Chapter 4: Strengthening the Empire(1)
John: This idea i came up was just last night, How about I'll decide in your positions if it's ok for you guys.
"Don't worry we trust you, we know you".
John: Ok now i will discuss to you the plan, so the Departments that will be available for the meantime.
*Department of Education
*Department of Health
*Department of Public Works and Highways
*Department of War(department of national defense)
*Department of finance
*Department of Science and Technology
*Department of Agriculture
John: But we lack in personnels so i came up with the idea of combining departments who mostly related to them.
And the Departments that will be combined in Department of agriculture are:
*Department of agrarian reform
• Department of Environment and natural Resources
Departments under the department of public works and highways
• Department Human settlements and urban development.
• Department of Transportation.
Department that is under the Department of Finance
•Bureau of internal Revenue
Department that under the Department of Science and Technology
*Department of Health
Alberto's thought: it looks very stressful work from now on i hope I won't be appointed in a difficult position.
and Alberto replies with worried reaction.
Alberto: I see so decide what position we fit
John put his hands in his chin and look at each of them.
20 minutes later.
Agustin: John it's ok we can think of it later
Alberto: He's right
And John has decided
John: I've Decided your positions, but I've discovered something convenient.
Then John called the system and Types a message.
John: System...(Typing)
Jamine: What are you doing?
Then a message popped up to everyone and received a message.
System:
Message from user - John Mark Fernandez
(Message:
*Department of Education
-Manuel Enrique
*Department of Public Works and Highways
-Jasmine Bautista
-Arnel Morales
*Department of War(department of national defense)
-Alberto Enrique
*Department of finance
-James De Guzman
*Department of Science and Technology
-Agustin Villanueva
*Department of Agriculture
-Daniel De Leon
)
Everyone was surprised by the System's function.
Jasmine: Wait you can use chat messages through system??
John: Yes i discovered it yesterday and you can make a calls and Video calls, when the time has come we can still talk to each other while we're apart.
Jasmine was amazed.
Jasmine: I can't believe that it can use this functions without using satellites...
Everyone was silenced by Jasmine's words.
Agustin: I think everyone knows what I'm thinking right?
Alberto: Yes...
John: The fact that it is a technology and can use features that can only becused using advanced technology means..
Agustin: That means someone is watching us.
John: Exactly...
Everyone was serious and worried.
John: And we don't know who created or owned this technology System, Maybe a Person, maybe a group... or maybe a country.
Everyone was worried.
Alberto: Ah shit here we go again with a country shit..
Manuel: If it's china again we're done for.
John smiles and replies.
John: What's with the worries? if the owner of this System was an enemy we're done long ago, but as you can see we're alive and the fact that we're alive it means that the owner of this system was trying to help us and giving us a chance.
Everyone was relieved by John's words.
John: This is our second chance to prevent what happened to us and to our brothers who suffered because of the invaders...
All we have to do now is not to worry but to do all what we can and what we're capable for this land...
Daniel: He's right if the creator or the owner of the system means to harms us we won't be here talking to each other.
John: Now go out and get your own subordinates while the other tribes men are here, and teach them .
After the gathering John called the Department of Public works and Highways.
John: Arnel and Jasmine i need you to make our place to stay and offices for each departments please make a plan.
Arnel: It's hard to tell when will we can make that plan, we don't knoww howw long it will take after the agriculture.
John: Hmmm
Arnel: I will leave it to Jasmine and I'll examine the plan if i have a time, Jasmine.
Then Jasmine step up to the conversation.
Jasmine: I'll take the responsibility.
John Smiled.
John: Let's take a stroll and talk about the plan.
Then they walk away, as they walk away a man with muscular appearance chased them.
"Wait Leader! wait for me!".
John and Jasmine heard this and stopped.
"Leader ".
The muscular guy kneeled in front of him in respect.
" Greatings Leader... I'm the one you fought earlier and as the one that got defeated it's an honor to ask you to give me a new name".
John ask him a question.
John: Oh! you're the strong guys earlier, what is your previous name?
"They call me *Batong bakal*(Stone iron) because of my appearance and power in battle, I'm the second strongest in all tribes".
John: Hmm.. batong bakal...
John thinking of a better name for him while his hands under his chin.
John: I'll give you a name... your name will be "Luis" it means Glory and Warrior.
"Woah! what a glorious and meaningful name!".
John: Protect our empire Luis...
Luis: Thank you your Majesty! i will be loyal to you , me and my blood line will serve you and your blood line, Let's have a blood pact your Majesty...
John: There's no need for that i trust you Luis, go now and find Alberto he is the Minister of war...
Luiz: Yes your Majesty!
An hour later
John and Jasmine taking a stroll.
John: So what do you think?
Jasmine: i think this is the right spot to build a palace made of wood.
John: Hmm...
Jasmine: And it would be beautiful if we make a Maria Clara style or the houses in era of spanish colonization.
John: Hmm that would fit the era.
Jasmine: it's just a temporary...
John: Ok make a plan.
Jasmine: Yeah it's pretty convenient you can draw in system and system give you a paper out of nowhere...
John: it has a map, ok see you tomorrow...
Then John headed to daniel and Agustin.
John: How is it going?
Daniel: Everything is fine .
Agustin: We have sent our miners to get more lime stones to make cements.
