34th Annual Manila Studies Conference Book of Abstracts

Table of Contents On the cover: The background image is a map of Manila Bay showing Intramuros and Cavite Puerto by Johannes Vingboons. C. 17th Century. Executive Committee, Organizing Committee and Secretariat ..................................... 3 Manila Studies Association, Inc. Conference Program ............................................................................................................................. 4 Abstracts and Speakers ........................................................................................................................ 8 Bionote of Speakers .............................................................................................................................15 Brief History of the Manila Studies Association (1989-2026 ........................................ 18 Board of Trustees 2026 ...................................................................................................................... 22 About Museo ni Emilio Aguinaldo and GBR Museum ................................................... 23 News feature in the Daily Tribune ................................................................................................ 24 Conference partner agencies and sponsors ......................................................................... 25

THE MANILA STUDIES ASSOCIATION, INC. 40 Matiwasay Street, UP Village, Diliman, Quezon City 1101 E-mail: ea.sembrano@gmail.comEstablished 1989 | Accredited to the National Commission for Culture and the Arts – Committee on Historical Research | Member Affiliate, Local Historical Committees Network – National Historical Commission of the PhilippinesManila E-Journal: http://ejournals.ph/issue.php?id=302 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/manilastudies34 ANNUAL MANILA STUDIES CONFERENCETH “Manila-Cavite Connection” Emilio Aguinaldo Shrine Kawit, Cavite September 15-16, 2026 EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Edgar Allan M. Sembrano President, Manila Studies Association, Inc. Lorelei D.C. De Viana Board Member, Manila Studies Association, Inc. Rona Catherine R. Repancol Secretary, Manila Studies Association, Inc. MANILA STUDIES ASSOCIATION ORGANIZING COMMITTEE AND SECRETARIAT Romeo Galang, Jr. Vice President, Manila Studies Association, Inc. Maria Eloisa de Castro Board Member, Manila Studies Association, Inc. Marya Svetlana Camacho Board Member, Manila Studies Association, Inc. Billy Ray Malacura Board Member, Manila Studies Association, Inc. 3

Program September 15, 2026 (Day 1) REGISTRATION (9:00-9:30 AM) OPENING PROGRAM (9:30-10:00 AM) National Anthem Opening Prayer Romeo Galang, Jr. Vice President. MSA Opening Remarks Dr. Bernardita Abueg Reyes Churchill President Emeritus, MSA Message Regalado Trota Jose Chair, National Historical Commission of the Philippines BREAK (10:00-10:15 AM) KEYNOTE PRESENTATION (10:15 -10:35 AM) Regalado Trota Jose National Historical Commission of the Philippines “The Construction of the Parian Church, Manila in the 18th Century” OPEN FORUM (10:35-10:50) 4

SESSION 1: INTANGIBLE HERITAGE Paper 2: (10:50 – 11:10AM) Romeo Galang, Jr. Far Eastern University “Rituals and Feasts for San Telmo: Worship and Devotion in Cavite Puerto and Elsewhere” Paper 3: (11:10 – 11:30AM) Ige Ramos Independent Researcher “Symbiotic Flavors of the Manila-Cavite Culinary Axis: Infrastructure, Naval Traditions, and the Socio-Cultural Construction of Gastronomy” OPEN FORUM (11:30-11:45 AM) Maria Eloisa De Castro Moderator LUNCH BREAK (11:45 AM-1:00 PM) SESSION 2: CAVITE PUERTO Paper 4: (1:00 – 1:20 PM) Fr. Virgilio Mendoza Ministry on the Cultural Heritage of the Church, Diocese of Imus "Las Calles de Cavite Puerto" Paper 5: (1:20 – 1:40PM) Raphael Valero Cavite City Local Government “Bridging Heritage and Modernity: A Qualitative, User Centered Study on Lived Experiences and Priorities to Guide the Revitalization of Samonte Park” Paper 6: (1:40 – 2:00PM) Mairene Leynes University of Asia and the Pacific “Fort San Felipe: Property Rights, Access, and the Conditions of Heritage Conservation” OPEN FORUM (2:00-2:15 PM) Paulette Bedruz Moderator5

SESSION 3: CAVITE HISTORY AND HERITAGE Paper 7: (2:15 – 2:35 PM) Daniel Anciano De La Salle University - Dasmariñas “Pagwawasto ng Kasaysayan: Ang Papel nina Henry Ruppenthal at Nellie Kellog sa Kronolohiya ng Pagdakip kay Macario Sakay noong 1906 sa Cavite” Paper 8: (2:35 – 2:55PM) Edwin Guinto Cavite Historical Society “Living History: An Immersive Approach to Heritage Tourism” Paper 9: (2:55 – 3:15 PM) Bryan Ferrer Ministry on the Cultural Heritage of the Church, Diocese of Imus “Living History: An Immersive Approach to Heritage Tourism” OPEN FORUM (3:15 – 3:30PM) Maria Eloisa De Castro Moderator BREAK (3:30-3:45 PM)SESSION 4: HERITAGE AND MUSEUM Paper 10: (3:45 – 4:05 PM) Frederick Geronimo University of Santo Tomas “A History of Resettlement of Informal Settlers in Dasmariñas, Cavite, 1974-2009” Paper 11: (4:05 – 4:25 PM) Edgar Allan Sembrano Manila Studies Association “Terms of Containment: Dam-related Vocabularies of the Tagalog People of Greater Manila” Paper 12: (4:25 – 4:45 PM) Billy Ray Malacura Far Eastern University/GBR Museum “Beyond Bloodline: Interpreting History in the Case of the GBR Museum” OPEN FORUM (4:45-5:00 PM) Eufemio Agbayani Moderator SOCIALS (3:45-4:00PM) - END OF FIRST DAY6

