*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.

*393. TRAINS OF THOUGHT

CHOO-CHOO TRAIN, A-CHUGGING DOWN THE TRACK. Passengers at the Dau Station in Mabalacat, wait to board a a train to Magalang, via a spur railroad track. ca. early 1920s.

 Pampanga’s historic train stations have been in the news lately, most recently with the announcement that the old Angeles Station along Villanueva St. will be fully restored by 2016 through the generosity of a local benefactor. Much earlier, the heritage-conscious city government of San Fernando rebuilt their very own San Fernando Train Station located at the Brgy. Sto. Niño, with the assistance of the Tourism Insfrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA). Since then, the train station has become a must-see tourism landmark.

 The train stations of Angeles and San Fernando, along with those of Apalit, Sto. Tomas and Mabalacat, were part of the second portion of the Manila railroad line inaugurated on 22-23 February 1892 by Governor-General Eulogio Despujol and Manila Archbishop Bernardo Nozaleda . The province was thus connected to Manila and Bulacan through these “iron horses” that eventually were expanded all the way to Dagupan.

 By the 1920s and 30s, under the American regime, the Manila Railroad Co. had a flourishing transport business that promised safe travels on air-conditioned coaches at low-express charges. Connecting trips to Baguio were arranged through the Benguet Auto Lines at Damortis—for only Php 14.33, one way (1929 rate).

 Both San Fernando and Angeles stations hold special historical significance for Filipinos. San Fernando was where Dr.Jose Rizal debarked on 27 June 1892 for a quick visit of the town; it was where he also boarded a train to continue his trip to Bacolor.

The stations also figured prominently in the infamous Death March of World War II. The railway station in San Fernando was the end point of the march of Filipino and American soldiers. Here, on April 1942, they were loaded on trains that took them to Camp O’Donnel, Tarlac.

 On April 10, the packed trains reached the town of Angeles where patriotic residents were on hand to surreptitiously hand out food, water, sugar, medicines, milk, cigars and other provisions to the hungry and weary soldiers. Brave Angeleños showed their support by keeping pace with the trains up to Dau Station, some 4 kilometers away.

 After the War, the lines of the Manila Railroad Co. were rehabilitated and its major services restored. The trains were modernized, their steam engines replaced by diesel. By the mid 50s, one could enjoy all the cozy comforts and convenience of the railway from its clean berths to delightful meals either in the coach or in the dining car.

 I remember that as late as the 1960s, my father used to save on his car trips by taking the train at the Mabalacat Station near the Clark entrance, to visit my aunt in Manila. He would get off at the final stop in Tutuban, and just take a jeep to Herran, where my aunt resided. Sure, it took longer, but it was more cost-efficient, and definitely more scenic!

 Today, the Mabalacat Station still stands but the dilapidated structure is now home to informal settlers. Hopefully, the local government will find merit in restoring the station, in the same way that San Fernando has successfully rebuilt theirs and declared by the National Historical Institute as an “Important Cultural Property”.

Soon, Angeles, with the help of businessman Reghis Romero II, will have theirs too—complete with a glass-enclosed museum, an operational miniature railway, and a park. By saving these stations, we would also be saving a part of our national railway history

*369. KAPAMPANGANS AT THE 1904 ST. LOUIS’ WORLD’S FAIR

FILIPINAS AT THE FAIR! The Philippine Exhibit was assigned the largest space in the fairgrounds of the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair, and a multitude of structures were built to serve as exhibit halls and residences of some 1,100 Filipinos (mostly tribal groups)  flown in to animate the event. No wonder, the Philippine Exhibit caused a major sensation

 “Meet me at St. Louis…meet me at the Fair!” 
So goes the lyrics of the period song that served as the unofficial theme of a magnificent American fair that was dubbed as “the greatest of expositions”, surpassing everything the world has seen before, in terms of cost, size and splendor, variety of views, attendance and duration.

 The 1904 Louisiana Purchase Exposition, popularly known as the St. Louis World’s Fair, opened officially on 30 April 1904, to mark the 100th anniversary of the purchase of Louisiana from France by the U.S.- a vast area that comprised almost 1/3 of continental America. From this land were carved the states of Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, North and South Dakota, Oklahoma and sections of Colorado, Minnesota and Wyoming.

 Save for Delaware and Florida, all the states and territories of America participated in all the activities at the sprawling 1,275 acre fairgrounds that took all of 6 years to build. As a U.S. territory, the Philippines joined 45 nations in organizing a delegation as well as the construction of its own exhibit grounds—the largest in the fair-- to house pavilions, recreated villages, presentations and native Filipino groups.

 Much have been said about the Philippine representation that included “living museums” with ethnic tribes (Samal, Negrito, Igorottes, Bagobos), and regional groups (Visayans, Tagalogs) showing their traditional way of living in replicated villages.

Before large audiences, Igorots demonstrated their culinary practices by eating dogs, while Negritos shot arrows and climbed trees. A pair of Filipino midgets were also featured stars, together with English-speaking, harp-playing Tagalas who represented the more “civilized’ side of the Philippines.

 On a more positive note, the Philippine Constabulary Band dazzled and thrilled crowds with their impressive and stirring performance of march music while the Philippine Scouts, composed mostly of smartly-dressed Macabebe soldiers ("Little Macs", as they were called by their American fans) , performed military drills with precision and aplomb.

 Then there were the superlative government exhibits that showcased the richness of Philippine talents and resources. There were exhibits in various categories: Forestry, Arts, Crafts, Cuisine, Education, Agriculture and Horticulture, Fish, Game and Water Transport and other industries. Tasked with the purchase of collecting and installing these distinctively Filipino exhibits for the St. Louis World’s Fair was the Philippine Exposition Board, specially created by the Philippine Commission.

The Board was allotted an initial budget of $125,000, with a further appropriation of up to $250,000 to mount a world-class exhibit that would show the commercial, industrial, agricultural, cultural, educational and economic gains made by our islands under Mother America.

 Recognitions were given by the organizers of the World’s Fair for country participants where their entries were judged by an international jury. Over 6,000 of various colors were won by the Philippines. Among those granted the honors were many outstanding Kapampangans who were represented by their inventive and creative works that wowed both the crowds of St. Louis and also the esteemed jury. 

In the category of Ethnography, the Silver Prize went to the Negrito Tribe (tied with the Bagobos) that counted Aetas from Pampanga as among the tribe members. They wre represented by Capt. Medio of Sinababawan and Capt. Batu Tallos, of Litang Pampanga.

 The Products of Fisheries yielded the following Kapampangan winners who produced innovative fishing equipment. Bronze Medals: Ambrosio Evangelista, Diego Reyes (Candaba); Fulgencio Matias (Sta. Ana); Macario Tañedo (Tarlac). Honorable Mentions: Alfredo Arnold, Epifanio Arceo, Pedro Lugue, Jacinto De Leon, Pascual Lugue, Mario Torres (Apalit); Eugenio Canlas, Teodoro de los Santos (Sto. Tomas); Andres Lagman (Minalin); Rita Pangan (Porac); Thos. J. Mair, Medeo Captacio (identified only as coming from Pampanga).

 Pampanga schools also performed commendably, with various winners in the Public School Exhibits, Elementary Division. Bronze medal winners include the town schools of Apalit, Arayat, Bacolor, Candaba and San Fernando, while Honorable Mentions were merited by Betis, Guagua and Mabalacat.

In the Secondary School division, Pampanga High School of San Fernando too home the Bronze. From among entries in the General Collective Exhibit category, Mexico was chosen to receive a Silver Medal. The Bronze went to Macabebe and San Fernando, while Honorable Mentions list included Bacolor, Candaba, Floridablanca, Magalang and Sta. Rita.

 The Fine Arts competition produced two Pampanga residents: Rafael Gil who won Silver for his mother-of-pearl art creation. Gil, and the highly regarded Bacolor artist, Simeon Flores (posthumous), also won Honorable Mentions for their paintings.

