proclaims a state of war in Manila, Cavite, Bulacan, Pampanga, Laguna, Batangas, Nueva Ecija and Tarlac: The eight rays of the sun on the Philippine Flag.

Philippines: August 21

On August 21, 1971, Marcos suspends the writ of habeas corpuz after the Plaza Miranda bombing of the Liberal Party rally killing 8. Ninoy Aquino was one of the first to be arrested and imprisoned on trumped-up charges of murder, illegal possession of firearms and subversion without the benefit of the writ of habeas corpuz.

On the same date 12 years later, he was assassinated at the tarmac of the plane at the Manila International Airport upon his return from exile.


In his speech during the funeral, Jovito Salonga called Ninoy "...The greatest president we never had ..."