John: How about the farmlands?
Daniel: Everything is going according to our plan, we have enough food.
John: Very good keep the good work.
One week later.
January 9, 1450
Puerto Prinsesa, Palawan
Each Department Heads are gathered and John looked at the construction of the supposed to be their temporary Palace and Offices.
John: This place now is lively.
Daniel: Woah! it's massive! I hope it won't empty our Treasuries I'm sure we need to give them salaries.
Jasmine: That won't be a problem.
Arnel: Yeah it won't be a problem, when we hire them Last week they refused to be paid with silvers...
One week ago.
January 2, 1450
*An announcement written in different script and written in papers that sticked in the walls*
The citizens reading it.
"Departments?".
"They are hiring laborers".
Then they approach a man in a table under the poster.
"Sir what will we receive in exchange?".
"silvers and bronze".
"What we need is food, if you don't give us food we won't do what you want".
"We are contented with food, anymore than food is greed".
"yeah he's right!".
*Current time*
John: This is bad the future historians will see us as dictators...
Arnel: Yes the problem is that they are too kind and too much benevolent.
John: So even in this era we Filipino's have that kind of mentality, even before the our national heroes appeared in history and even before the great sayings...
Jasmine: That's right.
John: But still too much is not good either this is why we're being colonized, we need to educate them but before we do that we need to strengthen the throne first then we educate them.
What they need is a dream we just have to give them, once power solidified we'll focus on department of education and each departments secretaries won't have to teach and have their own students.
Jasmine: Yeah everyone back in the future has a dreams but the country's system was rotten.
John nodded.
John: Yeah so what we're doing is to make a country for them to fulfill their dreams and live happily and especially a very strong country, so they won't experience the same tragedy again.
*Tribes men behind them are wondering what's the meaning behind Johns words.*
One month later.
February 9, 1450
*A large palace made out of wood painted in white and the woods inside was varnished*
Everyone was gathered in front of the palace.
The prodigies we're surprised by Jasmine, Arnel and Agustin's work.
Daniel: How is this even possible in this era??
The three of them are very proud because of Daniel's amazement while their nose growing longer.
John: It's like a replica of Malacañang Palace.
Jasmine: Heh! it's too early to be amazed! hahahaha.
Alberto: Its way too fast for a palace to be built in a mere month there is no way!
Daniel: Right? you see what i mean? even in modern Philippines it'll take a year! its impossible.
Jasmine: Its because the modern Philippines back in the future was corrupt, they delayed works so much so that they can squeeze the budget and get more money by requesting for another money, but now there's no corruption.
John: It happens to all country not just us...
Daniel: So this is the work without corruption? it's unbelievable how you managed it.
Arnel: Let's head inside the palace
The three of them lead the way for the rest of them.
John: It's varnished and painted!
James: What in a world are you guys doing? This is a great achievement for Department of Public Works and Highways!
Jasmine: Actually it's not us that made this beautiful...
Agustin clears his throat loudly while his nose growing longer.
Agustin: Ahem!
Arnel: Without Agustin's help we couldn't make it.
Smirks and clears his throat again.
Agustin: Ahem!
And everyone stares at him.
Agustin replies nonchalantly.
Agustin: It's too early to be surprised.
They toured them until the throne room.
*Throne Room*
Arnel: This will be the throne room John
Everyone gazed around them and what they saw was a seven steps stair to the throne, and a glass windows in different colors.
Alberto: It's a combination of medieval palace and Malacañang palace this is an art!
Agustin: You praise me too much it's not like i made it my self.
John: Being modest huh that's not like you.
Agustin: Well it's hard to have just a pair of artisans in my department , with the help of science it's easier to make a glass and other stuff but for majority of tribes men the knowledge about glas is still a mystery.
John: Ok let's have a seat.
John sat on the Throne and everyone sat on the chairs in left and right of the throne facing each other.
John: Is everyone comfortable?
Manuel: It's a nostalgic scene, i remember the days when the president casually summons me at the palace.
After a minute.
John: Let's hear your reports.
Then Daniel spoke.
Daniel: Everything was going in our plans.. and we plan to build a railed carts for mines.
John: Do we have enough recourses to make that?
Agustin: Yes we have enough supply of irons and bronze... and for their salaries we have more than enough live stocks and white rice.
John: So we don't have to worry for 10,000 tribes men to move here?
Agustin: Yes your Majesty.
John's thought: Your Majesty he said?? it'll take a very long time for me to get used to it.
John: Ok keep the good work for out country.
Agustin proudly Smiled at John.
Agustin: Yes your Majesty for the country.
John: What about the other.
Arnel Spoke.
Arnel: The department of public works and Highways plans to surround the entire Malacañang with government facilities and government official's residences and build a wall.
(Note: Blood pacts *Sanduguan* in Philippines are rooted in people's superstitious beliefs about blood and fear that awful things will happen if they violate a promise that was "sealed" by taking some of their blood and using it in some kind of ritual, or to sign a document. The pacts are only as strong as the superstitious beliefs.)
(Note: The real Malacañang Palace, officially known as Malacañan Palace, is the official residence and principal workplace of the President of the Republic of the Philippines. It is located in the Manila district of San Miguel, along Jose P. Laurel Street though it is commonly associated with Mendiola Street nearby.)