It was an old Filipino town that had inexplicably managed to retain its Old World Elegance… at least, until Lahar inundated and obliterated Most Everything.
Among all Pampanga towns, it had the most number of extant, and in most cases well-maintained ancestral houses, doubtless because it also had the most number of old “principalia” and “ilustrado” families [ from the Spanish Era ] with “maintained,” and sometimes expanded fortunes, instead of the usual attenuated fortunes found in the other towns.
Along the old highway at the junction stood the 1880s Buyson-Angeles mansion [ pronounced Bwee-son ], the residence of the town’s most social family. A little further down on the opposite side were the 1926 Deomano residence [ originally Joven ] and beside it, the renovated 1860s Chu residence [ originally Joven ].
The exquisite Buyson sisters [ pronounced Bwee-son ] — Josefina “Pitang” Buyson-Eusebio, Ambassador Carmen “Mameng” Buyson, Luz “Lucing” Buyson-Gomez, Atty. Emiliana “Diding” Buyson-Gonzales, Asuncion Buyson-de la Cruz, and “Pilar” Buyson-Villarama — were the town’s foremost socialites, even if they never cared to socialize in that town. Of course, they partied in Manila, where it truly mattered. It was a known fact in the town that the rich, pretty, and chic Buyson sisters excelled in all matters social and did not bother with the mundane practicalities of existence. Unlike traditional Capampangan women, they did not cook. Nor did they bother with the everyday running of their house. Freed from quotidian responsibilities, they could pursue matters of Style and Society at their leisure…
The most famous Buyson daughter was the fashion icon “La Suprema,” Josefina “Pitang” Buyson-Eusebio, who ranked very high on the client list of the legendary high society couturier Ramon Oswalds Valera. She was unfailingly the star attraction — always dressed by Valera — during the annual “Mancomunidad Pampanguena” ball. He created some of his most spectacular creations for her. In reciprocation of his favors, she always settled her couture bills with blank — read: blank — cheques.
The Deomano-Joven family inherited the 1926 house from their aunt Dona Marcelina “Nining” Joven y Huyendo.
The prosperous Chu family purchased an old mansion of the Jovens and renovated it for a contemporary lifestyle. It had originally belonged to the parents of Dona Amparo Joven [ y de Keyser ] de Cortes but was later sold to Petra “Petring” Lazatin — a ward of Dona Marcelina “Nining” Joven y Huyendo — who in turn sold it to the Chu family. Most unfortunately, Mr. Gong Chu, the paterfamilias, was assassinated during his bid for the mayoralty of Bacolor town.
From the Bacolor Public Market, in front of which was the bust monument of Capampangan Poet “Crissot” Juan Crisostomo Soto, one proceeded up to Barrio Cabambangan. On the left was the 1780s de Jesus mansion, originally belonging to the Alimurung, one of Bacolor’s and Pampanga’s oldest families. Beside it was the beautifully-preserved 1830s Panlilio Santos Joven mansion, which aside from the Church, was also a focus of the town’s religious festivities.
The Panlilio-Santos Joven mansion was an inheritance of three affluent siblings who had been orphaned early in life: Don Jose “Pepe,” Don Francisco “Quitong” / “Paquito,” and Senorita Encarnacion “Carning” Panlilio y Santos Joven. From the mid-1960s onwards, it became the domain of the dowager Dona Luz “Lucing” Sarmiento de Panlilio, the wife of Don Jose. She was, even in old age, a regal woman whose renowned beauty was aptly described as “leonine.” Born into a simple family, she worthily gained the respect of Bacolor aristocracy with her irreproachable conduct, unfailing dignity, utmost respect and devotion to her husband, Don Jose “Pepe” Panlilio, the great love and care with which she lavished him during his final years, and her shrewd business sense, which enabled her to singlehandedly manage, and increase, the family’s holdings through War and Illness.
The Panlilio-Santos Joven mansion was further distinguished by the possession of two [ needless to say authentic ] magnificent oil portraits of the family’s ancestors by the 19th century master Simon Flores y de la Rosa. One was of Don Jose Leon Santos and the other was of his [ second wife ] Dona Ramona Joven y Suarez. Although art scholars lavished praises on the portrait of Don Jose, the portrait of Dona Ramona was also notable for the detailed rendition of her exquisite “pina” “traje de mestiza.”
At the back of the Panlilio and the de Jesus mansions, on Antera Joven Street, were the contemporary “bahay na bato” style residence of Ambassador Carlos “Charlie” J. Valdes and a part of the old mansion of the Manuel family.
A little further up was the old Liongson residence, “Villa Eulalia,” where an expatriate granddaughter maintained an exquisite garden and orchard. Edelvina “Chiqui” Liongson Gonzalez had inherited the property from her wealthy grandmother, Dona Eulalia “Laling” Liongson, who in her later years was known to have lived permanently in a suite at the expensive Makati Medical Center, so as to access her doctors and treatments expeditiously. How chic…
The affluent, cosmopolitan, and eccentric Liongsons had demolished their 19th century “bahay na bato” in the 1920s and had replaced it with a chic, contemporary Japanese style residence [ in provincial Bacolor of all places ]. In the 1930s, they transferred that house to Malate, where it was burned down during the Manila Holocaust of late February 1945.
Across the road was the large and splendid 1850s mansion and the sprawling gardens of the legendary de Leon-Joven family, which from 1921 onwards, was the single richest family in all of Pampanga initially because of PASUDECO, The Pampanga Sugar Development Company, of which they were the majority owners.
The industrious and enterprising Jose “Pitong” de Leon y Hizon married the heiress Senorita Regina “Inang” Joven y Gutierrez with whom he had one son, Jose “Pepito” de Leon y Joven. After Regina’s death at an early age, he married her sister Senorita Natividad “Titang” Joven y Gutierrez. Between his hard work and entrepreneurship and the combined inheritance of the two Joven heiresses, he was able to accumulate enough capital to lead a group of rich Capampangan investors in establishing the PASUDECO Pampanga Sugar Development Company in 1918.
Don Jose’s and Dona Regina’s only son, Don Jose “Pepito” de Leon y Joven, married the Manila heiress Senorita Natividad “Naty” Lichauco y Fernandez, daughter of the cattle ranching tycoon Don Faustino Lichauco and his Spanish mestiza wife, Dona Luisa Fernandez. The Lichaucos lived in a splendid mansion in posh San Miguel District, Manila [ near the Malacanang Palace ].
The de Leon-Lichauco siblings — Maria Luisa de Leon-Escaler, Juan “Johnny” de Leon, Jorge de Leon, Regina de Leon-Jalandoni, Salvador “Badodeng” de Leon, Oscar de Leon, Benjamin “Benny” de Leon, Trinidad “Trining” de Leon-Panicucci, Lydia de Leon-Sison, Jose “Joe” de Leon III, and Bernadette “Berna” de Leon — were Bacolor’s version of The Royal Family. In conversations, their names were spoken with silkier tones than the rest of the town’s gentry.
Among the de Leon-Lichauco siblings, the only ones who actually spent their early years in Bacolor were the two eldest, Maria Luisa and Johnny. According to Maria Luisa de Leon-Escaler, She loathed going to the Old House in Bacolor ever since she was a young lady, on 12 July 1939 to be exact, when she saw the corpse of her grandfather Don Jose “Pitong” de Leon, bloodied and all, being carried up the “escalera principal” grand staircase by a grieving household staff after he was assassinated at the PASUDECO offices in San Fernando along with Don Augusto Gonzalez and Captain Julian Olivas. After her grandfather’s funeral, with more death threats coming from the assassins’ families, her parents Don Pepito and Dona Naty decided to make the final and irrevocable transfer of residence to Manila.
On the infrequent occasions that the de Leon-Lichauco family congregated at the ancestral mansion in Bacolor, usually during Holy Week for that was when their grand ”calandra” of the “Santo Entierro” was brought out, an unmistakably aristocratic PreWar air was created as the elegant conversations alternated in English and the old mother tongue of Spanish.
I remember the anachronistic sight of some two dozen white-uniformed maids and some two dozen gray and black-uniformed valets and chauffeurs — the staff of the various de Leon-Lichauco siblings — leaning along the balustrades of the commodious 19th century “azotea” staircase, chatting and flirting the afternoon away. It was definitely a scene from PreWar… Actually, it was a common sight in affluent contemporary houses, specially in Forbes Park and Dasmarinas Village, but to see it in a well-maintained 19th century provincial ”bahay na bato,” still owned by a rich family, was disorienting. After the Marcos Agrarian Reform of 1972, many of the old families suffered from the abrupt loss of their agricultural lands — the original source of wealth that had created their 19th century “bahay na bato” — and they could no longer afford the retinue of retainers and the profuse maintenance budgets required by their large establishments.
And towards the late 1900s, the new gambling lords and the new political lords came along, and amassed even more unbelievable individual fortunes — estimated in the tens of billions of pesos — than all of Pampanga’s grandest families put together…
Beside the de Leon mansion, and fronting the Church, was the 1920s Panlilio residence. The Panlilios, actually natives of Mexico town, maintained that it was the site of their first residence in Bacolor, which burned in the 1920s then rebuilt.
Fronting the Church, the Panlilio residence, and the de Leon mansion was the very elegant Art Nouveau-style mansion of the Valdes-Liongson family.
In its time from 1905 to around 1920, there was probably no residence in Bacolor more elegant, indeed palatial, than the Valdes-Liongson mansion. Constructed in 1905 by Don Roman Valdes Juico y Angeles and his wife Dona Florentina Liongson, it lorded over the town plaza along with the Bacolor Church. It was remarkable for its elegant verticality: the entresuelo rose twenty four feet, there was a magnificent “pasa senorita” staircase [ the most beautiful in Bacolor, and the easiest to climb up as well ] with a double landing, and the ceiling of the “piano nobile” main floor rose twenty feet. The double doors of the mansion also rose suitably; the tall sliding doors that led from the “Sala” to the “Balcon” in front were decorated with multicolored glass panes. The sophisticated “en suite” interior decoration — including the architectural details, furniture, and the handpainted walls — was entirely in Art Nouveau style. An industrious Japanese gardener, then the height of fashion, tended the lovely grounds. The mansion was eventually inherited by Don Roman’s and Dona Florentina’s eldest daughter Dona Rosario “Charing” Valdes y Liongson, who married Don Dr. Emilio “Miling” Gonzalez y Sioco of Sulipan, Apalit.
Well before the onslaught of lahar in 1991, the Valdes-Liongson mansion was sold to the industrialist Geronimo Berenguer de los Reyes for reconstruction at his Gateway Business Park in General Trias, Cavite.
After the curb was the 1920s Victorian chalet-style Granda residence.
A little further down across the road was the 1920s residence of the musical Palma family. In the 1980s, it was the last house in Bacolor that still had its old “piano de cola” grand piano.
Further down was the 1750s Malig mansion, certainly the oldest and the most atmospheric of the Old Bacolor residences.
