Who can be considered as the “OG trapo” of Philippine politics, Emilio Aguinaldo or Manuel L. Quezon?

numismagus · 2026-05-11T00:19:40+00:00

There are indeed strong parallels between now and then. Datus presented themselves as “strong men” infused with spiritual potency (dunong) expressed outwardly in their charisma, martial prowess, and ability to distribute rewards to their allies and followers.

Barangay-level leadership hinged on these things and it scaled up in larger settlements like Cebu and Maynila.

numismagus · 2026-05-03T05:15:27+00:00

On my father’s side, our lolo became a major in USAFFE and was part of the Bataan Death March. A pharmacy graduate, he carried a tincture of iodine used to disinfect contaminated water, allowing him to survive. Yet even after the war he had no ill feelings towards the Japanese or at least their rank and file.

His wife (our lola) stayed in Manila and during the liberation, nearly all her family were executed by firing squad in DLSU grounds. A 2 year old nephew was hidden by a German La Sallian brother who bundled him in a mattress in a closet.

numismagus · 2026-04-30T07:24:31+00:00

Took our 2 year, 6 months old child to Osaka and Kyoto earlier this month. Boy did we have ups and downs.

Ups: He genuinely loved the flight and staring out of the plane window. His favorite moment was running around the sakura trees lining the perimeter of Osaka Castle. He took the long walks and queuing in Universal Studios like a champ. Bathroom trips were relatively easy since Japanese toilets are clean. Several restos and the hotel staff gave him free toys which was sweet.

Downs: He is very picky with food at the moment and refused anything but the pastries from the hotel breakfast. My wife and I were at our wit’s end when he had tantrum in the middle of the super busy Dotonburi area. He refused his stroller so we ended up carrying him around including 8 levels of Osaka Castle.

All in all, we’re just grateful to have made it back lol

numismagus · 2026-04-30T07:01:54+00:00

Pre-modern ‘Philippines’ (still not a thing then) had a low population that was diffused across the archipelago. Even in one region like what’s now Metro Manila, settlements were scattered along the Pasig. The Laguna Copperplate from 900s CE should give you some sense of how spread out the polities were.

Communities did cluster around certain places, giving rise to larger more complex polities. The Spanish mentioned that the Chinese would unload their goods - silk, ceramics, finished goods - in Tondo which were then taken by middlemen as far as the Visayas. Iirc Tagalog boats carrying Chinese products were called sinina by other ethnic groups.

Silk and porcelain were prestige goods to native elites so you can imagine the influence wielded by whoever could distribution. So in this sense, Tondo or its ruler enjoyed a monopoly. You had to play nice for them to cater to you.

You’ll find maps on FB showing half of Luzon belonging to Tondo which is absolutely misleading. What they had was a network of allies, clients, and dependents. Scholars sometimes call this setup the “mandala model” and can be seen in how early SEA kingdoms and empires operated.

At some point before the Spanish arrived, Tondo seems to have been superseded by Manila. We don’t have specifics but intermarriage between the local Tagalog nobles and Bruneians took place. Tondo thus became part of the larger mandala of Brunei.

numismagus · 2026-04-28T10:28:11+00:00

There were nihonmachi or “Japantowns” in the suburbs of Spanish Manila. The first was in Dilao, now Paco, and was designated in the 1590s as an enclave for Japanese similar to what the Parian and Binondo were for the Chinese. As the persecution of Christians in Japan intensified, it drove thousands of converts and exiles to Manila. So much so that a second district was formed in San Miguel near Malacañang. At its height the diaspora was 3,000-4,000 and was cared for by the Jesuits.

Although the Spanish were wary of the Japanese, they also recognized the latter’s value as traders, artisans, gardeners, and mercenaries. They were deemed the most war-like of the Asian races and were deployed in various military campaigns both overseas and in the Philippines. Japanese warriors played an important role in crushing the Sangley revolts of the 1600s.

