Proto Maharlikan (Philippines) History

By the time the most advanced species of modern man, Homo sapiens, had evolved, about 120,000 years ago, there is evidence of rapid population growth around the globe. So how did Homo sapiens spread?

While it is generally accepted that the forerunner to Homo sapiens - Homo erectus, left Africa about 1.5 million years ago to populate other parts of the world, there are two main theories about the spread of Homo sapiens.

The first theory, known as the 'Out of Africa' model, is that Homo sapiens developed first in Africa and then spread around the world between 100 and 200,000 years ago, superseding all other hominid species. The implication of this argument is that all modern people are ultimately of African descent.

The other theory, known as the 'Multi-regional' model, is that Homo sapiens evolved simultaneously in different parts of the world from original Homo erectus settlers. This means that people in China descended from the Homo erectus population there, while Australians may have descended from the Homo erectus population in South East Asia.

Both theories have their staunch defenders who cite DNA evidence - analysis of the genetic blueprint passed down from generation to generation - to advance their case.
First Human Migration

The Human saga began 160,000-120,000 years ago when the hominin specie called Homo Sapiens lived and roamed Africa for thousands of years. With mental capability combined with an erect body carriage that frees the forelimbs for manipulating objects, has allowed humans to make far greater use of tools than any other species. But not until 90,000 to 85,000 years ago did early humans started its first exodus eastward crossing the Red Sea.

Wandering along the southern coast of the Arabian Peninsula they turned beachcombers and journeyed far across the Indian Ocean coastline towards Indonesia which by then was connected by land. Between 30,000 BCE and 50,000 BCE the earth has been experiencing recurring warm periods and this helped in preventing th northern ice caps from advancing across Scandinavia into northern Europe. This warming up period prompted early humans from central Asia to move to eastern Europe while others made their way to present day north-eastern Eurasia; and would eventually cross the Bering land bridge situated between Alaska and Siberia -later reaching north America.

As the Palaeolithic clock rolled towards 20,000 BCE. the earth began to receive a minimum of the sun's heat at the northern hemisphere during summer. The weather became colder and the recurring warm weathers stopped. The ice caps started to advance from the north while the sea levels started to drop at 130 meters (430 ft.) allowing land briges to be accesible. In short, the world has entered into another Ice Age.

Scientists believe that during the period between 30,000 BCE TO 20,000 BCE. remnants of the early group of Homo Sapiens who left Africa 85,000 years ago that remained isolated in the Malayan Peninsula crossed the land bridges from Borneo and moved inward to the Philippines . The Semarangs or the Aetas as we call them have become extremely nomadic due to social and economic strain on their culture and way of life that had previously remained unchanged for thousands of years.

Since humans first populated the rest of the world they started civilizations, established religions, colonized distant lands, waged wars, spreaded pandemics and left marks in our genetic make-ups.

Some Anthropologists hypothesize that man's presence in the Philippines could be as early as 250,000 B.C. during the Ice Age or Middle Pleistocene Period. They came by way of the land bridges which linked the archipelago with Asia. This hominin specie was a cousin of the "Java Man," "Peking Man," and other earliest men in Asia. Professor H. Otley Beyer, eminent American authority on Philippine archaeology and anthropology, called him the "Dawn Man", for he appeared in the Philippines at the dawn of time. Brawny and thickly-haired, the "Dawn Man", had no knowledge of agriculture. He lived by means of gathering wild edible plants, by fishing, and hunting. It is probable that he reached the Philippines while hunting. At that time the boars, deer, giant and pygmy elephants, rhinoceros, and other Pleistocene animals roamed in the country.

The latest archaeological finding showing early human habitation of the Philippines was found 300 km north of Manila indicating human presence in our land 67,000 years ago. The find shows that the bone fragments belonged to the genus HOMO. It is still unclear at this point whether the find is a Homo Habilis, or Homo Erectus or something else. It is possible that these humans reached our lands from mainland Asia when the Philippines was still connected by land bridges from mainland China. The Callao Cave Man predates the Tabon Man by 42,000 years and is oldest proof of human existence in the Southeast Asia today.

The Birth of the Filipinos

The Aetas

Although the great majority of the people of the Philippines are Tagalog, the country is not ethnically homogeneous. In spite of their small numbers the original inhabitants of the Philippines are the Agta (diminutive Africoids), who still live there in some numbers and are commonly and pejoratively called Pygmies.The Semangs (Aetas or Negritos)came around 30,000 BCE to 25,000 BCE and lived widespread throughout the Philippines. Today they are present mostly in the remote higland areas of Luzon, Palawan, Panay, Negros and Mindanao.

It is commonly thought that they migrated over land bridges, which existed at that time between Borneo and the Philippines. The Negritos are among the smallest people on earth. They are below five feet in height, with black skin, dark kinky hair round black eyes, and flat noses. Because of their black color and short stature, they were called Negritos (little black people) by the Spanish community in life, hence they developed no government, writing, literature, arts, and sciences. They possessed the crudest kind of religion which was a belief in fetishes. They made fire by rubbing two dry sticks together to give them warmth. They had no pottery and never cooked their food. However, they were among the world's best archers, being skilled in the use of the bow and arrow.

However, they were driven back by several waves of immigrants from Taiwan, Indonesia, only to be followed by the maritime peoples of the Malayan islands.

The Arrival of the Austronesians

The first Austronesian speakers are believed to have originated on the island of Taiwan following the migration of a group, or groups, of Pre-Austronesian speaking peoples from continental Asia approximately 10,000-6000 B.C. According to linguist Robert Blust, due to a lengthy split from the Pre-Austronesian populations, the Proto-Austronesian language and cultures emerged on Taiwan (Blust,1988).

Beginning around 5000-2500 B.C., the large scale Austronesian expansion began. Population growth triggered this expansion. A society that gives prestige and a higher status to the descendants of a community's founder added more incentive to settle new lands.

These first settlers landed in northern Luzon in the Philippines intermingling with the earlier Australo-Melanesian (Aetas)population who had inhabited the islands 23,000 years previously. Over the next thousand years up until 1500 A.D., their descendants spread south to the rest of the Philippine islands, Celebes (modern-day Sulawesi), Borneo, the Moluccas (modern-day Maluku), and Java.

The Austronesian settlers in the Moluccas sailed eastward and spread to the islands of Melanesia and Micronesia between 1200 B.C. and 500 A.D. respectively. Those that spread westward reached Sumatra, the Malay peninsula and what is now southern Vietnam by 500 B.C.(See Champa)

Sailing from Melanesia and Micronesia Austronesians discovered remote Polynesia by 1000 B.C., which unlike Melanesia, Micronesia and the Malay Archipelago were previously uninhabited, and settled its three extremities Easter Island by 300 A.D, Hawaii by 400 A.D. and New Zealand by 800 A.D In the Indian Ocean sailing from from Celebes (modern-day Sulawesi) and Borneo, they reached Madagascar by 200 A.D. Trade with India and China flourished within the first millennia A.D., which allowed the creation of Indianized kingdoms such as Srivijaya, Melayu, and Majapahit and Muslim traders began arriving during the 10th century and brought with them Islam as well as the sultanates.

There is much written on the Austronesian peoples of the Southeast Asia area and their descendants. These people were the seafaring people who traveled to distant parts of the world during this period of history. Some historians believe that these peoples settled in the southern regions of the Philippines and eastern regions of Indonesia. What is known, about this period, is that blade stone technology, dating back to around 5000 BCE reached the northern portions (Luzon area) of the Philippines. There are several postulates concerning migration and maritime trade during this time period.

The Indonesian Waves

The Indonesian migration to the Philippines happened in two waves. In 5,000 B.C. to 3,000 B.C., the first wave of Indonesians arrived in the Philippines. They were tall and slender, with relatively light complexion, thin lips and face, a high aquiline nose, a broad and high forehead, and deep-set eyes. These new settlers bring with them polished stone tools, boat building, bark and animal skin cloth making, pottery, rice planting, the process of cooking food in bamboo tubes, the techniques of making fire by rubbing two sticks together. The Negritos begin to move out of caves and settle in a scattered manner along the coasts and rivers.



During 3,000 B.C. to 1,000 B.C. A second wave of Malay immigrants arrived in the Philippines by sea. Each of their ships accommodated one small clan. Such a ship load of people was called a barangay. The Indonesians who arrived in the Philippines in the second wave were shorter in height and bulkier in body, with darker complexion, thick lips, large round eyes, thick-set jaws, and large rectangular faces. The Indonesian culture was more advanced than that of the Negritos. It belonged to the New Stone Age (Neolithic). The Indonesians lived in grass-covered homes with woodenframes, built above the ground or on top of trees. They practised dry agriculture and raised upland rice, taro (gabi), and other food crops. Their clothing was made from beaten bark and decorated with fine designs. They cooked their food in bamboo tubes, for they knew nothing of pottery. Their other occupations were hunting and fishing. Their implements consisted of polished stone axes, adzes, and chisels. For weapons, they had bows and arrows, spears, shields, and blowguns (sumpit). They had one domesticated animal - the dog.

Exodus of the Malays to the Pacific World:

The seafaring Malays also navigated the vast stretches of the uncharted Pacific, discovering and colonizing new islands, as far south as Africa and Madagascar. Their unchronicled and unsung maritime exploits impressed the British Orientalist A.R. Cowen, who wrote: "The Malays indeed were the Phoenicians of the East, and apparently made even longer hauls than the Semitic mariners, their oceanic elbowroom giving them more scope than the coasts of the Mediterranean and the Red Sea."

The prehistoric Malays were the first discoveries and colonizers of the Pacific world. Long before the time of Columbus and Magellan, they were already expert navigators. Although they had no compass and other nautical devices, they made long voyages, steering their sailboats by the position of the stars at night and by the direction of the sea winds by day.

