m a d e their b o d ies bullet-proof, or

g a v e them th e p o w e r to w ard off

bullets, or d is a p p e a r a t will in the
f a c e of e n e m ie s, or e v e n the
p o w e r to literally refuse to die. A

was Amonro ^ oiacne. m

children of Casiguran, Juban,
Barcelona and Bulusan, up to the
late 1950s, had this popular
children's gam e they called
korolachehan" - basically, a

Padre Felipe Orense

- Cura Parroco y Revolucionario
.
.. . .
' ^ mm
}'owadays, w e often hear of
clergymen - whether Catholic
priests or Protestant pastors - joining
rebel groups, such as the
underground Christians for National
Liberation (CNL), or even taking up
arms, and joining the communist
New Peoples Army (NPA).
In fact, even up to the present,
one of the high-ranking officials of
the rebel National Democratic
Front (NDF), the umbrella
organization of the different
underground rebel groups in the
country, including the Communist
Party of the Philippines (CPP) and
its NPA, is a former priest, Luis
Jalandoni, now based in Utrecht,
The Netherlands, and who now
seats as a panelist representing the
NDF in the on again-off again

peace talks with the Government

of the Republic of the Philippines
(GRP). Another priest-turned-rebelturned-political prisoner-turned
development advocate is Edicio
de la Torre. There is also Fr.
Conrado Balweg of the Cordilleras,
who was always shown in photos
TURN TO PAGE 68..

Cl
. r.
lo c a l c h ild re n i I I
w a n te d to b e C o la c h e w h o jg MB
d is a p p e a r a t w ill, th u s, th e p S S
" k o r o la c h e h a n " , o r m a k in g like
C o la c h e . The n a m e o f th e g Qr^ :
w a s , of c o u rs e , t a k e n from the
C o Ja c h e n a m e itself.
O ld folks' still v e r y w ellre m e m b e re d sto ries a b o u t
C o la c h e 's e x p lo its tell us how
C o la c h e , u p o n b e in g a le rte d of
th e a p p r o a c h o f a g ro u p of
A m e ric a n so ld ie rs, w o u ld Calmly
p lu c k a le a f fro m a sh ru b or a tree
n e a rb y a n d s im p ly p l a c e it before
his f a c e like a s h ie ld a n d suddenly
h e b e c o m e s in v is ib le to th e
enem y!

army- a t t a c r
Fu ia ys f o r c e

W hen Fu

surrender in
ju n io r o f f ic e r
Arne'ic a n s v
gut h e p ro n r
hills to c o n t i
a g a in s t t h e
W h e n Ft
su rrend er tc
Fe b ru ary 21
few c o m r a i
F ra n c is c o d
E ste b a n D ir
Estip o n a , st
c a rrie d o n
A nother tim e , a c c o rd in g to the the A m e r ic
sam e old folks, w h ile resting
b e c a m e th
tog ether w ith a g ro u p of Filipino
in su rg en t n
in su recto s in a h o u se in a remote
c a p tu re d c
villag e, th e y w e r e suddenly
U ndaui
o
ver
and r
a tta c k e d b y e n e m y troops.
re su rg e n t f
Instead of rousing his sleeping
suppo rt o f
co m p a n io n s , C o la c h e simply
Bulusan a r
w a lk e d a ro u n d th e house three
tim es a n d th e bullets of the enemy e sta b lish e c
im p re g n a k
a tta c k e rs just z in g e d through
~ a v e r it a t
harm lessly, a s th e Filipino
On Me

re vo lu tio n arie s in th e house slept

Colache vho? What?

,9 t ot these anus^c*

C ?h e Philippine Revolution, w n ic'1

charade** pypiJ'dted
ended Spanish rufe bi/t w hich
5osogpn4
im m ediately segued into the
re^o*v/fipnory
Fiiipino-Am erican w ar sp anned a
tat of unfifee*y ch aracters - some of landscap e, an d some
at them even
v* v ^ j
them m ysterious, out-at-tnifr-wortd
becom e ieoders ot
even supernalura).

Sorsogon had Ms own share of

tnese characters - persons
cOoge dty possessing supemotura
powers. who o wned anftnganfngs, or m agical amulets thol
mode their oodies bulet-proof. <y
gave them fhe power 1o ware oft
buiets. or disappear at M i in the
loce at encrre*. or even the
power to filerc% refuse to dte A

the revolution.

One of the m osi colorful ond

legendary, and pemopv who*e
expioih were best remembered.
wqi Antonio Cotoche In foct.
Children ot Co%guran, Jut>on
Barcelona and Boiuvon. up to the
tale t950i. hod this popular
C h id re n i g o m e th e y

'torokxrheha/

OHQCl

basically a

Padre Felipe Orense

- Cura Parroco y Rewind

g o m e ot t d e o n < iw i
C o lo c h S WOS
knr.

h'ss attegod power to dM

vyil? T r y j o r f ii> v *hn m u fti

created such on impoc4

local children' %toncy
y/anted 1o be Cotoche
disappear at w$ thus tto
fcorotachehan" or nyjt

C o to c h e The n am e c/ M

was, o! course, tafce*'

C a io c h e txvne <tw0

<
O ro
3

if I

C> ^ 56. TS- t <

q a c
C ' 4ft
tt ~~ -.

s- ~~ Sc
a s .

I c r S* *

^ ^ 2 , c' 5

7
?

*r /

Wt -mm

*.

*
*

WX

- i J

% *

c.
v -

- Jp

-s~ Jr

i ft

^ W

H O V W

H A ir .

Jip d islu rb ed .
away
JVr Of course, all th e se m a y b e
issecj a s just "stories", o r jus I so
a,s!l 1h a p o cry p h a . But C o la c h e
- h e w a s a h isto rica l figure
0 ^ he so m eh o w p o sse sse d
Ixlroordinary abilities.

rdache. who is described os

at heavity-boilt- fair-skinned, with
eyes, had a wife nam ed
E c o s a , wilh whom he h a d a
daughter named Crispma, who
feportec#y had only one breast.
rney had a grand-daughter
named Praxedes, who, until the
1980s lived somewhere in
barongoy Bologo. Sorsogon.
praxedes reportedly went around
vrtth plastic or cellophane sheets
w ra p p e d around her feet
because of festering sores. She
moce a living by selling buyo
(betel) leaves in the Sorsogon
market.

