MUNICIPALITY (NOW CITY) OF SAN JUAN DEL MONTE, RIZAL, Historical Data of Part 6

20. Don't cry over spilt milk.
21. He who has not learned to obey cannot hope to command.
22. Lost riches can be recovered but time lost never returns.
23. Charity begins at home.
24. Behind the clouds, the sun still shines.
25. The sun always sets in the west.
26. Water seeks its own level.
27. The ocean is full of fishes.
28. There is always tomorrow.
29. Try and try until you succeed.
30. You can never expect a guava tree to bear mango fruits.
31. Actions speak louder than words.
32. A barking dog seldom bites.
33. Still water runs deep.

Long before the Spanish time, when watches were not yet known and even now in the remotest parts of the barrios, especially among those poor farmers who cannot afford the luxury of watches and clocks, people had ways of telling time.

In the earliest part of the day, that is, before dawn, people told the time by the crowing of the cocks. When the cocks crowed early in the morning and at long intervals, the time was considered between 3:00 and 4:00 A.M. As the crowing became louder and the intervals became shorter, then they said that the time was between 4:00 and 5:00 A.M. When the sun began to show its rays behind the mountains, then they said that it was dawn or 6 o'clock A.M.

During daytime, people used the shadows in telling the time. If they wanted to know whether it was twelve o'clock noon, they went down and watched their shadows. If their shadows were directly under their feet, it was

twelve o'clock noon. If their shadows were directly under their feet, it was exactly 12 o'clock noon.

10. Regalado Jose - Composer
11. Venancio Nebrida - Author of stories on rural places and Philippine folk stories
12. Maxima Ramos - Short story writer and editor of "The Torch"
13. Roman Ozaeta - Pride of the Malay Race
14. Ernesto Bhol - "The Bootblack"
15. Susana de Guzman - "Provinsiyana"

San Juan del Monte is a town in Rizal, replete with some sort of colorful history. As could be gathered from some old, old manuscripts from a few living personages of the place, Pinaglabanan in San Juan was once upon a time the site of the first battle or revolt of the Filipinos against the Spanish government on August 30, 1896.

This compilation of facts or records so far are the only ones available for the present, and it is hoped that it will serve somehow in reconstructing such valuable facts of the history of the different parts of the Philippines.

Special indebtedness is acknowledged to Mr. Santiago Artiaga, Sr., as well as the Municipal Secretary, Mr. Jose Rubio, who helped the committee in the preparation of this report.

MRS. PILAR M. GOMEZ
Principal
Pedro Cruz Elem. School
San Juan, Rizal

Miss Josefa Andrada Miss Encarnacion Destre Miss Julita Reyes Mrs. Josephine Edrosa

Chairman Member Member Member

Mrs. Pilar M. Gomez
Principal
Adviser of the Committee

Last July 11, on the occasion of the birthday of Dr. Pio Valenzuela, he gave August 25 [or 26, blurred] as the date of the beginning of the revolution. He was correct.

However, I claimed in a previous article that what took place was not even a skirmish. There was no exchange of shots between contending forces lasting for a few minutes. The civil guards, in returning to Manila, brought one corpse, that of the well-known so-called "bandit" who went by the name of "Matanda." His remains already in a state of putrefaction were laid on the dissecting table in the dissection room of San Juan de Dios hospital in the morning of August 26^th, at the disposal of the Anatomy students. The writer was then a second year student in Anatomy and had all means of identifying the dead person. In life, the deceased was well-known in San Juan, my native town, as an old "tulisan" who reformed himself because of the moralizing influence of the KKK — the Katipunan Society — and for the time being limited his activities to robbing stores owned by the Chinese. When, on August 27, I informed the Katipuneros of San Juan of the death of "Matanda," some would not believe me. They were sure that he was immune from bullets on account of his "anting-anting."

It was my surmise right along that he lost his life because of the strength of his anting-anting when he exposed himself to the shots of the civil guards. It was then the best defense to play hide and seek with the government forces as was being done by Bonifacio, the Supremo, in Pasong Tamo and elswhere during the first days of the revolution.

In the early morning of August 26^th, the Supremo, accompanied by the Vice-President, Dr. Pio Valenzuela, Secretary Emilio Jacinto, and other followers transferred themselves to Balara, near the location of the M. W. D. water filters, where the party spent the night. Couriers or contact men from the adjoining town daily sent the Katipuneros packaged food.

