Marcelo H. del Pilar :Second Editor of La Solidaridad

 On August 30,1850 Marcelo H. del Pilar was born in Sitio Cupang, San Nicolas, in Bulacan, Bulacan.His father, Leon Hilario was thrice gobernadorcillo of Bulacan town. Del Pilar was adopted after the 1849 Claveria decree, which also caused the changing of Mercado to Rizal. His mother was Blasica Gatmaytan,the prefix Gat denoting Tagalog aristocracy.Marcelo was ninth and second to the youngest of the Hilario children of six boys and four girls who started bearing the Del Pilar surname.

Macelo's first teacher was his mother.Later , he went to Manila and studied under Mr. Flores. He attended the College of San Juan de Letran and the University of Sto. Tomas where he studied law.

His first bitter experience with the Spanish friars was when he was charged with a very high baptismal fee when he acted as a god-father to a boy,so he went to another church. Then  again ,his eldest brother,Fr. Toribio, with Frs. Gomez Burgos and Zamora was arrested.He was encarcerated in Malolos ,then,with hands tied together by a rope attached to the horse's reins, was paraded on the streets of Malolos and Bulacan, on the way to Manila.The young Marcelo asked the captain of the guards if his brother could be given a horse to ride or stop to bless their very sick mother , but was not allowed.

After he became a lawyer in 1886, Del Pilar  spent his time writing for the Diariong Tagalog. He attacked the Spanish priests in his articles and defended the weak.The Spaniards were angry and planned to deport him.When he found this out, he left for Spain in October, 1888.

In Spain, he continued his attacks on the Spanish officials in the Philippines through the La Solidaridad, of which he became its second editor up to 1895.He used the pen-name "Plaridel" in his writings.

He organized the Filipinos in Spain into freemasonry , and joined the propaganda movement where he criticized the cruelties in the Philippines and fought for his country's cause.

He did not earn anything from his writings. He published pamphlets and booklets out of his own money  or money he received from his friends.When he no longer received money from home and his friends, he went hungry and sick.He died in desolation, despair and bitter loneliness in the land of his enemies on July 4,1896 in Barcelona, at the age of 46.

The eight long years in Spain  of Marcelo del Pilar's life was a monumental sacrifice for his fight against the Spaniards' maladministration and injustices, He spent the whole of his life in a great effort for the welfare of his country and fellowmen.

Sometime before his death, his wife wrote him of the burning of their house in Cupang. he wrote back: "The criminal hired for the job is misled by his ignorance of my sincere love for him and our country.

Nothing is left of the fearless newspaperman's property today, except a piece of land on which their house stood and which was burned by his enemies.A shrine has been built on this site.A marker at its center is a pedestal with a bust of Marcelo del Pilar on its base. At the foot of the pedestal is a small tomb where the remains of the hero have been kept.

References:In The Grade School _July, 1964   

                    Sunday Chronicle , August 25, 1962

A Tribute to Elizabeth Soberano Tuboc on Her 80th Birthday

Ang kuon kang mga mal-am,ang tao nga nabun-ag sa Agusto, naga "pagusto"..(basi "spoiled brat" sa English.) Tuod gid man, ay si Elizabeth nga Tita Betty kon tawgon kang ana mga kabaro sa Girl Scout Movement , wara pa gani makapamata, nagpagusto ron kang inakop kang ginatos ka mga kabataan kang iban nga mga nanay, sa sulod kang ana klase kag sa ana berde nga tropa.

Si Tita Betty, daw inang nga munga nga pirme may nagarunotrunot nga sangka burutwan nga mga piso. Sa Camping, sa Jamboree, sa BSP_GSP  Encampment, Trainings kag Conventions, si Tita Betty, sa tunga kang mga nakaberde nga panong indi gid madura. Si Tita Bets, sangka babaeng buhat nga may very strong nga mother instinct. Ang ana "pusong ina"ang nagatulod kana nga batition ang mga bata nga babae agud mangin pantok sa mga ihibalo kag mga pagpasulabi nga amo ang kasangkapan agud mangin bilidhon nga katapo kang anda pamilya , komunidad, kag nasyon.

