I missed the times that I woke up every ten o’clock in the morning (morning pa ba yun???) with my own bed, siting my pillows and feeling the blistering heat of the sun (ouch!!lol). Using the bathroom freely while listening to the radio and running around the house while I imagine that I am in the Big Dome and playing basketball against the top professional players of the country.(adik??!)

But what I missed most are the breakfast, lunch and dinner that served to me everyday and the voice of knowledge of my parents!!  That’s why, its good to be back HOME!!!

Every town, province and city have their own history, arts and culture. Like some places here in the Philippines, Negros preserved its ancient beauty and continuously expanding to a higher level. Mr. Ver F. Pacete, City Tourism Officer of Silay City talked to us about the Negrense’s arts, culture and rich history.

“Buglas” meaning “cut-off” is the Hiligaynon term. It is called Buglas then because they believe that their island is originally connected to other islands of the Philippines especially Luzon but due to natural disasters like earthquake Negros was cut-off. Negros Occidental is composed of 12 component cities, one highly urbanized city and 19 municipalities and has a land area of 7,926.1 square kilometers

First Inhabitants

Negritos

According to Mr. Pacete, Negritos, known as “taga-hitaas” by the Negrenses, first inhabited the island and stayed at the mountain areas. Negritos are good herbalists and hunters. Indonesians also inhabited Negros and stayed also at the upland areas of the island and that time, they were known to be an agriculturists and more advanced in lifestyle than the Negritoes. The most advanced group among the first groups that lived in Negros were Malays.

Malays, led by Datu Puti sailed from Borneo to Negros. When they reach the island, they worked and encountered Negros for them to occupy a wider area in the island. They established barangays in their area. Malays were known to be seafarers and has a good knowledge of writing.

According to Mr. Pacete, Negrenses before the Spanish rule was animistics or pantheistic– they consider anything as their god. “kang Laun” is one of those gods and white bird “Manaul” which is believed to be the spirit of the gods. Mr. Pacete also emphasized to us some supernatural creatures in Negros like “tamawo”(fairy), “amalanhig”(Zombie) and “tayho”(tikbalang).

Arrival of the Spaniards

Negros, as an island, was easily reached by the Spaniards. Esteban Rodriguez was the first Spaniard to settle in “Bulgas”. While he was staying in the island, he tasted the “tuba”, a native wine made of coconut juice and amazed. He reported it high ranking officials of Spain and called “Bulgas” as

Esteban Rodriguez

“Los Negros”. On April 1566, Captain Martin de Goite went to Negros and the following year, he colonized the area and it to hands of Spain. He sent Augustinian priests in Negros to repent their faith to become a Christian.

Negros was then divided into Encomiendas which is under the Encomenderos. In 1760, Pueblos was established for them to govern the whole island easily. This was led by a Gobernadorcillo and the

barangay was headed by Teniente Mayor. Native people of Negros, in that time was forced to work for the Spaniards and their houses, lands and other was confiscated by the one who has in power especially the Frayles.

When the Muslims discovered that Christianity is existing in Negros, they launched an attack and many innocent Negrenses died but Spaniards can still managed to retain their colony.

Revolutions

After a couple of years, Negrenses broke their silence and fought against the foreign invaders. Papa Isio and Dionesio Seguela headed the Revolt of the masses against the landlords and Spaniards. Ilustrados also heat up and fought the Spaniards in a smart way. This is popularly known as Cinco de Noviembre Revolution.

Cinco de Noviembre demo

They played a trick to the invaders, and when the Spaniards saw them approaching with a large number of “cannons” and other weapons, they surrender and Spanish priests were thrown at Fort San Juan. Little did know weapons were nothing but bamboos, woods and coconuts.

After the “bloodless” revolution, Negros declared themselves as a Republic and raised the Philippine flag throughout the island.

Under Uncle Sam…

After the Spaniards, Americans  colonized the island but like before and the rest of us survived the invasion.

