Boncan on Philippine-Mexico historical relations

Dr. Celestina Boncan was speaker at the international conference “La Guerra de Conciencias: Monarquía o Independencia en los Mundos Hispánicos y Lusitano” held on September 8-10, 2009 at Tlaxcala City, México. The conference was held as one of the activities for the celebration of the bicentennial of the Mexican Revolution in 2010. Dr. Boncan’s paper is entitled “Países Hermanas bajo la Madre España: Las Relaciones entre Filipinas y México.”

PHA Past President at the NHI

Dr. Celestina Boncan, PHA President 2006-2008, recently completed a one-year secondment at the National Historical Institute (NHI) as Chief of the Research, Publications and Heraldry Division (RPHD).

In the RPHD, she supervised the conduct of researches on Philippine history, the publication of scholarly works on Philippine history, and the identification and marking of historical places and figures.

She convened three seminars commemorating historic events --- the centennial of the cornerstone-laying of the Philippine Legislative Building (May 21, 2009), the centennial of Baguio City (September 1, 2009), and the celebration of Dia del Galeon (October 13, 2009 in Manila, April 6, 2010 in Zamboanga City, May 27, 2010 in Cebu City).

She also started a “Teacher Training on Philippine History and Heritage” which aims to make the country’s public school teachers competent and effective in teaching Philippine History by including heritage awareness, appreciation of preserving and protecting historic sites and structures, and advocating respect for the country’s flag and anthem. The Teacher Training became the NHI flagship project for 2009 as it was brought to many parts of the country such as Manila (April), Dauis, Bohol (May), Legazpi City (June), Lipa City (July), Baguio City (September), Baler (October), and Dapitan City (December). The Teacher Training is a free service given by the NHI; the speakers come from the NHI’s three technical divisions, namely, Research, Publications and Heraldry Division, Historic Preservation Division, and Historic Sites and Education Division. The NHI is continuing the Teacher Training as a flagship project for 2010 as two trainings have already been held --- in Zamboanga City (April) and Cebu City (May).

As Chief History Researcher, Dr. Boncan was the authorized NHI spokesperson on controversial historical issues.

PHA holds colloquium on diplomacy and Philippine Independence

By: Jonathan C. Balsamo

In celebration of the 112th anniversary of the proclamation of Philippine Independence, the Philippine Historical Association sponsored a colloquium on the theme “Diplomacy and Philippine Independence in 1898: Asserting Sovereign Rights in the Age of Empire and Imperialism” last June 15 at the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) building in Manila. The colloquium was one of the activities of the 2010 national Independence Day celebration in partnership with the NHCP and the 2010 Kalayaan Organizing Committee.

The event aimed to disseminate knowledge on the diplomacy undertaken by the Revolutionary Government in 1898 in defense of Philippine sovereignty and to analyze the significance of the Spanish-American War, the Battle of Manila Bay, and the Treaty of Paris vis-à-vis the struggle for independence and the creation of a Filipino nation-state in 1898-1899.

The first lecture, “From Hong Kong to Washington D.C. to Paris: Felipe Agoncillo’s Diplomatic Odyssey in 1898 in Defense of Philippine Sovereignty” by Dr. Celestina Boncan, chronicles the diplomatic offensive carried out by Felipe Agoncillo as Minister Plenipotentiary of Philippine Revolutionary Government from 1897 to 1898. The second lecture, “The Philippines and the Spanish-American War” by Dr. Estrellita Muhi, discusses the role of imperialists, religious, businessmen and the press in the outbreak of the Spanish-American War that led to America’s conquest of the Philippines. The third lecture, “Diplomacy, Deception and Dollars: Filipino-American Diplomatic Relations in 1898” by Prof. Arleigh Dela Cruz, analyzes how American officials used diplomacy as a strategy for deception to colonize the Philippines. The fourth lecture, “The Lessons of 1898” by Dr. Evelyn Songco, provides practical ways to make relevant and meaningful in contemporary times the liberty that our forebears fought hard for our country.

NHCP head Prof. Gabriel Ma. Lopez, PHA vice president Prof. Michael Chua and PHA executive director Dr. Gloria M. Santos opened the program with their messages challenging the participants to value and propagate the teachings of our heroes to strengthen the sense of nationalism and patriotism of Filipinos today. More than 200 teachers and students from different colleges and universities in Manila attended the event.

2010 Independence Day Colloquium

2010 Kalayaan National Organizing Committee
National Historical Commission of the Philippines
Philippine Historical Association

in celebration of

112th Anniversary of the Proclamation
of Philippine Independence


A Colloquium on
DIPLOMACY AND PHILIPPINE INDEPENDENCE IN 1898:
Asserting Sovereign Rights in the Age of Empire and Imperialism

June 18, 2010
9:00am-12:00nn
4th Floor, Conference Hall
National Historical Commission of the Philippines Building
T.M. Kalaw St.
Ermita, Manila


From Hong Kong to Washington D.C. to Paris:
Felipe Agoncillo’s Diplomatic Odyssey in 1898
in Defense of Philippine Sovereignty
CELESTINA P. BONCAN
Past President, PHA
University of the Philippines Manila


The Philippines and the Spanish-American War
ESTRELLITA MUHI Treasurer, PHA


Diplomacy, Deception and Dollars:
Filipino-American Diplomatic Relations in 1898
ARLEIGH DE LA CRUZ
Assistant PRO, PHA
De La Salle University Manila


The Lessons of 1898
DR. EVELYN A. SONGCO
President, PHA
University of Santo Tomas Manila


Open to the public. Free registration. Snacks will be served to the participants.

Please confirm your attendance with Osmi or Mona (Research, Publications & Heraldry Division - National Historical Commission of the Philippines) at tel no. 523-1037.

HISTORY COMES ALIVE WITH AMBETH OCAMPO

Ayala Museum is known as both an art and history museum. The permanent exhibitions such as The Diorama Experience, the maritime vessels, and the Crossroads of Civlizations exhibitions on the fourth floor galleries where permanent displays on pre-colonial gold, 18th to 19th-century Philippine costumes and trade vessels from China and Southeast Asia are complemented by exhibitions of modern and contemporary art, as well as by traveling exhibitions from various countries.

Beginning June to September, Ayala Museum will launch a new education program, History Comes Alive with Ambeth Ocampo. This lecture series will begin on June 26 and will continue until September. Chair of the National Historical Institute, Ambeth Ocampo presents history with a combination of wit and rigorous research, making him the most popular and widely-read historian today.

The first lecture on June 26 will focus on pre-colonial Philippine Society to be held at Ground Floor Lobby of Ayala Museum at 10:30AM. The inaugural presentation will be followed by: a presentation on July 24 at 3:00PM on the Philippine-American War, a presentation on August 14 at 3:00PM on the Malolos Congress, and a September 18 presentation on the Katipunan at 3:00PM.

For more information on this series, please call 757-7117 to 21 local 29 or email education@ayalamuseum.org.

Reserve seating available. Please call to reserve seats.

From: http://www.ayalamuseum.org/index.php?option=com_ayala_content&task=staticcontent&category=116&id=92