Ang wara nagakahubas nga enerhiya kag inspirasyon ni Tita Bets sa pag-ubay sa mga "girls in green",kag ang ana malig-on nga pagtib-ong sa adbokasiya ni Josefa Llanes Escoda amo ang bugay nga kapinasahi kana nga ginadayaw ko gid kag ginakaimahan . Bisan wara ron tana sa serbisyo, ang ana kontribusyon sa pagporma sa mga kabataan,  bilang isa ka makugi nga maestra kag dedicated nga Girl Scout Leader, indi gid malipatan kag mabalewara, kag labi nga gina pasalamatan kang tanan nga ana nasumalang sa dalanon kang kabuhi..

Gani sa ana  ika-80 nga  kaadlawan ka dya nga Agusto 16,2022, I pay tribute  to this Great Tita nga Tita kang tanan!Happy birthday!!!

Patawad, Inang Wika

 Sa aking mga katha ,

Marami ang humanga;

Ngunit sa sarili ko ,

Lihim akong nakukutya.

Damdamin ko'y ipinahayag ,

Sa wikang banyaga;

Di ko kayang iraos ,

Sa sarili kong wika.

Kung kaya ako naging bihasa ,

Sa wika ng mga dayuhan ,

Dahil ito ang kinagisnan ,

At di naiwasang natutunan .

Magaling man ako'y di ko sadya ,

Dahil hinubog sa wika ng iba ,

Yaring aking dila, pati paniniwala ,

Mula pa sa aking pagkabata.

Ngayon , nais kong tumula ,

Ito ang tangi kong nasa ;

Ngunit ako'y kimi, waring hiyang-hiya ,

Sa wika ng lahi ko'y nalilito, nalulula .

Patawad, aking Inang Wika ,

Di ko ninais maging dayuhan ,

Sa sinilangan kong lupa ;

Mahal kita, ngunit ako'y kapos sa salita.

Wikang Filipino :Susi sa Pambansang Pagkakaisa.

 Dapat nating itaguyod ang pagtangkilik sa wikang Filipino. Ang Pilipinas ay naging kolonyal sa matagal na panahon...Sa loob ng panahong iyon, unti-unting itinakwil ng mga Pilipino ang katutubong kultura,at inaruga ang kabihasnan ng mga dayuhan, pati na ang kanilang wika. 

Ngayong malaya na ang ating bansa, natural lamang sa atin ang magmithing matagpuan ang sariling pambansang pagkakakilanlan, kaya tayo  nagbabalik sa katutubong awitin, sayaw at laro. Nararapat lamang na pahalagahan ang ating pambansang wika dahil ito ay isang mahigpit na pangangailangan sa pagbuklod ng mga Pilipino bilang isang lahi _ isang bansa.

Mahigit  80 taon na ang nakaraan nang unang ipahayag ng Pangulong Quezon na ang Filipino  na batay sa wikang Tagalog ay siyang ating wikang pambansa. Ngunit parang walang bisa ang Kautusang Tagapagpaganap Blg.134 na kanyang nilagdaan noong ika-30 ng Dis.,1937, sapagkat tinanggap nga ito ng mga mamamayan na wikang pambansa, ngunit hindi tinangkilik bilang isang wikang panlahat. Kaya, noong unang araw ng Abril,1940,isa pang Kautusang Tagapagpaganap na may bilang 263 ang nilagdaan ng Pangulong Quezon na ipinag-uutos ang pagtuturo ng wikang Filipino sa lahat ng paaralang publiko at pribado,simula noong Hunyo,1940.Noong ika-7 ng Hunyo ng gayunding taon, ang Pangulong Quezon ay naglagda ng Commonwealth Act Blg.570,na nagpapahayag na ang Filipino ay gawing isa sa mga wikang opisyal magsimula sa ika -4 ng Hunyo, 1946. Ang mga naturang Kautusan ay hindi nabago sa kabila ng ating pagkakaroon ng Bagong Saligang Batas. Kung gayon, ang wikang Filipino ay karapatdapat na tangkilikin, payamanin, at palaganapin hanggang sa maging isang wikang panlahat sapagkat ito ay hindi lamang isang karaniwang wika ;ito ay wikang pambansa, opisyal, at panturo sa lahat ng mga paaralan.

Isang karangalan ang marunong magsalita ng Filipino.Ito ay isang wikang maipagmamalaki. Ayon kay Padre Chirino,na isang kinikilalang Jesuit historian, natagpuan niya sa ating wika ang apat na katangian ng apat na mga dakilang wika sa daigdig.: ang Hebreyo, Griyego,Latin at Kastila. Taglay ng wikang Filipino ang pagkaelegante ng wikang Hebreyo, ang katiyakan ng Griyego, ang hiwaga ng Latin at ang kapinuhan ng Kastila. 

