Showing posts with label Rizal. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Rizal. Show all posts

RIZAL: My Guide to the Angono-Binangonan Petroglyphs Site

January 16, 2017


 

RIZAL: My Guide to the Angono-Binangonan Petroglyphs Site


Why Visit the Angono Petroglyphs

1. To see the oldest known art works in the Philippines, dating back to circa 3,000 BC.

2. "Petroglyphs are more rare in Southeast Asia where most rupestrine art is done through handprints or paintings." (source: http://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/5018/).

3. The Philippines, through the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, has submitted this site in 1986 to the Tentative List in preparation for its Nomination for inclusion to the UNESCO World Heritage List.



How to go there:


Place the destination as Angono Binangonan and just follow the directions in your smartphone waze app. WAZE WAS VERY ACCURATE IN LEADING US DIRECTLY TO THE ENTRANCE OF THE SITE.



2. Use google maps



Below is the landmark you will see BEFORE turning right 
towards the Angono Petroglyphs tunnel as indicated in the google maps above.



A closer look at the sign above
The road going to the tunnel entrance to the Petroglyphs site

The entrance of the tunnel

Contrary to the sign, ADMISSION IS FREE.

ADMISSION RATES:

Starting July 1, 2016, all the National Museum of the Philippines and all its branches is PERMANENTLY FREE.


1. The National Museum
2. The Nartional Art Gallery
3. The Planetarium
4. Regional Museums in Angono, Padre Burgos, Kabayan, Kiangan, Magsingal, Bolinao, Palawan, Butuan, Tabaco, Cebu, Fort Pilar, Marinduque, Jolo. (List of Regional Museums)

News article on this topic: Entrance to National Museum permanently free.


PARKING:

Plenty of parking space in front of the tunnel
You can see the tunnel at the right of the photo.

THE PATH LEADING TO THE ANGONO PETROGLYPHS SITE

THE TUNNEL

Inside the tunnel, it's very windy and cool.

The terrain of the tunnel

The end of the tunnel

After walking through the tunnel, you walk again through a forested path 
My tip: Make sure to bring an umbrella.
You walk along a path without shade before you reach the Museum.



This is the museum grounds.
The petroglyphs can be viewed by going up the stairs in the center of the photo.
But first, you must go to the gazebo on your left for information on the site.

THE GAZEBO

So you can properly appreciate the petroglyphs, you must visit the gazebo first to get information about the site.
The information inside the gazebo


DISCOVERY

  • The discovery was made by National Artist, Carlos "Botong"Francisco.
  • Date discovered: March 1965
  • How it was discovered: During a fieldtrip with boy scouts, he discovered the carvings on the wall while resting on a rock-shelter known to have been used by World War II guerillas.

THE ROCK ART

  • The site is a shallow rock shelter.
  • It is formed in volcanic tuffs. This means the rock is soft enough for the engravings to be made by a denser stone.
  • 127 drawings are visible.
  • 51 drawings are distinct, suggesting it was made by several individuals.


ARCHAEOLOGICAL EXCAVATION

  • March 1965: The rock art was discovered.
  • October and November 1965: Archaeological excavations in the rock shelter were started.
  • What was found in the area: highly fragmented earthenware, 2 pieces of obsidian flakes, 2 pieces of chert flakes.
  • What was found outside the mouth of the rock shelter: 2 pieces of flake stone tools (a stone core tool, and a polished stone adze with a blunt stone edge)
  • Significance of the objects found in the area: The objects found suggest that the rock art was made before metal was introduced into the country during the Neolithic Age. It therefore suggests that the rock art was made prior to the Neolithic age, at least 1000 BC. 
  • NOTE: The guide we found in the area informed us that the objects are no longer found in the museum grounds. It has been brought to the National Museum in Manila.
A NATIONAL CULTURAL TREASURE
  • August 1973: Presidential Decree 260 declared the oldest known work of art, the Angono Petroglyphs, a National Cultural Treasure.
  • 1985: it was included in the World Inventory of Rock Art together with other World Famous prehistoric rock art
CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE

It is culturally significant because it has HISTORIC (being the oldest rock art in the Philippines), SCIENTIFIC, AESTHETIC and SOCIAL VALUE.

Photos of the excavations


THE VIEWDECK

The view deck as seen from below.

From the view deck, you can see the gazebo below.