September 16, 2026 (Day 2) SESSION 5: MANILA-CAVITE CONNECTION Paper 13: (09:00 – 09:20 AM) Jeffrey Lubang De La Salle University - Dasmariñas “Anting-Anting and the Noveleta-Quiapo Cultural Exchange” Paper 14: (9:20 – 9:50 AM) Maria Eloisa De Castro National Historical Commission of the Philippines “A Preliminary Look at the Entwined Histories of Manila and Cavite Puerto (1565- 1898)” Paper 15: (09:50 – 10:10 AM) Felice Sta. Maria Independent Researcher “The Capital’s Cuisine: Manila as a Philippine Gastronomy Determinant” OPEN FORUM (10:10 – 10:15 AM) Billy Ray Malacura Moderator CLOSING PROGRAM (11:00 AM- 12:00 NN) Short Messages: Bernardita Reyes Churchill, Edgar Allan Sembrano (President Emeritus and President) Announcement for MSA Membership Pay to: Manila Studies Association, Inc. Bank: RCBC Account number: 0000001191414825 Amount: Php750/year, with 10% discount upon purchase of Manila Journal, Php5,000/lifetime Send receipt to: ea_sembrano@yahoo.com, pecolina@up.edu.ph Notice: No student membership Closing Message Edgar Allan Sembrano President, MSA -END OF CONFERENCE- Afternoon: optional tour of Kawit and GBR Museum7

Abstracts and SpeakersRegalado Trota Jose National Historical Commission of the Philippines The Construction of the Parian Church, Manila in the 18th Century The significance of the church built in the Parian for the Chinese community in Manila, especially in terms of its cultural and historical values, hardly needs any introduction. A series of documents turned up a few years ago in the Dominican archives in the Province of the Holy Rosary community in San Juan City, Metro Manila, provides new information on the construction of the church. This paper will tackle the contents of this documentation. Apropos for the theme of this conference—multicultural encounters—the documents show that local (indigenous) builders were also involved in the construction.Romeo Galang, Jr. Far Eastern University Rituals and Feasts for San Telmo: Worship and Devotion in Cavite Puerto and Elsewhere This paper investigates the everyday lives of people in the historic port town of Cavite Puerto. In particular it looks into how the city’s main historic fabric, such as the the city’s shipyard and its convent churches, as spaces that shape the peoples’ lives. An analysis of a 17 -century manuscript helps the Filipinos understand several aspects of their contemporary society. One of these aspects concern the patrons of towns, and the celebrations which were dedicated to them. Through the historic accounts, the church laws around the saints and blessed and the regular orders dictated the limits of devotions to certain provinces in the Philippines. The document also shows that in the past, that certain devotions were formerly more widespread in areas where they were no longer honored due to historic events. In summary, it shows the interrelatedness of charity, and devotions, and how ecclesiastical decrees and directives originally shaped the contemporary Philippine devotional landscape. th 8

Ige Ramos Independent Researcher Symbiotic Flavors of the Manila-Cavite Culinary Axis: Infrastructure, Naval Traditions, and the Socio-Cultural Construction of Gastronomy The paper explores the historical and socio-cultural construction of gastronomy along the Manila- Cavite axis, positing that the relationship between the capital and the province is a symbiotic "metabolic system" facilitated by shared infrastructure. By examining three distinct polymodalities —the global exchange of the Galleon Trade, the military-industrial complex of Fort Santiago and Fort San Felipe, and the evolution of land connectivity via the Calle Real and the Manila-Cavite Road—this study illustrates how physical networks transformed regional foodways. Central to this discourse is the ethnography of fermented seafood. This paper argues that bagoong and patis served as an "alchemical bridge" and essential naval technology, born from the necessity of feeding colonial garrisons and maritime crews. The convergence of salt-producing beds in Cavite and the commercial hubs of Manila created a shared salinity that defined the regional palate. Furthermore, the paper reflects on the socio-cultural construction of taste, arguing that the ease of movement between these two hubs led to the development of a "shared pantry." This connectivity blurred the lines between the rustic, agrarian flavors of Cavite and the sophisticated, urban cuisine of Manila, resulting in a distinct "Bay Culture" gastronomy. By analyzing these infrastructures not merely as conduits for people and trade but as vessels for sensory culture, this study sheds light on how the built environment seasoned the revolutionary and colonial history of both regions.Fr. Virgilio Saenz Mendoza Ministry on the Cultural Heritage of the Church, Diocese of Imus Las Calles de Cavite Puerto The study reconstructs the urban landscape of Cavite Puerto. From the late 19th century to the early years of the 20th century through the mapping of its streets, commercial establishments, urban spaces and everyday activities. Drawing from maps, old newspapers and other documentary sources, it examines how the organisation and use of public space reflected the economic, social and cultural life of the colonial port. Beyond identifying streets and shops, the study considers the movement of people, patterns of commerce, leisure activities and other forms of everyday interaction that animated Cavite Puerto. By spatially locating these historical features, the research seeks to reconstruct the character of the old port town and understand how the built environment shaped the community life. It further traces the historical locations of selected sites to their present-day counterparts and providing basis for understanding the transformation, continuity and disappearance of Cavite's colonial urban landscape"9

