*200. A Virgin's Tale: OUR LADY OF PAMPANGA

O, INDU! The original image of Virgen de los Remedios of Baliti, patroness of Pampanga. Ca. mid 1950s.

Perched high up in a home altar in my Ingkung’s room was a framed colored picture of a beautiful Lady that’s been there ever since I could remember. She had a most beautiful face, framed by a halo of golden stars and topped with a gem-encrusted crown. Resplendent in her blue and white satin robes and with a rosary in her hands, she watched over the room together with other plaster cast figures of the Sacred Heart, St. Therese of the Child Jesus and Our Lady of Lourdes. I knew that this particular representation of the Virgin was special, because every so often, we would bring down the picture, put it out the window and lighted candles on its side as a procession went by. I would also see similar pictures of this Lady hanging in other people’s homes around town.

It was only later that I would learn that the Lady in the picture was none other than the “Patroness of Pampanga”—Nstra. Sñra de los Remedios, our “Indu ning Kapaldanan”. It turned out that we not only had her framed picture, but also a big escayola version of the same Virgin, with molded clothes, a plaster crown and a tin halo.

Virgen de los Remedios was the central character in the turbulent post-War events unfolding in Pampanga, when the province was being called “Little Russia”. Many Kapampangans were being turned on to Communism, giving rise to social unrest that threatened to tear the province apart. Then Bishop Cesar Ma. Guerrero conceived of a crusade to bring back Kapampangans to the Catholic fold, and thus was born on 15 April 1952, the Cruzada y Buena Voluntad (Crusade of Charity and Goodwill), under the patronage of Our Lady of Remedies.

The original image was borrowed from a chapel in Baliti and was sent on an uninterrupted pilgrimage to all Pampanga towns (siba-balen) and parishes. Indeed, after a year, our Lady proved to be a true remedy for the turmoil in the province, converting and pacifying people, while bringing back devotion to the Faith.

The next year, when it was time for the image to be brought out again for its scheduled visits, the people of Baliti refused to loan their image. Fr. Generoso Pallasigui, then Baliti parish priest, was quite worried that “blood will flow” if Bishop Guerrero insisted on taking the image away. It was ironical that the image that was meant to bring Kapampangan together, was now causing divisiveness between the cruzada organizers and the “possessive” people of Baliti. (Years later, it was gathered that the people were misinformed about the news they heard about their Virgen de los Remedios—that it was going to be sent for coronation in Rome and then stay there permanently!).

Bishop Guerrero instead, had a replica made—and this new Virgen de los Remedios was the image that was canonically crowned on 8 September 1956 in San Fernando—a full 4 years after the inaugural crusade started in Masantol. Today, there are two other duplicate images that visit the northern and southern towns of Pampanga; the canonically crowned image is kept in the San Fernando Chancery and is brought out once a year for its coronation anniversary. The “Virgen de los Remedios of Baliti” reposes in its own chapel in Baliti, and the place is being propagated as a shrine by the residents who, for many years, had to endure the stigma of being branded as “selfish” community, long after the controversial rebuff.

In the meanwhile, the pilgrim Virgin continues its visits to every nook and cranny of Pampanga towns, moving and touching Kapampangans by the thousands. I, myself, have seen the dramatic effects of the visit in my town most recently. From June to the 2nd week of July, Mabalacat played host to the revered patroness of Pampanga. Townfolks turned out en masse and lined the bunting-decorated streets for the arrival of the Our Lady in Quitanguil. Santos, representing the barangay patron saints, stood on their flower-bedecked carrozas and joined the Mabalaqueños in the warm welcome, complete with band music.

Barangays tried to outdo each other in according the best welcome for the Virgen. In a show of solidarity, people worked together to spruce up their visitas and chapels, hang blue and white buntings, set up welcome arches and streamers to honor our Lady. For days, barangay chapels hummed with the sound of novena prayers, with devotees coming non-stop to join in the festivities.

On an overcast 17 July afternoon, when it was time to send off the image to its next destination--Hensonville in Angeles—hundreds of Mabalaqueños celebrated a festive Mass in the parish church, specially decorated for the grand mañanita. Then, the town residents, pastoral council members, Damas de Caridad and the Caballeros de Cristo formed a long convoy to accompany the image and the Santo Cristo del Perdon all the way to the city, singing and intoning prayers while continuing the tradition of lamak—an act of charity done through the sharing of donated goods, with the sick, the needy and the destitute.

In an age of skepticism, one only has to look at the attendant effects of our Lady’s visit on Kapampangans---you can see a deepening of faith, a return to prayer, a heightened sense of awareness of our social ills, and a strengthening of the will to make a difference -- to conclude that modern day miracles still happen. Our Indu ning Capaldanan has done it again.

