#pasig river

Doña Jeronima from Yellow Flower Falling is a character with multiple inspirations. For starters, she is a reimagining of the figure from Nick Joaquin's folklore-based short story: a woman who haunts the ambitious archbishop, reminding him of his unfulfilled vow. The original folkloric figure shows up older works: El Filibusterismo by Jose Rizal and Ninay by Pedro Paterno (though here, she's not physically present; her cave is just a setting in the story).

Beatrice the Golden Witch from Umineko When They Cry is cut from the same cloth as Nick Joaquin's Jeronima (I won't go any further for spoiler reasons). Then there's Chedeng from Mutya ng Pasig, a village songstress who drowns after being chased out by her husband after he wrongly suspects her of infidelity. She haunts both her husband and her daughter, who was born right before her death. All in all, Doña Jeronima is a very foreboding figure.

She makes herself known through yellow omens: flowers, butterflies, mushrooms, birds, light. This is taking a page from both The King in Yellow and One Hundred Years of Solitude - specifically, the yellow butterflies constantly following around the mechanic Mauricio Babilonia. Yellow butterflies show up in Encanto as recurring imagery; then there's the golden butterflies in Umineko. It all wraps around neatly in terms of imagery.

The imagery of a lost love vengefully haunting her surviving husband is something common with Nick Joaquin's Jeronima, Beatrice, and Chedeng. Doña Jeronima is a foreboding figure for the Obispos, always showing up in key moments of the family's history, specifically to each generation's family head - often named Modesto, after their ancestor who cursed them.

Doña Jeronima represents love. She is the Muse of the Pasig, just like Chedeng, and rules a Kingdom of Love like in the song. She is not the soft affection and blushing of high school crush; she is the claws and teeth of a forsaken love. Dragging you into the river, no escape, without mercy.

Once upon a time, there was a kingdom of love blossoming under the waters of a river.

People who lived above cried out: ”We are hungry! We are cold!”

The muse of the kingdom felt pity for these poor wretches. In her mercy, she turned them all into crocodiles, making them part of her kingdom. They lived underwater, and never knew suffering again.

Now, every time you see a crocodile weep, know that it is crying tears of joy.

—"Ang Alamat ng Buwaya" by Huseng Paksiw

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WHEN THE CROCODILES WEEP is a ttrpg inspired by the various myths surrounding the Pasig River. It tells the story of the Obispo family and their dealings with the Riverine Saint, Doña Jeronima. Parallel to this, the higher-existence saints debate with that same Jeronima in a metaphysical world known as the Retablo.

Follow the stories of:

Cesar, a political heir struggling to fill his father's shoes. His patron is Bernardo Carpio, Saint of Toil.

Malaya, an activist journalism student uncovering her family's dark secrets. Her patron is Flerida, Saint of Truth.

Kulas, a slacker musician challenged by Doña Jeronima to solve her riddles in the Retablo. His patron is Pilandok, Saint of Trickery.

Fely, a young but macabre bookworm regaining her memories as her patron Asuang, Saint of Damnation.

A sprawling keep of islands separated by the Pasig River and her tributaries, a tour of Manila would not be complete without touching on the bridges that spanned the city; and first on this list is the aptly named Puente Grande. 

Built in 1626 and opening in 1630, the  Puente Grande was an almost necessary undertaking by what was then still a developing Spanish colony. It’s importance was in connecting the districts of Binondo to the capital. 

One account by British politician and economist Sir John Bowring notes how extensively used the bridge was.

Binondo is really the most important and most opulent pueblo in the Philippines, and is the real commercial capital : two-thirds of the houses are substantially built of stone, brick and tiles, and about one-third are Indian wooden houses covered with the nipa palm. The place is full of business and activity. An average was lately taken of the carriages daily passing the principal thoroughfares. Over the Puente Grande (great bridge) their number was 1,256; through the largest square, Plaza de San Gabriel, 979; and through the main street, 915. On the Calzada, which is the great promenade of the capital, 499 carriages were counted. These accounted for the aristocracy of Manila. Sir Jonh Bowring

This account occurred in 1858, after the former governor of Hong Kong went on leave to mourn the death of his wife, it would be some time before the commercial district moved to Escolta, on the banks of the Pasig River (Escolta had become the commercial center during the time of the Americans). It should also be noted that the Calzada he mentions is the main street which is the street in front of the walled city crossing directly into the bridge. The Murillo Velarde Map (c. 1734) denotes these locations as well.  

interestingly enough, the Murillo Velarde map accurately shows the Puente Grande with 10 spans.  

It had served the populace for over two hundred years before finally being retired in 1863 resulting from a massive earthquake. Eventually reopening in 1875, where it was renamed Puente de Espana.