Raphael Valero Cavite City Local Government Bridging Heritage and Modernity: A Qualitative, User Centered Study on Lived Experiences and Priorities to Guide the Revitalization of Samonte Park Ramon Quijano Samonte Memorial Park / Porta Vaga Complex Archaeological Site or also known as Samonte Park serves as Cavite City’s primary civic open space, reflecting layers of cultural meaning, personal memory, and evolving community use. This park is also located at the former Cavite Puerto's front walls and this area was declared as National Cultural Treasure (NCT) by the National Museum of the Philippines in 2019. This qualitative study explores the lived experiences and attachments of park users to inform a revitalization strategy that may emphasize modern improvements, classical heritage features, or a balanced combination of both. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews, open-ended online surveys, and systematic on-site observations. Guided by the Phenomenology of Place (Relph, 1976), Place Identity Theory (Proshansky et al., 1978), and the Historic Urban Landscape (UNESCO, 2011) approach, the study identifies core themes shaping user experience, including environmental comfort, cleanliness, heritage awareness, recreation practices, safety, commerce, and visions for the park’s identity. Findings demonstrate that users hold multi-layered attachments rooted in familiarity, spatial character, and the park’s perceived role as a symbolic public space. These insights contribute to evidence-based planning recommendations that support inclusive, culturally grounded, and community-responsive revitalization options for Samonte Park.Mairene Leynes University of Asia and the Pacific Conserving the Inaccessible: Fort San Felipe, Cavite, and the Property Rights of a Contested Heritage Site Fort San Felipe at the port of Cavite presents a paradox. It ranks among the most historically significant Spanish fortifications in the Philippines, yet it is among the least studied and least accessible, sealed within an active Philippine Navy installation. This preliminary study approaches the fort as a heritage site and poses a question of conservation rather than chronology: when does restricted access safeguard a monument, and when does it quietly consign one to ruin? To pursue this question, the study adopts a property rights framework that separates de jure sovereignty from de facto control, treating the fort's centuries of history as evidence rather than as the object of inquiry. Drawing on the earliest documentary records of the site, it reconstructs how the fort was garrisoned, contested, and progressively enclosed from the seventeenth century onward, revealing that the cost of exclusion has been a constant of its existence. Over time, the fort becomes an ever more isolated military enclave, cut off from the town it once anchored. This trajectory prefigures its present condition with unsettling precision: continuous military occupation across changes of sovereignty, partial demolition, and access restricted in the name of security rather than preservation. The study contends that the fort has endured not by virtue of its masonry but by virtue of the institutions that governed it, and that its conservation now depends on diagnosing the structure of authority behind the impasse between the Department of National Defense and the country's heritage agencies, rather than on reaffirming a significance already long recognized.10

Daniel Anciano De La Salle University - Dasmariñas Ang Ulat ni Ruppenthal at Eksistensiya ni Kellog sa Pagdakip kay Macario Sakay sa Cavite: Isang Kontra-Naratibo kay Leon Villafuerte Layunin ng papel na ito na suriin ang ulat ng Thomasite na si Ruppenthal sa probinsiya ng Rizal at ang presensiya ni Kellog sa Cavite kaugnay ng pagdakip kay Macario Sakay. Sa pamamagitan ng mga opisyal na rekord at dokumentong kontemporaryo, pinabubulaanan ng pag-aaral ang ilang anakronistikong detalye sa naratibo ni Leon Villafuerte ukol sa mga kaganapan sa Cavite. Nag-aalok ito ng bagong lente sa pag-unawa sa historiograpiya ng pagsuko at pagdakip kay Sakay.Edwin Guinto Cavite Historical Society Living History: An Immersive Approach to Heritage Tourism Modern tourists increasingly seek interactive experiences over passive sightseeing. However, traditional heritage tourism often relies on static displays that often fail to deeply connect with contemporary audiences. This mini-lecture will explore how historical re-enactment can revitalize tourism through “period-accurate” uniforms and live demonstrations. Visitors will feel they are living the story through immersive performance and interaction. Living history has moved from a mere educational-entertainment to becoming a valuable tool for visitors to connect emotionally to the past and possibly transform passive tourists into active heritage advocates.Bryan B. Ferrer Ministry on the Cultural Heritage of the Church, Diocese of Imus Living History: An Immersive Approach to Heritage Tourism The pulpit of the Our Lady of the Assumption Parish Church in Maragondon was a key component of its church complex that was declared a National Cultural Treasure in 2001, the first in Cavite province. For its intricate wood carving and for being intact for centuries, it was considered one of the remaining tangible legacies of the Jesuit missionaries who established the parish and directed the construction of most of its current stone structure in 1714. Unfortunately, due primarily to material degradation, the pulpit collapsed in 2025. The presentation discusses the key events from the incident and the emergency response by the parishioners and their partners in national and local government, the Diocese, and civil society organizations. Summaries of initial findings from analyses by engineers, architects, and scientists, as well as present initiatives, are also highlighted as the parish continues to mobilize specialized technical expertise and material and financial resources to reconstruct the pulpit and preserve the integrity of the entire church complex ahead of its 400th anniversary in 2027.11

