Liberation of Manila

The Battle of Manila, also known as the Liberation of Manila, fought from 3 February to 3 March 1945 by American, Filipinoand Japanese forces, was part of the 1945 Philippine campaign. The one-month battle, which culminated in a terrible bloodbath and total devastation of the city, was the scene of the worst urban fighting in the Pacific theater, and ended almost three years of Japanese military occupation in the Philippines (1942–1945). The city's capture was marked as General Douglas MacArthur's key to victory in the campaign of reconquest.

On 9 January 1945, the Sixth U.S. Army under Lt. Gen. Walter Krueger waded ashore on Lingayen Gulf and began a rapid drive south.

Three weeks later on 31 January, the Eighth United States Army of Lt. Gen. Robert L. Eichelberger, consisting of the 187th and 188th Glider Infantry Regiments of Col. Robert H. Soule, components of the U.S. 11th Airborne Division under Maj. Gen. Joseph M. Swing landed unopposed at Nasugbu in southern Luzon and began moving north toward Manila. Meanwhile, the 11th A/B Division's 511th Regimental Combat Team of Col. Orin D. "Hard Rock" Haugen parachuted into Tagaytay Ridge on 4 February and spearheaded the northern advance.

By 4 February, the rapid drive to Manila by U.S. forces began. Using intelligence provided by Filipino guerrillas, American units were able to find intact bridges and shallow rivers everywhere they went.

As the Americans converged on Manila from different directions, the bulk of the defending Japanese troops had earlier engaged on a tactical move to the outskirts on orders of General Tomoyuki Yamashita, commander in chief of Japanese forces in the Philippines. Yamashita had withdrawn his main forces to Baguio City, where he planned to hold back the Filipino & U.S. forces in northern Luzon, poised for the invasion of Japan.

In 1942, General Douglas MacArthur had declared Manila an open city before its capture. Although Yamashita had not done so in 1945, he had not intended to defend Manila; he did not think that he could feed the one million city residents and defend a large area with vast tracts of flammable wooden buildings. Gen. Yamashita had originally ordered the commander of Shimbu Group, Gen. Yokoyama Shizuo, to evacuate the city and destroy all bridges and other vital installations as soon as any large American forces made their appearance.

Field Trip

Noong July 29, 2011, ang mga estudyante ng  BSIT-41A ng STI Meycauayan College ay nagpunta sa Ayala Museum, National Museum, at Chinese Garden sa Luneta Park.

AYALA MUSEUM

Dito makikita ang mga gintong nakita ng mga Pilipino sa ibat ibang lugar sa bansa. Makikita din dito ang iba't ibang kasangkapan sa bahay ng mga dayuhan. Makikita mo rin dito ang mga damit na isinusuot ng ating mga ninuno noong unang panahon. Merong mga palabas na ipinapakita sa bawat departamento ng museum. Ang mga palabas na ito ay naayon sa kung anong nilalaman ng departamentong iyon. Meron ding mga diorama na nagpapakita tungkol sa kasaysayan ng Pilipinas. Naroon din ang mga iba't ibang painting na gawa ng mga Pilipino tulad ni Fernando Amorsolo, Fernando Zobel at iba pa.

NATIONAL MUSEUM

Makikita dito ang mga ibat-ibang painting at sculpture ng mga Pilipinong artist. Makikita din dito ang iba't-ibang uri ng hayop na tanging sa Pilipinas lang makikita.

CHINESE GARDEN

Makikita dito ang itsura ng lugar sa China. Makikita mo dito kung ano ang itsura ng mga bahay sa kanilang bansa.

Panay’s superstitious death beliefs

Panay is an island in the Philippines located in the western part of the Visayas. Politically, it is divided into five provinces: Aklan, Antique,Capiz, and Iloilo, all in the Western Visayas Region. It is located southeast of the island of Mindoro and northwest of Negros, separated by the Guimaras Strait. Between Negros and Panay Island lie the island-province of Guimaras. To the north is the Sibuyan Sea and the islands of Romblon; to the southwest is the Sulu Sea and the Panay Gulf.

