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CPU Historical Society, Lopez Jaena Street, Jaro (2026)

14/02/2026

February 9, 1945

The Japanese massacre Elpidio Quirino's family on Colorado Street in Ermita, Manila. ☠️

Among the victims of the Manila massacres were the immediate family of the late President Elpidio Quirino, who lost his wife and three children. On Feb. 9, 1945 his wife Doña Alicia, daughter Norma, infant daughter Fe and son Armando where gunned by Japanese soldiers as they tried to escape from their burning house. The bloodbath is described in more detail by Salvador P. Lopez (The Judgment of History) as follows:

"As the (allied troops) shelled the Japanese military installations in the area the Japanese soldiers, in sheer desperation, knowing they could not escape alive, indulged in a cold-blooded massacre of the residents. It was in the course of this murderous rampage that tragedy overtook the Quirino family.

"Quirino had gathered his wife and children about him on that fateful day of 9th February 1945 in the family residence on Colorado Street (presently Felipe Agoncillo), Ermita, to plan their escape from the area.

"It was four o'clock in the afternoon. The Japanese had transformed the neighborhood into a holocaust of fire and death. A barrage of shells hit the roof of the Quirino residence. As the house burned, Elpidio decided to escape with his family to the home of his mother-in-law, Mrs. Concepcion Jimenez Syquia, on the same street.

"In a desperate attempt to get out of the hell-hole, Elpidio ordered his son, Tomas, to lead the group. Doña Alicia cuddled her two daughters, infant Fe and Norma. Another son, Armando, carried the family valuables. All the members of the family then dashed towards the Syquia residence. Tomas and Victoria led the group.

"Half-way across the street, four Japanese marines, camouflaged in leaves, machine-gunned them. Looking back, Tomas saw the bodies of his mother and two sisters lying lifeless on the ground. Mrs. Quirino died hugging Fe, while Norma lay dead beside her. Armando tried to retrieve their dead bodies but was stopped by machine-gun fire."

(Photo courtesy of the President Elpidio Quirino Foundation)

14/02/2026

Sanji Iwabuchi (March 2, 1895 - February 26, 1945) 🇯🇵

He was the Japanese rear admiral during World War II who was in command of the naval forces in Manila, Philippines in 1945. Iwabuchi sought to defend the city, which was surrounded by American forces, in the face of insuperable odds. He engaged the Americans in street-by-street fighting, with devastating consequences: the loss of 17,000 Japanese defenders (including Iwabuchi himself), 100,000 civilians, and more than 1,000 Americans. Iwabuchi apparently killed himself with a hand gr***de, but his body was never identified. ☠️

Iwabuchi's actions were in defiance of the orders of Imperial Japanese General Tomoyuki Yamash*ta, who'd been prepared to let Manila fall and fight the Americans at the Cordilleras. Consequently, Yamash*ta was tried and convicted for war crimes in part because of Iwabuchi's behavior. ⚖️

19/01/2026

Pedro Paterno is often included in the list of "Grand Old Men" of Philippine history. He was the mediator of the Pact of Biak-na-Bato and served as the President of the Malolos Congress. However, his "not-so-heroic" reputation comes from his tendency to switch sides to protect his status and wealth.

The Fact: Paterno was obsessed with being part of the nobility. He spent much of his life in Spain trying to claim he was a "Prince" or a "Grandee of Spain." When the 1896 Revolution broke out, he didn't initially support the rebels; instead, he acted as a mediator for the Spanish government to bribe Aguinaldo into exile.

The Unheroic Turn: Even while he was a high-ranking official in Aguinaldo’s revolutionary government, he was secretly proposing that the Philippines should not be fully independent. Instead, he advocated for the Philippines to become a protectorate or a province of Spain so that the Filipino elite (like himself) could keep their titles.

The Final Switch: Once the Americans clearly gained the upper hand in the Philippine-American War, Paterno shifted his loyalty again. He became one of the first prominent Filipinos to collaborate with the U.S. and founded the Federal Party, which campaigned for the Philippines to be annexed as a State of the United States. Because of this, many of his contemporaries and later historians viewed him as a "political butterfly" who put his personal prestige above the cause of true independence.

18/01/2026

While Gregorio del Pilar is immortalized for his heroic "last stand" at Tirad Pass to allow Emilio Aguinaldo to escape, his defeat was made possible by a fellow Filipino named Januario Galut.

The Fact: The 60-man rearguard led by Del Pilar held a strategic advantage because the pass was a narrow, steep trail that the Americans couldn't easily climb. For hours, the American 33rd Volunteer Infantry was pinned down and unable to advance. However, Januario Galut, a local villager from the Igorot tribe, showed the Americans a secret "goat path" that led to a higher peak overlooking Del Pilar’s position.

