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New Iligan Landmark To Rise Soon

A new commercial complex will soon rise to add a new dimension to the fast changing skyline of Iligan City.

Developed by the Pryce Properties Corp., the new landmark is located in Tubod, Iligan City, along the Celdran estate where the former Kris Theater is situated. When completed, the complex will house a modern shopping mall, first-class moviehouses, commercial and banking institutions, restaurants and shops. This new complex is accessible from the city proper through either the Tubod highway or Barangay Tambacan where a new access road is now in place.

Pilmico Opens New Plant

Pilmico Foods Corporation inaugurated its new C-Mill plant in Kiwalan, Iligan City, last July 19. The plant, with its state-of-the-art equipment, will increase flour production from its present capacity of 640 MT to 1,200 MT daily.

The affair was attended by officials both from the government and private sectors. Ribbon cutting was done by Mrs. Fely Yanez, wife of Iligan city mayor Alejo Yanez

Big Railway Project in Mindanao

The P200-billion Mindanao railway project is expected to ignite a real estate boom in Southern Philippines as developers slowly take up position in key pieces of property along the train route.

Prophil Development Corp. president Carlos Borromeo said the development of rail project would be synchronized with the construction of new townships in anticipation of expanding commercial and trade activity along the rail lines.

Prophil, the local affiliate of Promet Holdings Berhad of Malaysia, is one of the key players in a consortium seeking to take the driver's seat in developing the 2,000-kilometer Pan-Mindanao railway, which will run through Iligan City, Davao, Cagayan de Oro, Butuan, General Santos, Cotabato and Zamboanga.

Nostalgia: Iligan Revisited

1968...that was the year I left the city of Iligan to pursue my last year in high school (4th year) at the Holy Cross High School in Dumaguete City. That was the time when I no longer lived in Iligan everyday of my life; if ever, I was home to the city during vacation times (like semestral breaks, Christmas, and summer).

1969...I was already in college taking up B.S. Pre-Med at the Silliman University in Dumaguete City. I stayed there till 1973 when I graduated from college. I set foot in Cebu City for my Medicine Proper at the Cebu Institute of Medicine (CIM) in 1973. Since then it is Cebu City, my abode till the present. I am now a Cebuano having lived here for 24 years. But despite time, I still have beautiful memories of Iligan, my hometown, the place of my birth, the place where I spent the best years of my life as a toddler, an adolescent. Iligan will always be a part of my life for as long as I live.

So, when was the last time I visited Iligan? Ah, it was in 1992...yes, after 13 long years! In 1979, I spent my 4-month postboard rural service in Bacolod, Lanao del Norte. That was the last time I was in Iligan. I was attending a medical convention in Cagayan de Oro in 1992 and I decided to have a sidetrip to Iligan. Again, I was back in 1993 to attend the funeral of my uncle Cresing. Another trip back to Iligan was in 1994 when I was one of the godfathers of Joshua Ling's baptism, the youngest son of Jimmy and Meley. The latest that I've visited Iligan was last June 24 for my best friend's funeral.

So, how is Iligan now as compared during my time? In all the return trips that I had, I always requested my friends to tour me around the city just to get the feel of those youthful years spent in my hometown. And as always, there was that feeling of nostalgia creeping deep within me. Well, must be the senti (read: sentimental) me. I toured around the pier where we used to watch the sunset after school; the key streets of Iligan were we used to walk to and from school or do our shoppings in slippers; the City Hall; the Timoga Swimming Pool; our beloved Lanao Chinese High School which was originally located on Roosevelt Extension, then we proceeded to the new site of LCHS in Pala-o. Nothing really beats the original mainly because it was in the old LCHS where memories of my youth were nurtured.

Some of the streets have been changed to other names. Gone are the old buildings but there are still other original ones which have withstood the test of time. And these are the places which mean so much to me. Gone are the tartanillas of our time. Gone too are the following places which have made a mark in my life as an Iliganon like: Canton Restaurant, King, Queen, Century Theaters; Kapit Bahay; Nena's Luncheonette; Doris Department Store; the original Crystal Educational Supply; DXIC, DXMI, DXRI; Padilla Quality Store, Sen Chin Bee, Capitol Trading, Hing Huat Trading, Sampaguita Bakery, Roque's Store, Babiera Building, Hamilton Department Store, Oro Bonito, Washington Trading, Lim Chay Trading, Tin Lu Sing, Tropical Commercial, Sin Hua Trading, those stores along Cabili Avenue, etc.

