65. MINERALS NATIVE TO MAGALANG AND PAMPANGA

 

Magaleño Youth in an Unknown Cave

In the light of the current issue of cleaning and beautification of Buyuc ning Menila (Manila bay) including the dumping of crushed dolomite quarried from Cebu, there are several studies published by Philippine Journal of Science of the Bureau of Science (forerunner of the present Department of Science and Technology) tells about the minerals quarried and used in different infrastructure projects during those times. In Pampanga, we are lucky that we have different minerals sources thanks to the pre-historic eruption of Mt. Pinatubo. 

Way back to the Spanish period, various structures of the old buildings such as large and beautiful churches are made up wood, sand and stone which are quarried from Porac, Pampanga. The heritage church of San Bartolome Parish is one of the best examples, its stone buttresses are made up of large stones quarried from Porac. When the Americans established its presence in the Philippines, they launched various scientific studies in order to know of what are the natural resources that can be economically exploited for the benefit of their interests. One of them is the minerals found in the Philippines either precious or non precious minerals. 

According to a study published by Philippine Journal of Science in 1907, there is a presence of white siliceous clay in barrio San Agustin. This kind of clay is one of the examples of building materials. Possibly, this clay is found in Sapa Masalibusud known today as Dapa Creek. Sand is also abundant in Quitangil riverb and it is made up of volcanic material. It was used as one of the building materials in the construction of Magalang Municipal Building in 1923. Gravel was also abundant in Paitan riverbank and it is classified as Seoriacious basalt, used also as one of the building materials in the construction of the municipal hall. 

Aside from Magalang, there is abundant sources of sand in other parts in Pampanga. In Angeles, there is a abundance of sand in Abacan river. In Mexico, there is also a significant presence of sand in barrio Sto Rosario and town of Sta Ana particularly in barrio San Agustin. Floridablanca has also recorded significant source of sand in Valdez river. 

When Mt. Pinatubo erupted in 1991, the towns of Porac and Bacolor are the most affected towns during the eruption. However after the unforgettable tragedy, these towns emerged as one of the source of construction sand, and it is one of their income generators not only to their municipality but also to the province also. Magalang's last known quarry operation was located in barrio La Paz formerly owned by the late Cecilio T. Manalili. It was totally ceased operations around 2000s. 

Pampanga is still one of the preferred sources of construction sand and gravel. Despite of traumatic experience caused by the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo in 1991, it also gave a thriving and income generating industry which will uplift the lives of Kapampangans. 

Photo Credits:

Angeles University Foundation- Institute of Kapampangan Studies

Sources:

Aguilar, R.H. (1927) Concrete Value of Philippine Sand, Gravel and Crushed Stone, The Philippine Journal of Science, Bureau of Science, Manila 

Cox, Alvin J. (1907) The Occurrence, Composition and Radioactivity of the Clays from Luzon, Philippine Islands, The Philippine Journal of Science, Bureau of Science, Manila

45. AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION ATTRACTS YOUNG STUDENTS IN MAGALANG AND IN PAMPANGA

All we know that agriculture is very important in every aspect of our lives. It provides food and even economic benefits. Thus, the insular government of the Philippines supported agricultural education. They established agricultural schools in some provinces in the Philippines. We are lucky that they revitalized the existing agricultural experiment station located in the foothills of Mt. Arayat in Magalang. They decided to put up a school way back in 1901 but it was only in 1918 when it was formally implemented. The American authorities put up Pampanga Agricultural School and later it was renamed into Pampanga Agricultural High School which is known today as Pampanga State Agricultural University. In an news account according to the local Spanish language periodical, La Vanguardia; many students are attracted to pursue agricultural education. And many of them are came from different provinces in the Philippines. As stated by the periodical published in June 21, 1934:

