Fire and the Changing Cityscape of Dumaguete City

Earl Jude Paul L. Cleope

Abstract

This paper is a modest attempt to offer a framework for the study of an

urban center, one that underscores the role of fire as a factor in the historical
development of an area. It draws on the work of Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel
to suggest that contradiction and negation have a dynamic quality that at every
point in each domain of history leads to further development until a rational unity
is reached that preserves the contradictions as phases and sub-parts by lifting
them up (Aufhebung) to a higher unity. In this sense, the occurrence of fire in
the historical development of the city has an impact in the evolving cityscape and
growth of the city. Moreover, this is a modest contribution to the growing
interest of historians in the built environment specifically the growth and
transformation of urban centers. Fire and the subsequent construction of
buildings, then, can be used as a historical source, but only if the historian takes
account of the particular texts and subtexts that they offer. In short, the
occurrence of fires should not only be studied for its reasons, but for its
meanings and effects.

Hopefully, this will encourage other experts and local historians in

other areas to view the occurrence of fires as a perspective in studying urban
history in the context of crafting policies in urban planning and developing an
evolving historiography towards a national history of the Philippines.

Introduction

The location of Dumaguete along the northern side of the entrance of the
Banica River facing the Tañon Strait and not directly along the path of the
typhoons made it an ideal center for trade and the most populated part of the
eastern coast of what was then called Buglas Island. Water was plentiful,
communication was easier and food from land and sea was abundant. Originally,
the old name was Dananguet, and the Spanish Christian evangelization started in
the early 17th century.1 Subsequently it became an independent parish in 1620. 2

Due to its location (Dumaguete faces Mindanao and Sulu), it would be

among the first Christian pueblo along the sea route to the more prosperous
towns and islands in central and northern Philippines. The sea raiding
phenomenon which was an old system practiced in the islands but increased due
to economic, religious, and political factors resulted to more incessant sea
raiding and pillaging activities which were always attributed to the “Moros” or
 2

Muslim sea raiders. Most of these raids were characterized by carrying away
valuables from the churches and houses they pillaged along with the kidnapping
of young men and women to be sold as slaves in Sulu and Borneo which was
essential in the operation of the British trade with China. 3 Thus this pueblo came
to be called Dumaguet, from the Visayan root daguet which means “to snatch or
kidnap.” The belfry tower (it still stands today) served as a watchtower to warn
the people that the Moros were approaching.4

Before the separation of Negros island into two provinces, Dumaguete

was part of the encomiendas in the eastern coast that were administered from
Cebu. But when thirteen priests from the towns of the Oriental coast presented
to the Governor General a petition for the division of the island, it was approved
and implemented. Complying with a royal decree, Gov. Gen. Valeriano Weyler
established Negros Oriental as a separate province on January 1, 1890. While
Bacolod remained the capital for Negros Occidental, Dumaguete was chosen the
capital for Negros Oriental. 5

Dean C. Worchester, an American Anthropologist, who visited Dumaguete

in 1890 described Dumaguete as a typical Bisayan town of the better class and
that the people were prosperous. Its shops were kept by Chinese merchants.
The population which numbered around 8,000 souls was composed primarily of
natives, though there were some Spanish and Chinese mestizos and a few
Spaniards. The church and convent were in good repair, near which was a
substantial structure that in the past had served the double purpose of belfry
and watchtower. The Casa Tribunal was a little more than ordinary, being made
of nipa, bamboo and wood. There was no market in the real sense of the word,
but what was there was called tiangue, and this was merely a nipa roof jutting
out of the wall to shelter the people from the rain and sun. This tiangue was
located on the north bank of the mouth of Banica River. Commodities as sugar,
abaca, rice, fish and forest products were exported to Manila and Cebu from the
port of Dumaguete.6

Subsequently, Dumaguete’s historical development would follow the

course of a typical capital town of a province as influenced by the national
events. The growth and emerging changes in the lay out of the built
environment of Dumaguete resulted in the increasing trade and commerce
brought about by the construction of the port starting in 1919 and the
construction of the boulevard parallel to the seashore of Dumaguete that
connected the provincial road with the port. Moreover, airplanes started to land
on the newly built airport three kilometers north of the town when the landing
field was finished in 1940. 7