d of
Imly
a tree
>efore
Idenly,

to the
ino
iote

?e
i erny

pi

Colache w as a n a u th e n tic
Filipino revolutionary - h e w a s a T *
Ueutenont in C o l. Em eterio Funes'
army, attach ed to M aj. E ste b an
Krfay s force in G u b a t a t the tim e.
When Fulay d e c id e d to
surrender in 1901, C o la c h e , a s a
junior officer, surrendered to the
Americans with his senior officer.
But he promptly returned to the
hills to continue the struggle
against the foreign invaders.
When Funes him self d e c id e d to
surrender to the A m e ric a n s on
February 21. 1901. C o la c h e a n d a
few com rades-in-arm s, su ch as
Francisco de la Cruz. Is a a c G im ao .
Esteban Dino. a n d F ra n c isc o
Estipona. stayed b e h in d a n d
carried on the re sista n ce a g a in st
the Americans. But d e la C ruz, w ho
became the le a d e r of the
insurgent m o vem en t w a s soon
captured on N o vem b er 6, 1901.
Undaunted. C o la c h e took
over and reorganized th e
resurgent forces, with th e a c tiv e
support of the lo c a l officials of
Bulusan and n e a rb y tow ns. They
established their b a se in the
Hipregnable slopes of M t. Bulusan
~ 9 veritable fortress.
On March 30. 1902, C o la c h e

d em o n strated to the A m ericans

w h at h e a n d his suppo sed b a n d
of bandits co u ld d o w hen they
a tta c k e d the pofice force of
n so e d a
Bulusan resulting in the W ing of a
JLfi.i U S
p o lice sergeant. This prom pted the
.n
UIP4_ n f r th
A m erican Inspector Swann to
rhA
report to superior authorities tbcr
eve
w h at they considered a minor
d isturban ce" in Sorsogon w as
VPiari
T C C frh r
actualty an uprising "fha* b*a^rets
p o icy ,
U0PC
the entire co a st.
o licfd fe i>e
tv- *
In the sam e report, S w a r r
a p p o in te d
noted "if m ay seem strange fbot a
ijt A n r f y r f

Dr. Bernardino MonreaJ

on Bernardino M onreat a
new provm oar go'sefP fnetr*.
physician by profession b ecam e
A m o n g hts ~ _ ~
fii i * .

the first Civil Governor o*

as <. 3- c t j Q ejcec^trve : rrs&
Sorsogon w hen the American
province. V o rreat <s
colonizers finally established a
fet^emjbefeo for l*je
civfl governm ent in the province
Ot
Sccso^ ^ on
o r^cvcst
on Jufy 20. 1901. replacing ih e
Schocr txjikSfrQ, or*
A m e rican military government,
landflnoT' in t i e c o p 'a Sown o f
SorsoQon e v e r
lb
then h e a d e d by C o p t J. G.
Livingston.
Dunrxj jfoFipno resGtancc
Dr. Monrea! w as a native o f
ogemysr f ie American C o d e rs .
D arag a, Aibay. and was wvorfcing
K4onr*dCi 3 S '
fW&S&f C|
a s m unicipal physician of
one of ftae eocser$ a* r?e Jocai
princtpGses,u-x> secrecy
M alabon, Rizc? during the
supported tfe local
outbreak of the revolution.
revofe/rionaries
rn-en '^eadecf. c
Monreal w as actualty elected
C o l Eroeferio funes. r- fcjc*. ne
Governor of Sorsogon on Marco
was d esg n atec b* ruoes Hfpf
3 . 1902.
as
cor^ma^<^arv*e d e saptdcm !
As first Civil Governor o' the
m m fa f.
p ro vin ce, on M anfeaJ fe\i toe
.
...
TURN TO
difficult tdsK o f organizing -he

K %
mic

f e c o 9 n i?M
f IOn W g S

idK< %
slite .

S |

r ' 0I

l ,hola
he PeojN

K * fl
1|

Filipino
P: Lohing Fiiip^f
lorsogon's
by ot Pacifico,.
d ie s 38 (Q u e ^j

neodeManiiu

g u ra n . Juban

1992-1993.

n re co rd as k
0 0 0 m en in I
n ly 13 rifles, I
o n g e sl
s Americans 1
i. Belarmino, |
:u n e s
le ric a n s .
h e r Padre I
e d or was
o ils a s d
n d pries! in I
ip to July

:ilipino
: Lahing
>78)
olutionoiY
y and the
150-1903
Manila
d other focH

t r a c in g - --------------------------------DR, BERNARDINO MONREAL..

Som etim e aro u n d Feb ruary

1900, w hen Funes w a s just
organizing the lo c a l revo lu tio n ary
forces, M onreal h e a d e d a
delegation of lo c a l p rin cip a le s
who neg o tiated w ith the n a tive
revolutionary le a d e r. They
requested Funes n o l to co n d u ct
any m ilitary o p eratio n s in Ju b a n
and C asiguran so as not to a ttra c t
the attention of the A m erican s,
and be left in re la tive p e a c e . In
return, the group p le d g e d lo
supply the revolutionaries w ith all
their needs.
Because of this, M onreal w as
arrested by the A m ericans on
January 20. 1901 for alle g e d ly
financing the revolutionary ca u se .
Col. Howe, com m anding o fficer of
the A m erican troops in Sorsogon,
insisted that M onreal w as the
"leading spirit in co n d u ctin g the
finances of the insurgency" an d
lhat he w as said to b e in
correspondence w ilh b o lh the
junta in Hongkong an d M adrid.
Howe b elieved that M onreal w as
"one of the worst m en in the
province during the insurrection."
M onreal w as, how ever,
favorably endorsed by M aj.
Cornish, (who re p la ce d Howe as
local A m erican com m ander) as
an influential m an in this
community, an d if friendly,
cap ab le of using il to our
ad van tag e." Even C a p t.
Livingstone, w ho w as re p la ce d by
Monreal as ch ief e xecu tive o f the
province, com m ented that,
although at one lim e M onreal w as
an "insurgent sym pathizer, he did
not commit an y sp e cific a c t
against the A m erican governm ent,
and that, therefore, should be
released." Thus, on June 26, 1901,
Ihe man suspected as being the
financial b acke r" of the
revolutionaries w as released .
As governor of Sorsogon,
Monreal was instrum ental in the
capture of the rebel Antonio
Co lache, who w as considered by
the Am ericans as a m ere "b and it".
Colache w as the lead er of the
continued resistance against

A m e ric a n s in Sorsogon after Ihe

surrender of Funes a n d other lo c a l
re vo lu tio n a ry officers, rij

Releiences:
Abella, Domingo E, BIcolAnnaly a
Collection ot vignettes ot Philippine
History (Manila: n.p 1954)
Atavlado. Elias M The Philippine
Revolution in the Blcol Region (Quezon
City: New Day Publishers, 1999)
Dery. Luis C. From tbalon to
Sorsogon: A Historical Survey ot Sorsogon
Province to 1905 (Quezon City New Day
Publishers, 1991)
Gerona, Danilo M. From Epic to
History: A Snet Introduction to Bicol
History (N aga City: Aleneo de Naga,
1988)

w ~
WH07 WMAt?

But in the afternoon of May 24.

