u/Chill_Boi_0769

I first posted about this pamphlet on this subreddit 7-8 months ago. While the entire pamphlet is still in one piece, it does have those folds which could make the process of deteroriation quicker. Also, the paper is middle brownish which is certainly due to the acidity of the paper. I knew this would have to eventually be fixed. Hence, I was thankful when u/KittyPinkBox who mentioned that she knew paper conservators in the Philippines who were once affiliated with the Filipinas Heritage Library and the National Gallery of Singapore. She certainly praised them and told me they are the owners of 1424 Conservation Lab Inc. With that, I contacted them and they told me that they were willing to do the repairs. They told me that while they do have personal clients, they focus mostly on major institutions like Ateneo de Manila. They also always have clients so I am lucky to even get this chance. So, when I visited their office for the first time, that's when I saw the Commonwealth newspaper already finished in its plastic. It turns out to be by u/Abebos_The_Great as shown in this post by him on this subreddit. This is what ultimately encouraged me to do the needed repairs by them.

For each of the images, the top is the before and the bottom is the after with Image 1 being of the contents and Image 2 being of the back. If you want to take a closer look at both, the link is here. The pamphlet is now in a sturdy plastic cover like the newspaper, no longer to be folded. I have the space to keep it as is. Indeed, this is a special piece of epherema on baking recipes from the Commonwealth period. It will certainly last longer for now. Thank you, 1424 Conservation Lab Inc.

I found this rare gem here.

Here is a description (and a more complete though blurry version) of it:

>JUAN SOLER WAS A HISTORIC TEXTILE STORE LOCATED AT 112 ESCOLTA [ST.,] MANILA DURING 1880'S... UP TO THE EARLY [20TH] CENTURY.

Other than this, there is no other known information on this company. I did find another ad for Juan Soler and, despite the original's bluriness, I am certain the exteriors look similar to state that they refer to the same business. The former is more descriptive in words, the latter in pictures, both certainly from the early 20th century. It turns out it was originally called Ricart Soler y Cia with this and this being what stands today based on old photos of the location.

With that, while I was searching for the business mentioned (Hijos de Juan Soler), I came upon the profile of Juan Soler's granddaughter (1939 - ) (through her father, Enrique Soler) who stated that:

>He [Juan Soler] [established] the first import export [business] in the Philippines [called] SOLER AND SON IN Escolta [St.], Manila, Philippines.

This implies that Hijos de Juan Soler eventually became Soler and Son. If true, this is proof of numerous instances of Americanization of Spanish brands in the Philippines.

Another interesting claim comes from Juan Soler's great-grandson who stated that:

>My great grandfather [Juan Soler] had a store in the Escolta [St.] and later on had extensive property on what is now Soler St.

I found this old image of the Casa Javelona-Ledesma, with the edit, here. The caption is as follows:

>(130 YEARS)

>RESIDENCE OF DON VIDAL JAVELONA
AND VICENTA LOPEZ
WASHINGTON ST. TAKEN: MAY. 2, 1950
JARO, ILOILO CITY

Firstly, it states the words '130 YEARS' which could mention the age when the house was first constructed though there is no written evidence of this, just oral traditions. If so, it was certainly renovated and improved over the years. Alas, With that, those Ds surely look fancy like the Don who once owned it. Admittedly, it does have some overgrown plants beside and on it. Also, despite the fact that Vidal Javelona and Vicenta Lopez has been long deceased by then. Also, the house has been passed matrilineally (as it seems only daughters were born) as shown through list of owners of the house from its construction:

1. Pacita Lopez, aunt of Vicenta Lopez
2. Vidal Javelona and Vicenta Lopez
3. Rosario Javelona (daughter, widowed by then), wife of Luis Ledesma
4. Purificacion Ledesma (daughter, unmarried)
5. Josefina Ledesma (daughter) and Jose Portillo Alma Jose
6. heirs of Jose Portillo Alma Jose and Josefina Ledesma

After researching on the Solar Eclipse of May 9, 1929 and posting about it here yesterday, I came upon the only landmark commemorating the occasion but not in Manila nor Iloilo but rather Cebu. Indeed, these two images (one close, one full) tell us the summary of the event as follows.