The Unheroic Turn: Galut didn't just give directions; he personally led the American soldiers up the hidden trail. This allowed the Americans to get above the Filipino trenches and rain fire down on them from behind. It was this flanking maneuver, made possible by Galut’s cooperation, that led to the death of Goyo and the total wipeout of his men.

The Verification: Historical records from the American military (specifically the reports of Major March) confirm the role of a "native guide" who showed them the way. While Galut is often viewed as a "traitor" in nationalist history, some local perspectives argue he may have been coerced or had grievances against the revolutionary government, but his actions directly caused the fall of one of the revolution's most iconic figures.

14/01/2026

1944: President Quezon and his War Cabinet posed for this official photograph as the Philippine Commonwealth began its ninth year.
Kuha ito sa "Philippines Magazine" January,1944 Issue

Left to right: Col. Carlos P. Romulo, Secretary of Information and Public Relations; Jaime Hernandez, Auditor-General; Andres Soriano, Secretary of Finance; Vice President Sergio Osmeña; President Manuel L. Quezon; Joaquin M. Elizalde, Resident Commissioner of the Philippines to the United States; Maj. Gen. Basilio J. Valdes, Secretary of National Defense; Dr. Arturo B. Rotor, Secretary to the President.

03/01/2026

The Fascinating Origin of Iloilo’s Name | Philippine History

Disclaimer:
This content is for educational purposes only. All historical interpretations are based on documented sources and local legends.

Have you ever wondered where the name Iloilo came from? This historic province in the Philippines, located in the heart of the Visayas, has a name with a story that reflects both its geography and its rich cultural heritage.

The most widely accepted explanation traces the name Iloilo to the local Hiligaynon words “Ilong” or “Ilong-ilong”, which mean “nose” or “promontory.” This is believed to refer to the shape of the Iloilo River, which winds through the province’s capital city and resembles a nose or a curved tip when viewed from above. Early settlers and traders used natural landmarks like rivers to identify and name places, and this practical naming tradition is common across the Philippines.

Another interpretation comes from the Spanish colonial period. When the Spaniards arrived in the 16th century, they documented the name as “Yloylo”, adapting it to their language. Over time, this evolved into the modern spelling we use today: Iloilo. This blending of local terms and Spanish transcription shows how the Philippines’ colonial history influenced even place names.

Iloilo is more than just a name—it represents a region that has been a hub for trade, culture, and governance for centuries. From pre-colonial times, when locals traded with Chinese and other Southeast Asian merchants, to the Spanish era, Iloilo became known as the “Queen City of the South” for its economic importance.

In essence, the name Iloilo is a reminder of the province’s connection to its natural environment, its people, and its history. Next time you hear it, remember that it’s not just a name, but a story shaped by geography, language, and centuries of culture.

03/01/2026

On January 3, 1942, the Japanese Military Administration in the Philippines was established with the purpose of emancipation from the "oppressive domination" of the United States, and the establishment of "the Philippines for the Filipinos" as member of the Co-Prosperity Sphere in the Greater East Asia (大東亜共栄圏). Carrying over all government institutions from the Philippine Commonwealth "for the time being," as well as the freedom of religion and customs, the new administration nonetheless affirmed the severance of formal relations between the Philippines and America.

To recall, the Japanese military campaign in the Philippines began on December 8, 1941. It took less than a month before Manila came under Japanese control, on January 2, 1942.

In an address to the Diet also in January 1942, Japanese Prime Minister Hideki Tojo declared that "Japan will gladly grant the Philippines its independence so long as it cooperates and recognizes Japan's program of establishing the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere."

Twenty days later, the Philippine Executive Commission was formed with Jorge B. Vargas appointed by General Masaharu Homma as its chairman. The commission composed of Filipinos was meant to provisionally govern the Philippines until the Second Philippine Republic was inaugurated on October 14, 1943. Each department, however, had designated Japanese advisers. Attempts to return to normalcy included the reopening of schools by June 1942, but socioeconomic conditions continued to deteriorate even as Filipino leaders were quite cooperative to the Japanese authorities. Learn more about the history of the Pacific War in the Philippines: https://history-ph.blogspot.com/2017/05/bataan-corregidor.html

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25/12/2025

𝗥𝗘𝗗 𝗖𝗛𝗥𝗜𝗦𝗧𝗠𝗔𝗦 𝗢𝗙 𝟭𝟳𝟲𝟮

Noong December 24, 1762, nagsagawa ng pag-aalsa ang higit 900 Tsino mula Guagua, Pampanga at nasa 5,000 Tsino sa Maynila laban sa mga Espanyol. Ang pag-aaklas ng mga Tsino ay nakarating kay noo’y Gobernador-heneral Simon de Anda na nasa Bacolor, Pampanga. Agad niyang ipinadala ang hukbo sa Guagua at ipinapatay ang higit 200 Tsino. Binansagan ang insidente bilang ‘Red Christmas’.