The quaint, archaic architecture of the Malig mansion was not the splendid, classical 1850s “bahay na bato” of the great landowning families of Bacolor, Guagua, San Fernando, and Mexico towns. It was the affluent house of an earlier era, perhaps of the mid 18th century [ 1750s ]…
One entered an arched adobe portal to a small courtyard paved with “piedra china” granite slabs and hung with bougainvilleae before proceeding to a handsome, pedimented front door which was actually located at the “mirador” tower and not in the house proper [ the "mirador" tower was most probably a remnant of the days when the "Moros" would raid Pampanga towns --- notably Lubao, Guagua, and Bacolor --- and capture their inhabitants for slaves and for ransom, occurrences which lasted until the early 1800s ]. The dim entrance hall was laid with brilliantly colored Spanish “azulejos” tiles. To the left was parked the old piercework giltwood ”andas” / “carroza” processional carriage of the Malig Family’s ”Mater Dolorosa,” a very old image venerated by Bacolorenos during the traditional Good Friday Procession. One proceeded to the right, up a staircase with a small flight of steps to the house proper, to the ”caida” living area. There was, rather incongruously, a 19th century matrimonial bed with a beautiful, Chinese-inflected headboard of birds [ cranes / pheasants ], hung with a sheer mosquito net, in the center of the room. Hanging from the walls were the famous 1860s colored lithographs of Reina Isabel II and her consort, Principe Francisco de Borbon in equally old giltwood frames. If one observed the distressed walls closely, there were still the vestiges of geometric handpainted decoration, perhaps from the 1850s. Beside the staircase, to the right, was a smaller staircase that led up to the “mirador” tower.
So old was the Malig mansion, so atmospheric, with so incredible a “Stimmung,” that it was used convincingly as the house of the “Alferez” and his abusive wife in the 1961 movie version of ”Noli Me Tangere” by the national hero Jose Rizal directed by master filmmaker Gerry de Leon.
After the Municipal Hall, one turned right towards Barrio Santa Ines, where the 1830s Rodriguez mansion stood.
The Rodriguez mansion, “Bale Sim” [ "House with an Iron Roof" ], was the domain of the beloved family matriarch, ”Imang Beatriz,” Beatriz Rodriguez y Tiamson [ born 1910 ], the daughter of Don Felix Rodriguez y Bautista and his second wife Inocencia Tiamson. She was the sole surviving granddaughter of Don Olegario Rodriguez [ o 1806 - + 1874 ], the progenitor of The Clan, and his second wife Dona Jacoba Bautista [ + 1874 ]. Her first cousins — all deceased — were Dona Sabina Sioco [ y Rodriguez ] de Escaler [ "Impung Sabi" o 1858 - + 1950 ], matriarch of the Escaler Clan of Sulipan; Dona Florencia Sioco [ y Rodriguez ] de Gonzalez [ "Impung Eciang" o 1860 - + 1925 ], matriarch of the Gonzalez Clan of Sulipan; Don Roman Santos y Rodriguez [ "Incung Duman" ], patriarch of the Santos-Andres Clan of Malabon and the Founder of Prudential Bank; Don Godofredo Rodriguez y Yabut [ "Incung Godong" ], the founder of the San Fernando branch of the family, and Dona Gorgonia Rodriguez y Yabut [ "Impung Oniang" ], the Rodriguez matriarch and the chatelaine of ”Bale Sim” during the first half of the 20th century.
The Rodriguez mansion was much distinguished by the possession of three [ untouched, unrestored, and frightfully authentic ] magnificent paintings by the 19th century master Simon Flores y de la Rosa. One was of the family patriarch, Don Olegario Rodriguez [ o 1806 - + 1874 ], dated “20 de Mayo 1862″ when he was “56 anos” years old, seated on a Biedermeier-style armchair with his arm resting on a grooved marble top table, which still stood, 128 years later, in the center of their “Sala.” The second one was a dark ”recuerdo de patay” [ memento mori ] of his son Don Francisco Rodriguez y Bautista. The third one was a spectacular “recuerdo de patay” [ memento mori ] of his granddaughter Senorita Encarnacion de los Reyes y Rodriguez, a child of his daughter Dona Maxima Rodriguez y Bautista with one of the many sons of the Ilocano patriot Don Isabelo de los Reyes. The pitiful girl caught fire while playing ”cooking-cooking” unsupervised by the elders and ran through the house screaming as she sustained severe burns. She was depicted dressed resplendently in a “pina” “traje de mestiza” with a brilliant yellow and vermilion skirt and bejeweled, lying on a tester bed, which still stood, one hundred years later, in one bedroom. Don Simon Flores painted a reddish tinge on her forehead to symbolize her tragic death.
One returned to the highway, and just before the School of Arts and Trades turned right to another part of Barrio Santa Ines, where the 1850s Gutierrez David residence stood.
There were two also two mansions belonging to prominent Bacoloreno families that disappeared even before PreWar. Beatriz Rodriguez remembered the burnt ruins of the Ventura mansion on the site of the present Bacolor Municipal Hall. The very old town elders remembered that near the Ventura mansion was the Ramirez mansion, which disappeared in the early 1900s. The Ventura were of Chinese descent; the Ramirez were Spanish mestizos. Both the Ventura and the Ramirez were very rich and they maintained elegant houses in Paris, France at the turn of the 20th century, and were mentioned in the memoirs of Don Felix Roxas y Fernandez, a scion of the prominent Roxas Clan of Manila, who was Mayor of the City from 1905 – 1917.
Another old family from Bacolor was the Michels de Champourcin / Champenceaux of French descent. The Old Pampanguenos, characteristically enough, could not pronounce “Shah-pooh-zah” / “Shah-pah-soh” and they pronounced the surname “Tsam-poor-sin.” They were friends of the Arnedo family of Sulipan, Apalit in the late 1800s / early 1900s. Their only memory left in PreLahar Bacolor were three marble gravestones of the family in the Epistle transept of the Church.
According to the Bacolor elders PreWar, The “Tsam-poor-sin” Family was said to have married into the Don Pedro Syquia Clan of Manila. In fact, it was recently confirmed [ Mia Cruz Syquia-Faustmann, 12 April 2009 ] that Senorita Asuncion Michels de Champourcin y Ventura married Don Pedro Sy-Quia y Encarnacion of Manila [ previously of Vigan, Ilocos Sur and originally from Fujian, China; the Sy-Quia had migrated from China along with their cousins the Sy-Cip who settled in Cagayan; Don Pedro Sy-Quia y Encarnacion was a younger brother of Don Gregorio Sy-Quia y Encarnacion who married the Vigan heiress Senorita Estefania Angco y Resurreccion --- they became the progenitors of the wealthy Syquia Clan of Vigan, Ilocos Sur ] and they built a grand house in Tondo which later became the Tutuban Railroad Station and its facade survives to this day as that of the Tutuban Mall. Don Pedro Sy-Quia y Encarnacion and Dona Asuncion Michels de Champourcin y Ventura had three sons: Pedro Jr. [ married Caridad Arguelles Cruz ]; Gonzalo [ married Ramona Vargas ]; and Leopoldo [ married Maria Chanco ].
*unfinished*
Amy Franco Tizon said,
December 14, 2006 at 6:42 am
I am just amazed with your memory and how you put it into words.
Alex Castro said,
March 8, 2007 at 12:15 am
Luz Sarmiento y Lugue (Panlilio) was Miss Bacolor 1933 (competed in the Pampanga Carnival 1933, Jose Gutierrez David was the Director) and was also a candidate to the 1934 Manila Carnival, together with another Luz–”Lucy” Pamintuan y Centeno and Guagua’s Remedios Ybarra. Happy, beautiful memories!
toto gonzalez said,
March 8, 2007 at 11:14 am
Alex:
Yes, Pampanga has produced some of the loveliest women. Ever.
Even the adorable Melanie Marquez.
Toto Gonzalez
Crisanto Abad Santos Evangelista said,
May 13, 2007 at 1:22 am
This just brought me back in time to the good old days! Great job!
toto gonzalez said,
May 14, 2007 at 11:28 am
Crisanto:
Thank you for finding your way here.
I’m glad you enjoyed the post, even if it’s not finished yet.
You’ll be glad to know that our beloved town of Bacolor, Pampanga is rising again. The Bacolor Public Market will be resuming operations soon. The Old Church is continually being restored. Beautiful new houses are rising all over town. Business establishments will be following soon. The Old Religious Traditions are being zealously revived.
Toto Gonzalez
beny arceo said,
June 8, 2007 at 3:05 pm
dear nanette, hi how are you?i hope all is well with you and your family,nice to meet you. yes we are related.your great grandfather apung kiko and my grandmother impung atang are brother and sisters,younger sister of apung kiko. he always stop by to see my grandmother whenever he is in plaza,very handsome man .i took my children 2 years ago to see the bale maragul,saw imang miling and tatang lacanilao,cant remember his first name,sorry.my regards to them.i hope to see you and toto someday.God Bless!!
beny arceo said,
June 8, 2007 at 4:48 pm
dear toto, yes you are right, those are my impung atang’s brother and sister. it’s nice to know we are related, so is nanette. i really enjoy reading your website, funny is an understatement. i have learned a lot about my arnedo roots thru you, you are amazing. do you know anything about my grandfather benigno vergara arceo, they call him caviteno. keep writing and enjoy life… thanks and i hope to see you someday.
jenny said,
January 29, 2008 at 5:22 pm
Dear Sir,
I can’t help but cry… because you help me remember the way Bacolor was when I was young.
I still remember the old days: the resplendent mansions, the old neighborhood, even the old San Guillermo Church in all its majestic glory beside the St. Mary’s Academy. Vigan pales in comparison with my old hometown. I was around 5 or 6 yrs old when Mt. Pinatubo erupted. And I know Imang Beatriz very well… because my family occupied the house right beside the mansion within the compound ( green roof ). Since I didn’t have any friends around my age, I usually played with the child of one of her househelp. Whenever I was around, she would give me sweets, chocolates ( always imported), aside from her delicious “ensaimada,” custard, or “nata de coco” which she always baked and prepared.
I remember the Rodriguez mansion all too vividly… my playmate and I loved playing in the secret garden. Apung Beatriz of course would always look for us, scold my playmate for being such an influence, but nonetheless, she was such a dear, dear woman. She would look after me like a mother hen, and would even force me to sleep in the afternoons ( my parents usually returned only in the late afternoons from work ) with the promise of something when I woke up.
Then you mentioned the paintings… I do remember them. The patriarch was the focal point of the main receiving room. Before one could reach the “sala,” the guests could either come from the main entrance: a small receiving room with black and white square floor tiles; with a small, tall circular wooden table with a vase of flowers in front of the wide “narra” stairs, leading up to the said “sala”; or they could come from the back of the house, quite near the old “garahe,” the L-shaped stairs with plants and vines along the side leading up to the dirty kitchen ( where Apung Beatriz usually cured her homemade hams ), then into the “sala”…
The two other paintings were placed side by side in one of the bedrooms, that, if my memory serves me right, was occupied by three antique beds. I used to be so “kulit,” asking them who those people in the paintings were. And the maids as well as Apung Beatriz ( whoever had the misfortune to be in that room with me that time ) would always say, “Kamag-anak ning Apung Beatriz. Kakulitan ng bata na nine…” and “Kamag anak ko, Jengjeng.” respectively.
Apung Beatriz’s bathroom, despite the mansion’s antiquity, boasted of a modern bath tub, and take note, a bidet, and the tiles were in light pastel green.
