Demi Morano

Glorietta is a large shopping mall in the Ayala Center in Makati City, Metro Manila, Philippines. The mall is owned by the Zobel de Ayala family and its holding company, Ayala Corporation. The mall is divided into five sections (named Glorietta 1–5) and contains many shops and restaurants, as well as cinema screens, a gym, arcades and a large central atrium often used to stage special events. It has an activity center, located at the heart of the mall. It is also integrated between Greenbelt Mall, SM Makati, Rustan's Makati and The Landmark, a department store. Ayala Center is planning to construct Glorietta 5, which will be located in front of Hotel Intercontinental Manila and beside Rustans Department Store, as part of the Ayala Land's plan of redeveloping Glorietta. The tenants affected by the October 19, 2007 explosion will be given an option to relocate there.
History
Glorietta was originally a park surrounded by establishments; in fact it was used as a location by Viva Films for its youth-oriented movie Hotshots. But in the early 1990s the Zobel De Ayala family decided to renovate Glorietta, Quad, Greenbelt and the whole of the Makati Commercial Center to a whole new mall which will carry the name Ayala Center.
The plan was to recreate Glorietta to an indoor facility and integrate it with the remaining buildings surrounding it as well as the newly-constructed buildings that replaced the ones that's been torn-down namely the QUAD cinemas, By the mid and late 90s Glorietta reached its popularity as a premier mall. The construction was so perfect because of its indoor setup which makes it convenient for its customers. Bar-hoppers would enjoy air-conditioned facilities and could go to different bars and restaurants without having to go out of the facilty.
The Glorietta mall was opened in 1991 having a gross leasable area of 250,000 m², envisioned as one of the largest malls in the Philippines. Still today, Glorietta Mall remains as one of the biggest in Metro Manila. Glorietta is a one-stop, self-sufficient shopping center. Glorietta offers complete shopping and dining options ranging from apparel, accessories, home furniture, appliances to specialty brands. It has a fully air-conditioned atrium with water features, an indoor playground for children, and an activity center that hosts the best concerts and shows for its shoppers.
Other new buildings were also constructed in between 1999 and 2005, making Glorietta bigger than its original construction plan.



Robinsons Place Manila or Robinsons Midtown Mall is a shopping mall located in the city of Manila. It was the second and by-far, the largest Robinsons Mall ever built by John Gokongwei. It began operations in 1995 and was opened in 1997. The mall features anchors like Robinsons Supermarket, Robinsons Department Store.
History
Robinsons Manila was originally built in the 1980s. It was then redeveloped into a 7-level shopping complex that houses more than 330 local shops, dining outlets, entertainment facilities and service centers. The Padre Faura Wing was opened on June 2000 which contains more shopping and dining facilities. It has opened another wing, The Midtown Wing or The Midtown in mid-2008 making it larger than Robinson's Galleria and therefore the largest Robinson's Mall.

Robinsons Galleria is a large shopping mall located at EDSA corner Ortigas Avenue, Quezon City just near SM Megamall. It is Robinsons' flagship mall. The mall is owned by John Gokongwei, founder of JG Summit Holdings and Robinsons Land Co. It was built in 1990 with a total gross floor area of approximately 216,000 m2 (2,330,000 sq ft). Currently, The entire mall is undergoing major renovations and redevelopment as the West Wing is halfway completed. Robinsons Galleria will become an even modern, more tech, more exciting shopping experience.
History
Robinsons Galleria, flagship mall of Robinsons Land Corporation, is a landmark along Quezon City's busiest intersection, EDSA and Ortigas Avenue. Robinsons Galleria is a 5-level shopping mall with more than 400 shops, dining outlets, entertainment facilities and service centers that satisfy the discriminating tastes of students, executives and families from the surrounding areas and beyond. It is located within a mixed-use complex composed of two high-rise office towers -- the Galleria Corporate Center and the Robinsons-Equitable Tower, deluxe hotels. The Holiday Inn Galleria Manila and Crowne Galleria Manila, the Galleria Regency and the historic EDSA Shrine. Employees and guests of these establishments ensure captured markets for the Galleria mall.



SM Mall of Asia (MOA) is a shopping mall owned and developed by SM Prime Holdings, the largest mall developer and owner in the Philippines. SM Mall of Asia is the second largest shopping mall in the Philippines and the 4th largest shopping mall in the world[citation needed] . It has a land area of 42 hectares and has a gross floor area of an approximate 390,193 m² (4.2 million square feet)[1] and 407,101 m² of total area. The mall is located at Bay City, Pasay City, Philippines just near the SM Central Business Park, the Manila Bay and the southern end of EDSA (Epifanio de los Santos Avenue). The mall attracts a daily foot traffic of 200,000 people.

