History is a symphony

of echoes heard and

unheard. It is a poem
with events as verses —
CHARLES ANGOFF

LADYLACE “AYEN”
AMANDY
READINGS IN
PHILIPPINE HISTORY

EXCERPT OF THE PAST

AN INTERVIEW
 INFORMATION
INTERVIEWER
Ada Ladylace “AYEN” Amandy is a 19-year old Architecture student residing in

Cabuyao, Laguna with her Senior High School younger brother, Ace Archimedes Amandy (17).

She grew up with her grandparents as both of her parents worked abroad. Her father,

Randy Amandy (43), a nurse in the United States, and her mother Josephine Amandy (43), a

guess coordinator in Dubai. The circumstances gave her the privilege to live with her mother

today.

INTERVIEWEE/s (My Dad’s Father)

Born in 1943, during the Japanese Colonization, Leonardo Amandy (78) unveil his unsolicited

point of view as he tell the tales of his time. He is a barber born and raise in Atimonan Quezon

by Belen Pablo Amandy & Santiago Escasa Amandy and a loving grandparent to me.
 SUMMARY OF LIFE STORY

He was born during the Japanese Colonization in 1943. He grew up in one of the most

prestigious families. His mother's family owns Polilo Island in Quezon, while his Father is an

American-Spanish Scholar.

At 6, while most kids his age works in the field, he was studying at home taught by his

Father. He studied math, politics, and languages. Education is still not prevalent at the time (The

2nd Republic). Hence he was never able to go to school until the 3rd Republic.

During his teen years, he started playing intellectual sports such as chess, games of the

generals, and bowling. At 17, he was invited by an American affluent to play chess with his

colleague on a yacht. Since then, his talents were recognized by more locals and American

affluents, and he was given a chance to travel back and forth in the United States.

He spent his teen years until his late 20s representing Quezon in the field of bowling and

chess. He was able to play chess in Vietnam, Malta, and France.

At the age of 30, he met a 19-year-old bright and beautiful (in his words) woman whom

he fell for instantly named Evelyn Amandy. He courted her for a year and even gave up his

career for her. They had their first child at the age of 32, followed by another after a year.

At 34, they both got married and had three more kids. Due to withdrawal from his ever-

successful career, he had a hard time adjusting to peasant life. He grew up with a silver spoon

and never had experienced working. They both moved to Atimonan, Quezon, where he started

to open a barbershop. It became famous during his time due to his tutoring sideline, wherein he

teaches different languages to his customers.

 CHILDHOOD

He grew up during the recovery of the Philippines from the Japanese Occupation. Born

in a prestigious family, he's one of a very few lucky children who were given the privilege of

education thanks to his Father.

Jose P. Laurel was the President at that time. However, the wrath during the Japanese

Occupation didn't end as told in History. According to him, he lost 3 of his childhood friends

while they were playing in a cornfield in Ponon, Atimonan, Quezon. One of them was shot to

death by a Japanese soldier roaming around the area, the other two were captured, and he's

the only one who was able to escape.

Until now, he believes that the only reason why he was able to escape that day was

because he's an Amandy.

 TEEN YEARS

It was 1956 when he grabbed a chance to train chess at the University of Sto. Thomas.

According to him, he is slightly intimidated by the students studying there as he was homed-

school by his Father throughout his childhood. He and his friends cut from the training and

roamed around Manila for a day. He remembers seeing the United States Vice President

Richard Nixon and President Carlos Garcia in a parade held in Roxas Boulevard.

Back then, politicians were treated like a celebrity, so people near the area crumpled in

Roxas Boulevard to participate in the parade

 MIDDLE AGE

In 1964, a crime that encompasses the country emerged. It was the Abduction of

Cosette Tanjuaquio. For about three suspenseful months, the whole nation was riveted by the

news of the kidnapping of 15-year-old Cosette Tanjuaquio.

Leonardo (My Lolo) was 21 at that time, and apparently, Cosette Tanjuaquio was a

friend he met in Pampanga.

3-days before the abduction happened, he and his younger brother went to an event

held in Pampanga. The coordinator of the said event includes Tanjuaquio's family. The

Maryknoll coed was staying in his uncle’s Loyola Heights home when, on November 16, 1964,

she was snatched by four men and just disappeared. According to him, he and his brother were

also interrogated at that time. They both participated in the investigation prior the proving their

innocence.
 LATE MIDDLE AGE

In the year 1979, in the midst of Martial Law, Leonardo (my Lolo) was captured by the

Military. Almost all men his age were captured at that time. According to him, they were all

ordered to strip down their clothes, and all those who have tattoos in them were shot on the

spot.