She loves to cook and prepare a feast; whether during fiestas, and other special occasions. The food, well, I’m afraid I can’t find the words to describe her cooking. Heavenly perhaps? But that might be an understatement. And two of her nieces are always present, but I only remember the name of only one of them — Tita Evelyn. She’s also kind. Apung Beatriz as far as I can remember, is also very religious. A “carroza” in her garage is always polished whenever there’s a procession, for it would carry her religious statues — Jesus on His cross, Sto. Nino, or Mother Mary ( I really can’t remember which ). As a young girl, I tried to scurry home whenever they would start their novena. But all to no avail.
Your site sir, I really can’t thank you enough. I thought I’d never again remember my happy childhood. Again, sincerest “Thank you”.
Nanette said,
March 5, 2008 at 4:52 am
to Beny Arceo,
All is well with my family, hope yours is too! Thanks for the message, you and my mother were definitely related… guess, it’s a big family to know each and everyone. Glad you had time to see the “Baleng Maragul” in Capalangan. Tatang Lacanilao is Tatang Piong ( Olympio ) husband of Mama Rita, Apung Kiko’s youngest daughter. But anyway… here’s my email add: netchua@yahoo.com .
Yeah, looking forward to hear from you and meet you and your family.
To Toto… Thank you for letting us use your space!
EyeStereo - Blog » Bacolor, Pampanga before 1991 - by Toto Gonzalez said,
April 21, 2008 at 4:44 am
[...] http://remembranceofthingsawry.wordpress.com/2006/09/19/bacolor-pampanga-before-1991/ [...]
anne malig said,
April 22, 2008 at 12:33 pm
amazing! my dad is right. bacolor is rich in history. i love my dad’s hometown and am proud to be a capampangan.
mia faustmann said,
April 30, 2008 at 8:49 am
The Champourcins did marry into the Pedro M. Sy-quia – I am a granddaughter of Asuncion Michels de Champourcin and Pedro Sy-Quia. I would love to know more about Pampanga.
toto gonzalez said,
April 30, 2008 at 4:05 pm
mia:
How wonderful to meet a “Michels de Champourcin” descendant!!! The French-Spanish-Pampango “Michels de Champourcin” were a prominent family of Old Bacolor, Pampanga but they were thought to have transferred to Manila and consequently lost without a trace.
A good friend, William “Bill” Syquia Daland, has always spoken of a Syquia – Michels de Champourcin connection…
Cheers!!!
Toto Gonzalez
Atty. Sheryl Manago said,
May 30, 2008 at 7:09 am
Dear Toto, do you have any news about the Venturas? My Lola Maria used to tell us stories about Dona Africa Ventura and Don Honorio Ventura. My great grandfather was their “personero” ( I don’t know if that’s the right word ). She told me that they had a mansion in Tarlac on top of a hill. Another in San Jose, City of San Fernando, as well as, in Manila near the Pasig River but she could not remember anymore where exactly in Manila. According to her, when she was just a little girl she would oftentimes accompany Dona Africa Ventura during All Saints’ Day.
She also told me that President Diosdado Macapagal and Atty. and Dr. turned Congressman Emilio Cortez, Sr. were the scholars of Don Honorio Ventura. Sometimes they would give her money.
Your blog is wonderful. I love Bacolor. Too bad I won’t see the elegant mansions anymore.
toto gonzalez said,
May 30, 2008 at 7:30 pm
Sheryl:
The Venturas were, indeed, one of Old Bacolor’s most affluent and prominent families. Their “bahay na bato” mansion was on the site of the present Bacolor Municipal Hall. But they had already left the old hometown and settled in Manila and elsewhere long before The War.
Don Honorio Ventura y Tizon was the philanthropist who financed the education of one Diosdado Pangan Macapagal from the nearby town of Lubao, Pampanga.
Toto Gonzalez
Michael Girman said,
June 9, 2008 at 4:36 pm
Dear Toto:
I stumbled across your blog while attempting some research about my wife’s family — specifically my mother-in-law. The first anniversary of her death is this week and, while I was reflecting on the impact that this wonderful woman had on my life and while remembering the trip that my sons and I made to Manila to attend her funeral last year, I was poking around the Internet looking for any information about her.
I was married to Cecilia Africa Revilla Santos, Ceil was the middle daughter of Ernesto V. Santos and Teresita Revilla. Ernesto was known to everyone as “Gatas” or, more simply, “Gats.” Gats was from Mabalacat, Pampanga. His parents were Don Teodoro and Africa Santos who first lived, I believe, in San Fernando. My wife was named after her paternal grandmother, Dona Africa. Gats passed away in February 2001. My beautiful wife passed away a couple of months later that year in May.
Formal, individual photographic portraits of Don Teodoro and Africa hung on the walls of my in-laws’ “sala” in their home in Horseshoe Village, QC. The portrait of Dona Africa was striking: She was posed full-length in an elaborate ethnic butterfly dress alongside an intricately carved “narra” wood chair. She looked expressionlessly directly into the camera. She appeared regal and imposing.
During long after-dinner conversations, Gats and Tessie used to tell many stories about life in the PreWar Philippines. Both Tessie’s parents died during the Japanese occupation. I distinctly remember stories about his Dad taking a China clipper sailing ship to California to where he attended school at UC-Berkeley. Both Gats and his brother, Ted, also attended school in the States. I drove up to Mabalacat and San Fernando many times with Gats to visit his farm and, while we drove, listened to stories about his childhood in the famous house in Pampanga that was built on the hill next to the Kamikaze airfield. Gats said that the house was destroyed during the war. It was sort of a family joke because one of Gats’ nephews spent a fortune digging up the surrounding fields on the advice of a fortune teller who told him that General Yamishita’s treasure was buried somewhere nearby the old house. Unfortunately, all of the PreWar photos of the house were lost during the war.
Toto, can you provide or point me to any information about Gats and his parents? Do you know of any resources where I might find an old picture of the house?
Maraming Salamat,
Michael Girman
Cresskill, NJ
toto gonzalez said,
June 9, 2008 at 6:30 pm
Michael:
Don Teodoro Santos and his wife Dona Africa Ventura [ sister of Don Honorio Ventura ] were among the richest and most prominent figures in San Fernando, Pampanga from the early 1900s to the PreWar. The palatial Santos “bahay na bato” mansion fronting the town plaza survives to this day as the “Pampanga Hotel.”
Ernesto “Gatas” Ventura Santos was a prominent business and social figure. He was among the most affluent, most handsome, needless to say the most eligible of Pampango bachelors in his time.
I do not have enough material on Don Teodoro Santos and Dona Africa Ventura, and their son, Ernesto “Gatas” Ventura Santos. I will have to refer you to the JDN CKS HAU The Juan de Dios Nepomuceno Center for Kapampangan Studies at the Holy Angel University in Angeles City, Pampanga. It is a fantastic repository of All Things Pampanga. I am sure you will be able to contact them online.
I also want to refer you to two good friends of mine, the historians Ivan Henares and Alex Castro, whose blogs are in my Blogroll. Just click and contact. Ivan Henares is a full-blooded “Fernandino,” a remarkable scholar, and knows Everything about Old San Fernando, Pampanga. Alex Castro is a very successful advertising executive, curator of the JDN CKS HAU, and has a great collection of old photographs and I do remember having seen images of Ernesto “Gatas” Santos among them.
Good Luck in your search, Michael!!! Do not hesitate to contact me for further inquiries. You can email me at augustomrgonzaleziii@yahoo.com .
Toto Gonzalez
Michael Girman said,
June 9, 2008 at 10:40 pm
Dear Toto:
Thanks so much for your prompt reply.
In item 14 above:
Atty. Sheryl Manago said,
May 30, 2008 at 7:09 am
“dear Toto, do you have any news about the Venturas? My Lola Maria used to tell us stories about Dona Africa Ventura and Don Honorio Ventura. My great grandfather was their ‘personero’ …”
Toto, do you think that the Dona Africa Ventura that Sheryl Manago refers to was my wife’s grandmother or even great-grandmother? Can you put me in touch with Ms. Manago or forward to her my email address?
Maraming Salamat.
mg
toto gonzalez said,
June 10, 2008 at 4:21 pm
Michael:
Yes, of course. There was only ONE Dona Africa Ventura who married Don Teodoro Santos and She was your wife’s paternal grandmother.
I will put you through to Atty. Sheryl Manago as soon as permission is given.
Toto Gonzalez
Sheryl said,
June 11, 2008 at 3:30 pm
Michael:
Hi. Anything I can do to help you?
Michael Girman said,
June 12, 2008 at 5:03 pm
Wow!
I thought that you were lost. I googled you name and found references to someone with the same name who just passed the nurses’ exam in Manila, but no attorneys. Toto said that the email that he had for you didn’t work. I was about to give up on ever finding you.
I am curious about the stories that your grandmother told you about Dona Africa Ventura who is, I believe, either my wife’s grandmother or, possibly, her great-grandmother. I am hoping that you will share those stories with me and confirm that this woman in your grandmother’s stories is my wife’s relative.
If you prefer, I’m sure that Toto will provide you with my email address, and we can correspond directly.
What’s a “personero”?
Eagerly awaiting your reply
Maraming Salamat
Michael Girman
Michael Girman said,
June 12, 2008 at 5:04 pm
Toto
Pare, you’re the best.
Maraming Salamat
mg
Sheryl said,
June 13, 2008 at 11:40 am
Michael:
Yes, I found out that I am not the only Sheryl Manago in this universe but I believe I am the kindest. Hahaha.
Toto will send you my e-mail addresses. I’m sure both of them are working.
Sheryl
Michael Girman said,
June 14, 2008 at 12:25 am
Sheryl:
You’ve proven your kindness.
Thanks so much!!
Maraming Salamat
mg
Sheryl said,
June 15, 2008 at 1:16 pm
Toto:
Thanks a lot.
Sheryl
GERWEN LUGUE said,
June 24, 2008 at 2:41 am
IT’S JUST A WONDERFUL SIGHT TOURIST CAN ATRRACT KAPAMPANGAN’S CULTURE.
GERWEN LUGUE said,
June 24, 2008 at 2:42 am
IT COMMEMORATES WHERE MY FATHER WAS BORN IN APALIT PAMPANGA.
Blue Blooded Yaptster said,
June 24, 2008 at 3:57 am
This is a comprehensive rundown of Bacolor’s Royalty…. i am so impressed Toto! I’m learning…keep ‘em coming.
-atb-
noni
mel sison said,
July 29, 2008 at 4:02 am
Dear Toto,
I remember all too well during my senior year in high school, when I was invited by my classmate to spend the holy week in his hometown, Bacolor. Living with my family in a rented apartment in Makati, the invitation was a welcome treat.
In a couple of hours, we were at our destination, Cabambangan. Since his uncle drove, our first stop was to say a prayer at the Church of San Guillermo, and during that visit, his uncle saw some of his friends building a huge altar for the Visita Iglesia, it was half finished, but one can see how grand it will look. We then proceeded to the Bacolor cemetery where his uncle paid his respects to his departed parents. Not far from the church was their place.
