*436. COL. MIGUEL T. NICDAO: The Forgotten Story of a Kapampangan Scholar-Soldier

FROM MENTOR TO A MILITARY MAN. Guagua-born Col.Miguel Nicdao, whose family settled in San Fernando, belonged to the first wav of government scholars known as "pensionados". He made a career shift, never looked back, and became a bemedalled officer during the Commonwealth period. Source: Mr. Arnold Nicdao.

Once in a long while, we uncover stories of extraordinary Kapampangans,  who, despite their remarkable lives and achievements, remain unremembered, their memories known only to their family circles. Such is the case of Guagua-born Col. Miguel Nicdao (b. 8 May 1888/d. 1938), whose story came to light courtesy of his grandchildren, who, through their tireless research efforts, managed to piece together the life of Col. Nicdao, their lolo whom they have never seen nor met.

Miguel Nicdao’s father, Jose Bonifacio Nicdao, was originally from Cavite; his mother, Bonifacia Jose Tablante, was a homemaker who tended a sari-sari store on the side. The young Nicdao was home-schooled, but with the coming of the Americans and their introduction of the public school system, education in the country took a turn for the better. This led the Nicdaos, who have resettled in Bacolor, to move again to San Fernando, where the “Thomasites” set up new schools with exacting standards.  

In 1903, the Pensionado Act was passed,  which gave opportunities to Filipino students to study and earn college degrees in America. 15-year old Nicdao took the competitive exams and topped the field with an average of 94.8; kabalen Jose Abad Santos placed third. The teen suddenly found himself  sailing to America on Oct. 9,1903, aboard the Japanese ship Rohilla Maru, as a member of pioneering group of 103 pensionados.

Arriving in November, the pensionados were distributed to different high schools in Southern California to brush up on U.S. history, math and English. A year after, they hied off to their respective colleges. Six Filipinos, Nicdao among them, began their studies at Illinois State Normal University (now Illinois State University).

The young Filipinos quickly made their presence felt in the school, as all six were featured in the school’s weekly paper, “The Vidette,”  in 1904. Nicdao, however, made noise when his article “Religions of the Philippines” saw print in the school organ. Nicdao, a Methodist, assailed the Catholic friars’ intolerance of other religions, warranting a reprimand from the U.S. War Department, after an Illinois priest demanded that the article be censored.

But it was in the classroom that the young Kapampangan showed his brilliance, specifically in the field of Oratory and Debate. His public speaking skills earned him membership with the Wrightonian Society, Oratorical Association, Cicero and the YMCA. He put his voice to a test, when, on Feb. 23, 1907, at the Edwards Oratorical and Declamatory Contest, he won the Gold Medal with his piece “The First Need of the Filipinos”.  In March, he unanimously won the Inter-Normal Contest, with the same piece, trumping Arthur Thompson of Macomb.

His Edwards gold medal earned him the right to represent ISNU at the Inter-State Contest held on May 3, 1907 in Emporia,  Kansas. Those who witnessed the excited 5-school match were effusive with praise for Nicdao’s performance: “His gracefulness, directness and earnestness were pleasing and convincing. There was, of course some peculiarity in his speech but his long, patient labor accomplished remarkable results. Many said they missed no words at all”.  In the end, he placed third, behind the Missouri and Kansas bets, despite having “a concrete and definite subject”. A school observer could only surmise that his “ridiculous ranking” was due to his Philippine-accented English.

By 1907, Nicdao was ready to return to the Philippines after graduating with an Education degree from ISNU—the youngest of the batch at 1907. Once home, he quickly rolled up his sleeves  to start work as Principal of the San Luis Intermediate School in San Luis, Pampanga (Oct. 1,1907-March 31, 1908). He was promoted as Superintendent/ Teacher, and was assigned briefly to Mabalacat Intermediate School from June-Jul. 1908, and then to Apalit Intermediate School from Aug.-Sep. 1908. He stayed for 3 years in his next post, Pampanga High School (Aug. 1908-Aug.1911) in his adapted hometown, San Fernando.

Much as he loved teaching, the young teacher found it frustrating to advance in his career what with Americans well-placed in the educational system.  In 1911, the civil government opened the Camp Henry T. Allen Constabulary School in Baguio (now Philippine Military Academy), envisioned to be a training ground for an all-Filipino constabulary force. Jumping at this chance, Nicdao joined and underwent an intensive 3-month boot camp training.  After completing the program and graduating as 3^rd Lieutenant,  the 23 year-old embarked on a new military career.

