It was the 25th of February of 2012 when I got this Kamagong Stick, a work mate of mine named Lemuel Fuentes gave me this kamagong stick he said it was his father's stick who also practiced eskrima, no one is practicing eskrima in their family anymore and his father was already gone. I've met him when I was still working as their team leader in the assembly line at Sawo Finland at MEPZ2, I was assigned by the manager to interview and pick additional men in my area and going through those papers whom they hired was an experienced carpenter/assembly man, so I looked for him, I was surprised to see him in the machinery area carrying a trash bin, I told the manager that I need this guy, he had enough experience based on his previous job description in his resume, as I approached him I told him if he want to join my team, and he agreed and joyfully join our team. Days passed by and one of my team Eduard Maglasang who was into karatedo joined me in one of our training in Eskrima we would had a chat on breaktime about eskrima, Lemuel Fuentes heard about it and joined the conversation and said that his father was also into eskrima, that was the time he told me that he would give me his father's stick and on the 25th of February 2012 he went to our house and gave it to me, it is made of Kamagong (scientific name: Diospyros blancoi) a plant of the genus of ebony trees and persimmons which is a wood that is typically used as an impact weapon in the Filipino Martial Arts, the stick is 28" long , with a diameter of an inch, and had several chips at the center part of the stick maybe due to some impacts on trainings, and the bottom of the stick was shaped manually, its color was black and had a few strips of brown. I use this stick whenever I want to do and perform the basic routine that I usually practice, a round of the amaras and the basic defense and strike form in a slow and correct form for the stick is quite heavy compared to the usual rattan that I am comfortable with . The last time I visited him in his house he told me that a student of his father who is based at Palawan came to his house and was looking for his father and he told him that his father passed away, the guy then gave him a kamagong stick and said he brought the stick for his father. How I wish I would have known his father but then I'm still happy to have met his son.
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We were having a heritage walk at Parian, Cebu City along with me was my cousin we visited several old houses and found some antique bastons, I was into Filipino Martial Art so I'm happy to see some beautiful antique pieces of canes and sticks, we've visited the Yap-San Diego Ancestral House and Casa Gorordo. We've took some pictures at the old houses but there's something weird that happened at Casa Gorordo as we took a few shots while we were at the upper floor of the house at the back portion near the banyo the camera won't click and I told my cousin to stop taking pictures and we went out, we felt weird, while we were browsing pics we've noticed an image of a person reflected in the mirror, also attached in this post were pictures of the antique bastons that were displayed.
The town was organized in 1835 and named Catmon, the name Catmon is claimed to be after of a tree. Bantayan sa Hari or Watch Tower at Catmon-Daan, Cebu is a structure built around the 1800's which served to protect the locality from marauders from the seas, Padre Miguel de Jesus, an Augustinian Recollect from Spain, first chose this place for his church site the sitio of Catmon (now Catmon-daan). There he also constructed a garrison, a guard-tower or watchtower “Bantayan Sa Hari” to protect the first Spanish settlement from the depredations of the moro pirates plying the coastal areas. the structure is presently located inside the Catmon -Daan Elementary school where kids normally play around. Below were some pictures we took with my friend as we rode our bike all the way to Catmon. Liloan’s Bantayan sa Hari, a forgotten historical treasure that is located few meters away from the lighthouse, I had a hard time going to where it was located since going to where it stands has lots of cave on the ground and no proper trail and was full of shrubs. The Bantayan sa Hari was built around 1857. In the early part of the 17th century, Moros pillaged Liloan, sending residents fleeing for safety to Danao, when Moro raiders concentrated their attacks on Cebu’s north. The Moro raiders turned their attention to the north after the southern Cebu towns’ effective defense of their territories. The raiders not only divested local residents of goods, people were also snatched for slavery. The watchtower is now left to ruins and rubble, only its base part remain. Early Sunday morning while I was biking I took some shots at Marcelo Fernan Bridge a bridge connecting Lapu-Lapu City to Mandaue City and captured some landscape scenery of quasi-industrial and vaguely technological ambience of Lapu-Lapu City, Mandaue City and Cebu City. Speaking of progress , to some it means improvement or a change for the better and until it reach the stage that this so called progress worsens and threatens to destroy the world we are living and realize that this man made wonders are deemed curse I guess it's the only time we'll say "We have to stop this progress" and realize it is too late.
