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“Firmness is one of the conditions necessary to obtain our coveted independence.”

source: A Question of Heroes, Nick Joaquin, 1977

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The Beauty and the Diplomat: How Carlos P. Romulo fell in love with a Carnival Queen

It was February 1922, and Manila was brimming with excitement.

The annual Manila Carnival was about to begin, just as it always had, always before Lent. The Carnival was a two-week revelry held at the Old Wallace Field in Luneta, where people wore masks of different shapes, carried horns, and sprinkled confetti all around. What would be the carnival, without the two icons it had? It had the enormous Meralco Tower that brightens up the entire carnival with its dazzling lights, and the squatted child-like elfin figure, the Billiken, always laughing, and always funny to look at, right beside the carnival gate.

Amidst all this happy fanfare stood an awkward 24-year old guy, in a strange costume, right at the carnival gate. His expression looked conflicted.

Not so long ago, before he became a Pensionado (a Filipino scholar sent to the United States to study), Carlos was just one of those reporters on the beat to catch a scoop in the Senate, then at the building where the National Museum is today. He couldn’t forget how, even when the Carnival was ongoing and his fellow reporters surrendered and gave in to the Carnival, Carlos stayed on in the Senate Hall. Not long after, Carlos was rewarded. Then Senate President Manuel Quezon suddenly gave an impassioned speech that awakened the dull litany of hearings, condemning the newspaper La Vanguardia for writing against his Filipinization efforts. That was a big scoop Carlos caught, and it was printed front-page at Cable-News. It earned Quezon’s praise, and also his trust.

And so, he was asking himself what he was doing in the Carnival.

When he went to the U.S., earning his Master of Arts at Columbia University, Carlos vividly remembered how he fell in love with a blue-eyed American lady. When Carlos was homesick in New York, it was her who got him through–in those four years of constantly being at his side. Even his landlady in his rented room thought that Carlos would end up marrying this girl.

But all came to naught, at the beck and call of the U.S. Chief Justice and former Philippine governor-general William Howard Taft. When Carlos graduated, he was called upon by Taft, who stood as his guardian while he finished his studies there. Taft, that day, was frank with him, asking him if he was serious with the girl. When Carlos answered that he is, Taft told him he needed to go back home to the Philippines and ask for his parents’ permission first and think it over. Right then and there he was given a ticket to go home. Goodbyes and tears were exchanged with the girl, and the brokenhearted Carlos went home.

And now he’s here at the Carnival. A year had already passed. And he was still trying to move on.

Carlos was hesitant to become an escort for a carnival queen, dressed as her prince consort, complete with a laurel crown on his head, mismatched sandals and a Roman toga. Carlos never liked wearing these silly costumes, and worse, he was there for all eyes to see in the carnival.

The contest for the carnival queen was a complicated affair. Each candidate was sponsored by a newspaper. The Philippines Herald, where Carlos worked as Assistant Editor, sponsored a young 16-year old Filipina from Pagsanjan, named Virginia Vidal Llamas. During the campaign, as Carlos rummaged through the photos of the Herald candidate, he recognized her as an acquaintance in a picnic back in his Columbia University days. As fate would have it, Virginia garnered the most votes, and as such, the Herald chose Carlos as the Queen’s escort for the coronation. The Carnival Queen was given the title, Virginia II.

There were a series of nine balls hosted by the Carnival Queen, aside from the numerous parades, with which the Queen Virginia II would head the floral parade, with her court.

She was described by a granddaughter as:

…the quintessential lady—informed, impeccably dressed, and quietly dignified—who in her own words chose to “glow faintly in her husband’s shadow. Perectly at ease in Western dress, she preferred to wear the traditional terno, complete with pañuelo. Well-versed in English and Spanish, she preferred to speak Tagalog.

She was a lady of substance and dignity. And so, when Virginia heard that her escort refused to be her escort days before, she never hesitated to show her displeasure. After all, a Filipina would not stoop down and beg for any man’s attention. She knew her value. And in the floral parade, and in those nine balls, the poor guy endured the wrath of the beautiful lady.

“I was staring at her… she was so angry and so much prettier than her pictures that I, usually glib of speech, found myself tongue-tied,” writes Carlos in his autobiography.

As Queen Virginia II showed her irritation, the Prince Consort looked on in fear and wonder.

And Carlos surprised himself, when he found himself in love again.

But love is not just a fleeting feeling. And so began the two and a half years of ligawan (courtship). Commitment had proven itself true, and the two finally married on 1 July 1924 in Pagsanjan. They had four sons, all of whom were born before the war.

