politics and governance

A Visit to Paco Park

A Visit to Paco Park

I asked my friends to accompany me to go to Paco Park for my assignment in Rizal. Why did I choose Paco Park as my reaction paper? Please see below historical background of this place.

Paco Park was originally planned as a municipal cemetery for the well-off and established aristocratic Spanish families who resided in the old Manila, or the city within the walls of Intramuros during the Spanish colonial era. Most of the wealthy families interred the remains of their loved ones inside the municipal cemetery in what was once the district of Dilao (former name for Paco). The cemetery was built in the late 1700s but was completed several decades later and in 1822, the cemetery was used to inter victims of a cholera epidemic that swept across the city.

The cemetery is circular in shape, with an inner circular fort that was the original cemetery and with the niches that were placed or located within the hollow walls. As the population continued to grow, a second outer wall was built with the thick adobe walls were hollowed as niches and the top of the walls were made into pathways for promenades. A Roman Catholic chapel was built inside the walls of the Paco Park and it was dedicated to St. Pancratius.

On December 30, 1896, Philippine national hero Dr. José P. Rizal was interred at Paco Park after his execution at Bagumbayan.

In 1912, burial or interment at the Paco Park ceased. It had been the burial ground for several generations and descendants of those who were buried in the park had the remains of their ancestors transferred. During the Second World War, Japanese forces used Paco Park as a central supply and ammunition depot. The high thick adobe walls around the park was ideal for defensive positions of the Japanese. The Japanese just before the liberation of Manila in 1945, dug several trenches and pill boxes around and within the Park with three 75 millimeter guns to defend their fortification against the charging 148th Infantry Regiment of the 1st Battalion of the United States Army and Philippine Commonwealth Army. The park was converted into a national park in 1966 during the term of President Diosdado Macapagal. Paco Park’s grandeur was slowly restored after the war and since then has remained as a public park and promenade for many teen age sweethearts who could spend quiet moments along the park’s benches and private alcoves.

Paco Park as a part of Rizal’s History

On the day of Rizal’s execution, 30 December 1896 , the journey from Fort Santiago to the place of execution, then Bagumbayan Field, now called Luneta, was on foot. His arms were tied tightly behind his back, and he was surrounded by a heavy guard. The Jesuits accompanied him and some of his Dapitan schoolboys were in the crowd, while one friendly voice, that of a Scotch merchant, a resident of Manila, called out in English, "Good-bye, Rizal."

His request to be allowed to face his executioners was denied which was beyond the power of the commanding officer to grant. Rizal reasoned that he did not deserve such a death for he was not a traitor to Spain. It was promised, however, that his head would be respected, and unblindfolded and erect Rizal turned his back to receive their bullets. He twisted a hand to indicate under the shoulder where the soldiers should aim so as to reach his heart. As the volley came, he turned and fell, face upwards, thus receiving the subsequent shots which ended his life.

Moments before his execution, with a backup force of Spanish troops, the Spanish surgeon general requested to take his pulse: it was normal. Aware of this, the Spanish sergeant hushed his men to silence when they began raising "¡vivas!" with the partisan crowd. His last words were: "consummatum est" (it is finished).

He was secretly buried in Paco Cemetery in Manila with no identification on his grave. His sister Narcisa toured all possible gravesites and found freshly turned earth at the cemetery with civil guards posted at the gate. It was guarded for 15 days by the guardia civil Veterana. Assuming this could be the most likely spot, there being ever no ground burials there, she made a gift to the caretaker to mark the site "RPJ", Rizal's initials in reverse.His remained exhumed on 17 August 1898. Placed in an urn made by Teodoro Romualdo de Jesus. Later, deposited in the house of his mother in Estraude Street, Binondo and on 30 December 1912, he was laid beneath his monment in Luneta.

Rizal’s life and works is really an inspiration for every Filipino, because of his death the urge to be free from the invaders strengthen. He may not use sword or gun in fighting, he may not participate in revolution, his hands may not be stained by bloods of the enemies but his quill and ink is as sharp as a sword made in the time’s riches, his principle is unbreakable and his hands are tainted with ink hoping to become a key for our freedom.