History

Construction
The mall is the centerpiece project of SM Prime at the SM Central Business Park, where five one-story buildings serve as the company's corporate offices (the sixth building being occupied by TeleTech Holdings, Inc. as their flagship site in the country). Construction began in mid-2002 right after the completion of a contemporary medical school, dining strip and residential complex at Macapagal Boulevard, adjacent to the SM Central Business Park.
The SM Mall of Asia’s design team includes Arquitectonica, design Architect; Robert Carag Ong and Associates, architect of record; GHT Services, project manager, and Hilmarc Construction (for the South Parking Building, Main Mall, and Entertainment Mall) and Monolith Construction Development Corp. (for the North Parking Building), general contractors.
The mall would have opened before Christmas Day of 2005 but had been delayed due to hitches in the delivery of construction materials. Frequent rains in the last quarter of 2005 also delayed the turnover of mall space to tenants. SM Prime decided to move the opening date to March 3, 2006.
On February 27, 2006, local newspaper Manila Standard Today, reported that a team of Pasay City engineers found huge cracks underneath the structure, which was causing the structure to vibrate.[10] When questioned about the inspection, the Pasay City Engineering Department denied making any statement regarding defects in the Mall of Asia. Engineer Edwin Javaluyas, Pasay City engineering officer, in his letter to SM Prime Holdings Inc., said he never stated that the city hall’s engineering department inspected the Mall of Asia on February 23, 2006.[11]
SM Prime however decided to move the opening to May 21 of that year. Jeffrey Lim, corporate information officer of SM Prime Holdings, emphasized that a rescheduling of the mall’s opening was made to give the company an opportunity to allow more tenants to open shops and denied that the change was due to structural defects.[12]
On May 20, 2006, the mall was officially inaugurated by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo with a special screening of Everest in the San Miguel Coca-Cola IMAX Theater. The movie was shown three days after tri-athlete Leo Oracion reached the treacherous mountain’s summit. [13]
Esplanade
An esplanade was constructed at the back of the mall where it served as the observation center for the First World Pyro Olympics in December 2005.
The second World Pyro Olympics were held at the SM Mall of Asia's boardwalk area in early January, 2007.[7]
The Esplanade was also the venue for Lovapalooza 2, wherein more than 5,300 couples kissed for 10 seconds on February 10, 2007, breaking Hungary's 4,445 in the Guinness World Records.
Also, an events venue named One Esplanade was constructed here. One Esplanade is usually used for product launches, parties, and other events.
Also, there is a strip mall owned by Mr. Henry Sy and Mr. Mariano Nocom currently in the final stages of construction in the Esplanade. Called the San Miguel by the Bay at the Esplanade, the strip mall will have retail shops and restaurants and is an extension of the retail facilities of the SM Mall of Asia. It was opened on November 2007.

from Laila Adoremos

Gateway Mall is a shopping mall complex located at Araneta Center, Cubao, Quezon City. Also underway at Araneta Center is a mall expansion and construction of the Gateway Tower. Gateway Mall has won some awards in terms of its mall design and tenant mix which made the mall to become the 2006-2007 shopping mall of the year. The mall features more than 300 shops and restaurants anchored by Rustan's, Food Express, a 9 Digital Cineplex and a Globe Platinum Cinema and a games arcade.

In 2003 Gateway was constructed and opened in 2004.

[edit] Buildings


SM Megamall is a large shopping mall located in the Ortigas Metro Manila, Philippines. It is the third SM Supermall developed and operated by SM Prime Holdings, the largest mall operator in the Philippines owned by Henry Sy Sr. The mall has two buildings interconnected with a bridge. The mall is measured with a land area of approximately 18-hectares and has a total floor area of an estimated 348,000 m², making it the third largest shopping mall in the country and seventh largest shopping mall in the world. SM Megamall is the mall that gave attention to filipinos to make way for the malling experience. The mall attracts a daily foot traffic of 500,000 people.

The mall was constructed in 1989 and opened its doors on June 28, 1991




Ayala Land started constructing the mall on June 2005 under the project name "North Triangle Mall". [5] The mall was named "TriNoma" inspired by the redevelopment of industrial district TriBeCa.

TriNoma was officially launched in a private ceremony in April 25, 2007. It was inaugurated by officials of Ayala Land, its developer, and authorities of Quezon City, led by Mayor Feliciano Belmonte. Members of the media were also present.