I watched an arnis tournament at Gaisano Grandmall, Students mostly in their highschool were playing the sport type of arnis, it is organized by Arnis Philippines and the group Magkuno Diamond Back Eskrima. I had a great talk with the Supreme Grand Master of Magkuno Diamond Back Eskrima, Ernesto "Erning" Berdin, his background in eskrima was Doce Pares the late Larry Alquizar and the late Momoy Canete were his mentors who taught him about eskrima. He also told me that the sport of Arnis is like a "Dawat-dawat you hit and you'll be hit, it is a sport but in real life you shouldn't be hit by the opponent at all, when an opponent strike you hit him back with 4-5 strikes" . I shook his hand as I went home and thank him for still being passionate with eskrima and teaching it to the next generation. I took some pictures of the tournament. pls. check them out... This language of ours is like any other,
it once had an alphabet and its own letters that vanished as though a tempest had set upon a boat on a lake in a time now long gone. "To My Fellow Children”, attributed to Jose Rizal, 1869 Baybayin is a pre-spanish Philippine writing system. The word baybayin is a Tagalog term that refers to all the letters used in writing a language, that is to say, an “alphabet” – although, to be more precise, the baybayin is more like a syllabary. It is from the root baybáy meaning, “spell.” Nowadays we can see baybayin used in tattoos, grafittis, artwork etc. for more info about baybayin please visit these links: http://www.baybayin.com http://www.mts.net/~pmorrow/bayeng1.htm#literacy I woke up early dawn today, fix myself up and ride a bicycle from Lapu-Lapu City to Mandaue City, I went to 711 store at Tabok, Mandaue City to buy something and while I got out of the store I saw my fraternity brods on 2 trucks also on a relief operation, they were going also to north particularly Daan Bantayan, I greeted them with a handshake and they left as I wait for my bicycle group to go to Medellin for our relief operation, while I'm waiting I was happy to see several groups going north, even though the national news focused more at Tacloban fellow Cebuano's are are really aware that our fellow Cebuano's from the North were also devastated by the storm Yolanda/Haiyan when it made it's landfall on Cebu. Trees that are standing lost its leaves, some fell down, houses turned to pieces, roofs are gone, people on the streets to beg for relief, it was a sad scenery of the aftermath of Yolanda. Behind those that happened positivism is just around, the smiles of the people you had helped, giving without expecting in return, the so called "Bayanihan" spirit, but most importantly the "LOVE", the love that is not selfish, the love that brings hope to those who are in despair, the love that can make a change for the common good. And please don't stop those who criticize the Government for we all know where our Government fail and one's feeling cannot be stopped, it's like a water from a river that is constantly flowing, try to stop it and it would overflow from the part where it is contained. The storm was worse but politicalamity was worst, we all saw it after the storm and if we all would not learn, history will always repeat itself. And lastly as a human being who lives on Earth, the battle for global warming is now.
We were on a ride, me and my highschool buddy Christian Maningo was riding our Dahon classic foldable bike to discover the adventure of the man called "Leon Kilat". Pantaleón Villegas y Soldi (July 27, 1873 – April 8, 1898) better known as León Kilat ("Lightning León" in Cebuano), was a revolutionary leader in Cebu during the Philippine Revolution against Spain. At the heart of Carcar, Cebu a sculpture of Leon Kilat made by sculptor Sarmiento, Roman (II) with a scripture “Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori.” on the left side which is a Horatian ode that means "It is sweet and fitting to die for one's country." and on the right side of the statue etched a scripture saying "Your nation's heart, your grave will be, your monument, a nation free" a quote from Caroline Atherton Mason, to honor Abraham Lincoln. The quote here substituted Nation for People which was her original. Leon Kilat's Anting-Anting displayed at Museo Sugbo The local revolutionaries came up with a psychological tactic to strengthen their resolve to fight the Spaniards. Relatives in Bacong, Negros Oriental would testify that Leon Kilat had the uncanny ability to appear in places from seemingly out of nowhere and disappear, using his handkerchief like a magic carpet. Thus the name "Kilat" (lightning). Kilat willingly told his fellow Katipuneros his secret anting-anting. First was the vistidora, a chasuble-like cloth worn over one's clothes. Printed on it were symbolic words and religious pictures and corrupted Latin and Spanish words and phrases. The frontal part of the vistidora had the image of God the Father at the upper portion. It also had images of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, heads of the Three Persons, the heads of the 12 Apostles, angels, archangels and seraphims carrying swords and chalices. Corrupted Latin and Spanish words that appeared on the cloth were