Still Stampin' (Darthphilatelist in Hyper Mode...)

Wednesday, October 25, 2023

Marina Dizon y Bartolome Dies

Today in Philippine History (Philatelic Edition Series 2):

OCTOBER 25, 1950

Marina Dizon y Bartolome (July 18, 1875 – October 25, 1950), one of the first women initiated into the Katipunan died on this day.

Born in Trozo (now Tondo), Manila, she was the daughter of Jose Dizon, one of the 13 Martyrs of Bagumbayan.

She was a cousin of Emilio Jacinto, who was with her when she joined the Katipunan in 1893. She presided the initiation rites for women, kept the records, and taught new members the Katipunan constitution and teachings.

Marina Dizon married Katipunan leader Jose Turiano Santiago.

Photo credit: elearning.nhcp.gov.ph

Pres. Emilio Aguinaldo Establishes The Academia Militar

Today in Philippine History (Philatelic Edition):

OCTOBER 25, 1898

Pres. Emilio Aguinaldo issued a decree that established the Academia Militar in Malolos, Bulacan.

The task to organize the training school for future officers of the armed forces was given to Gen. Antonio Luna, the secretary of war. Luna recruited the best officers of the Spanish Guardia Civil to be the faculty of the institution with Spanish officer, Col. Manuel Bernal Sityar, Jr. as the first superintendent.

On January 20, 1899, the Academia was deactivated after tensions erupted between the Filipinos and Americans that led to the Philippine-American War.

Photo credit: philippineamericanwar.webs.com

Tuesday, October 24, 2023

The Battle Of Sibuyan Sea

Today in Philippine History (Philatelic Edition Series 3):

October 24, 1944

The Japanese Raiding Force in the Sibuyan and Sulu Seas were attacked by Task Force 38 planes from aircraft carriers under the command of Admiral William Frederick "Bull" Halsey Jr. on October 24, 1944.

On the night of October 23, Halsey’s carrier forces steamed into position to destroy Japanese forces.

Rear Admiral Frederick C. Sherman’s Task Group 38.3 took station off the Polillo Islands east of Luzon. To the southeast, 140 miles distant, Rear Admiral Gerald F. Bogan guided Task Group 38.2 (which included Admiral Halsey) off San Bernardino Strait, while Rear Admiral Ralph E. Davison occupied the southernmost position off Leyte Gulf 120 miles southeast of Bogan.

The raiding force under Japanese Vice Admiral Takeo Kurita, included the two most lethal battleships in the world, Yamato and Musashi, a total of five battleships, 10 heavy cruisers, two light cruisers, and 13 destroyers.

U.S. pilots on Curtiss Helldiver bombers and Hellcat fighters inflicted heavy punishment and sank the battleship Musashi and damaged the battleships Yamato, Haruna, Nagato, Yamashiro, Fuso and many other destroyers. The cruiser Myoko was forced back to Brunei for repairs.

The Battle of the Sibuyan Sea inflicted heavy damage on the Imperial Japanese Navy. A solitary Japanese plane attacked and damaged the USS Princeton (CVL-23) by dropping a 550 pound bomb. The American ship then collided with the USS Birmingham (CL-62). 100 men from the Princeton and 220 from the Birmingham perished, while another 430 suffered wounds.

Commander David McCampbell, USN, who commanded Air Group 15, followed by his wingman, Ensign Roy Rushing, faced an incoming enemy force of more than 60 aircraft.

McCampbell successfully shot down nine enemy planes while Rushing downed six in an attempt to break up the group of 60 Japanese aircraft before they had a chance to reach the U.S. Navy fleet. McCampbell became an instant ace on October 24 and was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions.

Photo credit: wikipedia.org and artstation.com

The Manila Summit Conference

Today in Philippine History (Philatelic Edition Series 2):

October 24, 1966

The Manila Summit Conference opened on October 24, 1966 at the Session Hall of the House of Representatives, Legislative Building, Manila.

In attendance were U. S. President Lyndon B. Johnson; President Ferdinand Marcos of the Philippines; Chief of State Nguyen Van Thieu and Prime Minister Nguyen Cao Ky of Vietnam; President Chung Hee Park of Korea; and Prime Ministers Harold Holt of Australia, Keith Holyoake of New Zealand, and Thanom Kittikachorn of Thailand.

