65 years of the Philippine Historical Association

THERE was a time when historians were titans, making a big impact in Philippine civic affairs when presidents were just too happy to hobnob with them. It was the 1950s and the Philippine Historical Society (now the Philippine National Historical Society established in 1941) was, at the time, headed by Dr. Eufronio Alip for about 10 years. According to the memoirs of historian and PHS Secretary Gabriel Fabella, which was published after his death, Alip had not been convening meetings and elections for two years already.

Because of this, Dr. Encarnacion Alzona, the first Filipino woman PhD and historian and a suffragette, asked two of her former students, Esteban de Ocampo, who would become chairman and executive director of the National Historical Institute in 1971, and Gabriel Fabella, former assemblyman of Romblon, to convene some of their colleagues on Sept. 18, 1955 at the Carbungco Restaurant in Lepanto Street, Manila.