represented fhe lo w e st,
On April f6 IfAffly&al reciuifed
Coioche ond hts m en together
fhe fo cal sooo-econom
with Coioche 3 wffe and douQhter
iitfiib i 50 VOk/f)t&Gfi from eo-ch
funes a n d fhe other rec
finotfy cornered in the*
town and Ui&y slcuied to set up ci
leaders of the revolution
mountain fortress In tctoongo. Stci
c i)f(p .)j) o c t o h th e f j f o v m c e Ih n
course e d u c a te d a n d m ar* 9
M agdalena, thus, ending
i mi inn well first t#f up from
them w e re e v e n members cj *
Coiochei extraordinary exploits.
princ/potto or lo ca l efife
Afc?vy&0 in llw west. and
Coioche, who must hove beer*
If w o t unthinkable for trw
[jufctictvklci fn ft i east i/<
set free fry fhe Americans soon
Am ericans to o c c e o f that q .bmuiuvn and fjjen, from Bulusan
otter hit capture, died of old age
C o Jach e ccxAd roily trie peo^*
to limih, or id loiti/, Irum liosin to
in Borcetono, He lived m his small
Sorsogon a n d e ffe c tiv e ly contL*
(.amjuran, but Coioche itill
property In Colpe, more popularly
fhe resistan ce ag ainst fheml
(ivjtyi/j^f to siIp Ihinufjli In tact,
known on "Yungkoan \ over Sta.
on April 91 Colocf ms ond hli men
Lourdes, Barcelona
OfK OQOlH UffOCked Ihe
Coioche'$ leadership of the
Coptl' iiiUlaty station in Sta.
local resistance against the
|W/p< HP, liulusan
Americans after its recognized
On Moy 14. C oitftabulary
Dery, Lu fsC I c o r f l U w o t . nflpino
H erita g e lOvols (Manila, ta h n g fl^
leaders headed by Col Funes
altf/ei .s 'juff
i Coioche and JO
Publishing Inc.. 1978)
surrendered was downplayed by
of hit mon a I Ihoii hideout but
the Americans as a mere band of
poky I i*<cigaii i slipped through,
ToJones. Stephen Henry S. So#sogon
ladronei" or bandits, or
although he left rerlaln important
R rin cip o iio a n d th e P o licy o r Pacfftr
1900-1903. Philippine Studies 38 (C
disparaged them as a bunch of
documents which led to fhe
A*efcsn
City. Loyola Heighis. A ieneo de Mar
unleffered fanatics deluded info
tjiirnifial of the entire municipal
Unlverjity Pre. 1990)
council of OuMon for their alleged believing in fhe powers of Iheir
crazy "anfing anltngs" After all,
)i ppr ii i lui Coioche
Held Inlerviews/Personai
Coioche, together with Gim ao, de
Com m unication In Casiguran. Jutson
On May 20, Colncho and a
Buiusan a n d B a rce lo n a . 1992 1993
la Cruz and the others left behind
lew ol i if>men were again
after fvnes surrender, co m e from
juii iivti-ii I by Conifabulary
authorities, but tie again escaped. obscure backgrounds and
paone n iw e oiwnbb

Mlh (>iillft slung on I ds shoulders.

In (he days of the Spanlih
cnlani/alion, Ihe most wellknown
Filipino rebel priests, who even
became martyrs of the revolution,
were, of eourt, Fathers Gomez,
Uurgos and Zamora, Ihe famous
QOMfllJRM, although they did not
leally toke up arms, bul were
merely Implicated as conspirators,
Ihe same Is tru* with Ft. Gdbrlel
Prieto and t r. Seveflno Diaz, who
were also Implicated as
conspirators and ordered by
Spanish authorities slip I. togelhei
with olher Blkolano rebels now
known codec lively as lilkol's
Quince Martiros Their names were
adapted hy Ihe former Montupar.
which Is now known as Ihi
munii ipullly of Prlelo-DIa/
ttui, there were Indeed Filipino
cathollr priests who took up orms,
HiaI agoinil Spain, and latei,
uyi iimt America
In $orwjgon, gne of thu rnosl
kimouv mosi coloitul, and, Irum

Ihe polnl ol-view of the Am erican

colonizers, most notorious, w as Ft.
Felipe Orense, 1hen euro parroco.
or parish priest of Donsol.
In fact, because ol his
revolutionary activities. Padre
Orense was persecuted and
pstracized by the Catholic
hierarchy itself. Mis position os
parish priest of Donsol was
revoked and he was relegated to
Ihe menial post ol sacerdote
acclahlsta, or a mere helper in the
printing press.
Padre Orense actually rose to
the lank of Colonel of the
Revolullonary Army, becam e
Inspector General de Armas, and
later, Jefe de Militia Nacionales.
As a Colonel. Padre Orense
was supposed to have been
p laced In command of the
Province of Sorsogon by Col.
Ramon Santos, chiel of operations
far Albay. but Ihe rebel priest
declined, in favor of Col. Em eteno
l ynos, Padre Orense said, he
would be more* effective II he

rem ained in Donsol.

Padre O rense is on record aj
the le a d e r of som e 1,000 men m
Donsol. arm e d w ith only 13 rifles,
but w ho o ffered th e longest
resistance ag ain st the Americans
in Sorsogon afte r G e n Belarmino, j
C o l. Santos a n d C o l. Funes
surrendered to the Am ericans
It is not c le a r w hether Padre
O rense la te r surrendered or was
cap tu re d , but his exploits as a
revolutionary le a d e r an d priest m
Donsol a re re c o rd e d up to July
1901. rtj
References.
Dery. Luis C . Bico/ Bulwark, Filipino
Heritage 10 vols. (M anila: Lahmg
Filipino Publishing, Inc 1978)
Schumacher. John. S.J. Revolutionary
Clergy: The Filipino Clergy and the
Noiionalisl Movement, 1850-1903
(Quezon City: Aieneo de Manila
University Press. 1981)
Razo. Senador R , History and other W |
obout Donsol (n.p. n d.)

ft**

no nj
f(M
any m

and C
the afj
and b'
re tu rn !
supph
their rj
Be
arrestJanu<
ffnanr1
Col. h
the A
Insiste
"leac
finan
that I
corre
junta
Howi
"one
provi

favo
Corr
loco
an "
corr
cap
adv
Uvir
Moi
pro
allh
an
not
a 9'
an*
rel<

thfi
fit
re>

Mi

I c<
O
i th

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r 0f Col. Emeterio Funes

by Sergio G l[^ 0

e,
n February 15, 1901 Capifan
&
Rufino G e ro n a, Municipal
President of Bulan, and president
of he Partido Federal, convened
the party h ieraich y to organize a
com m ission to co n ta ct LI Col
Em eterio Funes, supreme
co m m an d e r of the revolutionary
fo rces in the Province of
Sorsogon, in order to persuade
him to stop hostilities and
surrender to the Am erican forces
This a ctio n taken by C ap ifan
Rufino w as prom pted by the
burning of barrio G a te by the
A m ericans during skirmishes with
the in su re d os w hich resulted in
the w ounding of two Am erican
soldiers an d the arrest and
imprisonment of innocent
civilians.
Am ong Ihose present during
the co n fe re n c e , aside from
C a p lta n Rufino, w ere Juez
A ta n a c io Morato, Don Justo
Loilo. Don Hermogenes G ullaba.
Don Eugenio Obsum, Don Sixfo
G o co yo , Don Francisco
Bermudez, Don Laurente Grafilo,
an d several barrio len ien tes.
The parly c re a te d a
commission h e a d e d by C ap ifan
Rufino, as ch airm an , with Don
Laurente Grafilo, Don Eugenio
Obsum and Don Hermogenes
Gullaba as members.
The commission of four then
conferred wilh C a p l Charles
M aclain, 47,h Infantry USV, who
7 ^ P o s i commander of Bulan
e*P'ained the purpose of