The arrival and eventual occupation of the Japanese altered and disrupted
the growth of Dumaguete as some structures both private and public were
 3

destroyed. However, a few years after World War II, the bill creating the
municipality of Dumaguete into a city was sponsored by Hon. Lorenzo Teves
then the elected Congressman of the First District of Negros Oriental to the First
Congress of the Philippine Republic. During the second special session of this
Congress, Congressman Teves presented House Bill No. 1922. The Bill was
approved by both Houses of Congress without much difficulty and His Excellency,
President of the Philippines, Elpidio Quirino signed RA 237. By virtue of Republic
Act. No. 327, otherwise known as the Charter of the City of Dumaguete, the
former municipality of Dumaguete was converted into a city. The city was
officially inaugurated on November 24, 1948 with President Quirino himself and
other national officials attending the celebration.8

The cityhood of Dumaguete ushered developments in the urban center as

buildings and structures were created to complement with the increasing trade
and commerce fostered by the increasing enrollment and establishment of more
educational institutions and business enterprises. Clearly, as a means of public
transportation within the city, the tartanillas (horse drawn carriages) were slowly
replaced by motorized tricycles in the 1960’s. There has been a steady increase
of passenger jeeps to augment transportation to barangays with the expanding
housing projects. Moreover, transportation facilities were greatly enhanced with
the arrival of the first commercial passenger jet flight in Dumaguete on August
28, 1973 and a regular direct flight from Manila and Dumaguete starting
September 16, 1977.

The rapid increase of population in Dumaguete is primarily due to

migration of people from the towns and other provinces like Cebu, Bohol, and
other parts of the country. Due to the relative peace and order conditions,
people are attracted to the place, especially these who are retired. Families
especially alumni who have children of school age have transferred to the city
because of the presence of Silliman University and other schools and colleges.
Moreover, the cost of living or prices of commodities are generally cheaper
compared to Manila and Cebu; and as a city of “gentle people,” private and
government employees assigned to Dumaguete are attracted to stay because of
the friendly atmosphere. Many visitors had also decided to reside in Dumaguete.

Today, Dumaguete City dubbed “City of Gentle People” is a bustling

“University Town” that is vibrant and dynamic. However, a cursory look at the
emerging and changing cityscape specifically in the commercial center will offer
incidences of fires that occurred in the various stages of the city’s historical
evolution. It is the goal of this paper then to account for the occurrence of fire in
the historical development of the city to explore its impact in the evolving
cityscape and growth of the city. For brevity sake, this study will look into the
period from the 1970’s up to the present.
 4

Fire in the City of Gentle People.

It is understandable that due to the light materials that were used for the
construction of structures in a tropical climate like Dumaguete, occurrence of
fire is a common thing especially in the earlier periods. There were records of fire
in the city but one of the major fire occurrence after the war was the fire that
happened just before Christmas of 1953, that swept over Dumaguete City and
burned down the buildings of the Saint Paul College compound. Makeshift
classrooms were set up on the burned site to ensure uninterrupted classes after
the Christmas vacation. This prompted the school administration to buy a five-
hectare lot in barrio Pulantubig, two kilometers north of Dumaguete poblacion
where St. Paul University is located at present.

On November 23, 1975 the West City Elementary School building in

Dumaguete was burned. The loss was P 8,000,000.00. The cause of the fire
has not been definitely determined as it happened in the middle of the night.
Exactly a year later on November 24, 1976, the former Flores Institute in the
corner of Silliman Avenue and Rizal Boulevard was gutted down by fire. The
following year in 1977, there were two fires that razed the Brotherhood Tailoring
along Perdices Street (formerly Alfonso XIII) in July 14, 1977 and the Opeña
Building along Katada Street on November 14, 1977. Both fires were of unknown
origin.

