*368. JULIAN MANANSALA , The Father of Philippine Nationalist Films

MASANTOL'S MOVIE MAN. Julian Manansala, director, producer, film makee, was known as "The Father of Philippine Nationalist Films" for his many movies with patriotic themes.

 The esteemed director-peliculero from Masantol who would leave a name in Philippine movie history as a foremost producer of patriotic and historical films, was born Julian Manansala on 28 January 1899, to Miguel Manansala and Leoniza Mendoza. Julian, ho also was an accomplished layer, comes from an artistic family that counts Vicente Silva Manansala as a member; the future national artist is his nephew.

 In his teens, he was quite a popular figure in his hometown, heading social clubs like “Bulaclac ning Pamacalugud  in 1913 and as an adult, “Batis ning Tula” and ‘’Panyulat Capampangan’’, a literary group. He moved to Manila for his high school education, which he finished at the National University in 1915. Manansala next pursued his Bachelor of Laws, at Escuela de Derecho, which he completed in 1919.

 After taking the bar, he opted to work in Washington D.C. as a Solicitor for Pensioners for over 200 Filipino veteran soldiers who fought for America, helping them secure their benefits and rights as provided by the Law of Pensions and Compensations. He held this post at the Bureau of Pension from 1921-28.

Upon his return to the Philippines, Manansala surprised everyone when he jumped into the fledgling Philippine movie industry bandwagon, joining pioneers Juan Nepomuceno, Atty. Vicente Salumbides, Sen. Jose Vera and Dña. Narcisa vda. De Leon. After all, he had always believed in taking risks and capitalizing on opportunities: ‘’Samantalanan me at gamitan ing guintu mung panahun, qñg pamagaral ang metung a cabiasnan a talagan cajiligan mu, ebala ing nung emu man abalu ing aliwa,uling mayap at pakinabangnan mu nung lunto cang especialista qñg metung a cabiasnan, kesa qñg abalu mu ing sabla, dapot puguit naca man dili.’’ (Grab and use your time of gold to learn one field of interest. Do not worry if you cannot learn everything—it is better to be a master of one, than to be a Jack of all trades).

 Manansala directed his first movie, ‘’Patria Amore’’ in 1929, and proved to be a masterful film make. The movie created quite a stir with its direct reference to Spanish abuses. Considered as discriminatory, the Spanish community filed a case in court, asking to stop the screening of the movie for fear of a backlash against them. The request for a restraining order was denied. From thenceforth, Manansala continued to produce a list of movies with strong nationalistic themes.

 The next year, in 1930, he completed ‘’Dimasalang’’, starring Mary Walter and kabalen, Dr. Gregorio Fernandez, who would also foray into directing. He next signed up with Banahaw Pictures Corp. as its Technical Director and megged ‘’Ang Kilabot ng mga Tulisan’’ (1932), with Dolly Garcia and Salvador Zaragosa.

Unhappy being an employee, he resigned to put up his own Liberty Cinema Corp. Manansala directed and produced ‘’Pag-ibig ng Kadete’’, headlined by the Kapampangan poet, Amado Yuson. He next shot “Mutya ng Katipunan” (1939), with favorite actress, Arsenia Francisco, whom he would use again in one of his last films, “Tawag ng Bayan’’(1940).

 His political interest was piqued when he became the Secretary-General of Manila-based ‘’Nais Capampangan’’. Later, he would also join the consolidated Nationalist Party in Manila as a committee president, for 6 years.

 When his heyday as a filmmaker was over, Manansala returned to his first love--Law. A full 26 years after his graduation, he was finally admitted to the Philippine bar on 19 November 1945, and practiced his profession. He was married to married Donata Quito, 1921, with whom he had 4 children: Antonio, Bonifacio (who would also become a very successful criminal lawyer , at times, working side-by-side with his father), Carolina and Donata.

 Manansala lived by his life credo: ‘’Ing catapatan qng sinta qng calupang cayanacan, qñg meguing cabislac na ning caldua, at qñg Indung Balen, landas neng tune ning pamagtagumpe at caligayan.’’ (Your faith in your young love, in your soul mate, and in your Motherland are the real paths to achieving personal glory and fulfillment). Manansala has certainly treaded on the right path; today, lawyer-director is known as the First Father of Philippine Nationalist Films.

*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!