In my youth I remember watching the overthrow of Ferdinand Marcos in the Philippines. He was displaced by the "People Power" revolution, led by Corazon Aquino. Marcos had been an ally of the U.S. and was evacuated by U.S. aircraft to exile in Hawaii, where Marcos died three years later.
Marcos' wife, Imelda, became infamous for the thousands of pairs of expensive shoes that she had bought in high-priced shopping trips abroad. The Marcos family managed to bring a fortune with them into exile, most of which have never been found.
The Marcos family was eventually allowed to return to the Philippines, although Ferdinand Marcos never saw his homeland again, and Imelda Marcos was elected to the House of Representatives and ran unsuccessfully for president.
But the unbelievable has happened. The son of Ferdinand Marcos, who went with the family into exile in 1986, has become President of the Philippines. When the reviled family fled into exile in 1986 it was beyond belief that this would ever happen.
What is believed to be the most densely populated city in the world was founded as the colonial capital of the Philippines by imperial Spain in 1571. Quezon City, once the capital of the Philippines, is now considered as part of the Manila metro area, and Manila itself is the capital. I remember from school when Quezon City, named for a former Philippine president, was the capital of the country.
Spain had earlier launched the first voyage of a fleet of ships that had gone right around the world. It had been led by a Portuguese-born captain named Ferdinand Magellan. It had made a stop in the Philippines, after crossing the Pacific, and Magellan had died there.
Malacanang Palace, built around when Manila was founded, was where Spain governed the Philippines from. The country is named for Spain's King Phillip II, and so many Filipinos today have Spanish names. Filipinos began a revolution against Spanish rule near the end of the Nineteenth Century. Not long afterward, the U.S. and Spain got into the Spanish-American War. When the U.S. won that war, it inherited the Philippines.
But the Philippines declared independence, and declared war on the United States when it would not recognize that independence and America commenced ruling the Philippines as a colony. The U.S. also ruled the country from the Malacanang Palace.
One American Governor-General of the Philippines was named Arthur MacArthur. Most people today are more familiar with his son, U.S. Army General Douglas MacArthur, and his vow "I Shall Return" when forced to evacuate the Philippines early in the Second World War. Another Governor-General of the Philippines was named William Howard Taft, who would later be U.S. President.
The Malacanang Palace is mostly remembered around the world today for the "People Power" Revolution of 1986. President Ferdinand Marcos had declared martial law fourteen years before, and ruled effectively as a dictator. One of his opponents was Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino, who was in exile in the U.S. In 1983, Aquino was told that he could return home, but was shot to death as soon as he got off the plane. The airport at Manila is now named for him.
His widow, Corazon Aquino, led the "People Power" Revolution, becoming president of the Philippines when Marcos fled into exile in Hawaii. I followed this revolution in the news, it was going on at about the same time as "Baby Doc" Duvalier was being overthrown in Haiti.
After Corazon Aquino took power, it was found that Marcos' wife, Imelda Marcos, had about 2,700 pairs of expensive shoes, that she had bought on overseas shopping sprees. She is believed to have used the name "Jane Ryan" to put vast sums of money in foreign bank accounts. She was allowed to return home, and to serve in congress, after the death of her husband in Hawaiian exile.
Has anyone noticed something interesting about how history repeats itself? During the Spanish colonial era, the Philippines was ruled from Mexico, at least until Mexico gained independence from Spain. Mexico actually underwent two revolutions. The first was the one against Spanish rule. The second was to overthrow a president that had assumed dictatorial powers, named Porfirio Diaz. The Philippines repeated this pattern, first gaining independence from being a colony, and later to overthrow a president that has assumed dictatorial powers, named Ferdinand Marcos.
Here is the famed Malacanang Palace, and surrounding area, beginning in the adjoining museum. The palace is on the shore of the Pasig River, which flows through Manila. On the streets, you can see the "Jeepneys", which are widely used for transportation in Manila.
The first four scenes, from Google Street View, are of the museum inside the palace.
There are multiple scenes following. To see the scenes, after the first one, you must first click the up arrow, ^, before you can move on to the next scene by clicking the right or forward arrow, >. After clicking the up arrow, you can then hide the previews of successive scenes, if you wish.
https://www.google.com/maps/@14.59447,120.9945539,2a,75y,124.12h,90t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1s4sQcqyar0C4zhg0pxsxURw!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo1.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3D4sQcqyar0C4zhg0pxsxURw%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D125.00077%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i16384!8i8192
The area of Spanish colonial-era buildings is known as "Intramuros", which means "Inside The Walls". The following scenes begin inside Manila Cathedral, which is within Intramuros. The first three scenes, from Google Street View, are of Manila Cathedral.
https://www.google.com/maps/@14.5915508,120.9734872,3a,75y,94.88h,90t/data=!3m8!1e1!3m6!1sAF1QipP3zPmySOe0blYbkJfcXmUrhGYBwt1JYr-cdQFv!2e10!3e11!6shttps:%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2Fp%2FAF1QipP3zPmySOe0blYbkJfcXmUrhGYBwt1JYr-cdQFv%3Dw203-h100-k-no-pi0-ya324.03915-ro-0-fo100!7i7680!8i3840
Binondo is believed to be the oldest Chinatown in the world. It is across the Pasig River from Intramuros and began not long after the founding of Manila. The following scenes begin inside what is known as Minor Basilica Ruiz. The first three images, from Google Street View, are of the basilica and adjacent Chinatown.
