Tag Archives: Jose Rizal

Why Filipinos Would Have Been As Happy If Miss Universe Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach Were First Runner-up

January 4, 2016 Pol Pinoy Leave a comment

2015 Miss Universe Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach of the Philippines

MANILA, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles) – For a full four minutes, Filipinos were perfectly happy that their representative to the 2015 Miss Universe Pageant was first runner-up. Even Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach who now wears the crown on her head was standing comfortably in the background with second runner-up Miss U.S.A. as Miss Colombia basked in the glory of being (erroneously) named the most beautiful woman in the universe. Wurtzbach had accepted her second prize status as her fate.

For Filipinos, being first runner-up is as important as being the winner. (Even the pageant itself recognizes the importance of being second: “If for any reason, the new Miss Universe is unable to fulfill her duties, the first runner-up will become Miss Universe.”)

To validate our point, we turn our attention to Dr. Jose Rizal, the beloved national hero of the Philippines. His imposing monument, unveiled over a century ago, stands in the middle of Manila’s — and Asia’s largest — urban park, Luneta. It is among the most revered and visited monuments in all of the Philippines.

Not too many people know, unless they googled it, that the monument was not the winning entry but rather the first runner-up in an international competition to select the best design.

The monument was designed by Richard Kissling of Switzerland. The first prize in the contest was the design by Carlo Nicoli of Italy.

The rest, as they say, is history.

Religion

IN THE U.S., SAINTHOOD FOR JUNIPERO SERRA; IN THE PHILIPPINES, POPE FRANCIS URGED TO CANONIZE THIRD FILIPINO SAINT

September 23, 2015 Pol Pinoy Leave a comment

Pope Francis in Washington, D.C. (Photo: CNN)

MANILA, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles®) – Visiting Pope Francis will canonize Franciscan friar Junípero Serra in Washington, D.C. today — the first to be granted sainthood on U.S. soil.

Serra’s sainthood comes with huge controversy. The founder of California’s first mission in San Diego in 1769 is seen by many as largely responsible for the enslavement, malnutrition and introduction of diseases, resulting in the deaths of 62,000 indigenous Californians.

In letters attributed to Serra himself, the Spanish friar considered the indigenous population to be “barbarous pagans,” and that only Catholicism could save them from evil.

Across the Pacific ocean, the Philippine Catholic Church is urging Pope Francis to fast-track the canonization of their hope for a third Filipino saint, in addition to Lorenzo Ruiz and Pedro Calungsod.

Members of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) are encouraged by the canonization of Junípero Serra and are urging the Pope to make another Spanish friar the third Filipino saint.

This friar has, for centuries, been a familiar figure in Philippine history and is largely responsible for the Christianization of Filipino natives (called Indios) back in the 1500’s. His name is Dámaso Verdolagas, more popularly known as Padre Dámaso.

Readers can learn more about the life of Padre Dámaso by reading the novel Noli Me Tangere, authored by Dr. Jose Rizal, the Philippines’ national hero.

Business, Politics

TORRE DE MANILA DEVELOPER BREAKS SILENCE, UNVEILS NEW PLAN

July 3, 2015 Pol Pinoy Leave a comment

MANILA, Philippines (The Adobo Chronicles® ) – DMCI Homes, Inc., developer of the controversial Torre De Manila condominium project, is finally breaking its silence and has unveiled a revised plan that it hopes would silence critics and opponents of the 46-storey building.

The project has come to a virtual stop because Filipino citizens and politicians have determined that the high-rise building provides an ugly and unpatriotic backdrop to the monument of Dr. Jose Rizal, the Philippines’ national hero.

Many have proposed demolishing the building while others have suggested that the monument be turned around so that it faces the city. The latter would ensure that Manila Bay, not Torre De Manila, would be the backdrop when viewing the monument.

As a compromise, and to appease proponents for the condominium’s demolition, DMCI said it is willing to move the entire monument atop Torre De Manila and will shoulder the cost of doing so.

Hey, it might even earn a Guinness World Record for the Philippines for having the tallest national monument.