p e a c e an d order is restored
C a p ita n Rufino, In his letter
assured Col Funes absolute
pardon for past actions, ana
freedom of a ctio n in the future
would be g ran ted to all
insurgents w ho surrender their
arms a n d take the oath of
a lle g ia n c e to the United Stales
an d that for e a c h serviceable
rifle surrendered, the US
governm ent will p a y P30 MexiCOn
m oney
After the letters were
d isp atch ed through civilian
FUNES couriers, a large cro w d of natives
had a lre a d y assem b led at the
their mission, and asked for
co
nvent C a p ita n Rufino and his
military escort, to which Capt.
McLain ordered 2nd Lt. B P. Disque com panions all spoke at the rally
They exp lain e d to the people ot
of Company B., to accom pany
Irosin
Ihe uselessness of further
the commission to Irosin,
resistance against the well-armed
The parly left Bulan at 8:00
A m erican forces; the resulting loss
a.m . on horseback with a
of
lives an d p ro p e rty an d the
detachm ent of 22 enlisted men
great a d v a n ta g e s a n d benefits
and one private of the Hospital
lh al will be d e rive d o n c e peace
Corps, arriving in Irosin at 2:00
is
restored in the province
p.m. the same day.
After the sp e e ch e s. Lt Disque
Lt. Disque immediately
through
an interpreter, also
summoned the Municipal
talked to the p e o p le of Irosin and
President of Irosin and instructed
assured full p ro tectio n by the
him to assemble the inhabitants
Am erican troops to all who would
of the town al Ihe convent.
C ap ifan Rufino also requested Lt.
take the oath of a lle g ia n c e to
Disque to dispatch letters,
the United States a n d ab id e by ii
prepared by him, to Bulusan,
The last to speak w as the
addressed to Lt. Col Emeterio
M unicipal President of Irosin who
Funes, Maj. Victorlo Gratela and
urged Ihe p e o p le to sw ear
C a p l Zacarias Conspecto These
a lle g ia n c e to the United States letters were written by Capifan
an d volunteered to b e the first to
Rufino with the intention ot
take the oath The entire
bringing about Ihe surrender of
assem bly w as e la te d a n d cried
all these revolutionary leaders
they will take their o a th of
and their entire forces. Capitan
a lle g ia n c e to the United States to
Rufino emphasized Inal further
the full satisfaction of Ihe
resistance was futile against the
comm ission a n d 11 Disque
superiority of Ihe American
Lt., Disque, in his a d v a n c e
forces, and it would benefit Ihe
report to C a p l M a cL a in in Bulan
people of Sorsogon if im mediate
sta le d that b e fo re 9:00 p.m .

Jj E

nil; SUKRliNDliH

Kiiiin nvunliio, more than (J00

man, over Id yean ol ago, had
tokon Hi'iii o aiii oi allegiance.
I ho next two days ol leb iuaiy
|y and 20, CI Ini go niiinl mi ol
iKillvns came In liom llw
surrounding barrloi. Thu count on
Ihe overling ol Iho 70" wcis |
Many of those who look iheli
oath admit lot I they wom tegulQt
membeis ol I,ho isvolutlonaiy
army and wished to mnoui i< >>all
alloginncc to lh Insurgent
government lh gioup was lod
by ittbel leadwi LI. Juan Gabion,
who was lormei aide ol Col,
Funes.
In Ihe morning ol Fobruaiy 20,
1901. Ihe couiieis lelum od with a
communication liom Col. Tunes,
directed lo Lt. DIsquc'. Col. I'uno*
slated that Ire was wllllny lo
sunendei undei Ihe condition
slated In Ihe communication lo
Don Rufino Geronci, Lju I dosliod
an Interview with Iho rnoinbois of
Ihe commission a I San Roque, a
barrio neai Bulusan. to personally
speak to his officers whom h
had summoned at his
headquarters and had sent oul
orders to all field commanders to
'concentrate al San Roque
II Disque Immediately
Instructed Capitan Rufino lo
proceed to San Roque wlfh his
parly and wlthoul military escort
except native guides. He
Instructed Capitan Rullno lo sand
an advance leporf on th
developments and conditions of
Ihe affair.
Early next morning of
February 21, Lt. Disque received
a message from C ap llan Rufino
that Lt. Col. Funes, Insurgenl
Governof of Sorsogon, and
Supreme Commander of 111
Revolutionary Forces ol I'he
province will arriv In Irosin wlfh
his entire force lo surrwndei a I
exactly 4:00 p.m. (haI samw day.
Just be Ior(j 4:00 p ,ni If.
Disque was already al Iho
churchyaid with hli dolachrnunl
and al exactly 4:00 p.m ., he
heard a salulo of threo volleyi ol

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nnllto fort fi wilt pais his

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jolriO'J hiv

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loiufo^nti

Madams Deport
li.wcr/n livm I Ini,hi I' ii,si ( 'imniKiinlt'i1( 'ij/jl <'IhwU'* Mm I irlfl'* w /m i 'I
fc lliV fl>(\l*Hiiil ,/ $ / < # (Im m il Ilf Sfillilln, h 'lv im n

I t y i tthum

| "I, h llli'y Si\ \ siinvinlt'i' in llw . inn'1'li'iiii in lo iih il / m r , /

( 1 m 17:00 ti.rn,, Col, lunos and tils command, accompanying 11

Dlsquo, and doluchrnont ol this Company, wore reported (6 be otinovl
, oris mil Irow losyn on Ihn road loading lo Irosin,
Iho onllio Federal Parly, on horseback and ir#c*irruige<>
accom panied by 11 LI, Charles Morrow. 47" Infantry. USV and
pi seeded by Iho band ol Ihli town, went to meet them.
Twenly-llva men ol thli Company, and 12 men ot Company D, *'
Infanliy, USV, under the command ol Sgl. Kluvef. were drawn up In
lino IjjMI beyond Ihe btldge leading Into Ihe main pari ol the lawn, to
answpr a salute ol lluoo volleys to be Hied by Col, Funes' command
When Ihe Federal Parly cam e wllhln sight ol Ihe m arching
detachment on Ihe road, Ihey were received by a salute ol three
volleys, the entire party then formed In column of twos, Iho line of
parade being: members ol Ihe Federal Parly, on horseback: preceded
by Ihe Irosin and Bulan Bands: Col, Funes and Lt, Morrow; Maj. Victoria
Gralela and Lt, Disque; officers ol Col. Funes1command, on horseback:
and rlllemen under. Ihe command ol Maj, Domingo Esplgol.
When Ihe bridge Is reached, my detachmenl stationed there fired
a salute of three volleys and as Ihe procession marched by presented
arms, Ihen entered Ihe church, where a Te Deum was chanted by
Caslano do Vera, Ihe Catholic priest ot Bulan, Alter the re Deum was
chanted, Ihe procession formed again and m arched lor Post
Headquarters, I had my entire Company E, 4711' infantry, U5V drawn
up In line my Company, on Ihe right ol the street, and the detachment
of Company D, on Ihe left of Ihe street,
Capt, A.C, Hart ol 47"' Infantry USV, anc| mysol I, received them In
Ihe center,
The procession was hailed a short distance trom the line and Col.
Funes, accompanied by LI. Morrow; and Ma|. G ralela. by It. Disque.
followed by all Ihe officers of Col. Funes' command, cam e forward
on tool and were received by me.
The command of Col, Funes, led by C ap l Zacarlas Conspecto
Ihen Illed by and surrendered their arms.
The Federal Party ol Bulan deserves great credit for this work, in
my opinion, this surrender will bring all arm ed Insurrection In Ihe
province lo an end.