"Surpassing the enrollment record last year, the Pampanga Agricultural High School's enrollment had been increased due to a new trend. The students are preferred to take practical studies than academic studies. The registration of the new students was extended until the 25th day of this month, and it will expected that more students are matriculated in this school than last year. The unexpected increase of enrollment in the agricultural school of this province; seems to indicate that many parents are sending their children to this school so that their children can attend practical studies; and academic studies seem don't produce satisfactory results. And despite of economic crisis that affected in the neighboring provinces, which the province of Pampanga is still unaffected; parents are convinced, that in order to ensure the empowerment of their children and to promote economic development of the province. And this is also the best way to make their children to learn and perfect themselves in the work for the stable economic of the province and for the whole country. This is verified by the fact that the enrollment in the high schools in Bacolor and San Fernando is lower compared to last year.    

Photo Credits:

www.historyplace.comunitedstateschildlaborhine-horse.

Source:

La Agricultura Atrae a Muchos en la Pampanga, La Vanguardia, Thursday, June 21, 1934, Manila page 3. 

  

21.SPANISH DIRECTORS OF LA GRANJA MODELO DE LUZON

Since the creation of La Granja Modelo de Luzon in 1874, it was initially under the tight watch of Spanish company, Coteron y Compania. However, Spanish colonial government had also strong influence over the granja's operations. When La Granja was transferred its control to La Comision Agronomica de Filipinas in 1881, Spanish government through the Ministerio de Ultramar (Ministry of Colonies) in Madrid, started to appoint Spanish directors whom they holding a degree of ingeniero agronomo (equivalent to the present degree of Agricultural Engineer) or other related degrees. These Spanish directors of La Granja finished their education in Spain. Before they appointed directors of la granja, they already appointed in the same position in other agricultural institutions in Spain and in other colonies. In this post, these are the partial list of Spanish directors of the granja and their respective biographies: 

Jose Alemany Penalva- first director of La Granja Modelo de Luzon. Native of Alicante, Alicante province. He was initially appointed as catedratico (professor) of agriculture in now defunct Instituto de Baeza. He later appointed as secretary of Junta de Agricultura Industria of Castellon province. He also taught agricultural subjects in now defunct Instituto de Castellon. After his brief stint in Castellon, he served as perito de la riqueza rustica (rural farm expert) of Comision Especial de Estadistica of Seville province. Due to his extensive experience in agriculture, he was sent to the Philippines in 1881; and he was appointed as secretary of Junta de Agricultura de Manila. In the same year also, he was appointed as first director of La Granja Modelo de Luzon, whom is still located in San Isidro, Nueva Ecija. He died on January 2, 1883 when their boarded ship, Lipa was exploded and sunk in Laguna de Bay together with his assistant, Luciano Lizarraga Ibarrola. According to his hoja de servicios, he was credited for writing a study for propagation of sugarcane and eucalyptus while he was in Castellon. He also conducted lectures and conferences in Castellon in the fields of agricultural meteorology, hemp propagation and agricultural sanitation. He also one of the contributors in various agricultural weekly papers like, Gaceta de Agricola, Revisitas Agricola del Liberal, La Integridad de Pabia and La Lectura de Castellon. He held several positions in various organizations in Spain; he was appointed director of Sociedad Española de Agricultura, and at the same time, he was appointed as honorary president of the same organ by King Alfonso XII of Spain. He become director of now defunct, La Escuela de Agricultura de Aranjuez, owned by Marques de Peracampo.