Frederick Adrienne P. Geronimo University of Santo Tomas A History of Resettlement of Informal Settlers in Dasmariñas, Cavite, 1974-2009 Beginning in the 20th century, successive governments in the Philippines played a leading role in human resettlement and public housing strategies. By the 1960s, such policies led to the widespread relocation of informal settlers from Metro Manila to its neighboring provinces. One case example originally implemented in Dasmariñas, Cavite became known as the Dasmariñas Bagong Bayan (DBB) Resettlement Project. While studies have documented the social integration and living conditions of relocatees in the DBB, its significance as a model of the Philippine human settlements program remains to be explored. This work primarily employed the historical methodology to address this gap. The study based its findings on available government records, academic publications, and interviews with relocated residents. This study also applied the principles of New Town planning as its theoretical framework, originally created in Great Britain at the end of the Second World War and later replicated in other countries. The objectives of the study are twofold: to contribute to the historiography of informal settler relocation in Metro Manila and to establish historical links between the DBB and Metro Manila by drawing on international trends in human settlement programs. Edgar Allan M. Sembrano Manila Studies Association Terms of Containment: Dam-related Vocabularies of the Tagalog People of Greater Manila A tribute to the late great Caviteño scholar Isagani Medina, this paper delves into rather unknown terminologies related to water engineering during the Spanish colonial period. These terms were culled from field studies conducted in the course of two years in the provinces of Cavite, Laguna, and Bulacan as well as in Nueva Ecija and Manila. As many of the farmlands are subjected to land conversions, the existence and continued use of these terminologies are in danger of being lost or forgotten. Documenting these words is essential not only in terms of linguistics but also in their historical and cultural contexts. These are precisely the reasons why this paper is being carried out. 12

Jeffrey A. Lubang De La Salle University - Dasmariñas Circuits of Power: Anting-Anting and the Noveleta–Quiapo Cultural Exchange This paper examines the circulation, ritual activation, and reinterpretation of anting-anting between Quiapo, Manila, and Noveleta, Cavite. The study positions the anting-anting as a distinctive element of Philippine religious life that functions simultaneously as a devotional object, ritual technology, cultural artifact, and repository of historical memory. Drawing on material religion, object biography, actor- network theory, ritual theory, vernacular Catholicism, and Filipino indigenous epistemologies, the study conceptualizes Quiapo and Noveleta as interconnected nodes within a broader “circuit of sacred power.” The analysis demonstrates that the efficacy attributed to anting-anting is not inherent in the material object but emerges through acquisition, ritual activation or pagpapabisa, embodied devotional practice, social relationships, and communal recognition. Quiapo functions as a devotional marketplace where sacred objects enter networks of circulation, while Noveleta provides ritual contexts in which these objects acquire legitimacy, efficacy, and deeper cultural significance. Their movement between these spaces transforms the anting-anting from a commercial object into a singular sacred possession embedded in ritual biography, memory, lineage, and lived religious practice. The study further demonstrates how Catholic symbols, indigenous cosmologies, ritual knowledge, and local traditions converge within contemporary Filipino vernacular Catholicism. Ultimately, the Noveleta–Quiapo exchange reveals that sacred power is relational, processual, and continually negotiated through the movement of people, objects, prayers, and knowledge. The study contributes to Philippine studies, religious anthropology, material religion, and heritage scholarship by demonstrating the continuing vitality, adaptability, and cultural significance of indigenous religious practices in contemporary Philippine society. Billy Ray C. Malacura Far Eastern University/GBR Museum Beyond Bloodlines: Interpreting History in the Case of the GBR Museum In keeping with the legacy of our Founder Geronimo Berenguer de los Reyes, Jr. (GBR) and his unparalleled love for Philippine history, the presentation reintroduces GBR as an important personality among the pantheon of Caviteño luminaries. Like some of us, GBR did not have a direct bloodline from the Province of Cavite but the business empire and museum he has established continue to change the economic and cultural landscape of the province. The GBR Museum traces its origin to a series of exhibitions in the 1990s coinciding with the nationwide celebration of the 100th year anniversary of Philippine Independence (1898-1998). This vision was no coincidence. It was GBR’s conscious gesture of homage to his great grandfather Crisanto de los Reyes, a businessman in 19th century Manila and Cavite. Crisanto would also be implicated in the 1872 Cavite Mutiny. The paper also revisits the various collaborations of GBR in the fields of Cavite history and heritage as expressed in the timeline of the GBR Museum, his enduring gift to the Filipino people. 13

Felice Prudente Sta. Maria Independent Researcher The Capital’s Cuisine: Manila as a Philippine Gastronomy Determinant Country capitals play distinct roles in development of a national gastronomy. The capital provides a concentration of political, economic, social, cultural, educational, and communication services beneficial to culinary advancement. Forces of change are drawn to capitals where their competitiveness and sustainability are tested. Manila’s capital cuisine is a historically layered gateway for international commerce, colonial and migrant influences, as well as culinary fashions. It has been an established hub for the nativization, innovation, and diffusion of regional heritage cuisines and that originated in the capital itself. Manila’s hierarchal culinary structure exhibits transformations that institutionalized over centuries while the capital’s cuisine has been catalyzing a national gastronomy rich in recognition of regional, ethnic and even international fare. Traditionally, the capital’s importance is not merely the food eaten there but its capacity to assemble, interpret, legitimize, develop, and project the global identity of Philippine cuisine. Manila is a national integrator and internationalizer for Philippine gastronomy. Maria Eloisa P. De Castro National Historical Commission of the Philippines A Preliminary Look at the Entwined Histories of Manila and Cavite Puerto (1565- 1898) Quijano de Manila stated that Cavite Puerto was the true Sister City of Manila during the Spanish Colonial Period. That connectivity is now largely lost to the consciousness of their residents from opposite sides of the bay and to the public in general. This study attempts to reconstruct that once- tightly bound, reflexive relationship by looking closely at events, institutions, policies, practices, and buildings on one side, and the leaders, residents, travelers/traders/workers of various ethnicities on the other, whose choices during different eras in the past, knowingly or not, cemented the entanglements of Manila and Cavite Puerto. Both benefited from the existence of the other while simultaneously exposed to danger and challenges from that very same relationship. This work utilizes manuscripts, maps, photographs, illustrations and digital sources to attempt to reconnect the closeness and complexity of the historic ties that bound Manila to Cavite Puerto and vice versa. By doing so, it hopes to contribute to a depth of understanding and a greater clarity of vision that would spur a wholistic development of Cavite City today. 14