For one of Manila’s fastest growing communities, TriNoma transforms a former industrial site into a luminous haven of retail and entertainment. The open air shopping destination features five ascending levels of landscaped terraces, public gathering spaces and breathtaking vistas of the cityscape. Adjoined to a busy MRT station, TriNoma caters to commuter and locals alike with an attractive mix of dining and shopping venues, and a flagship 600,000 sf Landmark department store.

humanities by herbert

The foundation of the University is ascribed to the Most Reverend Miguel de Benavides, O.P., the third Archbishop of Manila. He came to the Philippines with the first Dominican mission in 1587. He went on to become bishop of Nueva Segovia, and was promoted archbishop of Manila in 1601. Upon Benavides’ death in July 1605, he bequeathed his library and personal property worth 1,500 pesos to be used as the seed fund for the establishment of an institution of higher learning. Fr. Bernardo de Santa Catalina carried out Benavides’ wishes and was able to secure a building near the Dominican church and convent in Intramuros for the College.

In 1609, permission to open the College was requested from King Philip III of Spain, which only reached Manila in 1611. On April 28, 1611, notary Juan Illian witnessed the signing of the act of foundation by Frs. Baltazar Fort, OP, Bernardo Navarro, OP, and Francisco Minayo, OP. Fr. Fort, appointed that year to the post of Father Provincial, was its first Rector.




When the United States took over the Philippine Islands from the Spanish in 1898 after the Spanish-American War, President William McKinley began Americanizing the former Spanish colony. In 1900 he appointed Judge William Howard Taft to head the Philippine Commission to evaluate the needs of the new territory. Taft, who later became the Philippines' first civilian Governor-General, decided that Manila, the capital, should be a planned town. He hired as his architect and city planner Daniel Hudson Burnham, who had built Union Station and the post office in Washington. In Manila, Mr. Burnham had in mind a long wide, tree-lined boulevard along the bay, beginning at a park area dominated by a magnificent hotel. To design the hotel Taft hired William E. Parsons, a New York architect, who envisioned an impressive, but comfortable hotel, along the lines of a California mission, but grander. The original design was an H-shaped plan that focused on well-ventilated rooms on two wings, providing grand vistas of the harbor, the Luneta, and Intramuros. The top floor was, in fact, a large viewing deck that was used for various functions, including watching the American navy steam into the harbor.


Architectural

The main lobby was designed for sitting as well as for making grand entrances. Measuring 125 feet (38 m) long by 25 feet (7.6 m) wide, the lobby is lined with white Doric columns. The floor is Philippine marble, the chandeliers are made of brass, crystal and seashells, the furniture is carved out of Philippine mahogany which is used throughout the hotel.

The rooms provide exceptional views of the city, especially the gardens of Rizal Park and Intramuros. Manila Hotel is the first hotel in the Philippines to offer HBO among other television network systems for all rooms. All rooms make use of the Ving Card electronic card system for maximum security.[15] The 570 fully renovated rooms that reflect the hotel’s storied past blend with the conveniences of a modern luxury hotel. Other amenities include traditional decor with elegant furnishings,[5] individually controlled central air conditioning, remote-control TV with cable channels, minibars, separate bath and toilet with extension phone, and secure in-room safes.

The three-bedroom MacArthur suite rents for $650 a night. The penthouse, the most expensive suite (with a private swimming pool) on the 18th floor, has a view of the Bay, of Rizal Park and the 16th-century ruins of the Spanish walled city of Intramuros, opposite the hotel. Like the Presidential Suite, which costs $900 a night, the $1,200-a-night penthouse is decorated with rare paintings, Asian antiques and Filipino crafts.[5] The MacArthur, Presidential and Penthouse Suites provide 24-hour butler service.



Daraga Church - located in my hometown, Daraga Albay, the Philippines. An 18th century Baroque church built on top of a hill (overlooking the magnificent Mayon Volcano). This church was supposedly built by the women (thus the name "Daraga" which means Lady/Single Woman) when the men fled from forced labor during the Spanish era.

humanities by jessica

Back then, the lot that was purchased in 1978 was no better than a vacant swamp remotely located from the center of the metropolis. SM Prime’s chairman, Henry Sy Sr., saw the potential of the place, standing at the crossroad for regional traffic coming to and from the northern provinces of Luzon. Sy took his inspiration to build SM North EDSA from the first few malls built in the U.S., which he thought Filipinos will want to have. Ironically, many thought his plan was ill-timed because the construction of the North EDSA mall happened when divisive political issues were prevalent in the country.
Old Facade of SM City North EDSA

The mall was opened on November 29, 1985, the first mall ever built by SM with a gross floor area of 125,000 square meters. “We had a tough time getting tenants to fill up the place. It was a risky period in our country’s history. So, we opened with only the SM Department Store and another small shop as the mall’s tenants,” said Mrs. Teresita Sy-Coson, Vice Chairperson of SM Investments Corporation. But to everyone’s surprise and those of many skeptics, crowds came and filled the mall. “It was an instant success,” noted Mrs. Sy-Coson.