Mariano de Castro Gavalda- native of Madrid, he obtained his degree of perito catastro (cadastral expert) in now defunct Escuela Especial de la Topografia Catastral. He was initially appointed as ayudante practico de catastro (auxiliary cadastral expert) in Cuerpo de Topografos in Spain. Due to his excellent record, he was sent to Cuba in 1879 and he was appointed as Ynspector de Agricultura of agricultural town of Mayari, Cuba. After his brief stint in Cuba, he was sent back to Spain and he was appointed as member of Comision de Topografica. He served also as director of Estacion de Virticola y Enologica in Tarragona province in Spain, a viticulture station known for the extensive study of grape cultivation and wine making. He later sailed back to Cuba in 1882 and he was appointed as professor of Mathematics in Instituto de Segunda de Enseñanza de Sta Clara in Sta Clara, Cuba. At the same time, he also taught Mathematics in now defunct Escuela de Agricultura del Circulo de Hecudados in Havana, Cuba. During his stay in Cuba, he was appointed as board member of various government posts; he held as board member of Junta de Agricultura, Yndustria y Comercio and later, he was appointed as Ynspector y Director of Yngenios Centrales by Conde de Ybañez. Due to his exemplary service in Cuba, he was awarded by the Governor General of Cuba a prestigious Cruz de la Una Clase del Merito Militar. In 1883, Ministerio de Ultramar appointed him to his last position, as the second director of La Granja Modelo de Luzon. He sailed to the Philippines in 1883. During his tenure, he oversaw the transfer of the granja from San Isidro, Nueva Ecija to the foothills of Mt. Arayat in Magalang, Pampanga. After a year, the granja joined the Exposicion General de las Islas Filipinas held in Madrid in 1887. However, Don Mariano didn't see the success of the granja after he oversaw its transfer, he died in Magalang in the same year. After his death, la granja won the prestigious diploma honor award.

Bernardo Jimenez de Perez- he obtained his degree of Ingeniero Agronomo (Agricultural Engineering) in Instituto Agricola de Alfonso XII in 1882 (now the present Escuela Tecnica Superior de Ingenieros Agronomos, part of Universidad Politecnica de Madrid system in Madrid, Spain). After the death of his predecessor, Mariano de Castro Gavalda, this young director sailed for the Philippines in 1888. He held the position as third director of La Granja Modelo de Luzon until he resigned in 1891 due to health reasons.

When Americans took over the Philippines, they initially appointed American military officers as provisional directors of the granja under Bureau of Agriculture. When la granja was converted into Pampanga Agricultural School in 1918, it was headed by a school principal appointed by the Bureau of Education. It was later headed by a school superintendent in 1938 when it was converted into a national institution. Until 1974, when the school was converted into Pampanga Agricultural College, it was headed by a college president appointed directly by the president of the Philippines. And until 2015, when the college once more converted into Pampanga State Agricultural University, it was headed by the university president, appointed by the president of the Philippines. The present university president is Dr. Honorio M. Soriano, Jr.

Photo Credit: Evangelina H. Lacson collections; Angeles University Foundation; Institute of Kapampangan Studies.

Archival Sources:

Expediente personal del director de la Granja Modelo de Luzon, Bernardo Gimenez 1887/1892; http://pares.mcu.es/ retrieved: December 28, 2016

Expediente personal del director de la Granja Modelo de Luzon, Jose Alemany Penalva 1881/1883; http://pares.mcu.es/ retrieved: December 28, 2016

Expediente personal del director de la Granja Modelo de Luzon, M. de Castro Gavalda 1882/1888; http://pares.mcu.es/ retrieved: December 28, 2016

Book Sources:

Bartolo, Louie Aldrin L. and Dizon, Lino L.,Manila: The Magalang Book: The Historical Life and Culture of a Kapampangan Town (1605-2015); National Commission for Culture and the Arts, 2016

