The blog offers a breezy invite to my hometown and my birthplace. In this blog, you will learn the story of the place where I have been raised and molded into the man that I am today. Prepare as well your backpack as we embark on a never-ending journey to some of the world’s most exciting destinations – places around the world I wanted to visit. ENJOY READING MY BLOG!
Discover Gin-Asyan Gamay Island in the town of Ajuy in Iloilo Province
The aerial and panoramic view of Gin-Asyan Gamay Island Sandbar Beach in Ajuy, Iloilo taken by Pride of Panay
Gin-Asyan Gamay Island is one of the numerous islands in the municipality of Ajuy, Iloilo. This tiny island is encircled by pristine water and crisp, clean air. It has a sandbar as well. The island is just two hours' drive from the city and is situated in the northern region of Iloilo.
Gin-Asyan Gamay and Gin-Asyan Dako are the two islands that make up Gin-Asyan. The rock formations and rock balancing created by previous visitors and left in the designated location are its main draws. Because of the trees and other leafy vegetation, these islands are blanketed with green, making them a desirable location for photography enthusiasts.
If flying by air, just take a flight going to Iloilo International Airport then take a bus ride going to northern Iloilo or through Roxas City Airport and take a bus ride from Roxas City, Capiz going to Ajuy
For commuters:
1️⃣ Simply catch a bus (Sara, Concepcion, Batad, Carles, and Estancia routes) that is headed toward Northern Iloilo.
2️⃣ After that, request that the conductor drop you off at Brgy. Barrido. The air-conditioned bus fare is approximately Php170.
3️⃣ Search for a tricycle or motorcycle that has a route to the Barangay Barrido wharf. Boat rentals are flexible and start at 1500 PHP.
By sea, take any shipping vessel including RORO going to Dumangas Port
Take a tricycle from Dumangas Port to Dumangas Terminal, then another tricycle to Barotac Nuevo Market, where you may wait for a Ceres bus to Concepcion. Request that the bus conductor or driver drop you off in Mangoroco, Ajuy. Take a habal-habal to Mangorocoro Port from there. You can find out the cost of renting a pumpboat for island hopping by asking the locals. Although it depends on your negotiating skills, the average price is 800 pesos. Since he is the most considerate bangkero I have ever met and can provide you with knowledge about a certain island, I recommend Manong Tikboy as your bangkero. Manong Tikboy can even asked you to have your lunch in their home. Just follow the same route as you go back.
Estimated Expenses
Roro: Php 106 regular (from Bacolod Port going to Dumangas Port)
Tricy to Dumangas Terminal: Php 30
Tricy to Barotac Nuevo Market: Php 35
Ceres bus to Concepcion: Php 80+ regular
Habal-habal: Php 10
Pumpboat: Php 800
Just make sure that each person has a safe budget of at least Php 1,500 pesos.
General Artemio Ricarte celebrated his birthday on October 20, 1942, with his family and friends at his home on Park Avenue in Pasay, Philippines during the Japanese occupation
Artemio Ricarte
Father of the Philippine Army / First Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines
(1866 - 1945)
A Filipino general who served during the Philippine Revolution and the Philippine–American War was Artemio Ricarte y García. Although the current Philippine Army is descended from the American-allied forces that overcame the Philippine Revolutionary Army under General Ricarte, he is recognized as the Father of the Philippine Army and the first Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (March 22, 1897–January 22, 1899). Ricarte stands out for never having sworn loyalty to the US government, which ruled the Philippines from 1898 to 1946.
Birth and Early Years
Born on October 20, 1866, Artemio Ricarte was the middle child of Bonifacia Garcia y Rigonan and Esteban Ricarte y Faustino, an impoverished couple; the other two children were Ylumidad and Uno. All of them were born in Batac, Ilocos Norte. After completing his elementary education in his hometown, Artemio relocated to Manila to pursue his higher education. He attended Colegio de San Juan de Letran and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree upon graduation. He attended the University of Santo Tomas and Escuela Normal to prepare for a career as a teacher. Following his graduation, he was sent to oversee a primary school in the Cavite town of San Francisco de Malabon (today General Trias). There, he met Mariano Álvarez, a fellow educator and a Cavite mutiny revolutionary who survived. Under the Magdiwang Council, Ricarte became a member of the Katipunan and rose to the position of Lieutenant General. He took on the alias "Víbora" (Viper).
