The Walls of Intramuros

The Walls of Intramuros

HISTORY OF THE WALL

Intramuros (Latin for "Within the Walls")is the historic walled area within the modern city of Manila, the capital of the Philippines. The name Intramuros refers to the fortified city founded at the mouth of the Pasig River shortly after 1571 by the Spanish Conquistador Miguel Lopez de Legazpi. The walls were constructed in 1521. It was destroyed during an earthquake and was never rebuilt. Built in the 18th Century during the renovation of the riverside defenses, it opened to the river wharves, but the American engineers tore down the gate and part of the walls in 1903 to open the road to Intramuros from Magallanes Drive. Urban congestion during the late 19th and early 20th centuries gradually encircled the site (the moat was filled in 1905) and wore down and replaced the distinctive Spanish colonial architecture with government offices. In 1994, U.S. Bombing completed the reduction of the city to rubble. The site was cleared after World War II, but reconstruction proceeded slowly. In 1951, Intramuros was declared a historical monument.

Source: https://img.theculturetrip.com/1024x/smart/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/img_20170527_174812.jpg

The purpose of building the Walls of Intramuros was to be the Spaniard's political and military base in Asia. Grand administrative establishments, as well as religious and educational institutions, thrived within Intramuros, where only the nation's most powerful clans (mostly from Spanish descent) could settle.

ITS IMPACT TO THE CITIZENS/COUNTRY/WORLD

Due to constant attacks from foreign invaders, coupled with natural and man-made disasters, defensive features surrounded the city, including moats, cannons, and fortified walls, from bulwarks to ravelins. Within the walls was Fort Santiago, which was significantly served as military headquarters of Spanish, British, United States, and Japan during different eras, throughout Philippine history. It is known for it's defense structures and protecting the citizens within the walls. Because of that, the people appreciated the arrangement of the defense structures, such as the bulwarks, ravelins, and redoubts are strategically located along the massive walls of Intramuros following the design of medieval fortifications.

ITS IMPACT OR CONTRIBUTION TO HUMAN RELATIONSHIPS

Source: https://img.theculturetrip.com/wp-content/uploads/
2018/06/413021_252438438188981_1838649692_o.jpg

The contribution that the walls were built was the protection and safety of the people living and staying within the Walled City. With the defense features and structures to Intramuros, it builds up a connection from the people living there and how much it has done since it was built it 1521. Ever since World War II, the Walled City had major damage with some of the buildings destroyed, the people proceeded to rebuild the fallen walls as a way to show their respect to the original builders and paying their condolences of the walls protecting them, especially from the invaders outside the country that are creating massive destruction to the area, from dangers that have come their way.

"GOOD FENCES MAKE GREAT NEIGHBORS"

With this statement, "Good fences make great neighbors", the Walls of Intramuros has kept the people within the city, but it made the citizens living there to respect each other's property. This would also talk about the citizens that live outside the wall. The people would be paying their respect to each other, inside or outside the wall and staying on good terms. Maintaining a good fence, like the Walls of Intramuros, means that the citizens living within the walls are all respectful to each other, just like the great neighbors that they are.

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intramuros#/media/
File:FvfIntramuros0735_32.JPG

"MENDING WALLS"

The poem makes a relevance with the wall is about the territorial rights that a person can between their neighbors. At first, they would be questioning that they need to have such a wall in the first place, they would think that the people living outside the Walls of Intramuros, would be much different, making them realize that they are keeping themselves apart, including the people living within the wall. However, they would realize a wall was just blocking themselves and having a good fence instead, they would become great neighbors and keeping in good contact with each other is showing each other's respect towards one another.

My Experience during Family Day

My Experience during Family Day

                Last January 26, 2020 was the Family Day for the ACT-IS Regular Program with the theme "Stronger Families, Stronger Asianista Community". All of the students from the Preschool Department to the Junior High School have all gathered together with their families for this yearly event that takes place in ACT-IS Bulacao Campus. All of the booths were decorated to the corresponding tribes that they have picked for each grade level, and they were all beautiful to look at from a distance.

