Filipino History in the Streets of San Francisco Part I

San Francisco is famous for its streets. There was even a popular TV series in the 1970s- Streets of San Francisco- featuring Michael Douglas and Karl Malden. Tourists and visitors cannot do without a walking tour or ride the cable cars and MUNI (i.e. the City’s public transport). The naming of street of San Francisco has a long history. The streets names are good bookmarks of our own historical and cultural literacy. Filipinos must feel proud that our Philippine and Filipino American histories are emplaced for posterity and continuing education. Filipinos, both those who are born in the US and in the Philippines, should engage in rediscovering and revisiting our past. The street folks and parliamentarian of the streets (i.e. euphemism for political rallyists, marchers and demonstrators) will always say that “Nasa kalsada ang daan sa kasaysayan.” (The way to our history is in the streets.) While old folks will always remind us that “Ang taong hindi marunong lumingon sa pinaggalingan ay hindi makakarating sa pinanggalingan” (One who doesn’t look back where he came from will not reach his destination.) According to Louis Loewenstein, the author of “Streets of San Francisco; The origins of Streets and Place Names”, there were four periods of naming activities of the streets of San Francisco; the first was associated with the earlier surveys, in 1839 and during the Gold Rush; the second, when patriotic names became fashion after the Civil War; the third, in 1909 a committee on street names was established to “bring sense of order to what become a chaotic process such as the mistakes of the use of alphabet and numbers; and finally the fourth, after the World War I, the city continued the naming of streets in recognition of the Spanish heritage. Although it is not defined period, recently street names have replaced the old Irish and English names. Did you know that South of Market is used to be referred to as “Irish Town” and “Greek Town”? The St. Patrick’s Church was by Irish Catholics established in 1850 and it is now predominantly Filipinos. However, the United Irish Society has continued celebrating St. Patrick’s Day. Some Irish street names were replaced by Filipino Names. BONIFACIO Street. On August 27, 1979, a portion of Shipley Street, an Irish name, was renamed after Andres Bonifacio, the founder and supremo of the nationalist and revolutionary society –Kataastaasang Kagalang-galang Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan or Katipunan for short. He founded Katipunan on July 7, 1892 and led the arm struggle against Spain, the colonizer of the Philippines for more than 333 years. The Cry of Pugad Lawin (also known as Balintawak) of 1896 spearheaded the armed uprising for Philippine Indeependence. However, Bonifacio, because of his involvement in the factional conflict between the Magdiwang and Magdalo branch of Katipunan, was arrested, tried and executed for “treason” under General Emilio Aguinaldo, a Magdalo leader. If you visit the corner of Lapu-Lapu and Bonifacio Street, you will notice the cemented sidewalk which is marked “Aguinaldo Street.” Whether this was done by mistake or with intention nobody could tell. LAPU-LAPU Street. The old street named after Lefty ‘ODoul, the left-handed batter Francis Joseph “Lefty” O’Doul, 1897-1963, from the San Francisco Seals, the 40s Pacific Coast minor league team, (A 44-year-old Irish sports/piano tavern and restaurant at 333 Geary at Powell named also after him) was replaced by Lapu-Lapu. Lapu-lapu was the mighty chief of Mactan (now part of the province of Cebu and an airport) responsible for the death of world renowned navigator Ferdinand Magellan on April 27, 1521. Yoyoy Villame popularized this important battle between Lapu-lapu and Magellan in his song Magelan. RIZAL Street. Jose Protacio Mercado Rizal is the Philippine most popular and loved national hero. He was a renaissance man – novelist, eye doctor, painter, poet, linguist, engineer, botanist, sportsman (fencing), traveler, historian, children book writer, propagandist, organizer, among others. His two books – Noli Me Tangere (1887) and El Filibusterismo (1891) – depicted the social and political situation under Spain in the late 19th century. Rizal was the primary mover of the reform and propaganda campaign, the seeds of Filipino nationalism. He was the inspiration of Bonifacio and the revolutionary forces against Spain that led to his arrest. He was executed at Bagumbayan, now the Rizal Park and Luneta, on December 30, 1896. The San Lorenzo Ruiz Center at 50 Rizal Street was formerly named Dimasalang House after the founder of the building –Caballero De Dimasalang. Dimasalang (Touch Me Not) was the Masonic name of Dr. Jose Rizal. Rizal first and only visit in San Francisco was in 1888 and he stayed at the luxurious Palace Hotel at 2 New Montgomery Street and Market Street. TANDANG SORA Street. Tandang Sora is Melchora Aquino, popularly known as the “Grand Old Woman of the Revolution” as well as the “Mother of the Katipunan.” She assisted the members of the Katipunan – acted as courier, provided food and safe houses, nursing the wounded, and together with other women they provided cover for the Katipunan’s secret activities. MABINI Street. Formerly Alice Street. Apolinario Mabini was known in the text book as the “Sublime Paralytic.” Others consider him as the “Brain of the Revolution.” He was one the Philippine national heroes endowed with brilliant mind. He was a statesman, philosopher, educator, who became the chief adviser of Emilio Aguinaldo during the probationary revolutionary government of the first Philippine Republic. The streets of Rizal, Mabini, Lapu-Lapu, Bonifacio, and Tandang Sora are located between 3rd and 4th streets and between Folsom and Harrison streets. This section of South of Market is referred to by ethno-tourism enthusiasts as the “Dimasalang Square” or “Philippine national heroes named-after streets.” It is a must-see destination among ethno-tourists. Did you know that Maiden Lane, a short and narrow street near Union Square across Stockton and Kearney Street was formerly named Manila Avenue? The street was renamed Manila Avenue in 1921 to extend the spirit represented by the Dewey Monument in Union Square commemorating the so-called US victory at the Battle of Manila Bay in 1898. Did you know that there are 101 street names “Manila,” 17 of which are in California? There are six street names “Rizal”- in Arroyo Grande (Zip 93420), Burlingame (94010), Delano (93215), San Francisco (94107), San Jose (95119), and Stockton (95206). There are five (5) Bonifacio Streets in California and one in New Jersey.