Noong 16th century nang lumikas ang mga Tsino sa Guagua, Pampanga kasunod ng kaguluhan at pang-aabuso ng mga Espanyol sa Maynila. Doon ay nagtatag sila ng pamayanan malapit sa baybayin ng Guagua. Gumawa sila ng ‘paldungan’ o pader upang maibukod ang sarili at nagtago ng malalaking imbakan ng palay at suplay. Nakapangasawa ng mga lokal ang mga Tsinong ito dahilan upang lumaki ang populasyon ng mga Tsinoy sa Guagua. Ang payapang pamayanan ng mga Tsino ay nabulabog nang salakayin ng British ang Maynila. Nagawa ng mga British na matalo ang mga Espanyol dahilan upang kanilang kubkubin ang Maynila. Agad namang nagsilikas ang mga opisyales ng Espanyol sa Maynila. Ginamit ng mga Tsino ang oportunidad ng pagdating ng mga British upang magsagawa rin ng pag-aalsa laban sa mga Espanyol. Tinatayang 900 Tsino mula Guagua at nasa 5,000 Tsino na nasa Maynila ang nag-alsa gabi ng December 24, 1762. Nabigo ang pag-aalsa dahil agad na nakarating sa mga Espanyol ang binabalak ng mga Tsino. Nakarating kay Anda ang balita, na noo’y nasa Bacolor, at iniutos na salakayin ang mga Tsino sa Guagua. Tinatayang nasa 100 Tsino ang nasawi sa labanan habang nasa 130 pa ang naaresto at kalauna’y pinaslang.

Dala ng pag-aalsa, naglabas ng kautusan si Anda na paslangin ang lahat ng mga Tsino sa bansa. Tinatayang umabot sa 6,000 Tsino ang nasawi sa binansagang ‘Red Christmas of 1762’.

📸 Photo by Dannie Polley via Flickr shows the Ayala Museum diorama of the 1603 Chinese massacre in Manila, from Everyday History

The History of Guagua. Retrieved from https://www.guagua.gov.ph/history/

24/12/2025

Fr. Conrado Balweg remains one of the most controversial yet influential figures in Philippine history – a man whose life blurred the line between faith, rebellion, and indigenous self-determination.

Born in Abra, Balweg was once a priest of the Society of the Divine Word (SVD), serving communities in the Cordilleras. But the altar could not silence what he witnessed on the ground. As large corporations encroached on Tingguian ancestral lands for logging and dam projects, and as militarization intensified under the Marcos dictatorship, Balweg felt that sermons were no longer enough. He left the priesthood, took up arms, and joined the New People’s Army (NPA), driven by what he saw as a moral duty to defend his people.

In the mountains of Northern Luzon, Balweg became a folk hero to many – an educated priest who chose to live and fight alongside indigenous communities. Yet his journey did not end there. Over time, he grew disillusioned with the CPP-NPA’s ideology, believing it failed to respect Cordilleran culture, traditions, and indigenous governance systems. For Balweg, liberation could not be imposed from outside; it had to grow from the people themselves.

In 1986, he broke away and founded the Cordillera People’s Liberation Army (CPLA), a movement centered on ancestral land rights and regional self-determination. This decision led to one of the most symbolic moments in post-EDSA Philippine history: Balweg’s peace pact with President Corazon Aquino at Mount Data, sealed by the exchange of a traditional peace token, the sipat. The event marked a turning point and paved the way for the creation of the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) – the first concrete step toward regional autonomy.

Remarkably, Balweg’s life was already being mythologized while he was still alive. In 1987, the film “Balweg: The Rebel Priest” was released, starring Phillip Salvador. The movie became a blockbuster and earned Salvador Best Actor awards from both FAMAS and FAP, portraying Balweg’s dramatic transformation from saying Mass at the altar to waging war in the mountains, cementing his image as a revolutionary icon in popular culture.

In 1999, Balweg was assassinated by former comrades, a violent end that reflected the deep fractures within revolutionary movements. Yet decades later, his story continues to provoke debate.

Was he a priest who betrayed his vows...or one who lived them to the extreme? A rebel who fractured a movement ...or a leader who reclaimed indigenous dignity?

For many in the Cordilleras, Fr. Conrado Balweg is remembered above all as the father of the Cordillera autonomy struggle – a man who believed that faith, identity, and freedom were worth fighting for, even at the cost of his own life.

