Paco Catholic School

The last Spanish-built church (Paco Church) in the present site of Paroquia de Dilao (Paco) was destroyed and completely burned during the Spanish-American war in February 1899, the parishioners had to go to a small chapel at the corner of J. Zamora and Canonigo Sts. (now Quirino ave. Extension)for church services for the next nine years.

Fr.Godfried Aldenhuijsen 

Meantime, Fr.Esquenet made use of a small chapel along Peñafrancia Street. which became an extension of the parish and where he started a small school for about 50 children

After Fr.Esquinet was assigned to another parish in Lipa, Batangas in September 1912, Fr. Godfried (Godofredo) Aldenhuijsen,  popularly known as Fr.Godo, took over the parish. Aside from parish work he continued what Fr.Esquenet had started educating the young in his small chapel.

During the time of Fr.Godofredo, Paco Catholic School emerged as an institution to reckon with, becoming the largest parochial school in the Far East.

Paco Catholic School(logo)

In June 1913, following a marked increase 

in enrolment, Fr.Godofredo asked the the Belgian Mothers (CMSA now ICM) from St.Therera's College to help run the school in Peñafrancia. Thereafter, enrolment steadily increased by one grade level every year until the primary course (Grades 1-4) was completed. Finally in 1916, th grade school was fully recognized by the government.

When Fr.Godofredo was transfered to Pasig in September 1919, Fr.Josef Billiet became the parish priest for 10 years. Finding it inconvinient to administer a growing school, which was quite a distance from the convent of Paco. he had a wooden building of five rooms constructed along the Trece de Agosto Street on the north and along the estero on the south of the present site of "Paco Catholic School". The students of Peñafrancia transferred to the new building in the early 1920's.

March 1931 marked the return of Fr.Godofredo to Paco after an absence of 12 years. In 1932 the old church, started by Fr.Esquenet in 1908 and completed by Fr.Godofredo in 1912, was reconverted into four classrooms in 1932. a second floor  was added to serve as the Mother's convent. On May 21, 1933, the nuns came to live permanently in the church school compound.

In 1933, the Intermediate level (Grades 5-7) was granted government recognition. A year after, a three-storey concrete edifice was constructed and the first year course in High School was offered. Paco Catholic School accepted its first 13 students in the new high school building, named the Sacred Heart Building (oldest surviving building), now the Fr.Godofredo Aldenhuijsen Heritage Center. From then on, one year level was added every year.

As then, 13 freshmen formed the first batch of high school graduating class for S.Y.1937-1938. The school then received its full recognition for secondary course from the government.

When World War II broke out in the Pacific on December 8,1941, the school closed. However, in 1942, on the occasion of pastoral visitation, the Archbishop of Manila insisted that at least the high school level be reopened . The battles of liberation forced the school to close again in September 1944.

At the end of the war in 1945, Fr.Godofredo returned to Paco. The school was able to start classes in July 1945 with 1,500 students. To accommodate all the students, the double session was introduced-girls in the morning and boys in the afternoon.

Repairs on the the damaged buildings were made between 1946 and 1955, including the conversion of the Mother's convent into a girl's high school building

The CICM Fathers and the Belgian Mothers (now ICM Sisters) continued their administration of the school, with the population  reaching 7,000 in 1964.

Paco Catholic School Hymn

PCS celebratated its Centennial Foundation Day for 1 week in 2012

Conclusion:

(PCS) Paco Catholic School should keep up its quality education like they always did until now making a Paconian to be a total person before they leave the hallways of the school and carrying the school's moto Noblese Oblige (Nobility Obligates) meaning "your nobility, your dignity is great, and great, therefore, is your responsibility.

San Fernando de Dilao Parish Church (Paco Church)

Paco Church before it was burned (1945)

In 1580, the first church built was made of nipa and bamboo and was originally dedicated to Our Lady of Purification. 

Fr. Juan de Garrovillas of the Franciscan order has rebuilt the church using stone materials in 1599-1601. 

The neighbourhood's name Dilao refers to a native shrub once used to dye textiles yellow (current Filipino orthography: dilaw, "yellow").

Paco Church after it was burned (1946)

In October 3, 1603, the church was attacked and burned by Chinese. It was repaired in 1606 and rebuilt with stone materials by Don Francisco Gómez de Arellano.

In 1762, the church suffered another destruction when the English forces who occupied Manila burned the church. 
In 1791, a temporary church made of bamboo and nipa was erected.