Malayan Immigration to the Philippines:

In the course of their exodus to the Pacific world, the ancient Malays reached the Philippines. They came in three main migratory waves. The first wave came from 200 B.C. to 100A.D. The Malays who came in this wave were the headhunting Malays, the ancestors of the Bontoks, Ilongots, Kalingas, and other headhunting tribes in northern Luzon. The second wave arrived from 100 A.D. to 13th century. Those who came in this migratory wave were the alphabet-using Malays, the ancestors of the Visayans, Tagalogs, Ilocanos, Bicolanos, Kapampangans, and other Christian Filipinos. The third and last wave came from the 14th to 16th century A.D. The Muslim Malays were in this migratory wave and they introduced Islam into the Philippines.


Culturally, the Malays were more advanced than the Negritos and the Indonesians, for they possessed the Iron Age culture. They introduced into the Philippines both lowland and highland methods of rice cultivation, including the system of irrigation; the domestication of animals (dogs, fowls, and carabaos); the manufacture of metal tools and weapons; pottery and weaving; and the Malayan heritage (government, law, religion, writing, arts, sciences, and customs). They tattooed their bodies and chewed betelnuts. They wore dresses of woven fabrics and ornamented themselves with jewels of gold, pearls, beads, glass, and colored stones. Their weapons consisted of bows and arrows, spears, bolos, daggers, krises (swords), and sumpits.

Legends and Hoaxes about the Malay Settlers

The legends surrounding the settling of the Philippines by Malay migrants are notably celebrated in the ati-atihan festival and perpetrated by hoaxers in the fraudulent documents containing the Maragtas chronicle and the Code of Kalantiaw.

According to one legend, at around 1250 A.D., ten datus and their families left the kingdom of Borneo and the cruel reign of sultan Makatunaw to seek their freedom and new homes across the seas. In Sinugbahan, Panay, they negotiated the sale of Panay's lowlands from the Negrito dwellers, led by their Ati king Marikudo and his wife Maniwantiwan. The purchase price consisted of one gold saduk (native hat) for Marikudo and a long gold necklace for Maniwantiwan. The sale was sealed by a pact of friendship between the Atis and the Bornean Malays and a merry party when the Atis performed their native songs and dances. After the party, Marikudo and the Atis went to the hills where their descendants still remain, and the Malay datus settled the lowlands. One of Aklan, Panay's fascinating festivals to this day is the ati-atihan, a colorful mardi gras celebrating the legendary purchase of Panay's lowlands. It is held in Kalibo annually during the feast day of Santo Niño in January. The riotous participants, with bodies painted in black and wearing bizarre masks, sing and dance in the streets, re-enacting the ancient legend of the welcome held by the Atis for the Malay colonizers. The Maragtas goes on to describe the formation of a confederation of barangays ("Madya-as") led by one Datu Sumakwel, who passed on a code of laws for the community. The fictitious story also alleges the expansion of the Malay datus to other parts of the Visayas and Luzon. Although previously accepted by some historians, including the present authors, it has become obvious that the Maragtas is only the imaginary creation of Pedro A. Monteclaro, a Visayan public official and poet, in Iloilo in 1907. He based it on folk customs and legends, largely transmitted by oral tradition.

Challenge to the Migration Theory:

The migration theory offered by H. Otley Beyer to explain the early settlement of the Philippines has been challenged by such scholars as Robert B. Fox and F. Landa Jocano. According to these scholars, Philippines prehistory is far too complex to be explained by "waves" of migration. It seems doubtful that early immigrants came in a fixed period of time and with a definite destination. Nor can archaeological and ethnographic data, show that each "wave" of immigrants was really a distinct racial and cultural group.

According to the other viewpoint, the early Filipinos were not passive recipients of cultures but also active transmitters and synthethizers of them. For example, comparative studies of Pacific cultures show that some of the inhabitants of Micronesia, Polynesia and other Pacific islands came from the Philippines. Moreover, by the time the Spaniards came to the Philippines, the early Filipinos had developed a distinctly Filipino, as opposed to Malayan civilization.

Whether one accepts the migration theory or not, it appears that out of the interracial mixture of the early settlers - indigenous tribes or Asian latecomers - was born the Filipino people. Prior to the arrival of the Europeans, the Filipinos where already enjoying rapid advances in its socio-economic development including a propensity for intermarriage with the assimilation of multiple races and cultures.

The Art of War, Social, and Economic Developments

Archeologists found remnants of stone walls in the province of Ifugao. Based on dating techniques of the tools and artifacts found in the same area of these walls, it has been shown that they were build during this period, 2000 BCE. It is theorized that these stone wall outlines were the traces of an ancient fortress. This was thousands of years before any Spanish influences.

Mines have been found in the Philippines, dating back to at least 1000 BCE. These physical presence and the written history by the early Spanish settlers suggest that the Filipinos were actively mining for precious metals thousands of years before peoples in other regions of the area. The type of metals that were mined included silver, copper, gold and iron. Many of these metals were used as decorations for their homes as well as on their personages.

During this same period, in history, the peoples of the region were building the rice terraces and other agricultural wonders that are known as common place today through the Asian communities. One group, known as the Igorots, built stone walls, dams, and canals that still mystify engineers. These hydraulic works were created from stones greater in bulk than those of the Great Wall of China. Pottery finds, through out the Philippines, have been dated between 500 BCE through 500 C E (AD.) Some of this pottery included the unique burial jars found amongst the Ayub Cave pottery in Mindanao. This particular type of jar pre-date any found anywhere else in the southeastern regions of Asia.

Sixth and last of the prehistoric migrations, occurring between 300 and 200 BC, brought from the south our most numerous and advanced prehistoric people - the Iron Age group usually known as Malays. They filtered in fleets of dugout boats, up from thr west Coast of Borneo into Luzon via Palawan through the Celebes Strait to Mindanao and the Visayas. In addition to advanced, irrigated agriculture, these migrants brought four new industries:

(1) the smelting, forging and manufacture of tools, weapons, utensils and ornaments of iron and other metals;
(2) the manufacture of a great variety of turned and decorated pottery;
(3) the art of weaving cloth on a hand loom; and
(4) the manufacture of beads, bracelets and other ornaments of green and blue glass.

These crafts seem to have originated in India, and to have spread from there to Indo-China and Southern Malaysia, finally reaching the Philippines by way of Borneo and Celebes. This culture eventually was carried on north into Formosa, southern Japan, Korea and central Manchuria, where it finally disappears. These Iron Age folk built bamboo and wooden houses on When the Spanish began to colonize the Philippine islands the culture and technology was by no means that far behind most other areas of the world. Indeed, in many areas the Filipinos were quite advanced considering the timeline of the history of science. The metal smith, Panday Pira of Pampanga, was so skilled at weapons making and other types of metal working that the Spanish entrusted him with opening the first Spanish artillery foundry in the country. The Spanish found that the Filipinos made their own small arquebuses, or portable cannons, usually made of bronze. Larger cannons made of iron and resembling culverins provided heavier firepower. The iron cannon at Raha Soliman's house was about 17 feet long and was made from clay and wax moulds.

The most fearsome weapon though was the famed lantaka, or swivel gun. Unlike the Spanish cannons these guns were placed on flexible swivels that allowed the gunner to quickly track a moving target. The lantakas of the Moros gave the Spanish so much trouble that they always included native ships, like the karakoa, equipped with lantakas to counter the Moro weapons. The most impressive lantakas had two revolving barrels. These were eventually exported to South America, and may have become the precursor of the Gatling gun.
Pira started a tradition of high quality metal casting that lasted for centuries in many parts of the Philippines. Many individuals with surnames like Pira, Viray, etc., may have ancestors who were members of the guilds of smiths who followed the Pira lineage. The metal work involving authentic native swords was also of the highest quality. Unfortunately, this fell into disuse among most of the lowlanders of the North. However, the Muslims and animists of the South continued to make very fine kampilans, krisses, etc., that can take many years of work to complete. Sword makers were also astrologers who waited for auspicious conjunctions of planets before proceeding with each elaborate phase of the sword making ritual. The passage of the sword from the maker to the owner was a very mystical ceremony, replete with all types of supernatural beliefs. A well-made kampilan or kris is really one of the finest pieces of handicraft that can be found anywhere. In the North, they also had the kampilan, and another excellent weapon known as the bararao.


In addition to weapons, the Filipinos made good armor for use in the battlefield. The Moros in particular had armor that covered the entire body from the top of the head to the toes. Fortresses known as kuta or kota, and moog were built to protect large communities. These fortresses were protected with the cannons mentioned above. Governor Sande noted that when he asked local Filipinos to contribute their bronze cannons for use against the Moros, he received the equivalent of 400 quintals of bronze (about 21 tons) from an area with a radius of about eight leagues (24 miles). However, the large powerful cannons were more scarce. The fort at Tondo had less arnaments that an average Spanish warship. The problem was the big weapons often required the same complex, lengthy ritualistic procedure in manufacture as swords like the kampilan and the kris. Also, even small firearms were seen as status symbols for datus and rahas and thus, were generally too expensive for the ordinary warrior. However, the main disadvantage suffered by the Filipinos was that their guns were too often turned against themselves in service of "his Catholic majesty."

Although contemporary paintings exist of some Filipino forts, few remains exist. Strangely, in the far eastern corner of Ifugao Province remains of a very ancient fortress have been discovered. The fort had stone walls that averaged several meters in width and about two to three times the width in height. At first it was thought that these were the remains of an unknown Spanish fortress, but advanced dating methods and analysis of the tools, utensils and other artifacts showed that the most likely dating was about 2,000 B.C.

Some of the weaponry concocted by the Filipino was quite unusual. For instance, one weapon was the prototype of the

modern yoyo, and it returned to is owner after being flung at an opponent.

