Rosales opens Museum /Jap envoy apologizes / Spoliarium CD launched

On the very day Manila Archbishop Gaudencio B. Rosales was named Cardinal by HH Pope Benedict XVI, he officiated at the inauguration of the renovated Archdiocese of Manila Museum in Intramuros. The Museum traces the history of Catholicism in the Philippines through books, documents, manuscripts, artifacts, statues, images, church vestments and monstrances, black and white prints, paintings, etc. All these should interest not only the religious but also members of the academe as well as lay Catholics.

On a rapid tour of the Museum, I saw in random order some examples of the painstaking linguistic work of the friar missionaries during the Spanish colonial period; the first image of Mary – Nuestra Señora de Guia – found in Pandanus Bushes in Ermita on June 24, 1571, painted in oil on canvas by Galo B. Ocampo in 1953 as a reduced replica; the figure of Christ on the Cross, 15th-19th century, Europe; 1900s statues of Sto. Niño de Belen, St. Francis of Assisi and San Pedro Apostol; a big mural by Botong Francisco of the Ascencion of Christ; a wood relief of ca. 1700 of the Baptism of Jesus in the River Jordan; a historical record of the Catholic Church in the Philippines; the history of the establishment of the San Carlos Seminary in 1705; a solid image of Moses carved out in Batikuling wood, 1950; the Immaculate Conception in solid ivory, 1700; three huge molave images of the Apostles originally belonging to the Manila Cathedral which was destroyed during the liberation; prints of the 1826 Nuestra Señora del Rosario, Protectress of the Philippine Islands; the chair on which Pope John Paul II sat in the Manila Cathedral during his first visit here in 1981.

Fr. Gabriel Casal, former curator-director of Ayala Museum, served as consultant-adviser to Peachy Garcia and Joji Ravina who helped set up the museum exhibit. Floral architect Rachy Cuna did the beautiful flower arrangements. Visitors at the opening included Ambassador Johnny Rocha, San Agustin Museum curator Fr. Pedro Galende, Jimmy Laya, glass sculptor Ramon Orlina and Alan Mialhe. Noli and Peachy Yamsuan were among Archdiocese personnel present.

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Those who were in Intramuros for the wreath-laying ceremony led by Ambassador Johnny Rocha, president of the Memorare Foundation, were moved by the speech delivered by Japanese Ambassador Ryuichiro Yamazaki on the occasion. His remarks expressed his deep regret for the atrocities committed by the Japanese military forces and his overwhelming wish to have the friendship between his country and ours an enduring one. Herewith is Mr. Yamazaki’s speech:

Magandang umaga po sa inyong lahat.

I am honored to join you all in today’s ceremony marking the 61st Anniversary of the Battle for the Liberation of Manila hosted by the Manila 1945 Foundation.

Since I arrived in your country at the end of October 2004, I have had several opportunities to visit Intramuros. One occasion was when Ambassador Johnny Rocha, in response to my request, kindly gave me a guided tour of this memorial monument. On that occasion, I asked Ambassador Rocha whether I could lay a wreath of flowers in February to pay my respects to what this memorial monument commemorates. So I am deeply moved to be rendered the great honor of participating in today’s ceremony.

According to the book titled The Battle for Manila which Ambassador Rocha kindly gave me, General Yamashita wanted to evacuate most of his troops from Manila in order to minimize unnecessary casualties. However, Rear Admiral Iwabuchi, Commander of the Japanese Naval Force, ultimately chose to fight to the death with his marine soldiers. Manila was totally destroyed and, according to the book, about 100,000 Filipino civilians were killed, most of whom suffered the atrocities of the Japanese military, while some wee caught by friendly fire. The terror that each Filipino man, woman, and child must have experienced in Manila 61 years ago is beyond the imagination of any sane human being.

With this historical fact in mind, I would like to express my heartfelt apologies and deep sense of remorse over the tragic fate of Manila. Let me also reiterate the Japanese Government’s determination not to allow the lessons of that horrible World War II to erode, and to contribute to the peace and prosperity of the world without ever waging a war. Last year I participated in virtually all the ceremonies commemorating the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II. In practically all cases, I was invited to lay a wreath and state my remarks, quite similar to those of today’s ceremony. All of this has led me to be impressed by the noble spirit of reconciliation and the sense of fairness of the Filipino people, firstly, in appreciating Japan as we are now, a nation sharing the values of democracy, freedom and respect for basic human rights, and, secondly, for taking a future-oriented attitude with a view to deepening the friendly relations between our two nations.

In this connection, I am very pleased to note that this year 2006 marks the 50th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations between Japan and the Philippines. Our two governments have declared 2006 as the Philippines-Japan Friendship Year to celebrate the past 50 years of shaping the very warm relations between our two countries and our two peoples. I would like to pay tribute to those from all walks of life of both countries who have contributed to this unprecedented success story, such as all of you here today, including President Quirino’s distinguished daughter.

In closing allow me to state that, at this historic juncture of the Golden Jubilee of our relations, Japan, as the top trading partner and ODA donor to the Philippines as well as one of its largest foreign investors, wishes to reaffirm its unwavering commitment as true friend and partner of the Philippines in its nation-building efforts. I am truly confident that by joining hands even more closely, our two nations will overcome the many challenges we face and ultimately help bring about peace and prosperity for all.

Yesterday, the Honorable Tsuneo Tanaka was given an award at the Makati Rizal ballroom by the Phil-Japan Society and the Japanese Embassy on the occasion of Awards Night of the 28th Phil-Japan Friendship Celebration.

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The CD of the three-act opera Spoliarium, with music by Ryan Cayabyab and lyrics and libretto by Fides C. Asensio, will be launched at the Podium on Feb. 28. Singing excerpts from the opera will be tenor Sal ’My-neo Malaki, only Filipino member of the LA Opera, as Luna, Cocoy Laurel as Rizal, Fides as Paz Pardo Luna’s mother, Anna Feleo as Paz, and Jonathan Badon as Paz’s brother, with the San Miguel Orchestra and the SM Master Chorale assisting.

The CD is being launched by the SM Foundation for the Arts, the SM Corporation and the Music Theater Foundation of the Philippines.

Spoliarium was staged three years ago at the CCP.