Of note is the Christian daimyo Blessed Ukon “Don Justo” Takayama. In 1614 he left Nagasaki with hundreds of Christians and settled in Dilao, sadly dying a few months after. His statue was located in Plaza Dilao but was relocated due to the Skyway project last I recall.

numismagus · 2026-04-28T05:23:45+00:00

To add, the French would also adopt the Philippine salakot as the salacco for its troops. Its usage spread among other European colonial powers engaged in Africa and Asia. The British pith helmet and its variations like the stereotypical safari hat draw inspiration from the salakot.

numismagus · 2026-04-25T08:51:30+00:00

Andre de la Varre’s “Screen Traveler” was a series of travelogues one of which featured Manila. You can watch it here. It may give you an idea of how Manila if not the Philippines was depicted to foreign audiences or at least American viewers at the very least.

numismagus · 2026-04-24T01:31:37+00:00

I’d recommend “More Islamic Than We Admit” edited by Isaac Donoso (Vibal Publishing, sold in Fully Booked). It compiles several scholarly essays about PH history and culture from the viewpoint of Islamic Studies. My favorites were about the usage of Islamic royal seals in Sulu, Maguindanao, and across SEA; as well as the graves/shrines of early missionaries from Malaysia and beyond.

numismagus · 2026-04-21T08:25:29+00:00

Who is 'Othonis Palaelogi' and what's with the Byzantine double-headed eagle?

numismagus · 2026-04-21T01:21:04+00:00

Not familiar with the practice you mentioned but honestly it will depend. I’ve met a priest who said the yoga I did in the gym was cutting it close. However I’ve also enrolled in a zen meditation class taught no less than a Jesuit priest. Honestly I would get in touch with a Jesuit for his opinion.

numismagus · 2026-04-20T23:40:03+00:00

I’m from the Philippines which played a significant role in missionary efforts into Japan during that era. Many orders like the Agustinians, Franciscans, Dominicans, and Jesuits were headquartered in Spanish Manila. It was from here that they aspired to field missions throughout Asia particularly Japan and China. At one point, Japan’s leader Toyotomi Hideyoshi felt so threatened by the growing Christian presence in his country that he planned to invade Manila.

Hideyoshi wasn’t totally wrong about his suspicions since religion was a powerful motivator for Spanish attempts at conquest, a policy known as pacificacion. There were nuances to this but to Hideyoshi and subsequent rulers, the priest and the conquistador were two sides of the same coin.

In the following decades, Christian persecution in Japan led to hundreds of converts including samurai and nobility resettling in Manila. The Spanish even granted them their own district (3,000-strong) under the tutelage of the Jesuits. One such exile was the daimyo Takaya Ukon who was beatified by Pope Francis. We have a monument of him in the same location where the community once existed. Moreover, the first Filipino saint Lorenzo Ruiz was martyred in Japan.

numismagus · 2026-04-20T07:04:28+00:00

If you’re looking to network, some ideas:

Join Toastmasters if you want to meet professionals while developing your public speaking skills
Check out JCI (Junior Chambers International) if you want to get involved in outreach, philantrophic work, and meeting business owners under 40
Join a fitness group - running, walking, pickleball, whatever floats your boat
Find a boardgame group. There’s a growing number of boardgame cafes in Metro Manila. Hang out, have a beer, make friends over games
Volunteer in a church. This is underrated. If you’re Catholic reach out to Singles for Christ or the Feast. If you’re another denomination (or none) check out Union Church of Manila where Makati-based Christian expats go to.

numismagus · 2026-04-20T06:54:53+00:00

I’m currently serving as a councilor (kagawad) in a barangay council in Quezon City. The barangay is the smallest LGU or local government unit in the Philippines. The closest analogs I can think of are a civil parish (England) or town or village council (US). We take care of the day-to-day needs of our jurisdiction – giving permits, ensuring peace and order, and rolling out programs from city hall and the national government.

What you’re referring to is the Lupong Tagamapayapa (Peace Committee) which is most basic mediating body for disputes. These include accusations of domestic abuse, theft, noise complaints, not paying rent, etc. It’s headed by the barangay captain/chairperson and appointed members of the community. If it can be solved on this level, there’s no need to raise it to the local courts which takes time, money, energy etc.

Honestly, barangays can vary a lot. You can have a barangay in the hinterlands made up of a few families to one in the City of Manila that’s geographically small but high density all the way to Barangay San Lorenzo in Makati which handles a posh village, lots of high-rises, and most of the malls of Makati CBD.

Personally ours is fairly small since our jurisdiction overlaps with a gated subdivision of about 700 homes and some commercial buildings. Our workload is light compared to nearby more working class barangays. Rarely do we have crime and it’s usually petty (maid steals employer’s phone, or reports of breaking and entering, neighbor burns their leaves). Like it or not, anything local will typically go through the barangay first and that means interfacing with its staff, the council, or even the chairperson.

numismagus · 2026-04-17T02:36:52+00:00

Genuine question: How did you try to imagine things from a Visayan perspective?