We entered a high wrought iron gate and passed by a series of oliva trees, then their house emerged, it was large and more contemporary in design compared to those antique looking grand houses we passed by on the way. His uncle said it was built in 1919. From those high French windows of the house, I can see a lot of people and can hear singing. I was told it was a rehearsal for the Good Friday procession. We were met by his aunt who was so happy to see us. We proceeded to our room. So as not to disturb the rehearsal, we passed through a long narrow corridor were various musical pieces and instruments were kept (I did not know my classmate was from a musical family). Our beds had carvings and 6ft four corner post supporting a canopy that serves as a mosquito net. I was told that the beds, as well as all the furniture in the house were made by the craftsmen from the neighbouring town of Betis. I was just surprised when I saw several huge kalderos of cooked food under my bed, and my classmate had containers of mangoes, lanzones and bananas under his. He just told me to be quiet, that is how they do it there!
That night, at the veranda, we witnessed the Holy Wednesday procession. I still remember the long procession of several antique images of the passion of Christ and some saints. My friend’s aunt told me that they belong to the prominent old families of Bacolor some families even devote the entire earnings of a property for the saint’s upkeep.
But nothing beats the Good Friday procession. It was solemn. I remember seeing people walking bare feet all covered in black from head to ankles carrying different symbols, my friend & I agreed that they look creepy! His aunt told me they are “pasos” and those carrying them are some of the distinguished people in the province, covering their faces as a panata. That night alone, his aunt said, there was an ambassador, there was one of the founders of the biggest sugar mill in Pampanga, there was the wife of the solicitor general and the son of the owner of a huge pharmaceutical firm in Manila. Through the years, she said, even if their faces are covered, you will know who they are and from what family they belong to from the symbols they bring.
Then the virgin arrived. My friend’s aunt said its the “mater dolorosa”, dressed in gold embroidered velvet & lace and wearing real jewels, the image I was told has been with the owners for generations. The ladies in black dresses, (the ones rehearsing) were singing “stabat mater” with a string ensemble and band. As the santo entierro arrived, it too was preceded by men in barong singing, this time, the funeral march. In Bacolor, the laity as well as the young and the old, the rich and the poor all join hands to observe the occasion, such pageantry, I never saw in Manila.
After the salubong that Sunday morning which was also a spectacle in itself, we had to leave for Manila. I wanted to stay longer, enchanted by the place and the kindness of the Capampangans, but we had to come home. The consolation I had was when my friend told me we will be back in November, this time for the fiesta, and I just couldn’t wait. His aunt gave me some pasalubongs for my parents, wrapped in brown paper and tied with strings were longganisa and pindang.
I have been a regular guest of this wonderful family for several more years before lahar took it all. My friend’s aunt had to evacuate to Manila until she passed away a couple of years ago. And my good friend now lives in the US where his mom remarried an American and decided to stay there.
Toto, I stumbled upon your blog accidentally and I am glad I did, you brought back fond memories of a past that I hold dear.
jay-mee malit pallasigui said,
August 2, 2008 at 8:54 am
sir toto,
i salute you for having this strong recollection of bacolor’s greatest memories. i am coming from the roots of galang family residing behind the bacolor municipal hall and beside the “bale sim” near the sta. ines chapel.how lucky i am to see all these great wonders of “villa de bacolor” just before the pinatubo eruption. i finished my elementary years at st. mary’s academy then my high school at don honorio ventura college of arts & trades, then my bachelor’s degree in architecture at manila. we moved to guagua after the last lahar experience in 1995. i am presently residing now in UAE practicing my field. but just before i left the philippines, i used to work at the engineering office of bacolor municipality.
me myself couldn’t believe that i’ll be working someday with office where i only used to play on its court & garden and interacting with the people whom i used to see since my childhood and becoming my colleagues. at present, there are already a number of people who are coming back to their hometowns and started to build houses. still, there’s really no place like home.
you can see a great progress back there now in bacolor since they already open the old mcarthur road connecting the san fernando & guagua area. most specially, residents would gather during these local feast days of barangays, la naval and the holy week.
it’s been a yearly tradition that my entire family would join these celebrations on which i really missed. during these events, we can see the present generations of the prominent bacoloreno families that along the stretch of the whole procession, my grandma would indentify them to us. most especially apung beatriz.
matula ku at pagmaragul ku na meragul ku kening lugar a meging parti na na ning pangatau ku. dakal a salamat koyang toto kening obrang apiisip mu. nung atin ku man asaup nung nanu man pabalu mu na kanaku.
Gabriel Valdes said,
August 25, 2008 at 12:51 am
Dear Toto,
While browsing found this site. Wonderful, wonderful, it’s nice to read and remember stories of Bacolor again. I am so proud to be from Bacolor. Please continue and more power.
Gabby Abad Santos Valdes
toto gonzalez said,
August 25, 2008 at 1:00 pm
Gabby:
Hi Rich Valdes Cousin!!! I’m so glad to see you here!!!
Cheers!!!
Toto Gonzalez
Willie Buyson Villarama said,
September 10, 2008 at 1:19 am
Hi relatives & everybody. Am so glad I chanced upon this blog & read many familiar names, relatives, etc.. Being 64 years old, e naku high tech. In fact I had to call a computer expert to ask what URL means, a requirement I have to fill up in order to post a comment. My mom, Pilar, belongs to the Angeles-Buyson of Bacolor. My favorite 1st cousin who was a politician like me was Kuya Pepito Buyson & I have a strong suspicion that Nijel is related to him. My email address is wbvillarama@yahoo.com. Am spending most of my time in Clark rather in Bulacan where I was a Vice-Governor & Congressman. Our house in Bacolor, the one in front of the Trade school, disappeared after Pinatubo erupted. I passed by the place once in a while. This was where I had fond memories of my childhood. Hope to hear from my relatives.
toto gonzalez said,
September 10, 2008 at 1:30 pm
Willie:
I am very honored that a distinguished personage like you, a former Vice-Governor of Bulacan and a former Congressman, has found his way to this silly blog of mine. I was introduced to you and your wife Tetchie Battista-Villarama many years ago during the “La Naval Fiesta” in your Buyson-Angeles ancestral house in Bacolor by your first cousin Dr. Taddy Buyson Gonzales. I was also introduced that evening by Taddy to his mother Atty. Emiliana “Diding” Buyson-Gonzales and to your elegant mother Pilar Buyson-Villarama.
I remember your Buyson-Angeles ancestral house well. Yes, it stood along the highway across the Arts and Trades School. It was in what the Filipiniana scholars Martin “Sonny” Imperial Tinio and Fernando “Butch” Nakpil Zialcita termed as the Floral Style of the 1880s. It had a beautiful “escalera principal” principal staircase with large Victorian-style balusters, carved, tall, and majestic double doors, carved arches, and old chandeliers. Most distinctly, it was the only “bahay na bato” / mansion in Bacolor [ if not Pampanga ] with conserved Victorian Era stamped metal [ tin ] ceilings. There was also modern, long green carpeting that ran through the rooms to prevent the elegant Buyson ladies and their guests from slipping on the wide and polished “narra” plank floors.
If I remember right, Taddy Gonzales once mentioned that the Buyson-Angeles mansion was originally the residence of Don Ceferino Joven, the first appointed Civil Governor of Pampanga during the American regime.
The antique image of “San Pedro Apostol” and its silverplated “carroza” which participated during the annual “Maleldo” / Holy week processions belonged to the Buyson Family and emerged from their house every Holy Wednesday late afternoon.
According to the Bacolor elders, behind the Buyson-Angeles mansion stood the modest house of Laureano Sarmiento and Ines Lugue and their many children; that was the house where the Bacolor grande dame Luz Sarmiento de Panlilio [ widow of Don Jose Panlilio y Santos Joven ] and her spectacularly successful youngest sister “The Jeweller” Fe Sarmiento-Panlilio [ Mrs. Jose Lazatin Panlilio ] grew up.
Should you have the time, please regale us with the memories of your happy childhood in Old Bacolor…
Cheers!!!
Toto Gonzalez
arnold abad rivera said,
September 16, 2008 at 9:19 pm
H Toto,
I’ve been reading your blog and it has been very helpful on both an academic and personal level. I attended the Don Bosco Academy in the early to mid-80s when it was still in its original location in Bacolor. I am now an architect in Los Angeles, California. After having seen the devastation brought on by the Mt. Pinatubo eruption, I felt compelled to conduct a research study on the aftermath. I’m trying to find some old town plans showing original building locations and photographs of both public buildings and private homes that were affected in Bacolor proper. Would you have any information on where and how I might be able to obtain such information? Ultimately I am very interested in how the residents have coped with all the devastation of this cataclysmic event. I am interested in finding out what the government both on local and federal levels have done to aid the recovery of the displaced residents. As an architect I am keen on finding out what policies where put in place in terms of rebuilding and /or recovery of both public and private buildings. the change in existing grade has certain impact on property boundaries and infrastructure. I feel that this is an important study in order actively involve the international design community in making a positive impact on natural disasters such as this. I’m looking forward to hearing your response.
Dakal a salamat po.
toto gonzalez said,
September 17, 2008 at 9:30 am
arnold:
Thank you for finding your way here.
Definitely, Bacolor town has come back to life. The Old Church has been conserved, the Public Market reconstructed, the DHVCAT The Don Honorio Ventura College of Arts and Trades reopened, well-designed contemporary houses built all over town, and the year-round traditions zealously revived. The Soul of Bacolor town has returned.
As for the technical documentation of the town prelahar, I have no idea. I doubt if there are any documents, plans, or photographs at the new Bacolor Municipal Hall. Perhaps there are a few documents and photographs you can see and peruse at the Pampanga Provincial Capitol. You might be able to locate and study some archival materials — documents, plans, and photographs — at the JDN CKS HAU Juan D. Nepomuceno Center for Kapampangan Studies at the Holy Angel University in Angeles City; it is an excellent repository of All Things Pampanga.
Cheers!!!
Toto Gonzalez
santA_santitA said,
October 10, 2008 at 8:54 pm
arnold abad rivera said:
Mr. Alex Castro may be of help to you if you are looking for pictures. I believe he collects old photos of Pampanga. His blog is “Views from the Pampang”. Visit him there. Good Luck.
santA_santitA said,
October 10, 2008 at 8:56 pm
you can also visit the University of the Assumption Archdiocesan Museum. They have paintings of old churches and ancestral houses there.
gerald escoto said,
October 31, 2008 at 11:32 pm
dear sir toto,
I am actually amazed on how vivid your recollection and history of the former Bacolor, you’ve just rejuvenated my fond memories of Bacolor(though I am graduate of Holy Angel University I am not aware of that center for kapampangan studies there). I am actually from Parulog, since lahar hit our historic town it was my dream to see again pictures of the old Bacolor. I have a friend who stays in L.A who told me about your blog and I said I’ll give it a try since I really love to see pictures. I am right now living in baltimore, maryland as a physical education teacher. I would really appreciate it if you can help me find one so that I will have something to share with my students as far as culture is concern.
