Monumento--in Malabon

The monumento: a cultural gem in the midst of urban blight.

Do you know where Monumento is? Many Filipinos would answer Caloocan City. But did you know that a short distance behind the historic Bonifacio monument is another historic monumento?

Jagna cemetery: a time capsule

How do you write the history of a community? That certainly must have been on the mind of Ambrosio Iturriaga, the curate of Jagna, Bohol during the last quarter of the 19th century

But the Augustinian Recollect priest had a big challenge: there were hardly any documents and other historical materials available. Precious records had vanished when the previous town church and convent burned down in 1808. 

A house, a cemetery and a boy named Pepe

The date '1853' is inscribed above the portal of the cemetery chapel of Biñan, Laguna.

Mention Biñan, Laguna to heritage enthusiasts and what usually comes to mind is the sad saga of the Alberto House, which is associated with the family of Teodora Alonzo, the mother of national hero Jose Rizal. The young Rizal also lived in this town between 1869 and 1871 when he studied under a local maestro or teacher, Justiniano Aquino Cruz.

Did Padre Damaso build this cemetery?

The beautiful cemetery gate of Dingras, Ilocos Norte.

Any tour itinerary of Ilocos Norte always goes through a familiar list: Paoay Church, Laoag's so-called Sinking Belltower, the Marcos mausoleum, the beaches of Pagudpud, Bangui's windmills, etc. To a lesser extent, some tourists visit the once-ruined, now-restored church in the town of Dingras.

But what about its Spanish-era cemetery? But that is getting ahead of the story.