What to Know about August 22?

On August 22, 1977, President Ferdinand Marcos announced that he was lifting the nightly curfew and the travel ban as his first step towards relaxing the restrictions imposed under martial law.

When Marcos declared martial law on September 21, 1972 by virtue of Proclamation No. 1081, it curtailed press freedom and other civil liberties, closed down Congress and media establishments, and effected the arrest of opposition leaders and militant activists.

The declaration of martial law was initially well received, given the social turmoil the Philippines was then experiencing, including the re-emergence of the communist movement.

Among its desirable results was the significant reduction of the crime rate after a nightly curfew was implemented nationwide.

Marcos eventually lifted martial law on January 17, 1981.

(source: http://kahimyang.info)

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Looking Back August 21

August 21 is not just an ordinary day for Filipinos and a holiday. Dating back years ago, a man with a special heart who fights for equality and thus exposing Marcos' authoritarian rule has been shot to death by a hired killer. Who was behind the assassination and the master mind of it all remains unknown. Many believed that  Aquino's death was not just an eye opener for people to fight back but to be held responsible of what was going in and around the nation. Filipinos were shocked and felt down when the only hope, and the man who can outstand Marcos is dead.

Did you know that prior to his departure from Taipei, Aquino gave an interview from his hotel room in which he indicated that he would be wearing abulletproof vest. He advised the journalists that would be accompanying him on the flight, "You have to be ready with your hand camera because this action can become very fast. In a matter of 3 or 4 minutes it could be all over, and I may not be able to talk to you again after this."^[1] In Manila, a contingent of over 1,000 armed soldiers and police were assigned by the government to provide security for Aquino's arrival. Upon the airplane's arrival at the gate, soldiers boarded the airplane to arrest Aquino. The soldiers escorted him off the airplane onto the jet bridge; however, instead of following the jet bridge to the terminal, they exited the jet bridge down the service staircase onto the apron, where a military vehicle waited to transport him to prison.

Sometime between his egress from the aircraft and his boarding of the ground vehicle, several gunshots were heard, and when the firing stopped, Aquino and a man later identified as Rolando Galman lay dead on the apron, both from gunshot wounds. Aquino's body was quickly loaded into the vehicle, which sped away.(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assassination_of_Benigno_Aquino,_Jr.)

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Doctrina Christiana

Doctrina Christiana was an early book of Roman Catholic Catechism, written by Fray Juan de Plasencia, and is believed to be one of the earliest books printed in the Philippines, in 1593.^[1]

The Doctrina Christiana is remarkable not only for having been printed at such an early age in an elaborated Gothic font of the Spanish language, but also for having copies made in Tagalog versions, both in Latin script and the commonly usedBaybayin script of the natives at the time, plus another translation made in traditional Chinese language.

In pre-Spanish language frontal text:

“

Doctrina Christiana en Lengua Espanola Y Tagala corregida Reglos por Los Religiosos de las Ordenes Impressa con Licencia en (San) Gabriel de las Orden de (Santo) Domingo. En Manila, 1593.

”

In English language:

“

Christian Doctrine in Spanish and Tagalog Language, with correct rules for the Religious Order. Printed with License (Imprimatur) in Saint Gabriel of the Holy Dominican Order. In Manila, 1593.

”

There is some controversy about which of the versions is the first book of the Spanish Philippines, with some scholars believing that the Chinese-language version titled Doctrina Christiana en letra y lengua China (Wuchi t’ien-chu cheng-chiao chen-chuan shih-lu) by Fray Miguel de Benavides, O.P was printed in 1590 to 1592 by the Chinese printer Keng Yong in Manila before the Spanish and Tagalog versions. (article Source Wikipedia)

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