In order to conceal his identity while leading a covert revolution under the Kataastaasan, Kagalanggalangang Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan, popularly known as Katipunan, Gen. Ricarte assumed the alias "El Vibora," which means viper or snake. The New Testament verse Matthew 10:16, "Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves," served as the inspiration for the name. Gen. Ricarte lived up to his chosen pseudonym by successfully leading the Filipino forces to victory during the Cavite uprisings through meticulous preparation and execution.
Philippine Revolution
Ricarte commanded the revolutionaries in their attack on the Spanish garrison in San Francisco de Malabon on August 31, 1896, the day the Philippine Revolution began. One of the first battles between Filipino and Spanish forces, the Battle of San Francisco de Malabon, was initiated and won by him. He captured the civil guards and routed the Spanish forces. Additionally, he participated in the Battle of Zapote River against the American forces and the Battle of Binakayan-Dalahican against the Spanish forces. Gen. Ricarte accomplished his goal of eliminating those who posed a danger to his nation's independence by using stealth and ruthless tactics, just like his namesake. "El Vibora" was a byword for effective military operations and the tactics he employed in the conflict during the revolution. Ricarte was unanimously chosen Captain-General of a new revolutionary administration led by Emilio Aguinaldo on March 22, 1897, during the Tejeros Convention. Although he took his oath of office with Aguinaldo, he initially joined the Katipunan leader Andres Bonifacio and the majority of other Magdiwang leaders in protesting the legitimacy of this government. However, he and the others left Bonifacio within a month, and on April 24, he took office in Aguinaldo's administration. He was later promoted to the rank of Brigadier-General in Aguinaldo's army. He commanded his troops in a number of conflicts in Batangas, Laguna, and Cavite. He was assigned by Aguinaldo to stay in Biak-na-Bato, San Miguel, Bulacan, to oversee the arms surrender and ensure that Aguinaldo's officers and the Spanish government both followed the conditions of the peace agreement.
Philippine-American War
On May 19, 1898, Aguinaldo was returned from exile by the Americans, marking the beginning of the second phase of the Philippine Revolution. At this point, Ricarte was a marginal player. When the united Filipino-American forces overran Manila on August 13, 1898, he was the rebel leader of Santa Ana. The Filipino troops defeated the Spanish command of General Fermin Jaudenes with the assistance of General Wesley Merritt of the American Army and Rear Admiral George Dewey, commander of the American Asiatic Squadron anchored in Manila Bay. The Philippines was eventually freed from Spanish colonial rule when General Jaudenes gave Admiral Dewey control of the City of Manila.
General Ricarte celebrated the win, believing it to be the first step toward full Philippine independence. Unfortunately, however, the Americans later denied that the Filipinos had taken part in the siege of the city and even denied them the chance to enter its gates as winners. After the Filipinos helped the Americans drive out the Spaniards, the Americans were determined to take control of the Philippines. Ricarte was so grieved by this situation that he later thought of another way for the Filipino people to become independent.
He served as the Chief of Operations for Philippine forces in the third zone surrounding Manila when the Philippine–American War broke out in 1899. He attempted to enter Manila by breaking through American lines in July 1900, but the Americans arrested him. Despite being imprisoned in the Bilibid Prisons for six months, he obstinately refused to declare allegiance to the United States. As a result, he was sent to Guam by the Americans along with a large number of other rebel prisoners that they deemed irreconcilable, such as Apolinario Mabini. Two years were spent in exile.