The 2 paths going up the view deck is seen on the left and on the right.
The gazebo is shown on the right

FIRST PATH TO THE VIEW DECK
This path is best used by the eldery or persons with disability on wheelchair.

This is the flooring of the first path.

SECOND PATH TO THE VIEW DECK

This path is best used by able-bodied persons.
It's usually the path most visitors use since it's the one nearest the gazebo.

A closer view of the rough path

View from the left side of the rock shelter.

There's a guide stationed at the site who pinpoints the carvings to tourists.

View from the right side of the rock shelter







THE ANGONO PETROGLYPHS

What are petroglyphs? Simply put, it's rock art or any form of engraving on rock.

The text below is taken from the description submitted by
the National Commission for Culture and the Arts to UNESCO:
"These petroglyphs are of animate figures interpreted as representing juveniles or infants on a rock face in a rock shelter. The shelter is located southeast of the city of Manila, three kilometers from the town of Angono, and some 235 meters above sea level.  The shelter if formed by quaternary volcanics, located on the eastern limb of an anticline. The cave faces 305 degrees west and measures 632. 84 meters, 4.68 meters in height and 8.2 meters in depth. The cave was formed at the close of the Pleistocene, early part of the Holocene, at a period when the quaternary alluvium was not yet extensive. 
The petroglyphs occupy 25 meters of the rockwall with a height of 3.7 meters from the floor level. The engravings are executed into all the available space on the wall with no orientation nor association with one another. There are no relationships in scale and size, and no baseline.
The engravings are made on the tuff layer of the wall with "v" and "u" cross sections, depending on the sizes of the images, the largest of which is 63 centimeters. There is no attempt at making relieves. The general typology of the images is a rounded head on a narrow neck, rectangular body with a lower taper, linear flexed limb with three digits each. There is a total of 127 still discernable figures. There are non-cognitive incisions. There are 51 distinct types.
The engravings are not decorative but are symbolic representations, executed by different individuals using a single mental template, apparently with the same cultural persuasion.  Associated with healing and sympathetic magic. 
The dating of the petroglyphs is probably late Neolithic Age. Only highly fragmented low-fired pottery was recovered, a number of Paleolithic cobble and flaked tools, and Neolithic Age polished adzes. The Philippine Neolithic ranges from 6000 BC to 2000 BC." (source: http://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/5018/)


There are 127 drawings visible at the Angono Petroglyphs. 


JUST CLICK THE PHOTO TO VIEW ITS FULL SIZE
(Warning: Photo size is large so you need to wait for it to load. I couldn't compress without sacrificing the visibility of the petroglyphs.) 


You can see where they carve the drawings: on the "roof" of the rock shelter


Close-up photo of the drawings



The rightmost portion of the rock shelter is where you can find drawings of "the family".

A close-up photo of "the family". The guide said they called these drawings "the family" because it looks like a stick drawing of a male, a female and a child.

AMOUNT OF TIME NEEDED FOR THIS TOUR:
1 hour

HOURS OF OPERATION
Monday to Sunday: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Note: We went on a Saturday and there were very few people visiting.

CONTACT
Angono Tourism Office: 661-3646
Official facebook page: National Museum Angono-Binangonan Petroglyphs Site

Note: Call before visiting just to make sure it's open and no maintenance activity is being conducted.  



Is Marcos Highway, Marikina to Rizal, Exempt from Number Coding?

June 30, 2016

Is Marcos Highway, Marikina to Rizal, Exempt from Number Coding?

I felt the need to make this post because I still see a lot of motorists being caught in a small area along Marcos highway that's not included in the exemption.

The number coding scheme of the Metro Manila Development Authority, known officially as the Unified Vehicular Volume Reduction Program, "is a traffic decongestion scheme which bans private and public utility vehicles from plying the roads on weekday peak hours." (source: MMDA site). For more details, see All about number coding.


Under the rule, Marikina is exempted from the number coding scheme. Since Rizal is not part of Metro Manila, the number coding scheme does not apply to them.

Marcos Highway, know as MARILAQUE highway (Marikina-Rizal-Laguna-Quezon highway) is a 110 km road that connects Metro Manila to Quezon. The name creates the impression that the highway traverses only these areas, not knowing that a very small portion of the highway traverses Pasig, which is NOT EXEMPT from the number coding scheme. Motorists are caught in this small portion of the highway when they use it beyond the window hours of the scheme. (For window hours, see here)


This is the location of the portion where there is no color coding exemption.