The mall was then composed of just the main building and outdoor parking areas. As more tenants came in and entertainment concepts were introduced to the mall such as cinemas, SM North EDSA came to be known as one that institutionalized the “one-stop shopping concept” and was the first to introduce “malling” as a pastime in the Philippines. The 5-level carpark, also known as Annex 2 building was built soon after, with the lower ground floor of the building quickly converted into more enclosed mall space. The two-floor annex was built after, expanding the mall's floor area and providing space for a bowling alley and four more movie theaters. The Main Building and The Annex was expanded with a Lower Ground Level and the first level of The Carpark Building was converted to a Cyberzone mainly for tech and gadget shops and later on, the Main Building added a 3rd level.

Architectural

The buildings are interconnected by a footbridge. A footbridge is being constructed to connect "Skydome" to the sidewalk at the back of the mall. Another 200-meter long footbridge is also planned as an exclusive bridge way to SM Developments' Residential Towers called The Grass Residences.

By Niña Clara Pillos

Capitol of Camarines Sur


Old Capitol

New Capitol

Convention Center

Legislative building

Camarines Sur has also undergone more than a few facelifts, more reborn perhaps for the better.

A century ago, the seat of the provincial government was situated in downtown Naga, housed in a building of adobe and cement. For several years, the edifice was the center for government activities and transaction in the provincial sector. It continued to witness changes and transitions in the rules and implementations caused by the shifting of one administration to another. This scenario, however, was not as stable as the structure seemed to be as a great transformation in the structure of political subdivisions would later on to take its pace.

December 15, 1948 marked a memorable date for both Naga and Camarines Sur with the former exulting over its proclamation as a chartered city as embodied in Republic Act (RA) 305. It was also a significant event for the province as it was perhaps the beginning of what would later be the long travail of the province in its search for a new site for the Provincial Capitol building.

With Naga as a chartered city, high standing officials of the province had eventually expressed the need for a new location of the seat of the provincial government.

Governor Juan F. Trivi o, who assumed office in 1952, initiated the first move to transfer the Provincial Capitol and started the creation of the Provincial Capitol Complex. The Municipality of Pili, 15 kilometers south of Naga City was the chosen ground.

In 1955, Republic Act 1336 known as An Act Transferring the Site of the Provincial Capitol of the Province of Camarines Sur from the city of Naga to the barrio of Palestina, Municipality of Pili in the same Province was passed seeking for the transfer of the Provincial Capitol building. It was duly approved on the 16th of June on the same year.

The plan being made public, several individuals expressed their desire in donating a lot for the new location of the Provincial Capitol building. The first offer was a 16 hectare lot in Barangay Palestina in Pili from Roberto Soler. All things were set except for the fund in financing the expenses in the construction of the new edifice. The national government at that time could not aid to the province because of other priorities.

Then Soler, for the failure of the government to begin its construction within two years as stipulated in the contract, cancelled his donation.

It was under the administration of Governor Maleniza that another resolution was approved. Republic Act 3407 came into existence, creating the provision which gave authority to the President of the Philippines in selecting the new Capitol site to be recommended by a committee.

The committee proved to be of great help. In 1962, 3 possible sites were considered upon including: the Hacienda Marasigan at Brgy. San Jose, a lot within the Poblacion, and an area along the Anayan-Partido road.

The selection was already left to the discretion of the president of the Philippines and by virtue of Executive Order(EO) 41 issued by then President Diosdado Macapagal on June 16, 1953, the 67-hectare Hacienda Marasigan was declared as the new site for the Provincial Capitol.

In 1964, eleven years after the declaration, the groundbreaking ceremonies and laying of cornerstone were held, graced by then President Macapagal.

A year later, the construction for the building was started. All could have gone well but on the same year for the beginning of the construction, a case had been filed in court questioning the validity of the construction. Because of the case and the reluctance of Governor Armando Cledera to resume the Capitol construction due to lack of funds, the provincial government's objective in building the new site for Capitol was temporarily put to a halt.

In 1968, then Mayor Jose B. Velarde of Pili had the Municipal Board passed a resolution which sought the gradual transfer of all the provincial government offices to the Capital town which was already Pili. The same decree also asked for the transfer of the Capitol site from the Marasigan lot to a site within the Poblacion or at Barangay Anayan but the move consequently caused the Marasigan family to decide not to donate their lot to the provincial government.

The Capitol Site Selection Committee was then organized. Six possible sites were deliberated upon. These six included: the Marcos Stadium(now the Freedom Stadium), a 4-hectare lot fronting the Marcos Stadium, Cadang-Cadang Area, Marasigan Site, Pawili-Anayan Junction and lastly the Don Susano Rodriguez donation of a 15 hectare lot. The committee finally voted upon the last site.