 The culinary traditions of Pampanga were made known to the world at the St. Louis World’s Fair through the sweet kitchen concoctions of several ‘kabalens’. Angeles was ably represented by Trifana Angeles Angeles (preserved orange peel) ; Irene Canlas (preserved melon); Carlota C. Henson (preserves and jellies); Januario Lacson (santol preserves); Isabel Mercado (preserved limoncito); Atanacio Rivera de Morales (santol preserves, buri palm preserves); Zoilo and Marcelino Nepomuceno (mango jelly); Aurelia Torres (santol preserves) andYap Siong (anisada corriente, anis espaseosa) Mabalaqueñas also tickled taste buds with their homemade desserts: Rafaela Ramos Angeles (preserved fruit, santol preserves); Maria Guadalupe Castro (santol jelly) and Justa de Castro (kamias fruit preserve).

 The World’s Fair at St. Louis closed at midnight on 1 December 1904, and was declared a huge success—thanks in part to the blockbuster Philippine exhibits enriched by the modest contributions of Kapampangans who proved equal to the challenge, to emerge as world-class citizens.

*341. DR. BIENVENIDO S. GONZALEZ: University of the Philippines' Two-Time Kapampangan President

DR. BIENVENIDO S. GONZALEZ: Two-Time President of the University of the Philippines from the prominent Gonzalez family of Apalit that includes Joaquin Gonzalez, Augusto Gonzalez and Bro. Andrew Gonzalez. ca. 1934.

 When Dr. Bienvenido Sioco Gonzalez assumed the presidency of our esteemed state university in 1939, he accomplished many firsts---the youngest head to be so named at just 46 years old, and the very first alumnus to do so. He made history again in 1945, when he was reappointed, making him the only president to hold two terms.

Gonzalez was born on 22 November 1893 in Apalit, Pampanga, the son of Don Joaquin Gonzalez and Dña. Florencia Sioco. His father had been the rector of the Universidad Literaria de Filipinas, a school of higher learning founded by Philippine president Emilio Aguinaldo in Malolos. He was one of the earliest graduates of agriculture at the University of the Philippines in 1913.

After his collegiate studies, he earned a scholarship at the Wisconsin State University, as one of the first batch of Filipino pensionados. There, he obtained his Master of Science in Agriculture in 1915. Gonzalez further took doctoral courses at the John Hopkins University, before returning home to the Philippines. He was immediately recruited as an Assistant Professor of Animal Husbandry at his alma mater, a post he held for 6 years. He quickly rose in rank, first promoted as a department head and later, Dean of the College of Agriculture in 1928.

Back home in Pampanga, he put his agricultural expertise to good use, becoming a sugar planter like his father before him and a businessman. He served as a member of the Board of Directors of the Pampanga Sugar Development Co., (PASUDECO).

In 1939, he broke barriers by being installed as the sixth president of the University of the Philippines, amidst opposition due to his “non-intellectual” animal husbandry background. But he rose above all these, lobbying for the opening of a College of Nursing, the founding of the UP Carillon and the use of Tagalog as a national language.

The war disrupted 6-year term and, rather than serving under the Japanese rule, he stepped down from his post, to be replaced by Antonio Sison, until the Liberation. He reassumed the Presidency in 1945 amidst the ruins and reconstruction following the War. But he forged ahead, making a very crucial decision to move major school operations from the damages Padre Faura campus to the new, but distant and empty Diliman area, a vast 493 hectare property donated by the Tuason family. He successfully obtained Php 13 million from the U.S. War damage Commission which he used to rebuild a new University of the Philippines campus.

The very vocal Gonzalez persevered and succeeded in concretizing his vision for the University despite media criticisms and differences with then Pres. Elpidio Quirino. For instance, he disapproved an honorary degree that the government want conferred on Indonesian President Sukarno. He openly welcomed Quirino’s staunchiest critic, Claro M. Recto, as a speaker at one commencement exercise. He also spurned an offer to become a Cabinet Secretary under Quirino’s administration.

As a final straw, he resigned from his post in 1951, to be succeeded by another Kapampangan, Vidal A. Tan. Gonzales was married to the former Concepcion Rafols. A daughter, Eva, followed in his footsteps by also becoming a professor at the U.P. He died on 30 December 1953.

*331. IN THE SWIM OF THINGS

SINK OR SWIM.  Every summer, Kapampangans beat the heat by going to their favorite swimming holes, like this Sta. Rita teen in a period swimsuit posing before a natural pool. Ca. 1920s From the Gosioco Album, CKS copy.

The heat of summer is upon us, and amidst this stifling sizzle, we find ways to fight off the searing temperature. Many find welcome relief in going to air-conditioned malls or theatres, while others choose to cool off with a tall glass of Razon’s halo-halo and maybe, a refreshing iced buco juice or melon shake from a roadside stall. Still, for some, the best way to beat the heat is to find a watering hole or a pool to go swimming in.

 Before the advent of modern water resorts and their fancy swimming pools, Kapampangans living by the banks of the Gran Rio de la Pampanga fended off summer heat by simply take a dip in the shallow portions of the river and swim with the slow current for a kilometer or two. Picnickers, on the other hand, preferred the baños (baths) of Arayat-- swimming holes fed with the cooling spring waters that descended from the mountains.

For many Kapampangan youths in the 20s and 30s, Arayat was the equivalent of Antipolo, its forested slopes offering a shady refuge, dotted with many natural pools believed to contain medicinal properties. The baths of Arayat would soon be expanded and organized into the Mount Arayat National Park, a protected recreational area that continues to operate today.

Magalang benefitted from its proximity to Arayat, as the town too, had many natural swimming pools that were regularly visited by local townsfolk and tourists from nearby provinces. Similarly, in Mabalacat, Mascup River in Barrio Bana was also a favorite camping and swimming spot by excursionists during summer vacations. Entrance was always free.

As far back as the 1900s, the more adventurous American servicemen stationed at Camp Stotsenburg, delighted in the wild, rampaging waters of Bamban River. Whole troops regularly went to swim here to escape the tropical heat, but swimming was always a challenge as the river was crammed with stones and large boulders. In Porac, Mayamit Falls was another option, but the arduous trip to the waterfalls is not for the faint-hearted.

Early swimming pool resorts made their appearance in Angeles in the late 30s. Paradise Resort was a favourite summer haunt. Standard swimswear included bloomers for women and one-piece swimsuit for men. In Abacan, Balibago, the Del Rosario Swimming Pool opened to the public in 1958. It featured an adult pool with a diving board and two kid-sized pools and were always full-packed with families during the summer break.

The housing boom in the 60s also resulted in the establishments of residential villages with their own clubhouses and exclusive pools. Villa Angela was one such subdivision, and I would remember swimming in the village pool along with the fathers of Sacred Heart Seminary. Marlim Mansion, located at Severina Subdivision in Balibago, was one of the first high-rise hotels to feature a swimming pool as part of its modern facilities. By the mid 70s, Olympic size pools were the standard in Forest Park in Angeles and Yap Park in Dau.

Today, of course, water sports facilities abound in Pampanga with dizzying modern features and themes to cool the hot and harried Kapampangan. In Fontana, Clark Field, there are water slides and pools with machine-generated waves. Clearwater offers more than just swimming, but also kayaking. In Apalit and Mexico, I have seen water resort complexes with fantasy themes that are more like amusement parks than swimming places. Why, we even have our own Boracay in Pampanga, aptly named Poracay!

So when the next heat wave strikes, look around—there’s always a body of water near you: a river, a brook, a resort club or a village pool. Get into your swimsuit, grab a rubber tire, and plunge right in!

*307. OF TREES, TOWNS AND TOPONYMS

BUT ONLY GOD CAN MAKE A TREE. A whole forest of balakat trees shade a camping site at sitio Mascup, a favorite resort of domestic tourists in Mabalacat, Pampanga. The tall, hardwood tree gave the town its name. Ca. 1920s.