14.LA GRANJA MODELO DE LUZON'S PRICED PRODUCTS AT 1887 EXPOSICION FILIPINA

Exposicion General de las Islas Filipinas was held in Madrid, Spain in 1887. The exposicion aims to showcase the different native products and masterpieces of Filipinos. Their products are exhibited in the zoological garden of Madrid. This exposicion where some famous Filipinos earned their recognition for their contributions in different fields. One of them is the Filipino painter, Juan Luna who awarded diploma honor for his masterpieces, Charing, Isla de Guideca and Muerte de Cleopratra. Another Filipino painter, Felix Resureccion Hidalgo earned medalla de oro for his masterpiece. La Barca de Aqueronte. And also in the list, is the Filipino author and labor leader, Isabelo de los Reyes, earned medalla de plata for his selection, Folklore Filipina. The exposicion earned praises from Spanish colonial government for its success however, there are some flaws that mirrored the abuses committed by the Spaniards to Filipinos. One of the examples is the exhibit of Igorots; whom provoked Dr, Jose P. Rizal to condemn the exhibit. He said, "let the Philippines forget that her sons have been treated like this; to be exhibited and ridiculed". Pampanga's, priced products are also exhibited in the exposicion. Their exhibits were far ranging, from agricultural products, woodcraft and other products. It also included in the exhibit are the skeletal remains and craniums of deceased Aetas from Porac and nearby province of Bataan. 

One of the most fascinating exhibit that i've seen in the catalogo of the exposicion is the agricultural products of the experiment station, La Granja Modelo de Luzon, an experiment station who is under the Spanish colonial government institution, La Comision Agronomica de Islas Filipinas. After the transfer of the experiment station from San Isidro, Nueva Ecija to the foothills of Mt. Arayat in Magalang in 1885, La Granja earned its early successes in the fields of agriculture in the said exposicion. The lists of its products exhibited in the exposicion are listed in Catalogo de la Exposicion General de las Islas Filipinas:

Añil (indigo), fruto del algonodero (cotton), dahon, palay, aceite de semilla de algodon, (cottonseed oil), aceite de semilla de coco (coconut oil), aceite de semilla de ajonjoli, (sesame oil), aceite de semilla de trementina (turpentine oil), palay, twenty eight samples, mongos, five samples, azucar (sugar), fourteen samples, algodon (cotton), four samples, semilla de algodon (cotton seeds), three samples, maiz (corn), two samples, tabaco en rama (raw tobacco leaves), eleven samples and two classes of tierras (soil). 

Tabaco (tobacco), from the province of Pampanga, with three samples in exhibit; classified with in exhibit numbers 1, 2 and 3. Maiz (corn) zea maiz harvested in Pampanga with different classes. Included also in the exhibit is the plano (plan) for the occupation and cultivation of land in La Granja. 

After the exposicion, La Granja Modelo de Luzon, earned diploma honor in the fields of agriculture. That award gave honor to the institution that become the catalyst of the agricultural development not in Magalang, but also in the whole Philippines. After many years, La Granja developed further its capabilities and expertise in the field of agriculture. This Spanish institution will become the present Pampanga State Agricultural University, one of the respected agricultural universities in the Philippines. 

Sources: Catalogo de la Exposicion General de las Islas Filipinas, Est. Tipografico de Ricardo Fe Madrid, España, 1887  pages 410, 421 and 478.

Photo Credit: http://www.bne.es/es/Micrositios/Exposiciones/Rizal/Exposicion

9.MAGALANG ACCORDING TO ANUARIO DEL COMERCIO

Since its establishment of Magalang in April 30, 1605; the primary industry of the town is agriculture. Magalang's agricultural lands is devoted to rice and sugarcane. A small plantation of tobacco is planted in the the experiment station; La Granja Modelo de Luzon (now the Pampanga State Agricultural University). After the recovery of the town since its transfer from San Bartolome to San Pedro Talimunduc in 1863, the agriculture sector becomes thriving and small industries was established. During that time, a Spanish magazine, Anuario del Comercio published the lists of prominent persons in fields of agriculture, commerce and industry, local and religious leaders and even professionals in every provinces in Spain, including in the Philippines. Anuario del Comercio's publication started in 1881 and ended in 1911. The magazine provided the interesting details about Magalang's prominent persons in different fields. Here is the partial lists of prominent Magaleños according to Anuario del Comercio:

In 1886 Anuario del Comercio, the Juez de Paz of Magalang is, Pablo M. Luciano, parish priest, Fr. Fernando Vasquez, OSA, student with a degree of Colegio de Segunda Enseñanza, Tomas Gamboa and Commerciantes (native and Spanish merchants): Vicente Blanco, Vicente Gonzalez, Basilio Moreno, Santiago Store and Carlos Vega. 

