HOME AWAY FROM HOME (Part 4)

By Rene Calalang
Scarborough-Ontario
November 30, 2014



ONE of the place I explored before my trip to Palawan and during my many Balikbayan visits was the historical town of Malolos, the town where I was born and raised.

Some of the pictures you will see are not the latest as my visits and explorations started a few years ago but only now did I find the time to document them.

MALOLOS is a small city less than an hour northwest of Manila. It was founded by Father Diego Ordonez de Vivar in 1850. It was later divided into three sub towns: Malolos, Barasoain and Sta Isabel. In 1901, the three towns were joined into one under the name Malolos.

Malolos is famous for the many historical events that happened here during the founding of the First Philippine Republic; hence, the presence of many historical monuments and buildings.

Perhaps, the most famous is the Barasoain Church - derived from Baras ng Suwail (Dungeon of the Defiant) as it was the meeting place of many anti colonial and anti Spanish Illustrados. It was made a national shrine by virtue of Presidential Decree No. 260 by then President Ferdinand Marcos.

Barasoain Church was originally built by Augustinian Missionaries but was destroyed by fire in the 17^th century. It was rebuilt, but was again destroyed by fire in 1884. In 1885, Father Juan Giron was responsible for building the church to what it is now, and is typical to that of many Spanish Churches: a big church made from adobe, whose facade is of neo classic design with symmetrical features and arched windows on the sides and two small doors besides the main entrance, common to that of many Spanish Churches.

The church consists of two structures: the church itself and adjacent to it is an L shaped convent, now a two part museum.

The front part of the museum is dedicated to the struggle against Spain, which includes an audio visual presentation commemorating the Declaration of Independence against Spain on June 12, 1898. Also on display is a facsimile of El Heraldo de la Revolution, the official newspaper of the First Philippine Republic.

The back part, an Eccliastical Museum, is dedicated to the collection of religious artifacts accumulated through the years.

There are three major events that made Barasoain Church very historical:

1.     It was here where the Malolos Congress (First Philippine Congress) was convened on September 15, 1898, with ninety five delegates coming from various parts of the country.

2.     It was here where Congress drafted the Malolos Constitution on September 29, 1898 and approved it on January 21, 1898.

What makes the Malolos Constitution very interesting, in my opinion, was that it was drafted by Pedro Paterno, an Illustrado. What if the head of the Malolos Congress then was Apolinario Mabini, the “Sublime Paralytic” and “The Brains of the Revolution?” He was also an intellectual, a known nationalist and a member of the masses. Could the Malolos Constitution been different and would the lives of the Filipinos now been different. It makes me wonder.

3.     It was here where the First Philippine Republic was inaugurated on January 23, 1899.

Because of these events, Malolos was made the capital of the Philippines, but only for a short period of time. In 1901, the Americans changed the capital when they occupied the country, relegating Malolos as the capital of the Province of Bulacan.

The church was returned to how it looked in 1898, in time for the inauguration of then elected President Joseph Estrada and Centennial celebration.

TODAY, the church is a favored site for many Catholics to receive and celebrate Catholic sacraments like baptism, confirmation and wedding, which I myself had attended, and in many cases stood as sponsor. It is also a tourist site for everyone willing to learn and witness a part of our history.

During the Philippine American War, when the Americans were advancing northward, General Antonio Luna and his men, on the order of General Emilio Aguinaldo, burnt down the cathedral as part of Aguinaldo’s “Scorched Earth Policy” so that everything that remained would be rendered useless.

From 1902-1936, it was again reconstructed and would become the official residence of the Bishop of Malolos.
Today, the only remaining landmark of the revolution at the Malolos Cathedral is a big, century old Siar Tree (believed to be planted by General Emilio Aguinaldo, although there were some unanswered questions about this, for how could General Aguinaldo held meetings under that tree if it was a small, newly planted tree), now known as the Kalayaan Tree.
And in an area adjacent to the cathedral popularly called Kamestisuhan could be found many preserved old Spanish Homes (owned or formerly owned by prominent Malolos families) that once served as offices of different departments of the Aguinaldo Government. To name a few, there is the Bautista House used as Office of Secretaria de Fomento; the Ejercito House (owned by Judge Arcadio Ejercito) that served as the Office for the Secretary of War.

TODAY, this minor basilica, which is located just opposite the city hall, stands as one of the pride of Malolos, a place of devotion and worship for catholics, and just like the Barasoain Church, a tourist attraction protected by law through the National Historical Institute.

TO BE CONTINUED