The Philippines Today, Yesterday, and Tomorrow
Felix Laureano: The First Filipino Photographer Felix Laureano was born on November 20, 1866, in Patnongon, Antique into a prominent landowning family. His mother, Norverta Laureano, was a businesswoman while his father, Manuel Asencio, was a friar from Zamora, Spain. Laureano, along with his siblings (Santiago, Maria, Consolacion, Vicente, Trinidad, and Jesusa), grew up in … Read more
Heritage Churches of Iloilo Iglesia features the work of Ilonggo artist Cristhom Selibio Setubal who uses found and disposed objects to recreate the likeness of Iloilo heritage churches. Through waste materials like aluminum sheets, espresso pods, computer parts, beads, chicken wire, and copper wire, he creatively highlights the details of these well-loved structures. Setubal’s process … Read more
Gold in Precolonial Philippines Gold or Bulawan was abundant in the pre-colonial Philippines. The archipelago’s early inhabitants wore gold lavishly. Iloilo is linked to the “gold routes” in the Philippines, from the mines of Northern Luzon through gold-rich Paracale in Bicol, going southward to the Visayas where Cebu and Panay dominate the trade. During the … Read more
Among the three martyr priests, the least is known about Father Jacinto Zamora. His memory is even maligned by allegations that he enjoyed gambling and that it was supposedly why he became implicated in the Cavite Mutiny. However, he is remembered by his descendants as being loyal to his duties. On one occasion, according to … Read more
Golden Eyelids and Lips of the Dead Gold artifacts have been unearthed across the Philippines, shedding light on the sophisticated craftsmanship and burial practices of pre-colonial Filipino societies. These artifacts, including gold ornaments, jewelry, and ceremonial objects, have been discovered in various archaeological. Displayed at the UST Museum is a gold death mask found in … Read more