Fr. Joaquin Segui constructed the stone convent in 1793-1794 which was repaired in 1854. In 1880, this convent was ruined by an earthquake. Fr. Bernardo dela Concepcion began the construction of a new church in 1809 and completed in 1814. It was called “Antigua Iglesia de Paco” while Fr. Miguel Richar built the bell tower in 1839-1841. In 1852 and 1880, earthquakes destroyed the church.

Paco Church during the American forces occupying Manila (1762)

Fr. Gilberto Martin began the reconstruction of the church in 1881. When this was about to be completed, a typhoon in 1892 partly destroyed the church. In 1896, Fr. Martin completed the reconstruction work.

World War II top view of Paco (1899)

On February 5, 1899, during the Fil-Am War, the church was bombed and completely burned. A Belgian priests of the 

Congregatio Immaculati Cordis Mariae took possession of the burned church in 1909 and in the following year, Fr. Raymundo Esquinet worked for the construction of a temporary church made of concrete at the site near the destroyed church. In 1924, Fr. Jose Billie proposed a newer and much larger church. The cornerstone of the present church was laid in August 1931

Paco Church old altar (2009)

Paco Church altar (present  photo)

A notable custom of the church today is the longstanding religious devotion to Nuestro Santo Padre Jesus del Sepulcro also known as Santo Entierro, a statue of the

dead Christencased in a special wood and glass casket that is common to many Filipino churches.

On February 7, 2012, the church was designated as Pro-Cathedral of the "Archdiocese of Manila" until the structural renovations of Cathedral-Basilica of the Immaculate Conception are completed on April 9, 2014.

Paco Church (present photo)

Coclusion:

The best way to preserve this landmark is to relocate the extra vendors away from the church. Because the church is a sacred place and is in need of space in order for people to have their own peace of mind.

Paco Public Market

Paco Public Market from 1911 (old photo)

Paco Public Market along Estero de Paco from 1911 (old photo)

Paco Public Market is located along the edge of Estero de Paco connected to the Pasig River.Its architectural design was made by William Parsons and was built in 1911. 

It was initially planned for commerce with waste and water management as a priority.The area became a bustling center of commerce and culture.






While local fishermen brought
their days catch directly from the ocean. It  is considered to be one of the oldest market structures in the Philippines.


After World War II, When the Pasig river together with the market it eventually became polluted and eventually Paco Market was neglected for years.

Paco Public Market along Estero de Paco before rehabilitation (2011)

Paco Public Market before redeveloping project

Trash and shanties built up along the Estero de Paco, one of the 47 esteros that feed into the Pasig, and became one of the main sources of pollution for the once-pristine river. 

Paco Market, which once flagrantly dumped its trash into the esteros, has sadly come to be one of the biggest contributors to the pollution that plagues the Pasig River.

Paco Public Market along Estero de Paco after rehabilitation

The National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) in partnership with ABS-CBN Foundation has launched the “Phil Art Festival/National Arts month” in line with Paco Market’s “Livelihood though the Arts” Program.

Gina Lopez, managing director of ABS-CBN, is spearheading the major task of cleaning the Pasig River under the Kapit Bisig Para sa Ilog Pasic (KBIP).

Paco Public Market after redeveloping project (present photo)

“Kapit Bisig Para Sa Ilog Pasig” as a first step  has made the rehabilitation of Paco Market one of its flagship projects, seeing that it is vital to urban renewal and

sustainability.

Inside Paco Public Market

The nearly-completed historic 100-year-old market was designed and redeveloped by Maja Olivares-Co of SSOA (Sonia Santiago Olivares & Associates Inc.). 

The market targets five major goals: Historic preservation and green design, commercial sustainability and stall standardization, development of an activity center for education and cultural preservation, to provide an authentic Filipino palutuan and to develop products from waste

The newest addition of the redevelopment is the so called “Rustan’s Wing,” the first wing that you enter from Pedro Gil St.

This new wing, donated by the Rustan Group of Companies and dedicated to its patriarch Ambassador Bienvenido Tantoco Sr. and his late wife Gliceria, will house one-of-a-kind merchandise including products made from waste and recycled materials, specialty items and other special hand crafted items that hope to cater to the tourist market as well as the local community. 

Some of these handcrafted products will come from former Paco residents who used to live along the side of Estero de Paco  that have been relocated to Calauan.

