Love Train: The Onward March of Freedom Oneshots

[Nightingale]

"People all over the world
Join hands
Start a love train, love train..."

"The people deserve the best future..."
-Ramon Magsaysay, 6th President of the Philippines, 1960

"'Solidarity' means sharing joy with the world whilst not forgetting our uniqueness..."
-Claro M. Recto, late Philippine Secretary of Education, Culture and Sports, 1959

"This should be the way of the world: that we unite in God whilst sharing love with everyone."
-Miriam Santiago, Former Philippine President, 1991

"Love always wins. Because the world was designed for love."
-Jovito Salonga, Democratic Presidential Candidate, 1980

"In freedom, we can always say this: yes we can!"
-Barack Obama, United States President, 2017

"Remember that if anyone speaks against another because of his race, gender, national origin, and religion, tell that person it's not what the moral universe exists for."
-Martin Luther King Jr., Civil Rights Advocate, 1969

"When God prevails, progress prevails."
-Hillary Clinton, Former United States President, 2015


Welcome to...

THE LOVE TRAIN

​

Here, oneshots or snippets from my timeline "The Onward March of Freedom", will be posted here. Life in-universe will be detailed in such oneshots, and I am hoping it will give more background to stuff that can't be focused on in the main TL thread. Soon, you'll see updates on this. Merry Christmas!

​

 

[Nightingale]

Soon, on Love Train:

 

[Nightingale]

Excerpt from

Democrats vs Nacionalistas– the differences between the two parties and their main policies
by Julia Demonstrado (on the Inquirer)
November 6, 2016

The Democrats' symbol is a blue tamaraw, while the Nacionalistas' is the green eagle.
​

As the Filipino people decide whether Democrat Francis Pangilinan vs. Nacionalista Sonny Angara, we're going to see the differences between the two parties and their policies.

The Democratic Party, 1946-present​

The Democratic party is the more fiscally progressive party, meaning it advocates larger government and higher taxes for higher earners.

The Nacionalista Party, 1907-present
​

However, the Nacionalista Party is not that far off from the Democrats on fiscal issues. However, it does favor more tax cuts and some economic deregulation, and hence, is the more conservative party.

On the following issues, Democrats and Nacionalistas are almost the same as each other:

• Gun control: Both consider gun ownership as a right, but favor gun control measures such as background checks, semi-automatic and automatic assault rifle bans.
• Voting: Ever since the Voting Rights Act (VRA) 1955, both consider voting as both a right and a responsibility. Voting IDs have been rendered moot since the VRA mandated the use of a national database for all voters to determine voter identity, which became much easier with the advent of advanced technology in the 1990s.
• Abortion: Both parties want to maintain the total abortion ban in the country.
• Sex: Both favor traditional marriage, and reject the usage of contraceptives by unmarried people. However, contraception is favor by both parties for married people as part of the nation's family planning program. Homosexuality is believed to be illegal by both parties but any assault against homosexuals is banned, and homosexuals go to treatment centers, but electroshock therapy has been banned since 1973, when all forms of torture were ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court [1].
• Government: Both favor a strong government to ensure a fair economy.
• Death penalty: Both are against the death penalty.
• Health care: Both favor the National Health System (NHS), a government insurance system connected to thousands of health centers across the country, established in 1948. However, the NHS still allows treatment from private providers that are regulated by the government [2].
• Civil rights: Both are avid supporters of civil rights regardless of race, sex, nationality and religion.
• Individual vs. Collective rights and responsibilities: Both favor a balance between the two, reflected in efforts to root out welfare fraud while preventing those who deserve welfare from losing their share.

HISTORY OF THE TWO PARTIES

However, the two parties had different ideologies when the country first became sovereign in 1946. That time, the Democratic Party was actually the more fiscally conservative party, while the Nacionalista Party was the more fiscally progressive party. In fact, Nacionalista Sergio Osmeña, the Fourth President of the Philippines, was the one who passed the National Health Care Act (NHCA) of 1949, and the majority of Nacionalista were in favor of the law. Meanwhile, the majority of Democrats at the time were against the law, a deed unthinkable for most Democrats today.

However, President Sergio Osmeña's failure to combat the Hukbalahap communist rebellion in the early 1950s discredited his brand of Nacionalista progressivism. From 1950, as the Nacionalistas lost power throughout the decade until 1956, moderate conservative Nacionalistas such as Diosdado Macapagal rapidly replaced Nacionalista progressives and finally managed to become a mostly moderately conservative party by the end of the 1950s.

On the Democratic side, Sergio Osmeña's victory in 1948 over the conservative Democrat Elpidio Quirino discredited that wing of the party, and the social democrats under President José Avelino, the Fifth President of the Philippines, took over the party, successfully transforming it into a progressive party from the 1950 midterm elections by successfully mounting primary challenges against conservative Democrats, as the Tamaraw Party won election after election until 1956 on the back of , making the Democrats almost purely progressive by 1956.