Ancient Religious Beliefs

The original religion of the early Filipinos was Animism (the worship of spirits). The Filipinos of that era practiced an animist religion which featured rituals aimed at pacifying malevolent spirits. The Muslim missionaries had come to Mindanao and the Sulu islands during the 15th century and, by the middle of the following century, a number of barangays, and some small communities in Cebu and Manila had submitted to the rule of Muslim sultans. While Ferdinand Magellan arrived on Cebu at the head of a Spanish expedition in 1521, and started baptizing animists and pagans to Christians in Visayas and Luzon islands. Manila was established seven years later and the Spaniards had gained effective dominion over the coasts and lowlands from Luzon to northern Mindanao by the close of the sixteenth century. The Spanish army had been accompanied by Catholic missionaries who converted the population to the faith. The Church in fact became a powerful institution in the Philippines, being frequently looked to by the people for guidance in political and social matters.
Though Chinese merchants dwelled in the Philippines from circa 1000 AD and a system of writing based upon Sanskrit was employed in some areas, neither Chinese nor Indian civilization exerted much influence in the islands. It is also noteworthy that the two great religions of the Asian mainland, Hinduism and Buddhism, found few adherents in the Philippines.

Custom and Traditions

Traces of their early customs and traditions remain evident in some rural areas. They were marks of success in resisting the impact of modern civilization. Therefore, many pre-colonial Filipino customs and practices are still operative in many parts of the archipelago -- giving observers first-hand materials for reconstructing the nation's distant past.

Take for example its tradition of clothing. The male attire is usually composed of the upper and lower parts. The upper was referred to as kanggan. It was a short-sleeved black or blue collarless jacket. The chosen color signified the wearer's rank -- the chief wore red, while those of lower stature wore black or blue. The lower part of the attire, called bahag, was usually a strip of cloth wrapped about the waist, passing down between the thighs; thereby leaving the wearer's thighs and legs exposed.

The womens dress was also comprise of the upper and lower parts. The upper was called camisa or baro. It was a jacket with sleeves. The lower part, on the other hand, was a lose skirt called saya by the tagalogs and patadyong by the Visayans. A piece of rfedred cloth, called tapis was often wrapped around the waste as an accent.

A headgear made of cloth, called putong, was worn by the men. It was wrapped around his head. Its color signified the "manliness" of the man. Red usually indicated that the wearer had once engaged in a battle and victoriously killed an enemy. But for someone who had slain at least seven was entitled to wear an embroidered headgear.

The women wore no head gear; they merely wore their hair gracefully knotted at the back of the head. With gold and precious stones abundant in the local mines and rivers. both male and female wore ornaments or jewelries-kalumbiga(armlets), pendants. bracelets, rings, earings, and leglets. As for their footwear, everyone walked barefoot in those early times, for the use of sandals and shoes didn't come about until the arrival and rule of the Spanish.


Contrary to the common misconception, when the Spaniards arrived in the islands they found more than just a loose collection of backward and belligerent tribes. They found a civilization that was very different from their own. The ability to read and write is the mark of any civilization and, according to many early Spanish accounts, the Tagalogs had already been writing with the baybayin for at least a century. This script was just beginning to spread throughout the islands at that time. Furthermore, the discovery in 1987 of an inscription on a sheet of copper in Laguna is evidence that there was an even more advanced script in limited use in the Philippines as far back as the year 900 C.E.

The pre-Hispanic Filipinos wrote on many different materials; leaves, palm fronds, trees but the most common material was bamboo. The writing tools or panulat were the points of daggers or small pieces of iron. Among the manuscripts in Charles R. Boxer's collection, known as the Boxer Codex, there is an anonymous report from 1590 that described their method of writing, which is still used today by the tribes of Mindoro and Palawan to write their own script

Once the letters were carved into the bamboo, it was wiped with ash to make the characters stand out more. Sharpened splits of bamboo were used with coloured plant saps to write on more delicate materials such as leaves. But since the ancient Filipinos did not keep long-term written records, more durable materials, such as stone, clay or metal, were not used. After the Spaniards arrived Filipinos adopted the use of paper, pen and ink.

During this same period in history, the Philippines was already established as an active trading center. It is known that many merchants and trading ambassadors from the surrounding areas, including Siam (Thailand) and China, came to Cebu to pay tribute to the king and arrange trade agreements.

Today, many historians dispute when modern Philippine history began. Some believe it to have started in the 13th century. It was during this time that 10 datus from Borneo, each with a hundred of his kinsmen, landed in what is now known as Panay Island in the Visayas. From this time to the early 16th century, the region, now known as the Philippines, was ruled by independent tribes of peoples who had seen rapid advances in social and economic development. For instance, around the year 1380, it is believed that the Arab-taught Makdum arrived in the Sulu archipelago, established what became a powerful Islamic sphere of influence over the next hundred years.

During this same period, the Philippines was already established as an active trading center. It is known that many merchants and trading ambassadors from the surrounding areas, including Siam (Thailand) and China, came to Cebu to pay tribute to the king and arrange trade agreements.

Spains

European historians credit the voyages of Magellan and succeeding expeditions from Spain as the official accreditation and discovery of the pacific region. and of the Philippines. When the Europeans reached our islands it was already inhabited by people whose culture and modernization was by no means that far behind from most other areas of the world.

The Spanish were surprised by the advances made by these people. For instance, the people of this land were skilled in weapons making and other types of metal works. The Filipinos were already making their own cannons -- large one of iron and small, portable, ones of bronze. They were surprised to find a swivel type gun, known as a 'lantaka' which allowed the gunner to track a moving target. These 'primitive' people, found by Magellan; were also 'people of the sea'. They used navigational instruments similar to a compass and were much more skilled and experienced in all types of fishing and fishery activities.

This 'discovery', the historians point out, is relevant, because it is what placed the Philippine archipelago on the maps of the world. It occurred when he, Ferdinand Magellan, a Portuguese explorer, landed at Homonhon Islet, near present day Samar, claiming the lands for Spain. It is believed that this event occurred on the 17 day of March in the year 1521. He was later killed on the Mactan Island of Cebu in a clash with native warriors who were led by a chieftain named Lapu-Lapu.

The Philippines- A Treasure To Behold

During this time in world history, Spain was in fierce competition with Portugal to dominate, through colonization, the lands of the world. Clearly the Philippines was a prize catch for Spain, based on its number of islands and its size; which, at the time, was estimated to be larger than it actually was. However size alone was not what made it a great prize -- its location made it a worthy and valuable catch. The archipelago was formally named Las Felipinas, in 1543 by Ruy Lopez de Villalobos who followed Magellan to this territory. It was named in honor of Spain's King Philip II (actually the Crown Prince, who was actually excommunicated from the Catholic Church, by the Pope Paul IV in 1552). It was known to be composed of thousands of islands and islets (now known to be 7,107), and spanning over eighteen hundred (actually 1854) kilometers from north to south, stretching from China to the north to the Indonesian archipelago at the south. Permanent Spanish occupation began in 1565, and by 1571 the entire country, except for the strictly Islamic Sulu archipelago, was under Spanish control.

The northern most tip of the country, Y'ami, of the Batanes Island group, is only 241 kilometers south of what is known as Taiwan today; while the southern most tip, Sibutu of the Tawi-Tawi group of islands, is just 14.4 kilometers north of what is known as Borneo. Thus, the Philippines, was located in a strategic location, both politically and economically. They were the window to the New World.

To its east is the Pacific Ocean and beyond it, the New World (the Americas). To the west are the kingdoms of Indochina including modern day Cambodia and Siam (Thailand) while southwest is Malaysia.

The Cross and the Sword



Spanish colonizers succeeded in introducing Christianity to the islands. Still today, Christianity represents over 85% of religious beliefs. They were highly successful in the region of modern day Luzon and Visayas but were unsuccessful in Mindanao, south region, where Moslems staved off the Spanish efforts. Of course there are many recorded horror stories, of historically significant, where the Spanish forced the induction of Christianity upon the 'heathens' of these islands leading to thousands of deaths and tortures of the residents of the islands. Still today, many small towns and remote barrios celebrate, through re-enactment in fiesta stage plays, called moro-moro, the forced conversion of the peoples to Christianity by the threatened force of the Spaniards. These plays always end the same way most of the people convert and find 'happiness' in their new found religion, while the remaining are either killed or flee to the mountains, to be hounded by the Spaniards the rest of their lives.

Adam and Eve Before Genesis - A Sitchinite View

Scepticisms on the veracity of the Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) abound heavily during the 19th century which gradually receded only after the result of numerous archaeological findings that confirm the veracity of biblical data taking each assertion instead farther back in time. From Elohim (deities) to Yahweh, the diverse versions pertaining to the Creator of humankind implies that an older source dealing with the same subject was in front of them as they write. For instance, Chapter 5 of Genesis states that its source of the generation of Adam was taken from an older book entitled The Book of the Generation of Adam. Numbers 21:14 refers towards another source The Book of Wars of Yahweh. These and much more must have been ample source of original information for the authors of the Old Testament.

The breakthrough on understanding the extinct Akkadian language which is the mother of the Semitic tongue revealed more basis pertaining to the making of the first humans. The account of the creation of mankind began when the Anunnaki/Elohim (Those who from Heavens to Earth came) splashed down at the Persian Gulf. The Sumerians believed that these “gods” came all the way from the outer edge of our solar system. It is a well-documented fact that the Sumerians believed that their “gods” practiced a two-way travel from their heavenly abode to Earth. The olden writings also indicated the familiarity of this people on the celestial system such us our sun and the planets in our solar system. The Sumerians always depicted in their pictograph writings an extra planet called Nibiru- the abode of the Annunnaki race. This massive planet often referred to as the “Winged Planet” or “Woodworm” possess an elliptical orbit that crosses our very own home every 3,600 years (Sar). Its expected comeback is in less than 120 years. Sumerian writings tell us that there were an initial fifty Anunnaki who came down to earth. This group was lead by a brilliant scientist named (i>E.A (Enki- Lord of the Earth) who built his colony in E.Ri.Du (Sumer) some 432,000 years ago. Other establishments were soon built in pursuit of their original mission: To find gold to save their dying world. It appeared that their first intention was to extract gold from the ocean floor but the result was unsatisfactory. Failing to obtain the amount of gold they need from the Persian Gulf, Enki’s brother Enlil(Lord of the Command)was dispatched from the planet Nibiru by their father, Anu together with six hundred other Anunnaki to Earth. Another three hundred, called the IGI.GI(Those who observe and see)or “Watchers”, were stationed in their crafts beyond our atmosphere to monitor the progress of the operation on Earth and to shuttle the refined ingots between Earth and Nibiru.