>This landmark signifies the TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE [that] occurred in May 9, 1929 here in [Barangay] BAGATAYAM, [Municipality of] SOGOD, CEBU where [the] INTERNATIONAL ASTRONOMICAL OBSERVATORY was mounted in this site as Sogod, Cebu [was] the center of the totality that began [on] 15h 29m 47s [3:29:47 PM] and lasted for 3 minutes [and] 38 seconds [until 3:33:25 PM].

>There were three landmarks placed here but unfortunately the two landmarks were excavated by the intruders/burglars because they thought [there were] hidden treasures inside.

I do wonder what the other two lost landmarks looked like, when all three were erected, and if there were any photos of its unveiling.

Edit: To be fair, it looks like a typical Filipino grave which could explain why people thought there were hidden treasures inside. Also, the wording and format is certainly confusing. It would have made more sense to carve this instead:

>INTERNATIONAL ASTRONOMICAL OBSERVATORY POST OF 1929 TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE:

>ASTRONOMICAL TELESCOPES WERE MOUNTED AS THE CENTER OF THE ECLIPSE PASSED THROUGH SOGOD.

There was still a lot of space in the gravestone so it is an odd choice not to maximise the space given. I also could not find any images of this event in this location.

I found this interesting recipe for Sans Rival dated on a September 2, 1932 menu by Maria Paz Zamora de Mascuñana, the person on the image there. Her recipe seems simple and the most used given this is the one with the most handwriting among the others.

For the handwriting present in the recipe, do put it in parentheses. For the handwriting under the image, put it after the recipe. Thank you.

In honor of Tuguegarao City's 422nd founding anniversary, here are illustrations of Tuguegarao's architectural past.

References:

Image 1 An Introduction to Philippine History (1994, 4th Edition; 1971, 1st Edition) Jose S. Arcilla, S.J. (p. 75)
Image 2 An Introduction to Philippine History (1994, 4th Edition; 1971, 1st Edition) Jose S. Arcilla, S.J. (p. 76)

A rare event happened almost 100 years ago where an eclipse passed through the entirety of the Philippines. Such events were well witnessed as shown in the top two images. A total eclipse, as shown in the bottom left (Image 4), was witnessed in Iloilo, this one specifically at the Colegio de San Agustin de Iloilo (now University of San Agustin) (Image 3). This is a rarety of itself. Meanwhile, only a partial eclipse, as shown in the bottom right (Image 5), was witnessed in Manila, this one specifically at the Observatorio de Manila (now Manila Observatory) (Image 2).

Reference:

Image 1 Excelsior (20 MAYO, 1929)

I found this interesting gem here.

I found this text from the book here and here. I am certain this is Hokkien of the Amoy (Xiamen) dialect. Thank you.

I found this interesting gem here. At first glance, the handwriting here seems rather childish but looking at other samples in the Internet, it seems rather plausible.

These photos give a glimpse into what it was like to be a musician in the early 20th century Philippines. They were certainly the entertainers of their days. These photos were certainly taken in Manila, the center of the then-colony of the Philippine Islands (P.I. in short).

In the first photo (c. 1908), the names listed goes from back to front, left to right. The first person that interests me there is Patrocinio Jose (Nov. 13, 1886 - Oct. 28, 1980), wife of the book publisher (R. Martinez and Sons) Roberto Martinez Sr. (June 7, 1887 - March 26, 1965) who is the son of the book publisher (Imprenta y Libreria de J. Martinez) (Nov. 24, 1859 - April 15, 1934). The second one who did is Maestro (meaning "Teacher") Carrion who is the head of Comparsa (meaning "Troupe") Santa Cecilia. After doing some research, it turns out to be Victorino Carrion (March 6, 1872 - May 9, 1935). That hairstyle does give Kim Jong-Un vibes. Indeed, Comparsa Santa Cecilia is a famous rondalla, a majority-woman one at that.

In the second photo (c. late 19th century - early 20th century), there is Felipe Marin (c. 1868 - May 20, 1931) (Volume 1, p. 330), another maestro who certainly looks dignified sitting there. Indeed, he was teaching his students how to play a cello. Unlike Victorino Carrion, it seems he is only portrayed in this photo and known in this book. He is not found in the Internet... until now.

