Friday, April 3, 2009

Oldest in the Philippines

This trivia was email to me by a friend, think its informative to share it.
Oldest Province
Aklan, originally known as Minuro it Akean, is considered as the oldest province in the country and believed to have been established as early as 1213 by settlers from Borneo. Its first ruler was Datu Dinagandan. In 1399, Kalantiaw grabbed the throne. In 1433, Kalantiaw III formulated a set of laws that is known today as the Code of Kalantiaw.

Oldest Town
Unisan, Quezon could be the oldest town in the Philippines. The people of Unisan claimed that their town is now 481 years old, having been established in 1521, the same year that Ferdinand Magellan discovered the Philippines. All other towns in the country were established not earlier than 1565, when Spain formally occupied the Philippines as a colony.
A Malayan queen named Ladya reportedly20founded Calilayan, the old name of the town. In 1876, Calilayan was renamed Unisan which was derived from the Latin word uni-sancti, meaning "holy saint". (Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer)

Oldest City
Cebu City is considered as the oldest city in the country, as this was the site of the earliest European settlement established by Spanish conqueror Miguel Lopez de Legazpi in 1565.

Oldest Fort
The first Spanish settlement in the country, Villa del Santisimo Nombre de Jesus, was located inside Fort San Pedro in Cebu City. The fort's construction began in 1565.

Oldest Street
Calle Colon in Cebu City is considered as the oldest street in the country. Named after explorer Christopher Columbus, Calle Colon was first constructed in 1565 by men of Miguel Lopez de Legazpi.

Oldest Stone Church
The Baclayon Church in Bohol is considered as the oldest stone church in the Philippines. But some historians disagree, claiming that San Agustin Church in Manila deserves the title.
Church historians claim that the cornerstones of San Agustin Church were laid as early as 1571, 25 years before Baclayon Church was built in 1596. But most people believe the title should be kept by the latter, since it is situated in the island first occupied by the troops of Miguel Lopez de Legazpi, the country's first Spanish governor general.
Bohol was where a friendship was sealed with blood between chieftain Rajah Sikatuna and Legazpi. The event is known today as ''The20Blood Compact.''

Oldest Hospital
The San Lazaro Hospital could be the oldest hospital in the country. According to Pampango historian Zoilo Galang, the San Lazaro hospital was established in 1578; Enfermeria de Naga, 1583; and Hospital de San Juan de Dios, 1596.

Oldest Church Bell
The oldest church bell in the country is said to be the one found in Camalaniugan, Cagayan. That bell was reportedly forged in 1595.

Oldest Bridge
The Jones Bridge, formerly known as Puente de Espana, was first built in 1701. It was rebuilt by the Americans in 1916 and renamed after Atkinson Jones.

Oldest University
The University of San Carlos (USC) in Cebu City is considered as the oldest school in the country and in Asia. Formerly known as the Colegio de San Ildefonso, it was founded by the Spanish Jesuits on August 1, 1595. This makes the Cebu-based university older than the University of Santo Tomas (1611) in Manila and Harvard University (1636) in the United States.
The University of Santo Tomas, however, contests this title. Formerly known as the Colegio de Nuestra Señora del Rosario, UST was the first school, which got a university status in 1645. USC became a university in 1948. UST also claimed that the original USC was closed in 1769 as a result of the expulsion of the Jesuits. It reopened in 1783 under a new name and ownership. But the USC officials stick to their claim. The university observed its 400th foundation day on August 21, 1995.

Oldest Vocational School
The Don Honorio Ventura College of Arts and Trades (DHVCAT) in Bacolor, Pampanga is said to be the oldest vocational school in Asia. Augustinian Friar Juan Zita and civic leader Don Felino Gil established the vocational school on November 4, 1861.

Oldest Company
Ayala Corp., one of the largest conglomerates in the country, is also the oldest existing company around. It was established in 1834 by sugar barons Domingo Roxas and Antonio de Ayala. It was later renamed as Casa Ayala, then as Ayala y Compania and recently as Ayala Corp.

Oldest Bank
In 1881, Domingo Roxas, an ancestor of the Ayala family, became one of the first directors of Banco Español-Filipino de Isabel II, which was founded by virtue of a royal decree issued by Queen Isabel II. The bank issued the country's first currency notes the following year. Considered as the first private commercial bank in the country, the bank came to be known as the Bank of Philippine Islands in 1912. The oldest savings bank was Monte de Piedad, which was established in 1882.

Oldest Military Supply Shop
The oldest military supply shop in the country was said to be Alfredo Roensch and Co.

