A lesser known part of Philippine history is the celebration of the arrival of the portrait of Ferdinand VII in Manila in 1825 whose festivities started on December 18, 1825 and lasted for 6 days. I first heard about it through r/SpanishEmpire specifically u/elnovorealista2000.

Here is the basic information on the background and events:

Ferdinand VII wanted to reward the Philippines for its loyalty to the crown... Since Ferdinand VII could not thank his loyal subjects in person, he commissioned a full-length portrait from the court painter Vicente Lopez and sent it to Manila. The royal portrait arrived in October 1825, in a box draped with heavy black cloth together with the effects of Mariano Ricafort, newly minted governor general. In December, Ricafort arranged for the king’s portrait that had been installed in the salon of the Administracion de la Rentas del Vino in Binondo to be transferred and solemnly installed at the Ayuntamiento.

[H]is portrait was... greeted along the way by a cheering crowd estimated in the thousands. Ricafort declared a general amnesty first to military and later to civil prisoners declogging prisons and putting them in the king’s debt. This document in Madrid, complete with watercolors of the various floats and decorations, saw the hospitality unfurled not for a real person but a picture.

As to the fate of this portrait, it is uncertain as it was last seen in 1853 and could have been destroyed either due to the 1863 earthquake, 1880 earthquake or the Liberation of Manila. As a reference, we do have other Ferdinand VII paintings by Vicente Lopez (September 19, 1772 – July 22, 1850). As for what Governor-General Mariano Ricafort (February 20, 1776 - October 16, 1846) did, his accomplishment was the end of the Dagohoy Revolution (1744 - 1829), the longest revolt in Philippine history. He pardoned and permitted its numerous survivors to live in the lowlands of Bohol.

With that, here is information on the watercolor plates made in celebration of this occasion:

The watercolour plates were produced by a group of military engineers, formed by both Spaniards and local artists, amongst whom we find Thomas Cortés, Antonio Chacón y Conde, Vicente Castro, and Celedonio Ocampo. In total, there are 25 plates [26 according to The Royal Fiestas of Manila in 1825], currently preserved in the library of the Royal Palace of Madrid [by the time of The Royal Fiestas of Manila in 1825, they were at the Royal Library of Spain], since they were offered as a gift to the monarch at the end of the ceremony. In some of them, the name of the author is known, usually those by the Spanish engineers Thomas Cortés and Antonio Chacón y Conde. However, there is another group of drawings that could have been done by their Philippine students, although they are not signed. In these drawings, the perspective of the pagodas does not correspond to Western standards. Instead, they follow an oriental standard of composition and have a quite distinctive colouring.

As for the watercolors that depict Ferdinand VII, I do wonder which portrait is refered to and whether said portrait still exists.

There was also poetry (a sonnet, a décima and 53 octaves) by D. Domingo Diez Collantes made in occasion of this event.

References (Images):

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I know President Jose P. Laurel prevented Filipinos to be armed and conscripted to fight with the Japaness but are there still Filipinos collaborators who fought with them against the Americans? I read there is a Bureau of Constabulary that is organized during the occupation and conprised of former USAFFE officers and personnel and I also read it has been infiltrated by guerillas.

I recently went down a rabbit hole reading about Indonesian history and wow these guys have had massacres, race riots, straight up genocides at least once every decade of their history.

Obviously, don't get me wrong, I know systemic violence happens in the Philippines too. I know about the provincial warlords, warring political factions, wanton murders of journalists, communist and Islamic insurgencies, etc.

But the thing is, Indonesia (and most of our ASEAN neighbors) have this too. They were also colonized, they were also invaded by the Japanese, etc. When you think about the darkest periods in PH history it's mostly stuff that happened to our neighbors also.

But I don't think the Philippines has ever had race riots (May 1998, Bersiap), the 1965-66 communist purge (though Marcos probably wouldn't have hesitated to bring it to that scale), or Indonesia's genocide in West Papua. Like damn it's really dark and I wonder what kind of effect that has on their national psyche?

Then you have Cambodia, who were literally just under Khmer Rouge rule a few decades ago. There are survivors alive right now who are just in their 50s from when that happened. I don't think the Philippines has ever had anything that dark happen in our history and I hope to God we never do.