The decades of the 80’s saw the growth and further alterations in the
cityscape of the commercial center of the city as fire occurrences became more
frequent and devastating. At 12:30 A.M. on June 26, 1981 a fire of undetermined
origin destroyed forty buildings in the commercial district in the corner of Taft,
Libertad, Cervantes, and Independencia Streets which had an estimated damage
of 5 million pesos.9 On August 8, 1981, Florentina Hotel in the corner of Real and
San Jose Streets was gutted down by a fire of unknown origin. The following
year on April 7, 1982, at 1:50 A.M, a huge fire engulfed and destroyed the
public market that leveled to the ground 786 market stalls. The estimated cost of
destruction was 50 million pesos. It was said that the firemen had difficulty in
controlling the fire because the fire started in the middle and roads were blocked
with stalls.10 In October 28, 1984, a fire caused by cigarette buts destroyed the
Ang Tai Building along Perdices Street. Later, after two months on December
1984, a fire of unknown origin gutted another commercial establishment, the
Gobonseng Building in the corner and along Colon, Urdaneta, and Mabini streets.
In April 3, 1985, a fire caused by faulty electrical wiring destroyed the
commercial establishments Angelo Chris and Dean Hua along Real Street. By
September 30, 1985, Almar Hotel along Rizal Avenue was destroyed because of
a fire caused by faulty electrical wiring. The following year, in July 2, 1986,
Mandarin Bake Shop along Colon Street was gutted down due to short circuit.
 5

By November 9, 1986, a huge fire of undetermined origin razed commercial and

residential establishments along Real and Independencia Streets. Notable
establishments that were destroyed were J.T. Tiong Bazaar, Amihan Disco Pub,
Susing Balbacua, Junk Shop, Tin pail fabricator and several eatery stalls. On May
16, 1987, the Perdices Memorial Coliseum was razed to the ground by fire of
undetermined origin, causing an estimated 10-million damage to property and
records. The fire, which started at 11:30 P.M. at the Post Office after two
explosions, spread quickly to the wooden walls of the building and in 15 minutes
three-fourths of the Coliseum was already on fire. Also burned were 14
government offices housed at the sports complex. Among the government
offices destroyed were the Ministry of Education Culture & Sports, MECS Supply
Office, Post Office, Regional Circuit Court, Local Government, Census & Statistics,
Bureau of Labor, National Labor Relations, and Agrarian Reform among others.
On that same year, on October 19, 1987, the Singer Commercial Building along
the corner of Real and San Jose Streets was totally destroyed by fire of
undetermined origin. On the opposite side of the site of the fire a few months
earlier along Real Street occurred another fire on the Central Savings and Loan
Association Building on January 10, 1988 due to faulty electrical wiring. Still on
Real Street on June 10, 1988 struck another fire on Crown Pharmacy Building
due to electrical short circuit. The following month on July 12, 1988, a fire of
undetermined origin destroyed the posh North Pole Restaurant along the Rizal
Avenue. By December 13, 1988, a big conflagration happened along Pinili Street
destroying commercial and residential buildings. Damaged were Victory Lodge,
Ybañez Auto Parts, Cimafranca Welding Shop, Bakeshoppe, and some residential
buidings.11

In the decade 1990s, still fire was a constant feature in the changing
urbanscape of the commercial center as areas which were hit by fires before
would be struck again. In October 20, 1990, a massive fire leveled down
commercial establishments and residences along Real and Cervantes Streets. It
affected 2 adjacent blocks that were mainly occupied by 34 families and 8
commercial establishments. The fire started at 3:00 A.M and was contained 2
hours after at 5:00 A.M. There were no casualties on that incident but all 34
families were left homeless. The fire rapidly blazed all that is found within the 2
adjacent blocks since most of the residences’ houses were made out of Nipa. So
this made the fire spread sporadically along the 2 blocks. Witnesses said that two
fire trucks arrived early but one of its hoses snapped. This was because “the
valve of the hose was opened too soon before an additional link could be
installed.”12 Looting was also present during the fire, these were people
pretending to help but they instead stole from the victims and commercial
establishments.