Capl. Charlei C. Maclaln

Post Commander. Bulan
47"' Infantry, U.S.V,

<452rEt
V -'</

THE FIRS? QUARTER STORM-

Bantayog ng mga Bayani

ol Cmarines Sur; He/moh C .
v ogefher with fhe nonies of
other Bftpioo martyrs ondheroes logm an, of Alfcay: and
Clem ente P. RQgragio. of
from ali oorts of the country the
names at Sorsogonon martyrs
Albay.
In 1986, Im m ediately after
and heroes, who settlessty laid
the EDSA' Revolution, a group of
dawn thetr fives for their country
ove now enshrined in fhe Wafl of concerned Jftiipinos organized
the Bantayog ng m ga Bayani
Remembrance now looming
Foundation which set out to
iarge ogams 1 the horizon a t the
omm of Q<ezon Avenue and
co n d u ct ihe Wall of
Rem em biarice, including a 45EDSA in M m an, Quezon Crty.
fobi Monum^ftt by noted artistAs o l 3006. the names of
Sorsoganons now enshrined and Scufplor.,^4uafdo CastrHlb^
*rnrnarfokred a t the Memorial
, "depifijing tfte self-sacrifice of
a .igilB'h- liguie holding in. one
'Center are UUosa R, Hrj-ao. a
:ftuden1, of Butan martyr; Juan 0 hand d symbol of the
Escondor. a doctor, of Gufra t, 4. ?- Motherland, with her other
martyr: BonitorJn H ry<=>fy%. 1
hand rdachingout for the sun
former congr^sM an.q.
'of freedor^
Sorsogon. herS* and Mo. Antonia
The rationale for this
Teresa V, V ykaco Ta sruSfen f pf
Memorial Center, w hich now
Suian martyr. More nam e!,'
slands at the com er of Quezon
including those frbm Sorsogon,
Avenue and EDSA, in Diliman>
are being ad ded to the tyaB of
Quezon City, stales thus;
Rem em brance every year.
"Freedom h ad daw ned
The other Bfkoianos now
magnificently upon us enshrined tn the Wall of
brought about by our own
Rem em brance include Roro E.
will, with the help of Divine
B alce of Cam drines Norte;
Providence. We stood together
Alexander A. Betone. of
with linked arms as we
Cam arines Sur. Romuic Jallores.
proclaim ed our unity/ our

Antonio Vytiaco,
father of martyr, Nanette Y. Vi/tioca
in front of the WaS of Remembrance
after ceremaues inscribing Nanette's
name on the memorial wall

2/Oft /feeder/ io Ac

Afarf o f t/ociot

4/ tx t jo v ie c / M e a v /ip
m i)eta6/e a /u / becam e one
o / t/ie m a /iy te/t/zen 0f
lA e / n a jja
ia /fie tf/ig /e i/ta l 6/oepj

a/t joeia/ mlsezy.

fy o ti Jb in e * / Ifo p eo /f/ej
were
to A e(p jo eeefy m am
to n tea cti/texf a m /
O iw u siu /e r

icm ec/iey

d e d ica tio n to our counfry. t d f l

boundless faith, w e broke fhe
ch a in s w hich e n sk jv e d us in a if
regim e o f tenor, intimidation.
a n d fraud.
B u t a s w e enjoy our
liberation, let us not forge? I^ok.
who felt during the night. Le^ii i
h onor th e Filipino patriots who V
stru g g led valiantly against fefc
unjust a n d repressive rule of
Ferd in a n d E. M arco s. Let ;/<
a m em orial to those men an3
w om en w ho o ffe re d their
that w e m a y olf see the clow .
"For. a s w e rem em ber f&cs
victim s o f aufhoritarfan rvie. M
shot! b e co m e m ore vigifatsf.
a b o u t p re se rvin g our freedom
d e fe n d in g our rights, and
;
o p po sing a n y atte m p t bv
an yo n e to fo ist a nor her
; -;
d ic ta to rsh ip upon us: I :
in h o n o rin g o v r martyr** I

i n
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municipal
ifi Ihe province
I (ClfCttlaf fettftf, lo All Municipal
I May(vf*,, Province of Sofsoyon,
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Auyua l:v j943) lapu/ said "I

wanted lo ier ommend him
|ttCUdSf} OS Military Governor of
fftli ftii f >i Region because of his
previous 900 a deeds and
personal sacrifices for the
I common saui, but 15cqu9f
I hit Insistence in his subversive
I activities ugainsl Iho Army, I
I cannot do it now. instead of
I fomenting unify between the
military and civil population In our
province for Ihe sake of
eooperatlon and coordination
badly needed during this period of
emergency. h Has preached lo
you of noncooperalion and
aciually he has effected a sort of
division or misunderstanding
among ouf civil population who
are loyal lo the cause. This they
have done through threats to Ilf
and by false propaganda and
fabricated charges personal in
character, as well as by
establishing his own government,.
, Where did Governor Escudero
derive this authority to appoint
deputy Governors for Sorsogon? , .
>Is tha! not nepotism, contrary to
the Executive Order ol His
Excellency, the President of the
Philippines?"
Earlier, in a letter to Col.
Relunta ol the Army {June 22,
1943), Escudero explained, "I
regret to tell you frankly that I am
not and will not cooperate with
Maj, L. P. Lapuz. My reasons for
non-cooperation with him (Lapuz)
is re-embodied in my first and
latest reports regarding the
misconduct, ungentlemanly and
pernicious activities of Major
Lapuz.1|
Escudero continued, "when
you designated and appointed
Major Lapuz as temporary CO of
the Bicol Region, he awoke from
his deep slumber, drunk with his
new designation, he begun to
scandalize and vulgarize his
connections with your

Headquarters and that of ( .on.

| | | UMwaftoft
f||
McArthur's, He disregarded Ih
spearheaded by ttfo J S .
civil government ofqantealion by
company which
P
declaring himself supreme In this
unopposed on Ihe sfil'ofwf l f l
Baton on April (>, 1944,
^
province by virtue of Ihe
remaining Japanesn
authorities vested upon him by
on. Mt;Arthur", Yef, according to fh .Hlll of Bulan where
Ihtlr last stand. A ragtay
f;SCUdoio, "erflftr ftp ios.i
some 155 f ermosan-labor ij/ S
engagement of. the PC oft Juno
IS, 1942, Maj. lapiu had remained surrendered in Sorsoooh. ih ^
in hiding and Inacliv, but my civil mopping i/p-operations wq5jj|p
local guerilla units,
government organise lion
Cscudero went on,cb f-ovrle
continued lo function, while my
of Sorsogon after Liberation,^
guerllia groups hod to doubl up
Lapuz died in an airplane crosf^
lls ac.llvl1.los In the absence of Ih
soon after Ih war (Gfojo-Ufor,
Aimy unil."
2006), fhe old Philippine
In fh sam letter jo Relunla,
Constabulary provincial
F4Cudero said, "I can say without
headquarters has been renan%{
fhe least fear of contradiction,
the Camp Salvador Escudero. Si
that Ma|. Lapuz, by his acts and
of fhe Philippine National Policy;
actual activities, cannot organize
honor of the late sorsogon
a fighting force.1' As If lo
governor revered, to this day, ot
corroborate this, a junior officer'
Gurang. rtj
under Lapuz' command, LI.
Pacific Cabrera, a legendary
guerilla leader then famous for his S&lwa&ex
dare-devil activities against the
fficudero, Salvador Sr. Officeofttw
Governor, in the Hild. Letters,
Japanese, parted ways with his .
Memorandum, Communications,
superior officer whom he accused
Messages, toa) 05Army Heoaquaden
of cowardice. Cabrera, in fact,
Deputy Governors.
initiated court martial proceedings
against Lapuz after Ihe war,
Gerona Danllo M. From epic to WsfWf.k
Uriel Introduction to Bicol History. 19
(Varela, 2006)
Naga City: Aieneo de Naga.
If appears that Lapu2, in
November 1943 went to the
Military District in Panay Island to
seek assistance due to the
increasing pressure on him by the
Escudero guerillas. He returned to
Bicol in January 1944 to initiate the
unification of the Bicol guerilla
forces, but by March 1944, with the
obviously increased strength of the
Escudero Guerillas, Lapuz was
again forced to leave Sorsogon.
leaving behind only a small force
in Bulan ond Pilar. (Gerona, 1988)
With the end of Ihe war a very
near reality, Lapuz, in a last ditch :
effort, sent feelers lo Escudero in
April 1944 seeking a conference
for reunification and to patch up
differences between them, but
Escudero remained obstinate and
rejected fhe offer of reconciliation.
Thus, even at the close of the war,
Escudero and Lapuz never
reconciled.