In this visit, all his works and sacrifices came flashing back in my mind. Even he in the family and the women that become a part of his life. I wonder what if Rizal was not executed? Will we become free? Will the patriotism arise? Will we fight or our freedom? Will we remain a province of Spain? Will we progressive than today? Lots of things are bothering me. Yet what happen is a will of God, for us to be what we are right now.

My New Perspective

“History repeats itself,” a friend told me, I guess she’s right, after almost two months of joys and struggles, here I am trapped again in the reccuring history of my past…

I thought its love, I thought that we’ll make it through the storm, I thought he is my answered prayer, its just what I thought… I never regret anything, cause I learned a lot from this two- month love test. I did things that I never thought I am capable of. I conclude a lot of things and proven it. Well I can say that I did everything to fight for this but there are things that was not really meant, and it includes us… No bitterness, no hatred, no guilt feelings, these I promise you… Why should I? Its not my loss, well, Im not saying that its his loss, its just that I never lost anything, instead, I gain… I gain a lot…

I never lose pride while flagging it down, instead I gain strength while doing it. I never lose myself during my darkest days instead I gain self esteem to stand on my own. I never lose control on my emotions infact I learned how to drive it. I never lose someone when I lost him, infact I have more than enough now, now that I know who are really true in this world of lies, who are with you in your ups and downs, who are your shoulders when you cry… my family, my friends, my Lord…

Thank you for the memories, it will be always treasured, for the tears that are converted to strengths, for the pain that serves as challenges…Thanks to you for making me better and deserving to the person that I’m really meant with…

“ History repeats itself” a friend told me, I don’t know how long will this history be repeating itself, I don’t know how much pain will it bring, how much tears will I shed, how much struggles will I face, all I know is every time the clock ticks, everytime the sun rises and sets, everytime that this history repeats, there will always be a room for innovation…

-charmz 04/14/09
11:55pm

My Hope

”History repeats itself”, a friend told me, if that’s so, does that mean that I will always be loser in love? That I will always be neglected and rejected? That it’s really impossible that I could be their first priority?

In my age, I had passed through different kinds of relationship, I need not to mention it, and maybe because it wasn’t really right from the beginning it ended bitterly. Maybe, I really should’ve make it right from the start, maybe I should’ve never done that, maybe I should’ve not tolerated that… so many regrets, regrets that will just trapped me to my old self, regrets that haunts me up to this moment. I promised to myself that if I fall in love again, I will make it right from the very start so that everything will run smooth, we might have problems or misunderstanding but we can solve it. We will be happy in our first date, while watching the sunset in the bay, so simple yet romantic. We will celebrate our anniversaries walking in the seashore, holding hands, forgetting all the pains of yesterday, overlooking the worries of tomorrow. We will plan the best wedding, as everyone witness our vows to each other they will testify our never- ending love. We will build our dreams together, our family, the number of children, the location of our future house, our dream vacation, our years together, our process of aging, our lives, our death…

“History repeats itself”, a friend told me, “but it might have a different ending”, she continued. Maybe she’s right I may have the same cases of love before but who knows, this time, it will be the end of a recurring history…

-charmz02/08/09
11:09pm

YOU, My Father...

YOU, My Father

You are a cup of coffee in a cold Sunday morning
In a trembling heart, warmth and comfort you bring
You are the cerulean sky after the heaven cried
New hope for tomorrow assured, with You by my side…

You are my best friend, I can rely on forever
A half of slipper, can’t walk unless in pair
You’re my adviser when heart is confused and weary
Hug me tight to take away anxiety…

You are my Father that provides for me
A tough wall I can lean for eternity
You are the source of my strength everyday
That makes me survive in every way…

You are my knight in shining armor
In my life’s voyage, you are my anchor
You are the clouds swathing the firmament
That catches me during falling moments…

You are my Savior that saves me from death
My Redeemer that sustains breath
In my heart you lead, you reign
God Almighty, you take away the pain…

Presently I’ll walk, not alone anymore
Cause there’s already two sets of footprints in the seashore
My God will accompany me up to the finished line
His love is unending; no one can ever define…

-charmz’09
07/14/09
4:22pm

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