The firemen, according to the then Dumaguete Fire Chief Ignacio Sy, had
a hard time putting down the fire not just because it was spreading rapidly but
 6

also because their water pressure was low. Another problem that the firemen
encountered was that their hoses were cut or it malfunctioned. The starting point
of the fire was believed to be in VJR Kitchenette, located behind Rhine
Marketing. It spread to the different commercial establishments near the eatery,
this included, Rhine Marketing, Tat’s (Goldy) Theater, Dove Theater, Glecel’s
Kitchenette, Luzonians restaurant, Lamp Lighter, Badon Repair Shop, City
Barbershop, GM Furniture, Anchor’s Tailoring, Tan’s Rechargeable Shop and
Vesin’s Store. Thirty-four families were also affected. Overall, the estimated
property damage of the fire was 6.5 million pesos. Investigators also eyed on a
possibility of arson. Many witnesses and residents near the fire scene, heard a
heavy explosion in of the business establishments. They also said that the
establishments were “Heavily Insured”. 13

On the 1st week of April 1992, a fire partially damaged the Gold Label
Grocery Store along Locsin and Ma. Cristina Streets that was caused by faulty
electrical wiring. There were no recorded fires in 1993 but in1994, a huge fire
occurred on January 24-25, that happened in the New Bian Yek Commercial
Building located along Real Street. There were no fatalities recorded but the
damage caused by the fire was about 2.4 million pesos. The fire did not level
down the building since the structure was made out of “concrete”. So the
structure still remained after the fire but the interior was totally decimated
including Lourdes Pharmacy, Snack Bar/bakery & art of the mixed occupancy at
the back portion of the building.14 In August of 1996, the Philippine National
Police headquarter was consumed by fire. The fire whose origin was initially
traced at the second floor of the PNP barracks along Meciano Road also gutted
other units of the PNP, such as the traffic command, the Narcotics Command
office, civil relation service office and including MIG and AFSLAI. There were
raised speculations and demand to have deeper investigation into the the real
cause of the fire in view of the fact that all documents, including some exhibits
and court evidence were destroyed.15

The occurrence of fires saga continuous into the new millennium as the
commercial centers experienced fires that changed the landscape of the
downtown area. On July 26, 2000, a fire which started at around 5:30 A.M.
burned the old commercial buildings of Ricky’s grocery store, Times Mercantile,
and Edzam Repair shop. Aside from the burned 10 million properties, the two
lives of the sisters Natalie and Ivy Acuña were lost. According to the only
survivor Ronnie Baldoza, a working baker from Ricky’s, the hot dog freezer had a
short circuit and caught fire. On that instance, the two sisters together with him
tried to fight the fire with a fire extinguisher. However, they could not anymore
contain the fire since highly flammable materials from the store fueled it. Right
on that moment, Ronnie escaped but the sisters were left behind since they
passed out after inhaling too much smoke. After the fire was over, the bodies of
the two sisters were burned beyond recognition. According to chief inspector
 7

Victor Vivares, they had difficulties in containing the fire because one of the fire
hydrants in front of the burned building was not functioning. Adding to that
problem, Vivares also said that the hose from the fire trucks bore holes thus
lowering the pressure of the water.16

On December 19, 2002, another fire occurred along Perdices Street just
beside the fire that occurred last 2002. This time the old and imposing Matiao
Building that housed Matiao Marketing and Zenco Footstep was gutted down by
fire caused by “electrical loose connection.” On March 31, 2005 , the last day of
the annual Fire prevention month celebration, Dumaguete was shocked by a fire
of unknown origin that almost gutted down the Fire Department because all the
neighboring government buildings adjacent to it were destroyed. They included
the City Prosecutor’s Office, Clerk of Court Office, Civil registrar’s Office, City
Health Office, and the eastern portion of the City Hall Building. By November 16,
2005, the big commercial building along the corner of Perdices and Locsin
Streets, which was just across the location of the earlier fires in 2002, had a
huge fire of undetermined origin. This fire incident gutted down Hassaram’s
Department Store, Sanco Commercial, and Tan Optical . On December 29, 2006,
the old building housing Hacienda Agrivet along Real Street was also destroyed
by fire caused by electrical short circuit.

