By Gladys Pino/PNA
KAWIT, Cavite – The National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) through its Museo ni Emilio Aguinaldo (MEA) here launched over the weekend a non-traditional means to impart the significant events that took place in year 1869, through an exhibit dubbed “1869: Cementing the Road to Independence”.
The exhibit, which runs until April 30, is the museum’s response to the challenge to present history in a simple, non-traditional form, said NHCP Cavite Cluster Head and MEA curator Haidee Paulette M. Bedruz.
Bedruz shared how the project concept was coined, inspired by the 1983 book of Alfredo Saulo entitled “Emilio Aguinaldo Generalissimo and President of the First Philippine Republic”.
Bedruz added, “this is how I envisioned my job, as curator (should be), on how we can come up with programs that will encourage people to look back on the significant events of history and make them appreciate and understand it more.”
The exhibit presented the three main events that happened in 1869: the opening of Suez Canal, the leadership of Governor General Carlos Maria dela Torre in the Philippines, and the birth of Emilio Aguinaldo – the President of the First Philippine Republic, said NHCP Historic Sites and Education Division chief Gina Batuhan.
The opening of Suez Canal – one of the important artificial sea-level waterways in the world – on Nov. 17, 1869 paved the way for Philippines’ direct commercial relations with Spain.
“It made sea travel easier from Asia to Europe and paved the way for liberal ideas and education to enter the Philippines, as brought in by ‘Illustrados” who studied in the universities in Spain,” Batuhan added.
The second part of the exhibit presents the pro-Filipino administration of Governor General Carlos Maria dela Torre, as more Filipinos occupied positions in a colonial government and reforms in land ownership by the religious were applied.
The last part is the birth of General Emilio Aguinaldo which presented the various influences that molded the strong leader.
The event is, again, one of the many build-up activities leading to Aguinaldo’s sesquicentennial birth celebration on March 22.
MEA is located at Kaingen here and is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesday to Sunday.
