Today marks the commemoration itself of Apolinario Mabini’s 150th birth anniversary. What better way to close off this special than a feature on the house that has long been talked about: Mabini’s Nagtahan house now known as the Mabini Shrine in its new and permanent “home” right at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines’ (PUP) main campus, which is also known as the Mabini Campus. (even before the move of the shrine) While it may seem odd to find such a house looking out of place in the middle of a busy campus, it does seem to complement the campus in a way, serving as a sort of a quiet spot…
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Mabini150: An Introduction
On July 23*, the Philippines will commemorate the 150th birth anniversary of one of the leading intellectuals who played a vital role in the Philippine Revolution, notably for his role as president of the cabinet in the revolutionary government, and Philippine history. That man is Apolinario Mabini, also as the “sublime paralytic” (which sounds too awkward and politically incorrect today) and “brains of the revolution.” (which pertains more to him being one of the revolution’s leading intellectuals rather than the one who masterminded the revolution itself) In honor of this esteemed, if somewhat overlooked, figure in our history on this particular milestone, the Urban Roamer is dedicating a series of stories related…
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Santa Mesa’s “university town”: the “university street” of Teresa
Right outside the main gates of PUP Mabini Campus is Teresa Street, which also serves to connect the campus to Santa Mesa’s main thoroughfare Old Sta. Mesa Street. The street is said to be named after the wife of Don Gonzalo Tuason (or Tuazon) from landed Tuason family which owned wide tracts land which happened to include Santa Mesa. And yes, it is also known as the maternal bloodline of the former First Gentleman Mike Arroyo. Teresa St. is also notable for being the only remnant of Manila’s street pedestrianization program initiated by former Mayor Lito Atienza. Originally it was intended that the street not to be opened to any…
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Santa Mesa’s “university town”: PUP Mabini Campus (Part 2)
If there’s one thing that would define a PUP Mabini experience, (whether you studied high school or college) and if there would one defining landmark of the campus that no true-blue PUP alumnus/alumna would miss, it would be the (in)famous lagoon right at the heart of the campus, with its algae-colored waters and the smell that has made it a stuff of legend. It’s also a pleasant surprise for me personally to see landmarks that you never knew as interesting before but have come to have a newfound appreciation as you learn things over time. Like for instance this building below which was and still serves as a canteen in…