The year 2007 really had a spike in fire occurrence in the commercial area
that would further change the urban landscape of Dumaguete. On January 15,
2007 at 3:37 A.M a massive fire along Perdices Street and Silliman Avenue
gutted down the Marciano Kho building which housed the Marjories Boutique and
Rosante Bar and Restaurant, and Soledad Flores building which housed Body
and Soul, a spa and massage parlor with an estimated damage to property
placed at P2.5 million. Rosante restaurant along Perdices Avenue was a popular
hangout among Silliman faculty and students for many years. Also razed were
Marjories' boutique and another snack bar beside it which was supposed to have
opened in two weeks.17 Three days after, on January 18, 2007, a Lotto outlet,
near the public market along Real Street caught fire. This fire was considered to
be the first arson incident of the year. Authorities declared that the primary
motive was a break-in robbery and the burning of the establishment was to
conceal possible traces. A few weeks later on February 10, 2007 along the same
street and with similar motives of concealing possible traces of robbery according
to authorities, a fire destroyed Winston Electronics shop which was a two storey
electronic shop. On July 29, 2007, fire destroyed the Botica sa Shell and two
clinics along the corner of Perdices and Colon streets. The irony of the incident
was the very fact that although it happened near the Dumaguete City Fire
Department and just across its “overhead tank at the public market”, the case
was left unsolved and was still labeled as caused by undetermined origin.18 The
following month, an adjacent building along Colon street caught fire on August
18, 2007 which destroyed the HVL Auto Parts and Negros Enterprises. The fire
 8

was allegedly caused by robbery with arson. By September 30, 2007, a fire of
undetermined origin affected Hi-Top News Mags and the receiving office of the
American Laundry Shop along the corner of Hibbard Avenue and Katada Street.
The following week, on October 4, 2007, fire wrecked the Universal Watch
Repair Shop along Pinili Street. The fire was viewed to be another “modus
operandi” of groups robbing on business establishments that had been giving
headaches to businessmen all over the the city. Two weeks later, on October 16,
2007, a big fire of undetermined origin hit commercial and residential buildings
along Perdices and Santa Rosa Streets. This estimated 4 million dawn
conflagration turned to ashes the 3-door Sarana Apartment, Globeel Videoke,
Fely’s Beauty Salon, Natasha, Pacifica Bodega, Colour Kingdom, Gensen Auto
Parts, Asian Lending, Standard Insurance, Leah’s Pawnshop, Maybelle Dental
Clinic, Harwing’s Surplus, Neg. Or. Hospital and Health Coop, “Tsibugan” sa Sta.
Rosa, Dr. Diga’s Clinic, and Ting-ting’s Rent-a-bike.

The year 2008 saw a respite of fire occurrence in the urban area of the
city. It was on Jan 7, 2009 that commercial buildings along Cervantes Streets
were gutted down due to an unattended wooden stove. The following year, on
January 4, 2010, a commercial building that was built after the fire in October
20, 1990 which housed the Ultra Vision Cinema and other shops along Real
Street, was severely destroyed by a fire caused by faulty electrical wiring. Last
year, a pre- valentine fire on February 13, 2011 gutted down the commercial
building housing Blowing Bubbles along Cervantes Street caused by faulty
electrical wiring.

Concluding Notes

Last September 21 – 22, 1990, PNHS in collaboration with the then

National Historical Institute and Polytechnic University of the Philippines
sponsored the 1st National Conference on Urban History at the PUP Main Campus
in Sta. Mesa, Manila. It was a pioneering venture because the theme “Cities in
Philippine History” focused exclusively on the urbanization process.
Subsequently, selected papers were published in 2000 and the issue was labeled
as volumes XXXVIII and XXXIX covering the years 1993 and 1994. In the preface
a challenge was made by the issue editors Drs. Camagay and Churchill that
“obviously, more studies are needed to document the process of urbanization in
the Philippines..”19 Indeed, this modest endeavor is a contribution on the study of
the built environment in the historical development of the city specifically on the
role of fire in the emerging cityscape.