After that, they were divided into two groups and were put in some sort of prison. They

were task to do community service except more brutal. If one fails to do their task right, they

torture the person or beat him to death. On the third day in that prison, they were tattooed with

numbers. The military calls them by the numbers tattooed in them since then.

During those two weeks, he witness, torture, and abuse. Some officials even force his

cellmate to rape a woman in front of him. After they were released, the said cellmate committed

suicide. None of his family knew what they made him do inside the prison.

Leonardo (my Lolo), on the other hand, went home with trauma piled up in his head. He

said, he was reminded of how his three childhood friends were killed and captured before him. It

took him a while to recover from his experience in the prison.

Evelyn and Leonardo Amandy, Aug. 2000.
Evelyn and Leonardo Amandy, May 11. 2021. During the interview
PLACES/EVENTS

Post-War during Japanese Colonization.

Manila, Philippines

The dramatic rescue of Cosette who was

found in a World War II air raid shelter next to
a pig pen, on February 7, 1965
United States Vice President Richard M. Nixon and
Philippine President Carlos P. Garcia in Roxas Blvd.

Military Abuse from Marcos’ Martial Law

 INSIGHTS AFTER THE INTERVIEW

I grew up with my grandparents, so basically, I heard about all their tales and stories

already. I was 8-years old when Mama (my Lola) told me about her experience being an activist

and participating in the EDSA Revolution. I was 12 when my Papa (my Lolo) told me about his

experience of being imprisoned without due process of law during the Martial Law. Back then, it

was rather entertaining than reflective. All their stories seemed fiction to me. Now that I did this

interview, it hits different.

Growing up, none of it ever bothered me, but now that I'm older and seeing things from a

different perspective, their stories made me realize that History is beyond books and

documentaries and tales. History is about every person living at that point in time. All their

stories mattered as no one look at one thing the same as the other.

The dead outnumber the living fourteen to one, and we ignore the accumulated

experience of such a huge majority of mankind at our peril. The most important lessons from

history are the takeaways that are so broad they can apply to other fields, other eras, and other

people. That’s where lessons have leverage and are most likely to apply to your own life. But

those things take some digging to find, often sitting layers below the main story.

It is easy to get caught up in the debates online, with privilege rearing its ugly head every

so often. In discussions, it is easy to highlight the differences people have — you’re from Luzon,

you don’t know the situation here; you’re from Mindanao, all you know is war.

So many people have found it easy to speak in behalf of others, forgetting that the

differences we have are not just simply because of where we come from, but because of our

personal experiences and the histories our own families carry. The narrative of my grandparents

is one that many of us are yet to acknowledge. Their struggle for self-determination is rooted on

a history that is yet to be taught in our schools, let alone understood by all.
 INSIGHTS FROM TAKING THE COURSE

I've always loved learning History, and by learning, I mean learning it without the

pressure of pursuing grades. My Lolo brought me to many historical places back when I was

younger, and even though I don't do well in class, I've always competed in every HEKASI Quiz

Bees.

This course has helped me to know myself better, my place, and my origin. It has taught

me skills I will take with me to my future course. The result of this course has been

unsurprisingly positive, as I enjoy being able to learn this subject in a variety of different ways. I

feel that this helps me to understand how the past matters and how our present and future are

intertwined with history.

Knowing and understanding the past helps open doors to the future. As the old saying

goes, history repeats itself. Without the knowledge of the past, there would be no hope for the

future.

The once was a fiction to me became a deeper sentiment while taking this course. To

say never forget and never again is to recognize History as a distant memory that we refuse to

relive – an understandable sentiment, but is one that is also mildly unmindful of the fact that

elsewhere History was never distant nor has it ended completely.

While it was uncomfortable at first, I’ve learned to appreciate them. Getting to

experience Readings in Philippine History has honestly changed me as a student in many ways.

I've learned so much from managing my time to the importance of criticism and book

discussions. Although the year was challenging and involved much work effort, it was all worth it

in the end. I feel better as a student, and I am grateful for the challenges. Every seat works, and

discussion was made with reason and aided me in my development as a freelance writer, which

can help me to continue growing as a student overall.