Taguig, c. 1898-1899

“Old Picture of Taguig, c. 1898-1899”

THE STORY BEHIND THE PICTURE

The Young Boy Named “Peles”

TAGUIG IN 1898 was only a rural town. The picture shows a very different picture of Taguig which today is one of the most modern cities of Metro Manila. The Taguig in the picture was the town where “Peles” spend the first 12 years of his life.

In 1898, there was a youg boy named “Peles” living in Tipas, a barrio of Taguig. A fishing and farming community, the boy learned early in life the occupation of the men (fishing and farming) in this community.

He was born in Tipas, Taguig in May 10, 1886, which the Philippines during that time was still a Spanish colony. During the Spanish period there was only one state religion, the Roman Catholic Church. During that time, contradicting Catholicism, and spreading and practicing different from the Roman Catholic religion was punishable by law (Philippine Penal Code, article 225).

As expected, this young boy was baptized as a Catholic and reared by his devout catholic parents in the Catholic faith. When he reached the age of seven, he was enrolled in a caton class (catechism class) in Tipas administered by a teacher called “Maestrong Cario.” He taught this boy the rudimentary of reading, writing and arithmetic, as well catechism or the fundamentals of the Catholic faith. Then, when he was ready to attend the primary school, he was enrolled in the municipal school of Taguig in Sta. Ana, the “poblacion” (town center) of Taguig.

His studies was interrupted by the death of his father and the outbreak of the Philippine Revolution in 1896. He spend the next two years of his life (1896-1898) helping his widowed mother earning a living through fishing, farming and herding the carabao of his uncle.

In 1898, Peles, together with his cousin, Mode, visited their uncle in Manila, a Roman Catholic priest. After a short stay in his uncle’s house, he worked in a potography studio of an another uncle. But he worked there only for a while because he immediately returned to Tipas. Her mother will be married again. In 1899, he was adopted by his Roman Catholic priest uncle, Mariano de Borja.

“Peles” was Brother Felix Y. Manalo’s nickname.

“The Story Behind the Picture”

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