The Museo ning Angeles, which is well-preserved and ideally located in front of the Holy Rosary Church and a few steps away from Pamintuan Mansion, was initially built in 1922 as the Municipio del Pueblo, or the Town Hall of Angeles City. Earlier than that, the site was the location of a casa tribunal (courthouse) during the Spanish rule that burned down in 1860. Today, after the town hall was moved to its current location, it now serves as a museum showcasing historical artifacts, artwork, and relics from the city and the province of Pampanga.
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| May 7 is known as Jose Abad Santos Day in Pampanga |
Welcoming visitors is a statue of Jose Abad Santos, a San Fernando, Pampanga native who became the fifth Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines in 1941. Tragically, his term wouldn’t last long as he was executed by the Japanese during World War II on May 1, 1942.
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| Aside from this, there's also a section showing the Dioramic Scenes of Kapampangan Traditions. |
The non-profit organization Kuliat Foundation manages and operates the two-story museum. Its main objective is to promote a broader understanding of the history, culture, and traditions of the City of Angeles. The ground floor of the building contains several galleries that showcase the city's evolution and its significant role during World War II.
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| Artworks from local artists are also displayed in the museum |
A deeply moving exhibition showcases a collection of poems written by Japanese soldiers, expressing profound remorse for their actions during the war. One was touchingly translated to us by the museum's guide, and I couldn't help but let it tug my heartstrings with its heartfelt message of forgiveness.
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| During the last part of the Bataan death march, Filipino and American POWs were placed like sardines into railway cars. Along the way, Filipino civilians would throw food into them. |
Another one penned by a Kamikaze pilot before he sets out on his mission of no return says, "Even if our bodies dissolved in the southern seas and turn into water, it'll still water the newly grown flowers.". After the war, the family of the Kamikaze pilot etched his poetry in a marble stone and presented it to Dr. Romeo Taruc, the sole son of Hukbalahap (the famed Guerilla force during World War II) movement head Luis Taruc, as a gesture of asking forgiveness to the Filipino people.
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| Always avail the services of the museum's guide for a better understanding of the exhbits. |
One artwork that stood out to me is a painting portraying Filipinos compassionately providing food (thus, they were called the "food throwers") to both Filipino and American prisoners of war during the infamous death march during the infamous death march that passed through the province of Pampanga.
The Culinarium, a gallery dedicated to the cuisine of the province of Kapampangan, can be found on the building's upper level, which also provides a panoramic view of the Holy Rosary Church below. Traditional cooking implements and dioramas sit alongside a replica of a pre-war kitchen. Thankfully, they didn’t asked us to try any fried frogs on our visit, but we did get to enjoy a hot cup of sikwate (tsokolate) and a plateful of bibingka.
As a history buff and museum enthusiast, I am thrilled that in this San Fernando heritage neighborhood, one can discover a museum, a historic mansion, and a Spanish-era church in virtually one block, as well as a number of other old houses dating back to the pre-war years. I guess, red-light district no more. Angeles City is shaping up as a culinary and historical destination that one shouldn’t miss in this part of Central Luzon.
Klook.com