It was during the term of former President Ferdinand Marcos when Executive Order (EO) No. 48 was issued, designating the site of the New Provincial Capitol. But before the commencement of the construction for the new Capitol site, on June 26, 1976, tragedy struck, a big fire torched the Provincial Capitol building, including important papers and public documents of the province. But also as a result, the construction of the Capitol building was hastened, a contract was signed by the Bensia Construction of Naga City, a 3-storey building with reinforced concrete, with twin RIB and corrugated galvanized iron roofing on steel and wooden roof framing came into completion. The Provincial Capitol measured 3, 528.18 square meters.

In addition, satellite buildings of the Regional Trial Court branches, Provincial Nutrition Center, the Post Office and the Kadiwa were also built.The 700-km access road from the Maharlika Highway was concreted.

And with such beginnings the present Provincial Capitol Complex was founded, now with its impressive expanse of buildings and scenic spots which qualify it as tourist spot, the Province can do well to be proud.

Capitol of Camarines Norte


Camarines Norte is a province of the Philippines located in the Bicol Region in Luzon. Its capital is Daet and the province borders Quezon to the west and Camarines Sur to the south.
Bicol province was founded in 1573. The province of Camarines was created from Bicol in 1636. That province was divided in 1829, creating Camarines Norte and Camarines Sur. They were briefly merged from 1854 to 1857 to make Ambos Camarines (ambos is Spanish for "both"). They were merged into Ambos Camarines once again in 1893. The province was divided into Camarines Norte and Camarines Sur once again in 1917.
The province of Camarines Norte is found in the northwestern coast of the Bicol Peninsula, which form the southeastern section of Luzon, the largest island in the Philippine archipelago.
One of the six provinces that make up Region V (Bicol), it is bounded on the north by the Pacific Ocean, in the east by the Pacific Ocean and San Miguel Bay, in the west of Lamon Bay, and in the south by Quezon province and the adjoining province of Camarines Sur.

Holy Rosary Major Seminary

The HOLY ROSARY MAJOR SEMINARY is the center of theological studies and formation in the ecclesiastical province of Cáceres, comprising the Archdiocese of Cáceres, the dioceses of Daet, Legazpi, Masbate, Sorsogon and Virac, and the prelature of Libmanan, all within the Bikol Region in southern Luzon.

The first conciliar seminary in this part of the country was canonically erected on March 7, 1797 during the incumbency of the Dominican bishop, Domingo Collantes. However, many historians contend that a century before this there existed a Casa de Clerigos in the episcopal capital. It was come kind of ecclesiastical college which assumed the purpose of training the diocesan clergy. In fact, Bishop De Luna testifies that from the tenure of Bishop González to the incumbency of his immediate predecessor, Bishop Manuel Matos, OFM, more than forty diocesan priests had been ordained.

Since 1797 the Naga seminary had been known as Seminario Conciliar de Cáceres, placed under the tutelage of its principal patroness, Our Lady of the Holy Rosary, and secondary patrons, St. Thomas Aquinas and St. Bonaventure. In 1865, upon the invitation of Bishop Francisco Gainza, OP, the Vincentians took over the administration of the seminary, which now offered both priestly and lay education. The Seminario-Colegio, as it was known in this period, was for about half century the only center of higher learning in the Luzon south of Manila.

The years that followed the World Wars witnessed an increase in the number of vocations. The old building could not accommodate all seminarians coming from the six provinces of the Bikol region and nearby provinces. In response to this problem, a new building was constructed at the outskirts of the city. On August 10, 1964, the HOLY ROSARY MAJOR SEMINARY was blessed and inaugurated by Bishop Carlo Martini, then the delegate of the Papal Nuncio. It stands as a monument of Archbishop Pedro Santos (1938-1965), the first archbishop of Cáceres.

This event marked the division of the seminary. The HOLY ROSARY MAJOR SEMINARY became the new home of the college and theology departments. The old seminary came known as the Holy Rosary Minor Seminary continued to house the high school department. With the gradual phase out of the high school department in 1990, the college department returned to its original home, making the HOLY ROSARY MAJOR SEMINARY a center of theological studies and formation.

humanities by emmajune

The Sorsogon Provincial Capitol Building

Sorsogon City’s premier annual festival is the Pili Festival which also coincides with the City’s traditional patronal fiesta, June 28-29, in honor of its patron saints, St. Peter and St. Paul.

The Festival showcases the Pili Tree, which is indigenous to Sorsogon, and known hereabouts as “The Majestic Tree” because of its many industrial, commercial, and nutritional uses – from its roots, trunk, branches, leaves, sap and fruit. Appropriately costumed young people dance down the streets of the City during the Festival, demonstrating in dance, the many uses of this remarkable tree.