Jose, Cristina D. Facts About Sorsogon

n.d,Manila: National Media Production
Center,
Urania, Azucena Grajo, Giowing Up in a
Remembered Town. Quezon City. 2006.
Varela, Jesus v. Bishop Emeritus ot
Sorsogon. Fond and Bittersweet MemeM
of Sqnogon: from fhe Horse's Mouth. B l I
Sorsogon City, 2006.
-------------- :__Guerilla documents in i i
rhe Possession of Vice-Governor Antonio:.
H. Escudero, J:
- ----Letters to Salvador
Escudero. Sr., from us Army Headquarter*.

Headquarters and that of G en.

- The i iberonc*
''N
tn a letter circu lated to all
McArthur's. He disregarded the
spearheaded:by.' .V! .it
m unicipal mayors in the province
civil governm ent organization
company-MVrrh . *
(C ircu lar Letter, To All M unicipal
declaring, himself supreme in this
unopposed on ;heM ayors, Province of Sorsogon,
Bocor. on Apmj
province by virfye of the
August 13, 1943) Lapuz said, "I
authorities vested upon him by
remaining Japanese |* \ J
the hills of
w an ted to recom m end him
Gen. McArthur"', Yet. according to
Bsud ero , "after the last 1.
their last stand. A ra^ ^ l
(Escudero) as Military Governor of
some
engagem ent of the PC on June
the filcol Region b ecause of his
15, 1942, Maj. Lapuz had rem ained
I previous good deeds and
m appfng
in hiding and inactive, but my civil
I personal sacrifices for the
tocdt-guedfte.-jnife . J |
government organization
I com m on cause, but b ecause of
continued to function, w hile my
S d b d e r o 'w s ili& S
I his insistence in his subversive
of Sorsogor, o ffer Lifeem ^ r
guerilla groups had to double up
I activities against the Army, I
Lapu? died in an
its activities in the absence of the
I cannot do if now. Instead of
soon after th e w s :
Army unit."
fomenting unity betw een the
2066),
*J
in the same letter to ftelunid,
military and civil population In our
Constabulary provirsciot
Escudero said, "i con s a y without
province tor the sake of
headquarters
the least fear of .contradiction,
i cooperation and coordination
the C am p Saivocic+
jg j
badly needed during this period of that Maj. Lapuz, by his acts and
o f the PhUfppine Natlohot
actual activities, cannot organize
em ergency, he has preached to
honor of the late jor?agc*fi
- a fighting force." As if toyou of non-cooperation and
governor revere. fd rfiis
corroborate this, a junior officer
actually he- has effected a sort of
Gurang. tfj
under Lapuz' command, Lt.
division or misunderstanding
Pacifico Cabrera, a legendary
among our civil population who
guerilla leader then famous, for his
are loyal to the cause, this they
dare-devil activities, against the
have done through threats to life
SfCutie'1?. Saivoriftt it
Japanese, parted ways with his
and by false propaganda and
MsmefdrrtJwm,
|
superior officer whom he accused
fabricated charges personal in
fcteswsge*.
|
of cowardice. Cabrera, in foct, ,
character, as well as by
DsjSuiyGovernor,.
establishing his own government,, initiated court martial proceedings
against Lapuz after the war.
, Where did Governor Escudero
G&QffSi POHilb-Mj-S&T1
inm(1ijCtiQr>
-9*B
derive this authority to appoint
(Varela, 2006) .
Nac;cfCify: Attzneo d&fiip@ss.
deputy Governors for Sorsogon? .
it appears that Lapuz; in '
. IS that not nepotism, contrary to
November 1943 went to the
Jews. CrisHfiaO. P&eftAtxujt

Military District in Panay Island to

the Executive Order of His
seek assistance due to the
Excellency, the President of the
Center. .
Philippines?"
. increasing; pressure on him by the I
UfOftra, A/ucn6G'Oj<->.
Earlier, in a letter to Col.
Escudero guerillas. He returned to
.; #Wmjbe>(J704w*.j
Sfy. $tt|
Relunia of the Army (June 22,
Bicol in January 1944 to initiate- the
unification of the Bicol guerilla
1943), Escudero explained, l
forces, but by March 1944. with fbe
regret to tell you frankly .that I am
sm6Q6ti\ fofict mtisitmrsw'i&t
:l
s?mm
m
. obviously increased strength of the
not and will no I coopera te with
Escudero Guerillas, Lapuz was
Maj, L, P. Lapuz, My reasons for
again forced to ieave Sorsogon,
non-cooperation with him (Lapuz)
leaving behind only a small force
is re-embodied in my first and
in Bulan and Pilar. (Gerona, 1988! ,
latest reports regarding the
.With the end of :the war a verym isconduct, ungentlemanly and
near reality.
pernicious activities of Major
effofti sent feelers to .^ jd e ro in
Lapuz."
April; 1944 seeking a conference
Escudero continued, "when
for reunification' and to patch up
you designated and appointed
differences between them, but'
Major Lapuz as temporary CO of
Escudero remained obstinoio and
the Bicol Region, he awoke from
rejected the offer of reconctltefloni
his d e e p slumber, drunk with his
rhus, even at the close of tstt war,
new designation, he begun to
Escudero and lapu^rtever.
scandalize and vulgarize his
reconciled.
connections with your i f ,|