Enlil was a very strict disciplinarian who took over the command of the seven cities around E.Din (Home of the Righteous Ones), the future site of the earliest civilization on Earth – Sumeria. Each city was assigned their specific functions: A Mission Control Centre, a Spaceport, a center for Metallurgy, and a Medical Centre under the supervision of Ninmah- a half sister of Enki and Enlil. Enki was assigned to Southeast Africa to start and manage the mining operations there and spent most of his time there to avoid the increasing heated rivalry between him and Enlil.

When the Anunnaki arrived on Earth 432,000 (120 Sars before the Deluge) years ago humans did not exist yet. 144,000 years ago the Anunnaki assigned at the gold mines of South Africa (Abzu) grumbled and addressed their complaints to Enki about their hard labour in the dark and dusty gold mines. The rank and file Anunnaki protested it was not their duty as spacemen to toil in the pits of the Abzu. The book of Atra Hasis written in Akkadian described in detail the events that lead to their mutiny. In response, Enlil sought the punishment of the mutineers in case they refuse to continue working in the ancient mines.

Enki, being more lenient to his subordinates consulted his father Anu to come up with a better answer to the problem. Enki’s solution: to create a primitive worker that will take over the back-breaking work of the Anunnaki. According to Enki the creature required who can perform some of the mining task is the Hominid that existed already in Africa at that time. All they have to do is to make the creature an intelligent worker by giving the “mark of the Anunnaki”. 4.5 billion Years ago both Nibiru and our watery planet called Tiamat (Earth) collided and “exchanged” the common elements necessary to start life during one of Nibiru’s pass-over as told in the Epic of Creation. The Epic of Creation is a Sumerian version of how the world and the other planets of our solar system began.

The assembly of “gods” – their Anunnaki leaders, collectively agreed upon the idea and summoned Ninmah, their chief medical officer to support the undertaking. Enki was given the go-signal, “Create a Lulu,” a “primitive worker” he was told; “Let him bear the yoke of the Anunnaki.” Ninhursag/Ninmah- the chief medical officer assisted in the great scientist Enki in the undertaking.

Chapter One of Genesis sums up their decision. And Elohim said: “Let us make The Adam in our image, after our likeness.” The long and slow process of human evolution was does jumped-over by the help of the Anunnaki creating us sooner than we could have ever evolved on our own. Except for the Knowing and the Longevity, by increasing to the level desired by the Anunnaki, we can best understand how the first human were created in its simplified story in Genesis; it involved the use of “clay” and by “breathing” the life into its nostrils. The book of Atra Hasis and other ancient texts gave us a much more complex story that implied the process of genetic manipulation. It was not an achievement that resulted overnight. Working in a creation chamber called Bit Shinti(House where the wind of life is breathed in)the “essence” of the blood of a young Anunnaki male was drawn and mixed with the egg of a female hominid. The fertilized egg then was implanted into the womb of a female Anunnaki akin to modern day in vitro-fertilization. A lot of trial and error processes were involved until the wanted result by Enki and Ninmah was reached. Once perfected, a mass production took-off. Fourteen birth “goddesses” were implanted with the ape-woman’s genetically manipulated eggs. Seven of the surrogate Anunnaki females would bear male and seven other female Astronauts would bear female workers. But how long could the limited female Anunnaki take to perform the role of “birth goddesses”? Like any other hybrid, the Earthling could not procreate.

As they grew up and their numbers multiply, more physical work was assigned to them in the Abzu (ancient mines). The Anunnaki working under the leadership of Enlil in Mesopotamia grew jealous and clamoured for the Lulu to share in the bulk of work. Over the objection of Enki, Enlil seized many of the primitive workers and brought them to E.Din (The abode of the Righteous Ones) in Mesopotamia. The event is also mentioned in Genesis, “and the Lord took The Adam, and He placed him in the Garden of Eden, to till it and tend it”. Many ancient drawings depicted the first Primitive Workers, The Adam, or the "Black Headed Ones" performing their tasks naked as the animals of the field. In The Myth of Cattle and Grain, the first creatures were thus described:

When Mankind was first created, they knew not the eating of the bread, knew not the wearing of garments. They ate plants with their mouths, like sheep. They drank water from the ditch.

A Sumerian ancient writing called The King List measured the tours of duty for each Anunnaki in Sar (3,600 years). Some of the Anunnaki Commander’s assignment mentioned from this book lasted 28,800 to 36,000 or, even up to 43,200 years! Convert these figures to a Sar and their mission to their settlements would only be eight or ten of their life years. This is the very reason why ordinary humans regard them as immortal- “gods”. But the astronauts who came down to Earth were worried about their longevity. This is because their body clocks were set for their own planet. To maintain their longer life cycles on Earth, these astronauts consumed a “Food of Life” and “Water of Life” which were provided from their home planet.

Enki, a brilliant scientist as he is, tried to untangle the secrets of life, reproduction, and death on Earth. Questions such as why did the Homo sapiens lived longer lives than the ape men and ape women but lived shorter lives than the Anunnaki/Elohim who came down to Earth. Could it be genetic or environmental? Conducting more experiments on the genetics of their hybrids referred to as Lulu (Mixed One), Enki mixed his own sperm with their DNA and conducted the slow process of cloning until he created a perfect model giving them the ability to reproduce. He named the new creation Adam (Adapa), meaning human. He was granted greater intelligence than the previous creations and the ability to procreate; but not having the longevity like the Anunnaki/Elohim.

“With wide understanding he had perfected him. To him he had given Knowing; lasting life he did not give”.

Earliest depiction of Adam and Eve standing before the “Tree of Knowing” with an entwined serpent on the tree has survived up to our present time. The Hebrew word for “serpent” is Nahash. The word had two extra meanings. It could mean “He who solve secrets”, or “He of the Copper”. The last two meanings apparently could have stemmed from the old Sumerian appellation for Enki, BUZUR, which meant “He who solve secrets” and “He of the Copper”. Enki had always been associated with the entwined snake symbol since the earliest time.

And so goes the story in Genesis that the “improved” hybrid humans Adam and Eve were not only given the gift of “Knowledge” but also of “Knowing” – the Hebrew biblical term for “intercourse” for the purpose of reproduction. According to the Akkadian Tale of Adapa, Enlil became furious upon hearing the news that humans were granted by his brother Enki the ability to procreate. Speaking to his unnamed colleagues, Enlil was furious that Man,” having become as one of us,” might also help himself to the Tree of Life, “and eat, and live forever.” For this reason, Adam and his female companion Eve were casted out from the wonderful orchard which was planted in Eden; to toil in the fields, and to sustain themselves.

Their father Anu too was troubled about the news and summoned for the hybrid to appear before him in his Celestial Abode. Since Adam/Adapa (Man) is believed to be Enki’s son by an earth mother and too worried about being destroyed by his father Anu, he took steps instructing him to avoid any water or food being offered to him. As the creature of Enki stood before Anu’s throne, he was impressed by his intelligence imparted by his son Enki. Anu consulted his advisors on what to do with the hybrid since his son Enki had already made him very distinguished by sending him through a Shem/Mu (Rocket Ship) before his throne. Their decision was to keep Adapa/Adam in Marduk (Nibiru). In order to for his body to acclimatize in the slow-phase rotation of the planet Nibiru around our Sun, Adapa/Adam was offered “the Bread of Life” and, the “Water of Life” too. This could have made Adapa/Adam live the same longevity enjoyed by the Anunnaki on Earth. But, being forewarned before by Enki, Adapa/Adam refused to eat or drink. When his erroneous decision was discovered, it was already too late for he could have obtained an “immortal’s” life. Adapa/Adam was returned to Earth during which he saw the awesomeness of deep space “from the horizon of heaven, to the zenith of heaven.” When he got back to Earth, he was ordained by Enki as a High Priest of Eridu.

The Book of Jubilees which tells us the story about the expulsion of man from paradise informs us that when “Adam and his wife went forth from the Garden of Eden, and they dwelt in the land of their Nativity, the land of their Creation.” This would mean from Eden they went back to the Abzu, in south eastern Africa. Adam “knew” his wife and she conceived and bore Cain, Abel, Seth, and a daughter named Awan. The Bible says that Adam and Eve had sons and daughters. Non-canonical books say there were sixty-three in all. Genetic evidence confirms that mankind originated not from the Mesopotamian Eden but back in the Abzu in south-eastern Africa. Anthropology and genetic researchers have placed an “Eve”- a single female, as the single source of whom all humans (Homo sapiens) came from about 250,000 years ago.

Ancient legends handed down in different generations continued to survive in different versions down until 2,000 years ago when The Book of Adam and Eve was written. It tells the story of how Adam felt sick when he was 930 years old. His son Seth, seeing his father sick brought Adam to the gate of Paradise appealing to the “gods”. “..Perchance He will hearken to me and send Him his angel to bring me the fruit, for which thou has longed” – the fruit of the tree of life. But Adam has already accepted his faith as a mere mortal and only wished to be anointed by the “oil” of life. He bid his son Seth and his wife Eve to go around the neighbourhood of “Paradise” and ask the “gods” from there for a drop of oil which flowed from the tree so his body pain might be relieved. Finally, an angel whose name is Michael approached them relaying the decision of the “gods” from inside paradise not to grant Adam’s supplication for his life is already fulfilled. Adam died six days later. Since Adam’s death was the first natural passing of a human, Eve and their son Seth did not know what to do. They just sat there at the “Gates of Paradise” until Adam’s soul departed his body. As they mourn and cry, Eve saw in her vision a bright craft (fiery chariot) coming from the heaven. She heard the voice of the Lord instructing the angels (Emissaries/Messenger) to bring linen cloths and shroud so they may burry Adam and Abel who was not buried yet. The two of them were consecrated and buried.