The Pili Tree is particularly well-known for its nuts, which are much sought after by confectioneries in different parts of the world. It is reputedly better in quality than almonds or macadamia nuts. The pulp that coats the hard shell that, in turn, encases the Pili nut, can also be eaten, as is, by either dipping it in patis, the native fish sauce, or in sugar, after softening it in warm water. It is also served as dips for meat or fish, or even as dressing or icing for pastries or fruit preparations and other desserts









LEGAZPI CITY, Albay - The provincial board of Albay placed the province under a state of calamity by noon of Thursday, to allow the local government to spend five percent of its budget for relief and other operational expenses in connection with the anticipated violent eruption of the Mayon Volcano.

“We had been sheltering under an earlier declaration of a state of imminent danger for Mayon since alert level two was raised by the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) on July 10 this year but there was a need to further upgrade the status of the province as alert level 3 was hoisted and it is now almost alert level 4,” Albay Governor Joey Salceda, Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council chair, said.

According to the website of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, Alert Level 3 means Mayon volcano is in a state of relatively high unrest that could lead to a dangerous eruption in weeks. Alert Level 4 means intense unrest characterized by "persistent tremor, many low frequency-type earthquakes, erratic sulfur emissions, intense crater glow, incandescent lava fragments at the summit area" and that a "hazardous eruption is possible within days." The danger zone is extended to 8 kilometers or could be more.

A curfew has been imposed starting at midnight of Thursday within the 6-kilometer radius permanent danger zone and the extended danger zone up to eight kilometers around the volcano.

“We consider these areas as high-risk zones and need to be deserted by residents and farmers as soon as possible amid the ongoing evacuation efforts,” Salceda said in a meeting with the Task Force Mayon composed of the Philippine National Police, the Philippine Army and the Philippine Navy, which have been providing vehicles together with private organizations such as the Ako Bikol, a philanthropic group of volunteers operating in the province.

However, Salceda told the Task Force Mayon to exercise all means of encouraging stubborn residents to move out of their homes because contingency and relief assistance were already in place at their respective evacuation shelters composed of 600 classrooms in 45 evacuation sites, mostly elementary school buildings.

“The Agencia Española de Cooperacion para el desarrollo (Aecid) is also now in the process of turning over the two remaining permanent evacuation centers in Travesia Elementary School in San Francisco, Guinobatan and at the Camalig East Central School in Camalig, Albay, so that evacuees could use them,” he said.

The Aecid has opted to turn over the buildings to the provincial government of Albay and formal turnover ceremonies would just follow afterwards.

Salceda said the task force would apply the law of economy of force, which meant that residents would not be bodily hauled out of their homes or farms and would just be encouraged to move to evacuation centers through reassurances that they would be safe at emergency shelters.

The Albay Health and Emergency Management (Ahem) teams were also deployed to provide the necessary health and emergency care.

“Although the alert status is still at level 3, the province’s preemptive measures are already adopting the kind of response and preparedness similar to that in alert level 4, so that we are a step ahead










Masbate is an island province of the Philippines located in the Bicol Region. Its capital is Masbate City and consists of three major islands: Masbate, Ticao and Burias.

Masbate City is the capital.

The island of Masbate lies at the center of the Philippine archipelago between latitudes 11o43’ north and 123o09’ east and 124o5’ east. It is bounded on the north by Burias and Ticao Pass, east by San Bernardino Strait, south by the Visayan Sea, and west by the Sibuyan Sea. Relative to mainland Bicol, the province faces the southwestern coasts of Camarines Sur, Albay, and Sorsogon.

The general surface configuration of the province ranges from slightly undulating to rolling and from hilly to mountainous. In each island, the rugged topography is concentrated in the northeastern portion and gradually recedes to blunt hills and rolling areas in the south, southeast, and southwest.

When Captain Luis Enriquez de Guzman anchored on the shores of Masbate in 1569, he found tiny settlements spread along the coasts engaged in flourishing trade with China. Chinese traders visited Masbate and founded small settlements during the Shri-Vijayan and Madjapahit periods. Ruins of cave-like dwellings resembling "kiva" (possibly built by Indians who accompanied the Chinese traders), were found along the coasts of Aroroy, Palanas, and Masbate. Porcelain jars dating back to the 10th century were excavated at Kalanay (Aroroy) in the 1930s.

Historical accounts show that the Christianization of the Bicol Region actually began in Masbate in 1569:

Father Alonso Jimenez was the first missionary to the islands of Masbate, Burias, Leyte and Samar. Then he went to Ibalon (Bicol) in the province of Camarines, where he resided many years, and made many religious incursions into Albay and Sorsogon. Fray Jimenez is considered the apostle of the island of Masbate

In December 1600 Dutch Commander Admiral Oliver van Noorth, sought refuge at San Jacinto Harbor after his fleet lost to the Spanish Armada in Manila. He was later engaged in a fierce clash with Limahong's fleet at Canlibas-Matabao passage.

