Let there be light

Magellan’s trip to the Pacific obviously did not end well for him. Even before arriving in what would be the Philippines he was having a string of bad luck. On March 6, 1571, Magellan and his crews sighted a group of islands. Fortuitous, they thought, indeed for the expedition was in dire straits provisions wise. Food and water supplies were almost exhausted, scurvy was running rampant among the crew and the crew considered themselves lucky when rats were discovered. At least they were going to eat meat.

Of the natives who they encountered, Antonio Pigafetta wrote: “The natives entered the ships and stole one thing after another so that we could not defend ourselves.” Along with items stolen from the ships, they even almost made off with one of the light boats from the flagship. Magellan and his men were able to retrieve it. They left as quickly as possible, giving the place the name Islas de Ladrones; changing the name from the original Isles de Velas (islands of sails) to islands of thieves. Today, they are called the Marianas Islands. Ten days later they sighted our archipelago.

The Magellan expedition paved the way for the Catholicization of the Philippines. Missionaries would arrive, bringing with them the light and word of God. Later on, the orders would become instrumental in the field of education. A little over 200 years after the Urdaneta and Legazpi expedition landed in Cebu on February 1565, the economic development of the Philippines would begin in earnest. Under the auspices of Governor Jose Basco y Vargas on March 10, 1785 the Royal Company of the Philippines was founded. While the Company would be a failure as a business venture, it provided capital for the economic development of the Philippines in the 19th century. The rise of an economically independent and educated middle class (the ilustrados) was one of the driving forces behind the Revolution.

One other economic force that Basco initiated was the Real Sociedad Economica de Amigos del Pais in 1781. This organization would also be instrumental in developing Philippine industry. It also was instrumental in supporting the fledgling art and culture community. They encouraged the light of culture in the country by funding the first art school in the Philippines, under the auspices of Don Damian Domingo. The agreement establishing the art academy (Academia de Dibujo) had the following clause: “…it is hoped that in his patriotic zeal, he will treat the students under his care with proper moderation and gentleness . . . that he will enroll any applicant of whatever class whether Spanish, mestizo or Indian as long as there is an opening in the Academy…”

In 1766, the Holy Office of the Inquisition in Manila issued an order outlawing experiments in electricity. Of course, at this time inventors like Benjamin Franklin were experimenting and developing the science. It was only in 1879 though that the first electrical light was turned on. This occurred during a fluvial procession inaugurating the opening of the Carriedo waterworks when an Ateneo student (Anacleto del Rosario) used an electrical lamp on a boat. 1890 saw the first electrical street lights installed in Manila along Escolta. Soon after, all of Manila had electricity.

Over 100 years later, we are having rolling brownouts in Manila (not to mention the rest of the country). Poverty is rising. Culture and the arts are waning in terms of importance in the country and education is in shambles. The light that is the Philippines is in need of tending.