Paterno and the National Library and Museum

BEFORE the suspension of classes due to the coronavirus pandemic, my co-authors and researchers in the Quiapo Church Book Project — Dr. Lars Ubaldo and John Ray Ramos — along with our project lead Alex Irasga and Father Ricardo Valencia Jr., former parochial vicar of the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene, visited the Villa Escudero last March 8 to check out five items that Don Ado Escudero had acquired decades ago from the Quiapo Church before its major renovation under Bishop Pedro Bantigue, including an old processional andas of the Senyor, to document them for our book. Don Ado’s sister Rosalie, sister-in-law Minnie and their wonderful guides showed us around and told us stories of his various collections, especially those of Philippine heritage, which they had began acquiring from the time of their mother. People say I overwhelm them in my lectures with information overload, but it was I who was overwhelmed with a seemingly endless collection in room after room of every house. I was tired out but enriched. No wonder, the National Museum has only just ended registering their collection, which took three years.

Before we left, we were told that Don Ado himself would be arriving and meeting us. I was awe-stricken when I learned from him that he was once deputy to the administrator of Intramuros and was the one who actually invented the Grand Marian Procession 40 years ago. He said he collected not for money, for they could have auctioned off the collection and earned millions, but to be able to share these with the Filipino people while taking care of them through his museum at the Villa Escudero, even if he is a private citizen. Not everyone can show this kind of patriotism.