The Program
Rancho
Caridad Historical Marker Program
Gallego
Family Chapel, Rancho Caridad
Nampicuan,
Nueva Ecija, Philippines
June
15, 2013
National Anthem c/o Manuel P. Gallego (recording)
Invocation Fr. Christian R.
Magtalas, Nampicuan Parish Priest
Welcome Remarks Violeta P. Gallego-Kramer
Unveiling of Marker Dr. Maria Serena I. Diokno
Chair, National
Historical Commission of the Philippines
Maria
Teresa P. Gallego-Zaldarriaga
Presentation of the
Historical Marker Dr. Maria Serena I. Diokno
Signing of the Certificate of Transfer
of the Historical Marker:
Gallego Family National Historical Commission of the
Philippines
Manuel P. Gallego Chair Maria Serena I. Diokno
Witnesses:
Gallego Family National Historical Commission of the
Philippines
Dominique P. Gallego Deputy Executive Director Carminda
R. Arevalo
Acceptance Message Manuel P. Gallego
Master of Ceremonies Manuel P. Gallego
The Marker Text
Filipino Version
RANCHO CARIDAD
English Version
RANCHO CARIDAD
The Acceptance Message of the Family
by Manuel P. Gallego
Filipino Version
RANCHO CARIDAD
LUPAING
SAKOP NG BAYAN NG NAMPICUAN, NUEVA ECIJA, NA PAGMAMAY-ARI NG MAG-ASAWANG
CARIDAD VELASCO ONGSIACO AT MANUEL VIOLA GALLEGO. DATING BAHAGI NG MALAWAK NA
HACIENDA ESPERANZA NA IPINAGKALOOB NG HARI NG ESPANYA SA ISANG ESPANYOL, IKA-19
NA SIGLO. DITO ITINATAG ANG GALLEGO INSTITUTE OF AGRICULTURE AND INDUSTRY
(GIAI) UPANG MATUGUNAN ANG PANGANGAILANGANG PANG-EDUKASYON NG MGA TAGA
NAMPICUAN AT ISULONG ANG EDUKASYONG PANG-AGRIKULTURA SA GITNANG LUZON, 1953,
KALAUNA’Y IPINAGKALOOB ANG PAARALAN SA DIYOSESIS NG SAN JOSE, NUEVA ECIJA UPANG
IPAGPATULOY ANG SINIMULAN NG GIAI, 2011.
English Version
RANCHO CARIDAD
LOCATED IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF NAMPICUAN, NUEVA ECIJA AND OWNED BY
CARIDAD VELASCO ONGSIACO AND MANUEL VIOLA GALLEGO. REMNANT OF THE VAST HACIENDA
ESPERANZA, A ROYAL LAND GRANT GIVEN IN THE 19th CENTURY. SITE OF GALLEGO INSTITUTE OF
AGRICULTURE AND INDUSTRY (GIAI), ESTABLISHED TO FULFILL THE EDUCATIONAL NEEDS
OF NAMPICUAN AND ADVANCE AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION IN CENTRAL LUZON, 1953. THE
INSTITUTE WAS DONATED TO THE DIOCESE OF SAN JOSE, NUEVA ECIJA, IN ORDER THAT
ITS MISSION BE CONTINUED, 2011.
The Acceptance Message of the Family
by Manuel P. Gallego
Good
morning everyone.
I’d
like to acknowledge once again the presence of our distinguished guests.
From
the National Historical Commission of the Philippines . . .
Chairperson
Maris Diokno
Deputy
Executive Director Carminda Arevalo
Mrs.
Gina Batuhan, Chief of Historic Sites and Education Division
Ms.
Ellen Samonte, who is responsible for organizing this event
From
the Provincial Government of Nueva Ecija . . .
Provincial
Administrator, Atty. Al Abesamis
Our
Municipal Administrator, Mr. Danny Bartolome, representing Mayor Lacurom
Our
Parish Priest, Fr. Christian Magtalas
Our
Beloved Principal of St. Pius X Institute of Nampicuan, Ms. Ella Bautista
On
behalf of my father, who conveys his regrets for his absence today, my mother
who is here in spirit, and my beautiful and brilliant sisters, welcome to
Rancho Caridad and thank you for gracing this event.
