THE PHILIPPINES AND THE EARLY BEGINNINGS OF MODERN CHINA. Mariano Ponce, whose 103rd death anniversary is being commemorated today, was a good friend of Sun Yat Sen, the founder of modern China. Both of them were medical practitioners and reformists but turned into revolutionaries. Like any other Filipino reformists, Sun was incarcerated (to Ponce's word, "kidnapped"). It happened in October 1896 in London. He was detained in the Chinese Embassy but freed when British and French sympathizers pressured the British Government to intervene.
While Sun was held captive by his own country abroad, the Philippine Revolution was at its height. Ponce, and other Filipino reformists, here and abroad, suffered the same fate--worse, most of them were banished and executed, like the famed reformist Jose Rizal. Sun was observing the development of the Philippine Revolution, for he was hopeful that the Philippine Republic would be hospitable to host him and launched the Chinese Revolution from the Philippines. Ponce was later named the Philippine Republic ambassador to Japan in 1898 and there met Sun for the first time.
Both of them developed extraordinary bond while in Yokohama. They both aimed for the emancipation of Asians and the restoration of their peoples' dignity by freeing their countries. "Both of us, each in his own way, pursued the same goal, the happiness of our respective countries--and this united us in mutual sympathy," Ponce wrote in his biography of Sun. They also agreed that the Chinese revolutionaries would support the Filipinos' fight against the Americans, and when done, the Filipinos to back up the Chinese against the Manchu Dynasty.
In 1912, Sun's revolution defeated the last emperor of China. The Republic of China was born. But the Philippine Republic lasted only to 1901, owing to the deception of the Americans resulting in the capture of Philippine President Emilio Aguinaldo. Ponce had secured shiploads of armaments to help in the Filipinos' war against the United States, but diverted instead to support Sun.
Nevertheless, the Filipinos' determination to be free and independent brought the light of liberty to the Far East and the Pacific, according to Apolinario Mabini, the designer of the Philippine Revolutionary Government. The likes of China was inspired by the formidable spirit of the Filipino heroes. The world remembers Sun's Republic as the first republic and democracy in Asia because it continued; but to Sun himself, the first was non other than the Philippines.
We waged two wars against two imperialists one after the other, in less than a year, with no assistance of any nation in the world. Yet our heroes were able to show to the world how to fight with victorious spirit and humanity.
You may read Ponce's biography of Sun here [https://bit.ly/3fHhwpt].
Presumably the last photo of Ponce attached on his passport application days prior to his errand to Hong Kong to meet Sun. He died there days later. From the U.S. National Archives, courtesy of Renz Marion D. Katigbak.
. . . . .
Seeing this post? Curious what this is about? 2021 is the Year of Filipino Pre-Colonial Ancestors by virtue of Proclamation No. 1128, s. 2021. Also in this year, we commemorate the Philippine part in the achievement of science and humankind in circumnavigating the planet for the first time. Central in this commemoration is the 500th anniversary of the Victory at Mactan on 27 April 2021. These and more are collectively known as the 2021 Quincentennial Commemorations in the Philippines by virtue of Executive Order No. 103 (2020). Know more about the event here:
About us
[https://nqc.gov.ph/en/about]
Watch our promotional video
[https://youtu.be/ptgU1ZUgFZc]
Listen to Quincentennial Soundtrack
[https://spoti.fi/3cAUIrl]
Watch our lectures [https://portal.nqc.gov.ph/]
Quincentennial activities and materials here [https://bit.ly/3dHrnKF]
#VictoryAndHumanity
#Ph500
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