Si Daniel Mendoza Anciano ay isang mananaliksik sa kasaysayan, edukador, at may-akda na nakatutok sa lokal na kasaysayan ng lalawigan ng Cavite. Kasalukuyan siyang kaakibat bilang mananaliksik sa Cavite Studies Center ng De La Salle University- Dasmariñas. Dating naglingkod bilang guro ng kasaysayan sa Cavite State University at naging punong-guro sa Learning Links Academy, inialay niya ang kaniyang karera sa pagtataguyod ng kasaysayang pangkultura, panlipunan, pang- imprastraktura, at pang-ekonomiya ng Cavite noong panahon ng pananakop ng mga Espanyol at Amerikano. Maria Eloisa P. de Castro is one of the founding officers of the Manila Studies Association, Inc. She obtained her Doctorate degree in History from the University of Santo Tomas and has published works on the history of the different religious orders, the Philippine Revolution, leprosy, the Missionary Sisters of St. Dominic, Philippine Secondary Education in the Spanish colonial period, and her home city of Cavite, among others. She was appointed Member of the Pool of Experts in History of the National Commission for Cultures and the Arts in 2023 and a year later, as Commissioner in the National Historical Commission of the Philippines. Bryan Ferrer is the lay coordinator of the Ministry on the Cultural Heritage of the Church - Diocese of Imus, where he leads its formation and promotional programs to empower parishes and the faithful to protect and preserve their cultural heritage. He also works as a communications officer at the National Museum of the Philippines and serves as Executive Director of Project Saysay, a youth NGO dedicated to popularizing Philippine history through education and social media engagement. in History and Journalism category of the Manila Critics Circle's 2014 National Book Award. At present, he serves as the Vice president of the Manila Studies Association. Bionote of Speakers Edwin Samonte Guinto hails from the historic Cavite Puerto (present day Cavite City), where he owns and manages Café Antix, for which he is the pizza chef, barista, and antique restorator/collector. As a part- time historical reenactor, he usually portrays primera contrabida roles like Governor-General Rafael Izquierdo in NHCP's GomBurZa Documentary. Currently the President of Cavite City Historical Society, a trustee of Cavite Historical Society Inc., and of Republica Filipina Reenactment Group Inc. Frederick Adrienne P. Geronimo obtained his Bachelor of Arts in History from the University of Santo Tomas in 2025. He was a member of the UST History Society, serving as a member of its Secretariat Committee, Research and Publications Committee, and Public Relations Officer. His research interests include the history of human settlement strategies and policies in the postcolonial Philippines, with a particular focus on the growth of resettlement projects like the one in Dasmariñas, Cavite. His personal interests lie in the Napoleonic Wars and the succeeding emergence of European nationalism during the 19th century. Currently, he is a member of the youth organization, Project Saysay, and is affiliated with the Research Initiatives in Teacher Education (RITE) Year 2, a project-based partnership between the UST College of Education and the Teacher Education Council. He is also completing his Certification in Professional Teaching at De La Salle University - Dasmariñas. 15 Romeo B. Galang Jr. is Assistant Professor IV at the Institute of Arts and Sciences, Far Eastern University, Manila. He obtained his Ph.D. in Philippine Studies (2023) and master's in Art History (2008) from the University of the Philippines Diliman. His masteral thesis, published as A Cultural History of Santo Domingo by the University of Santo Tomas Publishing House in 2013, was a finalist for Best Book

