Born in Santa Ana, Manila in 1979 to Visayan parents. The blogger advocates the conservation of Spanish era heritage buildings, structures, areas and artifacts. An avid traveler and historical researcher but holds no formal training in Philippine history. A traditional Catholic and a proud product of Philippine public schools.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
* * * * * * * *
* * * * *
* * *
This site is dedicated to
Our Mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary
Nanay & Tatay,
the paralytic patriot Mabini
& the late Doña Amparo Quillen Keyser
* *
*
*
withonespast@gmail.com
March 15th, 2013 at 7:29 am
was in SAVES ’81-84. sana buhay pa yun mga teacher now. nakakamiss and yes yun riles saka train pag nadaan dineg na dineg sa classroom ahahahaha
March 12th, 2013 at 1:47 pm
hi i just have seen your blog about san guillermo church, i just want to ask your real name and address for my thesis. really need it. i got some info about it and i will put it in my thesis. thanks for that!
March 12th, 2013 at 3:47 pm
Sure. Send me an email at withonespast@gmail.com
I’ll try to answer all your question. (the word “try” italicized LOL)
A
February 4th, 2013 at 8:19 pm
Is De Anda your last name? I read your blog about San Antonio Vill Elem Sch I believe we attended that school around same time.
February 7th, 2013 at 7:12 pm
Hey there. Nope. It’s an avatar. I was in SAVES from 86 to 92.
February 1st, 2013 at 4:41 pm
Great photos! Nakakabawas ng homesickness.
February 8th, 2013 at 1:11 am
@emcee @lula @umalay @stuffstars – thanks for droppin’ by. mabuhay!
January 27th, 2013 at 5:27 pm
Hey! I want to say thank you for following my blog and for putting my site up on your blogroll! I truly appreciate that. Great articles by the way, you have a great opinion and a balanced view on topics.
January 28th, 2013 at 11:23 am
de nada my friend. You have a great site. Cool photos, I enjoy your articles. Hopefully, you can visit las islas filipinas, so you get to experience a different kind of hispanismo.
January 12th, 2013 at 8:12 pm
Hola De Anda!
Mabuhay greeting from Mexico!
January 4th, 2013 at 1:54 pm
Good job. Good luck on your travels.
December 26th, 2012 at 2:53 pm
Thanks for visiting Istoryadista
January 9th, 2013 at 12:51 am
@shane @storyadista – naku salamat po
December 16th, 2012 at 2:07 pm
Ever been to Mindanao?
December 17th, 2012 at 4:11 pm
Yep. Dapitan.
December 8th, 2012 at 2:24 am
Mabuhay ang Pilipinas!
December 7th, 2012 at 6:27 pm
I just liked your page on fb. More power.
November 4th, 2012 at 5:42 am
Hey bro., Nat here from AU. I stumbled upon ur blog and recognized you by your pic. Remember the banda rito banda roon days? mga adik sa basketbol nag cut pa classes, we play hoops even at 12 noon! I cn see your still in to arts, walang nagbago, intelektwal ampucha hanep. Sa FEU ka grad? I heard from Iman nun nagkita kami ng fine arts ka dw dun. what’s your facebook man?
November 13th, 2012 at 4:32 pm
@Nat – I sent you an email man.
@Atoy – Nope.
November 1st, 2012 at 12:23 pm
Are you from Binan? are you related with the Albertos? I grew up seeing that house there, its sad that the family allowed to have it demolished.
October 30th, 2012 at 5:30 am
@Tracey Black – Cool thanks
@Mr James Earl – Hope your doing well there in London man
@EC Boy Santos – Thanks
@Lån – Thanks
@Jonas – Of course, how can forget!
@Merlin – Thanks
@Bro Aleli – Thanks
@Jonathan – SG’s quite a historic place fr us Filipinos
@Saulo – Thanks
@Fil-Can – That’s the whitest name I’ve ever heard!
October 29th, 2012 at 12:47 am
These are more reflections and commentary on the state of heritage comservation. I wish I travelled as much as you did when I was younger. I’ve seen the world but not my Philippines. Congratulations.
Frank McCormick
October 22nd, 2012 at 12:04 am
Thanks for featuring Valencia Negros. My home town!
October 16th, 2012 at 1:03 am
Hello from Brazil!
October 9th, 2012 at 1:47 am
You have good insights on the historical nature of Catholicism. It is only from you that I hear the argument that Catholicism has helped shape your nations unique identity. Many are not comfortable with this information. Salamat.
September 22nd, 2012 at 5:12 am
I saw your post about Mantulongon, my hometown! thank you for that, good photos!