Clearly, the narration of fire occurrences in the urban area of Dumaguete

offers a discourse that the cityscape is seethed by fire frequently, yet it
continues to prosper and businesses endure. Major investments and economic
activities such as industries, retail stores, and commercial buildings shatter into
 9

ashes and are either left unsolved or explained hanging by authorities in the
absence of sufficient devices for its investigation. However, the population in the
city continued to increase while productivity continued to support this growth
despite the frequent burning of many establishments. Henceforward, the
unceasing reconstruction will result to the change in the developed physical
environment.

Fundamentally, the urban fire history of Dumaguete confirms the earlier

observation of Greg Bankoff that fire as in the case of Manila “ not only
constituted a risk to body and property but was also a catalyst of change that
shaped the urban environment.”20 The ‘pyro-morphology’ or ‘the city being born
out of fire’ can also be applied to the city since in the last forty years, the
resulting successive reconstructions and rebuilding due to fire destruction
evolved a style of architecture and changing cityscape that fused the concepts of
space, design, and place in the context of the local environment. Consequently,
it is important to underscore the fact that a collection of photos to compare the
then and now of structures before and after the fire occurrence will offer
valuable understanding to the historical development of a specific area. The table
below will illustrate this discourse:

DATE ESTABLISHMENT BURNED LOCATION NEW CAUSE

ESTABLISHMENT
11/24/75 West City Elementary School Cervantes st. Same Unknown
Cor. Silliman Ave. & Leakage of
11/24/76 Flores Institute Rizal Blvd. Monkey Grill the hose
Alfonso XIII
07/14/77 Brotherhood Tailoring (Perdices) 143, Cellular Clinic Short Circuit
11/14/77 Opeña Building Katada Street Opeñas Matches
Cor. Independencia New Commercial
6/26/81 40 commercial buildings and Cervantes Sts establishments Unknown
Cor. Real & San
8/8/81 Florentina Hotel Jose Sts. UCPB Unknown
Cor. Colon & Real
4/7/ 82 Public Market Street New Public Market Unknown
Alfonso XIII St. Cigarette
10/28/84 Ang Tai Building (Perdices) CLC Butts
Commercial Establishment Colon, Urdaneta &
12/84 (Gobonseng Bldg) Mabini Sts. Mercury Drug Unknown
Angelo Chris and Dean Hua
4/3/85 Merchandise Real Street New Building Electric
9/30/85 Almar Hotel Rizal Avenue Same Electric
7/2/86 Mandarin Bake Shop Colon Street Same Electric
11/9/86 J.T. Tiong Bazaar, Amihan Disco Real & J.T. Tiong Bazaar, Unknown
Pub, Susing Balbacua and Independencia Sts. Lugawan sa
several eatery stalls, Junk Shop, Manga,New Const.,
tin pail fabricator & several Cebuana Lhuillier,
residential houses Pacifica Agrivet,
Prime Asia Lending,
 10

Julies Bakeshop,
Partosa Store, Cebu
CFI Bldg. (Guillamac
& STI), Big Foot
Const. & Supply,
Agencia Aqueda,
Superal Agrivet
& some 2-storey
residential bldg.

Perdices Memorial Coliseum

5/16/87 and Complex Capitol Area New Complex Unknown
Cor. Real & San
10/19/87 Singer Jose Sts. City Burger Unknown
1/10/88 CESLA Real Street New Bank Short Circuit
6/10/88 Crown Pharmacy Real Street YY Commercial Short Circuit
7/12/88 North Pole Restaurant Rizal Avenue New Building Unknown
Kar Kris, New York
Grill, Golden Roy's,
Kyosko and vacant
Victory Lodge, Ybañez Auto lot used for fresh
Parts, Cimafranca Welding flower stalls, DCS
Shop, Bakeshoppe & Residential Lending Corp,
buildings AgenciaBelen
12/13/88 Pinili Street Unknown
DU EK SAM Inc, Hi
Top Ent, Kinya
Beauty Parlor, Dgte
Hot Pandesal,
Chada, Fe Ton
Boutique, Tany
Radiator Repair
Shop, City Burger,
Enquisite
Lending/Fin Corp.,
Rhine Marketing,City Barber GAT Bldg, Sky Cable
Shop, Copra Bodega, Apple TV, Dgte. Review
Jeans Tailoring, Tany Radiator Center, Dgte
Repair Shop, Palomares Pawnshop, Grand
Radiator & Cable Shop, Lamp Pensione Hotel,
lighters, Badon Repair shop, Lodging House,
Dove Theater, Luzonians Alberto's Pizza,
Restaurant & several residential SG Bank, Raddi,
houses Real, San Jose & New Bldg, RCBC
10/20/90 Cervantes Sts. Electrical
V.Locsin and Ma. electrical
4/1/92 Gold Label Grocery Store Cristina St Mandaue Trading wiring
Bian Yek Commercial, Lourdes
Pharmacy, Snack Bar/bakery & New Bian Yek
art of the mixed occupancy at Commercial,
the back portion of Bian Yek Limquiaco Bldg,
01/24/94 Commercial Real St. Vintage Hotel Unknown
 11

