Charles Darwin .

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1.
The Philippine government signed a peace accord with the country’s largest Muslim rebel
group on Thursday, the culmination of years of negotiations and a significant political
achievement for President Benigno Aquino III.
The deal grants largely Muslim areas of the southern Mindanao region greater political
autonomy in exchange for an end to armed rebellion, but it will not end all violence in a part of
the country long-plagued by lawlessness, poverty and Islamist insurgency.
Other insurgent groups have vowed to keep fighting for full independence. The region is also
home to the Abu Sayyaf, a Muslim extremist network with international links that the Philippine
army is battling with American support.
Aquino and leaders of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front witnessed the signing of the agreement
in the presidential palace in Manila. Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak, whose country
brokered the peace talks, attended the ceremony.
“In signing this agreement, the two sides have looked not to the problems of the past, but to the
promise of the future,” Najib said. “After so many years of conflict, and so many lives lost, it is a
momentous act of courage.”
The peace accord concludes formal negotiations that began in 2001. A cease-fire agreement had
been in place since 1997 and has been largely observed by both sides.
More than 120,000 people have died in separatist violence since the 1970s in Mindanao, the
main southern Philippine island. It is home to most of the country’s 5 million Muslims, but
Christians remain the overall majority.
Previous presidents, including Corazon Aquino, Aquino’s mother, tried but failed to resolve the
conflict, which has stunted growth in the region and helped foster Islamic extremism in the
country and elsewhere in Southeast Asia.
Much work remains to ensure that the terms of the deal and the political framework it envisages
are implemented fully during the remainder of Aquino’s term, which ends in 2016.
Under the accord, called the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro, the Moro rebels
agreed to end violence and their demand for a separate state in exchange for broader autonomy.
An existing five-province Muslim autonomous region is to be replaced by a more powerful,
better-funded and potentially larger region to be called Bangsamoro.

2.
Andrés Bonifacio was born in Manila in 1863, the son of a government official. When
both his parents died in the 1870s, he left school to support his five brothers and sisters. By the
mid-1880s, he had become a fervent Filipino nationalist. When José Rizal established the Liga
Filipina in 1892, Bonifacio was one of its first members.

Rajah Sulaiman III (1558 – 1575) was the last native Muslim king of Maynila, now the
site of the capital of the Philippines, Manila. He was one of three chieftains, along with Rajah
Matanda and Rajah Lakandula, who played a significant role in the Spanish conquest of the
kingdoms of the Manila Bay-Pasig river area; first by Martín de Goiti, and Juan de Salcedo in
1570; and later by Miguel López de Legazpi in 1571.

Gregorio del Pilar (1875 – 1899) was one of the youngest generals during the Philippine
Revolution and the Philippine-American War, earning him the moniker “Boy General.” He died
at the Battle of Tirad Pass against the Texas Regiment at the age of 24.

Apolinario Mabini (July 23, 1864 – May 13, 1903) was a Filipino political philosopher
and revolutionary. He wrote the constitution for the first Philippine republic of 1899-1901 and
served as the first prime minister in 1899. 

He has been called the Brains of the Revolution. Another moniker is “the Sublime Paralytic”
because he was paralyzed by polio. 

His most popular work is his Decalogue for Filipinos.

Cayetano Arellano was the first Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines
under the American Civil Government. He was Chief Justice from 1901 to 1920, making him the
longest-serving Chief Justice.
Together with Pedro Paterno, he testified before the Schurman Commission that the Philippines
was not  yet prepared for self-government. They formed the Federalista Party to promote the
annexation of the Philippines as a state of the USA.
Upon the start of the American civil government in 1901, William Howard Taft appointed
Arellano as the first Supreme Court Chief Justice
3.

A.

Pambansang Museo ng Pilipinas) is an umbrella government organization that oversees a number

Perhaps a little out of place in the busy and crowded streets of Cubao, Art In Island is a one-of-a-
kind attraction that will give you a new perspective on museums and art.
Unlike most museums that have strict rules on taking pictures and flash photography, busting out
your camera isn’t just encouraged at Art In Island- it’s the whole point! Art In Island is filled
wall to wall with mind-bending art installations and interactive 3D art that let you step right
into out-of-this-world situations that are best captured with a camera.

