Precious Capiz Photos circa 1890s-1900s

The internet vagabond that I am, I chanced upon these precious photos of Philippines past in the 1890s to 1900s. What is amazing is that two photos were taken in my home province, Capiz.

The first one is of a parade honoring Rizal somewhere in Roxas City. What is most notable are the spanish era stone houses that indicates the level of civilization in my home province. I have also chanced upon a diary of a Thomasite teacher, Mary Helen Fee, who got assigned in Roxas, and who narrates that people in my home province speak Spanish - even the lowly househelp spoke spanish. Whoaaa this is contrary to popular belief that the Spaniards never taught the natives their lingua franca, Castillian. Well, at least in my home province, we spoke it back then. She also describes Capiz (now Roxas City) as a town of colonial-era grandeur with white stone houses and red roofs, waaaaah.




The next photo is a group portrait of an old family in Capiz. Probably the Alcazars. I remember knowing this family's descendants in my gradeschool way back then. One of the Alcazars became Gobernadorcillo or Presidente Municipal and married Spanish Lady whom he met when he studied in Spain.