Post by VeeVee on Jul 12, 2009 20:11:02 GMT -5
Photos sent in by Insurrectomad... thanks David!
June 12 celebration in Pampanga. With Dan Dizon too.
(click for bigger)
Hello Victor, I got some great photos of the June 12 event in Angeles. I was invited to take part in the historic reenactment of the Independence Day speech that Gen. Aguinaldo gave in Angeles City in 1898. It is reenacted from the same balcony of the Pamituan mansion that Aguinaldo adressed the crowds from. The House is now occupied by the offices of the Nat. Bank. It is a beautiful building but in dire need some restoration and maintenence work. The craftsmanship especially of the wooden spiral staircase leading to the tower centered on the roof is superb I think. It was from there that lookout sentries were posted to warn of any American forces approaching on the day.
Next yr they plan to post reenactors on the surrounding tower terrace once repairs are completed. Angeles has a big programme of improvements to the town & Clark Airbase in readiness for next yr. Likewise San Fernando city have already begun a complete restoration of their garden plaza with all it's statues, such as Gen. Hizon, Aurelio Tolentino, & Gov. T. Hilario, etc. The Railway Station currently derelect and occupied by squatters is to be fully restored & turned into a museum with exhibits detailing the famous vistors such as Rizal, Luna, Mascardo, MacArthur & others. Independance Day activities began at 7am with a procession from Holy Mary Cathedral to the Pamituan Hse, at then end of the block of the main rd that leads awy from the front of the church. Alas like all the historic & beautiful buildings in the town the image is spoilt by all the power cables dangling everywhere. The Uni provided a brass band dressed in red tunics, a choir of singers and a large company of adorable belles, playing madelines etc. After the speech was reenacted, and all sang the Nat. Anthem, we proceed to the museum infront of the cathedral to have a splendid lunch on the top floor of the newly painted museum that is also undergoing a major uplift. * note comments at end. During the feast I got to talk with the dignitaries & patrons of the town. So much was going on that I didn't get any time to speak with Danny Dizon beyond our photos being taken. The reenactors all come from the Academy of Performing Arts. The Director of Tourism was telling me all about the plans for Clark Base & Exbo. Center that will be finished by the end of the year. He was very interested in holding events related to The Rev./Phil./AM War, The WW2 & Vietnam War also; that would put Angeles more prominent on the tourist map. In Rodriguez (Marikina), San Fernando & Angeles City there is major preparations for commemorative events in 2010! In Tarlac too I'm told, so next year is the time to visit the old country, it seems.
* The downside of worrying downside of the newly upgraded museum is the loss of the room made available for D. Dizon's pictures of soldiers of the revolution & related artifacts, diorama etc. No thought has been given by the museum committee as to a new location! when I inquired, I was told that there no longer was any room left now that that room had been given over to historic photos of old Angeles City. "We could put them up on the walls above the diorama cabinets showing figures depicting religious procssions and costumed dancers perhaps" I was told. I was mortified! Dan's pictures would be set too high to clearly see details and the lights would reflect off the glass. In addition to that they would be no space for any additions to the 1896-04 War collection! No new location has been allocated anywhere, as far as I know at the time. I will try to contact or E-mail Danny about it. The prison cell bars have also been removed from within the museum (Once the Old Municiple Hall) & replaced by plate glass & the cell is new an office/library. This will then bee moved to the top floor in a year or so. The last prisoner was a US Army Col. (Hayes?) POW who was then taken to the towns cemitery & clubbed to death with rifle butts by his Jap guards during the last months of the war. The Fil. servant and housekeeper who had befriend the col. was made to bury the body after his death. He later contacted the family in The States (having used the col's "dogtag" to locate them) and dug up the bones to be shipped to America. I hope therefore that the cell will be restored again in the future. P.1= in front of apartment that Aguinaldo slept in and Jap commander used as his HQ 1942-45. P.2=Stairs to tower.
June 12 celebration in Pampanga. With Dan Dizon too.
(click for bigger)
Hello Victor, I got some great photos of the June 12 event in Angeles. I was invited to take part in the historic reenactment of the Independence Day speech that Gen. Aguinaldo gave in Angeles City in 1898. It is reenacted from the same balcony of the Pamituan mansion that Aguinaldo adressed the crowds from. The House is now occupied by the offices of the Nat. Bank. It is a beautiful building but in dire need some restoration and maintenence work. The craftsmanship especially of the wooden spiral staircase leading to the tower centered on the roof is superb I think. It was from there that lookout sentries were posted to warn of any American forces approaching on the day.
Next yr they plan to post reenactors on the surrounding tower terrace once repairs are completed. Angeles has a big programme of improvements to the town & Clark Airbase in readiness for next yr. Likewise San Fernando city have already begun a complete restoration of their garden plaza with all it's statues, such as Gen. Hizon, Aurelio Tolentino, & Gov. T. Hilario, etc. The Railway Station currently derelect and occupied by squatters is to be fully restored & turned into a museum with exhibits detailing the famous vistors such as Rizal, Luna, Mascardo, MacArthur & others. Independance Day activities began at 7am with a procession from Holy Mary Cathedral to the Pamituan Hse, at then end of the block of the main rd that leads awy from the front of the church. Alas like all the historic & beautiful buildings in the town the image is spoilt by all the power cables dangling everywhere. The Uni provided a brass band dressed in red tunics, a choir of singers and a large company of adorable belles, playing madelines etc. After the speech was reenacted, and all sang the Nat. Anthem, we proceed to the museum infront of the cathedral to have a splendid lunch on the top floor of the newly painted museum that is also undergoing a major uplift. * note comments at end. During the feast I got to talk with the dignitaries & patrons of the town. So much was going on that I didn't get any time to speak with Danny Dizon beyond our photos being taken. The reenactors all come from the Academy of Performing Arts. The Director of Tourism was telling me all about the plans for Clark Base & Exbo. Center that will be finished by the end of the year. He was very interested in holding events related to The Rev./Phil./AM War, The WW2 & Vietnam War also; that would put Angeles more prominent on the tourist map. In Rodriguez (Marikina), San Fernando & Angeles City there is major preparations for commemorative events in 2010! In Tarlac too I'm told, so next year is the time to visit the old country, it seems.
* The downside of worrying downside of the newly upgraded museum is the loss of the room made available for D. Dizon's pictures of soldiers of the revolution & related artifacts, diorama etc. No thought has been given by the museum committee as to a new location! when I inquired, I was told that there no longer was any room left now that that room had been given over to historic photos of old Angeles City. "We could put them up on the walls above the diorama cabinets showing figures depicting religious procssions and costumed dancers perhaps" I was told. I was mortified! Dan's pictures would be set too high to clearly see details and the lights would reflect off the glass. In addition to that they would be no space for any additions to the 1896-04 War collection! No new location has been allocated anywhere, as far as I know at the time. I will try to contact or E-mail Danny about it. The prison cell bars have also been removed from within the museum (Once the Old Municiple Hall) & replaced by plate glass & the cell is new an office/library. This will then bee moved to the top floor in a year or so. The last prisoner was a US Army Col. (Hayes?) POW who was then taken to the towns cemitery & clubbed to death with rifle butts by his Jap guards during the last months of the war. The Fil. servant and housekeeper who had befriend the col. was made to bury the body after his death. He later contacted the family in The States (having used the col's "dogtag" to locate them) and dug up the bones to be shipped to America. I hope therefore that the cell will be restored again in the future. P.1= in front of apartment that Aguinaldo slept in and Jap commander used as his HQ 1942-45. P.2=Stairs to tower.