In the succeeding years, Lt. Nicdao undertook assignments in different parts of the country, and got involved in campaigns in Lanao and Cotabato, during the Moro War years (1909-1923).  He learned Arabic, which enabled him to deal more effectively with the Muslim leaders of Mindano, where he would eventually become its District Commander.

By 1917, he had attained the rank of a First Lieutenant of the PC, with missions in Cagayan and Misamis. He was kept busy as ever through the 1930s, leading campaigns against lawless elements, including fighting off the Sakdalistas in Cabuyao, Laguna in May 1935, where 300 rebels took over a church. Under his helm, the revolt was crushed. For his meritorious military accomplishments, Nicdao, now a Colonel, was awarded three medals by Commonwealth President Manuel L. Quezon.

In between his military exploits, the colonel found time to marry Natividad Neri Rivera, whom he met down South, during his Mindanao stint. She had descended from Muslim royalty; her forebear Rajah sa Lansang, was a Christian convert and who assumed the name “Neri”. The two were married on May 22, 1914, and together, they had 7 children: Charito, Napoleon, Abelardo, Antonia, Cleopas, Hortencia, and Benjamin.

In 1938, during a military training exercise in Leyte, Col. Nicdao came down with peritonitis. Unfortunately, no medical supplies were available; they could not even be flown in from Manila due to a typhoon in the island. He passed away at age 50, and was given full military honors during his burial.

For those who say that Pampanga seems to be short of idols and icons, one need only to look at the life and legacy of Col. Nicdao, both a scholar in the classroom and a soldier in the battlefield. He proved that as long as you have the heart to serve and the will to succeed—you could be a jack of several trades, and be a master of all. For that alone, he should never be forgotten.

SOURCES:
All photos and information, courtesy of Mr. Arnold Nicdao, grandson of Col., Miguel Nicdao.
Article, “MIGUEL NICDAO – A FILIPINO GRANDFATHER’S LEGACY .  by A, Joy Nicdao-Cuyugan.

*435. Maestro IRINEO L. MIRANDA, Dean of Philippine Cartoonists

DRAWING FROM EXPERIENCE. Acclaimed artist, painter, water colorist, caricaturist, art director and illustrator, Maestro Irineo Lintag Miranda of San Fernando.

The most accomplished artist who made a lasting mark in the field of cartooning and illustration was born in San Fernando to couple Catalino Miranda and Eustaquia Lintag on 15 Dec. 1896.  Irineo L. Miranda was so talented in drawing that at age 19--while still a student at the U.P. School of Fine Arts-- he was hired as an assistant illustrator with the Bureau of Printing.

A year after graduation, Miranda started worked at the Pacific Commercial Company where he designed product labels and created illustrations for advertisements—thus becoming one of country’s first agency art directors. His involvement in mass media art was looked at as just an extension of an artist’s activity, thus, outputs such as cartoon art were not regarded in the same breadth as painting. Even so, his alma mater believed in his talents; in 1918, Miranda was appointed to the Fine Arts faculty of the state university. The newly named professor taught decorative painting, cartooning and commercial design, an academic career that would last until 1961.

He flourished at the U.P., surrounded by his young, creative students whom he would address as “Ineng” and “Itoy”, as they presented their works for evaluation. He would critique each piece in English, delivered with humor and with a marked Pampango accent. He would count, among his students, future National Artists Carlos “Botong” Francisco, Cesar Legaspi and his favorite student who helped out in his illustrations, Carlos Valino Jr.

Meanwhile, he would move to Brown and Roosedel Advertising Co. in 1920, and chartered a different course from his peers like Dominador Castañeda and Fernando Amorsolo by illustrating the covers for Graphic, El Debate and Liwayway Magazines, dabbling in caricatures and working with watercolors. He was known for his theatrical style in painting, emphasizing lighting effects for example, and characterization of faces. His clients in the 1920s-30s included the Pampanga governor, Sotero Baluyot, Jorge Vargas Sr., Alfonso Ongpin and Lope K. Santos.

During the war years, the artist continued mentoring students, but resumed illustrating and painting with renewed vigor after the turbulent 40s. A 1953 jeep accident unfortunately sidelined him from painting for years—he fractured his armbone that led to a series of operations, incapacitating him temporarily.