Kudos to you sir! Hope to see Bacolor soon.
gideon ventura said,
November 17, 2008 at 2:04 pm
hello toto,
my father who does not speal about his past just told us that we’re from pampanga ang my great grandfather was don honorio. my father used to live before in Isabela cagayan valley, his father was the late doctor geronimo ventura who was also the first elected mayor in our town. his story was then that his father was sponsored by the late honorio ventura same with the father of our dear president right now. my father seldom tell us about his stories but we hear only from our neighbors. i knew only two granfathers of mine the then TRanquilino ventura who was in PASUDECO and his son who just died tranquilino p ventura. please do help me with this information to keep in touch with our relatives in pampanga and makes us known to them that we’re looking for them to trace our hisroty.
thank you
Cassandra Manago said,
November 21, 2008 at 3:54 pm
Hello my name is Cassandra Manago, my grandfather is Europe Manago Sr. he live in a small town call Crawfordville, Georgia not far from Atlanta Georgia this is my number 706-424-3266 and my email address cmanago2000@yahoo.com I’m looking for some family memeber.
Noli Mallari said,
December 31, 2008 at 5:04 pm
Your article reminds of the town I grew up in the 50’s. I am amazed at the accuracy of the description of those ancestral houses as I remember them and the personalities I saw personally. The “Bale Sim” you mentioned is in our neighborhood. Those truly were the glory days of Bacolor. Another annual event that is worth mentioning is the “Old Legs” ball which is attended not only by the prominent people of the town and province but also of Manila. Keep on writing these interesting articles.
Bestre Beroy said,
January 1, 2009 at 5:03 am
Good article!!!
Merilyn Bognot Redman said,
January 2, 2009 at 6:39 pm
Thank you for the article. I am proud of my heritage. I love Bacolor.
At this day and age we need to look back and relfect of the happy
times we had during our childhood in our hometown. Thank you so much
rey quizon said,
January 6, 2009 at 7:53 am
bacolor such a beautiful place back in the 80″s, could still remember my alma mater don bosco, also the puto seco of cabalantian and the balasubas of talba . i missed those sasa palm fruit from tinajero.
jerico said,
January 15, 2009 at 5:33 pm
tnx 4 writing of how glamorous the town of bacolor was back in the days…i was still so young den but i can still remember the old church…..and the beatiful ancestral houses…..the food during fiestas…and how warmth and welcoming the people were….
jerico culala said,
January 15, 2009 at 5:43 pm
sir tnx 4 bringin back gud old memries i hope with the bill that was pass by the congress which will give a large amount of money to the local government to restore bacolor will bring this once beautiful place to its former glory
Titanons said,
January 27, 2009 at 2:07 am
I am a descendant of the Joven/Malig family of Bacolor. My sister has told me about this site and I’ve visited before. Today I happened to take a look at your site again and just read all the threads. There was a recollection made by Mel Sison of July 29, 2008 regarding his Holy Week vacation at the invitation of his friend who lived in Bacolor. From what he described, I believe he spent the week in the house across my aunt’s house in Cabambangan. My family grew up in Manila, but when we were kids, my sisters and I would always spend the holy week in Bacolor to give my mom and dad much needed respite from us kids. The last name of the family with whom Mel Sison lived escapes me for the moment (alzheimer???), but I distinctly remember that they were the ones who sang and played the violins during the Holy Friday procession. While my sisters and I and our cousins were playing on my aunt’s front yard, or just sitting on the fence of the house, or climbing the santol tree in front of the house, we would hear the choir and the violinists rehearsing. Of course this was the much anticipated procession. Mr Sison so described it vividly. It’s exactly the way it was done. He failed to mention, though that the people who joined the procession, walking along the sides with lighted candles (“sulo”) had to dress up to their best, too. It was really a very solemn procession. You don’t hear any music while the “pasos” are passing by. You just hear the swish of their hemlines against the pavement while they walk. And we , the spectators will be lighting candles on our window sills or on our fences and just keep silent. Thinking back now, yes, I agree it felt eerie. But at that time, all I felt was just awe and reverence. The choir and the musicians will be at the end of the procession, behind the Via Dolorosa (which is owned by the Malig family) and the dead Christ.
Thank you, Mr Sison for a very nostalgic piece of writing. I visited Bacolor last November after 10 years of being away. I just felt the incredible loss of historical treasures.
gideon ventura said,
March 11, 2009 at 7:33 pm
hello michael girman and sheryl,
i read your blogs and seems that your also looking at our roots in the same blanket of venturas. i have some details of which i can share with you coz for the past years i and my cousins are searching for our family tree which traces us back not only from the chinese mestizos but from the spanish and french origin.
thank you and keep in touch
Aldrin Tayag said,
April 1, 2009 at 3:14 am
how can i find the lyrics of the song “stabat mater” and its chords?
toto gonzalez said,
April 1, 2009 at 12:07 pm
Aldrin:
You will have to go to Bacolor, Pampanga, attend the Good Friday procession, and introduce yourself to the Palma family with your request. I don’t think you can download Bacolor’s “Stabat Mater” on YouTube just yet.
If I remember right, Bacolor, Pampanga’s singularly haunting “Stabat Mater” was composed by a member of the Palma family in the late 1800s; the descendants compose the string ensemble accompanying the ladies’ choir singing the “Stabat Mater” as it follows the very old “Mater Dolorosa” of the Malig family during the Good Friday procession.
Toto Gonzalez
scarlatti said,
April 28, 2009 at 5:41 pm
It might interest your reader Aldrin to know that the Bacolor version of Stabat Mater is intended for a string and marching band ensemble. If he wants to listen to it, it was made into a CD a few years ago by the Center for Capampangan Culture & Arts when the center commissioned a group of musicians headed by the composers’ great great grandson to digitally record the string ensemble version of this Good Friday processional march. All four opuses of Pablo Cordero Palma’s Stabat Mater are in this CD. With regards to the lyrics, he can Google info on this since Stabat Mater has been in existence since the medieval times and several great composers have put this hymn into music.
toto gonzalez said,
April 28, 2009 at 6:33 pm
scarlatti:
Thank you so much!!! I am sure Aldrin Tayag will appreciate your response.
Even I will look for that CD!!!
Cheers!!!
Toto Gonzalez
Aida Chu Vigilia said,
May 17, 2009 at 5:12 pm
Good Afternoon,
This is wonderful to read the history of Bacolor, Pampanga and their early settlers. We grew up in this quaint little town, my parents were the owner of Charing’s Sari-Sari Store and Bakery, located right beside the PSAT, a.k.a. Don Honorio Ventura Arts and Trade School. Our father was one of the first Chinese merchant settlers in Bacolor, together with his brother Poca, his nephews Luis, Pepe, and Ben Chu. Don Q ( Poca’s son-in-law owned the only Caltex gasoline station in the early 1950s. Our father Tuna was a very hardworking, honest person and met our mother Lazara Del Rosario who hailed from Tinajero, Bacolor, Pampanga. The two were both widows, our father had a son in China and our mother had three children from her first husband, and had our “OWN” yours, mine and ours family. Our parents, spent their life providing us with the best things in life and the best education. Our parents always supported the town’s festivities and I, Aida, had always dreamed of one day attending the “OLD LEGS” as soon as I would grow up and become a professional. I got married early at the age of 18 and immigrated to Canada in 1974 and began our life there. My siblings, Ben, Babes, Bong, Lito, and Juancho followed. With the strong values and beliefs our parents have ingrained in us, we all have a good life in North America. To this date, I still wish I can attend the “Old Legs.” Hopefully, it will be resurrected again, with all its pomposity and glory.
Thank You, Toto Gonzalez.
Dr. Taddy Buyson Gonzales said,
May 20, 2009 at 7:54 am
My dear Toto
Finally!
First of all my warm greetings to a cabalen.
I read hastily the items here and I got excited, now I do not know where to begin.
That imposing house mentioned in San Fernando, which is now a hotel, at the corner of the main church.
Originally it belonged to Gobernadorcillo JULIAN BUYSON, circa 1850’s.
Then it was acquired by the family of DORONG TOLA.
( Don Teodoro Santos had a daughter Bartola, where the name Dorong-Tola evolved, and another daughter ASUNCION, married DON ANDRES EUSEBIO, father of Dr. Jesus Santos Eusebio, married to Josefina “Pitang” Buyson.)
From San Fernando, Julian Buyson settled in Bacolor with his second wife, Maximina Genuino y de Jesus.
Julian again had the largest bahay na bato in that town, as what seemed to be his ambition.
They had an only child JOSE BUYSON born in that manor, circa 1857.
Maximina Genuino was the daughter of Juana de Jesus and Licenciado Albino Genuino.
In that house was where my direct grandfather was born in 1881, Juez Mariano Buyson y Lampa.
The house was later acquired by the Jose Aniceto de Leon-Alexa Buyson family of Don Peping de Leon.
I mentioned my ancestors’ names to enlighten you on what those major statues in the front altar of the San Guillermo parish church signify.
It was Julian who was one of the benefactors of the reconstruction of the church and to honor his loved ones had their patron saints enshrined.
San Jose in memory of his only son Jose Buyson.
San Albino in memory of his father in law Albino Genuino.
San Juan Nepomuceno in memory of his mother in law Juana de Jesus.
San Maximino in memory of his beloved wife Maximina Genuino.
How’s that for starters!?
Dr. Taddy Buyson Gonzales said,
May 20, 2009 at 8:21 am
Another..
where that first CALTEX STATION of Don Chu at the corner was , facing the Trade School, was part of the Buyson residential property, which occupied the two corners facing the Trade School.
Don Chu was renting the place and Poca was renting the “accesorias’ infront of the market from my mom’s family.
The landmark Buyson residence infront of the Trade School was originally the Don Ceferino Joven residence. It was reputedly the grandest house that era.
Jose Rizal was a guest as well as American Gov. Generals after, as Don Ceferino was an influential political figure then.
Yes the pressed metal ceiling was the only one of it’s kind. It had different designs for each room, vines and fruits at the dining area, floral in the living room, geometric in the bedrooms etc. And handpainted.
Juez Mariano Buyson acquired the house from the descendants of Don ceferino circa 1916.
trivia…
in the late 1960’s Charlie Valdes sent an emissary to my mom to ask if he could buy the original Don Ceferino house from my mom for sentimental reason.
My mom’s reply was certainly, on condition that the de Leons would likewise sell the original Buyson house to her too…
You are right, the Valdes – Gonzales residence had the best in lay out for the “modern times”. But that was only pre war, much the same time as the Lazatin-Singian house in San fernando. The reason why they already utilized the ground floor for the “sala” and the second floor for the private rooms.
Dr. Taddy Buyson Gonzales said,
May 20, 2009 at 10:35 am
Bacolor was called the ATHENS of Pampanga, I heard that from Dr. Mariano Alimurung who was our medical director at the Makati Medical Center late 70’s.
Bacolor was the birthplace of several prominent Pampanguenos who excelled in their fields nationally and internationally.
He showed me a book he made where he compiled them and it was indeed impressive.
I wonder if there is still one that exists.
If you remember the “paglimbunan”, or poblacion where the procession passed was lined by beautiful ancestral houses in large estates. The residential lots were cut in no less than 2000sq.mters.
The La Naval I was told was a grand homecoming for the colegialas who were “internas” in exclusive schools in Manila and they had guests from Manila for the affair.
Our house was repainted yearly for the fiesta in anticipation of the Manila guests.
It was known that a special cook from Sulipan was the “general” of the cusina then.
There were cooks for occasions, they claimed.