Since then, the population of mankind flourished. Man was no longer limited to work in the dusty mines and fields. They could perform tasks such as building temples for the “gods”, learned how to cook and dance for them as well. It did not take long when the Anunnaki who was short of females on Earth, can have sex with the daughters of man since both of them were biologically compatible. Their great leader Enlil was not happy about this and looked at it with anxiety. To him, it defeats their purpose of saving their own world as their primary mission here on Earth. But, nature would soon offer Enlil to put an end on all of these when on the end of the last Ice Age he will not deliberately warn man of impending disasters brought about by the advancement and retreat of the last Ice Age causing weather changes, crop failures, famine, and ultimately, the Deluge.

The expulsion of man from the Garden of Eden was not the end of link between Man and his Creators. Instead, their removal from The Garden of Eden was only the start of a new form of relationship in which direct encounters would be rare, and dreams and visions would become divine devices.

Source: The Earth Chronicles by: Zecharia Sitchin

The Cosmogony of Our Solar System - Condensed from the 12th Planet

In the beginning
Elohim created the heaven and the earth
And the earth was without form and void
And darkness was upon the face of Tehom,
and the wind of the Lord over its waters.

The Bible is clear when it comes to the description of the moment of Beginning as far as the Earth is concerned. However, it only picks the Mesopotamian story of the cosmogonical creation of the universe from the point of the separation of the Earth and the Shama’im, the Hammered Bracelet which resulted from the break up of Tiamat.


It took great scientific minds during the Mesolithic Age more than 5,000 years ago to imagine the primeval phase of our Solar System; how the Earth came into being not through the Big Bang, but during the events of the Celestial Battle.

It was then, at that single instance how Time began on Earth when the watery planet Tiamat was split into half by a rogue planet the Sumerians referred to as Marduk/Nibiru. The separated half of Tiamat became to be known as the Asteroid Belt (Heaven- the Hammered Bracelet) while the remaining part spun towards a new orbit as it heals itself to form our home and what is now called the planet Earth. According to the Enuma Elish, the stability of the planets in our Solar System is attributed to the arrival of the planet Marduk/Nibiru- a planet that came from the deep space at least four times the size of our planet.


When in heights Heaven had not been named,
And below, Earth had not been called
Naught, but primordial Apsu, their begetter,
Mummu, and Tiamat- she who bore them all,
Their waters were mingled together

No reed had yet formed, no marshland appeared.
None of the gods had yet been brought into being
None bore a name, their destinies were undetermined;
Then it was that gods where formed in their midst.
Gor Lahamu and god Lahamu were brought forth;
By name they were called.



Before the beginning of time, in the immensity of the infinite universe – when the planets where yet to be named and their orbits have yet to be fixed; only three celestial bodies exist in our own Solar System, the Sun (Apsu), Mercury (Mummu), and a watery planet called Tiamat.
The Sun (Apsu) existed from the very beginning. Closest to the Sun was Mercury (Mummu) - its’ emissary, rapidly turning around its giant master. A little farther away was Tiamat (a watery planet). The space between Tiamat and the Sun was not empty for their “primordial waters” mingled together creating the life-giving elements for the new two planets Mars (Lahmu) and Venus (Lahamu).



Before they had grown in age
And in stature to an appointed size
God Anshar and god Kishar were formed, Surpassing them (in size).
As lengthened the days and multiplied the years,
God Anu (Uranus) became their son – of his ancestors a rival.
Then Anshars’s first born, Anu,
As his equal and in his image begot Nudimmud (Neptune).


Mars and Venus grew only to a limited extent. But even before their growth was complete, another pair of planets was formed. These two majestic planets as evidenced by their names- Saturn (Anshar- “prince of heaven”), Jupiter (Kishar-“foremost of the firm lands”).overtook the growth of the first pair exceeding them in stature. The process of the celestial formations continued and a third pair of planets came to being. First came Uranus (Anu), smaller than Saturn and Jupiter, but larger than its predecessors. Uranus in time begot a twin planet equal in its size and image –Neptune, was referred to by the Babylonians as Nudimmud, and Pluto as Gaga. The small body Pluto functioned like the planet Mercury which the Sumerians placed in their celestial map not beyond Neptune, but next to Saturn, acting as its satellite.


The divine brothers banded together;
They disturbed Tiamat as they surged back and forth. They were troubling the “belly” of Tiamat By their antics in the dwellings of heaven.
Apsu could not lessen their clamour; Tiamat was speechless at their ways.
Their doings were loathsome….
Troublesome was their ways

With the end of the grandiose drama of the birth of the planets, each having unstable status, was drawn towards each other and converging on to Tiamat’s belly (orbit) endangering the primordial bodies. The new planets’ surging “back and forth” was an obvious reference to their erratic orbiting. The planet’s behaviour also threatened the Sun.

The epic goes on to portray the Sun and its “emissary” Mercury huddling together as if devising a plan to rid themselves of the loathsome spheres. The group became astounded upon overhearing the plan of the two “gods” (The Sun and Mercury). The only planet that seemed projected to destroy the Sun (Apsu) and its companion Mercury (Mummu) at this time was Neptune (Nudimmud) which during its pass over to the Sun radiating huge amounts of electro-magnetic energy which produced a “calming effect” to the Sun stopping it from forming additional celestial matters. Even the Sun’s faithful ally Mercury appeared vulnerable during this stage. Any new additional planets to our Solar System at this time could only have come from the far reaches of space. Nobody knows how long was the celestial peace was but for sure there was a lull in the transformations happening in our solar system.

In the Chamber of Fates, the Place of Destinies,
A God was engendered, most able and wisest of the gods;
In the heart of the deep Marduk/Nibiru created.


Four billion years ago, a new Celestial “god” called Marduk (Nibiru), was borne from deep space. It maintained a solar orbit equivalent to 3,600 earth years moving at a clockwise direction. As the young planet followed its circular path it was attracted to our Solar System by its outermost planet – Neptune. The new planet was a sight to behold.

Alluring was his figure, sparkling the lift of his eyes; Lordly was his gait, commanding as of olden times. Greatly was he exalted amongst other gods, exceeding throughout…
He was loftiest of the gods, surprising was his height;
His members were enormous, he was exceedingly tall.


Emerging from outside the orbits of our Solar System the planet Nibiru was still in its infancy belching fire and emitting radiations. As it moved close by other planets


As Marduk/Nibiru (Nibiru) approached the young planets “...they heaped upon him their awesome flashes”, and he shone brightly, “clothed with the halo of ten gods.” This demonstrates the electrical reactions and other emissions of the planets during Marduk/Nibiru’s course through our Solar System. The “ten gods” mentioned confirms the correct decipherment of the epic. According to the early Sumerians, there are ten celestial bodies that awaited Marduk/Nibiru on its channel- the Sun, and only nine other planets.


Marduk/Nibiru sped pass by the planet Neptune (Nudimmud/Ea) that dragged him to our Solar System. Its gravitational pull must have been so immense it caused Nibiru who was at its primitive stage to bulge a second “head.” No part was torn-off at this point but as soon as “winged planet” reached the area of Uranus (Anu), chunks of matter tore-off from producing four satellites for him self while at the same time tilting the orbit of Uranus.


“Anu brought forth and fashioned the four sides, consigned their power to the leader of the host”, and “swirling as a whirlwind.”
The chunks called “winds” as it swirled around the planet Marduk/Nibiru that begot them. The way the rogue planet moved towards our Solar System indicates that it was coming not in the system’s orbital (counter clockwise) but in a reverse mode. Traveling further inwards the two gigantic planets Saturn (Anshar) and Jupiter’s (Kishar) magnetic force grabs Marduk/Nibiru hurling it towards the center of the solar system towards the path of the watery planet Tiamat.

The approach of the crossing planet perturbed the inner planets Tiamat, Mars, Venus, and Mercury. “He produced streams, disturbed Tiamat; the gods were not at rest, carried as in a storm.” The lines of the ancient text were partially damaged and described the approaching planet “diluted their vitals…pinched their eyes.” Tiamat was “paced about distraught” pointing out that her orbit is being affected.
The arrival of the large planet began to tear away parts of Tiamat. The epic went on to describe its eleven “monsters” – large pieces of satellite “growling, raging” as it emerged and “marched at the side of Tiamat.” Standing bravely she positioned herself to do battle with the onrushing Marduk/Nibiru. Tiamat “crowned them with halos,” making them the appearance of “gods” (planets).

She exalted Kingu,
In their midst, she made him great…
The high command of the battle
She entrusted into his hand...

“…she has set-up an Assembly and is furious with rage... she has added matchless weapons has borne monster gods…
with eleven of this kind she has brought forth;
from among the gods who formed her Assembly,
She has elevated Kingu, her first-born, made him chief…
she has given him a Tablet of Destinies, fastened it on its breast.”

Tiamat’s first-born satellite was named Kingu - exposed to the brawling gravitational pulls between the two warring planets, Marduk/Nibiru’s gravitation sucked off Kingu’s atmosphere and its imminent solar orbit was shifted towards circling Tiamat’s orbit instead of the sun. Tiamat’s newly sprouted moon’s traveling from their counter-clockwise orbits where dragged by Marduk/Nibiru’s gravitational pull and followed the wayward planet encircling the invading planet on a clockwise direction from then on.

Turning to Ea (Neptune), Anshar (Saturn) asked him whether he could go to slay Kingu. The reply is lost due to a break in the tablets; but apparently Ea did not satisfy Anshar, for the continuing narrative has Anshar turning to Anu (Uranus) to find out whether he would…“go stand up to Tiamat.” But Anu “was unable to face her and turned back.” [Sitchin, Z. - The 12th Planet, p.221]

The heavens were agitated as a result of the raging battle between the planet Marduk//Nibiru and Tiamat, but no one amongst the outer planets seemed able to follow the path the winged planet had taken.