The names of Pampanga towns are among the most unique in the Philippines—and leading in intrigue and mystery would be, to my mind, Mexico and Sexmoan. Mexico’s name, for instance, has always been a source of puzzlement for toponymists—researchers who study of place-names. One fanciful version has it that Mexicans (Guachinangos of Northern America) actually lived in the town and gave it its name. More controversial is the name of Sexmoan, which has, though the years elicited gasps of disbelief from visitors, due to its seeming sexual overtones.

No wonder, the town has reverted back to the local version of its name—“Sasmuan”—a meeting place—as it was known to be an assembly point for people around the area whenever Chinese insurgents threaten to overrun the region. Of course, there were other ways of naming towns, and the more common would be to name them based on their distinct geographical and natural features, including flora and fauna typical of the place. It was in this manner that many towns in Pampanga got their names.

 Apalit, for instance, got its name from the first class timber called ”apalit” or narra (Pterocarpus indicus Willd.) that grew profusely along the banks of Pampanga River. Betis was named similarly—after a vary large timber tree called “betis”(Bassia betis Merr.) that grew on the very site where the church was constructed. It was said that this particular tree was so tall that it cast its shadow upon Guagua town every morning. Another border town, Mabalacat, derived its name from the abundance of “balakat” trees (Zizyphus talanai Blanco) that grew around the area. The balakat tree is known for its straight and sturdy hardwood trunk that were used as masts for boats and ships of old.

The riverine town of Masantol owes its name to the santol tree (Sandoricum koetjape Merr.) , a third class timber tree. It may be that the place had an abundance of these popular fruit-bearing trees but another story had it that local fishermen bartered part of their catch with the tangy santol fruits carried by Guagua merchants that plied the waters of the town. Santol was the favourite souring ingredient of the locals in the cooking of “sinigang”, and soon, the town was overrun by santol fruits.

A tall rattan plant gave Porac its name, as we know it today. The red Calamus Curag can grow up to 8 feet and is known locally as “Kurag” or “Purag”, later corrupted to Porac. Nearby Angeles City was once known as Culiat (Gnetum indicum Lour. Merr.) , a woody vine with leathery leaves that once grew wild in the vicinity. Not only while towns, but countless barrios and barangays were named after trees, shrubs, hardwoods, plants and vines—Madapdap, Balibago, Cuayan, Pulungbulu, Mabiga, Sampaloc, Baliti, Bulaon, Dau, Lara, Biabas, Alasas, Saguin, Camatchiles, to name just a few.

Some of the trees that grew so thickly in different parts of our province are now a rare sight, with some considered as bound for extinction. For many years, the only balakat tree that could be seen in Mabalacat, were two or three trees planted in the perimeter of the Mabalacat church. Culiat is listed as an endangered plant and a few examples could be found in Palawan and in U.P. Los Baños, Laguna. Sometime in 2003, Holy Angel University in Angeles City made an effort to collect plants and trees that gave their names to Pampanga towns and barrios. Today, these can be seen growing in lush profusion around the school atrium. By saving these trees, we also save histories of towns for the next generation to learn, to value and to appreciate.

*303. Pampanga’s Churches: SAN PEDRO APOSTOL CHURCH, Apalit

APLIT, APALIT! A religious procession, possibly to mark Corpus Christi, wends its way to the courtyard of San Pedro Apostol Church of Apalit. Ca. 1927. 

The bordertown of Apalit, founded by Augustinians in 1590, is built on swamplands by the banks of the great Pampanga River. Its first rudimentary church was probably started by Fr. Juan Cabello, who served the town on several occasions between 1641-45. A new church was also begun by Fr. Simon de Alarcia of stone and brick, which was never completed.

The foundation of the present church was laid by Fr. Antonio Redondo, the town’s parish priest who had it built for P40,000 following the plans of a public works official, Ramon Hermosa. For seven years (1876-1883) and under Guagua foreman Mariano Santos, the “pride of Pampanga, an indelible tribute to Fr. Redondo and the people of Apalit”was built and inaugurated in a series of ceremonies on 28, 29 and 30 June 1883.

The good father actually saved P10,000 as he paid the workers from his personal funds and astutely bought the materials himself. When the masons ran out of sand and bricks, Fr. Redondo would solicit the assistance of the town people by asking the sacristan to ring the bells. This way, he gathered enough volunteers to haul in sand from the river.

The completed church measures 59 meters long and 14 meters wide. Dedicated to the town patron, St. Peter,the church is built along neo-classic lines, with a graceful rounded pediment marking its façade, topped with a huge rose window—in contrast to the simple Doric pilasters and the two rectangular bell towers with pagoda roofs.

Its signature dome rises to about 27 meters and is supported by torales arches, with openings to light the church. Protective grills capped the doorway as well as the 3 circular rose windows on the church front. The church interior was decorated by an Apalit native, a pupil of the Italian painter Alberoni.

The feast of San Pedro or “Apo Iru”, is celebrated with ardour every June 29, including a raucous fluvial procession (“libad”) along Pampanga River. The seated ivory figure of “Apu Iru”—an antique ivory representation of the apostle attired as a Pope—is transferred from its Capalangan shrine to the Church, where it stays during the fiesta days until it is brought out for the annual “limbun”. From there, the beloved Apu is installed on a water pagoda for the traditional river festivities, a unique honor given to their patron who has given much to Apaliteños—a town, a home, a church and a colourful history.

*283. DR. MIGUEL P. MORALES, Mabalacat's 1st Post-War Mayor

THE MORALES MAYORALTY. Dr. Miguel Pantig Morales, first elected mayor of post-war Mabalacat, comes from a long line of politicos who served the town in different capacities, a tradition now being continued by grandson, Marino, current mayor of this first class municpality. Ca. 1933.

The Moraleses are well-known in Mabalacat as a long-standing political clan of the town, a tradition that was started by Quentin Tuazon Morales (b. 1856/d.1928) who became a teniente mayor of barangay Poblacion in the late 19th century. When he moved his family to Sta. Ines, he became a cabeza of that barrio. His youngest son with Paula Cosme Guzman, Atty. Rafael Morales, also was elected as consejal (councilor) in the 1930s.

Feliciano Morales, Quentin’s brother, was also a cabeza of barangay Quitanguil. But it would be his son with Juana Pantig--Dr. Miguel Morales--who would solidify the Moraleses’ reputation as a family of politicos, by being elected as the first mayor of Mabalacat, after the Liberation.

Born on 23 September 1893, Miguel was educated in Mabalacat under Maestro Bartolome Tablante and in Angeles under Maestro Pedro Manankil. For his higher education, he was sent to the Liceo de Manila and Colegio de Ntra. Señora del Rosario. While still a student, Miguel gave vent to his literary pursuits, with many of his prose and poems seeing print on “E Mañgabiran”, a widely circulated newspaper. He wrote under the pen name “M. L. Amores”. Miguel was also an active member of the social club, “Sibul ning Lugud”, which he served as Vice President.

His main ambition though was to pursue a career in medicine, and so in 1915, Miguel enrolled at the University of Santo Tomas for his medical degree which he finished in 1920. After his residency at the San Juan de Dios Hospital, he took the board exams and passed with flying colors.

The young doctor then went back home to Mabalacat to practice his profession and became an established medico-cirujano. During this time, he married his first wife, Jovita Gabriel of Betis, with whom he had five children. A second marriage to Felicidad Carlos would result in three more children.

In 1933, Dr. Morales was appointed as a Medico de Sanidad (head of the health department) of Apalit. He settled his family in Mawaque during the war years but kept his Apalit office. Though times were difficult, he offered his medical services for free, gave food to victims of the war and aided the Americans who participated in the infamous Death March. In 1945, he was finally transferred back to Mabalacat.

A grateful town elected him as its mayor in 1948, the first post-war town head so chosen by local ballot. As mayor, he was responsible for building the wooden Morales Bridge, which provided the vital link between Sta. Ines and Poblacion. Mayor Morales also organized the first hydroelectric power plant, later operated by the Tiglaos. He was at the forefront of a campaign against the rising Huk movement when he was assassinated in 1951.