A few of the original buildings though have remained in the same location like: the house of Ang Han Tiong, the Philippine National Bank, Rural Bank, Kian Chiong (although now with a new name), Lian Guan, Lian Hong, Premier Theater, Acme (with another name), Heyrosa Quality Store, Mindanao Sanitarium, Dr. Uy's Hospital, Sacred Heart Hospital (with another name), etc.

I know I need to stay in Iligan longer in order to recapture the memories I once left in this unforgettable city. But as to when, only time will tell. Yes, it is TIME which decides everything - a time to be born, a time to graduate, a time to get married, a time to raise a family, a time to visit friends, a time to say goodbye to this earth. Only TIME...And although we may have to say goodbye to Mother Earth, Iligan will forever remain my city despite the passage of time and all our goodbyes. After all, life has to go on. (Next issue: Top Tunes of Yesteryears)

Gloria Tecson in Canada

Gloria Tecson-Webb (Batch 1970), now lives in Vancouver, Canada. While vacationing in Cagayan de Oro sometime last year she chanced upon fellow alumnus Rene Tio at the Blueberry Cafe. She expressed her wish to communicate with her LCHS classmates and friends, whom she said she missed a lot. It cannot be ascertained if Gloria has an e-mail address. However, through Rene she left her postal address through which her classmates may get in touch with her: Gloria Tecson Webb, 1735 Irene Place, N. Vancouver, B.C., Canada V7K 2V5.

Chinese First-Aid

Chinese first-aid in case of drowning: First take man out of water. Then take water out of man.

Chinese Policy

My favorite Chinese restaurant owner is not only an honest man but he also serves the best Chinese tea in town. His policy is: Honest tea is the best policy.

Cultural Conflict and Integration in the Philippines
(The Case of the Ethnic Chinese Minority)
2nd of a Series
By Teresita Ang See

The Philippines is the only Christian country in Asia. More than 80 percent of the population are Christians. From the early days of the Spanish propagation of the Catholic faith in the Philippines, the ethnic Chinese have always been closely tied up or linked to the Filipino religious culture.

When the Spaniards set foot on the Philippines, they made known their clear mandate to Christianize the whole country--not just the native Filipinos, but also the Chinese. Behind the colonization of the Philippines was the hidden motive of using the country merely as a stepping stone toward the Christianization of China. For more than 300 years, the Christianization of the Chinese was not just made to suit the colonial policy of divide and rule, but more importantly, it was also a tool to assimilate and influence the Chinese then.

As early as 1581, the Spanish colonial government segregated the Chinese into a parian, an exclusive ghetto where non-Christian Chinese were confined. Only the Christian Chinese and the mestizos were allowed to live outside the confines of the parian. In terms of movement, the Christian Chinese were also not restricted. These Spanish policies had a great impact in assimilating the Chinese into mainstream society and giving rise to middle-class mestizos like the Tuazons, Dizons, Cojuangcos, and Ongsiacos.

Likewise, Christian doctrine teaches that everybody is born equal and all men are brothers in the eyes of God. Basically, such teaching does not discriminate against the Chinese, especially those who have already been converted to Christianity. Therefore, we cannot discount the influence or impact of the Christian religious culture in the Philippines and how it facilitated the degree of assimilation of the early Chinese.

This is true not just from the adherence to the religious belief itself but also from its impact on customs and traditions. While the ethnic Chinese practice a unique mix or blend of Chinese and Filipino customs, this blend is predominantly influenced by the Catholic or Christian practices. For example, an ethnic Chinese mother would still follow some Chinese rites after birth like the one month of zhuey ge-lay. But a Catholic ritual of baptism immediately follows, sometimes even if the parents are not Catholics at all. Often, the godparents taken are also a mix of Filipinos and Chinese, providing yet another chance of establishing social relations with Filipinos.

The same holds true for weddings and funeral rites where Catholic practices mix with Chinese customs. This is seen even in businesses. At every opening of new businesses, Catholic rites are observed where a Catholic priest would be invited to bless the premises with holy water after the lion dancers finish their act and after feng shui experts have been consulted.

In fact, the depth of relationship between the Spanish missionaries and the Chinese is showcased by the fact that the first Filipino saint, Lorenzo Ruiz, is a mestizo son of 17th century businessman surnamed Lee (or Dy). Mother Ignacia del Espiritu Santo, a Filipino nun who founded the first Filipina religious mission and who is now being proposed as the first Filipina saint, also had a pure Chinese father. In present times, the highest Catholic prelate in the country, His Eminence Jaime Cardinal Sin, is also a Chinese mestizo. This points to the fact that the impact of Christianity on the ethnic Chinese is not isolated or accidental. (To be continued)