Post-War Period
Ricarte and Mabini would both be permitted to return to the Philippines in early 1903 after swearing loyalty to the United States. Both were requested to take the oath as the US Army Transport Thomas arrived in Manila Bay. Ricarte refused to take the oath, but Mabini, who was unwell, did. Ricarte was released, but he was prohibited from entering the Philippines. He was put on the transport Garlic and sailed to Hong Kong without ever having stepped foot in the Philippines.
Ricarte entered the Philippines as a stowaway on a freighter on December 23, 1903, with the intention of reuniting with old army personnel and reigniting the Philippine Revolution. He talked about his overall strategy and the revolution's continuation when he met with a number of friends and former members. Following those discussions, some of these members—specifically, retired General Pío del Pilar—turned against Ricarte and informed the Americans. Then, a US$10,000 reward was offered for Ricarte's capture, alive or dead. Ricarte tried to rally support for his case by traveling throughout Central Luzon in the ensuing weeks.
Ricarte suffered from a disease at the beginning of 1904 that kept him bedridden for over two months. Luis Baltazar, a clerk in his organization, turned against him just as his health was improving and informed the local Philippine Constabulary of his whereabouts in Mariveles, Bataan. Ricarte was caught in May 1904 and imprisoned at Bilibid for the next six years. Ricarte was regarded and well-liked by both American and Philippine officials. Both U.S. government officials, including Charles W. Fairbanks, the vice president of the United States under Theodore Roosevelt, and old friends from the Philippine Revolutionary War often paid him a visit.
Ricarte barely completed six of his 11-year sentence because of his exemplary behavior. He was freed from Bilibid on June 26, 1910. However, American officials arrested him upon his departure and brought him to the Customs House in Bagumbayan. Once more, he was required to swear loyalty to the United States. He continued to refuse to swear loyalty, and that same day he was once more placed on a transport and sent to Hong Kong.
Ricarte stayed in Hong Kong from July 1, 1910, initially on Lamma Island at the harbor's mouth and then in Kowloon, where he started publishing a fortnightly called El Grito de Presente (The Cry of the Present). Every time there was an uprising in the Philippines, his name was brought to light. He and his spouse relocated to Tokyo and then to Yokohama, Japan, where he lived in self-exile at 149 Yamashita-cho, to escape harmful propaganda. Ricarte returned to teaching while in Japan, where he and his wife, Agueda, built a modest eatery called Karihan Luvimin. They gave it this name so that Filipino tourists would be aware that Filipinos lived in Japan. As a teacher, Gen. Ricarte instructed Spanish at Tokyo's Kaigai Shokumin Gakko School. Agueda sold copies of her husband's book, Himagsikan nang manga Pilipino Laban sa Kastila (The Revolution of Filipinos Against the Spaniards), which was published in Yokohama in 1927 and was titled Hispano-Philippine Revolution, in order to supplement the family's income. On board the ship, it became highly marketable to Filipinos. His wife, Agueda Esteban, worked in real estate, allowing the couple to buy three homes in Japan.
Ricarte's desire for an independent Philippines remained unwavering throughout their entire stay in Japan. He hosted large gatherings with Japanese officials and Filipino citizens to commemorate Rizal Day and Bonifacio Day each year.
Ricarte's Return to the Philippines during the War
Ricarte's life was about to fade into oblivion when the Imperial Japanese Army invaded the Philippines at the start of World War II. Prime Minister Hideki Tojo requested Ricarte to return to the Philippines in 1942 to assist in preserving peace and order during Japan's military occupation of Manila. He concurred, asking Tojo to grant the Philippines true independence from American colonial control. Therefore, Tojo assured Ricarte that the Japanese government would return the independence to the Filipino people if he could restore peace and order to the Philippines within a year. Ricarte accepted the offer because he had always wanted to see the Philippines free. Emilio Aguinaldo and other Filipino and Japanese nationalists respected him as a result of this arrangement. By creating the Second Philippine Republic in 1943—officially known as the "Republic of the Philippines"—Japan ostensibly awarded the Philippines freedom, but in reality, it was merely a Japanese puppet state.