Today,
we commemorate the history of a parcel of land that has been with my family for
five generations. On a personal level, the land is near and dear to my heart
because it is a remnant of what was inherited by my paternal grandmother, Lola
Ego or Lola Caring, Caridad Ongsiaco, who would have spoiled me rotten if she
had lived longer. But that was her way and we loved her for it.
From
another perspective, the land has been a compelling presence in the family
through the generations. Developing then a vast uninhabited swampland into an
agricultural enterprise, securing the same from lawless elements then and now.
In the case of my grandfather, Manuel Viola Gallego, establishing then a high
school for the local community when there was none provided by the government.
In the case of my father, Manuel Ongsiaco Gallego, establishing then one of the
pioneering and largest mango orchards in Central Luzon and, at the height of
the communist insurgency in the country, standing our ground in refusing to pay
any so-called “revolutionary taxes”.
However,
the most significant collective decision of the family with respect to the land,
my paternal grandparents included, was to comply at the very outset of land
reform, which has been a great sacrifice and, indeed, a profound gesture of
patriotism on the part of the family.
The
rest, as the saying goes, is history. Apart from the loss of economies of scale
in our agricultural sector, where in the civilized world would agricultural
land be forcibly taken from the owner by law for making the mistake of planting
a single grain of rice? Not only has the Philippines been a net importer of
rice for decades, it is as if our land
as well as our dreams have been reduced to measly sachets of toothpaste and shampoo,
just enough to tide us over from day to day.
Hence,
what is left of Rancho Caridad today represents a glimmer of the once vast Hacienda
Esperanza, a glimmer of hope that we, as individuals and as a nation, need not
and should not restrict our dreams into measly sachets. Rancho Caridad serves
as an inspiration to dream in a grand scale, even if government is in the
way—and I don’t mean the NHCP.
To
this end, my family envisions Rancho Caridad evolving like many country estates
in Europe and the Americas--as an agricultural-tourism or agri-tourism site.
And a very special one for various types of recreational aviation, including
those that would exploit the abundant natural thermals in the area, ideal for
sailplane gliding, hang gliding and paragliding.
Rancho
Caridad is the only place in the Philippines today in which you can readily fly
in a sailplane. Thanks to my friend, Rolf Dunder, an avid sailplane pilot who
hails from Germany and has been living with his family for many years in
Alabang. Rolf has already made several modest contributions to Philippine
aviation history, including the first recorded sailplane flight in the
Philippines, the first endurance sailplane flight in the Philippines and the
first cross-country sailplane flight in the Philippines. All from Rancho
Caridad, Nampicuan.
Rancho
Caridad is also strategically located vis-a-vis airports and airfields
throughout Luzon and is, therefore, an ideal launching point for air safaris, a
novel and high-value tourism activity that has great promise in the
Philippines. I have personally flown my aircraft to several of these locations
for proof of concept and I am eager to share my exceptional experience with
other recreational aviators and adventurers.
In
closing, I thank the NHCP for recognizing the historical and moral importance
of Rancho Caridad. By some stroke of luck, TPLEX, the expressway to Nampicuan,
will probably be completed before the end of the year. Hopefully, our new
friend from the Provincial Government, Atty. Abesamis alongside Governor Umali,
will help our town of Nampicuan by prioritizing the long-awaited repair of the
road from Anao to Cuyapo. That would greatly benefit our local community as
well as Rancho Caridad in moving forward with our agri-turismo initiative.
The Tall Tree
A Poem by Sijbren G. Kramer
A Poem by Sijbren G. Kramer
It stands tall the thief of light
It gains and strengthens with all its might
But comes a time in the dark of night
When all is silent no matter the height
When light returns its strength increases
While those below still wither and weaken.
The History
The Picture Essay
It gains and strengthens with all its might
But comes a time in the dark of night
When all is silent no matter the height
When light returns its strength increases
While those below still wither and weaken.
The History
The Picture Essay