When the Second World War came to the Philippines, Carlos and his family went with the officials of the Commonwealth Government in Exile in the U.S. Virginia rarely saw her husband in those three years due to military operations. But she was a strong woman, even in the time of uncertainty and danger.

Virginia showed this resilience when she was diagnosed with leukemia in 1968 after years of a happy marriage. Contentment and happiness defined that marriage, something that honed both of them in private and public life. At her deathbed, one of her sons confirmed that Virginia looked at them as though she never feared death. In those final moments, the Queen gave a long look at her Prince Consort, also wrinkled as she was. She gave him orders to take care of the kingdom she would leave behind.

She reassured her dear husband, to be brave, that everything will be alright. Virginia weakly smiled, even in the deepest of pain.

Finally, with tears flowing, the Prince Consort found the courage to let his Queen go.

A Valentine’s Day Post, wishing you a love that endures. 

*Photos from www.CarlosPRomulo.Org.

Read more on How Beauty Pageants in the Philippines Originated. 

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#ManuelTinioYBundoc #PhilippineHistory

Manuel Tinio Became the Youngest General. At the Age of 20 (1897) Date of Birth June 17, 1877

BOOM PANIS KA GOYO! 😂😂😂

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#AntonioLuna #ApolinarioMabini HINDI LANG AKO ANG NAIIMBYERNA SA PAULIT ULIT NA KANTA. SIGE SIGE LANG! IAARTIKULO UNO KAYO NG HENERAL! 😂😂😂 isa ka pa Apo! 😂😂 😂

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#HeneralLuna #ApolinarioMabini 😂😂😂 Once there was an arogant bastard who fell inloved to a girl named Nelly Bousted. APPARENTLY. He was BOUSTED to that Nelly Girl. 😂😂😂 *on process*

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GEN. MANUEL TINIO

Manuel Tinio was the youngest revolutionary general in the Filipino-American War and not Gregorio del Pilar as commonly assumed.

Family background Manuel Tinio was born on June 17, 1877 in Aliaga, Nueva Ecija. His parents were Mariano Tinio y Santiago and Silveria Bundoc. The Tinio family was the largest and wealthiest family in Nueva Ecija. The Tinos had Chinese ancestry just like the Rizals. The Tinio clan were considered as the largest landowner in Central Luzon before the declaration of Martial Law.

Educational Background Manuel Tinio attended private schools. He studied his segunda ensenanza (high school) at the Colegio de San Juan de Letran from 1891 to 1896.

Early Years In Service Tinio joined the Katipunan in April 1896 at the age of 18. When General Mariano assembled the people of Nueva Ecija to fight the Spaniards, Tinio called to arms the town’s people and fought in the forests of the province. The revolt in January 14, 1897 caused massive casualties on the part of the enemies. The Assembly of Puray gave Tinio the rank of colonel and the command of a brigade on June 6, 1897 as a way of recognizing his services. Tino fought against a massive army of 8,000 men led by General Primo de Rivera. He took on the formidable army to rescue his hometown Aliaga. The encounter diminished the number of Spanish soldiers and many others wounded including Spanish General Nunez. Tinio and his men were able to hold the town for three days but pressure from the camp of General Ricardo Monet forced them to fall back. Tinio won several battles against the Spanish cazadores in other towns of Nueva Ecija. He took part in the taking of a vital Spanish convoy which was headed to San Isidro. General Natividad died during the encounter. Tinio was named as one of the Brigadier Generals when the “Gobierno Departamental de las Siete Provincias en el Centro de Luzon” was put up. But the departamental government was dissolved during towards the end of November 1897. Tinio together with other revolutionary leaders went to Hong Kong as exiles in accordance of the Truce of Biak-na-Bato. Upon his return, Tinio became second in command of the first zone of Nueva Ecija on July 7, 1898. He was also appointed to lead an expedition to Northern Luzon. He conquered the provinces of La Union, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Abra, Benguet, Tiagan, Amburayan, Lepanto, Bontok and four towns of Cagayan.