A celebration in a wake of a dead relative may be offensive or improper to many cultures, but in the Philippines, especially in provinces, it is a norm that has been passed on from generations along with rituals and superstitious beliefs.

The mourning and the weeping are still present, but a happy and welcoming atmosphere would usually envelop the place to help the deceased on his journey to the afterlife.

Filipinos consider the deaths of relatives as opportunities to strengthen ties in the family. Long lost relatives, friends, and even relatives working abroad would re-unite to pay respect and honor the relationship they had with the deceased.

The basic format of death rituals and celebrations in provinces, where funeral parlors are not yet popular, are wake, vigils, burial, nine-day-novena, 40th day, and 'waksi' (death anniversary).

Vigils are held all throughout the night until the burial of the dead to keep the deceased company. People usually kill time during the vigil by eating, drinking, 

gambling or just plain talking with one another.

During the time of the wake, the nearest kin is expected to sit beside the body in order to receive contributions or ‘abuloy’ to the visitors. In return, the family in mourning is expected to prepare food and refreshments for their guests.

The burial is a very solemn event. The family would view the body for the last moments and then the lid of the coffin is closed. Before the coffin is moved out of the house, members of the family say a prayer. The coffin is then carried out the main door feet first. This act symbolizes the exiting of a person, where if the head was to go out first, it is believed that the spirit of the deceased will not leave the house.

The coffin is then loaded on a hearse, a horse carriage, or carried by chosen individuals. The traditional funeral procession in the Philippines involves walking to the church and the cemetery, no matter how long the distance is. Today friends and other relatives who cannot participate in the parade can opt to ride a car during the procession.

After the burial a nine day Novena, groups prayers offered to the dead, must take place. These group prayers are held to help the deceased enter the gates of heaven. The fourth and ninth days are said to be the time where the soul of the deceased comes back. A food offering is left outside the door of the family’s house during these days to offer to the soul of the deceased.

The 40th day after the death of the person is celebrated because it is said that on that day the spirit of the deceased ascends to heaven.Exactly one year from the day of the death, a final mourning called ‘waksi’ is celebrated. In a waksi, the family prepares a feast and, together with the visitors, offers prayers to the deceased. Some provinces consider this as the day where the family can go back to wearing colored clothes.

Other superstitious beliefs

Other superstitious rules during the wake and the burial differ from province to province due to the difference in culture and beliefs. Here is a list of these rules that visitors should be well aware of to understand occurrences that are not present in the western culture.

* Feed the mourners, but don't walk them to the door when they leave.

* Don’t sweep the floor while the body is still lying in state or else other deaths in the family may follow.

* No tears should fall on the dead or the coffin as it would make a person's journey to the afterlife difficult.

* When someone sneezes at the wake, pinch him.

* During the wake the dead person's relatives must not take a bath.

* Food from the wake should not be brought home because it's believed that the dead touches all of it.

* After a funeral service, guests should not go directly home. This way the spirit of the dead won't follow them to their house.

* When carrying a coffin out for burial, it should be carried head first as it prevents the soul of the dead from coming back.

* Before a man comes home from a funeral he should light a cigarette from a fire at the cemetery gate to shake off spirits of the dead.

* The corpse should be positioned facing the door - the feet should be facing toward the door so it will allow the spirit or depart easily.

* Family members should wear black or white, colors are prohibited.

* Weddings, birthdays, and other social activities should not be celebrated for one year.

* The widow, children, and immediate family members are prohibited from carrying the coffin or else they will become ill and die.* While the casket is on its way to the cemetery or the church, relatives who preferred to stay at home should not have a glimpse of the casket or else someone in the family would die.

These beliefs may be true or not, but these make up a unique culture of how Filipinos practice the burial of their dead. Such culture is at the brink of existence once the older generations have gone by and the more globalized and westernized generation that is more rationale than superstitious, takes over.