Dogs in Philippine History

Did you know that two Dalmatians were witnesses to the beginnings of the Philippine revolution against Spain? Or that the country once had a celebrity Aspin?

Did you know that two Dalmatians were witnesses to the beginnings of the Philippine revolution against Spain? Or that the country once had a celebrity Aspin? 

In the recently published book Dogs in Philippine History, anthology professor Ian Alfonso chronicles different Filipinos’ interactions with dogs throughout history. For our Independence Day article, we wanted to highlight some of the dogs that have made a mark on the country and its people. 

Kabang, Zamboanga’s hero dog

Photo by Siege Yankey Papa 

A rescued Aspin-crossed German Shepherd, Kabang gained fame for saving the lives of two girls. While Dina Bunggal and her cousin Princess were about to cross the street along Zamboanga’s Nunez Extension, Kabang jumped in front of a motorcycle before it could hit the girls––unfortunately, losing her nose and upper jaw in the process. 

After getting surgery funded by donations from all over the world, Kabang lived a long life and passed in her sleep at 13 years of age. A statue was built in Zamboanga months later in her honor. 

Moltke and Bravo, Plaridel’s dogs 

As a leader in the Philippine revolution, Marcelo del Pilar (who wrote under the pen name Plaridel) exposed the atrocities that Spanish friars committed against Filipinos. Because of his influence, he is widely known as the Father of Philippine Journalism. 

And according to his daughter, Plaridel was often accompanied by his two dalmatians (Moltke and Bravo) during his propaganda activities in Bulacan. This could mean that Plaridel was the earliest known personality to own dalmatians in Philippine history. 

Usman, Rizal’s dog 

Image by Dogs in Philippine History

Before he grew up to be the country’s national hero, Jose Rizal had a black dog named Usman that he loved to take on long walks around his home. Some believe that if you look closely at images of Rizal’s execution, you can see Usman among the crowd, watching over his owner until Rizal’s last breath. At the Rizal shrine in Calamba Laguna, there’s a statue of a young Jose Rizal beside his faithful dog. 

Saver, wonder dog of Laguna 

Image by Dogs in Philippine History

Together with his rescuer June Lazarte, the white aspin was regularly featured on ABS-CBN’s Magandang Gabi Bayan to perform tricks. He also appeared in numerous TV commercials and movies from the 1990s to the 2000s. As one of the first celebrity Aspins, Saver is credited for bringing more appreciation for Aspins in Philippine society.

(cover image from Dogs in Philippine History's post about PHLPost's Philippine Historic Dogs stamp launch)

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