Oh well, change can be that rapid. So, that's basically how our country's politics evolved, and the fact is that Democrats are mainly progressive and Nacionalistas are mainly conservative (though not by much). Whichever party you prefer, though, progress would still be achieved in our country.

--------------------------

[1]. Edit: I've removed the changes to attitudes to homosexuality. Both are vehemently against it.
[2]. Single payer, but since the government is so extensive in building hospitals and health centers, it essentially becomes like the British NHS, though unlike the NHS, there is more freedom to have a private practitioner.

 

[Unknown]

Good update; a shame about the gay rights issue, but not every nation is perfect...

RIP to everyone who died in the mall fire in the Philippines...

 

[Nightingale]

Good update; a shame about the gay rights issue, but not every nation is perfect...

RIP to everyone who died in the mall fire in the Philippines...

My thoughts and wishes are with the families of the dead... though let's save the talk for Chat.

 

[BrentiusAtticus]

So the Philippines is not really progessive culturally ITTL. I wouldn't really fit in this Philippines if I lived there. Specially considering that I am an atheist.

 

[Nightingale]

So the Philippines is not really progressive culturally ITTL. I wouldn't really fit in this Philippines if I lived there. Specially considering that I am an atheist.

To clarify, while ATL PH Culture is conservative, respect is still given to atheists because of the Civil Rights Act of 1957. Hate speech and discrimination against atheists are banned.

 

[Simeon]

To clarify, while ATL PH Culture is conservative, respect is still given to atheists because of the Civil Rights Act of 1957. Hate speech and discrimination against atheists are banned.

So, how the debates about these would proceed? If it is not taboo already in the 70's to talk sexual life, and the later decades to talk about homosexuality, gay marriage will be popular by, at most, 2020's.

How conservative Philippines will be? so that I can already weight someone's strategy on remonstrating at the streets I'll bet it will be similar to OTL South Korea.

 

[Nightingale]

So, how the debates about these would proceed? If it is not taboo already in the 70's to talk sexual life, and the later decades to talk about homosexuality, gay marriage will be popular by, at most, 2020's.

How conservative Philippines will be? so that I can already weight someone's strategy on remonstrating at the streets I'll bet it will be similar to OTL South Korea.

Yeah, like South Korea. Gay marriage is illegal, but most political parties (both the supermajority of Democratic and Nacionalista Parties) and the overwhelming majority of society is against it, but freedom of speech is not curtailed. On that, though, expect an update in the future on the immensely strong influence of Catholics and Protestants (well they are the two largest groups in the Philippines) that successfully thwart such attempts to legalize it (I emphasize: no politicization of Christianity will happen that will erode religious or spiritual influence in Filipino Society, much like in South Korea).

 

[Nightingale]

This was already posted on the main "Onward March of Freedom" thread, but I just want to put this here because it's really cultural:
--------------------------------------------------

From the Philippine Star​

One Way the Philippines Surpassed the West - In Urban Planning
by Emily Guiterrez
June 11, 2016
​

In 1905, American architect Daniel Burnham described his plans for Manila:

"Possessing the bay of Naples, the winding river of Paris, and the canals of Venice, Manila has before it an opportunity unique in history of modern times, the opportunity to create a unified city equal to the greatest of the Western world with the unparalleled and priceless addition of a tropical setting."

And indeed it is today.

When the Infrastructure Renewal Act (IRA) passed in 1953, one of the provisions included was the renewal of Old Manila and its surrounding areas. As early as a month after the IRA passed, skilled architects were invited from the United States and Europe to build on Burnham's plans.

By 1960, the project was finished. The Philippines now had a city that went against urban sprawl and extreme pollution.

Today, Old Manila and the entire stretch of the Pasig River have canals, buildings, and bouleavards can be described as majestic, grand and vintage. It has good, landscaped parks, and when you view the area through windows, you get a view of pristine waters and lush trees meshed with the old buildings of the area. As Burnham stressed, "...Pasig River was like Paris' River Seine; Manila's esteros were like the canals of Venice; and Manila Bay was like the Bay of Naples."

When the environmentalist movement flourished from the 1970s, planting trees was even given greater priority. Also, pedestrian lanes, bike lanes, and later, bus rapid transit (BRT) lanes, was and is promoted to reduce car volume and keep the area clean. Maintenance is highly regarded and trash-throwing levies heavy penalties for violators.

Since talking about Old Manila easily evolves into talks about Manila Bay, Manila Bay was also cleaned. As Senator Manuel Roxas said, "What good is a clan river when it ends up in dirt?" By 2000, although Manila Bay is extensively used for shipping, its clear, blue nature had been maintained. Also, fishing in the area was banned since 1994.