Maestro Irineo Miranda first settled his family in front of the the Bellas Artes at R.Hidalgo St. He would sometimes use his daughter, Irinea, as his model for his paintings and sketches. Other models included Nena Saguil, Abdulmari Imao and the future senator Santanina Rasul who sat for him for the 1951 painting, “Tausug Princess”, which now hangs at the National Gallery of Art. Other well-known works include “Sampaguita Vendor” (1931, U.P. Filipiniana Collection) and “Portrait of Fabian dela Rosa” (1937 watercolor).

The maestro’s wife died young and the artist would never marry again. To while away his leisure hours, he would go and watch movies, which were one of his consuming passions. But he would always be devoted to his art. The acclaimed “Dean of Philippine Cartoonists” died of a heart attack on 21 Mar. 1964.

SOURCE: IRINEO MIRANDA 1896-1964, (c) 1972 Zone-D-Art Publications

*424. LOOKING FOR MISS PHATUPHATS

AMERICAPAMPANGAN GIRL. A young Pampanga miss in a strikes a pose in her modern Western-style outfit, complete with a hat, white gloves, high heel shoes--all fashionably Americana!

“Ang mga babae’y nagputol ng buhok, nag-alis ng medyas

Nag-ahit ng kilay at ang puting dibdib ay halos ilabas

Ang mga lalaki ay libang na libang sa lahat ng oras

Saan patungo ang ganitong bayan kung hindi ang maghirap…

- Miguel M. Cristobal, poet

Juan Crisostomo Sotto showed us a caricature of what we had become under the Americans through his story character—Miss Phatuphats.  Formerly known as Yeyeng, she had developed an abnormal preoccupation with things American, and sought to erase her Kapampangan-ness by speaking only in English and affecting an air of Yankee  superiority. As a result, she became a pitiful, laughing stock of the town, leading many to question whether the white ‘saxon” culture is truly fit to be assimilated by brown-skinned Filipinos.

The turning point in our history, historians say, began with the inauguration of the Philippine Assembly in 1907, and which saw Filipino participation in self-governance for the first time. Fear and distrust for white masters slowly gave way to awe and admiration. Filipinos took to adapting the great American lifestyle and the term “Sajonista” (Saxonist) was used to describe with a sneer, these Americanized natives, the new “modernistas”. They were “young ladies and gentlemen”, products of the public schools, who have taken to addressing each other with “Mister” or “Miss”, and who sought out to differentiate themselves from the common provincianos.

Names were the first to updated to give them a cosmopolitan sound—so Francisco became “Frank”, Jose “Joe” and Lucia, “Lucy”. Kapampangan parents had a heyday naming their babies with American appellations—Henry, Mary Rose, Helen, Charles. The young lads and lasses who went to Manila for their schooling returned home to their towns in their smart drill suits, stylish frocks copied from American fashion magazines and thigh-high stockings.  

For the best in Western-style dresses, the taller de modas of Florencia Salgado, Maria Castro’s “National Fashion”, Sotera Valencia’s “Valencia’s Fashion”,  and Marta Tioleco Espinosa’s “La Creacion” were the go-to places in San Fernando.

Bathing suits were an offshoot of the sporting events introduced by Americans, who were avid sports enthusiasts. Two of the first to wear them in public were Kapampangan sisters Amanda and Luz Abad Santos—daughters of Jose Abad Santos, who were members of the 1934 Far Eastern Games national swim team.

Meanwhile, American sartorial elegance was the promise of  C. Hugo (Gentleman’s Tailor Modernist), Hilario Lapid’s Fashion (Cabildo), I.D. Cura (along Rizal Ave.) and De Leon Bros. tailors (Herran)—all Kapampangan suitmakers.

Young, independent colegialas had their eyebrows shaved,  hair cut short, bobbed, curled and Marcel-waved in modern salons such as the one owned by Rosa Soliman. Their handsome boyfriends in their City Slick, Valentino or Executive hair styles and flared London pants took them out to soda parlors to have ice cream or watch vaudevilles (the “zarzuela” was considered passé) , and basketball games.

By the 1930s, the Philippines was  completely under the American spell. It is said that the boogie-woogie, jitterbugging kids of the Swing Era were probably the most Americanized generation of young Filipinos. An observant few were quick to lament the eradication of our values as Filipinos became enamoured with the American dream with Hollywood movies, the carnivals and  cabarets, the cigarettes and the scotch—providing the cheap thrills of youthful leisure.