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I^SARSWELITAS

Lo u d ly on its way down when

fLf^ n ei was a l his prime In foci, very
[few Soraoganons know about
j^nene? Not even a single copy of
wata can be found In any of the
l^ a l tDrories. At present, all of his
i/Qngtnal manuscripts have been
placed in the care of the m ain library
of me University of the Philippines,
j tiYcxjgh the efforts of Dr. Realubil.
piling the early Am erican
| colonialism Asisdo Jim enez
[.answered the need for a form of
Iexpression to expose the problems of
the people Jim enez Bikol sarswe/as
easily allowed the Sorsoganons to
fcentify with his characters
When Pagkamoof sa Banuang
Tinoboan was first shown in 1907. it
created a furor am ong the people of
Basogon Sorsoganons of Spanish
lineage were enraged. According to
fe Jimenez-VBamor, daughter of
Asisdo and herself an actress, one
Spanish mestizo w as so incensed after
watching the play that he angrily tore
1dawn all the advertising posters tor it
Years later, when Balo nin 95 Anos
was revived and staged at the
Colegio de la Milagrosa in 1976. it
I received an unprecedented warm
response from the new generation,
i Asisdo's other daughter.
Concepcion Jim enez-Can loria
g reeted the 1976 revival, and Ihe
[lead role was played by sister. Fe.
Although the play w as basically a
| simple com edy about an old wom an
|who had been w idow ed to 15 years,
it proved that the sarswe/as of
| Jimenez could still attract a fairly large
audience today. Even withoul the
usual lavish sp ectacle and the full
orchestra typical ot the original
[performances of sarswe/as in those
[days, it captured the fancy of the
present generation with Its down- lo
earth dialogue and the hilarity of the
situations depicting the ways and
manners of those times. Even the
songs sung in the play by local singers
were very m uch appreciated by the
audience in probaoly much the
sam e w ay these songs were enjoyed
Jjjjmd ap p reciated when (hey were
ping by the original players of the old
fty s

With a w ealth Of trvrJilionni

values and allusions, the plays fee An

Balo nln 15 Anot. An Fiscal Mayor ta

Simbahan, An Duwang Pagtubod no
Sukbali An Luplf ia Payo, An Nakua
kan Dayaw, An Vaca nl Ho
Cayong, and An Bntayo
General, succeeded in
recreating the pervading
am bience of the early
Am erican colonial lifestyle.
Thus, in the conventional
alternating dialogue and
operatic singing, w e see an
old widow frying to control
herseff from loving another
old man after 15 years of
leading a lonefy life. Or w e
see the abuses of parish
treasurers (An Fiscal Mayor
). or how vanity and luxury
ca n gain Ihe love of a step
daughter (An Nakua )
And how, after seeing
Governor Mario Guarina
offering himself to be
arrested instead of locking up his
horse for violating a municipal
ordinance. Asisdo Jimenez writes An
Vaca nl Tio Cayong to show that he
agrees with the governor. In Ihis play
w e see that an animal can
sometimes be more precious than a
human being e.g.. the cow that
gives milk and meat to man
Although the sarswe/as of Asisclo
Jimenez were mostly patronized by
Ihe upperclass of Sorsogon, and the
players usually cam e from the elite
families of local society, the
nationalism of his plays depicted the
plight, and reflected the aspirations
of the common people
Araceli F Morelos, who played
the role of Conchita in Pagkamoof ta
Banuang Tinoboan when she was
only 15 years old, said that the plays
of Asisdo were usually very
nationalistic They depicted the
struggles of the people of Sorsogon
and the Filipino people, in general,
against the Spanish colonizers. Mrs.
Morelos, who It herself a former
municipal mayor of Sorsogon. recalls.
But Asisclo could also be playful
and funny. Although basically a
serious m an, so that most of his
sarswe/as were usually very Inter vse, his

Atm lo 7 fimen(*z.
m k fl,
a$ Mayor of Stmogvn,
1909 IW )
comedtes could also draw boisterous
laughter from the au&mnc e with
sarcastic lines Asisclo w as also a fine
com edian, according *o Mrs
Morelos. She recalls that A&vclo would
usually take the role of a Chinam an
Decause he looked like one. <**fh ms
chunky eyes
As director Mrs Morelos
remembers Asisc lo as very
sympathetic to young perforrner* like
her He never showed arty
or I'hei
artist s proverbial temper and he
allowed her to a c t out her roles
liberty During rehearseiK. she said; he
eyes were usually shut cfose, Thar
w ay. he could listen mlentty, end
easily point out the mistake* of nfc
performers Mrs Morelos further
recalls
When the
w as t>orv>d
from the stage by the Western
vaudeville and the movies in the .tts
dram a lovers tried to revive it during
town fiestas, and other c omrnumty
events. But Inexorably, the xjnmmio
had to fad e into ciofMon the young

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i^co Me vAsn* b o d to NKanfro *e
tjecome edfcar of Phipore Sccx"
ox os an associate o* fcsio*
Gutman <n#er, Ot&q Esk?ian<&

iiESXD was o membef ol *^e

^forfcar'i o Manio^ased vvii^.
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tre^r memt x n rxXjCte ftonciscx?

v o e to w NV\\ c^wrvW^ Nv.tv ^ '

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to fir** ifliw x>*onai o ostiir^ The

$*ot> \s3s pvt^sheo life <r*J letter.

<htoxiot> 0^>*w He Ofev*' o
FHaMxx) ov^oriee ^ Ih#
dK^oiv
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wnfer
obou< Wv r>crJv>e^ oi
poverty oKl the xtn^se dt tf>e
mo^gjr>ol2eo of sexJ^V *t ^oteo
tweokse ol ihfc ffvi >e covx*emo
o pro^Kjnof) \Mitei *

Clemente M. Doxik^
^ )o?n w> i e^'wp* Otv ot pow\^
(rom Sooort Sorso?jorv
M Rowii is o poet ^>oci ^kv\ vvnre*founo<ttt <fxJ fXib^c s^JtK>hv o>on
He
high s<t>ooi in fto^KiK'i
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ttie Ftsfct^&n&s &argo*o
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vk^ tfw? Jopomse. ( t e P 5t e
or>d fo^>t foi o vvt>4e ot the
Sorso^on ^ h School <\m the woi

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Ihe Plliljpplries
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Wi poems irtduid&si a& on# of tot
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bcv3rn a n iw i& w o l (he (.jf

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during line Japaneve Occupvrtwn
and faughl foi a while at Uw
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122

------------------------------------

THESAR5WEUTA5..
I"

Isidoro D. Dino
Q/^ioving studied tor the
priesthood at the Holy Rosary
Seminary in Naga City, Isidore D.
Dino; of Bacon, Sorsogon. Is an
ordained priest, having been
ordained on March 7, 1937,
He holds the degrees of Bachelor
literature in Journalism. B.S.E., MA in
English, and Ph. D. in Philosophy from
the University ot Santo Tomas.
Fr. Dino Is probably the only
Sorsoganon. and Bikolano, who was
proclaimed and crowned with the
golden wreath as Poet laureate
International. August 26. 1990. during
the 12* World Congress of Poets in
Seoul, Korea; and whose poems are
found In wortd cinlhbtogies ot poetry
published and edited abroad. His
being poet laureate in English has
taken him to vciwus ploces around
the world to attend World Congresses
of PoeIs. In fact, various literary and
poetry associations in the PhSppines. ;

England, Korea, India, Pakistan and

United Stales ol America have
conteired upon him awards In
recognition of his contributions In the
field of world literature.
The books ol poetry he has
published include, My lyre, Seashells
on the Short, and String of Pearls. He
was working on his #' book ot poetry,
A Sheaf of Golden Grain, when he
passed away.
Some of the other books he
authored Include "Filipino Poetry In
English'', which was his nriasteral thesis;
The Work of Military Chaplains in
Peace and War", which was also his
doctoral dissertation; and "the
Christian Education In a Democracy".
another doctoral dissertation, He also
published the "Compilation ot Songs
and Rhymes in Blcol".
As essayist, his work, "The Church
In the History of the Philippines" was
first prize winner at the XXXIII