Jeffrey A. Lubang is an Associate Professor 5 in the Social Sciences Department of De La Salle University–Dasmariñas. He holds an MA in Art History from the University of the Philippines Diliman, and a PhD in Applied Cosmic Anthropology from the Asian Social Institute. His scholarly interests include cultural history, material religion, ritual studies, heritage preservation, and Philippine vernacular religiosity – with particular emphasis on anting-anting, sacred material culture, and Cavite heritage. Aside from several refereed journals, he is the author of Anting- anting sa Kabite, Pantyon, and Ang Lalawigan ng Cavite, among other works on Philippine history and culture. His latest major publication project, Nang Si Kristo’y Namatay: Spiritual, Cultural, and Visual Narratives of the Dead Christ Images in Cavite, Rev. Fr. Virgilio Saenz Mendoza is the rector and parish priest of the Diocesan Shrine of San Agustin - Santa Cruz Parish in Tanza, Cavite, and priest- animator of the Ministry on the Cultural Heritage of the Church - Diocese of Imus. He received his formation from the Our Lady of the Pillar Seminary and Tahanan ng Mabuting Pastol Seminary. He obtained his philosophy degree in 1977 from the Divine Word Seminary in Tagaytay City. In 1983, he received his baccalaureate in Sacred Theology from the Pontifical Urban University, Rome. The same year, Fr. Vir was ordained to the priesthood by then- ImusBishop Felix P. Perez and served as assistant parish priest in Rosario and Silang, and parish priest in Magallanes, Molino (Bacoor), Binakayan (Kawit), San Francisco de Malabon (General Trias), and Naic. Mairene A. Leynes is a member of the College of Arts and Sciences faculty at the University of Asia and the Pacific and a doctoral student in Sustainability at the University of the Philippines Open University. She holds an MA in Art History from the University of Navarre, Spain (Cum Laude), and a BA in Humanities (Art History) from the University of the Philippines Diliman (Cum Laude). Her research addresses Philippine heritage interpretation and conservation, including her earlier work on the artisan heritage of Paete, Laguna. She is an individual member of ICOMOS Philippines. Her current study examines Fort San Felipe, Cavite, with the support of the Cavite Studies Center. Billy Ray C. Malacura is a cultural heritage worker specializing in heritage research, documentation, and interpretation. His area of research covers Philippine church history and heritage. He also worked in a number of museum projects in the country and has contributed essays in the Architecture volume of the CCP Encyclopedia of Philippine Art second edition where he is also one of the writers of its digital edition. Billy completed his Communication Arts Bachelor's degree and Cultural Heritage Studies Master's degree from the University of Santo Tomas. He represented the Philippines as an official delegate to he UNESCO World Heritage Youth Forum in Doha, Qatar in 2014. He also served in cultural and academic institutions such as the Metropolitan Museum of Manila, Escuela Taller Intramuros, San Agustin Museum, Geronimo Berenguer de los Reys Jr. (GBR) Museum, and the Far Eastern University. He continues to provide capacity- building lectures on heritage tourism as an accredited resource speaker of the Department of Tourism. Billy is a professed Franciscan Tertiary Ordo. 16 Regalado Trota Jose is a distinguished scholar who has dedicated more than four decades to researching and writing about art history and church history during the Spanish period. A prolific writer and author, his book, Simbahan, won the National Book Award in 1992. He has helped establish museums, archives, and exhibitions nationwide. The current Chairman of the National Historical Commission of the Philippines, Prof. Jose has held significant leadership roles including being the first president of ICOMOS Philippines and archivist of the Archivo de la Universidad de Santo Tomas. In 1999, he was one the “100 outstanding Filipinos who have helped build the Filipino nation through art and culture during the last 100 years” which was awarded by the Cultural Center of the Philippines. explores the religious, cultural, material, and visual dimensions of Santo Entierro traditions in Cavite. His current scholarship examines the intersections of materiality, ritual, memory, spirituality, and cultural identity, with a particular focus on documenting, critically interpreting, and preserving Philippine cultural knowledge and living traditions.

Felice Prudente Sta. Maria is an internationally awarded non-fiction author, cultural heritage advocate, and pioneer in Philippine food history specializing in the Spanish and American colonial era. She served as a commissioner on the Philippine National Commission for Culture and the Arts and UNESCO National Commission of the Philippines. She was a culture page columnist for The Manila Times, Sunday opinion page columnist for Philippine Star, and food columnist for Philippine Daily Inquirer. She is currently on the board of advisers at Ayala Museum, and is a vice president and co-founder of Food Writers Association of the Philippines. Raphael Luis Valero is an architect who is currently finishing his master's degree in architecture from the University of the Philippines. He owns the R. Valero Architectural Design Studio based in Cavite City. He is a member of the Ministry on Cultural Heritage of the Diocese of Imus and the United Architects of the Philippines-Cavite Chapter. In his native Cavite City, he drafted the Redevelopment Plan of Samonte Park and renovated the Montano Hall Gymnasium, among other notable projects. 17 Edgar Allan M. Sembrano writes for the Philippine Daily Inquirer and Daily Tribune. He is the Area Editor for Architecture of the Cultural Center of the Philippines Encyclopedia of Philippine Art Digital. He is the President of the Manila Studies Association and a Board Member of the Philippine National Historical Society. He has authored and co-authored books on Philippine art, culture, and heritage. Among these are “Dispatches: Contestations and Celebrations on the Filipino Heritage Consciousness” and “Presa: The History and Heritage of Spanish Colonial Dam Building in the Philippines, 1699-1898.” Ige Ramos is a book designer, food writer, visual artist, cultural worker, and food scholar. He is the managing director of the Ugnayan Center for Filipino Gastronomy, which he describes as a “laboratory for the accumulation of practical knowledge.” There, he publishes, conducts independent research, and holds workshops on heirloom cuisine, edible design, food studies, and comparative gastronomy. His book, Dila at Bandila: Ang Paghahanap sa Pambansang Panlasa ng Filipinas, which won the 39th National Book Award for best food book, investigates how geography, technology, ingredients, and demographic shifts influence the taste and flavor of Filipino cuisine.