As Young general On November 11, 1898, Tinio, only 21, was promoted the rank of General of Division. The young general Tinio pledged his services to General Antonio Luna, chief of operations north of Manila when the Philippine – American War erupted on February 4, 1899. However, his request was declined but that did not stop Tinio from pursuing his goal. He joined forces with Lt. Col. Blas Villamor and set up strategic defense points in Ilocos. Tinio got the chance to fight the Americans when General Emilio Aguinaldo and his men retreated to the north. He and 285 soldiers stood as rear guard of Aguinaldo’s column in the march to Manaoag, Pangasinan. They escorted the president’s mother and son, together with the wounded and sick soldiers. On November 14, while headed to Pozorrubio from Manaoag, his team encountered a surprised attack from Nueva Ecija led by Major Swigert. The Filipinos were able to drive them towards Binalonan which gave Aguinaldo the opportunity to continue the flight northward. When the Americans arrived in Pandan, Ilocos Sur, Tinio set up his headquarters in the town of San Quintin, about two miles from Tangadan. He ordered his men to raid Vigan on December 3, 1899 but the raid was unsuccessful. As a result of their defeat, Tinio changed his military strategy in dealing with the Americans. He divided and organized his brigade into guerilla units. He positioned them in strategic locations from the rancheria of Danglas to Ilocos Norte. The men were given orders to ambush the passing enemy through Tambang. By March 22, 1900, Each had its own columnas volantes by March 22, 1900. Tinio received a lot of help from the local citizenry. They supplied them with ammunitions, and some even served as vigilants and spies against the enemies. Tinio won the spirit of the Ilocanos and persuaded them to take a patriotic role in helping the Philippines. He heavily opposed having friendly relations with the Americans. Anyone who went against this rule were handed letters warning them to repent or otherwise face hard punishments. Tinio did not spare anyone from this rule. Soldiers who were caught communicating with the enemies were severely punished. Tinio appointed Alejandrino as chief of the province on June 26, 1900. Tinio believed that “firmness is one of the conditions necessary to obtain our coveted independence”. On May 1, 1901, Tinio and 36 officers obeyed Aguinaldo’s appeal by surrendering to General J. Franklin Bell. As a result of his surrender, General Arthur MacArthur released 1,000 Filipino soldiers held prisoner.

As Governor and Director Tinio retired to Licab after more than four years of fighting. He acted as governor of Nueva Ecija since the election of Isauro Gabaldon to the first Philippine Assembly in 1907. He was duly elected as governor on November 5 of the same year. He resigned from the position on July 1, 1909, upon his appointment by Governor General James F. Smith as the first director of the Bureau of Labor. On October 17, 1913, he became the Director of Lands. Tinio was the very first Filipino to occupy such position. He toured Europe after leaving the government service. He joined politics upon his return and led the Nationalista Party in Nueva Ecija. Tinio died on February 22, 1924.

#philippineHistory #ManuelTinio #YoungestGeneral

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               ERA AESTHETICS                ↳ Victorian Era, England. 1837 - 1901

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The Illustrated Book of Manners: A Manual of Good Behavior and Polite Accomplishments, 1866

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Richard Lauchert - Princess Alexandra of Wales, 1862 - Formerly Princess Alexandra of Denmark, she became Princess of Wales and the Queen Consort of the United Kingdom as the spouse of King Edward VII (Queen Victoria’s eldest son).

Saved from: www.pinterest.com 

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DAY DRESS

Victorian set with a travel bag, reticule, paisley shawl, straw bonnet. 

ca. 1855 - 1865 

Place object was created: United States

silk

Saved from: mintmuseum.org 

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raise your hand if it’s your dream to be Mistress of the Cards like Sakura-chan

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Maligayang Araw ng Kalayaan, mga repapips!! 

Upang ipagdiwang ang araw na ito, isang teaser mula sa amin ni @tinycarabao hihi miss na namin yung mga kkalokohan namin noon, kaya naman! Abangan ninyo kami sa darating na Agosto ;D

#PoleAsPresident2017 Akda ni @dettsu at guhit ni @tinycarabao ♥

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Hahahahaha

TUMABI KA, GREG.

Commissions | Buy me a coffee! | Patreon | Art Twitter

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“The life upon her yellow hair, but not within her eyes–the life still there, upon her hair–the death upon her eyes.”  Wood engraving by William James Linton, based on the artwork of Frederick Richard Pickersgill, for the book, The Poetical Works of Edgar Allan Poe, 1858.

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“Her heart was touched and she put them back in the river.”  Woodcut by Lucien Pissarro, for the children’s book The Queen of the Fishes, published in 1894.

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“Juliette Drouet.”  Lithograph by Alphonse-Leon Noel for the periodical L’Artiste, published about 1833.  Ms. Drouet was an actress and the lifelong mistress of novelist Victor Hugo.