08/96 PNP Headquarters V. Locsin St. Same Unknown

Uymatiao Trading
Commercial (Ricky's Bakery, Cor. Locsin & with different stall
07/26/00 Times Mercantile) Perdices St. lessors Electrical
12/19/02 Matiao Mktg., Zenco Footstep Perdices St. Mart 1 Electrical
City Prosecutor’s Office, Clerk
of Court Office, Civil
registrar’s Office, City Health
03/31/05 Office Colon st. Same Unknown
PO's Mktg., Check
11/16/05 Hassarams, Sanco, Tan Optical Dr. V. Locsin St. Inn Hotel Unknown
12/29/06 Hacienda Agrivet Epifanio Surban St. China Bank Electrical
Roberto's, Staple
Square, M. Lhuiller,
01/15/07 Rosante and Marjories Perdices St. Budget Meal unknown
1/18/07 Lotto Outlet Real St. Robbery
Imperial Appliance
02/10/07 Winston Electronics Real St Plaza Robbery
Cor. Colon-Perdices
07/29/07 Botica sa Shell Sts. Obdulia's Unknown
New Building under
08/18/07 HVL Auto Parts, Negros Ent. Colon St. construction Robbery
09/30/07 Hi-Top, American Laundry Hibbard Ave. same Unknown
10/4/07 Universal Watch Repair Pinili St. Commercial Bldg. Robbery
Yamaha Display
Center, Harwings,
Commercial (Globeel, Colour Chui Siao Dental
Kingdom, Harwings, Gensen Clinic, My Bee Way,
Auto Parts, Standard Insurance, Ines Cycle Ent., Ink
Beauty Parlor & residential Bee, Four WD
houses Cor. Perdices & Sta. Credit Corp, &
10/16/07 Rosa Sts. residential house Unknown
Unattended
wooden
07/7/09 Commercial Stalls Cervantes St. same stove
01/4/10 Ultra Vision Cinema Real St. none Electrical
02/13/11 Blowing Bubbles Cervantes St. Commercial spaces Electrical

Hence, it is important to note that fires though destructive has always

been recognized as an agent of morphological change. 21 It is responsible for the
changing cityscape and therefore must be accounted as an important source in
historiography. Finally, this paper aims to assemble events of urban fire with the
intention of working on the means of coping from the devastation by exploring
the response in the creation of the resulting built environment. Indeed the
compilation and assessment of published news materials and articles related to
city fires offers a discourse that illuminate a greater understanding on the forces
that changes a society, specifically the emerging cityscape. In Hegelian term, the
occurrences of fires and their role in shaping the emerging cityscape follows the
 12

concept Aufhebung wherein the apparent contradictory

of
implications of both preserving and changing, and
eventually advancement is demonstrated by the most basic
level of Hegel's system of logic. The two concepts of Being
as before the occurrence of fire and Nothing, pertaining to
the state of destruction after the fire are each both
preserved and changed through aufhebung or sublation in
the concept Becoming that relates to the present urban
landscape. Fundamentally, nothing is lost or destroyed but elevated up
and preserved as in a spiral that is constantly lifted up to a higher unity. 22 In a
sense, the fires that occurred in the urban area of Dumaguete City shaped and
influenced the current cityscape that continues to change as future fires will
cancel, keep, and elevate the emerging cityscape.