Small museum founded by American Bone Collector, Darrell D. Blatchley, and opened in 2012
with the hope of educating people to take care of the environment (some of the marine animals
displayed died as a result of ingesting plastic, for example). The collection, which has over 200
skeletons, includes preserved remains, skulls and bones of bears, a lion, horses, deer, monkeys,
snakes, crocodiles, birds, a dugong, and dolphins, but the prized possession is the skeleton of a
41-foot sperm whale. Some of these Blatchey has collected from childhood; others have been
donated to the museum from around the world including Canada, Russia, Indonesia, Thailand,
and the Philippines.
Museo Orlina is the showcase of the artistry of internationally acclaimed Ramon
Orlina, pioneer and foremost practitioner of glass sculpture in the country. Before
Orlina, glass was largely appreciated only for its utilitarian function: as drinking
vessels, window glass panes or automotive windshields. A visionary, Orlina saw
beyond the humble origin of this industrial glass residue. The result is an exultant
body of works that, through the decades, have dazzled the art scene and prized by
numerous collectors. Triumphantly, Orlina has transformed the medium by elevating
it to the dignity and respectability of art.

Upside Down Museum is the newest craze in Mega Manila /Philippines. It features a massive
upside down house - complete from Living room, dining,kitchen,bedroom,office and bathroom.
It also features a real steel bridge with real SUVs(cars) - all upside down. It also features
illusions that are never before seen in the Philippines. The challenge is to do crazy poses for a
photokeeper.
B.
The monument of Rizal in Rizal Park (Luneta) is considered by many as the most popular, most
visited and most photographed monument in the Philippines. It housed the remains of Jose Rizal,
a Filipino nationalist, novelist, poet, journalist, ophthalmologist, and a national hero.
Rizal wrote the novels Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo to expose the cruelty and injustice
of the Spanish ruling government in the Philippines during his time. Because of his revolutionary
writings, he was executed by a firing squad in Luneta on December 30, 1896.

Andres Bonifacio is popularly known as the father of the Philippine Revolution, and the founder
and Supremo of the Katipunan or the Samahang Kataastaasan, Kagalanggalang Katipunan ng
mga Anak ng Bayan (KKK). He is an icon of bravery and pride of the Filipinos.
The monument is one of the most beautiful works of art in the Philippines. It was designed by
national artist Guillermo Tolentino, who also sculpted the famous University of the Philippines’
Oblation statue.
An important historical and cultural landmark in the Philippines, the monument has twenty-three
figures, including Emilio Jacinto (popularly known as the brains of the Katipunan ) and the three
martyred priests Mariano Gomez, Jose Apolonio Burgos and Jacinto Zamora (well known by
many Filipinos as the GOMBURZA).
Lapu Lapu is considered as the first Filipino hero who successfully defended the Philippines
from the Spanish invasion. He’s a symbol of courage and success in defeating enemies. In fact,
his image is the central figure in the seal of the Philippine National Police and the Bureau of Fire
Protection.
He is best known as the hero of the Battle of Mactan on April 27, 1521. The battle of Mactan
stopped the invasion of Magellan in Cebu and delayed the Spanish occupation of the islands by
over forty years until the expedition of Miguel López de Legazpi in 1564.
The monument of Lapu-Lapu is located in Liberty Shrine (Mactan Shrine), where the historic
battle of Mactan took place at dawn on April 27, 1521. The area is also the place where Magellan
Shrine and the marker of the spot the Portuguese conquistador was killed are located.

The monument of Magellan is the oldest in this list. It was built in 1866 – that makes the
monument almost 150 years old now. The monument or shrine of Magellan is just a few steps
from the statue of Lapu-Lapu. Both monuments and other important markers of events that
happened during the historic battle of Mactan are found in Liberty Shrine or Mactan Shrine.
Ferdinand Magellan may be remembered by Filipinos as an enemy of the legendary hero Lapu-
Lapu but the Portuguese explorer is also recognized by many as the man who brought
Christianity in the Philippines.
The Portuguese explorer is also recognized by the world as the one who organized the Spanish
expedition from 1519 to 1522 that resulted to the first circumnavigation of the Earth. A few steps
from the monument of Magellan is a marker on the exact spot where the Portuguese explorer was
killed during the Battle of Mactan.
MacArthur Landing Memorial Park in Palo beach was the site where the Allied Forces led by
General Douglas MacArthur landed in Leyte on October 20, 1944. The monument also reminds
us the fulfillment of MacArthur’s iconic words and promise “I shall return”. The fulfillment of
that promise was the start of the Leyte invasion and his campaign to liberate the Philippines from
the Japanese occupation during the World War II.
This historic event also led to the naval battle between the Japanese Imperial Navy and the US
Navy (with the help from the Australian Royal Navy). The Battles of Leyte Gulf is recognized
by many historians as the largest naval battle in history.
The Leyte Landing monument is composed of seven double-life-sized bronze statues of General
Douglas MacArthur, Philippine President Sergio Osmeña, Lieutenant General Richard
Sutherland, Brigadier General Carlos P. Romulo, Major General Courtney Whitney, Sergeant
Francisco Salveron and CBS Radio correspondent William J. Dunn.
The monument also resembles the iconic photo of MacArthur and his entourage during the
historic A-Day Landing as captured by Gaetano Faillace.