Cruz passion y muerte cruz de Cristo salva mi tress Ave Maria, Adit Dium Empacturom en visto virgo Jesus Jesus. The back part of the clothing also bore the image of God the Father at the uppermost portion. The images of [St. James the Apostle] and St. Michael, both riding horses and carrying swords, occupied the lower part. The center lowermost portion was the palm of the right hand which had the usual Latin and Spanish inscriptions. Another amulet was a triangle-shaped clothing inscribed with several words and numbers. It was divided into nine smaller triangles. Gibison Gaodio magnobaldi contra bala epica egosom pactom Dominom Diom Pactom Jesom Pleom Tom Jesus were some of the words found in that piece of clothing. This was wound around the katipunero's head to shield him from head injuries. A substitute was a small triangular piece of cloth or paper on which the magical words have been written. This was attached to the brim of the hat. A third clothing, about two finger breadths in width, had the image of an angel carrying a kris, with the following Spanish words: Salvate Deus, Los que defienden de la patria como nuestro defensa en la patria celestial contra los demonios. The local katipuneros were also made to place inside their mouths a round piece of paper about the size of one peso, with the following words inscribed in the center: Hiesus lamuroc milano. Around the paper were written: Panes teurom nam butrates luz itirre quetram bobis viva buturiam. At the other side of that paper was written the letters K.K.K. It was called hostia redentora and believed to be powerful in preventing feelings of hunger or thirst during a long fight or long journey. Francisco Ma. Labrador was the young katipunero from San Nicolas whom Leon Kilat entrusted the task of writing the magical formulae. Labrador used wooden stamp marker to hasten his task. Others who helped him with this task were Elpidio Rama, Anastacio Rama and Simplicio Alaura. It was Rama who was assigned by Kilat the task of giving out the correct measure and appearance of the vistidora. There were precautions in wearing the anting-anting. All those who were given these objects were repeatedly warned not to carry money or other metal objects, aside from their weapons, and not to allow themselves to be touched by women. If they do not follow these they would lose the effectiveness of the anting-anting . Few Filipinos know that on April 3, 1898, Pantaleon Villegas who was known by his nom de guerre as "Leon Kilat" (he originally came from Negros Oriental) fought the Spanish troops along the corner of what is now known as Tres de Abril and V. Rama Ave. in Cebu City and routed them. The Spaniards retreated to the safety of Ft. San Pedro (A picture of Fort San Pedro with m black bike on the side) and holed out there for four long days, while Leon Kilat's revolutionaries had full control of Cebu City. "Tana, moalsa kita karong adlawa. Kadtong saad ayaw na'g hulata, dili ta kini palabyong adlawa. Kay usa ka gutlo nga paglangan, libo ka dupa ang kadaugan sa atbang." (Come, let us start the uprising today. Let's not wait for the promised help, we will not let this day pass. A moment wasted means a thousand steps victory for the enemy.) - Leon Kilat By early morning Thursday, April 7, unknown to Katipuneros, the cruiser Don Juan Austria chartered merchant steamer Churruca arrived from Manila. Aboard were loyalist troops commanded by Gen. Celestino Fernandez Tejeiro. These were seasoned veterans. Sensing that they were up against a better-armed enemy, the Katipuneros started a retreat, with a lot of them finally looking for refuge in the mountains of Cebu. They abandoned their positions in the city. Those from Lutao joined the large group from Recolletos and took positions beyond the Forbes bridge. The cruiser would later drive them off by massive bombardment, leaving behind a good number of casualties. The massive attacks forced the Katipunan forces to disperse outside the city. A group led by Leon Kilat proceeded to Kabkab (Carcar), thinking that because there was a group there, they would not starve. Kabkab was also far from the sea, thus making it difficult for the ships to bombard them. Little did Kilat suspect that his retreat would end tragically. The retreat of the katipuneros from San Nicolas and the city paved the way for the widespread arrests and executions of other civilians, whether or not they were involved in katipunan. But of all the katipuneros who met their end, it was their leader Leon Kilat who died most tragically not only for the manner of his death but for the betrayal by one of his men in Carcar on April 8, 1898. Even before the katipuneros’ arrival in that southern town, Kabkab (Carcar) residents already learned of their defeat at the hands of the Spaniards, following the arrival of reinforcements from Manila. They had mixed feelings about accepting Leon Kilat, afraid of retaliation from their Spanish masters. Kabkab leaders, like kapitan Florencio Noel (Tan Insyong), Timoteo Barcenilla, kapitan Kadyo Jaen, kapitan Jacinto Velez, kapitan Simeon Paras, told Andres Abellana: “Tell Kilat to finish fighting in Naga, not in Kabkab.” To which Abellana retorted: “Sa wa pa mosibog si Don Leon