Kapampangans’ love affair with America would last longer than most—even with the rise of nationalism in the 1950s, mainly due to the presence of Clark Air Base that was seen more as a boon, to the neighborhood community. For decades,  the base provided thousands of livelihood opportunities, jobs, and, for many Misses Phatuphats among us, a possible ticket to a good life.  

All that would end dramatically and abruptly in 1991, with Pinatubo kicking out America from Clark with finality.  The American absence cleared the air and gave us time and space to reflect on what colonial mentality has done to us, and what we have been missing all these years. After bidding  “adios” to Alice Roosevelt and Miss Phatupats, it’s now time to say “hello” to the rediscovery of our race, our own culture and heritage. 

419. REV. FR. SIXTO M. MANALOTO: A Story of a Generous Soul

THE BENEVOLENT REVEREND. Rev. Fr. Sixto M. Manaloto, long-time cura parocco of San Bartolome Parish, Magalang, Pampanga. Signed photo given to Fr. Maximino Manuguid of Mabalacat. 1915.

The big-hearted Kapampangan religious with a reputation for his boundless generosity and his enduring passion to serve God and people was born Sixto Malino Manaloto on  6 July 1891 in Capas, Tarlac. Though Tarlac-born, Fr. Manaloto would make a lasting impression on Magaleños, serving their parish for an unprecedented period of nearly 30 years.

The young Sixto found God’s calling early in life, and at the age of 14, entered the Seminario de San Francisco Javier (the name given by the Jesuits, upon their return to the Philippines, to Colegio de San José) in 1905. In the beginning of the school year 1911-1912, Manaloto, along with seminarians Pedro Guevara, Felix Martin, Emilio de la Cruz and  Santiago Talavera, were admitted to San Carlos Seminary on Arzobispado Street beside the San Ignacio Church.

Hardly had he settled for a month in San Carlos when he and his fellow Carlistas were ordered to move back to San Francisco Javier as the Jesuit administration of San Carlos lapsed on 17 August 1911.  San Carlos would later be merged with San Francisco Javier Seminary on Padre Faura St., until the latter’s closure in 1913.

That same year, San Carlos Seminary was transferred by Manila Archbishop Jeremiah James Harty to a building in Mandaluyong, and would be put in the charge of the Paules (Vincentians) . It was here that Manaloto finished his studies in Sacred Theology and Philosophy. On 8 December 1915, feast of the Immaculate Conception, Sixto Manaloto was ordained into priesthood by Archbishop Harty himself.

Fresh from his ordination, the young prelate was sent off to Pangasinan to undertake his first assignments in the municipalities of Agno and Bani. Then , he hied off to his home province to minister in Victoria, Tarlac, and then secured assignments in Pampanga—first in Sta. Ana, and then, in 1923, in Magalang, succeeding Fr. Felipe Romero. There,  he would remain until his death.

As cura parocco of the San Bartolome Parish, Fr. Manaloto, he is known for his major restoration works on the ancient church, including the replacement of the supporting wooden columns of the lateral aisles with sturdier concrete cement posts.

He also opened a parochial school that served the youths of Magalang. Likewise, the good father sent poor, but deserving students to Manila, many of whom eventually returned as professionals and became leaders of the community. Fr. Manaloto also took  to raising foster children, a few of whom were his own nephews.  He lived to celebrate his sacerdotal silver jubilee of his ordination, with a big “boda de plata” party held in Magalang on 18 December 1940.

He died on 30 March 1952 at age 61, after serving his beloved adopted town for 29 years and 7 days. A commemorative plaque can be found in the church, which pays tribute to this magnanimous man of God and his selfless contribution to the spiritual upliftment of Magalang and its people.

*416.PAMITIC, A PAMPANGA PAPER SHEDS LIGHT ON THE FLUORESCENT INVENTION CONTROVERSY

COOL LIGHTS. The Meralco Tower all lit up for the annual carnival. The invention of neon and fluorescent lamps, which were more efficient than ordinary incandescent bulbs, is often attributed to Filipino Agapito Flores, whose story has since been debunked. A 1940  feature in a Kapampangan daily may shed new light on this Flores controversy.