All these were a result of competent urban planning, and, most of all, God's nature of blessing people to bring the best out of His creation.

Waterways along the Pasig River

You can imagine Old Manila to follow this design of good waterways, pristine waters, lush trees.

Manila Canals​

Manila Bay where Old Manila is.​

To cap this reply off, I'll use the Frank Sinatra's Moon River to help you visualize my descriptions. Best use Supergirl's cover here:

Moon river, wider than a mile
I'm crossin' you in style some day
Old dream maker, you heartbreaker
Wherever you're goin', I'm goin' your way
Two drifters, off to see the world
There's such a lot of world to see
We're after the same rainbow's end, waitin' 'round the bend
My huckleberry friend, Moon River, and me
Two drifters, off to see the world
There's such a lot of world to see
We're after the same rainbow's end, waitin' 'round the bend
My huckleberry friend, Moon River, and me​

 

[Nightingale]

Even this, too was already posted on the main thread, but I'd rather post them here. But since I've already made the update there, I won't remove them from the main thread, so there would be two copies of this update, one in the main thread, and one on "Love Train".

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Excerpt from

Joy, Laughter and Modesty: The Philippine Post-Sovereignty Culture
by Joey de Leon​

The current consensus amongst Filipino historians is that the Philippines' modern culture started after the Philippines became sovereign on July 4, 1946. Afterwards, the Philippines rose to become Southeast Asia's premier economic, political and military power, and with it came numerous changes to Philippine society.


FIERCE, METROPOLITAN, NEWLY RICH: THE PHILIPPINE POST-SOVEREIGNTY SOCIAL REVOLUTION

With the subsequent Philippine economic boom from 1947, which was halted from 1951 to 1952 but continued afterwards, a noted shift in Filipinos' way of thinking occurred. Massive increases in economic fortunes, the intensification of the Cold War, urbanization and the subsequent formation of suburbs outside major cities resulted in many things.

1950s Poster of Manila, signifying the rapid urbanization of the country during the decade​

The resulting expansion of industry, first in heavy industry, and then to light industry, marked the beginning of the decline of agriculture-centric thinking of many Filipinos. While farmers' living and working conditions were improved within the time period, moods about social reform and socioeconomic planning began to address the concern of workers across the country. This was exacerbated by the decline of elite agricultural businesspeople that coincided with the rise of the industrial elite, who surpassed the power of the agriculturists in terms of lobbying and policy-making.

Pro-Soldiers' Poster released by the Bureau of Veterans' Affairs (BVA) in 1958​

On the other hand, similar to trends across the United States, World War II themes became prevalent across large swathes of Filipino society. Stories of surviving soldiers became known across the country, and their struggles where immortalized for years to come. Soldiers became venerated as a result of the war. Hence, the Philippines established its own Bureau of Veterans' Affairs (BVA) in 1958, which was elevated to cabinet status 30 years later in 1988. It would handle health and welfare services for all military servicemen and veterans and their families.

Anti-Communist poster released in 1955, the height of the Red Scare​

Additionally, Cold War themes rose with the entrance of the 1950s Red Scare. With the Cold War between the Soviet Union and the West heating up, anti-communism and anti-socialism drives were unofficially made by the government and Philippine culture as a whole. This threatened the nascent rise of fiscal social democracy in the country, but the Democrats under President José Avelino and Vice President Ramon Magsaysay's fierce anti-communist credentials staved off that threat, much like how American Democrats under President Harry Truman and later American Democrats defended economic progressivism in their country by being fierce and successful fighters against communism in America.

This travel poster by Philippine Air Lines became an icon of the increasing consumerism of Philippine Society at the time.​

Meanwhile, as Filipino society became wealthier, consumerism began to settle into Filipino society. More and more Filipinos bought goods, appliances, cars and real estate in an ever-increasing rate. On the bright side, this result in greater consumer rights and massive profits and expansion for native and foreign companies that found the country's booming market lucrative. However, this resulted in slower growth in exports, less money for government services, increased obesity, and caused more pollution. It also led to some being reckless in their spending, a trend mitigated by the creation of a postal bank supplemental savings account provision for all Social Security holders. Most of all, it somewhat increased hostility among Filipinos by encouraging the accumulation of wealth and power as a display of social standing. This was also somewhat stymied by the country's religious nature, although such a problem still exists today, a sort of "keeping up with the Joneses" trend that popped up in the Philippines. However, since Filipinos became wealthier, less and less Filipinos turned to corruption and illegal activities to survive, something accelerated by the anti-corruption initiatives starting from the Avelino administration heavily cracking down on such practices. This would result in "rich versus poor" themes slowly declining by the end of the 1950s, and instead, middle-class struggles began to dominate the national discourse.