Today, the Morales name lives on in the political scene with the term of Mayor Marino Morales, his grandson. For two decades now, Mayor Boking, as he is called, has been the chief executive of Mabalacat, the longest serving mayor in the Philippines. By a twist of luck and technicalities, he survived the electoral protests of chief rival Anthony Dee and the challenge posed by his estranged daughter Marjorie Morales-Sambo who ran—and lost—against him in the last election. The elevation of this first class municipality into a city will give Mayor Morales another chance to extend his term as the first city mayor of Mabalacat—that is, if his winning streak continues.

*257. FELIPE SALVADOR: A Rebel Messiah Comes to Pampanga

SALVADOR DEL MUNDO. Felipe Salvador, "Apo Ipe", the Supremo of Santa Iglesia, a religious/revolutionary cult group which had its base at the foothills of Mt. Arayat and which wielded influence over the Central Luzon area. From El Renacimiento Filipino.

During the years of the Philippine Revolution, a man who spent much of his time communing with God in the slopes of mystical Mount Arayat, organized a controversial religious movement that led armed campaigns against Spaniards and the succeeding colonial masters, the Americans, but remained alienated from the Katipunan. Dismissed as a dangerous ‘bandolero’ by Americans, Felipe Salvador, founder of the cult group Sta. Iglesia, would eventually be executed for his perpetrations in Pampanga, Bulacan, Nujeva Ecija and Tarlac.

Felipe Salvador (“Apo Ipe”) was born on 26 May 1870 in Baliwag, Bulacan, the child of a well-off family. His father, Prudencio had been an official in the Spanish government. The Salvadors had many relatives in nearby Pampanga province and it is even possible that Felipe was born there as his name is not recorded in the canonical books of Baliwag.

Even as a profoundly religious young man, he had a rebellious streak, defying the parish priest by dissuading a group of vendors from paying dues to the Church. Felipe soon became the head of a cofradia (confraternity) called “Gabinistas”, originally founded by Gabino Cortes of Apalit. Cortes was said to possess supernatural powers, conjuring food, money and male guards to appear using a magic ball. Gabinista members were mostly Kapampangans from Apalit, San Luis, San Simon, Santa Ana, Candaba, Macabebe and Santo Tomas.

Upon reorganizing the cofradia and renaming it as Sta. Iglesia in 1894, the self-proclaimed Pope joined the armed struggle by raiding garrisons and joining skirmishes against Spain. In one battle in San Luis, Salvador was wounded and fled to Biak-na-Bato where he consolidated his forces with Aguinaldo’s.

Social squabbles between the two factions, however, caused Salvador’s fall from grace. Elitist Kapampangan officers, for instance, did not want an outsider like him to command Kapampangan forces. Gen. Maximino Hizon even ordered the execution of 5 Sta. Iglesia members without proper trial. Two of Salvador’s soldiers also suffered by being falsely accused of committing ‘abuses’; they were later found shot and floating in the river. Meanwhile, in Floridablanca, Sta. Iglesia members were harassed by being forcibly ejected from their lands.

Despite these setbacks, Salvador continued his warfare, this time, against the Americans from his command post at Barrio Kamias. Refusing calls to surrender, he was captured in 1900 and dumped in prison. But after swearing allegiance to the United States, Salvador rejoined the resistance and was branded as an outlaw. Captured in Nueva Ecija by the police in 1902, he was charged with sedition. But while being transferred to the Bilibid Prison in Manila, Salvador eluded his guards and escaped to Mount Arayat.

There, Salvador revitalized his ‘diocese’ and found wide sympathy from the central Luzon peasantry. He became a sort of a demigod, subsisting on his brotherly relationships with certain people he met on his journey, like Vicente Francia, Epifanio de la Cruz, a certain Juan and Damaso. They not only helped him find sustenance, but also provided security as he worked his way around the area. Ipe was warmly welcomed by people in the community who offered generous gifts, and he used these opportunities to recruit members and generate funds.

His modus operandi was simple: he would enter a town with some 20 chosen disciples, plant a cross and exhort people to donate money and join his brotherhood while projecting an image that is at once poor, pitiful and prayerful. As membership grew, so did the number of fanatical attacks launched against the American-run government—with the biggest ones waged in Malolos, San Rafael and Hagonoy in the summer of 1906, led by Capitan Tui.

On 17 April 1910, Salvador did the unthinkable—he and his group of about 20 “Salvadoristas” strode to the center of Arayat town to purchase supplies and provisions, knowing full well that they were under tight surveillance. Yet, the police officials and the rest of the populace were too stunned to do anything—with some even spontaneously giving their donations. To cap their visit, Salvador and his group knelt in prayer in front of the church, leaving the residents in complete awe.

Shortly after this remarkable event, he was captured just as he prophesied on 24 July 1910—a Sunday. An informer, Eusebio Clarin, motivated by the 5,000 peso reward on the Supremo’s head, led policemen to his lair in Barrio Kamias of San Luis, as he was in prayer with his family members. He was convicted and sentenced to die by hanging on 15 April 1912. Still, his faithful followers were confident that he would work a miracle and escape once more. But this was not to be. Salvador faced death calmly , “in high spirits , without a frown on his forehead”, as Taliba reported.

Even in death, his devotees believed he would rise again—after all, he seemed like “he was only asleep, happy, his complexion not darkening as is usually expected of him who has died of unnatural causes”. But his passion has clearly –and finally ended. Apo Ipe—sinner or saint, villain or hero, fanatic or patriot--was laid to rest the next day at the cemetery at Paang Bundok.

*256. Pampanga Towns: APALIT

APLIT APALIT! An Apalit Garden Day booth for a local provincial fair, showcasing the town's famous products--including its well-known woven buri hats. Ca. 1926.

In the pre-Expressway days, Apalit seemed like a faraway place, especially to one who grew up in the northernmost town of Pampanga. Like Mabalacat, Apalit is a bordertown located south of the province, next to Calumpit, Bulacan. I remember stopovers at this rustic, old town en route to Manila in the late 60s, to buy pasalubongs like espasol and putu seco--native delicacies which Apalit was famous for—sold alongside blades, knives, bolos, metal garden and farm implements.

Nowadays, the native pasalubongs are harder to find, but the blacksmith industry is still very much around, evident in the foundry shops that sell all sorts of metalware, blades and knives being the most popular. It is a legacy left behind by an early metalsmith from Barrio Capalangan of this town—Pande Pira—the first known Filipino maker of cannons (lantakas) who, because of his talent, was employed by Gov. Gen. Miguel Lopez de Legaspi.

But before earning a reputation for its excellent smiths, the place was known for its lush forests of apalit trees—enormous Philippine hardwood trees of the narra family that became the landmark for traders and visitors who regularly visited the settlement along the banks of Rio Grande de la Pampanga.

The town counts many pre-colonial founders including the great Malangsic, who, together with his nephews Tawi and Pangpalong (or Macapagal) established Sulipan and Capalangan, as recorded in the Balagtas Will. Also recognized are Capitañgan, elder brother of Tawi and Pangpalung and husband of Lady Bayinda and a certain Agustin Mañgaya in the 16th century. So strategically located was Apalit that it was one of the 11 most important communities of Pampanga by the 16th century, its relative prosperity fueled by the riverine trade and commerce.

It was in 1582, however, that Apalit was formally established by the Spaniards as a Pampanga municipality during the term of Gov. Gen. Gonzalo Ronquillo de Penalosa. It was composed of just four encomiendas then: Apali (Pale), La Castilla (Poblacion), Cabambangan and Capalangan. The early settlers included the Samontes, Candas, Catus, Cortezes, Vergaras and the Yangas.

