AS OUR column announced last week, we will give the overall coverage of the historical book of Ma. Fe Hernaez Romero which was also sponsored by the Negros Occidental Historical Commission (NOHC) entitled “Negros Occidental Between Two Foreign Powers.” As a brief introduction, this historic picture of Negros Occidental will be introduced in seven chapters.
To start with, Chapter One of the Romero publication covers the three main aspects of the “Prelude to Social Change” before 1888. The three parts of this chapter covers the history of the Province of Negros Occidental with the geographic setting of the whole Island.
Secondly, the beginnings of the Hispanization of Negros together with the rest of the country as led by the Spanish explorer, Ferdinand Magellan (March 16, 1521), various pre -Spanish cultural traits together with Spanish missionaries as agents of social, economic and spiritual change and other aspects of Hispanizations.
Also included in this chapter are the ancient geographic setting, pre-Spanish cultural traits, and progressive foreign entrepreneurship. Also notable results of the Spanish visits were more migrations arriving in Negros, the historic appearance of haciendas including some early problems. Also included here were a decade of “Social Change” (1888-1898), the social classes, the political structure, the educational system and the overall economic situation.
Chapter three of Romero's narrations covers the Filipino uprising against Spain and includes the causes of the “levantamiento” or revolution, prelude to the stirrings in the local scene and assault and victory by the Filipino uprising.
Notable here for the Negrenses was the historic “Cinco de Noviembre” uprising led by the Negrenses. Following this historic upheaval were efforts of various leaders and sectors to organize the new provisional government. Various aspects of this provisional government were the first Provincial Assembly, the takeover of the Negros Oriental, the Spanish friars after the revolution, the period of reconstruction in the whole Negros Island, the inauguration of the new government and early relations of Negrenses with the Malolos National leadership.
At this point of the Romero book, the Spanish befriended the coming arrival of the American forces which complicated the three way conflicts among the Filipinos, the remaining Spanish and the arrival and takeover of the American forces.
At this point, the history of the Philippines had developed into a three way conflict between the Filipinos, remaining Spanish and incoming American forces. At this point, the narrative of Romero assumed the overall power of the entire Philippine Island led by the Americans. The history of the Philippines at this point is taken over by the United States forces and eventual government. The coming decades of the Philippines will be under the control of the American Government until 1946.