Passing Neptune and Uranus, the fighter Marduk/Nibiru approaches the ringed planet with all its might. In the process, it pulled Pluto (Gaga) - the biggest satellite of Saturn and loosened it from its present course. The god Anshar hoping to appease the conquering ‘god” proclaimed “He who is potent shall be our Avenger: He who is keen in battle: Marduk, the Hero! Arriving just barely at Saturn’s rings “he kissed the lips of Anshar.” Marduk Answers:

“If I indeed, as your Avenger
Am to vanquish Tiamat, save your lives- Convene an Assembly to proclaim my Destiny supreme!”

Marduk/Nibiru seemed to have established itself as the supreme amongst the “celestial gods” (planets).

Anshar opened his mouth, to Gaga, his Counsellor, a word he addressed,” Be on the way, Gaga take the stand before the gods, and that which I will tell thee. Repeat thou unto them.” [Sitchin, Z. - The 12th Planet, p.221]

Pluto (Gaga), true to its role of being the emissary of the god Saturn (Anshar) orbited its path and advising the other “gods” to fix their courses. These delighted the other “gods” (planets) knowing there is someone else who will straighten out things with Tiamat (watery planet) for them. “Marduk is king!” they all proclaimed. “Go and cut-off the life of Tiamat!”


With all the planets now acquiring their fixed orbital paths and out of its way, the rogue planet appears unstoppable heading towards a collision with the watery planet Tiamat who waits for battle.

Like a true warrior, Marduk/Nibiru is armed to the teeth with weapons. Shining in his armour like a “blazing flame”, “he constructed a bow…attached thereto an arrow… in front of him he set the lightning” and “he then made a net to enfold Tiamat therein.”

Such descriptions depict electrical phenomena when two celestial bodies converge to a certain point. But Marduk/Nibiru’s greatest weapons were his satellites, the “four winds” which the “god” Uranus (Anu) provided him: South Wind, North Wind, West Wind and East Wind.



As Marduk now passed by the giant planets Saturn and Jupiter, the red planet was vulnerable to its tremendous gravitational pulls. In order to escape this Marduk “brought forth” three more satellites – Evil Wind, Whirlwind, and Matchless Wind using them as a “storm chariot” towards the battle site. The adversaries were ready for battle.

The Lord went forth, followed his course; Towards the raging Tiamat he set his face…The Lord approached to scan the inner side of Tiamat – The scheme of Kingu, her consort to perceive. As the planets drew closer to each other, Marduk’s course became erratic: As he looks on, his course becomes upset,
His direction is distracted, his doings are confused. Marduk’s satellites also began to stir off course:

When the gods, his helper
Who were marching at his side,
Saw the valiant Kingu, blurred became their vision.

In spite of the frenzy on the side of invaders the die was cast, the two gods were set on a collision course.

“Tiamat emitted a roar”…”the Lord raised the flooding, his mighty weapon.”

The closer Marduk gets, the “fury” of Tiamat grew.

“The roots of her legs shook back and forth” as she started to cast “spells” against Marduk who kept coming at her.

Tiamat and Marduk, the wisest of the gods,
Advanced against one another;
They pressed on to single combat,
They approached for battle.

The epic went on to describe the battle between the two gods (planets) that leads eventually to the creation of the planet Earth.


The Lord spread out its net to enfold her;
The Evil Wind, the rearmost, he unleashed at her face.
As she opened her mouth, Tiamat, to devour him-
He drove in the Evil Wind so that she close not her lips.
The fierce storm Winds then charged her belly;
It cut through her insides, tore into her womb.
Having thus subdued her, her life-breath he extinguished.

The two planets did not collide for it was the satellite of Marduk that hit Tiamat’s belly. Seeing a wide cleavage exposed on Tiamat’s belly, Marduk shot an “arrow” of “divine lightning” – an immense bolt of electricity from the energy-charged Marduk -the planet “filled with brilliance.” The shot “extinguished her life-breadth” for it defused Tiamat’s own electric and magnetic fields.

Marduk’s initial passage to Tiamat’s domain left her lifeless, but her final state is yet to be determined by the next future pass over by Marduk. Unlike Kingu, the fate of the ten smaller satellites of Tiamat was concluded at once.

After he had slain Tiamat, the leader,
Her band was shattered, her host broken up.
The gods, her helpers who marched at her side,
Trembling with fear,
Turned their backs about so as to save and preserve their lives.

One amazing observable fact in the universe today is the comets. Those icy mud balls are often referred to as the rebellious members of the Solar System for they appear not to obey the laws that govern the motions of the planets. The orbits of the planets (except Pluto) move around the sun in a circular motion and in the same plane. The comets on the other hand follow an oblique orbit and may lie in diverse planes. While all the known planets of our Solar System move in a counter clockwise direction, comets travel in the reverse direction.

Mr. Sitchin offers us a theory what might have created and caused the Comets to behave this way: The planet Marduk sweeping our Solar System during its initial passage was moving in an opposite direction traversing his own orbital plane smashed the smaller satellites of Tiamat into smaller comets affecting them by his “net” (gravitational pull).

Thrown into the net, they found themselves ensnared…
The whole band of demons that had marched on her side
He cast into fetters, their hands he bound…
Tightly encircled, they could not escape.

After the battle was over Marduk took away Kingu’s orbit. From that time on the planet Marduk is always bound to return to the former scene of celestial battle


The Creation of “Heaven” and Earth

It is at this point of the Epic of Creation that the biblical tale of Genesis draws its stories. Completing its 3,600 year orbital passage around the sun the planet Marduk returns to face Tiamat whom he subdued.

The Lord paused to view her lifeless body.
To divide the monster he artfully planned.
Then as a mussel, he split her into two parts

Marduk charged towards the subdued planet. He himself struck Tiamat tearing it into two, severing its “skull” (upper part). Afterwards, another of Marduk’s satellite (North Wind) crushed to the detached part, and plunged it into a new orbit where no planet has orbited before -to form the present day Earth.

The Lord trod upon Tiamat’s hinder part;
With His weapon the connected skull he cut lose;
He severed the channels of her blood;
And caused the North Wind to bear it
To places that have been unknown.

The remaining half of Tiamat floating in space suffered another fate when it took a direct hit from the passage of Marduk and smashed it into pieces.

The (other) half of her he set up as a screen for the skies”
Locking them together, as watchmen he stationed them…
He bent Tiamat’s tail to form the Great Band as a bracelet.

Stretched out in the firmament are the remains of Tiamat like a hammered “bracelet” acting as a screen between the inner planets and the outer planets. This is how the Asteroid Belt had been formed.

Biblical academics now do recognize that the Hebrew word Tehom (watery deep) originated from the word Tiamat. Tehom-Raba means “great Tiamat.” The biblical perceptive of primordial events is based on Sumerian cosmologic epics. The first among the parallels are the opening verses of Genesis describing how the Wind of the Lord hovered over the waters of Tehom, and how the lightning of the Lord (Marduk) lit the darkness of space as it hit and split Tiamat, creating the Earth and the Rakia (hammered bracelet) or hat we call Heaven.


When the North Wind of Marduk brought the new Earth to its new celestial home, Earth obtained a new orbital path around the sun and received its axial spin. Scientists believe that when the Earth was young it was a hot ball of exploding volcanoes filling the skies with clouds. As the temperature cooled off, the vapour from the air turned into water, dividing the face of the earth into land and water and forming the atmosphere and the foundations of the continents.

The enigmas of our Solar System, its great oceanic deeps, the devastation of the moon, the orbit of the comets, the mystery of the phenomena of Pluto – all is answered by the great Mesopotamian epic.

Having thus”constructed the stations” for the planets, the planet Nibiru “crossed the heavens and surveyed” the new solar system. It was now made up of twelve celestial bodies, with twelve great gods as their counterparts.



Sources: The 12th Planet, When Time Began - By: Zecharia Sitchin

The Kissing of the Hands- A Gift from the Ancient Spice Route

The World beyond the Two Worlds

The Philippines is a country endowed with rich history. Its custom and traditions reflect ancient established practices that transform the Filipino society into what is now a vibrant world-renowned community. Much akin to their Asian neighbours Filipinos possess an extraordinary reverence for their elders which is an envy of the west. This powerful cohesive social force remains constantly impacted by historic sociological factors. The responsibility to preserve these inherited gifts rests upon its people who must pass their culture to future generations. One shining trait Filipinos are known for though is the “kissing of the hand” (pag-halik ng kamay). How it became an accepted social norm is still everybody’s guess. Is it something indigenous to them, or is it a concoction of centuries of acculturation?

Long before the advent of the arrival of our European colonialists, the Philippine shores was already bustling of commerce with our Malayan neighbours (including the Japanese, Chinese, and the Arabs). It is interesting to note that in 1521, Magellan’s Malay guide Enrique (first truly to have circumnavigated the world) whom he met in Moluccas prior to his voyage, was described as someone who spoke fluently the dialect of the Cebuanos. The only question is, did the locals used the Indonesian language as their lingua franca, or was Enrique really a seasoned trader from Cebu who frequented the Mollucas?

Spicing Up the Whole World

The Maluku Islands (also known as the Moluccas) is an Indonesian archipelago in the maritime islands of the Southeast Asian region. The Chinese and the Europeans refer to it as the Spice Islands- five islands of volcanic origin (Ternate, Tidore, Moti, Makian, and Bacan). They are found off of the west coast of the island of Halmahera, in the Indonesian archipelago. These islands have been the hub of traders from as early as 300 BCE or even earlier. Medieval travellers including Marco Polo mentioned nothing about the Moluccas, but one of the earliest and most reliable reference to the Spice Islands came from the Arab geographer Ibn Khurdadhbeh (ca.850). Until the mid 19th century, Nutmeg (Myristica fragrans) has been endemic to the Banda Islands of the Moluccas. Clove (Syzygium aromaticum) is native to Indonesia and India. Both were highly valued food preservatives.