The Apalit Parish was created in 1597 with Fr. Perdo de Vergara as its first prior. But it was Fr. Juan Cabello who constructed the church in 1641. The annual fiesta days marked by a fluvial parade for patron "Apu Iru” was begun by Capitan Pedro Armayan Espiritu in 1844. The church was destroyed by an earthquake in 1863, but it was rebuilt by Fr. Antonio Redondo from 1876-83, with materials and services donated mostly by the generous Apaliteños.

Apalit’s history is replete with many memorable events and personalities that rivaled those of imperial Manila. Puerto Sulipan, for instance, was the place to be during the time of Capitan Joaquin Arnedo-Cruz and his cultured wife, Dona Maria de la Paz Sioco. Their magnificent home was the venue for high society parties, attended by the country’s who’s who. The Arnedos even hosted a banquet for Grand Duke Alexis of Russia. The opulence of the feast and the sophistication of his Kapampangan guests left the international royalty amazed. No wonder that Sulipan is known for having the best culinary connoisseurs of the province.

At the height of the Philippine Revolution, Apaliteños, led by the Arnedos, offered refuge and aid to passing Katipuneros in pursuit of the retreating Spanish forces. The town, however, fell to the Americans on 27 April 1898. During the American rule, the boundaries of Apalit were revised in 1920; some sections of land were given back to San Simon, thus decreasing its area.

Through the years, the achievements of the sons and daughters of Apalit have further enriched Pampanga’s hallowed history. The names include: Don Macario Arnedo, son of Capt. Joaquin and a four-time governor of Pampanga, business magnate Don Ernesto Escaler, industrialist and PASUDECO co-founder Atty. Augusto Sioco Gonzales, Malolos Congress representative Dr. Joaquin Gonzales, distinguished anthropologist Dr. Ricardo E. Galang, educators Bienvenido M. Gonzales, Bro. Andrew Gonzales and Bishop Federico Escaler SJ, Amb. Hermenigildo B. Garcia, WW II patriot Col. Ricardo Galang, former Q.C. mayor Adelina Galang Santos de Rodriguez, top bank executive Dominador Pangilinan, Central Bank governor Amando Tetangco, Jr. , outstanding physician, Dr. Antonio Quiroz, Movie-radio personalities Bert Leroy and Orly Punsalan, culinary master and SEA Games Gold Medalist Gene Gonzales, master carver Nick Lugue and Philippine Military Academy 2011 topnotcher Edward Angelo Buan Parras, among others.

Today, the town of Apalit is comprised of 12 barangays: Balucuc, Calantipe, Cansinala, Capalangan, Colgante, Paligui, Sampaloc, San Juan Nepmuceno (Poblacion), San Vicente, Sucad, Sulipan, Tabuyuc (Santo Rosario), Sampaga and Alauli, and is home to over 100,000 people. The community boasts of a dozen or so banking institutions, shopping malls, restaurants, modern residential villages, oil refineries and a large fuel depot, flourishing side by side with its traditional farming, fishing and local industries.

Not even the problems wrought by the Pinatubo eruption could slow down the pace of progress of this once ancient town—now seemingly quicker, livelier. “Aplit…Apalit!”, is the town’s battlecry—nothing could be more apt for a border town in a rush to take its place among Pampanga’s finest communities.

*251. HANG ON TO THAT HAT!

PASS THE HAT! Women working on buri hats, made for local use and for the international market. Pampanga hat makers flourished in the towns of Arayat, Apalit, San Simon and San Luis, where buri hats proved to be the most popular. Ca. 1915.

Whenever my late Ingkung Dandu would go someplace in town like hear Mass, he would wear his trademark white pair of pants, striped polo, two-toned shoes and then would saunter out with his walking cane in his hands and a straw boater hat with a ribbon on his head. Though small in stature, my Ingkung stood ten feet tall in that outfit, looking jaunty and smart, especially with that black-banded, flat-brimmed hat that came from a shop in Sta. Cruz, Manila. I remember that his younger brother, Ingkung Lolung, also sported a similar hat when he dropped by the house for his regular weekly visits, and many times, I was tempted to try his hat only to be prevented by my father’s stern stare.

It is almost mandatory to wear some form of head protection in this tropical weather—either under a scorching sun or rainy weather. Before commercial hat shops were established in Pampanga, everday functional hats—"kupya"-- were made all over the province. Apalit was once a hat center, and in Barrio Sucad, ‘kupyang ebus’ by the thousands were woven and commercially sold in town markets from as far as Tarlac, Baguio, Bataan, Zambales and Manila. But due to the scarcity of ‘ebus’ materials, production was not sustained and gradually slowed down in the 1920s.

In Bulacan, weavers put Baliwag on the national map with their export-quality “balibuntal’ hats and their characteristic fringed brim. Pangasinan has its 'Calasiao hats' while Laguna is famed for its ‘buri hat’. In Pampanga, Arayat gained recognition for its 'Arayat hats' that were made in commercial quantities for the international market). Other hat-making towns included San Luis and San Simon. Weavers not only made generic ‘kupyas’ but other hat forms, like the ‘turung’, cone-shaped men’s hats that were made in Minalin. The ‘turung’, made from ‘sasa’ leaves, came in different sizes—the biggest being the size of an ‘igu’ or a native circular sieve. Workers of the field often wore the ‘turung’ in tandem with a ‘takuku’, a cape woven from 'sasa' leaves that functioned as a raincoat during downpours.

The "sumbreru" (sambalilo, in Tagalog), is also a common worker’s hat that had a wide brim to protect the eyes from the glare of the sun . Very similar to the Mexican ‘sombrero’, the local sumbreru has a finer weave despite its being plain. Katipuneros, of course, pinned the brim to the front top of their hat for better visibility, and this has become part of their trademark ‘revolucionario’ look.

Hats made from natural sources include the ‘salakut’, fashioned from dried gourds and squashes. Other examples are made from tortoiseshell strips and finely-woven ebus or buri, which were more conical in shape. The top of the head rested on a trivet made from woven bamboo. ‘Salakuts’ were prized possessions of menfolks, whether plain or fancy. The rarer ones were embellished with silver appliqués made from melted Mexican coins, with matching silver neck clasps and topped by silver-tipped finials.

Americans introduced Kapampangans to whole new sense of style, and hats were staple fashion statements for many young men growing up in the 20s and 30s. There were tophats for formal functions, derby hats for casual strolls (Rizal wore one to his execution) and boat hats for outdoor recreation. Straw boater Italian hats were popularized by Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire who wore them in their movie musicals. Panama hats – actually, of Ecuadorian origin—were widely worn by Filipinos, emulating Hollywood stars who donned them in movies such as “Casablanca” and “Gone with the Wind”. American-invented sports like golf and baseball--so well-received in the Islands--gave rise to golfer's hats and baseball caps that are still cool and hip to wear to this day.

Pampanga shops that operated in the 1930s sold hats of all shapes, sizes and materials. In San Fernando, one could go to La Fernandina, Zapateria Moderna or to the Japanese bazaar of T. Tsuchibashi along Mercado St. and the Indian Bazaar of Battan Singh. "Sombreros del pais y del extranjero" (local and imported hats) could be bought in Macabebe at the Bazar L. Magat, while "El 96" in Angeles offered a few headwear selections.

Today, of course, the hat is staging a comeback; young people have taken to wearing hats again to complete their fashion statement. The most popular is the ‘fedora’, originally a woman's hat, made of fabric, felt or straw and embellished with colored bands, feathers or flowers, then worn smartly at an angle. The only difference is, kids never seem to take them off—be they inside classrooms, churches or malls. It’s all part of Kapampangan ‘porma’, of course, of which our youths are prime subscribers, and though one may agree that ‘clothes make the man’, hats certainly have a way of making him hold his head up high!

(Thanks to Joel P. Mallari of the Center for Kapampangan Studies for additional info on hat-making in Pampanga)

*239. THE ART OF THE KURAN

GONE TO POTS! Clay pots sold by street hawkers in a neighborhood market, a common sight in rural villages all over the Philippines, including Pampanga. Utilitarian earthenware vessels were indispensable staples of everyday life, used primarily in cooking and storing food and water. Ca. 1910.

