BATANGBALER

Here are more photos from the recent Nini Quezon visit to Poppo Olag.

And here’s an interesting read: Interview With Zenaida “Nini” Quezon Avanzeña.

Belmont Mansion in Leesburg, Virginia
Temporary Residence of Philippine Commonwealth President
Manuel L. Quezon & His Family During World War II

The Belmont mansion has been an important part of American history since Ludwell Lee built it in 1799 – 1802. It is important, not only for its refined expression of Federal-style plantation architectural design, but also for the generous hospitality and solace it has provided noted people throughout the years. Local tradition says that Mr. & Mrs. Lee opened the mansion to the President and Mrs. Madison during the war of 1812 while Washington, D.C. was under siege. In addition, Belmont has opened its doors to other presidents including Presidents Harding and John Quincy Adams. Marques de Lafayette was a distinguished guest who is said to have presented Mr. Lee with the mantle pieces in the Library and Parlor as an expression of his appreciation during his last visit to America in 1825. Mr. Lee served as aid-de-camp to General Lafayette during the Revolutionary War.

The Quezon Family, Leesburg 1942. Nini Quezon is on the extreme right.

The mansion and its surrounding property have had a number of famous owners. The first, Mr. Ludwell Lee, was a son of Richard Henry Lee, who was a signer of the Declaration of Independence. Following Mr. Lee’s death, Margaret Mercer, daughter of a former Maryland governor, established it as a progressive Christian school for ladies. Former governor of Kansas, Frederick M. Staunton, purchased the mansion as a residence, Mr. & Mrs. Edward McLean owned the mansion from 1915 – 1931. Mr. McLean was the son of the owner/publisher of The Washington Post. Mrs. McLean was the owner of the Hope Diamond. President Hoover’s Secretary of War, Patrick Hurley, owned the property and rented it to the Philippine government in exile headed by Commonwealth President Manuel L. Quezon during World War II. In 1995, Toll Brothers, Inc. purchased Belmont and restored the mansion to its original elegance.

Same Place, October 27, 2005 with Poppo Olag, Nini & Son, Gaye

Belmont was added to the Virginia Landmarks Register in 1976. The mansion is also listed in the National Register of Historic Places with the United States Department of Interior. The Belmont mansion stands on the point in Eastern Loudoun County, which is quite appropriate since Belmont means “Beautiful Mountain.”

From: Poppo Olag
More pictures coming soon.

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And here’s an informative post about the Mansion from MLQ3.

There’s an ongoing exhibit at the Museo De Baler (Quezon Park) about Pres. Manuel L. Quezon and his Social Justice program. It was probably opened last August 19 but I only saw it last week. It’s titled Justice For All which reminded me of the Metallica album. The text on one panel says:

President Manuel L. Quezon beleived in the worth and significance of the common man. This belief is at the heart of his campaign for social justice which he championed throughout his presidency.

President Quezon sought to achieve social justice by protecting the rights of laborers through legislation and personal projects, and by creating more jobs for the common man. He believed that work is the measure of a man therefore man must be allowed to improve his lot and the government must help him. He empowered the disenfranchised: women were given the right to vote, tenants a chance to own land, laborers protection from ill working conditions. He put in place an effective educational system and provided the poor with knowledge and skills to better themselves.

He strove to protect our country from dangerous class wars, a danger that persists to this day. He envisioned a country united despite diferences in social class and creed, and a time when this campaign for social justice would no loger be necessary. He appealed to each Filipino’s moral impulse to protect his fellowman.

This exhibit traces one man’s efforts to ensure justice for all and to unite them all under one nation. Let it be a testament. Let it be a lesson to all generations.

Here are some pictures:

This morning with Else (left) and Donnel (right) at the Museo De Baler, posing with the man. There’s this exhibit there titled “Justice For All” - all about MLQ’s social justice program during his presidency. Lots of great pictures. And I noticed the Museum has updates, i’ll post more pixes later.

This is the first time I used the new image upload feature of blogspot. I’ll see if this can reduce bandwidth on BB. (update: hey they shrunk my picture, i think i’ll use my own server.)

Manuel L. Quezon

Yesterday, i posted a note about the Quezon’s farm in Arayat, Pampanga that was also named Caledian like the place in Baler. I read it on MLQ3’s Inquirer column. Poppo Olag emailed me more information:

You bet, the name of the Quezon’s Hacienda in Arayat were not only Kaledian but on the other side was Suklayin. We lived in the farm from 1940 until the outbreak of World War II. Tata Manuel was in charge of Kaledian Farm, while Mang Tomas Ranillo was in charge of Suklayin Farm. Tatay was in charge of the construction of Mt. Arayat National Park. Nonong and I used to climb the Ratilis tree at the back of their house. That was the good old days. We walked back to Baler from Arayat in 1942 when everything quieted down. And, where we settled down? Back to Suklayin!

The United States vs Manuel Querijero, et al. from www.lawphil.net

Nicolas Galledos, a witness for the Government, testified that in the months of May and June, 1898, while, he, in company with Lucio Quezon, Pedro Quezon, and Serviliano Gomez, were coming from Nueva Ecija to Baler, in the Province of Tayabas, with certain effects which they had bought in San Isidro, they were attacked by a band of armed men under the leadership of Sergeant Carias. In the attacking party were the two appellants. They were taken toward the Malupa River, the property which they had was taken from them, and they were all released except Lucio Quezon and Pedro Quezon, father and son. The attack took place in Baler, where most of the parties lived. A few days afterwards news was received in Baler that Pedro Quezon and Lucio Quezon had been killed by the two appellants. The witness was asked if the persons in the attacking party were agents of the Government, policemen, or soldiers, and answered, no, they were private persons, but that Sergeant Carias had been a sergeant of the civil guard.

Here’s the complete Tagalog translation of Manuel L. Quezon’s autobiography The Good Fight. From the MLQ III website quezon.ph