nganhi, ang mga tawo gipahibawo una nga anhi padangpon sa Kabkab kay anhi tapusa ang away. Ug karon nga anhi na ang mga tawo, malisud na ang pagsulti kanila sa tagsa-tagsa nga ang away adto usab tapusa sa laing dapit.” (Before Leon retreated here, people were informed that they should proceed to Carcar because the fight will end here. Now that people are here, it is difficult to tell them that the fight will be somewhere else.) Ang Dakong Balay ni Don Florencio Noel Built on 1874 the owners Don Florencio Noel and Filomena Jaen had their two-storey house constructed with strong materials of wood and stone to last for ages. It probably is the oldest house along Sta. Catalina street which is fronting the plaza, the church, convent, school and the municipal hall - an address which gives a hint to the Noel’s social standing at that time. The house wherein the murder plan for Leon Kilat was hatched. In the story of Vicente Alcoseba who was with the group of Kilat at that time, the plan to kill the latter was actually hatched at the confessional in the church. The coadjutor at the time, a Fr. Francisco Blanco who was teaching Latin at the Colegio-Seminario de San Carlos, would not meet kapitan Florencio Noel at the convent because it would be suspicious. Alcoseba said it was Blanco who suggested to Noel that the only way Kabkab (Carcar) could avoid the retaliation of the Spaniards was to kill Kilat. Little did Kilat suspect what would befall him that fateful Good Friday in 1898 in Carcar because when he arrived in the evening of Holy Thursday, he was accorded a courtesy due a visiting dignitary. First, he went to the house of kapitan Paras, then later transferred to the house of kapitan Tiyoy Barcenilla where he and his men were tendered goat’s meat, chicken and pork. After supper, he was offered coffee and ginebra at the sala. While his men were telling stories of the uprising in Cebu, he asked kapitan Tiyoy if he could call a tailor who could make a “traje de rayadillo” which had become the katipunan’s uniform. He wanted to change his clothes the next morning after he took a bath. Minutes later, a tailor named Segundo Alcordo came with his metrosan (a tailor’s tape measure) to take his measurements. Meantime, the plotters appeared ill at ease, said Alcoseba. Tiyoy Barcenilla could not stay put in his seat. Sometimes, he would confer with kapitan Kadyo at the back of the house and talk in whispers. Minutes later, he would shift to Kapitan Gundoy, as if something else was going on. Then Apolinario Alcuitas, a recruit of the katipunan in Kabkab, shouted for everyone to hear: “Mga kaigsoonan, ipahibalo ko kaninyo nga karong gabhiona, may ihawon akong kabayo.” (Brothers, I would like to announce that tonight I am going to slaughter a horse.) At that time, Alcoseba could not understand the meaning of all these.Since Leon Kilat was tired, it did not take long before sleep was in order. The room assigned to him was the one near the stairs of the five-bedroom house of Barcenilla. A son of the owner, Vicente, curious about Kilat’s exploits, had a brief talk with the latter. He was the last person to talk to him alive. For a while, Vicente and his uncle Mariano Alfafara talked for some minutes in the corridor outside the room occupied by Kilat. Very soon, they too, went to sleep in another room. Mariano was persuaded by Vicente to stay that night. Vicente would wake up a few hours later when he heard loud noises coming from Kilat’s room. He awakened Mariano and both went outside at once, only to be met by Florencio Noel coming up the stairs, carrying a huge crucifix and asking excitedly: “Naunsa na? Naunsa na?” (Has anything happened yet?) Then Noel shouted: “Viva Espa¤a! Viva España!” Several others outside the house responded.Vicente found the maid Kitay and both went inside Kilat’s room from where loud noises came. There he saw to his shock the limp body of Kilat being pinned down by eight men, with some of them taking turns at stabbing it. The skull had been earlier smashed with with the butt of Kilat’s own gun. “Buhi pa ba?” Vicente heard Vinsyong Cui ask. “Patay na intawon,” answered Kitay. Vicente who was speechless leaned against the wall, in shock. Then they took his body down the stairs till Cui told the other conspirators: “Ihunong. Ibutang una ninyo. Atong sulayan, ambi tuod dili ba dutlan.” (Stop. Put it down. Let’s see if he is invulnerable.) Each one took turns at stabbing the dead body and breaking some of his limbs. Then they carried Leon Kilat’s body to the center of the town where it was displayed for all residents to see. It was 5:00 early Friday morning. In 1926, Leon Kilat’s remains were found along several others. The top-most part of his skull is missing. By virtue of a resolution by the municipal government of Bacong on August 2, 1926 the bones of Leon Kilat were transferred and finally laid to rest in his hometown of Bacong. The legend and memory of Pantaleon Villegas, known as Leon Kilat still stands tall and a monument in his honor has been erected right in the heart of his hometown in Bacong, Negros Oriental. A picture of my bike at the door of "Dakong Balay ni Don Florencio Noel"
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