In my “Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow!” column for the September 21, 2026, edition of OpinYon, I promised that after my narration of the events of Friday night and Saturday, September 22 & 23, 1972, that I would backtrack through Philippine Political History up to the November 1953 National Elections. That would be enough in terms of explaining my personal involvement in Philippine History and Politics.
However, the roots of Martial Law extend much earlier.
I was five years old (born October 12, 1948) during the November 10, 1953, National Elections. I was being tutored at home in preparation for Kinder Garten the following June 1954 at Nena Garcia’s Kinder Garten School at Apo Street corner Quezon Avenue, Santa Mesa Heights, QC. I was old enough to choose sides (Magsaysay vs. Quirino) and to understand what side my paternal and maternal families were on.
My father, Manuel “Manolo” Alcuaz (y Samosa) y Tuason (y Basilio) [August 11, 1897 – November 29, 1970], was the eldest of four brothers and five sisters and grew up in Intramuros. He studied at the Ateneo de Manila and San Juan de Letran. He studied Civil Engineering and taught at the University of Santo Tomas. He worked in the Engineering Department of the City of Manila, Gregorio Araneta, Inc. and as a Stock and Real Estate Broker. He was generally critical of government and its officials. He was not confident regarding Western/American Superiority over Orientals/Japanese.
My mother, Rosa Araneta (y Soriano) y Zaragoza (y Roxas) [April 7, 1906 – May 12, 1986], was the eight among seven sisters and seven brothers. She grew up at # 1030 R. Hidalgo St., Quiapo, Manila between Quiapo Church on the western end and San Sebastian at the eastern end. She studied at the Assumption Convent on Pedro Gil/Herran St. but did not finish High School. She took up voice lessons. After giving birth to three boys and two girls, she became deeply religious and engaged in Charitable Works and Social Action. She was a recipient of Church and Papal Awards.
My oldest surviving (the oldest boy, Jose “Pepe” disappeared in December 1944) uncle after WW II, Salvador “Badong” had been Secretary for Economic Coordination of President Elpidio Quirino but had broken with him and resigned. My uncle, J. Antonio, had run for Senator in 1946 under the Democratic Alliance in a common slate with the Nacionalista Party (NP). Both of my mother’s older brothers were attorneys. Her younger brothers, Ramon (April 7, 1907 - February 21, 1952), Vicente, Luis and Francisco, were active as Political Reformers. They were all Nationalists unlike their father, my grandfather, who had served under various positions in the American Colonial Military and Civilian Government. He had been identified with the Partido Federalista and Partido Progressista.
In 1953, the entire Araneta y Zaragoza family supported the NP/Reformists Alliance. Then NP Presidential Candidate Magsaysay personally came, driving his own jeep to our ancestral Alcuaz y Araneta house on Balete Drive corner Campanilla and Sampaguita Streets to meet with and receive campaign contributions from my uncles and aunties.
My mother brought me along once to the Legarda house on Mangga Street, near Santol Street and Santa Mesa Blvd., in Manila. The house was then in the possession of Bulletin Publisher and Owner Hans Menzi. It was lent to Magsaysay for the duration of the campaign. Magsaysay would seat me on his lap and pin a campaign pin on my shirt. In 2012, that house would be bought by former President Joseph “Erap” Ejercito Estrada and used as his official residence when he ran for Mayor of Manila in 2013, 2016 and 2019. The first time that I entered its living room in 2013, I instantly recognized it, specially, its living room as where I had visited RM seventy – five years before.
(To be continued)
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