Tags: Photography
By Anna Valmero
QUEZON CITY, METRO MANILA—Tucked underneath the Belmonte bridge—that underpass connecting the Quezon City Hall and the Quezon City Memorial Circle, which is the first in the ciry—is a history of Quezon City told in black-and-white images taken decades ago and interspersed with new ones to remind locals here and passers-by of the historic dream one man had for Quezon City.
In 1938, late president Manuel Luis Quezon purchased 1,529 hectares form the Diliman estate of the Tuason family and the land, by virtue of Commonwealth Act 502 signed by Quezon himself as president on October 12, 1939, the city was born.
The city became the capital of the Philippine Commonwealth by virtue of Republic Act No. 333 on July 17, 1948. In 1975, Quezon City became part of the larger urban governance scheme of Metro Manila. A year later by virtue of Presidential Decree 940 signed by former strongman Ferdinand Marcos, Metro Manila became the nation’s capital, hence the name National Capital Region.
And here’s one for the trivia books: The city was originally proposed to be named Balintawak City Having been a “Cradle of the Katipunan Revolution”–home to Bonifacio’s Balintawak, Pugad Lawin and Blara fields of freedom. Later, it was named after Quezon, the man who envisioned a new city on the grounds of the 1896 Revolution and who later served as the city’s first mayor until he appointed Tomas Morato to the position. (Read this list of historical events in the city.)
Upon the arrest of Mayor Morato on July 17, 1942, the Japan administration installed Dr. Florencio Cruz, the former health offiocer of Quezon City as district chief of Diliman, which comprised the barrios of Cubao, Galas, Murphy, New Manila, Santol, Sta. Mesa Heights, University Site and Kamuning while Gregorio Felipe was appointed chief for the district of San Francisco Del Monte, Balintawak and surrounding barrios.
From February 8, 1945 to April of the same year, Quezon City was placed under the United States military control. Other mayors of Quezon City during World War II include Oscar Castelo was designated acting assistant mayor of Quezon City from April to September 1945; and Sabino de Leon, former chief of police of Quezon City who served as acting assistant mayor of Greater Manila for Quezon City until the end of 1946.
Excluding the mayors appointed during the Second World War, here is the list of elected Quezon City Mayors:
Manuel Quezon served on 1939
Tomas Morato served from 1939 to 1942
Ponciano Bernardo served from 1947 to 1949
Nicanor Roxas served from 1949 to 1950
Ignacio Santos Diaz served from 1950 to 1953
Norberto Amoranto served from 1954 to 1976
Adelina Rodriguez served from 1976 to 1986
Brigido Simon srved from 1986 to 1992
Ismael Mata served from 1992 to 2001
Feliciano Belmonte served from 2001 to 2010
Herbert Bautista served from 2010 to present
Aside from the past city mayors, the photo exhibit also shows the life of Quezon as well as old photos depicting how Quezon City looked like before and after the War.
By the 1940s, there were no government or commercial establishments and even trees around the Quezon City Memorial Circle unlike today.
As shown in the photos, decades ago, the road that became known as Edsa was just a barren road of rocks where carabaos walked from tilling one rice field to another. Meanwhile, the Boy Scouts Monument (also known as Rotonda ng Boy Scouts) at Tomas Morato Avenue (named after the late city mayor) was built in honor of the scouts who perished in a plane crash on their way to attend a World Scout Jamboree in Greece
“Andami ko pa palang hindi alam sa Quezon City. Buti nalang may exhibit na ganito kasi alam mo kung paano naunlad yun bayan mo. Sana sa ibang bayan rin para malaman ng mga Pilipino yung istorya ng bayan nila, hindi lang basta nanonood ng cartoons sa TV. Yun lang, sana ilagay nila sa lugar na mailaw kasi medyo madilim dito sa underpass,” said Tomas Cruz, a student who viewed the photo exhibit.
During my visit, most of photos were not lighted but you can request the guards to turn on the lights so that you and other people will appreciate the exhibit more.
How to get there: From Quezon Avenue MRT Station, ride a jeepney bound for UP Campus and tell the driver to drop you off at Quezon City Hall or Philippine National Bank (PNB) Quezon City.One-way fare is P7. In front of the Quezon City Hall, enter the Belmonte Underpass.
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