In the 7th century CE, the Srivijayan empire influenced much of the Malay world. Dominating the Malacca and Sunda straits, the Srivijayan Empire managed both the spice route traffic and local trade, charging a toll on passing ships. Serving as an entrepôt for Chinese, Malay, and Indian markets, the port of Palembang was accessible from the coast by way of a river accumulating great wealth. Envoys travelled to and from China frequently. Around 1293 CE, the last of the major empires of the Malay Archipelago defeated the Srivijayan empire reigning over the rest of the maritime Southeast Asia . Geographical and economic constraints suggest that the empire outside its seat of power from Java where connected mainly bu trade.

Buddhism and Hinduism managed its way to Indonesia when trading activity began in the early of first century on the Silk Road. The Silk Road is an extensive interconnected network of trade routes that started 3,000 years ago linking China across the Asian continent connecting East, South, and Western Asia with the Mediterranean world, as well as North and Northeast Africa and Europe. It bonded powerful civilizations such as Rome and China. It brings to mind pictures of lush desert oases and far-flung crossroad settlements crowded with merchants, spiritual pilgrims, and adventurous travelers from many regions, the Silk Road has become in our time a metaphor for cultural exchange among people of diverse societies, distant places, and different religions.

The continuous trade contacts between the Moluccas and the Muslim merchants from Arabia and elsewhere in Asia brought along a new major religion to Southeast Asia. By way of Sumatra around 651 CE, Uthman ibn Affan, (C. 579-656) sent a group of Islamic Missionaries to China converting some Indonesians on their way. Around 1380, Karim ul' Makhdum, reached the Sulu Archipelago and Mindanao converting the animist population into Islam. Muslim influences rapidly ascended northward up the archipelago, reaching as far as the current capital of Manila on the island of Luzon. They did not only bring their religion with them but also saw to it that political systems were established. The first official Sultan of Sulu was an Arab from Sumatra named Abu Bakr, crowning himself around 1450. Like many other Arab rulers, he established his dynasty's legitimacy by claiming to be a direct descendent of Muhammad. Hence, the arrival of Islam to the orient contributed to the rapid decline of the Hindu and Buddhist influences in the region.When the Spaniards arrived in the Philippines two hundred years later they were dismayed to see Islamic influence being already prevalent around the country.

Cultural Amalagamation



The Silk Road to China and the spices of Asia did not only bring with them trade but also cultural and reliqious values. Layers of cultural incorporation antecede the arrival of Islam in Indonesia. Hindu-Buddhist traditons is still evident today when a Javanese military officer requires their prisoner to touch his forehead to his warden’s knee. The Indonesian acknowledgement of a superior or a guru is demonstrated by kissing his hand and pressing it to one’s heart or forehead is also a Hindu-Buddhist underlay of Islam. Arab salutation also requires a person of an inferior status to take one’s hand and kiss touchjng it on their forehead. A related practice is also alive in the Turkish culture that they lay claim to own the custom of Hand-kissing. In Europe, it was started by the Spanish Royal Court in the 17th and 18th century, and later on adapted by the rest of the continent in the 18th century becoming a common European upper-class tradition. In Western Christianity, the kissing of the hands began when Roman Catholics, Anglican, Lutheran, and Eastern Catholic bishops since 430 CE started wearing rings regarded as emblematic of the mystical betrothal of the bishop to his church. Custom indicate that layman or clerics with inferior grade when presented before a bishop is expected to kiss his episcopal ring (baciamano in Italian). There is common misconception that performing the act of kissing the hand brings with it full or partial release from sin(indulgence). The pagans practice idol worshipping by kissing its hand when the idol was conveniently low enough. If not, the devotees kissed their own hands and waved them to the image. (Judges 2:18).

If the kissing of the hands is frowned upon in Islam since it is a form of Sajdah (prayer position) reserved only for the One and true God -where did it truly start? Does it mean the practice pre-dates Islam and Christian religion and denotes primordial pagan way? Conversely, is the Filipino way of kissing the hand an off-shoot of the old Turkish tradition when the Arabs engaged in the Silk Road trade via the Srivijayan Empire, or did our forefathers accede and emulated the church’s way of reverence for authority?

Mesopotamia is known to be the cradle of civilization. It is a land corresponding to modern-day Iraq, northeastern Syria, southeastern Turkey and southwestern Iran. The form and content of Babylonian worship are entirely borrowed from the Sumerians. This is particularly true of the principles of formal worship or the gestures employed in religious devotion. As to the contents of the words spoken during their public liturgies of the Babylonians is no doubt Sumerian. Prayers of private devotion and all the intricate rituals of the magic cults are Semitic Babylonian in origin. The Assyrian religions traces their way of worship to their gods as Babylonian but tends to preserve more the Semitic way of private devotions. Also, the Assyrian liturgical offices were borrowed entirely from the old canonical Sumerian breviaries.

It is my opinion that the practicing of the kissing of the hands traces its roots from the oldest civilization known to mankind and may have metamorphosed to its present form . Very early Sumerian seals belonging to the pre-historic period (3,000 BC) reveal three traditional poses assumed by a Sumerian layman in private devotion, or when he stands before a seated deity to say his prayers.

1. The seal depicts a processional scene, where his protecting god (or the High Priest) leads the layman by the hand to a seated deity. During the pre-Sargonic period, the posture of the adorant’s hand was not yet fixed. There are times when the worshipper’s hands are free and would carry a lamb or a kid to offer. On one seal, the arm is folded across the waist. Quite amazingly, these traits are characteristic of both Sumerian and Egyptian religions suggesting a much more pre-historic contact between the two lands.
2. The worshipper stands with one hand raised parallel to the breast, palm inwards and fingers touching the lips; the other arm is folded across the waist. This is the very ancient salutation by throwing a kiss and is the most common gesture of early Sumerians and Babylonians, and down to the Neo-Babylonian period.
3. The third seal depicts a worshipper standing with both hands folded at the waist. The right hand is clasped by the left hand in extraordinary manner so that the right hand thumb rests on the body while the rest of the fingers lie horizontal to the body.

Before and during the Sargonic period the Semites lived in closed contact with the Sumerians and adopted the Sumerian principles of gestures. A seal dedicated to Naram-Sin (5th king of Sargonic period) represented a worshipper “lifting a hand” to employ a kiss hand “to pray” at the deity. In the period of Gudea and Ur Dynasty (2650-2358 BC), the processional rite was still being practiced, but the disengaged arm is always held in the attitude of praising the deities. During the period of Isin, Larsa, and the Babylonian 1st Dynasty (2356-1926 BC) archaeological evidences suggests that the processional rites with the raised arm gesture was discontinued for the independent attitude. The suppliant now stand with the right hand raised and touching the lips while the left arms remains folded on the waist.

Another best find from archaeology is the stele of the ancient Law Code of Hamurrabi.The Kissing of the Hand was also part of development taken out from the ancient Law Code of Hamurabbi (1760 BCE). Stelae were displayed in temples around during the Babylonian Empire. Of these only one example survives, inscribed on a seven foot, four inch tall basalt stone slab or stele, preserved in the Louvre.

The stele containing the Code of Hammurabi was discovered in 1901 by the Egyptologist Gustav Jéquier, a member of the expedition headed by Jacques de Morgan. The stele was discovered in what is now Khūzestān, Iran (ancient Susa, Elam).

At the top of the stele is a bas-relief image of a Babylonian god (either Marduk or Shamash), with the king of Babylon presenting himself to the god, with his right hand raised to his mouth as a mark of respect.


End of the Silk Road

There is a Turkish saying, “Alnında yazılıysa olur.” - If it is written on your forehead, it will happen. (on your forehead) (if written) (happen). Whereas, the forehead symbolizes one’s destiny, the head represents the self as a whole.
The practice of the kissing of the hands is a patriarchal tradition. Societies who have accepted this as a model allows a fatherly figure to have influence over the younger family members. By allowing a person of authority to touch our foreheads is a sign that we submit our own virtues and entrust ourselves to the guidance and blessings of who were there before us.

From Istanbul to Xian, from San Luca, Spain to Cebu, the journey of the kissing of the hands has gone thousands of miles and ends up in the Philippines. The quest for the trade routes to the orient yielded not only silk and spices, but golden traditions that unite families, and gave rise to empires and civilizations.


Sources: Indonesian Destinies by: Theodore Friend, Instant Indonesia: Religion of Indonesia, Between East and West by: R. Donkin, Syria and the Holy Land, Their Scenery and People, by: Walter Keating Kelly, International Perspectives on Family Violence and Abuse: A Cognitive Ecological Approach: by Kathleen Malley-Morrison, Marius the Epicurean, by: Walter Pater: Chap. V. Published 1885), L. Paine - Ships of Discovery P. 146, Caeremoniale episcoporum (Book II, viii, nn. 10-11)

Immortalizing Canlubang

Calamba is a city in the Laguna province situated some 54 kilometers south of Manila along the Laguna de Bay. Over the years this birthplace of our national heroe has turned into an important industrial hub and tourist destination. Canlubang is the biggest baranggay in Calamba. The name Canlubang descended from the tagalog term Kanlungan ng mga tulisan (bandit's haven). Its thick foliage must have been a good bastion for the marauding outlaws in the colonial times.

When the old mill's production stopped years ago nature started to reclaim what was rightfully hers. Grass meadows now invade open lands of once sugar cane fields. Rotting foundations strangled by vines stand defiantly against the ravages of a forlorn time. Pot-holed muddy roads snake through the neighbourhoods as a few brave and loyal souls struggle to reach their dilapidated homes hoping to survive the onslaught of an oncoming typhoon. Bulldozers roar like thunder devouring ancient houses along its path givimg way to the development of first class subdivisions that will cater to a new breed of upper class society.