Ang wikang Filipino ay para sa mga Pilipino.Ito ay sagisag ng ating lahi, tanda ng pagkamakabayan, isang gintong pamana sa atin ng ating mga kalahi. Ang paggamit nito ay may malaking maitutulong sa pagsasakatuparan ng layunin ng sambayanan na paunlarin ang ating bansa sa pamamagitan ng komunikayong pangmasa. Madaling magkakaintindihan ang mga Pilipino sa lahat ng sektor ng lipunan, kahit saan mang bahagi ng bansa at ano pa man ang kanilang lokal na wika.

Kaya huwag nating biguin ang ating mga bayani na nanguna sa itinataguyod natin ngayon,at nangarap na makita ang lahing Pilipino na iginagalang ng kapwa bansa, sapagkat may sariling kabihasnan ,pagkakakilanlan at sariling wika. Mabuhay ang wikang Filipino!

Josephine : Rizal's Light in the Dark

Josephine Bracken was born on August 9,1876 in Hongkong .She was of Irish parentage. Her father,James Bracken was a corporal and detachment schoolmaster in a regiment stationed in the Crown Colony.A few days after her birth, her mother, Elizabeth Jane Mackbride, died .Bracken was left with five motherless children, so he gave the latest to George Taufer, a German-American boiler engineer working in the mechanical department of the Hongkong Fire Insurance. Taufer's wife died when Josephine was seven years old. A year after, he married again. His second wife died when Josephine was 15 years old. That time, his blindness was starting to set in. He married again, but his third wife mistreated Josephine,so she left their home and sought refuge in an Italian convent. Taufer came to her, begged her to return because his wife was starving him. Josephine returned and instead of fleeing from her cruel stepmother, she drove her out of the house.In 1895, Taufer was totally blind. He sold his properties and let Josephine seek out Dr. Jose Rizal who,while in Hongkong,, has gained reputation as an eye doctor. In February 1895, the eighteen-year-old Josephine Bracken came to Dapitan with her adoptive father, George Taufer. Less than a month after meeting her,Rizal proposed to marry Josephine. Rizal could have perceived in her the qualities he felt the Filipina tragically lacked: "firmness of character and lofty ideas". He described her as a "sweet friend that lightened my way".Josephine accepted Rizal without question,embracing his philosophy and creed, serving as his light in the darkest days of his life. Father Obach, the parish priest of Dapitan refused to marry them without Rizal's retraction of his political writings, so he decided to live with her without the benefit of a  church wedding.There was no civil marriage in the Philippines that time, so, with Rizal's mother's permission, they were married by holding hands in the presence of two witnesses. Josephine proved to be a versatile housewife.Rizal was proud and pleased with her. She proved to be a good wife and made him only too happy. He told his family,"I greatly esteem and hold her dear, I would not wish to see her imperilled and abandoned.Besides,she has nobody else in this world but me.I am all her family."To Josephine, with Joe, she felt like " a child on its mother's knee" during the 28 months of their life together.

Josephine was fond of Rizal's nephew, Mauricio.One time, she saw him topple down the chair, but she caught him before he hit the floor. The act strained her, so she had abortion.She gave birth to a premature baby boy. Rizal christened him Francisco II,after his father.He buried his only offspring near his garden plot. 

On December 29,1896, Josephine spent the whole night before Rizal's,execution , on her knees in prayer in front of the door where her husband was held in prison. It was just before six'oclock in the morning of December 30, that Josephine was allowed to see him. At this moment, Rizal and Josephine were formally married in the Catholic Church by Father Balaguer, one of the Jesuits that stayed with Rizal during the night. After the marriage, Rizal asked Josephine , "What would you do for a living ? What will become of you?". Josephine bitterly replied,"I will just teach English for a living.".When asked by Rizal what she'll do after his death, she bravely answered,she'll go to Imus to join the rebels.(She did, serving as a muse and nurse for the revolutionists). No doubt, Rizal loved her dearly. His last thoughts were of her; she was in Rizal's thoughts when he wrote his "Ultimo Adios"_his "sweet foreigner": "Adios , dulce estrangera,  mi amiga, mi alegria".And in his copy of the Imitation of Christ which he was reading the night before he died, and which he gave to her before they parted,he had written: "To my dear and unhappy wife.".