For decades, the name of Agapito Flores, of Guiguinto, Bulacan has been associated with the invention of the first fluorescent lamp. This Agapito was said to have worked first as a machine shop apprentice, then relocated to Tondo where he took up a vocational course to become an electrician. Allegedly, Flores was granted patent in France for a fluorescent bulb which the giant General Electric Company bought for millions.

However, no records exist of such transactions involving a Filipino by that name, and there are also major discrepancies with regards to the timeline of his supposed breakthrough invention in lighting.

There were several pre-cursors of the modern-day fluorescent lamp . As early as 1856, German Heinrich Geissler performed several experiments in arc tube type lamps. This was followed in 1895 by Daniel Moore of New Jersey (first commercial arc tube), Peter Cooper Hewitt  ( patented the first low pressure mercury vapor lamp in 1901--the very first prototype of today's modern fluorescent lights), Edmund Germer (improved  the fluorescent lamp in 1927), and George E. Inman (builder of a prototype fluorescent lights fit for public use, 1934)

Obviously then, there was not just one, but many inventors of the fluorescent lamp, at various stages of its development.  Many of the patents granted them were bought by General Electric to control their use and stifle competition.

But did a Filipino really contribute to the invention of fluorescent lighting? Why is there no solid evidence about Agapito Flores that caused his story to be debunked? Yet, National scientist Dr. Benito Vergara of the Philippine Science Heritage Center, recalls that "As far as I could learn, a certain Flores presented the idea of fluorescent light to Manuel Quezon when he became president.”

A 1940 front page news from “Ing Pamitic”  a local Pampanga daily may shed some light on the issue:

FILIPINU YA PALA. Marajil eyu balu qng Filipinu ya pala in mecatuclas (inventor) caring sulung gamitin ñgeni a palaguan dang neon Light at Fluorescent Light. Deting tauli ila deng maputi salang gagamitan dana deng caraclan. Iting Filipinung inventor ya I Dr. Gabriel Del Pilar Flores a maqui dayang capitna Castila at capitna Filipinu, dapot ciudadanu Filipinu.

Ing Dr. Gabriel del Pilar Flores megaral ya king Universidad ning Sorbona, Paris, Francia. Iting Universidad metung ya karing maragul dili queti qñg yatu at metung neman caring cabalitan. Ding dacal a estudiantes a manibat caring mialiuang bansa a magaral Europa lasa carin la pupunta lalung-lalu na ring manibat caring balen ning Sur America.

Iting balita mebasa qñg metung caring bilang na ning Milwaukee Journal, America. Queta pang banua na ning 1932 geua ing amanuan dang marimlang sulu. Dapot nung e quetang 1937 ya micalat a pañgagamit qñg comerciong picabaluan a Neon Light.  Queting mesabing banua, qñg Exposicion Paris, ing bulalag qñg meto sicluban a Torre Eiffel, manibat lalam angga qñg taluctuc na micatcatanan ya caring bayung sulung geua na ning calaji tamu.

(HE IS A FILIPINO. Perhaps you don't know that a Filipino invented the widely-used lights today known as neon light and fluorescent light. The last are the ones that emit white lights used by most. This Filipino inventor is Dr. Gabriel del Pilar Flores, with both Spanish and Filipino blood, but who consider himself Filipino.

Dr. Gabriel del Pilar Flores studied at the University of Sorbonne, Paris, France. This university is one of the biggest and most renown in the world. Most students who study in Europe often enter this university, especially those who come from South American countries.

This news is based on one of the issues of Milwaukee Journal, America. It was in 1932 that this so-called “cool light” was invented. But it was in 1937 that the commercial use of neon lights became widespread. In the said year, at the Paris Exposition, the Eiffel Tower was shown to the whole world, arrayed from  bottom to top, with these new lights invented by our fellowman.)

This short article thus reveals that indeed, there was a Flores involved in the invention of the fluorescent bulb—Not Agapito---but Dr. Gabriel del Pilar Flores.  This Dr. Flores could have been the same Flores that received a French patent, as France was where he went for advanced studies. Or, he could have been a member of the team at General Electric in Britain that helped fine-tune the light bulbs. One can also check on his Sorbonne school records, or retrieve the old issue of Milwaukee Journal to find out more details about his role in the development of the product.

It has been a long time coming for this Filipino to reclaim his rightful place in the pantheon of the world’s greatest inventors. It took a local Pampanga paper to make us see the light.