QC Trivia

I know what you're thinking, "That's obviously not taken from Quezon City. That's Taal Volcano for crying out loud!". True. So, what is this image doing in this blog?



Did you know that sometime in 1936, the Department of Public Works and Communications of the Commonwealth government, under Secretary Mariano Jesus Cuenco, suggested Tagaytay to be the seat of the national government?!? At that time, they felt that Manila as a capital was becoming too congested for administrative functions. So they recommended the transfer of the capital from Manila to Tagaytay(!).

Former President Quezon rejected the idea as he thought that Tagaytay, which he referred to as "the city by the ridge", is a place for tourists and vacationists. He felt that it is more of a weekend spot for public officials, businessmen and the middle class.

In the morning of September 27, 1939, the President with some cabinet members and some assemblymen, visited Diliman. There he underscored the “necessity of early approval of the charter of the proposed city in Diliman site.” Later, Assemblyman Ramon P. Mitra (Mountain Province, 2nd district) would father a bill for the new city's creation. In his bill, the city was called Balintawak City.

More trivias to follow. Enjoy your Monday! :D

Almost but not quite

The boy scout monument that I have blogged here before is almost finished. It is interesting to note that they have added a life sized figure of the city's first mayor, Tomas Morato. Its like he's watching over the diners and on the restaurant district of the city. Very nice touch. I just wish that the entire monument gets done real soon. It will really ease the traffic in the area.

Frontera Verde

“Mankind is not a circle with a single center but an ellipse with two focal points of which facts are one and ideas the other.”
-Victor Hugo



Tiendesitas (little stores) is popular for offering the best of Philippine products. They have these little villages named according to what they sell (e.g. art, antiques, furniture). And since I would really like to give a little something to my lovely hosts in France next week, I opted to brave the traffic never mind that the commute will be mostly idling my car and not really driving.

Anyway, Tiendesitas did not disappoint me and this landmark outside of the main entrance was an add-on.

Marlboro country?

Someone who had spare paint was creative enough, triggered perhaps by nicotine, to create this huge replica of a cigarette from an old post. Make a mental note of checking it out when you happen to be at C.P. Garcia.

The Boy Scout Monument

All along you're wondering "Who the heck are these boy scouts and why do we have streets with their names?" Well, first I think you should mind your manners; second (and as an answer to your question) they were our delegates to the 11th World Jamboree in Marathon, Greece. There were 24 of them - Filipino boy scouts and scout officials. They, unfortunately, died in a plane crash in Bombay, India en route to the jamboree on July 23, 1963. In their memory, the City Council of Quezon City renamed the streets in the Kamuning and Roxas Districts after them on April 24, 1964 . Twenty five years after the tragedy, former President (then Chief Scout) Corazon C. Aquino declared July 28 of every year as Scout Memorial Day honoring not only the ill-fated Jamboree heroes but all the other Scouts and Scouters who died on the line of duty.

With just a week left, the monument workers have serious work to finish. I am posting this photo both as a tribute to the scouts but also as a little reminder that the construction people need to hurry up.
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The boy scouts who died in the plane crash: from the Manila BS Council: Ramon V. Albano, Henry Chuatoco, Jose Antonio Delgado, Pedro Gandia, Wilfredo Santiago and Ascario Tuason, Jr. From the Quezon City BS Council: Roberto Castro, Romeo R. Rallos and Rogelio Ybardolaza. Felix Fuentebella, Jr., represented both the Manila and Goa, Camarines Sur BS Councils. The rest of the scouts: Victor de Guia, Jr. (Baguio City), Antonio Limbaga (Zamboanga City), Roberto Lozano (Dagupan City), Paulo Madriñan (Pasay City), Jose Fermin Magbanua (Negros Oriental), Filamor Reyes and Antonio Torillo (Cavite) and Benecio Tobias (Tarlac). Visit their website for more information.

Kilometer Zero

Situated at the west of the Rizal monument, this flagpole (also known as kilometer zero) is the point of reference from north and south of the country and where all road distances are measured from.

Kyusi

The Quezon Memorial Circle is to Quezon City as what the Rizal Park is to Manila.

Statesman and Patriot,
Lover of Freedom,
Advocate of Social Justice,
Beloved of His People

-written on the epitaph of the tomb of former Philippine Commonwealth President Manuel L. Quezon (1877-1944).

This was taken a few months back using my old point and shoot camera. I thought it will be nice to feature one of the more prominent landmarks in the city.