September 20th, 2012 at 10:44 pm
Hi boss, I hope you have not forgotten about WIPRo friends! I enjoy reading your blog, good luck na lang!
September 20th, 2012 at 2:01 pm
I like your country very much and I hope to visit it again. Im into history so very helpful. I stated in Cebu for 3 months.
September 18th, 2012 at 4:40 pm
I trace my ancestry in Wilhelmsfeld. You have a great site. Greetings from Greece!
August 30th, 2012 at 5:29 am
Im n my late 60s and just started using the internet. You have written some good historical articles. Good job on that. You look young also, so that;s is good. Long way t go!
August 27th, 2012 at 1:25 pm
Thanks for the artictles about Singapore. I’ve been here since the 90′s Sir. I can’t wait to see and shoot the places you wrote about.
August 21st, 2012 at 10:32 pm
Good theme and features. Congratulation on your advocacy.
August 10th, 2012 at 1:29 am
You travel not to travel blog but to study heritage of other countries so you can reflect on your own. Good work De Anda.
August 8th, 2012 at 9:52 am
I remember meeting you in Dumaguete. We are related as your father is a kin to my mother. I’m glad to know that you have a blog, do you have an FB?
August 8th, 2012 at 1:23 pm
@nonoy – Thanks for dropping by. Of course I remember. Send me an email at withonespast@gmail.com and I’ll try to send you the photos we took together with the other parientes!
July 30th, 2012 at 9:13 am
hi de anda…..
im an architect and a part-time instructor…. Im teaching Architectural Conservation Heritage… and one of my class project is the Anda Circle…. and i have difficulties of finding the Architectural Plan of the monument and very few articles related to Anda…hopefully you could help me on this… thanks.
July 30th, 2012 at 2:46 pm
@arch.lito – national archives is a good place to start. It was damaged during the war and was rebuilt afterwards.As for De Anda, there good sources on the internet, one I like is this
http://books.google.com.sg/books?id=xXpiujH2uOwC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false
July 22nd, 2012 at 1:25 am
Wonderful, I attended Instituto also. Now living here in Madrid.
July 19th, 2012 at 12:41 pm
Hi De Anda, I just liked your blog on fb. I enjoy reading your history blogs, I can feel ur passion for it.
June 13th, 2012 at 5:52 pm
Very interesting blog and its good that you have visited Germany, it has much history which I think your blog is about
June 13th, 2012 at 3:31 am
I really like your articles about Ricarte and Mabini. Good job Sir
May 30th, 2012 at 8:57 pm
I’ve read some of your post (trying to read…) unlike other travel blogs your not pretentious and I think you are who you are. your blog is just your thoughts. I like to start one . thnx to you… I like the anonymity of your post. You could be anyone, you could be that guy I saw in the museum or that one taking pictures of Binondo church, good job. BTW, I’m a history student like you.
June 5th, 2012 at 1:15 pm
@mikey – Thanks. “You could be anyone…” hahaha. Ok. That made my day. I would be very delighted if you’ll start a history blog of your own.
February 29th, 2012 at 1:21 am
Landed on your site while looking for Nick’s documentary on Filipino cinema. Browsing over some of the stuff you wrote. Yours is a bit different frm the usual travel blogs. I like the history you write along the places u visit. Good work.
February 7th, 2012 at 3:19 pm
@sheila – I don’t. I heard some of them resides in San Francisco de Malabon (now General Trias, Cavite). Tried but failed to locate ‘em Ricartes
January 29th, 2012 at 11:01 am
You’re blog about Ricarte is a big help for my research specially his pictures. I like it! Good job! I wonder if you know some of his living relatives??
Thanks in advance
January 28th, 2012 at 1:01 am
hello. you have wonderful photographs of theaters in iloilo that i’ve never seen before. may i ask who owned these? it’s great that they been preserved. would you know nick deocampo, ilonggo the filmmaker/film archivist? i spoke to him recently and he told me he is writing a book on film exhibition in western visayas. (he has previously written a thick tome on the history of the philippine film industry, and cebuano cinema) i think the information/images that you have would be a great contribution to his book
January 28th, 2012 at 1:48 am
Hi Tara – I’m sure Nick’s aware of those old cinemas in downtown Iloilo. He being Ilongo. Not sure who owns Regent and Eagle today.
December 6th, 2011 at 10:47 am
Continue your good work De Anda! I like your advocacy. I’m surprised that you’re a young pa pala. I thought you’re some old guy trying to relive the glory days of our beloved nation. You give hope na kabataan ang pagasa pa din ng bayan.