Subsequently, the rise in the Philippines' economic standing resulted in the championing of peoples' rags-to-riches stories in the 1950s. Many Filipinos would gain inspiration and advice from people such as Marion Sulayman, the founder of Kislap Corporation, the country's largest business conglomerate, producing products ranging from heavy industry, technology, smartphones, and other materials. He would also become a major born-again Christian speaker for many Filipinos and became part of the Fourth Great Awakening, participating in the movement alongside major Christian evangelists such as Billy Graham, Martin Luther King, Jr., and others. As such, the Philippines would host the largest evangelical Protestant population in Southeast Asia.

Other entrepreneurs include Henry Sy, the owner of SM Supermalls, the largest mall chain on the planet; Julia Gomez, the owner of Sulyap Industries, the largest heavy industry and weapons supporter in the country; Lorna Legarda, the owner of Bayanihan Consolidated, the largest real estate, telecommunications, and lending company in the country, and the mother of future President Loren Legarda. She would also become a prominent female born-again pastor and motivational speaker in the future; John Gokongwei, the founder of JG Summit Holdings. These people would be hailed as the Philippines' premier "young entrepreneurs" by the end of the 1950s. They would join with top dogs such as Ayala Corporation and others to collaborate with the government on massive socioeconomic projects, some of which last until the present day, such as the construction of the massive Metro Manila Subway from 1959, which was fitted with high-speed trains (HSTs) by 1981.

Changes in the religious affiliation of Filipino also played its part during this time. As the country, a large chunk of the country's population became non-practicing or non-religious. This trend was reversed in the 1970s, when the Fourth Great Awakening precipitated the rapid rise of evangelical Protestantism.

Finally, by the end of the 1950s, the rise of suburbia, the glut of jobs, the strengthening of government, financial and politicial institutions, the rapid rise in wages and living conditions and easier social mobility all contributed to the rise of the national ethos of the "Philippine Dream", in which freedom includes civil, political, economic and military empowerment for all people coming to the country in a society where religious, racial, gender, international, social and economic barriers to success are almost nonexistent. Ronald Guttierez clearly described the "Philippine Dream" with spiritual themes:

"Once oppressed by poverty from spiritiual to financial aspects, a person coming into the Philippines will automatically know that this opportunity is one given by God, and he or she will thank God for bringing him out from his worst situation to a land overflowing with faith, freedom and openness, a land where God will develop him and use Him for His greter glory, a land ready to accept the needy person with outstretched arms, a land ready to say to that person that he or she can reach their dreams and make an oustanding and positive difference to people around them."

These, indeed, were the case. Once upon a time, many Filipinos fled the country for better opportunities abroad. By the 1950s, they began to back.

A Philippine Airlines Poster in 1960, showcasing the optimism of the Filipino people at the time.​

------------------

This is Part I of the cultural changes that are happening during the period.

 

[Nightingale]

And this, too.

--------------------------------------------------

Excerpt from​

Joy, Laughter and Modesty: The Philippine Post-Sovereignty Culture
by Joey de Leon
​

Massive cultural shifts in the Filipino society led to profound chanes in how painters, writers, musicians, directors and actors did their work.

THE LANGUAGE WARS: THE NATIONAL LANGUAGE DEBATE IN THE 1950s

The Philippines has gone through numerous episodes of language wars over the course of its history. When the Spanish came, the Crown wanted to teach Spanish to all Filipinos, but priests balked at the plan, saying that it was easier to spread Catholicism by using the Filipino natives' tongues. Therefore, no national language was created for the Philippines during the Spanish era.

By the 1890s, the Katipuneros began to use Tagalog as their main tongue, and advocated that it should be the national language for all Filipinos. However, the Malolos Constitution said that Spanish should be the primary language until everything has been fixed.

By the time of the Americans, English became the primary medium of instruction in the country. This was because Americans wanted to teach English as the "language of freedom and democracy" and thought that English was a key to the United States' economic success. However, George Counts [1] said that the policy was not effective since learning in English meant Filipino students had to learn terms and concepts whilst being taught American examples in books and other materials, which meant that school materials were not attuned to the cultural background of Filipinos. He also said that students' performance were lower when English was used in teaching, even though Filipinos and Americans had equal abilities in Mathematics and Science.

By the Commonwealth Era, The 1935 Constitution enshrined Tagalog as the national language and English as one of the two official languages besides Tagalog. This left out non-Tagalog languages and their speakers from the national discourse [2]. Even after the Philippines became sovereign from the United States, many Filipinos still felt that the national language, which became "Pilipino" in 1959, was not inclusive of regional languages at all.