          Before the program officially began, we had a Sunday Mass with all of the students and families together so they could all spend time together within the rest of the program. After the Mass ended, all of the students were gathering and planning together for the praising dance for Sr. Santo Nino as a way to celebrate Sinulog. The students were dancing with joy and excitement together to praise to the one and only Sr. Santo Nino. Once the praising dance was finished and done, the Family Day has now officially started and everyone from the different grade levels are preparing for the dances of their respective tribes. Of course, on my side with the rest of my classmates within the Grade 9 Level, we were all preparing for our dance as well but we focused on not messing up on any of the dance steps from the routine as we will soon begin our dance performance. However, we didn't want to hesitate ourselves to the dance performance, but to also have fun with the family because all together, we are one, big family that always keep on trying and helping each other out.

          As were waiting for our turn to do our dance performance, we were watching all of the Grade Levels doing their dance performances and they all did it well. Obviously, we were worried for the other Grade Levels in the Junior High School to perform even better than us, but we didn't think negative and just had to dance the way that we normally do, along with working together. So now, what can I get from the experience during this year's Family Day? Well, there were a lot of things that I want to say in this blog, but the one thing from Family Day is that we had fun and we were all united together as one, dancing and performing well together and spending some time with friends and their families. All in all, I had a great time this Family Day and knew that I was in the right place to change and improve myself, along with my other classmates that were with me, especially during the dance performance.

          I will never forget this moment of how time we've practiced, day after day, to prepare for this event to come. But I have to say is that we were all united and knowing that we give it our all for our performance. We showcased our cooperation towards one another and making sure that we'll make use of this in the near future. That's what the theme is going for: Stronger Families, Stronger Asianista Community.

Ang Pamilya ay Palaging Magkasama

Ang Pamilya ay Palaging Magkasama

                  Noong Enero 26, 2020, ay ang Family Day sa loob ng ACT-IS Regular Program at ang tema ay "Stronger Families, Stronger Asianista Community". Sa mga estudyante mula sa Preschool Department, Grade School Department at ang Junior High School Department ay nagsasama-sama lahat, kasama ng kanilang pamilya upang ipagdiwang sa malaking kaganapan na ito kasama ang mga mag-aaral at mga magulang na magkakasama.

                  Sa mga sayaw at dekorasyon sa panahon ng programa, ipinapakita namin ang ating "Tribal" panig sa loob ng programa, at ang lahat ng mga booth ay maganda ang tiningnan. Ang dekorasyon ng booth ay isa ring kompetisyon sa panahon ng programa, kasama ang iba pang mga kompetisyon. Nang makarating ako doon nang maaga, nakatulong pa rin ako sa dekorasyon at paghahanda para sa sayaw sa lahat, kasama na ang mga magulang. Ngunit lumilipas ang oras, lahat tayo ay nagtutulungan sa dulo at tiyaking walang masamang mangyayari.

                  Pagkatapos ng Mass, nagsimula ang programa at nagsimula sa ating pagpupuri ng sayaw para kay Sr. Santo Nino bilang pagdiriwang sa Sinulog. Matapos ang pagganap, opisyal na nagsimula ang programa. Sa aking bahagi kasama ang nalalabi sa aking mga kamag-aral, lahat ay naghanda sa aming sarili sa aming pagganap sa sayaw kasama ang iba pang estudyante sa Preschool hanggang Junior High School Department. Ako ay medyo nasasabik na gumaganap, ngunit magkakaroon ng isang oras na magiging gulo ako ng isang sayaw sa pagsayaw. Ngunit sa tulong at pakikipagtulungan sa aking mga kamag-aral, nagawa naming i-pull off ang aming pagganap.

                  Ano ang maaari kong makuha mula sa taong itong Family Day? Maraming bagay ang nais kong sabihin, ngunit mayroong isang aspeto na maaari kong makuha mula sa kaganapan. Lahat kami ay nagtutulungan nang malaman na ginagawa namin ang aming makakaya para sa sayaw na sayaw. Ngunit ipinakita rin namin ang mga kasanayan sa loob ng aming sarili upang maisagawa at kumilos sa panahon ng kaganapan, at ang pagiging sama-sama ay sinusundan kasama ang tema ng taong itong Family Day. Maaaring magkaroon kami ng aming mga pagkakamali, ngunit nagtulungan kami bilang isang malaking koponan at pagtatapos ng kaganapan na may isang mahusay na pagtatapos.