By Gerald G. Lacuarta
National hero Dr. Jose Rizal will no longer spend lonely nights at the park named after him in Manila as workers yesterday installed 20 busts of other heroes of the Philippine Revolution against Spain.
The 20 bronze busts done by sculptor Ros Arcilla were put up in two rows at the Rizal Park between N.Y. Orosa St. and Roxas Boulevard as part of the preparations for the Centennial celebrations today.
The bronze busts provided an trip down memory lane for a group of gradeschool boy scouts who came for yesterday's rehearsal for the Grand Centennial Parade.
A scout master toured a group of boy scouts and asked his boys to take down the names and accomplishments of the revolutionary heroes.
As of 3 p.m. yesterday seven of the busts have yet to be installed.
Of the 20 busts, four belonged to well known revolutionary figures like the legendary Lapu-Lapu, chieftain of Mactan Island in the Visayas who defeated and killed Magellan in bloody battle on April 27, 1521.
The defeat of Magellan, the first man to circumnavigate the world, delayed the colonialization of the Philippine islands by Spain until 1565.
Another popular figure was Apolinario Mabini, considered the Brains of the 1896 Revolution against Spain. Also known as the Sublime Paralytic, Mabini served as foreign minister and chief adviser of President Emilio Aguinaldo. He was exiled to Guam for refusing to swear allegiance to the United States.
The boy scouts had no difficulty recognizing the bemoustached Diego Silang, a mail courier between Manila and Vigan, Ilocos who later led provincemates in revolting against the British who for a few years colonized the Philippines.
Silang was jailed but upon his release led a revolt against Spain which spread to the provinces of Pangasinan and Cagayan.
He was later assasinated by his friend Miguel Vicos on May 28, 1763 allegedly on orders of Spanish authorities who feared his rising influence.
But the boy scouts and other promenaders spent more time looking at the busts of lesser known revolutionary heroes some of whom were not even mentioned in history books.
One of the busts belonged to Datu Taupan of Balanguingui, Zamboanga who launched raids against Spanish settlements in Zamboanga, Basilan and Tanguil island in Mindanao. He was later captured and relocated to Isabela province in 1848 after powerful Spanish gunboats raided Balanguingui.
Datu Ache, a Tausug chieftan in Sulu circa 1638, was also given prominence at Rizal Park. He was credited for leading Sultan Bongsu's forces in repelling 60 ships with 600 Spanish soldiers and 3,000 Christian Filipinos led by Gov. Hurtado de Corcuera on January 4, 1638.
The Cordillera region was represented by Mateo Carino, an Ibaloi chieftainof Benguet who led successful revolts against a Spanish garrison in La Trinidad in 1838. He was appointed "captain" of Baguio and head of the Igorot army by Katipunan founder Andres Bonifacio.
Also feted with a bust was Juan Sumuroy of Samar who opposed the constription of his provincemates to work in Spanish shipyards in Cavite. He won several battles against Spaniards but was captured and executed in 1649.
Another hero, Francisco Dagohoy of Bohol was remembered as the leader of the longest running revolt against Spain in 1744 which lasted for 80 years. It was said that he was enraged by the refusal of friars to bury his brother.
Two propagandists were also feted. They were Graciano Lopez Jaena, founder and first founder of La Solidaridad, and Jose Ma. Panganiban, one of the most eloquent writers of the paper which served as the organ of the reform movement in Spain.
The Quirino Grandstand and almost all areas in Rizal Park were almost ready as of yesterday afternoon for today's festivities.
Portable toilets were already installed while speakers have been installed for a program that will be highlighted by a P5-million computer-aided pyrotechnics show.
National hero Dr. Jose Rizal will no longer spend lonely nights at the park named after him in Manila as workers yesterday installed 20 busts of other heroes of the Philippine Revolution against Spain.
The 20 bronze busts done by sculptor Ros Arcilla were put up in two rows at the Rizal Park between N.Y. Orosa St. and Roxas Boulevard as part of the preparations for the Centennial celebrations today.
The bronze busts provided an trip down memory lane for a group of gradeschool boy scouts who came for yesterday's rehearsal for the Grand Centennial Parade.
A scout master toured a group of boy scouts and asked his boys to take down the names and accomplishments of the revolutionary heroes.
As of 3 p.m. yesterday seven of the busts have yet to be installed.
Of the 20 busts, four belonged to well known revolutionary figures like the legendary Lapu-Lapu, chieftain of Mactan Island in the Visayas who defeated and killed Magellan in bloody battle on April 27, 1521.
The defeat of Magellan, the first man to circumnavigate the world, delayed the colonialization of the Philippine islands by Spain until 1565.
Another popular figure was Apolinario Mabini, considered the Brains of the 1896 Revolution against Spain. Also known as the Sublime Paralytic, Mabini served as foreign minister and chief adviser of President Emilio Aguinaldo. He was exiled to Guam for refusing to swear allegiance to the United States.
The boy scouts had no difficulty recognizing the bemoustached Diego Silang, a mail courier between Manila and Vigan, Ilocos who later led provincemates in revolting against the British who for a few years colonized the Philippines.
Silang was jailed but upon his release led a revolt against Spain which spread to the provinces of Pangasinan and Cagayan.
He was later assasinated by his friend Miguel Vicos on May 28, 1763 allegedly on orders of Spanish authorities who feared his rising influence.
But the boy scouts and other promenaders spent more time looking at the busts of lesser known revolutionary heroes some of whom were not even mentioned in history books.
One of the busts belonged to Datu Taupan of Balanguingui, Zamboanga who launched raids against Spanish settlements in Zamboanga, Basilan and Tanguil island in Mindanao. He was later captured and relocated to Isabela province in 1848 after powerful Spanish gunboats raided Balanguingui.
Datu Ache, a Tausug chieftan in Sulu circa 1638, was also given prominence at Rizal Park. He was credited for leading Sultan Bongsu's forces in repelling 60 ships with 600 Spanish soldiers and 3,000 Christian Filipinos led by Gov. Hurtado de Corcuera on January 4, 1638.
The Cordillera region was represented by Mateo Carino, an Ibaloi chieftainof Benguet who led successful revolts against a Spanish garrison in La Trinidad in 1838. He was appointed "captain" of Baguio and head of the Igorot army by Katipunan founder Andres Bonifacio.
Also feted with a bust was Juan Sumuroy of Samar who opposed the constription of his provincemates to work in Spanish shipyards in Cavite. He won several battles against Spaniards but was captured and executed in 1649.
Another hero, Francisco Dagohoy of Bohol was remembered as the leader of the longest running revolt against Spain in 1744 which lasted for 80 years. It was said that he was enraged by the refusal of friars to bury his brother.
Two propagandists were also feted. They were Graciano Lopez Jaena, founder and first founder of La Solidaridad, and Jose Ma. Panganiban, one of the most eloquent writers of the paper which served as the organ of the reform movement in Spain.
The Quirino Grandstand and almost all areas in Rizal Park were almost ready as of yesterday afternoon for today's festivities.
Portable toilets were already installed while speakers have been installed for a program that will be highlighted by a P5-million computer-aided pyrotechnics show.
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