On October 3, 2015, I went to Pasig
City, Philippines with my cousin, Rose Ann Zapanta. From EDSA and Shaw
Boulevard (Crossing), we took a jeepney ride going to Capitol Commons.
Capitol Commons is a new shopping and commercial complex in Pasig City
which is located at the former site of Rizal Provincial Capitol. The new
Rizal Provincial Capitol is now located in Antipolo City since March
2009. After the transfer of Rizal Provincial Capitol from Pasig City to
Antipolo City with the help of Ortigas Company, the capitol building at
the old site is returned to Ortigas Company. Later, the old capitol
building is demolished and converted into shopping and commercial
complex. They called it Capitol Commons because the former site is Rizal
Provincial Capitol.
Let's talk about the history of Rizal
because it is part of the history of Pasig City. On June 11, 1901, the
province of Rizal was created and Pasig became its capital. The first
capitol building is located at Lopez Jaena Street in Barangay Santa Rosa
(near to Pasig River) which was built in 1901. During Japanese
Occupation and World War II, the capitol building was used for prison
and it is damaged by fire in 1944. From then, the capitol building
didn't repair because of the shortage of the provincial fund.
Later in 1950, the Ortigas Company donated their building to the
provincial government of Rizal which is located at Shaw Boulevard corner
Meralco Avenue. That building became the second capitol building. Rizal
became a premier province because Manila is surrounded by the towns of
Rizal. The towns which are closer to Manila became most progressive
including Pasig, its capital.
On November 7, 1975, Metro Manila
was created thru Presidential Decree 824 and the 12 most progressive
towns are separated from Rizal. Because of that, the second capitol
building became out of the provincial territory for more than 30 years
because Pasig is also separated from the province . Pasig became an
independent city on January 21, 1995. Still, the second capitol building
is out of the provincial territory.
On March 4, 2009, the
capitol building of Rizal was transferred from Pasig City to Antipolo
City with the help again of Ortigas Company. The new building in
Antipolo City is their third capitol building. The old capitol building
in Shaw Boulevard is returned to the donor and later, it is demolished
and converted into shopping and commercial complex. Right now, that site
is Capitol Commons.
We walked around at Capitol Commons and
there are many restaurants, fast food chains, and office buildings
there. Later, there will be new condominiums and townhouses in the area.
After that, we took again a jeepney ride and we dropped off
at Barangay Santa Rosa to visit the old provincial capitol of Rizal
along Lopez Jaena Street. Unfortunately, the area is closed to the
public and you can take the pictures from outside. The whole area is
closed and secured by wire fences . We're glad that the first capitol is
still there. The government of Pasig City is trying to preserve and
build the first capitol building later for their tourist spot.
After that, we went to the downtown area of Pasig City. The city hall
is now bigger and taller. The public market is still the same. I missed
Pasig City very much because I used to live there in Barangay Rosario
when I was working at CFC Corporation (now Universal Robina Corporation)
and Republic Asahi Glass Corporation. I was eating my lunch and dinner
at the carinderias of Pasig public market. Unfortunately, because of the
shortage of time, we are not able to visit at my former residence at
Barangay Rosario along Ortigas Avenue. We just passed along Shaw
Boulevard and Pasig Boulevard.
While riding in a jeepney going
back to EDSA Crossing, we passed at Rizal Medical Center along Pasig
Boulevard. Rizal Medical Center is formerly Rizal Provincial Hospital.
Because Pasig is separated from Rizal, Rizal Provincial Hospital is
changed later into Rizal Medical Center. I'm glad that the hospital is
still there in spite of being a crowded city.
Pasig City is
still a memorable place for me since my childhood days. We used to visit
my aunt and my relatives often in Barangay Rosario and visit at Pasig
public market. There are so many changes in Pasig City because there are
many buildings and establishments and the whole city becomes more
crowded. The traffic is so terrible especially during rush hours at
Ortigas Avenue and Shaw Boulevard as well as in Ortigas Center where
most of the Head Office of the well known companies are located.
#RizalCapitol #OrtigasCenter #CapitolCommons #Pasig #Rizal
On October 1, 2015, we went to
Panghulo, Obando, Bulacan, Philippines to visit my aunt, Dolores "Nene"
Balajadia Villaluz and her family there. We went there at night because
we came from Holy Cross Memorial Park and we visited our relatives in
Caloocan City. It was raining and we got stuck in traffic that's why we
went there at night.