Finally, in the mid-1950s, the Hiligaynon Experiment was conducted to see whether learning is better if subjects used Hiligaynon in teaching instead of Tagalog or English. Results showed that it was far more effective in helping students learn. President José Avelino took notice of the experiment and ordered the Surian ng Wikang Pambansa to invest resources into the studies, and the policy of "mother tongue-based multilinggual learning" (MTB-MLE) rose to prominence, and the Philippines became a leading pioneer of the program in schools. As a result, many Filipinos were able to rise to top economic positions simply because their languages were now invited back into the national discourse. A Filipino was and is now able to succeed without fear that the use of his or her native tongue in schools and business would be out of place. A Filipino today can also learn Filipino and English easier by learning his or her native tongue first, meaning that MTB-MLE is a practice that has probably helped in giving many Filipinos voices in socioeconomic and political planning [3].

"POP UNIONS": THE RISE OF THE CREATIVE UNION MOVEMENT

Initially, films, books and other entertainment materials were made independently, but later on, film directors, producers, writers, actors and others would create unions that promote the interests of Filipino shows and readings across the country. Their efforts would largely be successful, as Filipino-made entertainment still dominate in shows today in the country. It would only take until the 1990s for foreign competition to be almost at par with Filipino shows in the country, and globalization helped foster film competition in the country, but these "pop unions", as President Laurel described, still hold considerable influence over the Filipino entertainment industry. As a result, other economic sectors would model their unionization effortson these "pop unions".

BAGONG PAGTINGIN: THE POST-SOVEREIGNTY PAINTING MOVEMENT

Fernando Amorsolo, the most prolific Philippine painter in the 20th century​

With the Philippine population beginning to live near the cities by the 1950s, many painters shifted their focus from painting countryside scenes to urban and suburban themes. Most notable of them was Fernando Amorsolo. Known to make some richly-painted countryside scenes, the most famous being the Palay Maiden, he went on to make the New Era masterpiece, which detailed the normal life of urban dwellers in Manila. It featured a bustling Manila that had finally risen out of the ashes of the Second World War and which finally had abundance after centuries of despair. Other painters such as Ang Kiukok, Victorio Edades and Fernando Zóbel de Ayala y Montojo followed suit [4].

The New Era painting by Fernando Amorsolo, 1950s

Ang Kiukok's painting, the New City Herald, featuring Manila in 1957​

"IKANTA MO!" ("SING IT") MOVEMENT: THE NEW POST-WAR POP MUSIC CULTURE

New music arose after sovereignty in 1946. The "Ikanta Mo!" movement was the term Representative Ramon Magsaysay came up with to describe the musical movement in 1948, in which numerous music genres penetrated the country's pop music culture. The first genre to become prominent in the country during the time was country music. This was the result of former country singers heading into the more culturally and musically diverse cities, in which they were able to expand their audiences. Singers such as Eulogio Garcia and Jose Martinez became reknowned with their songs "Araw sa Gabi" and "Dimagibang Palasyo" and their Albums such as "Dinggin sa Ilang", songs that celebrate the country's still-predominantly rural culture while heralding the coming of a new era of industrialization and wealth. The second group of music genres to become popular was R&B, rockabilly and early rock and roll, which would become popular until the 1970s. The most famous band that performed in the three genres were The Young Dons, a group which began its popularity in 1953 with their single "Let Love Succeed", a song about cultural diversity, which became a massive hit in urban areas, and "Mamatay Para Sa Iyo", a love song, which was both popular in both the countryside and in urban areas, especially to those well-versed in Filipino. Jazz would als become successful, with Alfonso Perez becoming the "Philippine King of Jazz" from his album "Malumanay" in 1954. Gospel music would aslo become more pronounced, but would only rise to prominence along with Soul Music by the 1970s.

The Young Dons, an R&B, rockabilly and early rock and roll​

Much of the pop music movement was centered in Manila, but it began spreading to other large cities such as Cebu, Angeles, Davao, Baguio and nearby Antipolo.

"GILING": THE 1950S DANCE MOVEMENT

Dance culture in the Philippines followed the music trends of the 1950s. As a result, many began experimenting with the usage of Filipino folk dances for songs coming from the "Ikanta Mo!" movement. For example, dances such as Cariñosa and Tinikling (without the bamboo pipes) were fixed to the rhythm and sound of songs such as The Young Dons' "Let Love Succeed" and "Dinggin sa Ilang" by the famous dance troupe "The Happy Sisters" in the 1950s. This trend gave way to later genres of hip hop in the country.