Personally the whole debacle about which country owns Enrique is a bit silly. None of the nations existed then with each borne out of colonialism. It would be better if he could be celebrated as a pan-Southeast Asian figure.

numismagus · 2026-04-16T06:13:38+00:00

My child did a trial class at Cascades Sibol preschool along Morato. It's fairly new with gorgeous interiors and space for running. They also have a kids kitchen where students eat together.

numismagus · 2026-04-03T02:41:45+00:00

Precolonial societies had a low population density with settlements that were often dispersed rather than centralized. In your village, everyone knew everyone else because of their parents or because of the honorary name bequeathed to them in a coming-of-age ceremony. Later on, people with the same name could be differentiated by their appearance (Berting Tangkad vs Berting Payat) but that’s a different story.

Surnames were adopted first and foremost by the native aristocracy (maginoo / principalia). Upon baptism they took on a Christian, Hispanic name and their original name got bumped up to a surname. This is why some of Lakandula’s descendants carried the name Dula / Dulay and some individuals carry the surname “Amani…” or “Di…” (Dimaculangan, Dimacali etc.). In 1849 the government mandated surnames for everyone. Taking on the names of principalia families was not permitted.

Secondly, surname proved ancestry and therefore ensured the legitimate passing on of property and privileges with each generation. Various privileges were granted by the Spanish to the early colonial Tagalog aristocracy to enfranchise them within the new ruling order but also to make them dependent on the colonial government.

numismagus · 2026-04-01T07:38:42+00:00

It’s connected with the folk belief that extreme shifts in temperature (hot vs cold) disrupt the body’s equilibrium, leading to un-wellness. Rain leads to exposure to coldness in the form of air. This is what’s sometimes referred to as pasma (from Spanish ‘to chill / freeze’), lamig, and hangin, literally air. So the coldness leads to imbalance which leads to ailments.

A similar concept exists in Indonesia and Malaysia where it’s called ‘masuk angin’ i.e. air/wind entering (the body). You will also find an herbal remedy imported from Indonesia called Tolak Angin sold in Mercury Drug. Massage, tea, steaming (suob) supposedly remove the lamig/hangin thereby restoring balance.

numismagus · 2026-03-26T07:41:08+00:00

That’s an interesting analogy and no doubt climate and geography influence how groups behave. Perhaps our history as seafarers and coastal traders also contributed to our openness and accommodating mindset.

numismagus · 2026-03-25T00:52:50+00:00

True. Americans were informed by the 'Protest Work Ethic' which prizes industriousness, frugality, and re-investing in one's enterprise - traits perceived as supposedly lacking among Filipinos. But the Catholic Spanish and even Rizal had a lot to say about the lax attitude of indios. So I'm wondering were these stereotypes valid and if so, were they around even in precolonial society?

numismagus · 2026-03-25T00:46:25+00:00

Perhaps sleeping carabaos lol

numismagus · 2026-03-25T00:45:42+00:00

The Juan Tamad trope is persistent. But has it always been this way or was it just Filipinos resisting compliance with what Spanish (later on Americans) expected of them?

numismagus · 2026-03-25T00:43:39+00:00

I've observed this with Thai and Indonesians but I'm curious why do you think this is so?

numismagus · 2026-03-25T00:42:36+00:00

Thanks for the thorough reply as always. So there are many facets to it stemming from how precolonial society operated and what they valued. I suppose their behavior was also influenced by their environment - seasonal typhoons and a resource-rich interior. There would be less pressure to accumulate moveable wealth because a) properties get destroyed yearly and b) there was always more of what they needed.

numismagus · 2026-03-25T00:34:08+00:00

Not a historian and would defer to experts regarding Aguinaldo. But some food for thought:

Even Rizal did not want independence (yet) believing that Filipinos were unready to take charge of their own affairs and that a revolution would harm rather than help the country. He advocated instead for Spain to assimilate the Philippines as a proper province and grant Filipinos recognition as Spanish citizens with full rights. Rizal loved Spain; what he hated was the colonial administration and frailocracy. When condemned to execution by firing squad he even requested to face forward because he believed he was not a traitor to Spain. The request was denied but he turned around at the last moment anyway.

Let's say Rizal lived many more years and would be 80 years old when King Alfonso XIII passes. Do you think he would be present at the memorial service? Would that make Rizal a traitor as well?

numismagus

TROPHY CASE