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Magandang gabi mga Kabatak. Narito uli ang ilang #AnneningTriviaKasaysayan. Pitong Magigilas ng Pitpitan (Seven Musketeer) Kapatid Angela Bea Abolencia hindi siya Seven Dwarfs. Ang cute mo nun beh natawa ako nung nabasa ko siya. lab yuu kabatak. Pinasaya mo ko kanina sa stressful na gawain ko kanina. Kung si King Arthur ay may alalay na Knights of the Round Table at si Robin Hood ay palaging may kasamang Band of Merry Men, ganoon din naman si Gregorio Del Pilar na may Seven Musketeers o Pitong Magigilas ng Pitpitan. Sa unang pakikipaglaban ni Goyo sa Kakarong de Sili sa Pandi, pitong mga kababata niya mula Pitpitan ang sumama sa kanya upang sumapi sa pwersa ni Maestro Eusebio “Sebio” Roque. *Si Maestro Sebio Roque Iyong sinasabi ko na hinahanagaan ng husto ni Gregorio dahil sa mga anting anting at kahiwagaang pinaniniwalaan nito, kaya hindi ako convincing na siya mismo ang pumutol ng kapirasong buhok ni Lola R! Dahil may kaakibat na paniniwala ukol sa kwintas* okey BAKET BA DINEDEPENSA KO uli to. Saket talaga sa ulo mga babae mo Goyo! 😡 Si ka Sebio ay lider ng Katipunan sa Pandi. Si Maestrong Sebio na nagtatag ng isang republika sa Kakarong ay isang mistikong lider na sinasabing nagdarasal nang malakas sa gitna ng laban at pinaniniwalaang walang anumang bala na yari sa Espanya ang kikitil sa kanyang buhay. *PAK IMMORTAL! SIYA MGA KABATAK!* Ang alamat na ito ni Maestro Sebio ang nakahikayat kay Goyo at sa pito niyang kaibigan na sumugod sa Kakarong at sumabak sa labanan upang ipagtanggol si Maestro Sebio sa pagsalakay ng mga Kastila. *uso Fangirling este Fanboying noon!* Ang pitong kabataang katipunero tulad ng sabi ni Ate Marriel Retes Salindro niyo kay kapatid Ysha Dominae na pawang tubong Pitpitan ay sina (1) Julian H. Del Pilar, *Kuyang Kunsintidor*; (2) Juan Socorro; (3) Adeodato Manahan; (4) Juan Mendez Catindig; (5) Isidro Wenceslao; (6) Felix De Jesus; at (7) Melencio Manahan. Si Goyo ang kanilang lider. *pasimuno ng kalokohan! Este kabaeyanihan. Sa Kakarong sila unang nakatikim ng "apoy sa pakikipaghamok" *Baptism of Fire*. Sa Kakarong nadaplisan ng bala sa noo si Goyo, *Pak! Pak! Pak! maasksyon to mga kabatak!* samantalang si Isidro naman ay natamaan sa kaliwang bisig. *Oh kitams! * Si Juan ay napatay sa labanan. *MAAAAASHAAAAKEEET!* Ang sugatang si Goyo at mga kasamahan ay nakatakas bago pa man sila tuluyang magapi ng pwersa ng mga Kastila. Subalit nadakip si Maestro Sebio. Dinala siya, ipiniit at hinatulan ng kamatayan sa Bulakan, Bulacan. *Yung proprotektahan nila, nadakip haahahaah! Laughtrip ka talaga Goyo* Pero ito ka Wag ka! Dahil sa pinakitang kakayahang mamuno ni Goyo sa makasaysayang sagupaan na iyon, unang itinaas ang ranggo niya sa pagiging tinyente ng Katipunan. *Isidoro Torres nag taas ng Rango niya if Im not Mistaken* si Isidoro Torres kasi ang isa sa may hawak ng Bulacan Chapter, at naging under din niya si ELOY o Anacleto Enriquez. Nabuong muli ang grupo ng Pitong Magigilas nang makasama si Gabriel Baltazar ng Tabang (San Francisco) bilang kapalit ni Juan. *di lang sa babae nagpalit kundi sa katuwang, GOYO oo!* *tsk! Tsk!* 😂😂😂 BAT BA ANG BAD KO SAYO. HARD AKO MAMBULLY SAYO SA LAHAT EH! SAYO TALAGA. Heneral Del Pilar AKO MALAKAS MANGYUROK NG PAGKATAO! Hahahha. Sa mga sumunod pang laban, magkakasama silang sumalakay sa iba-ibang kuta ng mga Kastila sa Sta. Maria, Bigaa (Balagtas), Quinwa/Quingua (Plaridel), Baliuag, Norzagaray at ang matagumpay na pagsalakay sa Paombong. Sila rin ang itinanghal na mga bayani sa sagupaan sa Montalban. (Si Ka Sebio Roque ang nasa Larawan) ito ay kuha matapos siyang madakip sa naturang laban sa Kakaron. #RepublikaDeKakaron1896 #KaSebioRoque