A favorite plaything from our childhood was a set of little clay kitchenware consisting of a small kalang (clay stove), kuran (cooking pot), tapayan (water jar), banga (water pot) and matching clay plates and tumblers. “Kurang-kurangan”, we called these glazed, functional ware—we actually used them to cook rice and simple viands when we played house in my sister’s ‘bale-balayan’. These earthenware toys were found for sale everywhere—in front of the big church after Masses, in public markets. But to my mind, the best ‘kurang-kurangans’ were those sold during fiesta time, which came in all sorts of colored glazes and finished with painted designs. There were more pieces to choose from, and I remember building an extensive set which we kept in the ‘banggera’ of our play house.

Making pottery was an early art adeptly practiced in old Pampanga. Earthenware vessels were known in our pre-colonial history, and shards have been found in Porac, Lubao, Guagua and Candaba that date back to the 13th to 16th centuries, a period of active trade with our Asian neighbors. Some have been dated to the Metal Age of Philippine pre-history. Indeed, places like Balanga (Bataan) and Iba (Zambales) were derived from pottery terms—and at least one barrio in Mabalacat bore the old name of “Iba”—which, according to local history, was the home of many “maniba”, or clay pot makers.

The basic pot that Kapampangans know is called “kuran”, used for cooking rice. Variations of this vessel include the “balanga”, which has a wider mouth and is used for cooking dishes. For storing water or other liquids, the "banga” is used which has a higher rim. There were, of course, other creations of clay that were used for other purposes like the bibingkaan (round clay deep dishes for cooking rice cakes), pasu (flower pots), tuliasi (2-handled pot), tapayan (water dispenser), oya (rimless jars) and lariu (bricks). In all cases, the same ‘kuran’ technology is employed in their manufacture.

The process of making these earthenware vessels is long and tedious, with many steps involved. First, clay (pila) and sand material had to be sourced from swamps (pinac), open clay fields, riverbanks or even termite mounds. The materials are mixed by hand, foot or by machine. A lump of clay is then prepared for molding, which could be done in several ways—by tampi or pukpuk (by paddling, for ordinary kurans), gilingan ( by foot-powered turntable, ideal for tall vessels) and by moldi (by casting, as in the case of bricks).

Finishing involves incising designs, cleaning, smoothening the surface of the pot and slipping, in which a fine solution of clay and sand is applied to the pot to give it a distinct color (e.g. black sand or ‘kapalangan’ mixed with clay will give the inside of pots a desirable black color, while ‘balintawak’-red pottery is a result of using a red-slip solution of fine red earth and water. When the pots are dried, they are ready for final polishing (buli) using a whetstone or a shell. The last step is firing, through an open fire pit (dapugan) or a closed kiln (tamban). The pots are then dried on a bed of hay, away from direct sunlight.

Today, the art and technology of the kuran is slowly vanishing. Gone are the days when you could find pottery stalls practically everywhere in Pampanga—from Calibutbut-Telabastagan to the barrios of Floridablanca, Sasmuan, Lubao and Tabun in Pampanga. Even the ‘kurang-kurangans’ of my childhood past are getting harder to find—the last time I saw a set was in this year’s Mabalacat fiesta, offered by a vendor whose wares came from Pangasinan. The pieces were very crude and garishly painted with lacquer—which meant that you could not possibly cook in them lest your guests die of lead poisoning!

Happily, the town of Santo Tomas still maintains a flourishing pottery industry, unlike nearby Apalit which once had a dominant pottery business. True, there are more decorative pieces of pottery now than kitchen earthenware—made obsolete by metal pots and pans—but the creative mangkukuran of Sto. Tomas should still be given credit, for in their deft hands, the traditional art of the ‘kuran’ survives.

*218. CHIQUITO: The Man Who Laughs

TO-CHIQUI 'TO!. Augusto Valdez Pangan, in real life, was not just a popular comedian who animated the silver screen with his well-known comic characters and spoofs of Hollywood movies, but also a dancer, politician, inventor, jockey and businessman. Ca. 1960s.

One movie character icon that certainly made an impression on me as a kid was this unforgettable Chinese with a long droopy moustache, called “Mr. Wong”. Before his appearance, the Chinese were portrayed unflatteringly on the silver screen, either as taho peddlers or as people with incomprehensible accents. But Mr. Wong was funny yet sagacious, distinguished but practical, a champion of the Chinese people and its traditions.

It was a role originated by a comedian with Kapampangan roots, who had always been seen as the chief rival of Dolphy for the title of comedy king. Here, finally was a performer with a fine mind and sensitivity, who did comedy for a purpose, not just for a few cheap laughs.

Augusto Valdez Pangan, or simply “Chiquito” was born on 12 March 1932 to Manuel Pangan, an executive of San Miguel Brewery and Remedios Valdez, the second of eleven children. The Pangans trace their family roots to Apalit, Pampanga, but moved to San Miguel, Bulacan and finally to Manila were “Tito” or “Gus” grew up.

He was 7 when he started performing in Manila theaters, and in one impersonation contest, impresario Lou Salvador Sr. spotted him. He gave him a role in a musical production at the Manila Grand Opera House during the Japanese regime. Only 13 at that time, Chiquito went on to delight crowds at bodabil shows at Cloverand Life Theaters, with his engaging boogie-woogie dancing. Soon, he was being called “Tito Boogista”.

Enrolled at Mapua, Gus dreamt of becoming a topnotch engineer but the lure of showbiz proved irresistible. A meeting with Fernando Poe Sr., jumpstarted his film career in the 50s, starting with Sanggano (1947), from Palaris Pictures. He was also one of the original “Lo’Waist Gang” (1956) that counted Zaldy Zshornack and Jess Lapid as members. For the next five decades, he would make movies, mostly comedies, like Atrebida, Fighting Tisoy, Mr. Basketball, Lo’Waist Gang and Og sa Mindoro (all shown in 1958). He would also star in “Sotang Bastos” (1959), a movie about professional jockeys, of which Chiquito was one. He developed a love for gambling, naming even his production outfit (Sotang Bastos Productions) after this hit movie of his.

One highlight of his long, stellar career is appearing wit Hollywood vixen Mamie Van Doren in the western comedy spoof, “Arizona Kid”, released in 1970. To make it official, Chiquito was also the first to don a Darna costume in the film “Teribol Trobol”, thus beating Dolphy for the title of the first male Darna.

In later years, the characters he portrayed would become major movie icons. Aside from “Mr. Wong” (1977) there were: the caveman “Barok” (1976), “Asiong Aksaya” (a Larry Alcala cartoon character, 1977), “Mang Kepweng” (1979), “Gorio” (1979), “Estong Tutong”, “Kenkoy at Rosing”, “ Tacio” (based on a popular comic strip, 1980), “Pete Matipid”, “Django” and “Atorni Agaton” (1990).

Chiquito married Vilma “Ely” Isidro, who was once Ramon Zamora’s dancing partner. They were just 19 and 17 respectively, and they raised seven children, Medy, Eliza, Buma (“Bukol”), Princess, Tiny, Gus and Archie. Chiquito is also credited with discovering Alma Morena (Vanessa Laxamana), a Kapampangan actress whom he introduced in “Kambal-Tuko”.

Entering politics, he was successfully elected three times as a councilor of Makati. He served briefly as the Vice Mayor of the city, and then in 1992, he ran for a seat in the Senate, but lost. He returned to the movies in 1994, teaming up with rapper Andrew E. in the blockbuster Viva movie, “Pinagbiyak ng Bunga (Lookalayk)". A spin-off TV series was rushed that same year entitled “Puno’t Bunga”. His last movie before he got sick was “Strict ang Parents Ko’, with Amanda Page.