In 1893 Anuario del Comercio, the capitan municipal is Manuel C. Gueco, juez de paz, Teopisto S. Ganzon, fiscal, Inocencio Espanol, estafeta de correo (post master), Raymundo Feliciano, director of La Granja Modelo de Luzon, Enrique Rodriguez de Celis, parish priest, Fr. Toribio Fanjul, OSA, Instruccion Publica (teachers); Profesor Serapion Carreon and Profesora Candida Ordoñez, cosecheros de azucar y palay (prominent rice and sugar planters), Pablo M. David, Ladislao C. Dayrit, Tomas Dizon, Juan P. Feliciano, Teopisto S. Ganzon, Daniel O. Lacson, Antonio Y. Luciano, Pablo M. Luciano, and Cirilo Tiamzon. constructor de carruajes (cart makers), Victoriano Pingul, comerciantes, Enrique Baluyut Sr., Lorenzo Ruano and Carlos Vega, farmaceutico (pharmacist), Bernardo Duesphy and talabartero (horse saddle maker), Florentino Felix. 

In 1896 Anuario del Comercio, the capitan municipal is Paulino C. Gueco, juez de paz, Pablo S. Lacson, fiscal, Inocencio Espanol, director of La Granja Modelo de Luzon, Enrique Rodriguez de Celis, parish priest, Fr. Jose Rodriguez Prada, OSA, Instruccion Publica, Profesor Serapion Carreon and Profesora Paula Rodriguez, cosecheros de azucar y palay (prominent rice and sugar planters), Faustina Baron and his sister, Silvestra Baron, Pablo M. David, Ladislao C. Dayrit, Tomas Dizon, Raymundo Feliciano, Teopisto S. Ganzon, Agustina Gueco de Tumang and his siblings, Gregorio C. Gueco, Manuel C. Gueco, Paulino C. Gueco, and Vicenta Gueco de Gantioqui; Aniceto S. Lacson, Daniel O. Lacson, Antonio Y. Luciano, Pablo M. Luciano and Cirilo Tiamzon; constructor de carruajes (cart makers), Vicente Naguit and Victoriano Pingul, comerciante, Enrique Baluyut Sr., farmaceutico (pharmacist), Bernardo Duesphy and talabartero (horse saddle maker), Alfonso Felix.

Anuario del Comercio proved that Magalang was the one of the emerging agricultural towns during Spanish period. Its emergence was halted when the revolution broke. When Americans came, Magalang entered its new phase of agricultural prosperity. 

Sources: Anuario del Comercio de la Industria años de 1886, 1893 y 1896

Photograph provided by the late Ariel H. Lacson (2013)