Below is the Marikina boundary.




The yellow road seen here is Marcos highway.
The pink area is the Marikina boundary.
The yellow road outside the pink area is Pasig.
That is the area covered by the number coding scheme.


Click the ff. see it in Google Maps: Marikina boundary




The ONLY PORTION of Marcos Highway covered by the number coding scheme starts from the area across Sta Lucia East Mall...

 Click HERE to see Google view of the area.


.... until the pedestrian walk way of the  LRT-2 Santolan station.


Click HERE to see Google view of the area.


THE PASIG PORTION COVERED BY NUMBER CODING IS ONLY AROUND 2 KM.

  

My Jose Rizal Tour Series: Rizal at Calamba, Laguna (1861-1870)

March 14, 2015





MY JOSE RIZAL TOUR SERIES: 
Rizal at CALAMBA, Laguna (1861-1870)

Highlights of Jose Rizal's life in Calamba (taken from the poster below):


Rizal lived in Calamba from the time he was born until he was 9 years old. 
June 19, 1861: Jose Rizal was born in Calamba, the 7th of 11 children 
June 22, 1961: Jose Rizal was baptized 3 days after birth at the Calamba Church adjacent to his house. 
1864: Almost 3 years old, Jose Rizal learned the alphabet. 
1865-1867: From 4-7 years old, his mother taught him to read and write. 
1867: A private tutor, named Leon Monroy, was hired to teach Jose Rizal Latin, reading, writing and arithmetic. The tutor lived with them in Calamba. 
1869: At 8 years old, Jose Rizal wrote his first poem, "Sa Aking Mga Kababata." 
1870: At 9 years old, Jose Rizal was sent to Binan to attend the Justiniano Aquino Cruz school. He lived with his aunt.

He was no longer living in Calamba when the following events that greatly influenced his future happened: 

1871: His mother was imprisoned by the Spaniards FOR 2 YEARS, on fabricated charges that she connived with her half-brother, Jose Alberto, to poison his wife. Jose Rizal was 10 years old then.

1872: The execution of Fr. Gomez, Fr. Burgos and Fr. Zamora for subversion. Paciano, Jose Rizal's elder brother, dropped out of school because friends of the priests are being followed. Paciano is a good friend of Fr. Jose Burgos. 
From 1872, Jose Rizal stopped using Mercado and started using Rizal, so as not to be associated with Paciano. He was the first family member to use Rizal. Jose Rizal enrolled at the Ateneo using the family name Rizal. 
Jose Rizal was 11 years old then.




We see a glimpse of Rizal's life in Calamba by visiting a reconstruction of his house in Calamba in the original site of his residence. The original house was demolished before the land was purchased by the government. The reconstruction was supervised by Architect Juan Nakpil from 1948-1949. The shrine was opened to the public in June 19, 1950 (source: Rizal Shrine Facebook page)


What you will see in the Rizal Shrine


The entrance of the shrine


FIRST FLOOR





You will see the following on the First Floor:

A LARGE POSTER SUMMARIZING RIZAL'S LIFE IN CALAMBA



A COPY OF HIS BAPTISMAL RECORD


The Transcript of Rizal's Baptismal Record in Spanish

The Translation of Rizal's Baptismal Record in English

Rizal was baptized on June 22, 1861, 3 days after birth.
The parish priest who baptized him was Rev. Fr. Rufino Collantes.
He had one godparent, a Rev. Fr. Pedro Casanas.

AN EXPLANATION OF WHY THE NAME RIZAL WAS ADOPTED &
AN EXPLANATION WHY THE NHI CHOSE TO PAINT THE SHRINE IN GREEN
Reason for the choosing the name Rizal
Ricial means "green fields, indicating the family's occupation as cultivators of land."

Reason for the green paint of the shrine

"the upper stories of the bahay na bato were painted in a variety of bright tints during the 19th century Philippines." The National Historical Institute chose to paint the shrine in green to indicate the source of livelihood of the Rizal family.

The Rizal Shrine in Calamba painted in green.

AN OLD PHOTO OF THE RIZAL SHRINE


SOME STORIES OF RIZAL AS A CHILD





THE STORY OF HOW THEIR FAMILY NAME CHANGED 
FROM LAMCO TO MERCADO TO RIZAL
The paternal ancestor was Domingo Lamco.