Brief History of the Manila Studies Association (1989-2026)The Manila Studies Association, Inc. (MSA), is a non-profit professional organization devoted to the study and research of all aspects of Manila studies and also to help, through the dissemination of relevant historical literature, in the preservation and conservation of Manila's historical and cultural landmarks so they can be a fitting legacy to future generations of Filipinos. The MSA was formally established on June 25, 1989, at the initiative of the late Prof. Alfredo T. Tiamson of the University of the Philippines (UP) Manila, after a successful First Manila Studies Conference held successively at the Teatrillo in Casa Manila, Intramuros, and UP Manila, with sponsorship by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA). From 1989 to 2002, supported by NCCA most years (except in 1999, 2000, 2001, 2022, and 2023 ), the MSA held an annual conference focusing on various current and relevant themes on Manila studies, hosted by various universities in Manila - University of the Philippines Manila, Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila, University of Santo Tomas, Adamson University, De La Salle University Manila, Colegio de San Juan de Letrán, St. Scholastica's College, Far Eastern University, and DSLU - College of St. Benide. On few occasions, the MSA Conference was sponsored by the Office of the Mayor of the City of Manila. Selected papers from these conferences have been published in the MANILA journal. Since 2002, the Manila Studies Association has been accredited to the NCCA and partial funding has been provided for the holding of the Annual Conference. Since 2007, MANILA has come out as a regular publication with the NCCA also providing partial funding for selected papers from the MSA Annual Conferences. The Annual Conferences have been held on many occasions at the Tanghalan Leandro V. Locsin, NCCA Building, General Luna Street, Intramuros. MSA Conferences have presented papers with specific relevance to Manila studies, covering all fields or disciplines - history, archaeology, literature, music, folklore, popular culture, and social problems. In 1999, MSA conducted a seminar-workshop on the writing of the oral and local history of Manila to encourage a systematic research on the history of Manila so that a body of literature could be compiled to serve as bibliographical references for the study of the historical development of the city. The Annual Conference is usually a modest event attended by about 60 - 70 participants consisting mostly of public and private school teachers, history faculty from state and private universities, researchers, students from Metro Manila, cultural workers and tourism guides. Recently, participants have also come from nearby provinces. 18

Manila Studies Annual Conferences: 1 1989 First Manila Studies Conferencest National Commission for Culture and the Arts University of the Philippines, Manila 2 1990 De La Salle Universitynd No Conference in 1991 3 1992 University of Santo Tomasrd 4 1993 Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynilath Plaza San Luis, Intramuros, Manila 5 1994 NCCA Conference Hallth 6 1995 NCCA Conference Hallth 7 1996 NCCA Conference Hallth 8 1997 Bulwagang NCCAth 9 1998 NCCA Bulwagang Leandro V. Locsinth 10 1999 NCCA Bulwagang Leandro V. Locsinth No Conferences in 2000 and 2001 11 2002 De La Salle Universityth 12 2003 De La Salle Universityth 13 2004 NCCA Tanghalan Leandro V. Locsinth 14 2005 NCCA Tanghalan Leandro V. Locsinth 15 2006 NCCA Tanghalan Leandro V. Locsinth 16 2007 NCCA Tanghalan Leandro V. Locsinth 17 2008 NCCA Tanghalan Leandro V. Locsinth 18 2009 NCCA Tanghalan Leandro V. Locsinth 19 2010 Colegio de San Juan de Letran, Intramuros, Manilath 20 2011 St. Scholastica’s College, Malate, Manilath 21 2012 Far Eastern University, Sampaloc, Manilast 22 2013 University of Santo Tomas, Maniland 23 2014 Intramuros Administration, Teatrillo, Casa Manila, Intramurosrd 24 2015 De La Salle – College of Saint Benilde, Manilath 25 2016 National Commission for Culture and the Artsth 26 2017 National Commission for Culture and the Artsth 27 2018 Technological Institute of the Philippines, Quezon Cityth 28 2019 Mapua University, Manilath 29 2020 Webinar series via Zoomth No conference in 2021 30 2022 Online via Zoomth 31 2023 Metropolitan Theater, Manilast 32 2024 National Historical Commission of the Philippines Auditoriumnd 33 2025 Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynilard 34 Emilio Aguinaldo Shrine, Kawit, Caviteth 19

In August 2013, in commemoration of the Sesquicentennial of the Birth of Andres Bonifacio, and in celebration of History Month in August, the Manila Studies Association, with the National Commission on Culture and the Arts and the Philippine National Historical Society, mounted a Photo Exhibit, The Philippines at the Turn of the 20th Century at the NCCA Gallery in Intramuros, which opened on August 8, 2013 and remained on view through August 2013. A lecture on the exhibit was presented on August 14, 2013 by Bernardita R. Churchill, MSA President. The photographs are from the collection of MSA President, Bernardita R. Churchill (BRC Library), from photographs donated by the Anthropological Archives, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. and the Philippine Arts, Letters and Media Council, Washington, D.C. In 2014, the Manila Studies Association also celebrated its 25th Founding Anniversary, fittingly at the Teatrillo, Casa Manila, again with the co-sponsorship of the Intramuros Administration as in 1989. The first MSA Conference in 1989 was also held at the same venue of the Teatrillo, which has since been beautifully remodeled. The film Rescue in the Philippines: Refuge from the Holocaust was shown at the Teatrillo. In 2015, in commemoration of the end of World War II in August 1945, the Manila Studies Association mounted a Photo Exhibit - Manila 1945 and Beyond, complimented by a Film Showing - Manila 1945: The Rest of the Story, a Peter Parsons-Lucky Guillermo Presentation, directed by Joel Nathan Legrono, at De La Salle University-College of Saint Benilde, Manila. The photographs are from the collection of the BRC Library. In 2016, a Photo Exhibit was again hosted by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts during the 25th Annual Manila Studies Conference on August 30-31, featuring Images from the Past: Essays on Philippine History and Heritage. The photographs are from the collection of the BRC Library. In 2017, the 26th Annual Manila Studies Conference held on August 16-17 opened with a Photo Exhibit, Arrabales of Manila, through a grant from the NCCA. The vintage photographs exhibited are from the BRC Library. In 2018, the 27th Annual Manila Studies Conference was held on September 12-14, 2018 at the Technological Institute of the Philippines, Cubao, Quezon City. The conference included a Workshop on Enhancing the Study/Teaching of Philippine History and Culture in Basic and Higher Education and Creating an Inclusive History - Martial Law (1972-1986), the History of Muslim and Indigenous Peoples (IPs). On the last day of the conference, there was an educational tour of the Museum of Natural History, Rizal Park, Manila. In September 2019, the NCCA Gallery, Manila Studies Association and the Philippine National Historical Society mounted a vintage photograph and painting exhibit Center and Periphery with Celeste Lecaroz. The exhibit featured vintage photographs from the BRC Library and their interpretations in spontaneous realism by artist Celeste Lecaroz. The exhibit culminated with a Portrait Sketching Workshop at the NCCA Gallery by artists Celeste Lecaroz and Edgar Talusan Fernandez. 20