Each head of state received full military honors, including a 21-gun salute, the playing of the national anthem and a salute from a composite battalion of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

Three days earlier, on October 21, delegations from the participating nations, including U.S. Secretary of State Dean Rusk, met in Manila for the preparatory discussions.

During the opening of the summit, President Ferdinand E. Marcos shared that "As chairman of the Manila Summit Conference of 1966, it is my pleasure to assume this position by the unanimous consent and approval of the members of this conference."

The leaders of the seven nations came up with new policy goals for the Vietnam War. The result of the summit was The Manila Communiqué: a document that laid out specific policy goals to try to achieve peace in Vietnam.

Photo credit: Presidential Museum and Library

Rafael Palma y Velasquez

Today in Philippine History (Philatelic Edition):

OCTOBER 24, 1874

Rafael Palma y Velasquez (October 24, 1874 – May 24, 1939), a writer, educator, freemason, lawyer, senator, and the 4th President of the University of the Philippines was born in Tondo, Manila.

Starting as a reporter for La Independencia, he became the editor after Antonio Luna’s death under the pen name Dapit Hapon.

In 1900, he joined Sergio Osmeña and Jaime de Veyra and founded El Nuevo Dia, Cebu’s first newspaper.

Palma was assemblyman for Cavite province (1907), 2nd Philippine Commission member (1909-16), and senator (1916-22).

Photo credit: philippinediaryproject. wordpress.com

Monday, October 23, 2023

The National Historical Commission of the Philippines

Today in Philippine History (Philatelic Edition Series 3):

October 23, 1933

The National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) celebrates every October 23 its founding anniversary. On October 23, 2023, NHCP is 90 years old!

It was on October 23, 1933, when Governor General Frank Murphy signed Executive Order No. 451 that established the Philippine Historical Research and Markers Committee (PHRMC). Its task was to identify and mark the historic sites in Manila for the purpose of preservation.

In 1935, PHRMC became the Philippine Historical Committee (PHC) and it expanded its mandate to include the conservation of antiquities.

It later subsumed the operation of various shrines to national heroes such as Jose Rizal, Andres Bonifacio and Apolinario Mabini among others.

In 1965, Republic Act No. 4368 was signed that combined the PHC and the National Heroes Commission into the National Historical Commission (NHC) with the added functions of conducting and publishing research work on national heroes and historic events, the construction and maintenance of historic sites, and taking charge of all history related activities of the government.

When Martial Law was declared by President Ferdinand E. Marcos on September 21, 1972, he issued Presidential Decree No. 1 (s. 1972) which reorganized the executive branch of the government with all state functions related to history directed to the National Historical Institute (NHI).

Decades of growth in its mandate and functions prompted the expansion of the NHI into the NHCP by virtue of Republic Act No. 10086 in 2010.

The NHCP remains steadfast in the accomplishment of its mandate and role as the principal government agency tasked with the promotion of Philippine history and heritage through research, conservation, management of historic sites, and public history engagement.

At present, the NHCP is composed of five (5) component divisions and twenty-seven (27) shrines and museums located across the Pholippines.

In 2033, it will celebrate its 100th anniversary while continuing to innovate and adapt to be of excellent service to the country.

Photo credit: wikipedia.org

Pres. Rodrigo Duterte Accepts Comelec Chair Bautista's Resignation

Today in Philippine History (Philatelic Edition Series 2):

October 23, 2017

President Rodrigo Duterte accepted the resignation of Commission on Elections (COMELEC) Chairman Andres Bautista effective immediately on October 23, 2017.

Bautista was informed of the President's decision in a letter signed by Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea.

He was impeached earlier by the House of Representatives. The justice committee in the lower house was scheduled to hold a hearing on his impeachment on October 24, 2017.

Bautista submitted his resignation to Duterte on October 11 and effective at the end of the year but Duterte accepted it earlier than expected.

Through a tip from Bautista's estranged wife Patricia, the United States government's Department of Homeland Security’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), filed money laundering and conspiracy charges against Bautista in connection with the 2016 Philippine elections at the United States District Court in the Southern District of Florida on September 19, 2023. Patricia, claimed Bautista has ill-gotten wealth worth ₱1,000,000,000.

Photo credit: wikipedia.org