24/12/2025

On December 24, 1914, a "Christmas Revolution" by around 200 Filipino rebels* identified to be part of the "Ricartista" or Ricarte Movement, named after their recognized leader General Artemio Ricarte (codenamed "Vibora" in the Katipunan), was thwarted in Manila and Navotas by the vigilance of American intelligence agents. No casualties were reported, and the only real engagement was between a patrolman who fought a bolo man allegedly wearing a revolutionary uniform. When the patrolman fired his gun, the bolo man supposedly fled. They were, however, able to hold for a while the Manila Botanical Garden and the Navotas Municipal Hall, after which they were reportedly dispersed by the sound of gunshots from police firing in the air.

Spearheaded by a certain Timoteo Cariaga, who was then wanted by the police for alleged charges of homicide, and Tomas Enrile (of Navotas), the timeline of the revolt was supposed to be at a much later date, on December 31 (New Year's Eve). Using the guise of ongoing preparations and mass gatherings for the "Rizal Day" rallies as cover for their revolt, Cariaga and his associates thought the establishment would be lax considering the holiday season. Unbeknownst to them, the Philippine Constabulary and the Manila City Police had been alerted as early as December 23 of their plot, and had therefore been on the move before the Ricarte Movement could fully implement their plans. Among the arrested organizers were Rufino Vicente (Rizal), Ciriaca Geirosa (Laguna), Moises Marca (Laguna), and Bernabe Bagsic (Pampanga). Concealed items found among the arrested were weapons (blades, but no guns), Katipunan flags and insignias, and interestingly, talismans (agimat or anting-anting).

With independence as their main objective, the Ricarte Movement also advocated for renaming the archipelago after Jose Rizal (that is, Rizalia or Rizal Islands). In July 1914, copies of the alleged "Constitution" of this new country, attributed to Ricarte himself, were distributed by Ricartistas in various provinces of Luzon and Visayas.

Intelligence reports also suggest that a similar plan was slated for an earlier date, on August 26, 1914, which coincided with the anniversary of the first skirmishes of the 1896 Philippine Revolution. Like the "Christmas Revolution", this was nipped off the bud before it could gain any significant momentum. Its organizer and Ricarte's top man in Manila, Modesto Victorino, was arrested on August 18. The Ricarte Movement, among others, was accused of selling ranks and commissions, allegedly ranging from 50 centavos to 10 pesos, to raise funds.

The Americans believed that increased violent activity of the Ricarte Movement in the Philippines was inspired by the outbreak of the First World War on July 28, 1914. While the United States, and in extension the Philippines, had not yet entered the so-called Great War, news of Asian successes against the Europeans were not missed by Filipinos, particularly Japan's triumph over the Germans at Qingdao in November 1914. It was in Japan where Ricarte found refuge as an exile. Learn more about the contributions of the Philippines to the War: https://history-ph.blogspot.com/2013/01/philippines-and-great-war.html

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*Note: Contemporary news reports such as that of The New York Times claim there were 150 plotters. Estimates range between 70 and 200 rebels.

24/12/2025

On December 24, 1898, Spanish Governor General Diego de los Rios surrendered to the Filipino revolutionaries in Iloilo, evacuating immediately with his remaining troops to Zamboanga. On the same day, American troops under General Marcus Miller were sent to Iloilo to "relieve" the Spanish who were supposedly holding out in the province. They would arrive four days later, December 28, at which time the Spanish have already left.

The Spanish would not last long in Zamboanga either, as Rios would be in Manila by January 1899, where he would stay for a few months to organize the eventual withdrawal of Spain from the Philippines.

Earlier in December, the revolutionaries formed the Federal State of Visayas with Roque Lopez as president and Vicente Franco as vice president. Consisting of Panay, Negros, Cebu, and Bohol, they later recognized the authority of the Filipino republic led by President Emilio Aguinaldo on December 27, 1898.

Rios, a veteran of the Carlist Wars and the Ten Years' War in Cuba, had been fighting for Spain since the beginning of the Philippine Revolution. He was assigned to the Philippines in 1895, during the administration of Governor General Ramon Blanco. He was appointed to command operations in Mindanao prior to being transferred to Luzon to deal with the Revolution. He had, however, expressed his doubts concerning Spanish capabilities to retain the Philippines, especially as Blanco initially tried to crush the revolutionaries in Cavite. Among others, he believed that subduing the Revolution in Cavite was "next to impossible," citing the trench systems built and the provisions stocked up by the Filipinos.

By September 1898, after the Mock Battle of Manila and the peace protocol temporarily ceasing hostilities of the Spanish-American War, Rios was the governor general of the Philippines. During his tenure, he attempted to negotiate the release of Spanish prisoners under Filipino custody, even to the point of enlisting American assistance to achieve the feat. His efforts proved to be unsuccessful.

Learn more about the Revolution in Visayas: https://history-ph.blogspot.com/2019/05/fil-psy-war.html

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