C.

The Black Nazarene is a status of Jesus that is believed by many to have light skin but turned
dark after surviving a ship fire as it arrived to the Philippines from Mexico. On January 9th every
year, the statue is taken from its resting place in the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene in
Quiapo, for a procession. The festival begins in the morning with a Holy Mass at the Quirino
Grandstand in Rizal Park, and then the statue is put on a cart back to Quiapo, carried by maroon
wearing, barefoot penitents. Several million devotees take part, creating some risk of injury,
crowding and heat related problems.

This week long Mardi Gras style celebration originated in the 13th century with a group of fair
skinned Malay immigrants paying homage to the darker Ati locals who accommodated their
arrival. The event was augmented during Spanish rule to include paying tribute to Santo Niño
(Jesus the child). The festival takes place in Kaliba during the third week of January and
culminates in a massive Sunday parade where bright costumed revelers with their skin painted
black transport a revered icon of Santo Niño from Kaliba Cathedral to the nearby Pastrana Park.

A thanksgiving celebration that takes place on the third Sunday of January in Cebu City, this is
one of the Philippines largest festivals to honor Santo Niño and recognize the acceptance of
Christianity. The main event is a shuffling dance prayer carried out in a grand parade by brightly
costumed participants.

This Filipino festival is very similar to the Ati-Atihan celebration taking place in Iloilo City on
the fourth Sunday of January. Parades of people painted black and dressed in tribal warrior-wear
dance, chant, stomp and beat drums long into the night in honor of Santo Nino and the
Christianization of the local people.

The three day Panagbenga festival takes place annually in Baguio City during February.
Participants dress in colorful costumes reminiscent of the highland flowers and tribes, and
celebrate the growing season with parades and native dancing.
D.

The word pukpok in the Philippines literally means to hit something usually with a hammer.
Circumcision in the country is a mandatory tradition inspired mainly by religion. Circumcision
among young boys is usually done in summer before classes start. Nowadays, it is done by
accredited practitioners to ensure that there is no risk in the procedure.
However, in some parts of the country, the traditional way of circumcision is still being
practiced. Boys will chew in some guava leaves while a known local practitioner would remove
the foreskin of the male genital. Afterwards, the chewed guava leaves will be put over the
affected area to minimise pain and infection. Medical experts, of course, do not approve of this
kind of procedure as it is unsanitary and might lead to health risks in the future.

Kutkot is a fading tradition that is practised by members of Hanunuo Tribe. After burying the
dead for a year, relatives clean the skeleton and cover it with cloth to take up the shape of a
mannequin or even a mummy called “sinakot”. It is then adorned by clothes and even jewelry.
The body is returned to the family and is housed there for another year. After that period, the
body is sent to a cave where the rest of the sinakot are taken (Cabrera, 2010).
Baliw in Filipino means crazy. Every May, residents of Barangay San Vicente in Olango, Cebu
celebrate the Baliw-baliw festival on the day with the highest 12-noon tide (Domanguera, 2014).
Men would cross-dress as women and pretend to give birth by the shore. They would also carry
around wooden sculptures of a man’s genitals. Although its conception is a mystery, locals
celebrate the festival to give thanks to blessings received.

The Philippines has many superstitions and folklore stories. Growing up, children are made
aware of aswangs or monsters that roam in the dark. Roxas City in Capiz is notorious for being
the home of aswangs. In the hopes of reversing the stigma and boosting the city’s tourism, a
group called Dugo Capiznon Inc. created the festival in 2004 (Aswang Project, n.d.). However, it
only lasted for three years and has not been revived since. The festival showcased the different
mythical monsters known in Philippine culture.
As a Catholic nation, the Philippines does not take penitence lightly. Once, when we were
travelling home from Caramoan to Leyte during our Holy Week adventure, we came across a
group of men parading the streets and striking their already bleeding backs with whips. In
Pampanga, a bloody crucifixion re-enactment is held every Good Friday. While this cringe-
worthy ritual is not supported by the Catholic Church, many devotees still do this to imitate Jesus
Christ’s sufferings and show gratitude to God.