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Kinastillohan St.
HAVE you wondered why that road that divides Plaza Quezon from
Plaza Rizal in downtown Naga is called “Kinastillohan St.” which
literally means “where a castle was erected”?
At the time that Naga as a town was still the provincial capital
of Camarines Sur, both plazas were contained in a single block
with Plaza Rizal serving as lawn or garden fronting the then
Capitol Building (today’s Robertson/Land Bank building), while
Plaza Quezon before its present name was simply a kiosk (hence it
was called kiosko). The kiosk was the convenient venue for regular
brass band plays, variety shows, political fora, and other forms
of public entertainment. Also on it were rolling stalls for food,
colorful balloons, toys and other light merchandize especially
peddled for promenades on Sundays, holidays, and other special
occasions.
Every Holy Week, however, the provincial government would
construct a “tontonan”, or improvised tower on that strip between
Plaza Rizal and the kiosk where children, garbed as angels, glided
and descended through ropes subtly tied on their waists to herald
the Lord’s ascension to heaven through songs and fresh flower
confetti on Easter Sunday. The name Kinastillohan stuck even while
the “tontonan” and the angels were gone, and on the site was
constructed a permanent concrete road. Soon it drew the line,
figuratively and literally, between Naga City and Camarines Sur.
The two LGUs eventually found themselves tangled in a ruckus on
who should manage and supervise Plaza Rizal since the provincial
capitol has transferred to Pili and all the territories within the
now transformed independent component city of Naga have been
evolved to the territorial jurisdiction of city hall.
For everyone to know, Plaza Rizal in Naga was built sometime in
1911, which is way late compared to Daet, Camarines Norte whose
people built their monument in honor of the national hero barely
two years after his execution in Bagumbayan (now Luneta) last Dec.
30, 1896.
Under the Spanish regime, Naga was known as Nueva Caceres, its
name finally changed to Naga when it was declared a municipality
by the American commonwealth on Feb. 28, 1914. Naga at that time
used to have its own plaza called “Plaza Regente”, along Gen. Luna
Street fronting today’s city public market. What remains of it is
an island facing Benito Commercial building, the Atlantic Bakery
and the adjacent apartment doors of the Venancio building.
Naga became a city on June 18, 1948 by virtue of R.A. 305 which
declared Naga as a component city independent of the province.
About 7 years later, or on June 16, 1955, Pili became the
provincial capital of Camarines Sur and serves as such until the
present by virtue of R.A. 1336. Meantime, the provincial capitol
remained in Naga City until the 1970s when it constructed its new
building complex on an expansive lot in Cadlan, Pili, Camarines
Sur.
* * *
With our country reeling from economic woes and government funds
dissipated by inefficient bureaucracy and greed by unscrupulous
officials, it would help a lot without cost to one’s pocket if
citizens do their basic responsibilities as inhabitants and
recipients of the earth’s bounty. The task would involve throwing
off trash in their right places; voluntarily switching off
streetlights at the first instance of sunlight, and; walking short
distances instead of customarily flagging down a tricycle thereby
saving money and fuel that otherwise pollute the air or hurt our
dollar exchange rate because of too much oil importation. We may
also report leaking water supply line on sight and protect
government properties, supplies and facilities from vandalism and
wasteful consumption, among others. If every Filipino observes
these, or at least a majority of them, we can imagine how much
money and resources are saved on a daily basis, enough to buy
medicines for the poor, or stabilize prices of food and services
and at the same time protect and conserve the environment.
Let us not wait for GMA to be yanked off from her perch. Some
other people are doing that, porque an parahabon anggot sa kapwa
parahabon. Or else, listen to what the Greeks said, “whom the gods
wish to destroy, they first make mad”. Besides, her kind will
somehow fade away when we shall have fully realized that more than
anything else, it is our own initiatives, our vigilance and
self-determination that will deliver this nation from recurring
crisis and damnation. We are not simply weaving a dream of a
reformed nation if right here, right now we do our part as
responsible citizens.