Ricarte and Benigno Ramos
Gen. Artemio Ricarte told his wife, Agueda, sometime in November 1944 that he had to be present at a conference with high-ranking Japanese officials in Baguio that President Jose P. Laurel and his cabinet were having. He would also inform her that he would send for his family to join him if he had to remain in Baguio for an extended period of time.
The leader-founder of Makapili, Benigno Ramos, asked him to visit his home (currently the location of Christ the King Church in Quezon City) before he departed Baguio. His granddaughter, Maria Luisa D. Fleetwood, accompanied him there. Ramos asked him to become a member of the Makapili Organization while they were eating lunch. General Ricarte declined. He informed Ramos that he could demonstrate his patriotism and loyalty to his nation without joining the aforementioned group. He went on to say that he was already physically weak and no longer able to perform heavy duties. He did, however, approve and bless the organization's establishment in order to fight the upcoming American invasion.
Death
Ricarte once more had to flee American and Filipino soldiers at the end of World War II. Coworkers begged Ricarte to leave the Philippines, but he refused, saying, "I can not take refuge in Japan at this critical moment when my people are in actual distress. I will stay in my Motherland to the last."
Ricarte accompanied General Tomoyuki Yamashita's Japanese forces in 1945 as they fled to northern Luzon, where he was involved in the Battle of Bessang Pass in Tagudin, Ilocos Sur, against the Philippine Commonwealth Army, Philippine Constabulary, and USAFIP-NL. Ricarte retreated deeper into the Cordillera mountains as the conflict shifted to an Allied win. After that, he had dysentery and passed away in Hungduan, Ifugao, on July 31, 1945, at the age of 78. Later in 1954, treasure hunters found his grave. After being exhumed, Ricarte's remains are presently interred at the Libingan ng mga Bayani in Manila. Additionally, in April 2002, Ricarte's granddaughter and historian Ambeth Ocampo, chairman of the National Historical Institute, dedicated a monument near his Hungduan cemetery.
Honors
- A monument was placed at Yokohama, Japan's Yamashita Park in 1972.
- In Batac, Ilocos Norte, the Philippines, the Ricarte National Shrine and Museum presently stands where Artemio Ricarte was born.
- In recognition of General Artemio Ricarte's fights and actions in Cavite, a marker was erected in Poblacion, General Trias, Cavite.
In Popular Culture
- One of Ishmael Bernal's earliest films, El Vibora, was portrayed by Vic Vargas in 1972.
- Pen Medina played the role in the 1992 movie Bayani.
- Ian de Leon played the role in the 2012 movie El Presidente.
- Featured in the 2013 GMA TV series Katipunan as Justin Candado II.
- In Bonifacio: Ang Unang Pangulo (2014), Jack Love Falcis played the role.
In Philippine tradition, the Bicolano people describe a legendary creature called an Onglo. It is frequently connected to the forest and is renowned for producing a severe, excruciating itching sensation just by touching or being near it. In Philippine folklore, a large, hairy, and savage humanoid creature with long hair, pointed ears, and clawed feet is frequently described. It is said to live in swamps and collect shellfish using its incredibly hard elbows and knees, which are said to give people a painful itching sensation.
The creature, Onglo, is around one foot tall and extremely hairy, making anyone who touches it itch all over. The onglo resembles a human and is covered in long, straight black hair from head to toe. It possesses long, pointed fingernails, long, pointy ears, and clawed feet. An onglo's foul odor allows humans to identify it. It consumes food that has been exposed to the sun to dry, such as dried fish. The monster known as an onglo has a man's upper body and a horse's lower body. It has a strong scent that is detectable from a considerable distance. Onglo is a hideous, black monster that itches people's skin just by being around it.
Physical Description / Appearance
- A little, human-like height, usually between one and two feet.
- Wearing long, straight black hair from head to toe.
- The feet have claws and long, sharp nails.
- They have pointed ears.