The Happy Sisters, the most famous dance troupe in the Philippines from the 1950s until the 1970s​

REFORM AND SUCCESS: THE POST-SOVEREIGNTY LITERATURE MOVEMENT

As Filipinos became wealthier in the 1950s, more and more read books, and writers began to shift to contemporary genres of social reform and rags-to-riches success at the time. On social reform, the first such bestseller was "Matanaw" by Joe Arcilla. The book details how a 15-year old Lumad teen and his 13-year old sister began to fight for the native land they and their tribe have lived on for hundreds of years. It delves intwo how the two young activists fight for their tribe's property rights, which culminates in their success as housing and property reforms were enacted in the late 1950s. Another book was "Relasyong Madilim" by Fanny Ramos, which tells the story of an investigative journalist dating a young, corrupt politician. The woman becomes confused whether to put her love for the man or her desire to bring down corruption in the government first. In the end, she writes indirect letters that give encouraging lessons to the corrupt government official, and the man confesses to her. She then helps him recover and rise while in jail and beyond. These books intensified the drive to root out corruption in all public and private institutions in the country.

Stories of poor people who made a positive impact on Filipino society also dominated the bookshelves at the time. Books of life stroies of entrepreneurs such as Marion Sulayman, Henry Sy, Lorna Legarda, Julia Gomez, John Gokongwei and the Ayala family would be frequently sold out by the 1960s, and their stories would also inspire people across the world. Social reformers such as President Sergio Osmeña, José Avelino and President Ramon Magsaysay would also find themselves on the covers of Time Magazine for the work in lifting the Filipino nation from the ruins of the Second World War.

However, another genre rose by the late 1950s and into the early 1960s: the superhero genre. By this time, people were beginning to look for alternatives to the mainstream rags-to-riches and social reform stories from the 1940s and early and mid-1950s. During this time, many superhero characters emerged.

Darna, the most renowned Filipino superheroine​

The first was Darna. Made by comic book cartoonists and writers Mars Ravelo and Nestor Redondo, Darna was actually a girl named Narda who was given powers by an alien to just say the word "Darna!" and turn into the female warrior who has the powers of the alien's race, with superstrength, some superspeed, flight, a "hankerchief of truth", a sword and a shield. She would eventually be acknowledged as the Philippines' first superheroine. Darna's logo became iconic across the country as a symbol of power, justice and freedom and a force for hope in/and change. Achieving one million sales by 1960, Darna became so popular that it was included in the Armed Forces of the Philippines' (AFP) list of essential materials for soldiers.

Darna's logo would become as iconic to Filipinos as Superman's logo is to the United States.
​

Eventually, other characters appeared and became famous. Captain Crimson, also by Ravelo and Redondo, became famous in 1961 for his backstory as a Filipino astronaut named Robert, forshadowing the Philippines' major role in the Space Race in the future. Robert was sent by the then-fictional Philippine Aeronautical and Space Administration (PASA) on a mission as the first Filipino to go to space. However, during the mission, his spaceship gets bombarded by dark matter and other materials from the Sun, apparently destroying it and killing him in the process. However, he miraculously survives the crash and gains powers as a superhero with superstrength, ability to gain strength from radiation, superintelligence, super-senses. However, he has a weakness to lead.

Captain Crimson sketch from Eagle Entertainment​

Other superheroes also emerged. Fleximan is the name of a superhero who can stretch his body in all directions. Eagleman is an independent Senator whose family was killed by his political opponents and who used his experience to become a much more progressive Senator at day and a humane gadget-laden acrobatic superhero at night. Ms. Electron can shrink herself to the size of an electron, and was later named Quarkwoman, as she was later to shrink to the size of a quark. More heroes appeared in the 1960s.

The first comic book cover featuring Darna and Wonder Woman, June 24, 1998. This is the first crossover of Eagle Entertainment and DC Comics franchises.​

The creators of these superheroes decided to merge their characters into one group, named The Star Legion through the Eagle Entertainment. Later on, they would be involved with crossovers with the DC and Marvel comic book characters. The latter two would make a three-way deal with Eagle Entertainment in 1998 to collaborate and allow representation of The Star Legion as the Avengers' and the Justice League's affiliate in the Philippines. Then-President Hillary Clinton (D-NY), an avid comic book reader and cast in the DC and Marvel Cinematic Universes, made an analogy describing this deal in 2013: "If the Democrats have the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party in Minnesota, perhaps the Justice League and Avengers' have their Philippine representatives in The Star Legion."


Other comics would also appear. For example, Pilipino Comics is now the most popular non-superhero comic book series in the Philippines [5]. Characters such as Bondying, a large baby, and others, proved to be successful as non-superhero stories.

Pilipino Comics cover featuring Bondying, a large baby character​

BOX OFFICE SUCCESS: THE EMERGENCE OF THE MODERN FILIPINO FILM AND TV INDUSTRY

Developments in film would also follow developments in literature, as themes of hard-worked success and social reform dominated the box office. Meanwhile, in TV, ABS-CBN and GMA Network dominated TV in the 1950s. The two networks, which would later be joined by TV5 and other smaller networks, would be intense competitors for viewers with their shows. On the other hand, the Philippine Public Broadcasting System (PPBS), established in 1955, would also rise to be a good competitor for the two TV networks by the late 1960s.