6.PAMPANGA STATE AGRICULTURAL UNIVERSITY

Pampanga State Agricultural University is one of the leading agricultural universities in the Philippines. It produces finest graduates finished in degrees from agricultural courses to teacher education. PSAU's contribution to fields of agriculture traces back to the Spanish period. PSAU was initially established as La Granja Modelo de Luzon. It was established by Spanish businessmen, Don Bernardo Garcia Coteron and Don Jose Pesaña Piñol. La Granja's initial objectives was to function as agricultural experiment station for their company, Coteron y Compania to experiment cash crops especially in tobacco. It has three hundred hectares of land located in San Isidro, Nueva Ecija. However, due to heavy influence of the Spanish colonial government in tobacco monopoly, and the creation of La Comision Agronomica de Filipinas in 1881, La Granja was taken over and appointed its first director, Don Jose Alemany Penalva. However due to insufficient and bad condition of the land, on March 20, 1885, it was transferred from San Isidro, Nueva Ecija to the foothills of Mt. Arayat in Magalang, Pampanga. Its royal charter was signed by Queen Maria Christina on January 30, 1886. The new are has nine hundred hectares cleared mostly by polistas. It was equipped also with school, staff building, animal pens, sugar mill, alcohol distillery and a weather observatory. La Granja was headed by a director and assisted by a perito agricola. It also housed a fifty men companias diciplinarias providing rotational security to the granja. The granja offered two programs, first and most important was a three-year sequence in farm management, leading to the title of perito agricola. The candidates who wanted this title had to demonstrate the possession of suitable secondary-level schooling in geometry, trigonometry, drawing physics, and chemistry, prior to entrance. The other program, which conferred the title of capataz de cultivo, concerned itself with the preparation of field foremen and livestock supervisors. Those who obtained these titles they were conferred as graduates equivalent to a college graduate both in the Philippines and Spain. The granja has variety of breeds of animals such as buffaloes, cattle, wild pigs, goats, horses, chickens, ducks and doves. La Granja devoted its cultivation and experimentation of wheat, sorghum, sesame, rice, corn, indigo, tobacco, peanuts, potatoes, sugarcane and alfalfa. On June 30, 1887, La Granja Modelo de Luzon won the highest diploma honor award from Exposicion de Filipinas held in Madrid, Spain in field of agriculture; especially in cultivation and exhibition of tobacco and different varieties of corn. (La Granja Modelo won the award together with famous Filipinos such as Juan Luna who won the same award for his masterpiece, Una Mestiza, Felix Resurreccion Hidalgo, gold medal awardee for his masterpiece, La Barca de Aqueronte and Isabelo de los Reyes, silver medal awardee for his selection, Folklore Filipina). In 1891, the granja was transformed by Governor General Valeriano Weyler into La Escuela Pecuaria. The school was expanded focusing on the study and breeding of cattle. In 1894, the weather observatory become fully operational with telegraph lines connected with the Observatorio de Manila run by the Jesuits. In 1895, the granja pioneered the experiment and study of different Central American varieties of peanuts and teosintes. In that year also, on January 23, it won silver medal award from Exposicion Regional de Filipinas in the field of cross breeding of Arabian horses, exhibition of different rice varieties and different types of farm equipment. At the outbreak of the revolution, it was used as one of the hideouts of the Spanish troops fighting the insurgents in Camansi. During the Philippine-American War, it was served as grazing area for cavalry horsesand training ground of American troops. After the war, on November 26, 1901, the Department of Public Instruction recommended the establishing of an agricultural school in granja, however it never implemented. In 1902, it was reopened by the Americans as an agricultural experiment station under Bureau of Agriculture; with Lt. Col. Charles Hatfield was designated officer in charge. On July 26, 1904, Governor General Luke Wright issued Executive Order No. 33; declaring additional areas to expand the experiment station’s area to 1,050 hectares and naming it as the Magalang Reserve to be used for agricultural experiment purposes. On 1918, it started to offer agricultural intermediate and high school education and named as Magalang Farm School and later as Pampanga Agricultural School; Mr. Frank Ebbesen was appointed first principal of the school. Subsequently, Commonwealth Act No. 313 was enacted in 1938 made the school a national institution and named it as Pampanga National Agricultural School. During World War II, it was shut down and became a military training camp of the Japanese forces. After the war, it reopened and continued operations. The Huk insurgency forced the school to suspend classes until the peace and order situation returned in 1955. On June 19, 1965, President Diosdado P. Macapagal signed Republic Act No. 4576 upgrading the school to tertiary level to become the Pampanga Agricultural College. It completed its upgrading to college status in 1974, with Supt. Felix V. Remigio was appointed first college president. On June 11, 2013, Republic Act No. 10605 was signed into law by President Benigno S. Aquino III converting the college into state university as Pampanga State Agricultural University. The Commission on Higher Education was tasked by the law to evaluate the college for its compliance with the requirements for university status. On January 13, 2015, CHED was officially granted full university status to the college; the first state college in the Philippines granted university status by CHED based on merits.

Photo Credit: Archivo Estales.mecd.es