- A disagreeable, foul smell.
The reason behind the itching - People that go too close to the creature's dwelling are frequently afflicted by the insatiable, excruciating itching it causes. According to certain folklore, a woman's long hair can be used to whip the person who is itching.
Habitat - It is thought to reside inside big balete trees or in other secluded, dark areas like wetlands.
Diet - According to legend, the Onglo eat dried fish and other foods that have been exposed to the sun.
Behavior - They have a reputation for being vicious and savage. They crack open clam shells for food using their strong, rock-hard elbows and knees.
Dangers - An encounter with an Onglo can be dangerous since its hair can give its victims a terrible, excruciating itching sensation.
Trickster - According to some legends, the Onglo is a cunning prankster who deceives and misleads tourists.
Alternative Description
According to one version of the myth, the Onglo is a big, menacing creature with powerful knees and elbows that it employs to crush everything. In this variant, it consumes shellfish and dwells in marshes.
Cultural Significance
The Bicol Region's rich cultural legacy and folklore include the Onglo tale. The narrative is frequently recited as a warning to keep people away from hazardous areas like forests.
The iconic Jaro Belfry was severely damaged during the 1948 Lady Caycay Earthquake
The 1948 Lady Caycay earthquake was a magnitude 7.8 tremor that struck Panay Island, Philippines, and is considered the second-biggest earthquake in the country's recorded history. The event caused widespread devastation, particularly in Iloilo and Antique, and even triggered a small tsunami. It made a significant impact and effects in the entire Panay Island claiming lives and destroying properties.
The name "Lady Caycay" comes from the local Hiligaynon and Kinaray-a term caycay, which describes the scratch marks made by chickens. Residents used this term to describe the ground fissures that appeared after the earthquake, especially in the low-lying parts of Iloilo province.
The main shock occurred at 1:46 a.m. PST on January 25, 1948, lasting for up to three minutes. The three-minute shaking causes 55 Spanish period churches to be battered and severely damaged while 17 structures were totally collapsed.
The epicenter was located on the West Panay Fault, near the municipalities of Anini-y and Dao (now Tobias Fornier) in Antique province. The earthquake was caused by the movement of this active fault line. The location of West Panay Fault passes the towns of San Joaquin, Miag-ao, Igbaras, Tubungan, Leon, Alimodian, Janiuay, Lambunao, Tapaz, Jamindan, Sibalom, San Remigio, Valderrama, Libacao, Madalag, Malinao and Pandan.
Early reports approximate the magnitude at 8.2 Ms, but more recently the estimates place the event magnitude at 7.8 Mw. The maximum intensity reached an "Extreme" X on the Mercalli Intensity Scale and a "Devastating" IX on the PEIS (PHIVOLCS Earthquake Intensity Scale).
The main tremor was followed by a series of major aftershocks for nearly a month.
The strong shaking created fissures in the ground up to four meters wide, with some on the coastlines filling with seawater. Landslides, sand blows, and the emergence of a new brook in the town of Cabatuan in Iloilo are just some of aftermaths of that strong earthquake.
A minor tsunami with waves soaring up to two meters high seen along the Iloilo Strait claimed two lives and damaging structures along the coastline.
The impact of the Lady Caycay earthquake was strongly felt in the provinces of Aklan, Antique, Capiz and Iloilo sustaining severe damages and destroying or heavily damage many bridges, telecommunication lines as well as public and private structures.
A lot of heritage churches during the Spanish period were either heavily damaged or collapsed including:
- The Jaro Metropolitan Cathedral's five-story belfry collapsed to the ground.
- The elegant Gothic-Neoclassical Byzantine Ottoman influenced Oton church was severely damaged and eventually demolished.
- Some belfries in places like the town of San Joaquin and Iloilo City district of Arevalo was also toppled to the ground.
- The UNESCO World Heritage site, the Miag-ao church whose sturdy buttresed walls withstood the tremors was only one of the few exceptions.