December 14th, 2011 at 1:59 pm
@ Orang – Thank you!
@ Junever – No, I’m not from UP.
@ Janice – I wish I have time to do tours!
@ Mrs. Providence – Thank you!
December 1st, 2011 at 12:45 pm
Taga peyups ka? you look familiar
November 13th, 2011 at 4:59 pm
Great stuff in your blog here!
October 8th, 2011 at 9:05 pm
Are you a tour guide? let me know ha ^_^
August 30th, 2011 at 11:20 am
I like what write here. Filipino Cultur and history. Different, enlightening…
August 19th, 2011 at 7:03 pm
pre, im very proud of you. salamat at nagkita ulit tayo sa haba ng panahon. sana magkwentuhan ulit tayong parang mga bata sa bagtikan. thanks for the inspiration.
August 19th, 2011 at 7:49 pm
Thanks man. Nakatanim na sa memorya natin ang kalye kung saan tayo nagsilake. Parang kailan lang. Nakakalungkot dahil wala na ang mga bahay, nakakatuwa pagnaalala dahil hindi naman pala nawala. Tayo na ang Calle Bagtican.
Regards to you & your family. Take good care, see you again.
August 10th, 2011 at 7:00 am
Good advocacy.
Bravo!
July 30th, 2011 at 10:39 am
ei hope u remember me..
Musta?
May 28th, 2011 at 1:46 am
Jeez, heya arnaldo!
April 15th, 2011 at 4:46 pm
hi GL how are you?
2 years na ang iba sa amin..
I lost my sun sim yet i do hope you’re ok as always..
my email is scinfratenzo@live.com.. i hope you get this.. do send me a mail if you read this.. bogart and me misses you..
April 16th, 2011 at 12:18 am
@ Greg – Way problema bay. Kumusta namo diya kay bogart ug sa atong mga amigo nga taga wipro
April 14th, 2011 at 10:28 am
I learned about your blog through a mutual friend who currently resides in Cebu. i just want to say that I find your blog very interesting and i hope you continue to write. i have my own blog too but i haven’t been able to update it on a regular basis. anyway, more power to you! glad to meet you even if only via the Net for the time being.
April 14th, 2011 at 2:33 pm
@ Mel – Thanks po
April 15th, 2011 at 10:04 pm
“Thanks po”???
LOL!!!
March 27th, 2011 at 5:28 am
Thanks for posting an article about St. Vincent Ferrer’s miracle. I hope you will not be angry if i copy and paste in my FB.
God be with you and the blessing from St. Vincent Ferrer be shower upon you.
March 27th, 2011 at 6:26 am
@ Vicky – Of course, everything in this amateurish blogsite can be shared
Happy reading…
March 25th, 2011 at 2:01 pm
@ Ernie – that’s what I’ve been told. These legends has drawn a lot of treasure hunters (and nasty rumors) in the past. The Friars are a very smart bunch, they’ve always had these escape routes for safety, for themselves and the church’s treasure. Some of the parishes during the Spanish era are isolated, being humans, they also adhere to the law of the land – self preservation. Not sure if there is an underground channel Nagcarlang – I would not be surprise if there was – if they can build an underground cemetery why not a tunnel
March 25th, 2011 at 1:42 pm
confirmation lang po, meron po ba talagang secret tunnel sa crypt ng underground cemetery papuntang mt.banahaw ? and papuntang simbahan ng san bartolome?
February 10th, 2011 at 6:17 am
I like your blog. History and heritage. Great advocacies. Can I add you to my blogroll? Salamat!
Bogs
February 10th, 2011 at 8:20 am
@ Bogs – Thank you. Of course you can
January 26th, 2011 at 5:31 pm
Thanks for adding me up in your blogroll (Iloilo Heritage). Di pa sya masyadong gawa as of now. Lacking time and energy are some of the reasons. Anyway, padayon sa advocacy mo!
December 30th, 2010 at 6:08 am
@ Levi, Pepe – Thanks! Happy new year guys.
December 24th, 2010 at 11:44 pm
Maligayang Pasko sa yo.
December 24th, 2010 at 9:50 am
¡un muy feliz navidad ! ¡Hasta pronto!
December 24th, 2010 at 5:40 am
Maligayang pasko sa ‘yo brotha at sa ‘yong buong pamilya.
December 24th, 2010 at 9:50 am
¡Maligayang pascó, Sir Levi!
August 15th, 2010 at 8:19 am
very useful, thanx lot for this raticle .. This is what I was looking for.