“mey pang araw-araw, mey pang bisita at mey pang fiesta, taga Sulipan”.
An ordinary stay-in cook for everyday fare with alalays was common.
Dr. Taddy Buyson Gonzales said,
May 20, 2009 at 11:00 am
Dona AFRICA VENTURA SANTOS was a relative of my grandfather Don Mariano Buyson.
In fact her son Gatas addressed my mom PRIMA.
I think she also had a daughter named AFRIQUITA,
Dona Africa was the baptismal godmother of my aunt Pilar Buyson Villarama.
Our great grandfather Don Jose Buyson was set to go to Europe with his cousins the Valentin Venturas circa late 1870’s but fate intervened, he eloped with a beautiful young mestiza from Bacolor, Paula Lampa-Baldivia San Clemente. But that’s another saga…
Dr. Taddy Buyson Gonzales said,
May 23, 2009 at 9:29 am
Don Mariano Candido Buyson y Lampa was born in Bacolor on 25 March 1881 to Don Jose Buyson y Genuino, actual cabeza de barangay de Cabambangan, Bacolor and Dona Paula Lampa Baldivia San Clemente, mestizos, in that large bahay na bato close to the parish church of San Guillermo.
Don Mariano was married to Dona Maria de la Paz Angeles y Miranda of San Vicente, Bacolor..
They had 8 children: Josefina B. Eusebio, Antonino, Carmen, Luz B. Gomez, Emiliana B. Gonzales, Asuncion B. dela Cruz, Pilar B. Villarama and Benjamin.
They were all born in Bacolor except for Pilar who was born October in Manila, feast of Nuestra Sra. del Pilar.
Before the war they all resided in Calle Nebraska, Ermita, Manila.
But their hearts belonged to Bacolor.
After the war they religiously went to Bacolor in January for the fiesta in San Vicente. They went there for the Holy Wednesday procession for their San Pedro.
And in November for the Todos los Santos and La Naval.
In our childhood circa late 50’s we the cousins looked forward to those family affairs. We loved the Capampangan food like pindang damulag, pindang babi, betute, native small hito and fat dalag with buro and mustasa, pancit palabok, kilayin, lelut, the tamales from Cabalantian, the espasol from San Fernando behind the capitolio, the roasted casuy of Allies San Fernando, the sorbetes (buko sherbet).
Then we took home turrones de casuy and petite fortunes of Lansang from Sta. Rita, San Nicolas from Mexico, chicharon from Guagua.
In the 70’s it was the ensaymada of Imang Beatriz plus her mangga halea, the chicken pastel, buro talangka and kilayin which we took home.
Those were what grew up enjoying and we only tasted them in Bacolor and not the special fiesta food which we easily had in Manila.
Our neighbors there were surprised we asked for the ordinary fare when invited and did not care for the fiesta dishes like the morcon, mechado, lengua estofada, arroz ala valenciana, embutido. We only touched the chilled fruit salad made of imported canned fruit cocktails plus Nestle’s cream.
Jose Nijel Buyson Granda said,
June 4, 2009 at 5:40 am
Wow, I haven’t been to this site for a while, but am glad to read from relatives! Cumusta pu lolo Willie…yes I’m Pepito’s grandson (I was named after him). I guess I’m a Buyson twice… Jose Aniceto de Leon-Alexa (Aleja?) Buyson had a daughter, Filomena, who married Francisco Granda. They had an only child, a son named Fernando Granda. (Fernado was a cousin of Jose de Leon who founded the PASUDECO.) Fernando married Silvina Neri and their children were Salud, Cesar, Carlos, Rafael, Juanita, Fernando Jr, and Vicente. Carlos Granda’s youngest son is my dad, Antonio Granda, who married Estelita “Baby” Buyson, Pepito’s eldest. My mom says “hello,” she says she saw Taddy a few years ago while on a cruise to Ensenada, Mexico. I hope you are well…
Cheers,
Nijel
gideon ventura said,
June 18, 2009 at 7:08 pm
hi doc taddy,
its great that you.ve written something about your past and roots and its only now that we’ve known that you are related with us the venturas. my direct grandfather is balbino the brother of valentin ventura. its sad that we don’t know much of our relatives in pampanga as grandfather valentin died in europe and lolo balbino went to northern luzon we lost track of our relatives there. my grandfather is doctor geronimo ventura same as sponsored by lolo honorio with as you know the father of our dear president macapagal. please do give us some details to enlighten also our roots as we lack two generations in our family tree. your help is greatly appreciated.
gideon
Dr. Taddy Buyson Gonzales said,
June 23, 2009 at 10:15 am
Nijel
That was serendipity, meeting your parents in that cruise to Mexico. They were in a big group of Capampangans, several were from San Vicente Bacolor. I was delighted to hear stories about the Buysons from them. They all knew the “bale maragul”, a virtual landmark then. Two Joven sisters were the nieces of our dear Tita Nieving Joven Bunuan, their father was the doctor brother of Tita Nieving. They said it was predictable to see the Buyson sisters in their Joven reunions, about the only guests they would have.
There was an elderly man, Miranda was the family name and what he remembers well was the stately funeral of my grandfather in 1937. The hearse had 6 white horses and escorted by uniformed men. I remember the story told that it was Mr.Antonio Quiogue of Funeraria Nacional who directed it, the horses were brought in by train to San Fernando. That the wake had to transferred for two days from the house to the Teatro Anacleta infront as requested by the townspeople. Don Mariano Buyson was well loved.
Those from San Vicente said it was a tradition to see the Buyson sisters at the 8am mass during the 22 Jan. fiesta. That I know, they were devoted to San Vicente and it was a must to stop by the chapel before we would proceed to the house. Their maternal ancestral house was right beside it.
The elderlies remembered the Buyson house as a happy house. The windows were always open as compared to the other houses, the windows were always closed. It was busy with visitors on weekends “dacal awtu paligid” and they would see the sisters jolly “lupa lang sinambut sweepstakes”.
Nijel I remember your lolo Pepito, he was tall, fair with an imposing personality. “Lupa yang artista” was how they described him. He would always command his children to kiss the hands of the elderlies. “Siclod kayu” . And he would be proud of the two sets of twins. We remember Diru as the playful one. Could you tell us how everyone is now?
Dr. Taddy Buyson Gonzales said,
June 24, 2009 at 3:16 pm
Gideon
What I know about the Venturas is limited to the stories told by the family members. Valentin Ventura was a cousin of Jose Buyson and they were to study in Spain circa 1877 but Jose Buyson eloped. It must have been a scandal then to the point that his father Julian Buyson disinherited him.
Jose’s son Mariano was close to Africa and Honorio Ventura, making them godparents of his children. They addressed each other “primos”.
Gatas likewise addressed the Buysons as “primas”.
Our next block neighbor in New Manila was my mom’s Tia Belen Ventura. Once we visited her and I saw the popular Latin dancer Chito Feliciano there, circa mid 60’s. I do not know if Chito was an apo or nephew or if Belen Ventura was a Feliciano. Incidentally that house was later acquired by Jesus “Susing” Salgado Gonzalez, a first cousin of Toto’s dad.
Africa had 3 children, Ernesto, Afriquita and Teodorico.
Ernesto married Tessie Revilla, Afriquita was married to a doctor ( Galang? )from San Fernando but she died young. Teodorico was not married.
Once we were invited by a Ventura relative in Cabalantian and I remember seeing a studio photograph of Balbino Ventura with his family of three daughters and Honorio was the only son. They were still kids then and I do not know if there came other kids after that.
Also that property of a religious congregation in Isaac Peral, now U.N. Ave. has at it’s gate a plaque saying that it was a donation by a Ventura lady who was a religious, (Sor.Asuncion?).
And before the lahar, in the parish church of Bacolor, on the right side of the church on the wall were the beautiful lapidas in Spanish, of the Ventura and Buyson ancestors.
Too bad no one has documented the family tree then but hopefully someone can start it.
fabulouslawyer said,
June 29, 2009 at 10:51 am
Afriquita Ventura Santos married Dr. Alfredo Angeles.
gideon ventura said,
June 29, 2009 at 9:24 pm
Doc taddy,
For so many years my grandparents and cousins were tracing our family roots as we were lost there in pampanga. we are the direct descendants of balbino who went to cagayan after he departed with lolo valentin. The Late Honorio was our ascendant and the last heirs of him was my grandfather who were in PASUDECO. One of of the stories foretold before was that we were as the Jovens are from Spain but from Spain IS to mean also from Black americans. hence, combination of spanish origin and black americans. Some evidences of which are available from us if you may. As we are lost in tracking one generation it would be of great help if somebody here knows the father of valentin and balbino ventura as we know only that they are brothers and no sisters after all.
regards,
gideon
fabulouslawyer said,
June 30, 2009 at 12:30 pm
gideon and doc taddy:
The son of Mme. Afriquita and Dr. Angeles, Mr. Rene Angeles communicated to me once and he said that they are tracing their family tree.
Dr. Taddy Buyson Gonzales said,
July 1, 2009 at 12:42 pm
Gideon
I understand that Sor Asuncion a Daughter of Charity founded the ASILO de SAN VICENTE de PAUL in 1885. It was she who donated that orphanage in the former Calle Isaac Peral, now U.N. Ave. The funds came from her inheritance.
Sor Asuncion’s name was CRISTINA HOCURMA VENTURA. That makes her a sibling of Don Honorio and Don Valentin Ventura y Hocurma.
I can still recall those family names in the lapidas in the parish church of Bacolor, on the rightside of the church facing the side altar below the high windows. It was a tradition to visit the bisita of San Vicente and the main church of San Guillermo before proceeding to the ancestral house. And in the main church we would say a prayer by the lapidas of our ancestors.
How much have you gone with tracing the Ventura line, perhaps you can share it with us here so other Capampangans will be happy to know that they may be likewise related.
toto gonzalez said,
July 1, 2009 at 1:37 pm
If I remember right, the parents of the four Ventura-Tizon siblings Nunilon, Belen, Africa, and Honorio were Don Balbino Ventura and Dona Juana Tizon. According to the Bacolor elders, the Ventura siblings were named after famous places: Nunilon for London, Belen for Bethlehem, Africa for the continent, and Honorio for _____ [ perhaps the Faubourg Saint-Honore in Paris? ]. Don Balbino Ventura was a brother of Don Valentin Ventura who married a Spanish lady [ Senorita _____ _____? ] in Barcelona, Spain.
fabulouslawyer said,
July 2, 2009 at 10:38 am
gideon:
if you know when don balbino ventura was born and where (maybe in bacolor), you can try visiting the Center for Kapampangan Studies in Holy Angel University. They have the microfilms of the baptismal certificates of Kapampangans way way back even during the Spanish period.
Good luck.
Nijel Granda said,
July 4, 2009 at 3:58 am
Lolo Taddy,
Cumusta pu! My mom says “hello.” Bapang Diru and Monching (Roman and Ramon) just celebrated their 52nd birthday a few weeks ago. Both are retired and mostly pass the time playing golf. Everyone is well and we see each other at least once a year during Christmas Eve. My grandmother is doing well and is liveliest while visiting the local casinos. She has many grandchildren and great grandchildren. It seems like there is always a birthday party for one of the kids so we see each other fairly often.