In 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Manila Studies Association conducted a webinar series instead of a physical conference. This series was held vi Zoom on September 12, 19, and 26 as well as on December 18 and 19. There was no conference in 2021 while the following year, it was also held online via Zoom on December 16. Physical conference resumed in 2023 with that being held at the Metropolitan Theater, Manila. In 2024, it was held at the Auditorium of the National Historical Commission of the Philippines. In 2025, the conference which was funded in part by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts was held at the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila. During the latter, the MSA hosted the relaunch of Felice Prudente Sta. Maria’s book, When Mangoes and Olives Met at the Philippine Table. In 2026, the MSA partnered with the National Historical Commission of the Philippines and its Emilio Aguinaldo Shrine for the 34 conference. It is the first time that the MSA went out of Manila to explore the capital region’s relations with areas outside its political and geographic boundaries. For the first offing, it is the historic relations of Manila and Cavite. th Apart from the conferences, MSA also partnered with various institutions on other significant events. On March 29, 2025, it partnered with the History Department of the University of Asia and the Pacific for the Manila Talks. Presenters during this event are Marya Svetlana Camacho and Rona Repancol who talked about women's lives in 18th century Philippines in the field of archeology. On May 29 of the same year, the Manila Studies Association partnered with the Museo ng Muntinlupa for MuseoCon2025. With the theme "Ang Lawa sa Kasaysayan: Kahalagahan, Kahulugan, at mga Pamana," presenters during this event include NHCP Chairman Regalado Trota Jose, Ruh Alonto of the Philippine National Historical Society, and MSA's Edgar Allan Sembrano and Rona Repancol. On August 28, 2025, MSA likewise partnered with the GBR Museum of General Trias in Cavite for the lecture of Ricardo Jose, eminent military historian, on his lecture “80 Years Later: Reexamining World War II and the Japanese Occupation in the Philippines.” In 2025 and 2026, the Manila Studies Association participated in the Local Historical Committees Network’s general assembly and conference held in Guiuan, Eastern Samar and Biñan, Laguna respectively. Additionally, it participated for the first time in the NHCP-organized HistoEx2026 held at the Music Hall of the Mall of Asia in Pasay from July 27-29, 2026. 21

Board of Trustees 2026 THE MANILA STUDIES ASSOCIATION, INC. Bernardita Reyes Churchill President Emeritus University of the Philippines (Retired) Edgar Allan Sembrano President Independent Researcher Romeo Galang Jr. Vice President Far Eastern University Rona Catherine Repancol Secretary University of Santo Tomas Paul Anthony Colina Treasurer University of the Philippines Diliman BOARD MEMBERS Marya Svetlana Camacho University of Asia and the Pacific Pacita Carluen Xavier School (Retired) Maria Eloisa de Castro University of Santo Tomas (Retired) Lorelei de Viana University of the Philippines/University of Santo Tomas Kinna Mae Kwan-Mabansag Municipal Government of Guiuan, Eastern Samar Billy Ray Malacura Far Eastern University 22

Museo ni Emilio Aguinaldo The Museo ni Emilio Aguinaldo is a historical and lifestyle museum dedicated to showcasing the life of Gen. Aguinaldo – the first president of the Philippine Republic. The house is a traditional bahay na bato structure built in 1845. It houses 19th and Early 20th Century Art Nouveau and Art Deco period furniture. Notable are the mesa altar, large dining table, and Ah Tay bed. The museum also presents the role of Cavite during the Spanish Colonial Period, and the native’s revolution against Spain until the proclamation of independence on June 12, 1898. As a witness to the unfolding of important events in Philippine history, the house was declared a national shrine in 1964. The GBR Museum is one of the early private museums in the Province of Cavite. The museum was founded by the late Geronimo Berenguer de los Reyes, Jr. (GBR) who was a staunch supporter and lover of history. Tracing his lineage to Crisanto de los Reyes, an industrialist who managed businesses in Manila and Cavite Puerto. Crisanto was later implicated in the 1872 Cavite Mutiny, a turning point in Philippine History. Today, the GBR Museum continues the legacy of its founder by opening its impressive collection to its immediate community in General Trias, Province of Cavite, and beyond. 23

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A commitment to the:Local Historical Committees NetworkThe Manila Studies Association, Inc. would like to thank our partner agencies and sponsors: 25