I hope it never happens here and we're not just waiting for our turn.

Alphonso Ongpin being referred to here is Alfonso Ongpin (August 11, 1885 - April 16, 1975), the first significant collector of numerous art pieces, a gifted writer, and photographer. One can only wonder what it was like to be in such a room, a comfy home gallery. I do wonder what these specific paintings were and whether they survived war and time.

A lesser known painter today, Miguel Zaragoza (September 29, 1847 - March 5, 1923) certainly had numerous works such as this self-portrait in oil on canvas. This piece was acquired by Epifanio de los Santos for the Philippine Library and Museum. Unfortunately, it was destroyed during the Liberation of Manila in 1945 as with many of his other works. Alas, this photo in a 1932 book is perhaps the only depiction of its existence left. If only it had color.

Here is a description of it by his nephew Francisco Zaragoza (1914 - 1990):

Having triumphed in his last landscape, like dawn over the dead of night, the master portraitist returned to Manila to paint, as it were, his last statement: his self-portrait. Poignantly, he struggled to achieve this by holding a magnifying lens over his canvas while he studied his fading reflections in a large mirror.

Most of the time, when we see a depiction of the balangay, like in textbooks and pictures, probably some movies (not sure if in Amaya they were, but not all boats there were balangays), as well as reconstructions like the one in the Pasig River recently, one thing that can be noticed is that they usually don't have katig or outriggers, those wooden or bamboo frames on the sides that help balance the boat and keep it afloat, unlike most smaller and more traditional boats still used in and around Philippine waters, and indeed in much of Southeast Asia and the Pacific. (I think that outriggers are even supposed to be an Austronesian or Polynesian invention, I'm not sure.)

So why would the balangay not have them? I don't think size was a factor in that larger boats might not have them, since I don't think they were very big, and anyway there were large boats like the karakoa that did have outriggers. There are, of course, traditional boats that didn't have outriggers, like the cascos of the Pasig River in the colonial period. They don't seem to have been preserved in the few precolonial surviving excavations that were discovered of them. Did they rot first? I don't know, maybe, but the rest of the boat is also made of wood, so why would that make a difference?

I found this interesting card. It was based from a photograph taken in 1892. The description on the back certainly makes it a product of its time being made in the United States. Such examples are 'Mestizos, or half-breed ladies of Manila', and 'superstition of the negro'. These people would mention 'a long, loose robe of bright-hued silk' which is the saya. They compared the 'long, flowing hair', such as that of Miguela Henson, to a mantilla which is a traditional lace or silk veil or shawl worn over the head and shoulders. This card most likely came from the same set as shown as these ones from France, Japan, and Sweden.

With that, there is a lesser known card which uses the same illustration but with a different back which has an illustration for Singer Sewing Machines. The place where to do services here is not listed for the store to fill up.

While researching on what the original photograph would have been, I found a 15 by 11.5cm poster which has three women. Upon looking closer, I noticed that the woman in the right has that flowery attire. There is also the striped cloth being sewn. This means that the two illustrations are from the same photo session. As for the photographs which the illustrations are based on, they have not been found.

Another trading card I found is this one of a Filipino and a Filipina sewing, both equally focused, by turning the handwheel. The former is doing a talungko, also known as the Asian squat while the latter is simply kneeling given her attire. It might not seem like much but, if you go through these ads for 'All Nations Use Singer Sewing Machines' as shown here (lower left) and here (upper right), this card is the only one where the users do not have the hand pedal and the setup connecting the sewing machine to the rest. It was also titled 'Manila' rather than 'Philippine Islands'. As to why this was used, it is uncertain but it could be either or both prejudice and curiosity.

As for the information behind this card, it spells Manila with ll which reminds me of the French word for Manila, Manille. It mentions Cheroots, a cylindrical, filterless cigar that is clipped flat on both ends instead of being tapered, and Cordage, catchall term for rope, string, yarn, and similar fiber materials made from many different natural and synthetic fibers. It equates Manila to looking very Oriental, despite failure to mention the presence of the Chinese, through the houses built on pillars to allow the flow of water under during the rainy season.