I never met my lolo Pepito, but I’ve heard many stories about him. I grew up in the house he had built next to the church in San Vicente (to the immediate right of the church). I was sad to see it buried under lahar during my visits there, along with the Granda’s bale matua in Bacolor.
Hopefully I’ll get to see you when we next visit the Philippines.
-Nijel
toto gonzalez said,
July 4, 2009 at 5:37 am
Regarding the first DON HONORIO VENTURA y HOCORMA [ paternal grandfather of Don Honorio Ventura y Tizon, Secretary of State ], I wonder if the surname HOCORMA was a “Hispanized” Chinese surname like JOVEN [ "Ho Bang" ] and LICHAUCO [ "Li Cha Ho" ] ? Was HOCORMA perhaps “Ho Co Mah”? Quite possible considering the Sangley [ Chinese ] antecedents of several of Old Bacolor’s “principalia” and “ilustrado” families.
KJB said,
July 8, 2009 at 3:49 pm
Crissot was a best friend of Lolo Modesto Joaquin. Together they helped the American’s write the first Pampango-English Dictionary.
Kathleen
Asilo de San Vicente said,
July 11, 2009 at 1:29 am
To the Family of Sr. Asuncion Ventura of Bacolor, Pampanga, we would like to encourage you to please keep in touch with us at asilomla@yahoo.com. This is the orphanage that Sr. Asuncion Ventura founded, built in 1885, and exists until now. Hope to hear from you soon… we will be celebrating our 125th year foundation anniversary on July 2010. Thank you.
mia faustmann said,
July 21, 2009 at 4:42 am
Dear Toto:
I would be happy to host a get together with you, Dr. Taddy, Gideon Ventura and other lost Venturas in Club filipino to try and sort out our family trees – but let’s bring the available family trees —
By the way it is Hocorma as my aunt in Spain still has the arte y figuras painting of one of the antecedents.
Mia Faustmann
(descendant Champourcin and Ventura-Hocorma)
toto gonzalez said,
July 21, 2009 at 4:45 pm
Mia:
Thank you. So generous of you to invite us to sort out the family trees — actual Ventura de Bacolor descendants and plain history buffs.
Well, Mia Cruz Syquia-Faustmann has invited us to put our heads together. Are you ladies and gentlemen — Atty. Sheryl, Gideon, Michael, Dr. Taddy, et. al. — coming?
Wow!!! A surviving “letras y figuras” painting of a Ventura-Hocorma family member still in Spain!!! And possibly by the celebrated Filipino Old Master Jose Honorato Lozano of Manila!!!
Cheers!!!
Toto Gonzalez
Dr.Taddy Buyson Gonzales said,
July 23, 2009 at 4:21 am
It would be a pleasure to meet up with long lost Bacolor kins.
Mia, would you happen to be realted to BELEN FAUSTMAN?
She was a classmate of my sister, PRIA ( Cipriana ) in Assumption Herran.
And there was a Miguel Faustman in our pre-med class at UST circa 1968.
Looking forward to finding out more about the Venturas with you.
Emmanuel Ventura Gatan said,
July 26, 2009 at 3:05 am
We are the descendants of Jose Ventura Y Tovar of Aparri, Cagayan. Jose is the son of Valentin Ventura who was married Carmen Tovar in Barcelona, Spain. We surmise that our great grand father Valentin is the brother of Balbino Ventura. According to family stories, Valentin financed Rizal’s El Filibusterismo. In fact, our ancestral house in Aparri used to have photos of Rizal and Valentin.
We would also love to find out about our lineage and reconnect our ties with our long lost relatives. You may contact us at haleyzion@yahoo.com.
Dios ti agngina, from the Venturas of Cagayan.
gideon ventura said,
July 26, 2009 at 2:57 pm
emmanuel,
i grew up in aparri san antonio cagayan, are you sure that your are the descendants of valentin and not of balbino because balbino was the one who went to cagayan after the war to his cousins in isabela and ilocos who were then the first governor genre of isabela the raphael maramag clan. your family has been known to us all along and we failed to have contact ewith you until we went back to isabela. my grandfather was the first cousin of Don Honorio Ventura who was the late Doctor Geronimo Ventura who was at the same time with the Diosdado Macapagal in UST as they were together in Honorio’s house.My grandfather had a son Father Arnulfo Ventura who was then in Aparri cagayan and at present our house in san antonio is still there. do keep in touch as we are nearly getting our family tree done as excelso who i assume you may know for decades searching the lost venturas
regards
gideon
mia faustmann said,
July 26, 2009 at 5:57 pm
Emmanuel:
Am very happy to find out you are finally in touch as the rest of Valentin Ventura’s family in Spain died without descendants. I knew Jose’s sisters, Tia Carmen and Tia Maria and used to visit them regularly from 1961 to qbout 1966. Valentin (Jr) is the brother of Jose, Carmen and Maria and went north after his divorce from Bebeco Pardo de Tavera.
As far as I know, Balbino is the brother of Valentin Sr. (father of Jose,Valentin,Carmen and Maria); Cristina (Sor. Asuncion), my great grandmother married Michels de Champourcin, another sisiter who married Puig also from Spain. Balbino had Honorio(Secretary of State) who was single but may have had children, Africa who married teodoro santos (children are Teodoro, Ernesto and Afriquits), Belen (who I think is mother or grandmother of Chito Feliciano) and Nunillon. I never heard of this Balbino going up north as he died quite soon after being arrested for treason by the Spaniards.
Gideon:
I cannot place who the Balbino Ventura you say is your antecedent. It would be good if you listed down your antecedents in order and with dates as going through all the messages, there is Balbino(?), Tranquilino Sr., Tranquilino Jr., Geronimo.
Going back to the children of Don Honorio Ventura Hocorma, a daughter married a Puig and went back to Barcelona – this line has almost died out but there is a girl married and living in the United Kingdom though we have no idea where;tia Maria, the widow of the youngest, Manolo Puig is still alive but Tio Manola already died and they had no children.
From the daughter who married Michels de Champourcin, came Asuncion who married Pedro Sy-Quia y Encarnacion from Vigan and Francisco Michels de Champourcin who had two daughters, Henrietta and Maria. Henrietta did marry but no children but Maria died unmarried. I am not sure but I think there might have been another sister who married a de Hazanas but one son committed suicide while the other did marry but died childless.
It’s very sad but the family names are disappearing ……
I also know Tia Lulu Liongson is somehow related – this is the lady who used to live in hotels and then finally in Makati Med. Also Tita Rafaelita Hilario Soriano but I don’t know how – we need to trace the family names of the men/women who married into the Venturas.
will be very interesting to trace family trees – any date suggested???
Mia S. Faustmann
mia faustmann said,
July 27, 2009 at 3:23 pm
I have found my notes on the Ventura family tree – and drawn up into family tree format. Am waiting for ricky Santos to give me info on their branch and am just about complete except for the “lost Venturas” Based on my notes, there is confusion between Honorio Ventura Hocorma and his grandson, Honorio Ventura y Tizon, the Secretary of State. His sisters were both married to Santos men – Belen to Eliseo and Africa to Teodoro – Would anyone know if Teodoro and Elise were related in any way?
there is also confusion between Valentin Ventura y Bautista and hiis son Valentin Ventura y Tobar. Jose Ventura may have been a son of Valentin Ventura y Tobar as my notes only mention Carmen, Valentin, and Maria as the children of Valentin Ventura y Bautista.
I am using Spanish usage for surnames as that is how they would have used their father’s family name and mother’s family name.
Dr. Taddy: Belen is a sister in law – she now lives in France.
When can we set a date – I will invite Ricky and his brothers and sisters to also attend.
Mia Faustmann
Dr.Taddy Buyson Gonzales said,
July 27, 2009 at 10:19 pm
Mia
from the records of Sor Asuncion Ventura, in the Asilo, she was born CRISTINA to HONORIO VENTURA and CORNELIA BAUTISTA, the fourth child in 1853 in Bacolor Pampanga.
Apparently from the notes established here, so far, the children of the first HONORIO VENTURA HOCORMA, we presume all with Cornelia Bautista, were BALBINO, VALENTIN and ASUNCION.
Your great grandmother must have been the 3rd child while Asuncion was the 4th and another female, the fifth child (?) married a Puig. That is if we go by the statement that CRISTINA WAS THE FOURTH CHILD OF HONORIO VENTURA and CORNELIA BUATISTA.
What would your great grandmother’s name be?
Perhaps there’s also a Cornelia among the next generation?
And they followed the Spanish way, they carried the family name VENTURA HOCORMA. The maternal Bautista family name was lost somehow.
Balbino married a Tizon, Valentin a Tobar.
Balbino had 4 children Nunillon, Belen, Africa and Honorio ( that makes him the Honorio II , the philanthropist ).
Africa married Teodoro Santos and had three children: Ernesto, Teodorico and Afriquita.
It is interesting for the Buysons because we were told of the affinity of the Venturas with the Buysons since way back altho we are lost in the actual connection.
But Gatas (Ernesto Ventura Santos) was a first cousin of Dr. Jesus Santos Eusebo, Sr. married to my aunt Josefina “Pitang” Buyson Eusebio. And Gatas’ wife Tessie was a first cousin of Elsa Revilla Torres who was married to my uncle Benjamin Buyson.
( trivia, Josefina was the eldest while Benjamin was the youngest in the brood of 8 siblings. Dona Africa and my lolo Don Mariano Buyson addressed each other as primo- prima, like wise with Gatas and the Buysons).
How to complete the puzzle now will be an interesting task.
I am aware of the fact that there were instances in the past when others would adopt a family name of the godparents when baptized. Or the families would change their baptisimal family names for some valid or strange reasons.
toto gonzalez said,
July 28, 2009 at 4:53 pm
It is almost impossible to trace, but I wonder if Srta. Cornelia Bautista who married Don Honorio Ventura y Hocorma was a sister of Srta. Jacoba Bautista [ + 1874 ], who became the second wife of Don Olegario Rodriguez [ + 1874 ], the progenitor of the Rodriguez de Bacolor clan…
Somehow, I remember Imang Beatriz “Bets” Rodriguez [ o 10 May 1910, now 99 years old ] saying that her clan, the Rodriguez, were related to the Ventura.
In a discussion with historian / heritage and culture advocate Basilidez “Dez” Bautista some twenty years ago [ about 1988 ] which I witnessed, Imang Beatriz “Bets” Rodriguez recalled that her grandmother “Impung Cobang” Dona Jacoba Bautista de Rodriguez [ + 1874 ] was a native of Binondo. Dez added that his clan, the Bautista de Malolos, also originated from Binondo, as with the Bautista de Malabon.
Small world as always, at least in the Philippines.
Toto Gonzalez
gideon ventura said,
July 28, 2009 at 9:00 pm
mia,
it would be very interesting that you lay down the traces that you’ve discovered for us to discuss as we can lay also what we have found. what puzzles us most is the relationship of Don balbino and valentin ventura to Don victor ventura in the northern part of luzon as they visit each other often. the visit stopped only when the old houses of the Parents of Don victor and Tranquilino ventura was burned and bombed. Later on the son of don Victor went to pampanga to live with his cousin Don Honorio Ventura. hence, what puzzles us most is their relationship in the northern part of luzon, as later on the son of Valentin which is Jose went also to cagayan afterwards.
hoping tomorrow i will call excelso ventura who kept the traces of us.
gideon
Dr.Taddy Buyson Gonzales said,
July 29, 2009 at 12:45 am
There is progress somehow. I would be interested to find out the antecedants of Honorio I and Cornelia Bautista and the lost Tizon family.
