Philippine E-Journals

Presentation Remarks

Luis Montilla

Discipline: History

 

Abstract:

This occasion of which you are a witness, is reminiscent of what took place five or more centuries ago. What had transpired here, we can merely surmise or deduce in view of the absence of written chronicles. But we can be sure that somewhere around this spot, overlooking this beautiful bay, a ruler was governing his followers according to the prevailing wisdom of the time; that in this jurisdiction extending south, east and west, to boundaries we know not where, there lived a people, your worthy ancestors who built communities that in the course of time thrived into big towns, and conducted themselves, not as barbarians, as some foreign historians wanted to tell us, but as civilized and law-abiding citizens.

nt-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";mso-bidi-font-family: Times-Bold;mso-bidi-font-weight:bold'>The circumstances confronting the ancient Iloko settler could not permit any of these causes to be dissociated from the others. The cohesive force of blood and intestine relation of the Iloko, in a sense akin to the Malay tulang or bone relation, was largely the nourishment of filial devotion. Filial devotion, developed to flourish, slides into the neighborliness; and neighborliness nurtured, seeks to preserve itself from outside disturbances.