The Philippines Today, Yesterday, and Tomorrow
Fire Signs, hearts up! This year’s Holy Week will be notable as the transition between the first 2 Fire Signs of the Kapampángan Zodiac (Limbúlan), Punî and Mágdarámé, will coincide with it! Punî (the shrine of reading) & Mágdarámé (the penitent) are the 10th & 11th signs of Limbúlan. They are based on two iconic … Read more
La Mestiza This term refers to a woman born of two different nationalities, typically a Filipino mother and a European father. Throughout his photo book Recuerdos de Filipinas, Felix Laureano celebrates his people and their land in various social, cultural, and folkloric aspects. However, he concluded the book by celebrating the beauty of the Filipino … Read more
Cuadrilleros Filipinos Cuadrilleros were auxiliary guards to the Guardia Civil and were in charge of safeguarding the local population. They replaced the old Comisarios del Tribunal which used to perform their function. Cuadrilleros had strong ties to local power and at times turned into vigilantes. This photograph by Felix Laureano was published in Ilustracion Artistica … Read more
The Working Women of the 19th Century Manila Mujer del Campo or Mujer Indigena “Magtanim ay ‘di biro.” As the famous folk song goes, the farmer’s work is never easy, especially during the 19th century when mechanized milling and farming were not yet widespread in the country. During that time, one could still see farmers … Read more
Dr. Alyssa M. Peleo-Alampay is a geologist, paleontologist, professor, author, research collaborator of the National Museum of the Philippines, and a proud mother of three. She is also the Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs (Quality Assurance) of the University of the Philippines system. For over two decades, she has mentored and supervised many of … Read more