Mural from the elementary school precinct (Election Day). The Joy of Reading will take you to Stonehenge, Eiffel Tower, Great Wall, Leaning Tower of Pisa, Indian Tipi, Ifugao House, Chocolate Hills, Niagara Falls, Inuit Igloo, the Pyramids and some beautiful mosques! And the book is in English! Love it!

lopeziana:

Apotheosis of Andres Bonifacio

Today we commemorate the 116th Death Anniversary of Gat Andres Bonifacio. He and his brother Procopio were executed in Maragondon after a trial in 1897.

Resources: Transcript of the Trial of Andres Bonifacio

In Art heroic figures are often celebrated in an allegorical manner referred to as ‘apotheosis’ which is the elevation of a dead leader (often one who was assassinated and/or martyred) to a kind of superhuman charismatic figure.

DAMAS ROMANAS, 1882. (Juan Luna)

The altar to the left is called Lararium which is found in most houses where the Romans make their offerings to the gods and their ancestor spirits. The dogs are attendants to the virgin goddess Diana, while the doves are sacred to Venus. One can say that the two Damas represent the two goddesses. - Eric Agoncillo Ambata

HABSBURG: A former convent now St. Francis of Assisi Museum in Siquijor Island. This beautiful Spanish era coral stone structure is obscured by an elementary school. You have to go inside the school to see the building itself. The facade carries the Spanish Habsburg Royal Coat of Arms, they ruled Spain from 15th to 17th centuries. It has the two pillars of Hercules and Rampant Lion supporters.

WINGED SEA LION: This is my ongoing research project on our national and colonial symbols as heraldry artist of the Republic and Presidential coats of arms/seals/flags. I believe this would be good information for our tourist guide friends in Intramuros and adjacent areas and to those interested in Spanish Colonial history.

One can surely miss nitpicking the bronze plaque on the pillar of the Miguel Lopez de Legazpi and Andres de Urdaneta monument in Intramuros containing a barely visible WINGED SEA LION. This heraldic figure has not been written about in our national symbolic vocabulary because it is not widely used. I believe this is the first instance of its representation locally. 

Tracing its source I found some pictures from my 2004 trip to Paris: Fontaine Saint-Michel located in Place Saint-Michel in the 5th arrondissement. The fountain carries two WINGED SEA LION fonts that have been described as ‘dragons’.

The winged dragon fonts are clearly sea lions with serpentine or dragon-like tails. In heraldic vernacular a creature which is partly fish like the sea lion has been described as half-serpent or half-dragon. This is not withstanding the description given by King Philip II of Spain of the Ultramar Sea Lion of Manila as half-lion and half-dolphin. Half-dolphin is not the mammalian kind but the Greco-Roman interpretation which is half-fish. Dolphins had been revered by the ancients and are sacred to Apollo. And the god Apollo was the personal impressa of King Philip II according to the book, The Mirror of the Gods, Classical Mythology in Renaissance Art by Malcolm Bull.

In Medieval lore, a WINGED LION is symbol of Victory and Resurrection. Hence in most probability it was used as ornamental fonts to complement St. Michael the Archangel the leader of the Heavenly Host against Satan. But in this case has been transformed into half aquatic creatures per requirements on fountain designs in the style of the Baroque artist Gian Lorenzo Bernini. 

The WINGED SEA LION in the Legazpi-Urdaneta Monument in Intramuros is one exciting rediscovery. It complements the dichotomous cross and sword drama that played in our 300-year history with Spain.

UPDATE: According to National Museum Director Jeremy Barns there are “winged creatures atop the posts of the Malacanang’s Kalayaan Hall walls”

Internet Freedom - Kalayaan! 

Senator Teofisto Guingona III on Thursday filed a petition in the Supreme Court asking the tribunal to declare null and void libel penalty provisions in the Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012that he said violated basic constitutional rights and threw the nation back to the dark ages.

While saying it was necessary, Guingona said that the law contained “confusing and vague provisions that suppresses the citizens’ right to freedom of speech and expression.”

“Without a clear definition of the crime of libel and the persons liable, virtually, any person can now be charged with a crime—even if you just like, retweet or comment on an online update or blog post containing criticisms,” he said.

RA 10175 also “demonizes technology and sends the message that the computer user is more evil than those who write on traditional media,” Guingona said.

He said its provisions were “an assault against our fundamental constitutional rights and throw us back to the dark ages.”

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/278642/sc-asked-to-declare-cybercrime-law-illegal

‘Relax’ A Reproductive Health Bill Public Service Announcement. A Parody. NSFW.

Numismatics: Excellent rendering of the Order of Lakandula Medallion

PDF COVER: Institutional Memory: Historical Renderings from First to Fifth Republic

Happy Philippines-Spain Friendship Day! His Majesty King Juan Carlos I of Spain wearing the little trinket I designed. This is one of my proudest works with @mlq3

January 24, 1941 The Sub-Mariner Smashes Uprising At Manila

Lady Gaga on Bad Romans

Rah, Rah, Ah, Ah, Ah

Roma, roma, ma

Gaga, ooh, La, La

WANT YOUR BAD ROMANS

26 propterea tradidit illos Deus in passiones ignominiae nam feminae eorum inmutaverunt naturalem usum in eum usum qui est contra naturam 27 similiter autem et masculi relicto naturali usu feminae exarserunt in desideriis suis in invicem masculi in masculos turpitudinem operantes et mercedem quam oportuit erroris sui in semet ipsis recipientes

Romans 1:26-27

GEEK SHOUTOUT: Philippine National Day of Valor. “Bataan Falls, April 9th, 1942” Cover to Marvel Premiere: Liberty Legion!

Circulating on the web, as of yet, unverified: new Tourism campaign logo, Pilipinas, Tara Na!

Diwatas (Daevatas) calm the tsunami #wepray #tsunamialert #mythology #mythopoeia #filipiniana 

ABS-CBN: Tsunami approaches 19 provinces

MANILA, Philippines - A tsunami caused by a magnitude 8.9 earthquake in Japan has entered Philippine territory threatening coastal communities in 19 northeast and eastern provinces.

Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) Director Renato Solidum said the tsunami or series of waves dissipated in strength as it crossed the Pacific towards the Philippines.

He said the waves could rise to up to a meter or less, and would hit Philippine eastern shorelines between 7 p.m. and 9 p.m.

The 19 provinces under Tsunami Alert Level 2 are:

Cagayan
Ilocos Norte
Isabela
Quezon
Aurora
Camarines Norte
Camarines Sur
Albay
Catanduanes
Sorsogon
Northern Samar
Eastern Samar
Leyte
Southern Leyte
Surigao del Norte
Surigao del Sur
Davao Oriental
Davao del Sur