To avoid misunderstanding, let it be of record that the undersigned is writing from his immediate experience. He went to Balara in the morning of Thursday, August 27^th, in the company of a few Katipuneros from San Juan del Monte. On arrival, they were told that the Supremo's party was on the move towards San Felipe Nery. It followed this route: from Balara to Mahabang Gubat, to Cruz na Ligas, then across the old San Juan Mariquina Road west of Baranka at the site called Pasong Camias, to Mapuntod on the Santola Road, and finally to Malitlit, a barrio of San Juan del Monte. The party repaired and spent the night of August 27 at the house of Genaro de los Reyes, a cabeza de barangay of San Juan. Both Genaro and his father, Cabezan Kiko, were members of the Katipunan and acquainted with the supremo.

On Friday, August 28, Bonifacio and followers took the trail to Balakbak, a site forming part of Hagdanbato of barrio San Felipe Nery. They were received royally by Cabezang Maldo Romualdo Vicencio. Bonifacio established his headquarters at Maldo's nipa house, which was small, there was adjoining a "camaria," which was sufficiently large to afford shelter to the whole party.

As much as this writer is able to make out, the house of Maldo must have been in the neighborhood of the present site of the Psychopathic Hospital. It is his recollection that from the knell of Hagdanbato going towards the S.L., one passes first the Pasong Bangkal, only a short stretch, to reach Ballak. Some years back, there was a proposition submitted by members of the old veterans of the revolution to put at Maldo's place a historical marker, preferably a monument. The idea is worthy of support because of the historical importance of the place. In addition to being the headquarters of the Supremo Bonifacio, it was made the waiting and forwarding station for those going to and returning to Cavite during Aguinaldo's regime in 1896 and 1897. The writer quite gained important favors from Cabezang Maldo.

Taking for granted Dr. Valenzuela's averment that the date of [the start of the revolution]

was fixed on August 30^th at the meeting in Pugad Lawin, it was at Maldo's place that the decision was made to start the revolt at midnight of August 29^th. Circulars or orders to such effect were prepared and written by hand by Emilio Nery Sinfrose in San Pedro. I learned years later from San Pedro that immediately upon the arrival of the Supremo and party at Maldo's place, he received an order to join the group and serve as an [missing word, likely "aide"} to Jacinto.

likod ng Hacienda, Hagdanbato, and other sites. At exactly 11 p.m., the Supremo Bonifacio gave the order to march to San Juan in order to proceed to Balara as per circular-order. It was the general impression that Bonifacio was serene, well-poised and master of himself, as if he were directing a peace parade. The Katipuneros under Bonifacio reached San Juan long before 12 o'clock midnight.

1. Reconstruction of the San Juan Bridge through the aid of the War Damage Commission.
2. Reconstruction of the Lambingan Bridge.
3. Construction of a new San Juan Market.
4. Reconstruction of the San Juan Elementary School (Central) through the aid of the War Damage Commission.

Many people were killed during the Japanese Occupation especially in the early part of February 1945.

Burning of the old San Juan Elementary School, which was used as headquarters by the Japanese.
Destruction of the old Pinaglabanan Building.
Dynamiting of the San Juan Bridge.
Burning of several houses and the Old Life Theater located on N. Domingo Street.

Spanish domination on our country affected our lives physically and socially. Many of our properties were taken by the Spaniards. Due to financial difficulties, many people found themselves at a loss where to get their food. This hardship affected a small town in Rizal, the town of Marikina.

The people in Marikina were in great need of jobs. Many of them went to different places to find work to support their families, but most of the natives of Marikina went to San Juan. They were all attracted by the flourishing carretela industry of that town. They found a place there near a river which best suited for the industry. They could take care of their horses very well because the place was near a river. This place is now called Progress Street. All the people were natives of Mariquina. Most of them were related to each other. This place is known today as "The Small Mariquina of San Juan."

Submitted by:

Pinaglabanan Street in the Municipality of San Juan is a very memorable and historical site. The very name itself signifies a place were some kind of combat occurred. For it was, not so very long ago, the scene of one of the fiercest struggles during the Filipino revolt against Spain in 1896. Right on this street, the Spaniards built a semi-concrete building which at that time served as a fortress. To bolster the impregnability of this fortress, a tunnel of concrete and stone was dug underground right beneath the house. This tunnel served the Spaniards as an ammunition dump, a prison, and a good hiding place and [in case of an] attack. Aside from this, a high wall was also built around the area.