Honorio and Cornelia must have been born circa 1820’s in Bacolor too, perhaps Binondo?
I remember Melinda Moreno Rodriguez-Suntay, the pretty daughter of Rene Hizon Rodriguez and Nenita Moreno mentioning that her mother was a PUIG. And they still have Puig relatives in Spain.
Her mother had two equally beautiful sisters, Mrs. Rafael Alunan,Jr. and Mrs. Javellana. They were contemporaries of the Buyson sisters. They all spoke fluent Capampangan. Another Capampangan family known for their good looks were the Arrastias.
Dr.Taddy Buyson Gonzales said,
July 30, 2009 at 2:57 am
Mia, Emman, Gideon.
use these dates as guides in the missing link.
CRISTINA HOCORMA VENTURA born 1853 died 1923
VALENTIN HOCORMA VENTURA born 1860 died 1935
there’s a 7yr gap between Cristina and Valentin. Balbino and Mia’s greatgrandma may have been born between those years.
Possibly Balbino was born 1858, and he was 29yrs. old in 1887 when his only son and youngest child Honorio Tizon Ventura was born.
confusion though, if the statement says Cristina was the 4th child of Honorio Ventura and Cornelia Bautista and she was born in1853, does it mean there were 3 kids ahead of her?
gideon ventura said,
July 31, 2009 at 7:23 am
From the stories foretold by my grandfathers there were seven siblings of Honorio and the others were in Ilocos region. but what puzzles us most is the relationship of Sr Padre Pedro Ventura during the 16th century in Ilocos where his descendants went to Isabela, Pampanga and manila. ours where from pampanga and eventually to isabela. what we cannot connect is the relationship of this Senior Pedro to the parents of Honorio. Don valentin and balbino were in contact with the don Victor and Tranquilino in isabela who we thought to be their first cousins as they were closed to each other. as thought during the war, there were sometime that the pampanga ventura’s went to hiding also to cagayan for some days to their relatives. this we would like to shed some light if possible also from pampanga scholars
gideon
mia faustmann said,
August 1, 2009 at 11:16 am
Based on the official partition document of the children of Honorio Ventura Hocorma and Cornelio Bautista, the children were : (in order per the partition) Antonia married to Puig (yes I know Melisa as we get together when Tia Maria Puig visits)
Maria – married to Michels de Champourcin – my branch
Balbino (married to Juana tizon
Cristina – Sor Asuncion
Valentin – married to Carmen Tobar pr Tovar (I knew two of his daughters and granddaughter in Barcelona but they have all died)
Balbino had four children – Africa, Nunilon, Belen and Honorio. We were closer to Lola Africa as she and my Lola Asuncion were very close. Africa married Teodoro Santos (Lolo Lolong), Nunilon married ? Liongson, and Belen married Eliseo Santos. Honorio did not marry but may have had a natural child Angestal who was adopted by Belen and Eliseo Santos together with another adopted daughter, consuelo.
Trying to complete the family tree of Tito Gatas, Ricky had me research a website, and I found on the website that there seems to have been two Angestals. One Angestal may have been part of a second family of Honorio I in Ilocos and possibly the second Angestal (if not the son of Honorio II ) is the son of this Angestal. One of the Angestals had a son Tranquilino while the other Angestal used Cunanan and married Luz Valdes.
Valentin Ventura II (son of Valentin brother of Balbino) – married twice and our family lore is that he disappeared up north – so it must have been to either join his brother Jose or other Venturas up there.
The one place I have not had time to research is the National Archives as apparently there are a lot of documents there which might shed light on this puzzle.
I have no knowledge of who Honorio Ventura Hocorma’s parents are but there seems to have been a brother Eulogio. Sr.Padre Pedro Ventura – was a priest? and like many other priests had “families” so he must have been the origin of the Venturas since he had families in Isabela, Pampanga, and Manila.
I will try to find time to research the archives.
Mia
Dr.Taddy Buyson Gonzales said,
August 2, 2009 at 12:09 am
Mia
this is getting exciting.
the BUYSONS circa 1800’s had a CUNANAN, with ancestry originating from Baliuag, Bulacan.
That must be the link of Don Julian Buyson with Don Honorio Hocorma Ventura.
The Buyson-Cunanans were from Baliuag Bulacan.
Don Julian Buyson even has a street named after him because of his philanthropy in Baliuag proper.
Parallel to Buyson street I think is the Cunanan street in Baliuag proper.
I believe the Buysons were originally from Baliuag and they married into Capampangan families.
One Buyson, Alexa was married to Jose Aniceto de Leon of Bacolor who was the “escribano” of Pampanga.
Our branch, Julian married Maximina Genuino y de Jesus of Bacolor. There are still de Jesus relatives in Bacolor and the Genuinos are from Candaba which is adjacent to Baliuag.
I remember meeting mom’s relative Cesar Genuino in the late 1960’s who was married to Hilda “Daling” Santos Dizon niece of Lolong Santos.
Hilda’s mother was Bartola “Tola” Santos-Dizon, sister of Lolong Santos. Lolong had another sister “Dedeng” Paras (?). ( Mia, Ricky should know them ).
I remember seeing them in my Tita Pitang Eusebio’s house circa 1960’s.
Dedeng was in the traditional black baro’s saya and Lolong was in all white attire.
They had loong ears, if that was an indication of long life!
( Lolong’s father was also a Teodoro “Dorong” Santos, thus the name Dorong Tola in reference to him and daughter who lived in that grand house. )
Hilda inherited the largest bahay na bato in San Fernando of the Santoses but she sold it to PNB and the bank demolished the beautiful and grand bahay na bato circa late 1960’s. That was disastrous! They never used the lot anyway, up to now.
Hilda has a sister Luring delos Santos who is still alive at 92yrs., maybe we can get together with her. Tita Luring was my mom’s contemporary.
rosarioleobrera said,
August 3, 2009 at 9:48 am
i got a chance to read your blog.It was accidental. but i had fun reading it. Its bringing back the good ol days. am a true bloodied bacolorena. Some of the affluent personalities though I didnt actually see them, and old residences are familiar to me, I got the chance to see some houses cause I spent my youth there. Until this time, there are times that even in my dreams, the scenarios (call me sentimental) were parts of the old Bacolor. .The big beautiful ancestral houses around the paglimbunan, the wide gardens of every homes, the kalesas, the old century church are truly worth remembering. Even the church patio where the musicos did their serenata during the La naval fiesta which falls on the 3rd sunday of November, and that of San Guillermo feast on Feb 10 still lingers on my mind. Since our house is just a stones throw away from the church. I got to read one comment, that of Ms Aida Chu. I think were classmate b4 at St. Marys. I also know Charings Bakery. My mom use to buy her stuffs there..
aida chu vigilia said,
August 10, 2009 at 7:01 pm
Hi Rosario,
Thank goodness you acknowledge my blog, what year did you graduate from St. Mary’s? I think I graduated 1967 or 68, we were the first class to graduate from St. Mary’s.If you know any of our classmates please ask them to blog.
Aida
fabulouslawyer said,
August 14, 2009 at 11:57 am
I have a picture of the Dona Africa’s family on my blog.
gideon ventura said,
August 15, 2009 at 7:28 pm
kindly send me the pictures of Don \Honorio, Valentine and Balbino if possible to my mail and i will send the pictures of Don Victor, and Geronimo Ventura to
mia faustmann said,
August 18, 2009 at 11:43 am
gideon,
do you have your family tree? Jose Ventura was the son of Valentin, brother of Honorio. Would really like to know how the puzzle works out
Mia
rosarioleobrera said,
August 19, 2009 at 7:29 am
hi aida, i graduated year 1971, i think your batch was ligaya david and or enrique roxas, am i right? but you were my classmate in one or 2 subjects under I think Mrs. cruz, or miss cecil rodriguez? we never got the chance to get familiar with each other because we belong to different group then, and I remember you left at once, i dont remember anymore why. you were seated always at the front row then, I know you cause your store was very popular then, Charings Bakery, right? and your house sits besides the ancestral house of the buysons. You know last holy week i went to Bacolor. its not the same anymore. our school, st.marys academy is nowhere in sight. only desert like sand occupies the area.The places ( palengke,n the trade school etc) are different from the Bacolor, where we spent our youth. Sometimes, when i am alone, i use to sketch the houses in the paglimbunan, line by line starting from the martinez residence at the other part, and cross over, from the Sicat house, which eventually became a Lenon poulry, and who owns them too. That is how I miss our sunken town. opps, am getting too sentimental. but you know, i am really very happy, cause thru this blog, i have found a long lost classmate.By the way, my batch then, were, Rodolfo Alviz, victoria joven,lilia Chu, enrico cruz, edilberto pineda, lucy palma,(ive lost contact with them now) I am sure, you know, the beautiful strict German sisters, Sis Diethilde, Sis. Micaeles,Sis. Consuelo and Sis Ines (the strict math teacher) Sis. Alicia (very sweet with the boys) and the handsome Mr. Buenaventura(who became Ms Rodriguez husband ) I dont know if you still remember Mrs Estandarte( our GMRC teacher) Mr. de los Santos (our physics teacher) and I wont forget Mrs. Maria Cruz, the perfectionist teacher, and Mrs. Real who always gives a surprise test when she gets angry with us. Ha ha ha , after all ths years I still remember. and most importantly, you know what inspire me writing all ths? coz I found you classmate Aida… Regards .
gideon ventura said,
August 22, 2009 at 7:38 pm
hi fabulous,
if you may,can i have some pictures of Lola Africa, Honorio and Valentine?please send it to my mail gdgeronimo@yahoo.com
aida chu vigilia said,
August 28, 2009 at 6:06 pm
Hi Rosario,
I was a transferee from the Trade School, so I had to take some subjects with the first year HS, and then they changed their ruling and was moved to my proper curriculum. I remember all the people you blogged about. Ligaya David was my classmate. We were the First HS graduates of St. Mary’s. You are right, Bacolor is not the same anymore. We have lost our Bakery and our house. We still come home at least every two years ans we stay with my sister Len in San Fernando or is it Angeles?,Holy Angel Village. I remember, Belen Bognot, Rolando Canlas and Efren(can not remember his last name)
Till then,
Aida
Karen Palma Manaloto-Arce said,
October 26, 2009 at 1:33 am
Hello, this is the first time I have ever come across a site that talks so much about Bacolor Pampanga. Very interesting site. My Parents are Atty. Agustin Manaloto and Sitching Palma-Manaloto. We lived next to the Municipal Building. My father has rebuilt our house there but I can’t seem to mentally connect any longer. I have not visited Bacolor since 1979. I have 4 vcr tapes of pre-lahar Bacolor. The entire town. I wish to have a comparison tape of today’s Bacolor. When my friends tell me about Bacolor I feel so lost, they always refer to me to the old Bacolor. I get so sad to think how much I have missed.