62.ROGELIO DE LA ROSA: Golden Boy of Philippine Cinema

ROGELIO’s RISING STAR. Lubao’s native son rose to become the brightest male star in the Golden Age of the Philippine Cinema (1940s-50s), best known for his team-up with Carmen Rosales. After retiring from the movies, he entered politics, got elected as a Senator, ran for Presidency and became an ambassador to Sri Lanka, Cambodia and The Hague, Netherlands. He is shown in this extremely rare, autographed picture at the peak of his career, ca. late 1940s-early 1950s.

Whenever I hear the strains of the song “Maalaala Mo Kaya?” on TV resurrected as a theme song for a hit serial, I feel myself transported to the days of black and white cinema, when the most popular scenes involved young swains and provincial lassies in some idyllic barrio setting, cavorting behind trees and flirting from haystack to haystack. More often than not, these movies featured the most recognized love team of the 40s and 50s, Carmen Rosales and a handsome actor from Lubao, Rogelio de la Rosa. His star would remain on top of the showbiz firmament for over 3 decades, peaking at a period in the 1950s that has come to be known as the Golden Age of Philippine Cinema.

Rogelio was born as Regidor de la Rosa on 12 November 1916 to Feliciano de la Rosa and Rosario Lim. His siblings took quite an interest in the performing arts as younger brother Jaime (real name: Tomas) and sisters Africa and Purita were all involved in the movies in different capacities. Purita eventually became the 1st wife of Pres. Diosdado P. Macapagal, while Jaime made a name for himself as another matinee idol of note.

But it was Rogelio who undoubtedly reaped the most success in a career that spanned the years of silent films and the talkies. It was a kabalen, Gregorio Fernandez, the noted director, who introduced the strapping 6-footer to film mogul Don Jose Nepomuceno in 1929. His launch movie in 1932 was with a Filipina-European mestiza, Rosa del Rosario (the 1st high-flying Darna) , entitled Ligaw na Bulaklak. Other early works included Diwata ng Karagatan for Parlatone Hispano Family (1936) and Bituing Marikit, Sampaguita Pictures (1937).

Over the years, Rogelio worked with the most renown directors of Philippine movies—from Vicente Salumbides, Lamberto Avellana, Gregorio Fernandez, to Carlos Vander Tolosa and Susana de Guzman. The handsome actor was paired with the most beautiful leading ladies of the silver screen: Elsa Oria, Mila del Sol, (mother of Jeanne Young), Lilia Dizon (mother of Christopher de Leon), Tessie Quintana, Corazon Noble, Emma Alegre, Cecilia Lopez, Norma Blancaflor (“the girl with a perfect face”) and his most famous on-screen love interest—the reclusive Carmen Rosales. He would star with her in blockbuster films like Señorita, Colegiala and Lambingan. In real life however, Rogelio chose a fellow Kapampangan to be his wife—Lota Delgado of Angeles.

In 1939, he put up his own RDR Productions, a co-venture with Placido Mapa and J. Amado Araneta. Its initial offering was Ang Maestra, with Rosa del Rosario. The next year, he did Anong Ganda Mo with Norma Blancaflor and Caballero, with Miss Luzon of 1936, Amparo Karagdag. The war years did not stop his rising star, and, in 1949, he starred in Kampanang Ginto, a reunion movie with Carmen Rosales. Post-war, he assumed sole ownership of the production outfit and came up with Irisan, where he teamed up with his wife, Lota Delgado.

Just like today’s movies, Rogelio’s films spawned memorable theme songs that millions of star-struck fans hummed and sang along with: Sarung Banggi, Ang Tangi Kong Pag-Ibig, Katakataka, Bituing Marikit, Tayo Na Sa Antipolo and of course, Maalaala Mo Kaya?.
His most acclaimed role yet was in the 1955 movie Higit sa Lahat, directed by Gregorio Fernandez. He not only earned a Famas Best Actor Award for his role, but also won the 1956 Asian Film Fest Best Actor Award in Hong Kong. True to his roots, he starred in a Pampanga-themed movie, “Pampanggenya”, with Linda Estrella in 1956.

It was also in 1955 that he entered politics and won a seat as a Senator. He could have been our first movie star president had he continued his run for Presidency in 1961. Rogelio withdrew his candidacy to give way to his brother-in-law, Diosdado, who subsequently was elected to the highest office of the land. Nevertheless, he was rewarded with an ambassadorial position in Sri Lanka and Cambodia. His last assignment was in The Hague, Netherlands, a post he held until his death on 10 November 1986. The loss of the Philippines’ most admired and most important male star was clearly Heaven’s gain.