July 9th, 2010 at 6:02 am
Hi Sr. Dn. Pio,
We have met before, during you Urdaneta lecture in Instituto Cervantes, remember that rude national artist Sionil Jose, abruptly interrupting you with his non-sense?
Nice to hear that you’ve released yet another book. I look forward on having a copy. I admire so much your methodical research. I remember your book on egomaniacal Romulo.
You can reach me here or better yet at my email: withonespast@gmail.com
abrazo,
WOP
July 15th, 2010 at 5:23 am
So we did meet in that Urdaneta Conference. At tht time, I was completely computer illiterate, not having a computer but only a typewriter.
Of course, I remember Sionil-Jose rudely interrupting my lecture. He asked when I talked on the Rizal land case: “Are you saying Rizal is a liar?” In that case, Rizal did.Like any human beings, Rizal had his qouta of lies and malice.
I have enough data for another book: RIZAL’S EXECUTION STORY: COMEDY, MYTHOLOGY & STUPIDITY . The book will contain newspaper accounts, oral histories, eyewitnesses accounts, biographical accounts of the execution and I will expose the myths, inventions, and lies of some of the accounts. For one thing the Ultimo Adios in the National Library could not be the original.
Keep up the good work..
July 23rd, 2010 at 4:00 am
hi Sr. Dn. Pio,
Well, him being a proponent of the propaganda means that he was engaged on exaggerating facts to forward their agenda. It is, after all, the object of propaganda. But I hold him in high regard. Students needs to dig deep of what he was all about, unfortunately, this is not an easy task as he has been demified by our history text.
Let’s meet one day in Guillermo Gomez’ house, we have so many topics that we need to discuss.
un abrazo,
WOP
July 9th, 2010 at 3:37 am
Muchas gracias for your blog, It was read in 2008 by my classmate in the US which reunited our stateside classmates with our high school batch who remained.
I am just becoming computer literate and just read your blog for the first time.Serendipity. Surprise to find me being excorited by an angry blogger about my correct comment on Bro. Gonzales essay. The perils of writing the truth about our past.
Am happy to inform you that I have written a book QUE BARBARIDAD; Spanish in Philippine Language which show that Spanish is the language that made us a nation and that some nationalist historians are liars.
I’d like to exchange views with you thru email.
Sinceramente,
Don Pio Quixotico de Paracale
June 2nd, 2010 at 4:32 am
@Sor Kathleen – Thank you for visiting the blog. Please use everything that you find useful from this little blog of mine.
@Elmer – hey, I don’t know when but someday soon, I was there this day of the year and i really miss the province.
May 26th, 2010 at 8:11 am
Idol! kailn ka mobalikCebu? – , nice blog, Elmer frm Mabolo
May 21st, 2010 at 3:32 pm
Thank you for your post of the Trappist, Brother Rafael Baron. This is the first I am hearing of him and I’m on my way to a few days at our Trappist Monastery. May he pray for us.
Please take a look at the website, WordofGodEveryday.com (and also BenedictEveryday.com)…I’d like to know if you would consider sharing some of your photos to be used on the website for the Scriptures.
In Jesus,
Sr. Kathleen
December 16th, 2009 at 1:01 am
Well, you have a point there. I’m guilty of being lazy when it comes to these things.
December 14th, 2009 at 7:28 pm
how come you never write Spanish names with the proper diacritics? That doesn’t do justice to the blog, nor to our relics.
December 8th, 2009 at 1:18 am
@ Sra Guia – I’m deeply moved by your words, though I don’t consider my blog worthy of such treatment, I appreciate your compliment. Thanks for supporting your late husband, Architect Imperial, for without your inspiration Intramuros would not be what it is today. He was a great man. Its because of people like you guys that young and old continues to learn from our glorious past. Thank you.
December 7th, 2009 at 8:29 pm
I’m glad I strayed into this blog. Since I migrated to Vancouver three years ago, my spirit has been zooming home at the slightest cue. Often I can hardly bring it back here and with ease; I didn’t expect this to happen. I had thought one could turn away and be completely changed. The truth is, the deeper I integrate into Canadian life, the more persistent everything I left behind rises to the surface. Thus, I’ve been mining my memory and writing out what I recall, feeling awful that I unloaded my Filipiniana at the National Library and UST Library, but especially my late husband’s notes (Felix N. Imperial, Jr.), restoration architect on his work of 40 years on the Walls and Fortifications of Intramuros. But then again, if I did lug them along with me, would I have the strength of spirit to get on? Thanks to blogs like yours, I feel I haven’t lost much of what I have virtually given away and perhaps, lost, as you seem to cover much of what means greatly to a Filipino.