World War II

Negros, still had a hangover from the past two invaders, experienced another chaos under the Japanese Imperial Army during the

World War II when they landed on Negros in May 21, 1942. They welcomed the Japanese for them to be safe but Japanese still bombed Negros and Negrense Guerillas fought it. On March 29, 1945, Allied Forces rescued the Negros and again, raised the

Philippine Flag and celebrated its Independence.

Aftermath created Arts and Culture

Foreign invaders greatly influenced this aspects of painting, architecture, music, dance, love-making, foods, politics, religion etc. Mr. Pacete told us stories about their arts and culture. Folklores truly caught our attention.

Silay City is known for sculpture. National Artist Leandro Locsin hails from the said Paris of Negros. In fact, In Silay City,

we can witness several ancestral houses and some of these are still functional and inhabited. Negrense delicacies

Piaya

like piaya, guapple pie, barquillos, pinasugpo, pastel de mangga, panyo-panyo, butong-butong, dulce gatas and inasal are some of the examples. Mr. Pacete gave us afacts about the growing food business. He said that many supermarkets like SM get their supply of Lumpiang Ubod in Silay City. Negros is also known for becoming a Sugar Cane millers.

All of the cities and municipalities have their own festivals. One example is the famous Masskara Festival of Bacolod City.

Negros is still flying high for progress and continuing to preserved their beautiful culture, arts and history. Negros is truly a perfect place to be.

References:

Mr. Ver Pacete

Negritos Demonstrate Their Shooting Skills. Photograph. Saint Louis Public Library. Web. <http://http://exhibits.slpl.org/lpe/data/LPE240023364.asp?thread=240029402>.

Esteban Rodriguez. Photograph. Web. <http://http://goiloilo.com/esteban-rodriguez-de-figueroa-and-the-founding-of-tigbauan-iloilo/>

Cinco De Noviembre. Photograph. Web. <http://http://www.negros-occ.gov.ph/nopg/images/tourism/al_cinco_de_noviembre.jpg>.

Our Tour Bus..with the banner of CAMP BLOG!

“To foretell a destiny of the nation, it is necessary to open the book that tells of her past,” –Dr. Jose P. Rizal.

Walking around Negros Occidental is like going back to their beautiful past.  “Buglas”(Negros Occidental’s old name) is a province in the Philippines that truly showcases Filipino heritage especially in terms of architectural design in their houses and other establishments.

This is my first time to go to Negros Occidental and in my first look to the province, sugarcanes first popped into my mind because that’s the only thing I knew that can be widely found in the province.

As part of the activity of the camp blog 1c, we visited different heritage sites in three of the 13 cities of the province which were Talisay, Silay, Victorias and the municipality of Manapla together with Mr. Ver F. Pacete, Silay City Tourism Officer who explained to us different things about Negros like the Tale of the Two Cities and about Anecito Ledesma Lacson, a revolutionary General during the Spanish rule and a member of Katipunan.

“HOUSE OF ROCK”

At around eight o’clock, we left Natures Village Resort and Hotel. Our first destination was Balay Negrense Museum which is located on Cinco de Noviembre st. Silay City, Negros Occidental. Balay Negrense is a 19th century house, built in 1898 and owned by Don Victor Leopold Gaston Y Fernandez.

As I entered the house, a pair of stairs caught my attention because it’s appearance is like an open arms welcoming me. Also in the first floor is the receiving area of the old residence. I thought that is t

Balay Negrense

heir living room but my guess is wrong. On the right side upon the entrance, three bedrooms can be seen and I was fascinated with the layout of the rooms.

On the left side, beside the receiving area, there’s a big classical piano. On the second floor of the museum, I finally saw the living room and there, master bedrooms are located. I can compare bedrooms of kids and adults. Also their stuffs as a child and as a grown up. Vintage kitchen and dining room also fascinated my eyes because of its antique things in cooking, utensils, and other kitchen stuffs.

Balay Negrense Museum gave me a lot of informations about the past life of the Negrenses.