3 July 1997 was the day the laughter died. Chiquito, the master of broad comedy and character spoofs passed away at age 65 after a courageous bout with liver cancer at the Makati Medical Center.

*197. APUNG IRU’S LIBAD BANGKA

OL' MAN RIVER. A grand pagoda bearing the antique ivory image of Apalit's "Apu Iru" wends its way on the Pampanga River, accompanied by a fleet of bangkas, bearing devotees and fiesta revelers in the annual fluvial procession. Before the advent of motorized boats, the Libad Bangka of Apung Iru was a quieter affair. Ca. 1965.

Every year, on the 28th of June, the ancient town of Apalit becomes a showcase of unabashed Kapampangan religiosity and revelry as it celebrates its 3-day fiesta in the grandest, wet and wildest manner. The Feast of the town patron, Saint Peter, fondly known here as Apung Iru, is marked with the usual religious rituals, capped by a colorful fluvial procession—Libad Bangka—that takes devotees on a raucous and even dangerous 6-hour journey of faith along the waters of Pampanga River.

The principal figure of veneration is an age-old ivory image of San Pedro, once a plain fisherman by the name of Simon Peter, who became one of Christ’s apostles and later, the first Pope of the Catholic Church. The seated image, based in Capalangan, shows St. Peter as a Supreme Pontiff, robed in papal regalia. It dates to the second quarter of the 19th century. In 2002, a fire razed its shrine, destroying the saint's original accessories —gold and silver keys, tiara, pectoral cross and emerald ring. But the image remained unscathed, and this fortuitous event was hailed as a miracle by residents.

The Apung Iru image is associated with the old Arnedo family, having been passed on to Dña Maria Espiritu de Arnedo, wife of Macario Arnedo y Sioco, who brought Apung Iru to Capalangan. To ensure that the cult is perpetuated, a corporation known as St. Peter’s Mission was put up by the Espiritu-Arnedo-Gonzalez-Ballesteros-Sazon families, which designates an official caretaker of the image--a camadero/camadera . Augusto “Toto” Gonzalez III is the current camadero of the precious heirloom santo.

The Libad Bangka was said to have been organized by Don Pedro Armayan-Espiritu in 1844, shortly after obtaining the image from his aunt. But such riverine rituals were not unknown in pre-colonial times, often undertaken by natives to appease angry river gods.

The traditional ritual process observed today starts with the “Pamandakit”, where Apung Iru is fetched from his Capalangan shrine and brought to the dome-shaped Apalit Church. Here, he stays for the duration of the fiesta, to be brought out in a land procession (“limbun”) led by the Knights of St. Peter. At Gatbuca, near Calumpit, the image is transferred to a small pagoda to shouts of “Viva Apu Iru!” by revelers on boats and along the banks of the river.

The first leg of the journey begins until the mini-pagoda, escorted by a fleet of brightly decorated boats, reaches the mouth of the great Pampanga River. The image is once again transferred to a grand “plancha” or pagoda float, already filled to the brim with avid devotees. More boats join the fluvial procession, until they number in hundreds, and as the water parade gets into full swing, revelers douse each other with water from the river. As the procession progresses, the atmosphere grows even more festive and wilder: in a state of frenzy, devotees shower each other with fruits, cooked foods, candies and viands in plastic bags, and more water.

The libad ends at twilight, and in Barangay San Juan, Apu Iru is conveyed back to the church through another “limbun”. A display of fireworks and an applauding, jostling crowd welcome back the image, born on the shoulders of the Knights of St. Peter. An all-day, all-night feasting follows, with Apaliteños opening their homes to guests and pilgrims to partake of their special menu of asado, menudo, embutido and other Kapampangan delicacies.

On the last day of the fiesta, Apung Iru is returned back to his Capalangan shrine, in a ritual known as “Pamanatad”. The riotous revelry on the Rio begins again. On land, the bunting-decorated streets leading to the Capalangan shrine are filled with people waiting to get a glimpse of the returning image. Emotions run high as Apung Iru makes its way to the shrine, with people clapping and cheering his name. Gradually, the din subsides, the town settles down as the devotees make their way back home, basking in the glow of another successful Libad Bangka, while counting the blessings bestowed by one who never fails them, their high and mighty patron, Apung Iru.

*183. THE PROCESSIONS OF MALELDO

FOLLOW YOUR FAITH. A famil in Centra Luzon rolls out its carroza with the heirloom image of Sta.Maria Jacobe, one of the women who visited the tomb of Christ, for the annual Holy Week procession. Ca. mid 1920s.

The season of Lent officially begins on Ash Wednesday, a day of marked with abstinence, personal sacrifice and austerity. But somehow, or so it seems, during Semana Santa (Holy Week), all thoughts of economics and abject simplicity vanish as a people’s religious fervor find release in the opulent and dramatic prusisyons (or limbun) that feature a long parade of life-size heirloom santos and complex tableaus, visualizing the events of the Passion. Introduced to the Islands by our Spanish colonizers, holy processions have evolved from a simple act of veneration to complex showcases of ritual pageantry.

In terms of religious revelry, Pampanga offers some of the country’s more unique expressions of faith during Maleldo (Holy Week). Other than the display of blood and gore by magdarames (flagellants) culminating in actual and shocking crucifixions, the prusisyons (or limbuns )of old Kapampangan towns provide stunning spectacles featuring antique sculpted imagenes dressed in gold-embroidered vestments, crowned with gem-encrusted halos and diadems, festooned with dazzling lights and arrayed on flower-bedecked carrozas of silver.

Indeed, the list of the most treasured and remarkable santos that go on “limbun” during Maleldo is long. In Arayat, the age-old Manalangin (Agony in the Garden) tableau of the Medina family shows a small lithe angel with silver wings attired in short pants. In Guagua, which reputedly has the best processional line up, the ivory Dolorosa of the Limsons and the Sto. Entierro—figure of the dead Christ in its own stately funeral bier---are the images to watch. Nearby Sta. Rita boasts of an ancient calandra (owned by the Manalangs) still complete with its original and intricate silver fittings, lit by delicate antique tulip-shaped glass globes.

Angeles has its own Apung Mamacalulu (Sto. Entierro, owned by the Dayrits) which figured in a controversial 1929 Good Friday procession that ended in its kidnapping . It took the Supreme Court to resolve the issue of its ownership. While Apalit has an exquisite Magdalena and Mabalacat’s jewel is a beautiful Veronica, Lubao has a San Pedro that rides a boat-shaped carroza. Fernandinos in the capital city meanwhile, take pride in the images of the Sorrowful Virgin and Peter, handiworks of the country’s foremost santero, Maximo Vicente and the 19th c. Misericodia Christ image of the Rodriguezes.

Equally arresting are other quaint processional rituals such as that practiced in Bacolor. On Good Friday, handpicked representatives of prominent families take to the processional route dressed in black hoods while bearing the different symbols of the Passion—ladder, spear, whip, robe, etc.—on poles. This practice, called “paso”—has been a tradition in this town for as long as one can remember.

Other Pampanga towns like Betis and Mabalacat, also stage their own “dakit cordero” on Holy Thursday, where a “lamb” , handmade from cotton or from edible ingredients like yam, is brought to the church in a short procession, prefacing the eucharistic meal.

There are no signs that the Kapampangan’s interest in “limbuns” is waning, as evidenced by the growing number of images and the longer processions that take to the town streets each year. Even not-too-popular figures such as Sta. Maria Jacobe, Nicodemus, Jose de Arimatea are being added to the line-up. Blame it on his fierce and unflagging devotion to his God. Or his penchant for divine excess. One can also point to the pool of talented Kapampangan artisans who wield their chisels and paint brushes who create with ease and skill, these precious objects of veneration. Whatever the reason, we, Kapampangans, can continue our walks of faith content in the thought that our revered religious traditions will live on.

*142. GARDEN DAYS IN PAMPANGA

WHEN APALIT WENT GREEN. Apalit celebrates Garden Day with a specially-designed booth displaying the town’s best agricultural, commercial and industrial products like these post and woven hats. Dated 1925.