November 8th, 2009 at 4:32 pm
Magaling kang kumuha brod. Very good pictures. Well done.
September 10th, 2009 at 7:16 am
@ Mark – don’t mention it man. link up once you have your photo blog up! one day we’ll shoot the skies together!
@Sr. Masera – Gracias por visitar el blog! i will add yours shortly.
September 3rd, 2009 at 7:14 am
hi gl,
just dropping by… we’ll be starting my own soon…
hehehehe..
thanks for the influence man
September 2nd, 2009 at 12:02 pm
Hi …
You may want to consider this site about Singapore to include it in your blogroll…
IT´s written in spanish…
http://www.visitesingapur.com
Cheers
May 4th, 2009 at 4:56 pm
in relation to your picture at the asian civilization museum, i dont know if you work there or just posed there. just in case you work there, i got so offended with that museum. they called it asian civilization, hardly any information or material was mentioned about the philippines. when i made my visit there, made me think, what is their problem.
just in case you just visited, did you feel the same sentiments as to mine?
May 5th, 2009 at 3:08 pm
Singapores first ever Catholic Cathedral, their oldest, the one that stands in front of CHJMES was built by the generous donations of Manila Cathedral and the people of Manila – and that the Cardinal then of Manila was the one who petitioned and supported its founding. The Catholic population today is a testament of the Philippines role in Christianizing Singapore.This, in my view, is greater than what museum exhibits can do. We once had that influence in Asia.
March 18th, 2009 at 11:19 am
Thank you for your kind comments. Thank you also for adding me in your blogroll, I’ve added you too.
Cheers,
Carl
December 29th, 2008 at 9:05 pm
Hi there, thank you for coming by, this may be a late response but I wasn’t online for the past weeks. I saw your brave comment in my Bonifacio post, thank you for sharing your views in that thread. You have a great blog bro
keep in touch
Juliet
December 26th, 2008 at 7:38 am
No problem Agnes. Tell him I said hi!
Prospero Ano nuevo!
-WOP
December 26th, 2008 at 7:11 am
thanks! he was my flamenco teacher and i really want to talk to him. thanks so much!! =)
December 26th, 2008 at 6:59 am
Hi Agnes,
Yes, He’s a friend. I sent you an email about Senor Gomez contact info.
December 26th, 2008 at 5:48 am
hi! good day! may i know if u know señor gomez personally? is it possible to get his contact # from you? pls..? thanks!
November 25th, 2008 at 7:42 pm
Hi Jecca, Everyone can blog and i would like to encourage to start yours, you can pursue certain themes that interest you or just keep one like a diary.
I would like to answer your question but I believe that the best answers were already written by Ambeth Ocampo, his books about him are packed with interesting facts about the hero, so there, go and grab one.
November 12th, 2008 at 7:47 am
i am not a blogger but your posted blogs interests me, especially the one about mr.ambeth ocampo because my professor have mentioned about him and his book. i have read a few blogs about the retraction controversy of rizal and it seems that a lot of people think that it is a “mere controversy”. do you know of any other unusual info about rizal? hoping for an immediate reply. thanks. Ö
October 7th, 2008 at 2:13 am
hi–
thanks for dropping by my blog. i never thought that somebody would read that entry
i’m checking your site and there’s a lot of interesting work about history that i’d surely enjoy to read.
thanks again!
October 2nd, 2008 at 6:51 am
I got here while searching for stuff on Instituto Cervantes. Nice blog, I’m having increased interest on Spanish too.
September 10th, 2008 at 10:19 pm
I’ll be following your path sooner than expected my brotha…
August 21st, 2008 at 5:37 am
I read your comment about what seems to lack of Ellis Island presence for Filipinos. Contrary to common knowledge -Filipinos are present in Ellis Island history. Pls. visit my website that debunks this myth
Mabuhay ang ‘Pinas
Sincerely,
Maria Elizabeth Embry of Antioch California
August 16th, 2008 at 11:43 am
Thanks for you comment in my blog about “The Golden age of Philippine Cinema”. You are right. I understand what you are saying, and so i changed that part about Nora Aunor. Well, see it for youself. Thank you again.
JVC
August 7th, 2008 at 4:14 am
Dude, send me your e-mail address ASAP. I’d prefer that you send it to pepe.alas@gmail.com because my other one, weirdkatt_ace13@yahoo.com, is cluttered with so many mails I couldn’t read them all anymore.
November 23rd, 2012 at 4:25 pm
Happy birthday!
November 26th, 2012 at 1:55 am
Thank u lone greeter!