Endnotes

William Henry Scott, Slavery in the Spanish Philippines. (Manila: De La Salle

University Press, 1991) p. 11.
1
Loarca, “Relacion,” Emma H. Blair and James A. Robertson. (eds.) The Philippine Islands 1643-1803
(Cleveland: 1903) Vol. V, p. 47.

2
Licinio Ruiz , Sinopsis Histórica de la Provincia de san Nicolás de Tolentino de las Islas Filipinas de
la Orden de Agustinos Descalzos. Volumen I (Manila 1925) 133-144.
3
James F. Warren, “ A Tale of Two Centuries: The Globalisation of Maritime Raiding and Piracy in Southeast
Asia at the end of the Eighteenth and Twentieth Centuries.” Asia Research Institute Working Paper Series No. 2.
June (2003): 1.

4
Caridad A. Rodriguez, History of Dumaguete

5
Erecion de Pueblo, Isla de Negros, Leg. 109, No. 32, N.A. This is also found in Memorias de Negros Oriental,
1882, p. 395b. N.A. and Memorias de la Provincia de Negros, 1889, N.A.

6
Dean C. Worchester, The Philippine Islands and Their People (New York: The Macmillan Co., 1899), pp. 153-
155.

7
Caridad A. Rodriguez, History of Dumaguete p.10

8
Official Gazette, Vol. 44, No. 10, October 1948, p. 3710. A government publication containing Executive
Orders, Republic Acts, decisions of the Supreme Court, Manila, Philippines.

9
Negros Chronicle, Dumaguete city:1981,vol.IX, No.3

10
Negros Chronicle, Dumaguete city:1982,vol.IX, No.42

11
Lyndon M. Patrocino, interview with Mae Conception Tejano, Fire Department Office, Dumaguete City, 29
September 2008 and Danny M. Abad, interview with Mae Conception Tejano, Fire Department Office Dumaguete
City, 29 September 2008.

12
“Fire hits downtown,” Negros Chronicle XVII: 17 (21 October 1990): 1 – 13. This was taken from an
unpublished paper of Justin Bulado submitted to the researcher in 2008.

13
“Arson eyed in 6.5M pesos fire?” Negros Chronicle XVII: 17 (4 November 1990): 4.

14
Gallarde, Choy, “City to prioritize emergency tank,” Negros Chronicle XX: 20 (30 January 1994): 1 – 17.

15
“Ammos explode at PNP Fire,” Negros Chronicle XXXII: 54 (11 August 1996): 1 – 13

16
“Acuña sisters burned on Ricky’s fire”, Negros Chronicle XXVII: 8 (July 30, 2000): 1-15. This was taken from
an unpublished paper of Stanford Anthony Bihag submitted to the researcher in 2008.

17
Demecillo, Dens Rey T. “Around.” The Negros Chronicle. 17 Oct. 2007: p 17+. The Negros Chronicle Online.
Online. Internet. 29 Nov. 2008. This was taken from an unpublished paper of Jonah Denopol submitted to the
researcher in 2008.

18
Demecillo, Dens Rey T. “Pharmacy fire still an enigma.” The Negros Chronicle. 5 Aug 2007: p 10. The
Negros Chronicle Online. Online. Internet. 25 Nov. 2008.
19
Preface to the Journal of History vols XXXVIII & XXXIX, nos. 1 & 2, January to December 1993 – 1994.

20
Greg Bankoff, “A Tale of Two Cities: the Pyro-Seismic Morphology of Nineteenth Century Manila.” p. 184. The
author is deeply indebted to Dr. Bernardita Churchill who facilitated the retrieval of this document by requesting
Dr. Bankoff to email this excerpt.

21
Greg Bankoff, “Fire and Quake in the Construction of Old Manila, The Medieval History Journal. 10, 1 & 2,
(2007): 411 -427. Sage Publications, Los Angeles

22
Hegel, Georg Wilhelm Friedrich (1975). Lectures on the Philosophy of World History: Introduction, reason in
history (translated from the German edition of Johannes Hoffmeister from Hegel papers assembled by H. B.
Nisbet). (New York, NY: Cambridge University Press, 1975) pp. 131-138.