A magnitude 8.2 earthquake, referred to locally as the "Lady Caycay earthquake," struck southwest of Panay Island on January 25, 1948, at 1:46 am Philippine Time. The aforementioned second-strongest earthquake in Philippine history had the greatest effects on the province of Iloilo and other parts of the island. The old Oton Church had to be dismantled because it was so badly damaged. Jaro Cathedral's five-story belfry also fell. The magnificent Oton church, one of the most exquisite buildings on Panay Island and part of the Spanish architectural legacy in the Philippines, sustained some damage.
The majority of the major damage discovered during the inquiry was in the province of Iloilo, notably in churches that still stand from the Spanish era. In general, there was significant damage to public and private buildings, bridges, and communication cables.
Along the Iloilo Strait, a 6.5-foot (2-meter) tsunami was reported to have struck the coastlines of Guimaras and Southern Iloilo. Two people were killed in the incident.
The islands of Negros, Guimaras, and Panay had strong intensity.
Juan Araneta is a revolutionary leader and patriot who is one of the key figures of Negros Occidental's Al Cinco de Noviembre. He is also a sugar farmer who pioneered the development of sugar industry in Negros. He is instrumental in the development of agriculture in the Philippines.
Birth and Early Years
On July 13, 1852, Juan Anacleto Torres Araneta was born in Molo, Iloilo (now a district of Iloilo City). His mother, Agueda Villanueva Torres, was 23 years old when he was born, and his father, Romualdo Marcial Cabungsol Araneta, was 29 years old at the time and a direct male-line descendant of José de Araneta y Guyol.
Juan has a brother, Eusebio, who moved to Iloilo, and sisters, Magdalena and Pedro Sarmiento, who were important figures in Juan Anacleto's life; Maria Rosario and Remegio Salas; and Maria Consolacion and Fedirico Matti, who was one of the first Bago mayors.
Later on, the Araneta-Torres family relocated to Negros and made it their permanent home.
Pedro Sarmiento, his brother-in-law, took him to Manila when he was 19 years old, and he enrolled in the Ateneo Municipal de Manila. He had a lot of promise in school and was recognized for his efforts with distinction medals. He received a perito mercantil degree upon graduation, which is the same as a bachelor's degree in commerce today. José Alejandrino, Apolinario Mabini, Cayetano Arellano, and José Rizal were among of his schoolmates.
Like his father before him, he was elected Capitan del Pueblo upon his return to Molo. However, the province's friars had grown wary of him, and the only thing keeping the Spanish government from summarily eliminating him was the great admiration and respect of the residents of Bago and the other towns in the province of Negros Occidental.
Life as a Farmer
After his wife passed away in 1891, Juan traveled to Europe with his friend Don Claudio Reina. He got to meet a lot of the Filipino leaders who were then residing in Madrid, London, and Paris. He marveled at the independence and the progress of industrialization there. The Swiss cantonal system of government really intrigued him. He became a believer in the potential of machines as catalysts for advancement after witnessing the industrial machinery used by European farmers. This led to even greater hostility from the Spanish government when he returned. He consequently lost the farm that his parents had left him and his sisters. He was forced to relocate his family to the Mount Kanlaon slopes, where they began farming once more. He brought a lot of devices to his Dinapalan hacienda.
His use of a telescope to remotely monitor his workers on the expansive hacienda is one well-known story. The general populace began to believe that he possessed magical abilities, but in fact, he could simply view their behavior via the telescope.
Tan Juan was an agricultural inventor of his era who experimented with cultivating rice, abaca, and coffee in addition to sugarcane, diversifying the agricultural output in Negros Occidental.
Tan Juan, as he was affectionately known, also brought foreign agricultural equipment to Bago, which facilitated the cultivation of rice, abaca, and coffee.
He presented what he observed to the village of Bago after applying what he had learned in Europe to his land.
Tan Juan is largely responsible for the agricultural prosperity of Bago, which is currently regarded as the rice granary of Negros Occidental and a developing coffee haven.
