Clashes of Civilization

"It is my hypothesis that the fundamental source of conflict in this new world will not be primarily ideological or primarily economic. The great divisions among humankind and the dominating source of conflict will be cultural. Nation states will remain the most powerful actors in world affairs, but the principal conflicts of global politics will occur between nations and groups of different civilizations. The clash of civilizations will dominate global politics. The fault lines between civilizations will be the battle lines of the future." - Samuel Huntington, The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order.

Huntington’s thesis might be chilly to believe but the good scientist got it all right. Was Huntington a prophet or a charlatan? Neither if you ask me. He is rather a very keen and observant scientist who saw patterns of cultural and linguistic similarities. According to his thesis, the major hotspots for a potential war zone are where two different cultures are in the opposite side.

I wish the many Filipinos will be able to read his work. For centuries, Filipino Christians and Filipino Muslims are ripping each other apart simply because of religion. One nation yet two cultures so what is the sum of these? A recipe for a divided nation.

What was once Escolta

Every city in the world has its historic high street. Paris has its Champs Elysees, New York has its 5th Avenue, London has its Oxford Street, and Rome has its Via Venetto.

And in the Philippines, the most historic of high streets is the legendary Escolta, traversing both the districts of Binondo and Sta. Cruz, in the city of Manila. So move over Makati, Ortigas and Libis; these places will never replaced the pomp and glory of Escolta.

But would the locals ever think that Escolta was once glorious today? Probably not! Why would they anyway? Escolta is nothing more but a street in Manila in decay. But truth hurts indeed, for Escolta was once a thriving business center of Manila but now a has-been of its former glory.

I remember my grandparents and even my parents that in Escolta was the place of the places. Shops from different countries selling imported clothes, wines, jewelries, chocolates and furnitures are a place to see. It is like a Rodeo Drive according to my dad. It is a shopper’s dream to explore Escolta. The first Rustan’s, Shoemart (SM), Ayala shops are in Escolta, basking the heyday of the bustling life of Manila. The Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI) main branch was in Escolta during the 1960s, a mark of Escolta’s charm to our commerce. The Lyric and Capitol Theater will never miss a Hollywood movie and a must-see for everyone in Escolta.

Now, young as I am, Escolta for me is nothing more but a mere street in the heart of Manila. The former shops of American and European traders are nowhere to be found. The Lyric and the Capitol Theater are now gone. The old BPI building is now a college and the Old Regina building, still standing, proudly stands at the corner of William Burke and Escolta and just across Estero de la Reina. The Old Regina Building for me is a survivor and a testament to the rise and fall of Escolta.

Not all was lost, however. Today, the Manila Government is working hard to preserve and restore the former glories of what was once a Manila flavor. Current Mayor Lito Atienza planned to make Escolta an IT center of Manila. Preservations of the old building are underway. With these developments, we asked answers to these questions; will Escolta rise again from the ashes of yesterday? Or will it totally fade away in the memories of the glory days? Time will tell.

Project Gutenberg

When Johannes Gutenberg made the first printing press, it changed the Western civilization. Books, manuscripts and even daily bulletin now became accessible to many people who cannot afford an expensive book during Gutenberg’s time. The Gutenberg Bible is perhaps is best remembered for its most famous incunabulum and its production marked the beginning of the mass production of books in the West. It was printed in what would become known as Textura and Schwabacher. True to the legacy of Gutenberg, a website was named after him: Project Gutenberg. So what is Project Gutenberg? Project Gutenberg was founded in 1971, it is the oldest digital library. Most of its items are the full texts of public domain books. The project tries to make the items in its collection as free as possible, in long-lasting, open formats that can be used on almost any computer. The mission of Project Gutenberg is simple: To encourage the creation and distribution of e-Books and to break down the bars of ignorance and illiteracy. Visit their website to see more than a thousand collections of priceless books and manuscripts: www.gutenberg.org

Filipiniana.net

Filipiniana.net is the online research portal on the Philippines. It gathers and disseminates arcane, unpublished or out-of-print materials in English, Spanish or Filipino. Our main goal is to popularize knowledge on the Philippines dispassionately and rigorously. Scholars and Filipinists will soon have access to primary content sources and online links, in an easy, organized and an intelligible way.