Conclusion:

The best way to preserve this historcal landmark is to maintane the consistency of
cleanliness, neatness and orderliness of the area since its structure had already been fully redeveloped.

Concordia College

Doña Margarita Roxas de Ayala ( Founder )

"Colegio de la Immaculada Concepcion de la Concordia", known as Concordia College, was founded by a generous and wealthy widow, Doña Margarita Roxas de Ayala in 1868. 

Gifted with a vision to provide a Catholic education for the poor and deserving young girls, she converted her three and-a-half hectare villa, the La Concordia Estate in Paco, Manila, into a school.

Attracted by the dedication and devotion of the Hijas de la Caridad, popularly known today as Daughters of Charity, who taught and cared for the poor, the generous widow did not hesitate to request for eight Daughters from Spain. She arranged for the Sisters travel expenses so that they could come over to the Philippines and manage the school. 

On May 3, 1868, the first eight Sisters arrived and managed the operation of the school.

Old photo of Concordia College

The school started as a free school, Escuela Pia. With a small enrolment of sixty students, the curriculum emphasized religion, good manners, reading and writing simple arithmetic, culture and arts lie sewing, embroidery, cooking, needlecraft and household work. 

The medium of instruction was Spanish. With the Daughters of Charity at the helm, Concordia College continued to prosper
with an upward
enrolment towards the end of the nineteenth century.

Saturnina Rizal

Soledad Rizal

Olympia Rizal

Among its well known students were Saturnina,Olympia and Soledad sisters of Philippine national hero, Jose Rizal.  

Segunda Katigbak

Leonor Rivera

Jose Rizal two lovers are Leonor Rivera and Segunda Katigbak were students of Concordia College. The two ladies became the inspiration behind one of Rizal's fictional characters in his novel Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo which is "Maria Clara". Concordia college was also mentioned in Noli Me Tangere.

The significant periods in the growth and development of the College such as the Philippine Revolution of 1896 and the American era brought about educational reforms.

Concordia College Hymn

Concodia College (present photo)

During this last decade before the year 2000 and thereafter, Concordia College will remain steadfast as the voice and arm of the Catholic Church. 


It will continue to address life with the Vincentian Vision - Mission, core values and thrusts inculcated in its students, personnel, parents, alumni, and other lay partners.

Conclusion:

The best way on how to improved this ancestral school is to maintain and continue  the operation of emphasizing religion so that this kind of catholic school will be devoted to God. , and also have a Good manners and some old operation in this school.

The main purpose is to grow and to be broad the knowledge of every student who are studying to this school. Another factor on how to improved this school is to renovate some facilities that is danger to the students and maintain the importance of this ancestral school  and also continue address the Vision and Mission of this school.

Old Paco Railway Station

Paco is a station on the Southrail line of the Philippine National Railways. It serves Paco in Manila, Metro Manila. This is also the last station beside Quirino Avenue before turning left towards Pres. Sergio Osmeña Highway.

(PNR) Philippine National Railway Station at Paco old photo

It was originally built across Plaza Dilao in 1915, which was during the American colonial period.

the Paco railroad station came into being on March 25, 1908 when the Manila Belt Line from Tutuban to Paco Station and the railroad line from Paco Station to Binakayan, Cavite
was opened.

Furthermore, the Paco Railroad

Station to Muntinlupa line was 

inaugurated on June 21, 1908.

With the closure of the Manila-Dagupan line in the early 1990s, the Tutuban to Muntinlupa line is now the oldest railroad line still in operation here in the Philippines. 

The Paco Railroad Station was also the scene of a heroic battle during World War II including the "Battle of Manila". The recapture of the station led to the crucial defeat of the remaining Japanese forces in Manila

(PNR) Philippine National Railway Station present photo

The old station, however, was partly demolished in 1996 by a developer that begun

constructing a shopping mall next to it. 

The demolition was not completed due to the cancellation of the mall construction, leaving the facade intact and abandoned up until now.

Behind (PNR) Philippine National Railway Station present photo

Conclusion:
The best way to make this station be known again is to restore it and start doing it now. We should put importance on this landmark because it’s a part of our history. They say that we Filipinos are sentimental people, this just show that is true for those things personal to us, but for our heritage and history there are less concrete actions made. 

Leaving many historical structures all around the country without any action on how to protect the landmarks will be a great loss not just for the country's tourism but also for the next future generation. The government should take immediate actions for this issue.