At the height of the Galleon Trade, Mobo contributed first class lumber for the construction of galleons, making it the center of trade in the province and was the capital of the province in the early part of the Spanish occupation

In 1864, Masbate was declared a separate province from Albay. Guiom was made the capital while Ticao became a commandancia-politicio-militar. Shortly before the declaration of Philippine independence by President Emilio Aguinaldo, the town of Masbate was established as the provincial capital.

The Americans came to Masbate in 1900 to extend their pacification campaign. In December 1908, Masbate was annexed to theprovince of Sorsogon. A bill declaring Masbate as independent province was approved on February 1, 1922.

As early as 1906, the Masbate representative made the proposal to the United States Congress to grant the Philippines independence.

The first Japanese elements arrived in Masbate the dawn of January 7, 1942 from Legazpi. They landed in several places without facing opposition- the province was too stunned to mount any resistance.

The Japanese occupation reduced Masbate to total economic shambles. Economic activities were limited to fishing, buying/selling, or stealing. Food production ground to a halt. Camote, pakol, banana blossoms, pith, and even such obscure fruits like barobo were used as food substitutes. Lakad-bulan served as cigarette, tea or coffee. Barter transaction prevailed. For lack of nutrition and sanitation, many people succumbed to beri-beri or malaria. Lice and ticks infestations spared only a lucky few.

Dr. Mateo S. Pecson, who was governor of the province, having refused to cooperate with the Japanese, evacuated the provincial government to Guiom, a command post used by the guerrillas. Pecson was eventually arrested by the Japanese and incarcerated in Cavite. He managed to escape; he later joined the guerrilla movement in Central Luzon.

In 1944, Provincial Board Member Atty. Jose L. Almario was conscripted by the Japanese to govern the province. During the Liberation, he was arrested by the guerrillias and charged with collaboration. He was exonerated and saved from set execution by a letter from General MacArthur.

Dr. Emilio B. Espinosa, the lone house representative of Masbate, fought against a congressional bill authorizing the conscription of Filipinos into the service of Imperial Japan and for this he was detained in Fort Santiago.

When Masbate was formally liberated by joint Filipino and American soldiers on April 3, 1945, Pecson was sent to Masbate by President Osmeña to organize the civil government, Pecson took the reins of government on May 11, 1945.

humanities by divine

University of the Philippines Church of the Holy Sacrifice
designed by Leandro Locsin..


History
Initially, Leandro Locsin designed the church for the Ossorio family, who was planning to build a chapel in Negros. Unfortunately, when Frederic Ossorio left for the United States, the plans for the chapel were scrapped.

However, in 1955, then University of the Philippines, Diliman Catholic Chaplain, Fr. John Delaney, S.J. commissioned Locsin to design a chapel that is open and can easily accommodate 1,000 people. The Church of Holy Sacrifice is the first round chapel in the Philippines with the altar in the middle, and the first to have a thin shell concrete dome. The floor of the church was designed by Arturo Luz, the Stations of the Cross by Vicente Manansala and Ang Kiukok, and the double-sided crucifix and altar base by Napoleon Abueva, all of whom are now National Artists.

Being a pioneering building, it almost suffered a setback during the construction of the dome when the weather suddenly changed as the concrete was being poured. If it had rained, the concrete would have not settled, and the whole project would have been in jeopardy.

The first mass in the church was celebrated on December 20, 1955. Since then, there have been modifications to the church and its surroundings. The gigantic dome, which used to be white, is now green. The altar base was also changed from wood to marble, still by Napoleon Abueva. Perhaps the most significant change is that the church is now fenced off, and the once open grounds that surrounded the church are now landscaped.

On January 12, 2005, the church was recognized as a National Historical Landmark and a Cultural Treasure by the National Historical Institute and the National Museum, respectively. During the recognition ceremony, National Historical Institute Chairman Ambeth R. Ocampo lauded the church as a “masterpiece of Filipino artistry and ingenuity”. Currently, the parish is spearheading a project that aims to restore the dome of the historic church


Architecture
The dome of the church is supported by pillars located at the sides of the church, so that there are no supports to block the space inside. The unique design of the dome allows natural lighting and ventilation. At the middle of the dome is a circular skylight, which supports the triangular bell tower. The bell tower, then extends to the interior, supporting the crucifix. The arrangement of the interior of the church is concentric, with the altar in the middle.