Josephine asked for the remains of her husband, but she was refused. She swore to avenge his death.With a revolver and a dagger, she reached the rebels' camp. They gave her a Mauser gun which they captured from Spanish troops. She joined the insurgents in Cavite and later returned to Manila. She stayed in Iloilo for sometime  where she taught English. In 1898,she married Vicente Abad, a Filipino by whom she had a daughter .She taught in a public school in Manila. A year after, she died in Hongkong and was buried in the Catholic section of the Happy Valley Cemetery beside the grave of her adoptive father, George Taufer, the blind man who led her to her fate with Rizal.

References:Philippine Free Press, December 8,1956  and  Philippine Panorama, June 19,1977

Comment:  

One cannot only be a Filipino by being born to this country but through his noble desire to make this nation free,  to help the people uplift their prestige, to enlighten their minds and unfold  to them the true essence and concept of nationalism.

It is an opportunity to be born a Filipino, but few have ever taken advantage of being one. Josephine, a woman at that, baptized herself through her noble desire to help the Filipino in time of war and peace. She could have taught other people's children,could have left the country for another more prosperous and peaceful land . But she chose to stay and help her husband's  people. Rizal wanted his woman to be brave and courageous to stand for her rights. He hinted this in his Letter to the Women of Malolos. He was glad that  he had found this woman, Josephine,who possessed what he wanted to find in every Pilipina . Precisely, Josephine deserves a niche in the heart of the Filipinos.   _  Maria Luisa.

August Events in Philippine History

1.August 1,1944_Death of Manuel Luis Quezon in Saranac Lake, New York, U.S.A.

2.August 18, 1841_Birth of Luis Yanco, in Bacoor, Cavite. He became an orphan at the age of seven. He started his career of loading and unloading cargoes by boat across Manila Bay and Pasig River at the age of 13. He became the first Filipino to own a shipping line (that sailed from Aparri to Jolo)).He was a philanthropist and a strong defender of the rights of his countrymen. 

3._August 19,1878_Manuel Luis Quezon was born in Baler, Tayabas (now, Quezon Province) He was the first President of the Commonwealth and the Father of Philippine Independence from America.He was called "Ama ng Pambansang Wika ng Pilipinas". He was the Champion of Social Justice a statesman and a patriot.

4._August 14, 1835_ Birth of Father Jacinto Zamora, in Pandacan, Manila. He was a defender of the rights of the Filipino clergy. He was beheaded at the plaza of Bagumbayan (now, Rizal Park) on February 17, 1872. He died a martyr.

5._August 21,1983_Assassination of Ninoy Aquino, the youngest Senator ever elected. He was 34 on the day of the election. Marcos filed a disqualification case against him, because the Constitution states that a senator must be 35 years old.Senator Ganzon of Iloilo defended Ninoy, arguing that the oath-taking will be in December, and by that time, Ninoy will already be 35. (this simply proved that Ganzon was more brilliant than Marcos, so he hated the Senator from Iloilo, the Ilongos and Iloilo) Ninoy was a strong defender of democracy, and a human rights and civil rights advocate.

 6._ August 26, 1896_Cry of Balintawak, which marked the onset of Katipunan uprising led by Andres Bonifacio.

7.August 30, 1850_Birth of Marcelo H. del Pilar in Kupang, San Nicolas, Bulacan. He was the founder of Diaryong Tagalog in 1882.He was the second editor of La Solidaridad. His penname wa "Plaridel". He was a propagandist, a lawyer and a patriot. He died on July4,1896 in Barcelona, Spain.

8._August 31,1905_Birth of Ramon Magsaysay y del Fiero in Castillejos, Zambales. He was known as the Huk Fighter, Idol of the Common Man, The Beloved, The Guy, the "Savior of Democracy of the Philippines", the Champion of the Masses, the Man of the People, and the Father of Land Reform. In Ramon Magsaysay are found the straightforwardness, and hatred for lawlessness of Quezon, the valor of Washington, the brevity and humility of Eisenhower and the firmness and kindness of Lincoln. Corruption was never an issue against him and his administration. In terms of integrity, he was totally beyond reproach.He was known for his honesty.