Plaza Dilao

Plaza Dilao is a public square in Paco, Manila, bounded by Quirino Avenue to the east, and the rest of the plaza surrounded by the Plaza Dilao Road and Quirino Avenue Extension. It is one of two open public spaces in Paco, the other being Paco Park.

Currently, Plaza Dilao is one of five freedom parks in the City of Manila, where protests and rallies may be held without requiring permission from local authorities.

Plaza Dilao (present photo)

In Spanish colonial times, Paco (originally Dilao) was home to one of two Japanese settlements in Manila, with the other located in San Miguel. While the Japanese community of Plaza Dilao began with Dom Justo Takayama and his family settling in the surrounding area after they were exiled from Japan in 1615, most Japanese in Manila at the time were settled around the area now presently occupied by the Philippine Normal University.

Statue of  Justo, Ukon  Takayama

However, in 1762, the Japanese residents of Manila were later relocated here by the Spanish authorities, although after then the community's population began to decline owing to reduced Japanese immigration to the Philippines and Japan's policy of sakoku. It is believed that the presence of the Japanese community around the plaza eventually led it to being called "Plaza Dilao", referring to the yellowish (dilaw in Tagalog) skin tone of the area's inhabitants

During the American period, Plaza Dilao becamea transport center with the construction of the Paco railway station in 1915, directly across from the plaza. During World War II, the area was the site of an intense battle between Japanese and joint Filipino and American forces led by Cleto Rodriguez. The plaza is still considered a transport center today: when former President Joseph Estrada became Mayor of Manila in 2013, he ordered a ban on city buses entering Manila, with buses for a while terminating at the plaza instead of their usual terminus at the Liwasang Bonifacio.

Justo, Ukon Takayama is said to be beatificated in Vatican on 2016 with the title of "Servant of God".

Today Plaza Dilao (Philippines-Japan Friendship Park) the monument was erected as a sign of friendship and cooperation between Filipino and the Japanese people.

Conclusion:

The best way for this landmark to be safe is that it should have policemen guarding near the area during day and night.

Ancestral House of Former President Jose P. Laurel (1515)

Photo of former President Jose P. Laurel

The Jose P. Laurel Ancestral House  is a historic

house in Manila, Philippines. It is one of the three 

houses owned by the President of the Second 

Philippine Republic, José P. Laurel.

It is located in 1515 Peñafrancia Street (corner Santo Sepulcro Street) in Paco District (hence also known as "Villa Peñafrancia"). 

(Front gate of the ancestral house and its address) 

 The ancestral house of Jose P. Laurel (old photo)

President Laurel purchased the house in 1926 and served as his residence, together with his wife Paciencia Hidalgo and their children, for 29 years before he transferred to his retirement home in Mandaluyong.

Originally built in 1861 during the Spanish Colonial Period in the Philippines, this residential structure reflects the architectural style common around that time known as Bahay-na-Bato ("House-of-Stone").

Ancetral house from the back gate (old photo) 

Masonry materials constitute the lower level or the ground floor of the house while wooden materials and capiz-shell windows dominate the upper floor. 

The roofing of the house is made of corrugated galvanized iron while its vented eave ceilings are decorated with simple cut-out floral design.

Ornate grill works also adorn the windows in the ground floor and the ventanillas (small shuttered openings below the windows) of the upper floor. Adjoining the northwest portion of the house is the garage area with an azotea or rooftop.

In March 1998, the ancestral house was designated as a Historic Building (House Type) by the National Historical Commission of the Philippines in which a marker was placed at the front corner of the property.

Jose P Laurel's ancestral house from the front house (present photo)

The house property was inherited by President Laurel's third son Sotero H. Laurel, which he donated to the Jose P. Laurel Memorial Foundation. Restoration efforts led by Sotero Laurel were made to bring back the former grandeur of the structure and to honor his father's dedicated service in the Philippines.

Back side of the ancestral house (present photo)

Conclusion:

The best way to make this landmark be known once more is that we must renovate and preserve this ancestral house of our former President Jose P. Laurel, and in that way there will be a great privilage that we Filipinos will always treasure, recall and keep in mind all the memories and historical accomplishments of what have Jose P. Laurel done for us Filipino people. We can also make this as a museum for us educators and especially to those students for us to have a place of knowledge with regards to the biographical history of our former Pres. Jose P. Laurel.