By Shiela Talusan | @shiela_TRL
November 30, 2022
Every place has its own history. A sense of identity. Today, we will venture and see for ourselves the identity of one of the most historical places in the Philippines— Malolos, Bulacan. Now, the question left for us is, what shaped the city of Malolos throughout the years?
Aside from being an absolute convenient place to consider moving into for being only 30 minutes away from Metro Manila, the city of Malolos is very well-known as it possesses a number of important landmarks that hold huge significance to our history as saw us Filipinos fighting for our liberty during the Spanish era.
For instance, there are three major events that happened at the heart of Bulacan, (1) the inauguration of the First Philippine Congress, (2) the Malolos Constitution, (3) and the declaration of independence of the first Philippine Republic under first president Emilio Aguinaldo.
Statue of Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo located in Malolos, Bulacan. | 📸 : @shiela_TRL
Talking about these historic events will certainly mention the Barasoain Church or formally known now as Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Parish— a place that bear and witness history that forged the Philippines in becoming the cradle of democracy in Asia.
Shot of the Barasoain Church at night. | 📸 : @jessicavm_TRL
After the declaration of freedom on June 12, 1898, General Aguinaldo had to look for another place to settle down and govern for the reason that it is not safe anymore to stay in Kawit, Cavite. The province of Bulacan was chosen, particularly Malolos.
This is due to the fact that during those years, the economy of Malolos can fully provide and support the newly created government. There are also big churches and many residential houses that were already made of rock and concrete; transportation was convenient and systematic.
Among other places in the country, the province of Bulacan was at the time liberated from the cusps of Spanish colonial rule because of the heroics of Gen. Gregorio Del Pilar.
The First Philippine Congress happened inside the church of Barasoain as well as when they started the Malolos Congress on September 15, 1898 — the first important part of the congress was the ratification of Filipino independence that was proclaimed by President Emilio Aguinaldo and by September 23, 1899 the First Philippine Republic was officially announced and that a new form of government led solely by Filipinos was in full-swing.
This is the part of the history that the National Historic Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) is giving merit and hoping to preserve as they manage the Museo ng Republika ng 1899— a museum that tells the story during these historical events by showcasing exhibits and artifacts displayed in its available five galleries.
Some of the exhibits that visitors will see inside the Museo ng Republika ng 1899. | 📸 : @shiela_TRL
In an exclusive interview with Mr. Jose Ruel F. Paguiligan, the Senior Shrine Curator of Museo ng Republika ng 1899 for 8 years and under the NHCP, mentioned that they are one of the first modernized museum in 2012 among all the 27 museums that the NHCP governs in the archipelago to keep up with the rigors of promoting history to the modern society.
“Ang tinatamasa nating kalayaan sa panahon ngayon ay bunga ng paghihirap ng ating mga ninuno. Ang pagnanais na makawala sa pananakop sa atin noon. So, ngayon because of the Malolos Republic, the First Republic of the Philippines, the First Republic in Asia, tayong mga Pilipino ay naging malaya at hanggang ngayon ay tinatamasa natin yon sa kasalukuyang henerasyon," Paguiligan remarked.
Senior Shrine Curator of Museo ng Republika ng 1899, Mr. Jose Ruel Paguiligan, on the importance of giving value to the history of our country.
Another museum that you can visit just a few minutes away from the Museo ng Republika ng 1899 is the Museo ng Kasaysayang Pampulitika ng Pilipinas that presents the different government system through its political history.
Front of the Museo ng Kasaysayang Pampulitika ng Pilipinas.
Just this month, the museum opened its 2nd floor once again for public viewing after its restoration.
Good thing about museums and churches in Malolos is that you don't have to spend commuting from one place to another as they were all just a walk apart.
In fact, after venturing the Museo ng Kasaysayang Pampulitika ng Pilipinas or the Casa Real Shrine, walk a little bit more and you'll arrive at your next destination, the Malolos Cathedral— the church that was once the convent that saw the infancy of our national identity.
Malolos, the capital and beating heart of Bulacan, is without a doubt a destination worth visiting. With its exquisite architectural structures of churches, ancestral homes, museums, and other modernized locations surrounding the city. Sure a day will not be enough to satisfy curiosity cats and those who are hungry for knowledgeable facts about our history.
But how much does the people around the capital knows about the basic facts in the birthplace of democracy in the present?
Check out this short interview to know about basic facts about Malolos:
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