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By Alexis Laura Feliciano
Quite isolated and reachable by bus through a mountain pass, Baler,
the political and economic center of Aurora, Quezon, has retained
its rich coverlets of history and is yet to experience the hustle
and bustle of the city life with its population peaking at 34,500,
roughly the same population pre-war Manila had.
But Baler will be the center of festivities this
year as 2009 was declared by President Gloria Arroyo as “The
Quadricentennial Year of Baler” with year-long activities lined up
for the celebration of its 400-year anniversary.
The 400th anniversary of Baler is sponsored by
the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), with its
attached agencies joining the celebration including the National
Historical Institute, National Library, National Archives, National
Museum, the Departments of Education, Trade and Industry,
Agriculture, Tourism and the Foreign Affairs. The Office of the
Press Secretary with the International Theater Institute, the
EarthSavers Dream Academy, the Arts Association of the Philippines,
UP Singing Ambassadors and the UST Liturgikon Choir will also take
part in the said event.
Standing tall
Founded in 1609 by Franciscan missionaries,
Baler is located at the northeastern coast of the Philippines and is
home to unusually breathtaking geographic formations and lush
forests. But the town wouldn’t be known until the revelation of
the stories in the historic “Siege of Baler,” immortalized in
the 1945 Spanish film Los Ultimos de Filipinas; in the Fil-documentary
Campana de Baler which was produced by Dr. Alejandro Roces and
directed by Lamberto Avellana both of whom were eventually declared
National Artists; and the recent award-winning Filipino film Baler
written by Roy Iglesias and directed by Mark Meily.
In 1898, Baler, only reachable by ship or foot,
was slowly advancing to an unexpected event following the news that
the townspeople had fled into the surrounding jungle and by the
afternoon of the next day, Filipino troops had marched into the
isolated Spanish fort and bombed the church, the only stone building
at that time.
Even at the continuous Filipino assaults, the
Spanish army held on to their fortress for the whole 337 days and
Col. Calixto Villacorte of the Filipino troop eventually gave up and
decided to inform the Spaniards in Baler of the planned departure of
Spain from the country after the fall of the Spanish at the hands of
the Americans.
But Lt. Saturnino Martin-Cerezo refused to
believe the news, thinking that it was just another Filipino ploy
and still held on to Baler’s fortress. On June 2, 1899, Lt.
Martin-Cerezo gave up Baler Church and returned home together with
33 other survivors to Spain where they were recognized as heroes.
Triangulated event
In commemoration of Baler’s founding and its
historic train of events, the National Commission for Culture and
the Arts led by its Chairman Vilma Labrador and Executive Director
Cecile Guidote-Alvarez, together with the Office of the Presidential
Adviser on Climate Change (OPACC) headed by Secretary Heherson
Alvarez will hold an art activity called “Gallery of the Seas”
coinciding with the twin celebration of the National Heritage Month
and the Month of the Ocean. The local government of Baler, Mayor
Arthur Angara, and Gov. Bellaflor Angara-Castillo also joins the
“Gallery of the Seas” as this event, already on its fourth
staging, will be held at the hometown of the Angaras.
Rendered by local artists of Dimalangat Artists
Community, the artist group of Baler, the “Gallery of the Sea”
is coordinated by Fidel Sarmiento of AAP and Egay Fernandez of NCCA.
It is part of the “triangulated” KALAHI Cultural Care-giving
event that involves air, mountain, and the sea to emphasize the
ecological and cultural diversity of Aurora generating pride of
habitat, heritage, history and language.
“There is a necessity to recognize the role of
Baler in Philippine history and national development and to mark
this momentous year with fitting commemorative activities promoting
the diverse manifestation of Baler’s wealth of heritage, habitat,
and history, language, artistic expressions and creative industry
related to collaborative programs with Hispanic-heritage linked
countries,” the Presidential Proclamation 1696 said.
The “Gallery of the Seas” will run from May
19 to 24, with featured activities such as bird-watching to be led
by the Camera Club of the Philippines and the newly-formed Batang
Aurora Camera Club. In addition to this, a hiking and mountaineering
activity is also included in the list, with the University of the
Philippines leading the said event. A Special Musical Theatre Arts
Camp will be run by Eugene de los Santos of the UST Liturgikon Choir
and Gardy Labad, composer of “Baler the Zarzuela” which was
written by Dr. Isagani Cruz and will be staged by Frank Rivera. The
Komisyon ng Wikang Filipino led by Chairman Joelad Santos will be
holding an interaction workshop with the Dumagats and a Media Arts
Workshop will be run by Nick Lizaso with the TV Special on Baler
coordinated by CJ Andaluz and Wilyan Maglente.
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