Conflict with the Spanish Authorities
He became aware of the use of modern agricultural equipment and tools during his trips in Europe. He had a sugar mill erected at his Dinapalan hacienda after importing it from England. He occasionally purchased farm equipment such as an abaca baler, a rice thresher, and better models of plows.
But this penchant for contemporary farming implements proved to be his downfall. The boatloads of material being unloaded close to his Lumangub property raised suspicions among the Spanish authorities. In January 1897, he was taken into custody and taken to Concordia. Later, he was taken to Himamaylan and then to Ilog, the province's capital at the time. According to his diary, there were plans to organize the province's revolutionary forces while he was incarcerated. Annotations indicated that he communicated with other provincial leaders. In October 1897, he was ultimately taken to Bacolod and set free.
The Negros Revolution
The initial phase of the revolution was sweeping across the provinces as he worked to build his farm. Spanish authorities throughout the archipelago were alarmed and increased their vigilance by detaining anyone they believed would rebel against them. Despite his reputation as a liberal thinker, Araneta was not exempt from their lists. He was taken into custody on January 9, 1897, and remained incarcerated until March 8, 1897.
After being released from prison, he joined Aniceto Lacson, Leandro Locsin, and Nicolas Golez to form revolutionary forces in Negros. Lacson led the North command, while Araneta led the South.
A messenger from Talisay reported that the revolutionaries and the cazadores were already fighting on November 5, 1898 (Cinco de Noviembre). The revolutionary forces in Bago began their march toward Bacolod at around 1:00 in the afternoon. They only owned three weapons: a shotgun, a Mauser rifle, and a Remington rifle. The leader of the rebel troops, General Araneta, instructed his men to chop pagong, or nipa stems, and to carry them like weapons. The password was to be utod (brother) in Hiligaynon in case they got in touch.
Araneta declared the Republic of Negros and raised the Filipino flag in Bago Town that same day. Araneta led his troops into Bacolod at around 1:00 in the afternoon of the next day, with the majority of them carrying farming implements and woods that appeared to be rifles from a distance, along with a few firearms (a Remington, a Mauser, and a shotgun). As they marched from the northern side to Bacolod, the Lacson faction followed suit.
When the rebels marched near Bacolod, the Spanish authorities believed they wanted to give up their weapons. To their surprise, the rebels suggested that the Spaniards surrender to prevent bloodshed. The Spaniards agreed without hesitation. Spanish reinforcements from Iloilo didn't arrive until Bacolod was already in rebel control.
The Spanish friars and Colonel Isidro de Castro, the Spanish Gobernador Politico-Militar of Negros, observed the rebel troops marching on Bacolod from opposing directions while looking fully armed from the belfry of the Bacolod Cathedral. Alarmed, Colonel de Castro dispatched Manuel Fernandez Yuson and Jose de Luzurriaga to negotiate the surrender of the Spanish civil guards and soldiers, only to discover later that they had been duped by the rebels' resourcefulness.
By utilizing bamboo mats painted to simulate cannons, they cleverly bluffed Spanish forces into surrendering, opening the door for a republican government led by the Negrenses.
On November 6, 1898, Don Isidro Castro, the Spanish governor of Negros Island, gave himself up to soldiers led by Juan Araneta and Aniceto Lacson at Bacolod.
On November 7, 1898, a cantonal system of governance was established in Bacolod, with Aniceto Lacson serving as president and General Juan Araneta as secretary of war. However, when the Americans landed in Negros on December 28, 1898, this administration was overthrown. Araneta advised the administration to surrender after observing the American forces' superior equipment. His allies fiercely fought and denounced his request, but eventually gave in. America's occupation of Negros was hence peaceful. By the time American military rule was instituted in the nation, the cantonal government had been permitted to continue until it was eventually abolished.