COLEGIO DE SAN JUAN DE LETRAN






Colegio de San Juan de Letran (CSJL) (also as San Juan de Letran College (SJLC), Letran College (LC) or simply Letran), was founded in 1620. Letran is a private Roman Catholic institution of higher learning located in Intramuros, Manila, Philippines.

The Colegio is owned and administered by priests of the Order of Preachers (Dominicans) of the Philippine Dominican Province. The school has a rich and proud history and holds the distinction of having produced Philippine presidents, revolutionary heroes, poets, legislators, members of the clergy, jurists, and is the only Philippine school that has produced a Catholic Saint that actually lived and studied inside its original campus. The campus contains two statues, representing the two foremost alumni in the fields of secular and religious service: Manuel L. Quezon and St. Vicente Liem de la Paz.

Originally founded by Don Juan Geromino Guerrero in 1620, a retired Spanish officer, in Intramuros as Colegio de Niños Huerfanos de San Juan de Letran. The school was designed to educate and mold orphans to good Christian citizens.

Around the same time, Diego de Santa Maria, O.P. established Colegio de Huerfanos de San Pedro y San Pablo. As Don Guerrero grew old, the two schools were fused together, taking the name of Colegio de San Juan de Letran.

After 60 years, Letran was declared an ecclesiastical college. A royal decree on May 1865 pronounced Letran as a "College of the First Class". Around this time, Letran became a school exclusively for boys.

During World War II, Letran suspended classes, and the school was changed into a Japanese garrison. After the war, Letran resumed operations. Several new construction projects were inaugurated to replace the old structures wrecked by the war.

The school began accepting female students in its college department in the 1970s while the grade school and high school departments started accepting female enrollees in June 2005.


ANTIPOLO CHURCH






Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage
In the year 1521, the Jesuit replaced by the Fraciscan in Antipolo and organizes the village into a parish. Fr. Pedro Chirino and Fr. Francisco Almarique (missionaries) were few of them who built a chapel in Sitio Sta. Cruz. The first Homily in tagalong was delivered in a mass, celebrated at what is now known as the PINAGMISAHAN
By the year 1601, in attendance, 3,000 Christian inhabits in Antipolo. At the same period, Aetas or Negritos the aborigines of the Philippines significally dwindled, they move deeper into the mountains to escape. To try to bring them back to the village, the missionaries offered them the fertile lands to till. Father Almarique gave them all the services the church can provide. The congregations known as the La Anunciata that composes of the students and villagers continued their cohesive devotion to the Blessed Virgen by consistently celebrating the Feast of Anunciata.
Don Juan Niño de Tabora left the coast of Acapulco Mexico, aboard the galleon “El Almirante” to makes its voyage to the Philippines on March 25, 1626. On his trip, The Governor brought on board the brown image of the Blessed Virgin Mother. For three months of journey, the El Almirante safely sailed and bravely faced the dangers of the stormy seas, and a fired aboard the ship. On July 18, 1626 the El Almirante arrived in the ports of Manila. Governor Tabora realizing that the galleon’s safe and successful journey was due to the presence of the image of the Blessed Virgin. Amidst pageantry and fireworks, the religious procession started from the Church of San Ignacio, the Jesuit Church in Intramuros, up to the Minster of Manila Cathedral, which become the first residence of the Blessed Virgin’s image. Nuestra Señora de la Paz y Buenviaje was named to the image for the events of the safe voyage of the El Almirante.

The Blessed Virgin
Before Governor Tabora died in 1632, he bequeaths the image at Sitio Sta. Cruz at Antipolo City and turned over the care to Jesuit fathers who were then constructing a church of Antipolo. The Church was specifically built for the Blessed Virgin. But the attempts of the Jesuit Fathers to move the image to the Church of Antipolo were futile, because the image lost several times and always found on the trunk of the Tipolo Tree, which grew in the original site of the old church. Because of these unusual incidents, it was decided to erect the church at that place under the administration of Fr. Juan de Salazar in 1632. The rebels burned the church in 1639, miraculously, the image was unharmed
During the occupation of the Japanese, the Blessed Image of the Virgin was evacuated to the mountains of Angono, then to Santolan. The five hundred people who journeyed with the Brown Virgin all felt safe through their trips along steep mountain trails. Upon the orders of the Governor General the Virgin was brought to Cavite and stayed for 14 years.
Ten years from the said incident the Blessed Virgin was renamed to “Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage” after it’s five times travel to Acapulco, Mexico before it rested permanently in the town When the Blessed Virgin, was finally transferred to its original and permanent sanctuary, the Church of Antipolo. The devotees commemorate the transfer every year, as they join the “Alay Lakad” from Quiapo Church to the Antipolo Minster starting 8:00 p.m. every 30th of April until dawn of the following day 1st of May.