https://www.google.com/maps/@14.6001841,120.9747304,3a,75y,124.14h,90t/data=!3m8!1e1!3m6!1sAF1QipOBN_e9cKD1ziE5k8PJJqKHFpfVTaJAVmuUZc3B!2e10!3e11!6shttps:%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2Fp%2FAF1QipOBN_e9cKD1ziE5k8PJJqKHFpfVTaJAVmuUZc3B%3Dw203-h100-k-no-pi-0-ya65.0219-ro-0-fo100!7i9728!8i4864
The following scenes begin at the Jose Rizal Monument, in a park near Intramuros. The monument is named for a martyred hero of the rebellion against Spanish rule. The first image of the monument is from Google Street View.
https://www.google.com/maps/@14.5818491,120.9770999,2a,75y,337.92h,90t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1s_F3R9UAp_G1w3OwFtc3_WQ!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo3.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3D_F3R9UAp_G1w3OwFtc3_WQ%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D338.56683%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i13312!8i6656
Rizal Avenue proceeds northward from the central part of Manila. Here are some scenes beginning along Rizal Avenue. Notice again the Jeepneys on the streets.
https://www.google.com/maps/@14.6151591,120.9826404,3a,75y,114.19h,90t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sFmMsKHODuGKmkijzesejdQ!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo2.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3DFmMsKHODuGKmkijzesejdQ%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D114.90385%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i13312!8i6656
Makati is a financial and business center south of Intramuros and the Malacanang Palace.
https://www.google.com/maps/@14.5547935,121.0219591,3a,75y,35h,90t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sdsC-d1EX4mzdqhvSXz-Lrg!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo2.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3DdsC-d1EX4mzdqhvSXz-Lrg%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D35.670307%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i13312!8i6656
This is one of the largest malls in Manila, Robinson's place, and the views from some tall buildings. The first two images are from Google Street View.
https://www.google.com/maps/@14.5758602,120.984497,3a,75y,66.61h,90t/data=!3m8!1e1!3m6!1sAF1QipO7jVT3KikzNtoNg34fqHRTmQDDBEDioqhQgfaY!2e10!3e11!6shttps:%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2Fp%2FAF1QipO7jVT3KikzNtoNg34fqHRTmQDDBEDioqhQgfaY%3Dw203-h100-k-no-pi-0-ya229.92203-ro-0-fo100!7i8704!8i4352
This is a residential and small business area, beginning along R. Fernandez Street.
https://www.google.com/maps/@14.6265217,120.9712928,3a,75y,121.63h,90t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1s_GQGWFcoo1cKlpQPlGpLqA!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo1.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3D_GQGWFcoo1cKlpQPlGpLqA%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D203%26h%3D100%26yaw%3D122.47791%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i13312!8i6656
This is another residential and small business area, Paligsahan in Quezon City.
https://www.google.com/maps/@14.6327006,121.024014,3a,75y,152.02h,90t/data=!3m8!1e1!3m6!1sAF1QipNJwdybHrwOS0HcCymSH9FXeEu-m5l_J79VSjWa!2e10!3e11!6shttps:%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2Fp%2FAF1QipNJwdybHrwOS0HcCymSH9FXeEu-m5l_J79VSjWa%3Dw203-h100-k-no-pi0-ya25.994772-ro-0-fo100!7i13200!8i6600
THE KING FOR WHOM THE PHILIPPINES IS NAMED
Finally, we go to the other side of the world. The following scenes are of El Escorial, in Spain northwest of Madrid. This is the palace and monastery that was built by King Phillip II, for whom the Philippines is named. It is kind of the Spanish version of Versailles. Most Spanish royalty is buried in El Escorial.
Phillip II ruled at a time when Spain and Portugal were united. In fact, the dynasty was called the "Philippine Dynasty" , meaning "The Dynasty of Phillip". In the same way that the islands in the Pacific that Spain had begun colonizing were named "The Philippines", or "The Islands of Phillip".
The way I see it, the Philippines is one of only six countries that were named for individual people.
America was named for cartographer Amerigo Vespucci
Colombia was named for Christopher Columbus
Bolivia was named for Simon Bolivar
Israel was named for Jacob, whose name was changed to Israel
Saudi Arabia was named for Ibn Saud
Phillip II ruled Spain when it was near the peak of it's power. El Escorial was not only a palace, it was also a monastery and religious institution. It became, in fact, the headquarters of the Counter-Reformation, which was the great Catholic effort to contain and reverse the Protestant Reformation which had divided Christianity. So much of what the Catholic Church is today comes from not the original church but from the changes made in the era of the Counter-Reformation.
How about a royal story that does not get much publicity today?
Mary I was the English queen who, after the beginning of the Reformation, tried to bring England back to Catholicism by force. Her brother, Edward who had succeeded their father Henry VIII (The Eighth), removed her from the sequence of hereditary succession. But she had gathered supporters and, after Edward's death, managed to seize the throne.
The mother of Mary I had been Spanish, Catherine of Aragon who had been the wife of Henry VIII. Catherine of Aragon had been the daughter of Ferdinand and Isabella, the famed king and queen of Spain who had united the country after the Moors had been completely expelled, and had commissioned Christopher Columbus to try to find a way to India by sailing west, which is why the native people of the western hemisphere are called "Indians", he thought he had landed in India.
Mary I had been married to Phillip II. After the death of Mary I her successor and half-sister, Elizabeth I, brought England back to Protestantism, launching the Anglican Church as a king of compromise between Protestant and Catholic. Phillip II launched the Spanish Armada, to force England back to Catholicism.
The failure of the effort changed the history of the world. It convinced many people that God was on the side of the Protestants, and nothing could have been a greater gift to the early Protestant movement. It was England's beginning as a great power. It also began the end of Spanish control over the Netherlands, which brought into being the Netherlands and Belgium, which would split from the Netherlands because it chose to remain Catholic.
But most people today don't know that the Spanish king who launched the Armada against England had been the husband of the previous English queen.
Anyway here is El Escorial, built by Phillip II for whom the Philippines is named. The first three images are from Google Earth.
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