The underground tunnel practically covers the entire place comprising an area of about one hectare, more or less. It is not only uncomfortably damp and moist inside, but it is also dark, so dark, in fact, that one can hardly see a person half a yard away. The only source of natural illumination comes from the concrete holes bored through the ground where glimmers of light seep through. The tunnel can be reached by means of the long and narrow stairs right under the house which lead to the main hall. It is pitch dark from the door to the stairway. The tunnel is so complicated, winding and labyrinthian, so much so that one often gets lost and confused inside. The door passages and even the stairs were so identically built to make it almost impossible to find the way out. A door may lead to one room and then to another in an endless complicated pattern so that unfortunate prisoners, once inside, could hardly escape. It was probably built that way precisely for the purpose of confusing people who might want to size up the place. One can find an entire day without finding the exit, which is located at the farthest end of the tunnel.

The whole place is owned by the Metropolitan Water District. Befor the outbreak of World War iI, it was rented by the Municipality of San Juan for use by its Elementary School. However, in 1941, the San Juan Elementary School vacated the building as well as the grounds to give way to the United States Army, which was then in a state of mobilization. The armed forces reconstructed and remodelled the tunnel so as to allow trucks to get right through.

It was used as an ammunition dump. When Manila and its suburbs were declared an open city, the armed forces abandoned the area.

Ang may isinuksok sa dingding Ay may titingalain.	Hindi matatadtad ang karne Nang walang sangkalan
Salita mo, sira mo. Bangko mo, buhat mo.	Kung saan naroroon ang Paghahatid-dumapit Hindi titigil ang pagkakaalit.
Ang palalong walang toto Api saan man tumungo.	Kapag ang tao'y matipid Maraming naililigpit.
Ang maniwala sa sabi'y Walang bait sa sarili.	Kung sinong may gulok Siyang magbunot.
Isang uri, isang ugali.	Lahat ay may katapat.
Nagmamakipot ang maluwang Nagmamatino ang magaslaw.	Walang palayok na di may kasukat na tungtung.
Nang magkasalakot Paso na ang tuktok.	Kung ano ang gawi Ay siyang ugali.
Ang magtanim ng hangin ay bagyo ang aanihin.	Kung ano ang pinagkabataan Ay siya ring pagkakatandaan.
Kapag ang tao'y matipid Sumasabog ang kayamanan.	Ang katamara'y kapatid ng kagutuman.
Humukay ka ng balon Bago ka mauhaw.	Hindi lahat ng makinang ay ginto.
Ang pag-ibig ay sa gawa Hindi sa salita.	Ang lakas ay daig ng paraan.
Ang hanap ni Bathala Ay hindi salita kundi gawa.	Kung ano ang lakad ng alimangong matanda Ay siya ring lakad ng alimangong bata.
Walang kapangitang Di may kabutihan.	Huwag kang makipaglaro sa kuting Baka ka kalmutin.

Maliit man at batibot Daig ang malaking palibugsok.	Puri sa harap Sa likod ay libak.
Kahoy man babad sa tubig Sa apoy ay huwag ilapit Pag nadarang ng init Sapilitang mag-iinit.	Pagkaraan ng ulap Lilitaw rin ang liwanag.
Kung ibig mong kita'y magkagalit Tayo'y maglapit. Kung ibig mong tayo'y magkasundo Tayo'y maglayo.	Ang mangmang bagama't dilat Ay hindi nakaka-aninag.
Kung ano ang tayug Siyang pagkahulog.	Ano mang gawin ng tao Nararamay pati inapo.
Takbo ng takbo Walang tinutungo.	Kung ano ang sarap Siyang saklap. Kung ano ang tamis Siyang pait.
Pag ang sakit ay malaki Pangako'y marami Pag gumaling at umigi Dios man ay di masabi.	Ano mang gawing madalian Ay walang kainaman.
Ang taong magandang asal Minamahal ang kayamanan. Pag labis ang kasakiman Napulas ang kayamanan.	Ang pumatol sa wala Ulol ang kahalimbawa.
Huwag kang tumiwala sa guhit Hanggang wala ka sa Langit.	Pag maugong ang dagat ay mababaw.
Walang tutong Sa taong nagugutom.	Ang malabis na pag-asa Dalamhati ang ibubunga.
Ang kapangahasa'y Bunga ng pag-asa.	Inang walang malasakit Anak na walang pag-ibig.
Pag ang pagkakita'y bigla Ay bigla rin ang pagkawala.	Ang kamalian ng mahirap Ay napupuna ng lahat. Ang kamalian ng mayaman Pinaparang walang anuman.

Historical Data of the Municipality of San Juan del Monte (Now San Juan City), Province of Rizal, online at the National Library of the Philippines Digital Collections.