Why did the framers just intend to have for president the requirement to just 'read and write' among others like residency, nothing too difficult to obtain. No requirement like 'having served in any elected/appointed positions for xxx years or 1 3-year term or more' including for the VP. For the legislative why did they not input something like a local position before being able to run for national legislature

I get they were afraid as hell after just ousting Marcos and all but the bar was set way too low which gave way to just pure celebrities today. Was it just to sort of say 'this is to ensure anyone can run', much like how anyone can vote as long as they are a resident and 18? Were there actual efforts to raise this bar or dissenting voices that thought this was a bad idea

American GIs from an unidentified unit takes a well deserved rest inside the Manila Aquarium in the present-day Puerta Real Gardens.

This particular part of Intramuros was the last defensive area captured by the combined American and Filipino guerillas during the Battle of Manila in 1945.

Nearby sat the famous 120mm Japanese naval gun, said to be pointed at the Manila City Hall to this day.

The two part trap is used by inserting the funnel shaped smaller basket inside the mouth of the larger basket. This contraption makes it easy for a fish to swim thru, but difficult to get out from.

Bait like rotting fish or flesh is thrown inside. It is secured on the parts of the river were fish, eel, crabs, etc. congregates often. The basket trap is lowered with stones fastened as sinkers.

The fishermen then regularly checks the traps, and move them elsewhere if there is no catch.

I found this interesting illustration here. This is to discourage the youth from engaging in such a vice.

I found this photo here. The photo claims that this man in this photo is more than a hundred years old. Given the book was a second edition, it is certainly from before 1918. He is able to stand with the assistance of a bamboo stick though he might be blind. The book states that anyone who lives healthily would be able to significantly extend his own life.

American M7 Priest and jeeps near the Yutivo & Sons building in Dasmariñas St., Binondo, Manila.

17 February 1945.

An unfinished and one of the last, if not last, painting by Fernando Amorsolo, it had quite a history after the painter’s death on April 24, 1972. For over 40 years after the painter’s death, her identity remained unknown until March 2016 when Judy Araneta Roxas noted it to be Nena Belo, mother of Vicky Belo. 2 years later, it was confirmed to be her. Vicky noted that all Nena’s five sisters had received their portraits but not Nena herself. This explains what happened to it.

I found this recipe from a poster who visited Bahay Nakpil-Bautista in a walking heritage tour. The house even served it there (center of the image). This further peaked my interest in the history behind the recipe.

As you can see in the title, I dated this recipe to be from the 1930s. One reason is the presence of the name Iday in the beginning. This is the nickname of Caridad de Jesus Nakpil (1918 - deceased) who Gregoria was addressing the recipe to.

Fun Fact: Iday was the spouse of Carlos Antonio Santos-Viola (April 8, 1912 – July 31, 1994), the architect of the well-known INC chapels.

By the 1930s, she would have certainly be in the right age to buy the ingredients needed for her Morcon. As to who wrote it, I am uncertain whether it could be Gregoria herself given her handwriting, Iday or even others.

Another is a mention of a can of Morton sausages. So, I researched on this and it turns out there is such thing but not in the way you think. It is possible that this can is the yellow c. 1930s - 1940s 10 oz. can of Morton sausage seasoning. There is a recipe for pork sausages. Hence, a can of Morton sausages being referred here is most likely Morton seasoned sausages that weigh 10oz. including the can.

Aside from that, there were 1930s recipe booklets by the Morton Salt Company such as Meat Curing Made Easy and a New Way to Make Sausage (1933), Recipes for Meat Dishes (1935), and Meat Curing Made Easy (1935). One could have learned to make their own there. It could be that Morton sausage is a generic name for any canned sausage given it was imported like colgate for toothpaste.

With that, I compared the original, the transcribed Tagalog and the translated. They have quite varying differences with each other even from the start. Thank you.

Looking to find ways to purchase at the very least the hat or the upper attire, I've tried contacting a reenactment group at the moment.

An interview of Ninoy Aquino on the First Quarter Storm in the Philippines back in 1970.

Is there any in-depth research on the internal economy of Spanish Philippines during the Galleon era? Trade routes, imports, exports, everything