CATARMAN: The province of Northern Samar commemorates the 350th death anniversary of Francisco Ignacio Alcina, SJ (1610-1674) for his efforts in compiling the most exhaustive compilations of Visayan history, culture, language, arts, and tradition.
Officials led on Tuesday the unveiling of the national historical markers of pioneering Visayas historians and the commemorative program in his honor in the historical town of Palapag, Northern Samar.
On Wednesday, the 2024 national conference on Alcina was held at the University of the Eastern Philippines (UEP) in this town, along with the launch of the national history month celebration and the Dekada ng Kasaysayan ng Pilipinas 2023-2033.
The conference’s theme, “Situating Alcina’s Role in Philippine Local History,” seeks to highlight the invaluable contribution of Francisco Ignacio Alcina’s pioneering work in the development of Philippine local historiography.
‘In the past, Visayan history was about political and administrative development. When his writings
came, our understanding of Philippine history expanded,’ Rolando Borrinaga of the Philippine National Historical Society said during a press briefing at the UEP campus here also on Wednesday.
His first writings appeared in 1969 and some in 1978-1982. It started coming out in the journal in 1994, bringing a lot of attention about history to Leyte and Samar provinces, Borrinaga said.
Spearheading the two-day activities are the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP), led by its new chairperson, Regalado Trota Jose Jr.
This is in partnership with the provincial government of Northern Samar, the local government unit of Palapag, the RAFI (Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc.), the Philippine National Historical Society, the Philippine Historical Association, and UEP.
Alcina was a Spanish Jesuit missionary and historian who was born on Feb. 2, 1610. Ordained in Cebu, he was assigned to the Visayas, where he served as a priest in various parishes across the archipelago, including Palapag town.
‘Alcin
a pioneered the foundation of Christianity. The connection between the past and present is very much alive with the vibrant practice of Christianity in Northern Samar,’ NHCP commissioner Eloisa de Castro said.
During his mission work in Palapag, he began to compile what would become one of the most exhaustive compilations of Visayan history, culture, language, arts, and tradition.
This compilation, later published as Alcina’s History of the BisaVisayas, remains one of the quintessential historical sources on the pre- and colonial period Visayas and paved the way for future generations of local historical research.
Alcina spent most of his time documenting the general information of the Visayas and its people, including language, arts, science, and their ancient traditions.
He died on July 31, 1674 in San Miguel, Manila.
Source: Philippines News Agency