Industrial education in the Philippines was espoused by the Thomasite teachers because it had a natural fit to the local conditions and needs. Practical in its aims, industrial instruction sought to instill appreciation for manual labor, and by 1913, about 91 percent of pupils in the Philippines were devoting some of their school hours to manual work like sewing, weaving and carpentry.

Still, agriculture, though primitive in method, remained the main calling of Filipinos, and the American educators capitalized on this, emphasizing school and home gardening as an established part of the primary school program. By doing so, the Bureau of Education felt that this will result in an improved diet for Filipinos, and will pave the way for a more scientific approach to agriculture. To promote this idea, school farms were started in different provinces and Garden Days were held in towns all over the Philippines.

Like Rizal Day, Carnivals and Petit Fairs, Garden Days (or Arbor Days) were an American invention, patterned after the state fairs that showcased agricultural products and other articles representing the best standards, in attractive displays for every one to see. These events, held under a merry and entertaining atmosphere, fostered a community’s competitive spirit, spin-offs of the more elaborate national carnivals.

Garden Days were held with regularity in Pampanga and Tarlac, achieving popular acclaim as these events were also occasions to show off, sell and trade goods. Everything--from bottled fruit marmalades, rice cakes, pickled vegetables, molasses, whole baskets of pechay, squash, eggplants, radishes, cabbages and root crops can be found in booths—ready to be ordered or sold.

Corn exhibits became the rage in the Garden Days of Tarlac, starting in 1912, after a campaign was waged for this alternative food staple in schools. Corn-growing contests, corn exhibits and corn cooking demonstrations were held in the province to promote “the growing of corn and for extending its use as a human food”. In one such event in Camiling, 8,000 people turned up to see an amazing innovation being demonstrated—a small hand mill for preparing corn meals.

In Pampanga, the Garden Days held in Capalangan, Apalit were marked with much revelry and variety as side activities—like athletic competitions, calisthenics drills and even a beauty pageant—were held alongside the traditional agricultural exhibits! In 1927, for instance, the elementary school team from San Vicente copped First Prize in the calisthenics contest.

By the mid 1930s, Garden Days became less popular as provincial expositions which were more encompassing in scope, became the more preferred venues for showing off a province’s progress. As community events, Garden days ceased to exist altogether after the war years. Gardening, as an industrial arts subject, remained in the curriculum of elementary schools until the 1960s, achieving short-lived spurt in the early 1970s with the Green Revolution project of the Marcoses.

Today, gardening as a subject is known by its fancier name--“horticulture”--and is now available only as a subject in agriculture schools. Landscaping, a related gardening activity, has even evolved into a separate specialized course—“landscape architecture”, they now call it. With talks of global warming and looming environmental threats, maybe we should revisit the concept of the Garden Days of yore. They might just be the ideal events to create awareness for this planet’s pressing need to go green, before it’s too late.

*98. BELLEZAS PAMPANGUEÑAS: Miss Pampanga 1933 Candidates

ARO KATIMYAS DA DENING DALAGA!. The official candidates for the Miss Pampanga title in the 1933 Pampanga Carnival Fair and Exposition, San Fernando, Pampanga.

In 1933, Kapampangans held their grandest event ever, to celebrate the progressive stride made by Pampanga in the two previous decades. 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.

The much-awaited selection of Miss Pampanga 1933 provided the climax of the fair. Pampanga’s leading muses, most from socially prominent families. First, each town had to select its own “Miss Municipality” to compete in the provincial pageant. Socio-civic and youth groups like Mountainside, Circulo Escenico, Kayanikan ning Kuliat and Aficionados Baculud helped in drawing up a beauty list from which the loveliest was chosen. Not unlike contemporary pageants marked by sourgraping and backstage dramas, the Miss Pampanga search had its share of controversies.

First, the selection criteria was put in question. Following the Manila Carnival style of selection, Miss Pampanga was to be chosen based on newspaper ballots cast in her favor. A leading Kapampangan newspaper, “Ing Cabbling”, put out an editorial that cautioned using “social influence”, rather than physical beauty , as basis for judging. It even went as far as recommending an ideal mix of judges to make the selection truly impartial and objective, a panel to include a painter or sculptor, a poet, a high society lady, a professional and a respected elder from the province.

Then there was the case of a town muse who, in the voting, was boycotted by her own town mates because of her perceived snobbishness and haughty demeanor. In one tabulation, she gathered zero votes. Despite these minor issues, the contestants had a great time as they were feted and paraded about in motorcades. In the end, it was the slim and svelte Miss San Fernando, Corazon Hizon who romped off with the title.

The titled town beauties included the following:

MISS ANGELES, Maria Agustina Pilar Nepomuceno. (b. 13 October 1911-d. 5 June 1995) Daughter of Gonzalo Mariano Nepomuceno and Gertrudes Ayson y Cunanan. Not much is remembered about her reign or the circumstances of her victory. Later married noted doctor, Conrado Manankil y Tison. They have 4 children, one of whom—Marieta Manankil (now Mercado)—continued the tradition of beauty in her family by becoming Miss Angeles 1955.
MISS APALIT. Lina Espiritu
MISS BACOLOR. Luz Sarmiento. (b. 23 July 1914-d. Aug. 1988) to Laureano Sarmiento and Ines Lugue. Studied at the local St. Mary’s Academy, then attended Assumption Academy in neighboring San Fernando for her higher education. Became Pampanga’s entry to the 1934 Manila Carnival. After the contest, settled down as wife to Jose Gregorio Panlilio y Santos-Joven, in April 1934. An only child, Jesus Nazareno a year later. The couple made their home in their beloved Bacolor, where Luz propagated a lifelong devotion to Nuestra Sñra. del Rosario.
MISS CANDABA. Marina Reyes
MISS GUAGUA. Quintina Lapira
MISS LUBAO. Cornelia Flores
MISS MABALACAT, Pacita Sese. (b. 1916-d. 21 Aug. 2004) Daughter of the town treasurer, Andres Sese and Justina de Guzman. Graduate of Instituto de Mujeres. Married Mauro Feliciano of San Fernando.
MISS MACABEBE. Paciencia Gomez
MISS MAGALANG. Belen Gueco. Daughter of Lorenzo C. Gueco, a successful doctor, sugar planter, business man and PASUDECO stockholder and Elena Aquino. Her elder sister Paz was also a noted town beauty. Schooled at St. Paul’s Institute, Manila. She was an active and popular member of Rho Alpha and Nucleo Solteril. Her candidacy was supported by the Mountainside Club, headed by Jose Luciano, but pulled out of the provincial contest after some controversy. Nevertheless, she was feted house-to-house by her proud kabalens, who were rumored to have withdrawn their support for her. Later married Jose Tinsay.
MISS MASANTOL. Maria Guinto. Later married Artemio Manansala with whom she had 7 children, mostly U.S. based. Died 1969 of cancer.
MISS MEXICO. Candida Nuqui. A student of Sta. Rosa College in Manila when elected as town beauty.
MISS MINALIN. Benita Mercado
MISS SAN FERNANDO. Corazon Hizon (WINNER). Daughter Corazon Hizon of San Fernando, the daughter of Maria Paras and Jose Hizon. After her reign, the lovely Corazon, the toast of the Pampanga Carnival, married Marcelino Dizon also of San Fernando. They settled in the town they loved best and raised 9 children, all daughters—Monica, Maria Teresa, Maria Corazon, Lidia, Encarnacion, Concepcion, Maria Asuncion and Josefina. Monica’s daughter with Marcelino Enriquez, Maria Lourdes, continued the beauty tradition in the family by becoming Bb. Pilipinas- International 1987.
MISS STA. RITA. Juana Amio
MISS SEXMOAN. Marta Pinlac

(*NOTE: Feature titles with asterisks represent other writings of the author that appeared in other publications and are not included in the original book, "Views from the Pampang & Other Scenes")