FILMS: Dalawang Daigdig, Garrison 13, Tagumpay (1946), Sarung Banggi (1947), Hampas ng Langit, Sword of the Avenger (filmed in Hollywood with Duncan Renaldo, released locally as Ang Vengador), 1,000 Kagandahan (1948), Kidlat sa Silangan, Kampanang Ginto (1949), 48 Oras, Tigang na Lupa, Sohrab at Rustum, Doble Cara, Prinsipe Amante (1950), Prinsipe Amante sa Rubitanya (1951), Sa Paanana ng Bundok (1953), Ikaw ang Buhay Ko , May Bukas Pang Lumipas (1954), Tangi Kong Pag-ibig, Iyong-iyo, Sonny Boy, Pandanggo ni Neneng (1955), Lydia, Pampanggenya, Apat na Kasaysayang Ginto (1956).
(23 August 2003)

14. ING TULA NING CAPAMPANGAN: Indu ning Capaldanan

VIRGEN DE LOS REMEDIOS, or Indu ning Capaldanan, as she looked after her canonical coronation on 8 September 1956. Her pilgrimages from town to town brought much spiritual comfort to a province torn by the ravages of war and the divisive elements of socialism. She is undeniably "the joy of Kapampangan people--ing tula ning Capampangan".

Two weeks ago, on 8 September 2002, the whole of Pampanga commemorated the 46th anniversary of the canonical coronation of Virgen de los Remedios (Indu ning Capaldanan) in Angeles City. The image has become the one unifying symbol of all Kapampangans under one faith, a powerful reminder of God’s infinite saving grace through the loving intercession of our Blessed Mother.

In 1952, socialism became an attractive ideology for some Kapampangans. This, coupled with the still-felt poverty and hardships caused by the recent 2nd World War divided many of our cabalens, many of whom began questioning their faith. To counter these divisive elements, then Bishop of San Fernando Cesar Ma. Guerrero D.D. founded the Cruzada de Caridad y Buen Voluntad (Crusade of Charity and Goodwill) and with the Virgen de los Remedios as its patron, began a continuous series of parish visits bringing the revered image wherever they went. The original image was housed in the church of Baliti in San Fernando, which became a parish in 1943.

The first visit was made on 15 April 1952 in Masantol town, and from thereon, the pilgrimages of the Virgin proved to be a true remedy for the ills which threatened religion and peace in the province. As a result, many rediscovered their faith and returned to the fold of the Church. In deep gratitude for the conversions and miracles, the image received the ultimate honor with a coronacion canonica (canonical coronation) in San Fernando on 8 September 1956, an event that was unrivalled in fervor and pageantry.

The most well-known names in Philippine politics and the highest officials of the Church attended the historic event starting with an 8 o’clock Mass at the San Fernando Cathedral officiated by Msgr. Andres Bituin and assisted by Msgrs. Francisco Cancio (Deacon) , Serafin Ocampo (Sub-deacon) and Pedro Punu (Predicator). At 2 p.m., the image was processioned from the Cathedral to the Capitol. Two hours later, all the church bells in Pampanga tolled to signal the solemn coronation.

The gold crown and the halo of the Virgin were donated by Dña Pacita Angeles vda. de Tayag. The precious stones which encrusted the crown (“batung brillantes”) were through the generority of the Caballeros de Colon (Knights of Columbus) along with other rich benefactors. These were blessed by the Nuncio Apostolico to the Philippines, Egidio Vagrozzi, also the Archbishop of Myra. Archbishop Pedro Santos, assisted by Pampanga’s governor Rafael Lazatin then crowned the image amidst the warm applause of the crowd.

Another Holy Mass for the newly crowned Virgin was offered by Bishop Alejandro Olalia with the Te Deum said by Msgrs. Cosme Bituin, Jesus Tizon and Felix Sicat. Senator Gil Puyat and Hon. Diosdado Macapagal of the House of Representatives exalted the Virgin with a “pawaga”. Finally, Bishop Cesar Ma. Guerrero, together with Msgrs. Bartolome Zabala and Santiago Guanlao paid homage to the queen with the Salve Regina.

The 43rd year commemoration of the coronation of Virgen de los Remedios in San Fernando on 8 September 1999 proved to be most meaningful because it was the culminating event of the Golden Jubilee celebration of the (Arch) diocese. With Archbishop Paciano B. Aniceto D.D. presiding, the festive rites were conducted at the Pampanga Sports Complex. The grateful Kapampangans present offered their thanksgiving to their beloved Indu and Sto. Cristo del Perdon for safeguarding their balen from the destructive Pinatubo eruption.

Many likenesses of the Virgen were created for enshrinement in many Kapampangan homes. We still keep in our altar a plaster image of Virgen de los Remedios with a tin halo surmounted by 12 stars. A 45-year-old framed photo of our Indu also rests on our altar, attired in blue raiments, face serene and hands folded in prayer. She may have looked Caucasian with her milk-white complexion and deep-brown flowing hair, but to millions of Pampanga devotees through the years, she is the one true Kapampangan mother of us all, the source of our deepest pride and joy.
(21 September 2002)