They say Atlantis was a legendary city that submerged overnight 9,000 years ago. It sank as a result of a great volcanic activity. Apparently, it was the cradle of all civilizations, but no historical records pertain to its existence except in Homer's poem Odyssey. Canlubang's history on the other hand transpired only a little less than a century ago but its bountiful history seems to have been tossed to oblivion. The neck of the wood's heyday was seen after the last war when the sugar economy of the Philippines reached its pinnacle. A classic hacienda/enconmienda system was in effect to manage the self-sufficient private community of 45,000 who use to enjoy world-class perks of free hospitalization, dental, water, electricity, Christmas give-a-ways, housing and repairs including subsidized groceries and a public market. Added to the their long list of perks, this paradise boasted of free public pools, a drive-in movie, tennis courts, a golf course, a pelota court, parks and playgrounds on every sitio, a labour hall, a convent and a seminary, a pavillon, bowling alleys, a catholic church, a plaza, free private schooling in the primary and seconday levels, a baseball stadium (considered to be the oldest in the Philippines) that was home to its popular team- the Canlubang Sugar Barons.

Canlubang's demise was painful, and a gradual one. There are many factors for the death of the sugar industry in the Philippines. To name a few, one is the development in the 60's of High Fructose Corn Syrup in the United States that resulted in the tragic reductions in the sugar cane quotas in the US. In order to keep the sugar industry afloat, the Philippines was forced to sell its sugar to the world market dumped by subsidized and cheaper sugar from the European Community. Even international sugar agreements failed to cushion the massive fluctuations in the world prices over the past decades. But if you really want to dig further down to the root cause of all these problems you have to remember your lessons in history.

Noticed how former colonies in the world are mostly poor and politically unstable? Take for example past Spanish territories, most are poor not because they practice Roman Catholicism, but because a culture of rapaciousness is perpetuated. Six hundred years ago, colonial powers implemented land tenure arrangements. Peasants were divested lands, created plantation economies, maimed local wealth that relied solely on the exportation of raw materials, and destroyed industries that could have challenged foreign industries. Ravenousness is propagated in the midst of political freedom through unfair trade practices on tariffs that can be four times higher on former colonies than their former colonizers. International banking lenders loan huge amounts to finance large projects that still benefits foreign companies engaged in local resource extraction through the sustenance of foreign government powers.

Canlubang is but one of the casualties in this culture of greed. Thanks to an extremely biased world, we are poor because they are rich. The Canlubang of today is now a picture of destruction and progression. Its agonizing metamorphosis is a lost to many, and a gain for some.


Sons and daughters of Canlubang, her story begs to be told. Pause for a while and close your eyes. Try to recall the loud horn of the mill as armies of workers march to and from work while the three giant black chimney stack belches out a steam of smoke. Never, never forget for once, the sugar mill that brought sweetness to coffee cups and candie bars of the new world.

Note: I find it odd why a single article can not be found in print or electronic (Internet ) that gives credence to the grandeur of this once vibrant community. Be proud of your past. Show to the world how it was to live in Canlubang's glorious past by posting old and new photographs in this site. Blog articles are also welcome to be submitted for posting at http://www.freewebs.com/sugarmills

Reliving a Grandparent's Love

It is 6 pm on an evening in the summer of 1971. The velvety sun is almost ready to set on the horizon. Men, beast, and machines ground to a halt. The church bells ring in cadence like a poignant poem as the recitation of the Oracion emanate from her red belfry tower. Canlubang once again seems to be suspended in time except for the three iconic black chimney towers of the Azucarera which continue to waft-up a cloud of smoke as the melodious birda chirp while perched from the giant caballero tree(fire tree). Inside an ancient home still bearing the scars of the previous war, an altar raised to the wall sits the glass-encased image of the Cristo Rei in between Maria and San Jose. “Ave Maria Purisima. Sin pecado consebida” ("Hail most pure Mary, conceived without sin") a common exclamation is uttered as my grandmother leads the Santo Rosario(Holy Rosary) with her whole family. With our tiny palms clasped, the litany of prayers in Spanish is recited in unison by the grandchildren some of whom would remember by heart even until this very day. As the prayer ends, the young would pay their respect to our elders by uttering “mano po”,and touching the back of their palms held by our tiny hands to our foreheads to accept their blessings. The tradition is culminated with the blowing of the candles by the child in-charge who set the prayer table. Candles that end up clean after each prayer would mean a soul is under the grace of God. Too much candle-dropping on the candelabra would mean it is time to see the priest and receive the sacrament of Confession.

Lola Feling – Healer and Grandmother

Long before there were Chiropractors and Physical Therapists, my lola was known to be an esoteric mang-hihilot(Chiropractor). She attributed her gift of healing from a dream when she was young. In her vision, the Niño Jesus was in pain and in need of help. Not knowing what to do, the little boy imparted to her the knowledge of dealing with bodily sicknesses through manipulations and chiropractic massages. She applies coconut oil and strips of medicinal herbs to diagnose the area of strain and apply different massaging techniques. Grandmother also performed a diagnostic ritual to determine the cause of an illness called *Tawas (alum). This ritual is performed with a variety of other material such as a holy scapular, banana leaves, coconut shell, and some incense. One notable case she had was about this man who stayed bed-ridden at the hospital for so long until the doctors finally gave up on him. Thinking there was nothing to lose in using an unconventional way of therapy, the wife requested for grandma’s help. All what lola did was to ask for the patient’s shirt and performed the ritual of Tawas with it. The following day, that man was at her front door looking so well as if nothing really ever happened.

When my grandma was not battling the supernatural, she fulfills the role of being a mother who takes care of her whole family. On days when she arrives home from the palengke(market), grandma never fails to bring in our favourite bibingka (rice cake) as a pasalubong(take home present) or those native cocoa balls she kept in a jar for dessert. I also have fond memories of seeing her in the kitchen cooking those hot chilly recipes. According to her, it was a test of having a Bicolano(Bicol province) blood in us if we can endure such hot palatable dishes. Sitting on a rocking chair by the window on hot summer afternoons fanning with an abaniko (weaved native fan), we are all ears to her funny stories which either make us role over the floor with laughter, or be sleepless for many nights from her tales of the paranormal and myths.

In my later years as a boy, while the rest would collect play cards to trade, I gathered stampitas and rosaries and lovingly shared this with my grandmother. What ever level of spiritual conviction I may have in God today I am most certainly sure my grandmother played a strong part in it.

Lolo Jose - My Grandfather

I had a strong admiration for my grandpa who dressed quite impressively for a man who has reached his twilight years. Having a well-framed body and a good posture, it’s a no surprise he captured the attention of the elusive Felisa when he courted her. Being a butcher’s son who grew up during the wars of the Spanish-American-Filipino wars, Jose was privileged to own the very first car in their hometown while the streets still swarm with caromatas (horse drawn carriages). With a young brood on hand he took all their belongings and migrated to Canlubang where he worked for the Azucarera del Calamba (Canlubang Sugar Estate) as a personal driver for the owners of the company for more than fifty years outlasting two foreign occupations in the country and a tyrant dictator.

At the crack-of-dawn today he walked for a few hours from Barrio Mill to Barrio Old Stable armed with his favourite stick to ward off the unruly dogs that would come along his way. Even ten years into the future he would still refuse a beautifully engraved cane gift from my dad. Instead, he kept it on a corner of his bedroom with no intention of using it. Why should he? He can still carry two buckets of water without any problem at all at age eighty. I wonder why our family loves mornings. Mom loved mornings, I as well watch sunrises, and grandpa feels the same. Is there something magical about the dawn of each day? Perhaps, somehow we all cognitively process the rising sun as a beam of hope to our faltering faith, right?

After several stops along the way talking with his fellow old timers such as Mang Emong (Mr. Emong) - the boxing trainer at the Labour Hall, and Mang Dodo(Mr. Dodo) -the family photographer, he brings home a bag of freshly baked pandesal (sweet bread) bigger than an adult’s fist. As the aroma of hotly brewed kapeng barako (native coffee) coffee hangs in the kitchen, grandfather chimes an improvised bell made from a WWII bomb shell suspended at the back of his porch. The fowls from his small backyard farm scampers in a feeding frenzy as I watched with awe our aviary friends scoffing on the ground as if there is no tomorrow. Grandpa has just prepared a pinoy (Filipino) breakfast of daing (dried salted fish), itlog (egg), sinangag (fried rice), and of course our favourite butter Dairy Cream to go with the bread. After each breakfast, I would sit down next to him at the sala(living room) where he examines the pages of The Manila Times . Today headlines the student protests of the First Quarter Storm and while I enjoyed its cartoon pages.

I noticed he is never idle. When ever you can’t find him inside the house he must be in the chicken coup or at his small bodega (stockroom) where all the books, magazines, oil paintings, and materials forgotten by time that he refuses to let go are still stocked. There were times I saw him there fixing my shoe on a jig or sewing my ripped school uniform. The most memorable thing grandpa did on weekends would be to borrow the Yulo’s vintage cars from the company garage where he works and fill those gargantuan cars with his grandchildren treating them for a night joy-ride around Canlubang’s scenic places. A quick stop at the market site to get some Serg Chocolates for all his apo (grandchildren) to munch was a sure delight.

Somebody was quoted as saying, “One will never be a grandfather without stepping down from his easy chair.” I guess this statement is very true with my grandfather who managed to fulfill his life in a very short earthly time.
Surely, we would all agree that the impact of grandparents is not often felt until years later. Looking back, we acknowledge their sacrifices and tell stories about their gifts of love that only a grandparent can provide and I miss them dearly for this.




*The TAWAS is used to 'cross' (sign of the cross) the forehead and other suspicious ailing parts of the body as prayers are being whispered (bulong). It is then placed on glowing embers, removed when it starts to crack, then transferred to a small receptacle of water. As it cools, its softened form spreads on the water surface and assumes a shape that may suggest the cause of the illness, often one of several indigenous forces: dwarfs, devils or other evil spirits (na-nuno, na-kulam, na-demonyo). The water in the vehicle is then used to anoint the ailing part or parts of the body to counteract the evil forces or illness. The Tawas is then discarded and thrown westward, preferably into the setting sun.