I p

0
m

14

tM

International CucharWlc doiv,

Manila. 1937. As Journalhl,
'
news editor of The Calechist L l
provincial correspondent
Dobate-Mabuhay-Heroici-Mor^. :
Mail newspaper chain during it*
prewar years, and editor ot )hs
Annunciation College Gradual.
School Research Journal,
Fr, Dino also writes Bikoi poenyfc
fact he reigned as Principe can M
magna Paratula sa Blcol since I9jj
He translated Jose Rizal's Mi ufci*r#
Adlos Into Blcol, Hurtng Paaram. #

Eugenia Duran Apostol

report on nothing but the so-called
: sott news, meaning, fashion,
cooking, home d6cor, movies,
society romances and weddings, or
society scuttlebutt: while the menfolk
did the hard news" - politics,
contacts crime, etc.
Tired ol this situation, she put up
Mr. t Ms magazine in 1975 to give a
kind of women's perspective to hard
news and make it more interesting
reading. But in 1983, with the
assassination of Ninoy Aquino, she
came up with a special edillon of
DURAH-APOSTOU
the Mr. and Ms magazine, complete
with a photo folio of Ninoy Aquino's
funeral and the massive protest
e ^fter ocquiring a degree in
journalism from the University ot
rallies against the Marcos
dictatorship. Together with this, she
Santo Tomas, magna cumtoude,
also put up the Philippine Inquirer
Eugenia Duran-Apostol. known to
weekly- which soon became a daily
friends as Eggie". joined the
Catholic weekly. The Sentinel, where newspaper. This is what we now
know 6s the Philippine bally Inquirer,
she edited the women's,section.
an irreverent, sometimes, according
She soon became womens
to critics, sensationalist newspaper.
editor of the Sunday Timet
In July 2004, Apostol received the
Magazine, and then, the Manila
first Gowad Ptaridel award given by
Chronicle This was the time when
women journalists were expected to he University of the Philippines

I I

iio l

Pt
sf*
pt
#>
fii
IIS'*
W
00

College of Mass Communicoliomla ' p i

her courageous advocacy of press] \il
freedom and her visionary pubfetta-; ft
She also pul up the Plnoy Times v/tiQ pul
reported on the shenanigans of the ' Pre
Erap Estrpda government.
Me
In September 2006, Apostol was
a
conferred the prestigious Ramon
Magsaysay Award for Journalism,
Literature and Communication Aits,
making her the fret Sorsoganon and
Bikolana to receive such hona.
M
After her retirement from the
Philippine Daily inquirer in 1998. she; -1
founded the Foundation for
Worldwide People Power (FWWPP), J
which she heads, and which
strongly advocates nationwide
education reform.
On November 25, 2006, a! the j
Thomas Aquinas Research Complex
auditorium of the University of Sonlds
Tomas, Apostol delivered the Jose
Pi
Rizai iecfure during the Annual
Conference of the Philippine CenW
of International Poets and
Playwrights, Essayists and Noye&ts
(PEN). #

pi

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THg SAR8WELITAS.

Azucena Grajo Uranza

i /ojo-tfranza, or AG; as she. Is

ftkSbwfl fo <g|os friends/ is probably;
P the only Blkblana writer today
I; vyhose novels have been
I-published in book form. Ih fact,
i/rtur of her novels, two of which
are award-winning. are now
f available in most book stores
around the country. Because of
she has put Sorsogon In the
CQlerk- V I phis,
notional literary consciousness.
R f c N
AG was born in Sorsogon;
Sorsogon to a family of writers and
musicians. She went to college a I
K r H | the University of the Philippines
||a n d the Far Eastern University
rknot.
^ ^ lI
& where she finished a bachelor's
degree n English and JOurhOKsnv
and a master's degree in English.
r ctoeS^J|| She
is married to lawyer lois O,
PfeOfifyw *
Utotbeo, Jr., with whom she has
rd5^iis^li- three children*) who are also all
^lawyers, and all based in Manila.
Her grandfather is forme* Soriogon
Governor Jose Figueroa, who was
[ also a wen-known local sanwell&ta.
She published her first short
^cocyof^a story in the Philippines Free Press in
>
ncryptjifcJj 1949, This was followed by a
succession of stories which were
toylfrheswM published
variously in the Free
Press,
the
W
eekly Women's
Snt
Magazine, Focus Philippines,
. Apctfc^tI Gihoo magqjdne, and the FEU

usRanw jT;

Journal, Transition. She received

two first prizes and one honorable
mention for her short stories from
Ihe Focus Philippines Annual
Literary Awards,
Her first novel, "Bamboo In the
Wind'', won the Grand Prize for fhe
Novel ln the 1990 Carlos Palanca
literary Awards* Eight years later,
she won the Centennial Literary
Prize for the Novel in English (Third
Place), for her second novel, "A
Passing Season", Her two other
novels In (he quartet are "Feast of
the Innocents" and 11Women of
Tammut"
; the first novel, Bamboo In the
wind/tells about Ihe Filipino
peoples struggle against the
oppressive Marcos dictatorship jus I
months before the declaration of
Martial Law in 1972. The second
novel, A Passing Season, fells
about the forebears of the
characters in the first novel during
the 1896 Revolution and the
Filipino-American w ar at the turn
of the century. The third novel;
Feast of the Innocents/which,
Chronologically, should have,
immediately followed Bamboo in I
the Wind/ tells of the present; the
post*Marcos dictatorship, with
seemingly no change at all; with

om

O
GRAJG-UBAMZA

poverty, oppression, vioiaffoas of

human rights, corruption sM a
reality and a fact of fife in
Contemporary Philippine society.
Women of fommuz, the tast of the
quartet, recalls the events during
the American occupation up to
the Pacific War and the Japanese
Occupation. Clearly, the GrajoUranza quartet of novels is the
Philippine saga from the
perspective Of a few efite Filipino
families.
t* '

toumabn r

)/caikAl|

ogc^ fc;Msssosm;
iOeilosa. Blen A. Sortogon PtQie WHets and Poets, Thai Annundalloh Faculty Journal

ffomit* mI ffiiacon, SoftogonfAnnunciation CoMOgoof Booba 1975).

IhJffl&FOdonet lme* A. Sonogon Writersin trtgiish, Sarablhon; A journal of Sorsogon Sludies, Vol. 3
if of

If (Queton City: the Sorcogon Heritage Society, Inc., 2004);

rirvMW Ofdonez, eimei a. tne Novels ofAzucmQ&raio. Uranza. Ufeviylo, The Philippine dally inquirer
M

| (MakaMCiiy fho phiiippirw Dailytnqpi*^. Inc^5003), .

EX
Iferedo. ftdic P a u ! -7^ Po^ero* the pen.
[ Philippine Dotty trauirwj(|v 006). ?
5ontas. Parverdaaes

UnWertftvProtss* tne

IMania.Axucena
AiownatofSart

aboah

iWAftlJ

|Mafe^ti$ny?;f h a

A.C, Unmzd's tetratogy of novels,

Chronicles of the Changing Seasons,
which retells the last hundred years of the
Philippine struggle to be free,
indupendeht, and live v.rith dignity and
$t*lf-re&imt begins zrith
Bamboo in the Wind/follvtit&d hy
f'eiist of the Inmcents, A Passing Season,
and Women of Tam muz.