Aegina Festin

2012-51175
Reaction to the Visits in National Museum, Casa Manila and St. Agustin Church
It was a sunny day when we went to the National Museum. I went with Jessa and we
decided to go there first before Casa Manila and San Agustin Church because it was the one
separated in terms of distance among the three. The building was not new to my sight, I
always see it in my travels but I never get the chance to go inside until that time.
It made me feel both amazed and disappointed. Amazed because of the artworks by
modern Filipinos but disappointed because the artifacts and specimens are not good enough
to be compared with their western counterparts. One of my classmates told me once, You
can always brag, but you wont have the bragging rights always. I feel the same towards this
museum. Anyway, it was full of jars and stones piled on top of some boxesthe staff should
have gotten even with the presentation of these relics. There were a few people who visited
that day, and probably they were disappointed as I was. It was divided to a number of rooms
where each showcases a different theme and era of the Philippines ranging from history,
culture and arts.
We saw the painting of Spoliarium by Marcelo H. del Pilar and it was huge
enormously huge! Seeing the largest painting in the Philippines is really a wonderful
experience, need not to say its history together with the countrys heroes.
We went to Casa Manila after touring National Museum. It was quite nostalgic and
very beautiful because it took us into a seemingly different world or time frame at least. I am
a fan of Latin world and Spanish culture so I could not help but say, Que buenos requerdos.
Hace 116 aos! Indeed learning a new language will let you have a new kind of cognition
and perspective of a substance which will make a new you without deleting the old one.
Casa Manila is a house patterned in Spanish colonial architecture built in 1979. It is a
replicate of houses owned by the rich and noble people during the Spanish occupation and
everythingfrom furniture to the details of the ceilingis made accurate so as to feel the
antique ambience of the house. Most of the ornaments came from Europe. Overlooking from
the window is the zaguan or pacillo where passengers from caruajes first go before they
proceed to the cuadra at the back. The ornaments on the walls and ceiling are in Gothic style
which was made popular in Manila after St. Domingo church was built in 1867.
Finally we went to the St. Agustin Church. Seen from the outside, its faade seemed a
very ordinary Catholic church in the Philippines. I have seen a lot of old churches and their
facades are far more beautiful than that of St. Agustin Church, but when one starts to peek on
the inside, s/he would see how different it is from any other churches in the country. I saw its
ornate details which presented baroque style with trompe l'oeil mural on its ceiling and walls.
The walls are made of adobe stones unlike many churches which are made of limestone. In
my opinion, it would have been better if they had not painted it, as it does not look authentic
anymorethough I am aware it was done for a better conservation of the church.
All in all, the experience was fun and the time spent was worth it as I discovered
many new things recently unknown to me especially about the arts and history in the
Philippines, though there were also a lot of disappointing revelations from simple thinking
and cognitive analysis. Well, nothing beats the truth anyway.