Historic Manila

15/10/2025

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15/10/2025

Nepotism in Politics: The Flood That Never Drains

In the Philippines, the “padrino system,” or political nepotism, has long shaped the nation’s governance. Power is passed down like a family heirloom, along with control over vital public projects.

Take, for instance, the flood control initiatives that have spanned decades yet show little visible progress. When the same surnames appear on government plaques and project tarpaulins generation after generation, one cannot help but ask: Are we truly fighting floods, or merely preserving dynasties? Behind many of these projects are allegations of overpricing, favoritism in contract awards, and funds that mysteriously disappear. Corruption seems to flow as steadily as the floods themselves.

This culture of favoritism is not confined to politics. It quietly seeps into offices, agencies, and institutions. Imagine someone who has just graduated and completed an internship, suddenly being hired for a position higher than those who have faithfully served for years. Connections speak louder than competence, and privilege outweighs performance. Merit and experience are disregarded, replaced by influence and familiarity. It is a clear reflection of how deeply entrenched nepotism has become in our systems.

What makes this reality even more disheartening is that some of these individuals are neither competent nor eager to grow. They hold important positions, sustained by taxpayers’ money, yet fail to deliver the quality of service that the public deserves. Many act with arrogance and entitlement, as if privilege were a qualification. Others are openly disrespectful, and when they are reported for misconduct, nothing happens, because those in charge are connected to them.

But what about those who strive with integrity? Those who compete fairly, who have proven themselves capable, and who carry a genuine desire to serve their fellow Filipinos? Too often, they are ignored and overshadowed by those who rise through proximity rather than principle.

Nepotism and corruption blur the line between public service and personal legacy. They allow political clans to monopolize contracts, manipulate priorities, and profit from endless “rehabilitations,” while ordinary citizens continue to wade through the same flooded streets, both literally and figuratively, year after year.

Real reform begins with transparency, integrity, and leadership chosen on merit, not lineage or loyalty. Until that day comes, the cycle of privilege will persist, and so will the floods.

Will we continue to let this cycle of privilege and corruption drown our nation?

Or will we start demanding a system that rewards merit, not connections?

The choice begins with us. What will you do to help stop it?

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07/10/2025

📜 Today in Philippine History, October 7, 1846 — 179 years ago

Spanish Governor-General Narciso Claveria issued a decree against vagrants, referring primarily to Filipinos who had no regular employment or permanent residence. He instructed provincial authorities to apprehend these idlers, conduct inquiries, and assign them to public works for one month before returning them to their respective hometowns.

During that period, unemployment and displacement were common among Filipinos due to heavy taxes and forced labor systems, which partly explains why vagrancy became widespread in many towns.

Governor-General Claveria enacted this policy to preserve peace and order, instill discipline, and utilize idle labor for government projects such as roads and public buildings. Although the measure contributed to the improvement of local infrastructure, it largely served the interests of the Spanish colonial government by maintaining control over the population and securing a steady labor force. Nevertheless, it provided limited benefits to some Filipinos by offering temporary work and encouraging discipline, even though its primary objective was to reinforce Spanish authority rather than to advance the welfare of the people.

Source: Wikipedia

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25/08/2025

03/08/2025

Msgr. Aglipay and Isabelo de los Reyes in Kalayaan

02/08/2025

Fissures on the roads from Casiguran to Barrio Tabas, Aurora, Philippines, August 2, 1968

01/08/2025

A Rare Glimpse of the Fifth Manila Cathedral

This historical sketch offers a rare view of the fifth Manila Cathedral, as seen and drawn by Italian painter and engraver Fernando Brambila during the Malaspina Expedition (1789–1794). Commissioned by the Spanish Crown, the expedition was a sweeping scientific and political voyage that traveled across the Americas, Asia, and Oceania to document the people, culture, natural environment, and geography of Spain’s overseas territories.

In 1792, during the expedition’s stop in the Philippines, Brambila captured various scenes of colonial Manila—including this depiction of the Manila Cathedral (now officially known as the Minor Basilica and Metropolitan Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception).

Referred to as the fifth cathedral, this structure was completed in 1760, following the repeated destruction of its predecessors by fire, earthquakes, and typhoons. It served as Manila’s principal church well beyond 1852, despite suffering significant damage in a devastating earthquake that year, until a major reconstruction began in 1858.

Brambila’s sketch remains one of the few surviving visual records of this long-lost cathedral, offering a valuable window into the architectural, religious, and colonial heritage of Spanish-era Manila.

Source: Wikipedia

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02/07/2025

First 100 Pensionados at the St. Louis World's Fair, Missouri, United States, 1904

This historic photograph shows the first group of Filipino pensionados—young scholars sent to the U.S. under American colonial rule to study and later serve in the Philippines.

Taken during the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair, the image reflects how education was used to promote American ideals in the early years of U.S. occupation. Their presence at the fair symbolized both progress and colonial propaganda.

Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons

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01/07/2025

📍 | July 1, 1889
Dr. Olivia Simeona Demetria Salamanca y Diaz was born in San Roque, Cavite.

A pioneering Filipino physician, she trained in the United States at the Woman’s Medical College of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia.

She became the second female doctor from the Philippines.