References (Images):

Image 1 Dictionary of Philippine Biography Volume 1 (1955) Esperidión Arsenio Manuel
Image 2 Dictionary of Philippine Biography Volume 4 (1995) Esperidión Arsenio Manuel & Magdalena Avenir Manuel

It is often mentioned (as I recall) that Filipinos only refered to those born in the Philippines with pure Spanish descent, second to the peninsulares, those born in Spain. Interestingly, u/Cheesetorian notes that this is from De Mas (1840s) and comments:

This subject is actually a common test to know whether or not someone read primary sources in Spanish. Lots of examples of this (from Spanish and native authors).

I’ve had several people who asked what kind of tacos those are.

This is the greatest betrayal to Caesar since Brutus stabbed him.

I first found about this 1941 book, Chinese-English-Tagalog-Spanish Business Conversation and Social Contact, on this subreddit. The four languages here are Amoy Hokkien (different from Chinese), English, Tagalog and Spanish. Oddly, only Amoy Hokkien and English have ways of learning pronounciations which could indicate that these languages are the more essential ones for the purposes mentioned in this book.

In honor of National Food Month, here are all the translations of food as found here, here, and here. We can see differences between this book's Tagalog and typical modern-day Tagalog especially in spelling: tinapai vs tinapay, asukar vs asukal, manog vs manok. Well, it uses the 'ch' instead of 'ts': biskocho vs biskotso, cha vs tsa, chocolate vs tsokolate. Of course, the Tagalog mantika refered to lard which eventually became the common word when referring to any cooking oil. It uses the term pastiliya rather than keyk, pideos rather than sotanghon (could also be bihon), and serbesa and brandi rather than the blanket term alak. With all these flaws, the preface writer Felipe Tan admitted in his November 1941 (a month before Pearl Harbor) Preface:

>Notwithstanding its defects, we [Felipe Tan and Poc Bon Book Co.] hope that this book may find a place of usefulness in a crowded field.

After all, I heard this is a rare book, perhaps the only one for the stated four languages.

Edit: Opened in 1900, Poc Bon Book Co. still exists in the same area, now called Poc Bon Educational Supply Inc.

Today is the day of my hometown’s fiesta but alas, I would not be able to go due to my studies in the university. Hence, I would be sharing you a dish that we always see during a fiesta, leche flan. With that, I give you these flan de leche (old name of leche flan) recipes from the 1919 second edition (first edition: 1916) ‘Aklat ng̃ Pagluluto, Hinang̃ò sa Lalòng Bantóg at Dakilàng Aklát ng̃ Paglulutò sa Gawîng Europa at sa Filipinas, na Kapuwà Nasusulat sa Wikàng Kastilà, at Isinatagalog ng̃ Boong Katiyagâan ni Rosendo Ignacio (Cookbook adapted from great and famous cookbooks from Europe and the Philippines, both written in Spanish, and translated to Tagalog with much diligence by Rosendo Ignacio)’ and the 1916 ‘Kusinang Tagalog ng Aklátan at Limbágan ni P. Sayo Balo ni Soriano (Ang Aklát ná ito ay naglalaman ng mga sari-sari at maraming Kiyás ng Lutuin sa Lalong Madaling Paraan at Napakatipid na Paggugugol) (Tagalog cooking from the bookstore and publishing house of P. Sayo, widow of Soriano (This book contains different recipes and rapid and economical ways of cooking))’, both certainly written by the same author. Hence, there is technically just one recipe. With that, here is the translation. 

Flan de Leche (Leche Flan, Milk Flan)

Beat ten or eight egg yolks mixed with a half kilogram of white refined sugar. Afterwards, mix one glass of fresh milk, a little cinnamon and key lime zest. Mix well before placing in a flan mold or, otherwise, filter the mixture first to remove the crushed cinnamon and key lime zest in the mixture. After preparing this, cook the mixture in a bain-marie and, on top of the flan mold, place a clean, canned lid with live coals. The mentioned flan mold, before placing the mixture, should be cleaned first or the inside surface will be coated with caramelized sugar syrup. To know if it is already cooked, it is necessary to stick a clean and dry toothpick so that when the cooking mixture is no longer affected, remove from the fire.

For anyone making leche flan or flan, in general, the steps are not in proper arrangement as Rosendo Ignacio was not a chef but a Spanish-Tagalog translator. There is the more simple Filipino way of making it as shown here.