The Republic of Negros
General Aniceto Lacson established a cantonal system of governance in Bacolod, with General Juan Araneta as the Secretary of War and General Aniceto Lacson as President. He advised the cantonal government to surrender to the American forces upon their arrival in Iloilo. His comrades-in-arms strongly objected to this and mocked it. But in the end, his plan was accepted, and the Americans took Negros without facing any resistance.
Personal Life
A total of twenty-five children were born to Juan Araneta. Cristeta Sarmiento, his first wife, passed away in 1891, leaving him and their nine children.
He has thirteen children with Natalia Salsalida y Bobeda, his second spouse.
He has three more children from his two other relationships.
Cristeta Sarmiento, with whom he had nine children:
Elisa Araneta y Sarmiento
Romualdo Araneta y Sarmiento
Félix Araneta y Sarmiento
Gertrudes Araneta y Sarmiento
Jaime Carlos Araneta y Sarmiento
Jorge León Araneta y Sarmiento
José Araneta y Sarmiento
Luisa Flavia Araneta y Sarmiento
Ramón Araneta y Sarmiento
Natalia Salsalida, with whom he had thirteen children:
Agüeda María Feliciana Araneta y Salsalida
Romualdo Marcial Araneta y Salsalida
Crestita Pascuala Araneta y Salsalida
Teresa Bonifacia Araneta y Salsalida
Guillermo Hillarión Araneta y Salsalida
Ana Justina Araneta y Salsalida
María Ricarda 'Rica' Araneta y Salsalida
Patrocinio Dominga Araneta y Salsalida
Teodoro Antonio Araneta y Salsalida
Silvia Agustina Araneta y Salsalida
Woodrow Cecilio Araneta y Salsalida
Felipe Alberto Araneta y Salsalida
Félix Alberto Araneta y Salsalida
Celestina Díaz, with whom he had a son:
Emilio Araneta y Díaz
Juanita Camellarosa, with whom he two daughters:
Trinidad Araneta y Camellarosa
Rufina Araneta y Camellarosa
Unusual Charm and Supernatural Story
Since Juan Anacleto is recognized for having a strong charisma (or "dungan" in the local dialect), Aguinaldo's belief in him is not out of the ordinary. Ordinary people believe that he is friends with the sota, a mythical monster that is half-black and half-white and represents both good and evil, and that he consorts with the spirits that reside in Mount Kanlaon. According to the folklore, he can see far and wide and his horse can fly. One of the most powerful "anting-anting" (talismans) is embedded in him. It is said that he battles his fiercest foe in the sky, and their battles resemble thunder.
Later Years and Death
He served as one of the commissioners for the St. Louis Exposition in 1904, where he displayed more than a thousand rice varieties, as well as samples of cocoa, beans, abaca, and numerous other crops from Negros and Panay. Due to the outstanding quality of all these shows, he received both gold and silver medallions. For the enjoyment of his big family, he also created Buenos Aires Mountain Resort. Maria A. Matti, his daughter, subsequently received this property from him.
He stayed up to date on the latest advancements in crops or agricultural tools and implements. He planted trees that were not native to Negros and attempted to raise a variety of crops on his land. He was one of the founding members of the Ma-ao Sugar Central in Bago. To support the new business, he lent the corporation the titles to his properties. Later, the province's first American sugar factory was established by the Sugar Central. He convinced his tenants to cultivate sugarcane on huge tracts of land. Tan Juan also had a key role in the establishment of the Bago Baptist Church.
The City of Bago has a museum and a monument in his honor today. Araneta did not live long enough to witness the growth of the agricultural and business he had previously diversified into. He left behind a big family consisting of 25 children and several grand and great grandkids when he passed away on October 3, 1924.
General Juan Anacleto Torres Araneta, better known as the mastermind behind the November 5, 1898, march from the town of Bago (now a city) to the San Sebastian Cathedral, loved the soil just as much as his nation. His love of farming gave his idyllic life a surprising splash of color.
Tan Juan is recognized for his services to agriculture and for motivating the following generation of farmers, in addition to making a lasting impression on Negros history by defeating the Spaniards in 1898.
