Holiday Hills, San Pedro, Laguna
Bayanihan News had the privilege of visiting the Salvador H. Laurel Museum and Library built on a hill in San Pedro, Laguna, prior to its inauguration a week later, the, the ninth death anniversary of the former vice president.
In an interview with Celia Diaz-Laurel, the statesman’s widow, said: “We have tried to preserve for posterity not only Doy’s memory, but also his burning desire to inflame the youth with a selfless love of country.”
The museum is ideally located in the family retreat house in Holiday Hills, San Pedro, Laguna, will be inaugurated with the re-launching of Nick Joaquin’s “Doy Laurel in Profile”, which was first published in 1985.
The SHLML is a 10-minute drive from the San Pedro exit on the South Luzon Express-way, on the hilltop and its immediate surrounding is a virtual tropical oasis planted to trees from Laurel’s native Batangas.
The visit of Bayanihan News was with the group of NCCA Executive Director Emelita V. Almosara, two former directors of the National Library, Dr. Serafin D. Quiason and Prudenciana Cruz, Laguna Board Member Neil Andrew Nocon, and a descendant of Jose Rizal, and others.
Mrs. Laurel gave permission for us to have a preview of the museum and library and the surrounding area, including the site where a chapel is planned. The SHLML not only commemorate the contribution of the late Vice-President Salvador H. Laurel but the legacy of the Laurel family.
The Laurels is one of the few noted families in the Philippines which contributed to the making of Philippines as a nation, from Sotero Laurel, a lawyer and justice of the peace who served as cabinet secretary of the interior of the General Emilio Aguinaldo revolutionary government and one of the signers of the Malolos Constitutions. His son, Jose P. Laurel, eminent jurist, legislator, administrator, writer, lawyer, statesman and educator became the second President of the Japanese occupied Philip-pines. His six sons (Jose B. Jr., Jose III, Sotero, Mariano, Salvador and Arsenio) distinguished themselves as public servants and their heirs continued their contribution to the Laurel legacy to the Philippines.
One interesting portion of the museum is the restoration of Doy Laurel’s office in Mandaluyong City, piece by piece transferred from the Laurel property on Shaw Boulevard to the present museum.
Currently featured in an hour-long tour of the museum is a historical documentary that Mrs Diaz-Laurel wrote and voiced: ‘From the roots of the first Laurel in the ancient kingdoms of the datus of Brunei all the way to Doy’s blossoming as a successful private lawyer, we see the Lord’s Guiding Hand.
The museum and library commemorates the zeal of Vice President Salvador H. Laurel to champion the cause of the poor and defenceless as legal aid lawyer to his first public officer as a senator. It known to everyone that Doy Laurel risked everything he had: his life and his family, even his lifelong hopes and dreams.’
lifelong hopes and dreams.
Visitors to the museum and library will be reminded that ‘In life as in death, Salvador H. Laurel’s spirit soared high in his quest to inspire the youth to the noble task of loving our country….’
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