For famous films, the list included "Sa Baybayin" by Hermogenes Mendoza, which lambasts criminal syndicates and corrupt officials from both the Nacionalista and Democratic Parties, became a hit in 1957. Another film, "13 Years", detailed how a poor man became a businessman helping people rise out of poverty and refuse to accept corruption in all areas of Filipino society. TV Shows such as "Hari ng Tondo" and "Bukas ang Pinto" also talk about social reform and rags-tor-riches stories, respectively.

Darna's first TV Show appearance in 1961.​

Meanwhile, in TV show, comic book adaptions would be dominant. Darna would get her first TV show in 1961, Mr. Crimson would get his own show 1965. The two shows kickstarted the comic book adapation shows from the 1960s. By 1966, Darna would get her first film, which would be critically acclaimed and would play a part in the nascent womens rights movement in the country.

"BUKANG-LIWAYWAY": THE EXPANSION OF THE PHILIPPINE MAGAZINE AND NEWSPAPER INDUSTRY

Liwayway Magazine, 1953​

Magazines also expanded their audiences in the 1950s. Established lines such as Liwayway, Kislap, Prime and others would foster intense competition on magazine sales in all genres, whether it be lifestyle, food, business, travel and many more. Usually, the center of these so-called Magazine Wars was and is in Metro Manila, but other major cities would also experience such wars as magazine companies established bases in those areas, mainly in Cebu City.

Newspapers would also gain audiences as the country's population became more literate. Newspapers such as the Manila Bulletinand The Manila Times would then tailor their mediun of printing to Filipino and English to cater to Filipinos not attuned to English.

NOSTALGIA: THE PHILIPPINE'S ARCHITECTURE AND URBAN PLANNING IN THE POST-SOVEREIGNTY YEARS

The subsequent planning and renovation of Old Manila according to late architect Daniel Burnham's vision of Old Manila "possessing the bay of Naples, the winding river of Paris, and the canals of Venice" led to massive constructions of neoclassical, Victorian, Queen Anne-style and Edwardian Baroque public buildings across the country.

Batasang Pambansa building in Edwardian Baroque style​

For example, the Batasang Pambansa Building was made in Edwardian Baroque style from 1956 to 1958 as a new meeting place for the House of Representatives. Meanwhile, the Chamber of Progress, the meeting place of the Senate, was made in Queen Anne-style.

Chamber of Progress, the meeting place of the Senate, in Queen Anne style​

Buildings such as the Supreme Court building were made in neoclassical style.

The Supreme Court Building in neoclassical stle​

On the other hand, buildings such as the Quezon City Hall were made in Victorian style.

Quezon City hall in Victorian style​

Sidewalk designs would be uniformly desgined in neoclassical style, similar to sidewalks some may find at Champs-Élysées in Paris or at Red Square in Moscow. Lights, trees and public transport stations, waiting sheds and other infrastructure would be made in these vintage styles.

Neoclassical style is used for all public Philippine sidewalks.​

However, modern designs would still rise to prominence from the 1960s and 1970s. As a result, cities in the Philippines became a "melting-pot of architectural eras", as Iraqi-American Architect Zaha Hadid said in 2017. Usually, private buildings would host modern designs, while government buildings, save for new schools, sports centers, airports and hospitals, would host vintage designs.

Modern-design buildings are still present even with the mostly vintage designs of the government for much of its designs.​

------------------------------------


[1]. Link is this: http://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/pdfplus/10.1086/455838

[2]. Link is this: https://www.gse.upenn.edu/wpel/sites/gse.upenn.edu.wpel/files/Dawe(29)1.pdf

[3]. Link to #3 proves this.

[4]. The "Amorsolo" painting is actually from Cesar Buenaventura IOTL, and the "Ang Kiukok" painting from the Mabini movement stuff IOTL, but are made by different painters ITTL due to butterflies.

[5]. What Archie is to the US, Pilipino Comics is to the Philippines.

 

[Nightingale]

And, soon, on "Love Train":

 

[Nightingale]

Excerpt from
​

Juggernaut: The Rise of Philippine Sport​

by Daniel Freud​

By the 1960s, the Philippines was already the wealthiest Asian country, surpassing other economic stars such as Japan in GDP per capita and human development. Therefore, it was finally ready to showcase its splendor to the world, and indeed, they got their chance in 1959, when Manila was narrowly selected over Tokyo to host the 1964 Summer Olympics.