1731: Domingo Lamco adopted the name Mercado.

1849: The Spanish colonial government issued a decree directing 
Filipino families to choose a surname from a list of family names.

Francisco Mercado, Jose Rizal's father, chose Ricial, but changed 
it a bit into Rizal.

But the family continued to use Mercado.

1872: Fr. Gomez, Fr. Burgos and Fr. Zamora was executed. The 
name Mercado became suspect because of the friendship of
Paciano, Rizal's elder brother, with Fr. Burgos.

That same year, when Jose was enrolled at the Ateneo, Paciano 
advised that the Rizal name be used.

Jose Rizal was the FIRST ONE in the family to use the name 
formally.

SECOND FLOOR

The stairs to the second floor



You will see the following on the Second Floor:

THE FORMAL DINING ROOM

The first place you encounter after climbing the stairs is the formal dining room.

The windows of the living room look out to the gardens.

The left side of the photo is the path to the living room.






THE LIVING ROOM

The windows look out to the street.

The path on the left and the right lead to the bedrooms.

Take note (as shown above): 
"There is NO RECORD OF THE ACTUAL FURNITURE ARRANGEMENT. 
The set-up here is an assumption based on what is known
about houses that are as old as the original Mercado house in 
the neighboring towns. 



Photo of Rizal and His Siblings on the walls of the Living Room:






THE BEDROOMS

Below is the Master's Bedroom






Below is the Children's Bedrooms










THE INFORMAL DINING ROOM
(Situated near the Kitchen)


A giant fan







THE KITCHEN






THE TOILET AND BATH

The toilet

The bath


THE WELL
(Located beside the toilet and bath)








OUTSIDE THE GROUNDS

Looking out the formal dining room window...

... and seeing this view of the grounds. 

The red roof that you see is the St. John the Baptist Church where Rizal was baptized.

We see the bronze statue of Rizal when he was 7 years old...


... with his dog Berganza.

The tombstone of Rizal's parents is located on the right side of the house.

The tombstone of Rizal's parents, Francisco Mercado Rizal and Teodora Alonzo.
In 1996, their remains were transferred from the North Cemetery
to the Rizal Shrine.

Replica of Rizal's playhouse


At the center of the building is the museum.
At the right of the building is the audio-visual room, where the film showing is held, 

and the souvenir store.



AUDIO-VISUAL ROOM

Short film showing on the life of Jose Rizal



SOUVENIR STORE

You can buy souvenirs such as ref magnets and photos.
There are also books you can buy that are not available in the local bookstore.

THE MUSEUM


You can view clothes worn by Jose Rizal.


The sign on the lower right of the frame says:
A fragment of Rizal's suit that he wore when he was executed on December 30, 1896.
It was found in his grave in 1896 by Higino Francisco and Romualdo de Jesus.
It is made of silk.

Sculpture made by Jose Rizal

Toothbrush holder made of bamboo.
It was made by Jose Rizal for his sister Trinidad
while he was in exile in Dapitan. 

Slippers embroidered by Leonor Rivera and given to Jose Rizal before he left for Madrid in 1882.

A copy of Jose Rizal's Mi Ultimo Adios (My Last Farewell)

A model of Jose Rizal's house



Open Hours:



Location: 


You need to go there through Burgos street and make a left turn at Mercado Street 
then a left turn at J.P. Rizal street because Burgos and J.P. Rizal streets are one-way.

The entrance of the shrine is along Rizal Street.

The corner of Mercado and Rizal Street

Parking is along the street of J.P. Rizal Street.

My tip:

Make sure to call the Rizal Shrine at (+63)(049) 834 1599 before your departure for the ff. reasons:

1. To verify if they're open on the day of your visit. 
Or as an alternative, browse their Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/rizal.shrine.calamba
2. To book a guided tour and film showing.
The guided tour and film showing is not offered to walk-in visitors. The shrine do not employ regular tour guides. They request tour guides from the city hall who are actually students who are on-the-job training. So you need to request in advance for this service. 
To see the film, they also need a technician on hand to operate the equipment. They also turn on the air-con in the audio-visual room in advance if they know what time you're arriving. 

YOU MAY ALSO WISH TO VIEW MY ITINERARY FOR THIS TRIP:
LAGUNA: Visit Calamba and Los Banos with Kids