Oldest Rizal Monument
What can be considered as the oldest Rizal monument in the country is a 20-foot metal structure standing at a park in Daet, Camarines Norte. Its construction reportedly began on December 30, 1898 and was finished in February 1899. In comp arison, the Rizal monument at the former Luneta park was built in 1912.
Oldest Vice
The earliest vice among native Filipinos, according to historians, was the chewing of betelnut or "nganga". It was said that Filipinos had been chewing betelnut for 3,000 years.

Oldest Insurance Firm
Insular Life Insurance Company was established on November 26, 1910, becoming the oldest insurance agency in the country.

Oldest Epics
In a 1962 study, E. Arsenio Manuel said the country had at least 19 epics, which were passed to the present generation from our early ancestors through oral chanting. Among these so-called ethnoepics were 13 epics among pagan Filipinos, 2 among Christian Filipinos, and 4 among Muslim Filipinos. These included the Ilocano epic Lam-ang, Manuvu's Tuwaang, Sulod's Hinilawod and Maranaw's Bantugan.

14 comments:

  1. Oldest City what was the basis? settlement? or legal declaration? As far as I know, Iloilo was declared legally and historically through a Royal Decree in 1889, Jaro by Becera Law in 1890, Manila - 1901, Baguio - 1909 both by Commonwealth, then Cebu, Bacolod, Zammboanga and Quezon City in 1937.
    If we base on foundation date oldest city is Iloilo formerly called Irong-irong by Datu Paiburong in 1340. Cebu settled bu the Spanish only in 1565.

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    1. I think if you mean by legally declared under the Government of the Philippines it would be by the whole date they were ratified and it is as follows:
      1. Manila - July 31, 1901
      2. Baguio - September 1, 1909
      3. Cebu - February 4, 1937
      4. Zamboanga - February 26, 1937
      5. Davao - March 1, 1937
      6. Iloilo - August 25, 1937
      7. Tagaytay - June 21, 1938
      8. Bacolod - October 19, 1938
      9. Quezon City - October 12, 1939
      10. Cavite City - May 26, 1940

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    2. And today my City of Zamboanga is celebrating it's 81st Dia de Zamboanga under the ratification of the Government made last February 26, 1937. Viva el Ciudad de Zamboanga! Arriba! ❤️😊

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  7. LITERALLY there's a confusion with the words used long ago like************************************* The country’s history books cite the signing of the treaty as a form of official cityhood declaration as the Spaniards through their local ranking officials named their new “City” “Villa de San Miguel de Cebu’. Some historians are inclined to believe that the declaration validates Cebu’s status as the oldest city**************,,,,ALSO the urbanization observed the oldest URBANIZATION than ILO ILO>>>> This states that CEBU is the OLDEST CITY,,, ....>>>>>>>>>1 street could be 1 of the proof.... COLON STREET THE OLDEST STREET,, THERE IS NO CITY WITHOUT A STREET,,,, and THIS is 1 of the proof of URBANIZATION>>>>

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  8. LITERALLY there's a confusion with the words used long ago like************************************* The country’s history books cite the signing of the treaty as a form of official cityhood declaration as the Spaniards through their local ranking officials named their new “City” “Villa de San Miguel de Cebu’. Some historians are inclined to believe that the declaration validates Cebu’s status as the oldest city**************,,,,ALSO the urbanization observed the oldest URBANIZATION states that CEBU is the OLDEST CITY,,, 1 street could be 1 of the proof.... COLON STREET THE OLDEST STREET,, THERE IS NO CITY WITHOUT A STREET

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  9. LITERALLY there's a confusion with the words used long ago ,,, but the urbanization observed the oldest,,, 1 street could be 1 of the proof.... COLON STREET THE OLDEST STREET,, THERE IS NO CITY WITHOUT A STREET

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    1. Hoskyn’s(1877) in Iloilo : The Oldest Department store in the Philippines, When It comes in Modernization during that time Iloilo was more advance than any cities in the Philippines,, and also that time yes there is no street but there is only Plazoletta Gai in the center of commerce 😊

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  10. I can’t Understand also why still Cebu claiming the Original Title of Iloilo The Queen City Of the South Which is Iloilo is the Legal Queen City Of the South and Only Crowned City Of The Philippines, Crowned By Queen Regent Maria Cristina and Queen Regent Isabel of spain?

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  11. The Problem with USC is that they are claiming as the Oldest university but they keep changing management.
    As in whole management, from Jesuits, to Dominicans, to Vincentians up to the present Christian order.
    Also they changed name. If only they didn't change Order then changing name shouldn't be a concern in claiming as the oldest university.
    .
    Also, they only became a university much later than UST which became a University just decades after it was founded.
    .
    They can, however, claim as the oldest school but far from a university.

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