​

Soon afterwards, a massive sports traning drive spread to hone the best athletes. On June 14, 1959, Congress unanimously passed the Sports Training and Athletic Development Act (STADA), which invested $200 million dollars, and a minimum of 0.5% of gross national product (GDP) on sports training afterwards. It also upheld fair sports and rejected doping, match fixing, and other illegal sports practices.

It also gave much funds to talent-searching in the Philippines. The Talents and Abilities Authority (TBA) was established to search the country for potential athletes, especially in far-flung areas. STADA also established unified "sports scholarships" for talented athletes in each school, inviting them to join the national team. Each school and each major city developed their own sports teams, and by 1980, the sports culture of the Philippines was born, in which major schools and cities battle for trophies, similar to the Super Bowl series, the National Basketball Association (NBA) series and other major sports events in the United States, raking in huge amounts of money and attention while subsequently developing athletes' talents. The star players would then represent the Philippines in the Olympics and other international and regional sports events.

The act also extended to some Winter Olympics sports that the Philippines can compete in, such as skating and hockey. Other sports, such as skiing, snowboarding and others, were off-limits, given the country's tropical nature.

Logo of the 1964 Summer Olympics​

The 1964 Summer Olympics finally came, and was held from April 11 to April 30, 1964, opened by President Ramon Ma. Finally, the splendor of the post-war Philippines and its momentous rise out of the ashes of World War II. The Philippines had risen and become Eastern Asia's crown jewel, the crown jewel of all of Asia, its most influential nation. The democratic nature of the country was also established, and the message of a free, prosperous Filipino was what was in everyone's minds. Alas, no one could ever mock the Philippines ever again as a low-life country.

Track-and-fielder Jose Carina completes the Torch Relay and lights the Olympic Cauldron, April 11, 1964

President Ramon Magsaysay opening the Summer Olympics, April 11, 1964

Fireworks at the Closing Ceremony of the 1964 Summer Olympics at the Mabuhay Stadium, April 11, 1964​

The efforts during the past five years or so proved to have succeeded, as the Philippines ranked third in both the gold medal and overall medal tally, gaining 20 gold medals and 55 overall medals. From then on, the Philippines never fell out of the top 10 in the Olympics, and frequently topped other sports events. The Summer Olympics ended what was a spectacular display of Philippine power, and most of all, in President Ramon Magsaysay's words, "the power of God".

Gilas Pilipinas, the two-time FIBA victors in 2010 and 2014, and the Philippine Azkals, the two-time FIBA victors in 2010 and 2014.
They are just two of many national teams that have won many victories and fought hard battles for the Philippine nation.​

The Olympics returned to Manila in 2012, when the Philippines ranked third in the Olympics once more. The country also topped other regional events such as the Southeast Asian Games, and other worldwide events, such as FIFA, FIBA and others, and the nation became a major player in world sports, its brand of athleticism spreading to neighboring countries.

-----------------------------------------

P.S. Here are the alternate Summer Olympic venues in "Onward March of Freedom":

1948: London (as IOTL)
1952: Amsterdam, Netherlands
1956: Buenos Aires, Argentina
1960: Budapest, Hungary
1964: Manila, Philippines
1968: Tokyo, Japan
1972: Stockholm, Sweden
1976: Montreal, Canada (as IOTL)
1980: Moscow, Soviet Union
1984: New York City, United States
1988: Seoul, Korea
1992: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
1996: Athens, Greece
2000: Belgrade, Yugoslavia
2004: Tel Aviv, Israel
2008: Beijing, China (as IOTL)
2012: Manila, Philippines
2016: Metropolis, United States
2020: Tokyo, Japan (as IOTL)

Alternate Winter Olympic venues:

1952: Oslo, Norway
1956: Cortina, Italy (as IOTL)
1960: Helsinki, Finland
1964: Innsbruck, Austria (as IOTL)
1968: Calgary, Canada
1972: Grenoble, France
1976: Kabul, Afghanistan
1980: Sapporo, Japan
1984: Middleton, United States
1988: Pyongyang, Korea
1992: Vancouver, Canada
1994: Urumqi, China
1998: Nagano, Japan
2002: Vladivostok, Soviet Union
2006: Erzuzum, Turkey
2010: Kathmandu, Nepal
2014: Midvale, United States
2018: Turin, Italy

 

[Nightingale]

P.S. I have edited the portion on first update on the Dems' and Nats' stance on homosexuality. On why I retconned it, I realized my outlined events in my TL would not guarantee the stuff I previously put there, and you'll see when we get into the 1960s and 1970s.

 

[SRJS]

P.S. I have edited the portion on first update on the Dems' and Nats' stance on homosexuality. On why I retconned it, I realized my outlined events in my TL would not guarantee the stuff I previously put there, and you'll see when we get into the 1960s and 1970s.

Okay.

 

[Nightingale]

Okay.

Thanks for understanding. Trust me, the TL will get more interesting