Because of my hectic schedule, I decided
to proceed my visit to my aunt even at night. I want to see my aunt
there while she's still alive. My two uncles, my aunt, and even my
father are already passed away. I have four aunts left, my father's
remaining siblings. Two of my aunts are residing in Pacifica,
California, USA.
Tiya Nene and her family are long time
resident of Panghulo, Obando, Bulacan. They are big family because her
children have grandchildren. Tiya Nene and her husband, Tito Mario have
great grandchildren. Almost all of them are residing in a same house or
residence. They still have sari-sari store at their house until now.
That's their source of income until now. They are selling foods,
household items, cigarettes, soft drinks and so on. Many of their
children as well as their grandchildren are finished in their college
and have stable job.
Tiya Nene is weak already because she
can't walk very well and she needs an assistant especially for using
restroom and bathroom. Sometimes Tiya Nene is forgetful especially at
her age according to my cousins and their children. Thanks God that Tito
Mario is still in good condition and currently manages their sari-sari
store.
While traveling to Panghulo, Obando, Bulacan along M. H.
Del Pilar Street, we noticed that the Arkong Bato or stone arch is
changed already. The old Arkong Bato is damaged by a huge and big truck.
The Arkong Bato is repaired but they changed the structure slightly.
They removed the printed boundary names which are Bulacan and Rizal
because Valenzuela and Malabon are already independent cities and part
of National Capital Region.
Arkong Bato was built in 1910
during American Period. It was an official boundary of the provinces of
Bulacan and Rizal. Valenzuela was part of Bulacan and Malabon was part
of Rizal. M. H. Del Pilar Street was an official road going to Bulacan
before McArthur Hi-Way and even North Luzon Expressway.
Arkong
Bato is so memorable to me because it reminds my childhood days. We used
to passed Arkong Bato every time we're visiting my relatives especially
during the fiesta of Panghulo, Obando, Bulacan every last Sunday of
May. The residence of Tiya Nene and her family is located along F.
Navarette Street which is second road from Arkong Bato. F. Navarette
Street has a man statue still at the center. If you proceed to F.
Navarette Street straight, it's already a part of Obando, Bulacan. Tiya
Nene's residence is near to Valenzuela and Obando boundary. Panghulo is a
big barangay that is divided into two areas. The first area is part of
Malabon and the other area is part of Obando.
#Balajadia #ArkongBato #Panghulo #Obando #Valenzuela #Bulacan #Malabon #Rizal
On October 1, 2015, we went to Holy
Cross Memorial Park in Novaliches, Quezon City, Philippines with my
mother and my cousins to visit the grave of my grandparents, uncles,
aunt, and our other relatives.
Holy Cross Memorial Park is a
well known private cemetery in Philippines. There are many changes in
the memorial park within six years. Before at my grandparents' grave,
the vacant lot was so wide at the side. We used to build our tent during
All Saints Day every year at the vacant lot. Right now, there are many
new graves besides my grandparents' grave. Because of this, it is
impossible for us to build the tent during All Saints Day. It is
impossible for us also to stay for the whole day during All Saints Day
because sometimes there's a heavy rain and the worst is traffic. It is
very hard for everyone to visit in cemetery during All Saints Day on
November 1. The whole cemetery is so crowded on November 1. Some people
are preferred to visit the grave of their loved ones on October 31 or
November 2.
We visited the grave of my grandparents, two
uncles, and aunt. They are the parents and siblings of my father. My
aunt's grave is located neat to restroom and sidewalk while my
grandparents and two uncles are located in one grave besides the road.
Their grave is also near to restroom.
Few steps away to the
left from the restroom, we visited the grave of our other relatives.
They are the cousin, uncle, aunt, and grandaunt of my grandmother at my
father's side also. They were close to our family because my grandmother
was living at her aunt during her younger days. Her uncle and aunt
adopted her until she got married to my grandfather.
Thanks God
that we had a chance to visit my grandparents, uncles, and aunt as well
as our other relatives in spite of my hectic schedule in Philippines. I
would like to give thanks to my cousin because he gave us a ride going
to the cemetery.
#HolyCrossMemorialPark #Novaliches #QuezonCity #Rizal
