53.THE PAMPANGA CARNIVAL OF 1933

MABALACAT TOWN BOOTH. The 21 municipalities of Pampanga competed for the best booth of the fair and each tried to outdo each other with their creative designs and structure. Most had art deco motif, the prevailing design fad in the 1930s. One of the favorite booths was the Mabalacat booth, but did not win a prize.

MISS PAMPANGA OF 1933. Corazon Hizon, a slim, raven haired beauty from San Fernando became Pampanga’s muse at the 1933 Pampanga Carnival. She was the daughter of Jose Hizon and Maria Paras. After her reign, she married Marcelino Dizon.

Pampanga’s peacetime years were a period of plenty for the province, making it the richest market outside of Manila. To celebrate the advancements made by the province in the last two decades, a provincial fair was proposed by the current administration officials led by then Pampanga Governor Pablo Angeles David. Thus, from 22 April to 6 May 1933, the Pampanga Carnival Fair and Exposition—“the greatest concourse of people on the island of Luzon”--was held at the Capitol grounds in San Fernando. Appointed as Director General was the Hon. Jose Gutierrez David, justice of the peace of San Fernando and Pampanga’s delegate to the 1934 Constitutional Assembly.

The main purpose of the Pampanga Carnival was to showcase the products, commerce and industries made by the province. In so doing, it also hoped to show the progress it has made in its other pursuits, encourage better reciprocal relations with other provinces and promote local and international tourism. More than a display of prosperity though, the Carnival was also meant to be a concrete expression of local autonomy in keeping with the principles of a truly democratic government. The proceeds of the Carnival were to be set aside for the construction of roads and schools in the province.

As such, almost all of the 21 towns of Pampanga came to participate, setting up their own booths and displays, in the grand tradition of the national Manila Carnivals. The 12-hectare Provincial Capitol was transformed into one giant fairground where “beauty and romance reigned supreme”. The grand entrance to the auditorium had an art deco motif, the prevailing design fad at that time.

Provinces from near and far were invited to participate and Bulacan, Tarlac, Nueva Ecija, Bataan, Ilocos Norte, Laguna, La Union, Tayabas, Pangasinan, Baguio and even faraway Lanao responded by sending their delegations. Schools led by the University of the Philippines, Ateneo de Manila, San Juan de Letran, U.S.T. and Pampanga High School were also represented, as well as local, national and international industries like Honolulu Iron Works, International Harvester, I. Beck, Inc., Alhambra, La Insular, Gonzalo Puyat, Erlanger and Galinger, Pampanga Sugar Mills, Angeles Electric Light and Ice Plant, San Fernando Soft Drinks, Moderna Furniture and Carbungco Restaurant. Government bureaus like the Bureau of Forestry, Commerce, Science and Plant Industry also set up their own stalls. Designated as the official photographer of the fair was the popular Juan de la Cruz Studio, managed by Kapampangan Rogerio Lagman.

Awards were presented to the winners of the best booths, products and displays. Medals were designed and executed by Crispulo Zamora, the leading metal crafts company that also made Manila Carnival medals, crowns and trophies. Notable winners included the town booths of Bacolor, (2nd prize, a geometric pavilion topped by the Villa de Bacolor crest), Guagua (2nd prize, with a façade painted with hieorglypics) , Macabebe (3rd prize, surmounted by a painting of a vendor, captioned with “Macabebe-Home of the Peddlers”), and San Luis (3rd prize, made of bamboo and decorated with buntings). Businessmen Rafael Lazatin, furniture maker Teodoro Tinio, and the Nepomucenos, owners of Angeles Electric Light and Ice Plant and Reyna Soft Drinks, were among those who earned individual 1st Prize honors. The top awards, consisting of 2 Gold Medals, were won by the Pampanga Trade School and Pampanga Agricultural School.

The much-awaited selection of Miss Pampanga 1933 provided the climax of the fair. Pampanga’s leading muses, most from socially prominent families, competed for the honor of representing the province to the Miss Philippines Contest. The contestants were feted and paraded in motorcades. In the finals, the crown went to slim and fashionable Corazon Hizon of San Fernando, the daughter of Maria Paras and Jose Hizon.

In the end, when the lights dimmed and the curtains fell on the fairgrounds, the successful staging of the 1933 Pampanga Carnival was truly a tribute to the people of Pampanga whose energy, enterprise and spirit were made manifest in their notable achievements of the peacetime years.