“House of Collections”

Mr. Ramon Hofileña

After discovering some secretsof the Negrense, we proceed to another ancestral house in Silay City which is the Manuel Severino Hofileña Ancestral House maintained by Mr. Ramon Hofileña. This is different from other ancestral houses because this is still functional and fully inhabited. This is also the first house in Silay City open to the public.

Every detail of this house has a story. The wall, staircase, pictures, toys and many more. But the paintings and other work of art of different artists of the Philippines including our National Hero, Dr. Jose P. Rizal impressed me. The human sketch of Mr. Hofileña as a model with an exotic pose and shocked me too!

“Church of the Angry Christ”

After eating our lunch, we boarded the bus going to Victorias City and entered the Victorias Milling Corporation compound. We visited the St. Joseph the Worker Parish Church, popularily known as “Church of the Angry Christ”. This parish is very famous for its mural painting that harmonized every eye

Sundial and the St. Joseph the Worker famously known as Church of the Angry Christ

because of its nice colors and the details are very clear. It is not yet repainted since Spanish-American creole artist Alfonso Ossorio created it with carbide carbon ethyl sylicate 40 on its paint.

Beside the church was a local sundial made by the students of Don Bosco Academy. The concept of sundial is different from any other sundial in the world because it is composed of a carabao: a man riding on it, holding a sugarcane standing for  Negros Occidental.

“Cartwheel Chapel”

Hacienda Sta. Rosalia, Manapla, Negros Occidental is our next destination wherein the Cartwheel Chapel was located. When I was outside the chapel, I was not so amazed by its structure but when I got into it I had a change of heart. The things inside were so indigenous! From the Crucifix to the walls. It is almost made up of cartwheels and has different symbolisms that reflect the life of the sugarcane workers.

Chapel of Cartwheel

Mr. Pacete makes further explanation about the chapel.

The Chapel of Cartwheels was built in 1967 by Architect Jerry S. Ascalon and conceptualized by Msgr. Guillermo Ma. “GG” Azcona Gaston

. It was Msgr. Gaston’s thesis”expressing the Catholic Faith in the language and context of the sugarcane workers.” that was implemented.

“Left Over”

After exploring Silay City, Victorias City, and town of Manapla, we went back to Talisay City.  When I got off the bus, I first noticed a very tall tower with a tree on the top of it and I discovered that it is a smokestacks or chimney which is needed for the mascovado mill of the sugar farm.

Then I discovered an Italianate-architectured structure with neo-Romanesque twin columns which they called “The Ruins”

There, we met Roger, a tour guide, and explained different features of the century old house.He said that The Ruins was built after the death of Maria Braga, wife of Don Mariano Ledesma Lacson. It was the largest residential structure ever built at that time.

The structure met its sad fate in the early part of the World War II when the USAFFE (United States Armed Forces in the Far East), then Guerilla fighters in the Philippines burned the mansion to prevent the Japanese Forces from utilizing it as their headquarters. Despite of what happened, the structure still stand and withstood the flow of time because of the things and grade-A concretes used in its construction.

“The Ruins” fascinates me a lot and if the house is not burned, I like to live there. Other features of the house are the following:

The Ruins w/ Fountain

• Fountain
• Simborio
• Veranda Lighting
• wooden floors
• Beldevere
• small arched window
• tiles of the mansion
• rain gutters & down spouts
• septic tanks
• 18-hole mini golf course

Seeing all those things is one of my unforgettable moments in my life and in just one day it’s like I rode a time machine and went back to the significant times and already explored the Negrense’s past!

I love to reminisce those things and that is the reason why I want to share my experiences to you, so sit back with your computer, stretch your arms together with your fingers and go with me to orbit and make a jumpshot !!!

These are the topics that you can dunk on…

EXPLORING WORLD

HORIZON

• Negros Experience ( which includes Camp Blog )
• Heritage Sites
  

  bus driver??

MY OWN TURF

• Sports
• Culture, products and traditions
• People

YOURS TRULY

• few personality information
• accomplishments
• academics and extra-curricular activities

Sharing this informations can hardly help people that is searching for an overview of different places in our country and to those who want to know my lovely town, LOPEZ, QUEZON and me.

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