The Patriarch’s House
August 22, 2009 at 3:24 pm (1900s Philippines, 2000s Philippines, Architecture, Design and Decoration, Domestic Travels, Gonzalez de Sulipan, Manila Houses, Pampanga Art, Pampanga Cuisine, Pampanga Traditions, Personal, Random memories, Religious Traditions, Rodriguez de Bacolor, The Global Crowd, The Manilenos, The Pampanguenos, The Past)
“Mata Pobre”
May 10, 2009 at 4:27 pm (1800s Filipinas, 1900s Philippines, Angst, Arnedo de Sulipan, Escaler de Sulipan, Family Traditions, Gonzalez de Sulipan, Pampanga Traditions, Personal, Quiason de San Fernando, Random memories, Rodriguez de Bacolor, The Cebuanos, The Davaoenos, The Global Crowd, The Ilocanos, The Ilonggos, The Laguna Tagalogs, The Manilenos, The Negrenses, The Pampanguenos, The Past, The Tarlaquenos, The Tayabenses / Quezonians, Tristesse)
Rather than moralize on these oh-so-common occurrences in our daily lives, let me ramble on with my memories and observations and see where it takes us…
“Mata Pobre,” The Filipino Art of Discrimination, is as Old as Time itself…
When my paternal great great grandmother Senorita Matea Rodriguez y Tuason [ o 1834 - + 1918 ] of Bacolor accepted the marriage proposal of the 73 year old Don Josef Sioco of Sulipan, Apalit, Pampanga in the 1850s, eyebrows rose in Bacolor and Apalit because it was evident that the old, practically blind husband held no attraction for his young and alluring wife except for his great wealth. Despite the fact that She was from rich, landed families on both sides, They thought that She was just after his properties and money, for it was known that he had a lot of gold. After Don Josef’s death a few years later in 1864, she became a rich young widow and raised even more eyebrows when she married the wealthy bachelor Don Juan Arnedo Cruz of the same place. They did not have children. He conveniently died a few years later leaving her with a second large estate. The Arnedos of Sulipan as a clan were then at the peak of their collective wealth in the late 1800s. His Arnedo siblings wanted some of the ancestral family properties returned to them, but Dona Matea refused, and rightly so. The Arnedos never forgave her and thereafter referred to her in terms of non-endearment: “Lavandera!” [ laundrywoman ], “Cocinera!” [ cook ], “Muchacha!” [ maid ], “Criada!” [ maid ], and all sorts of derogatory descriptions. In current parlance She would be referred to, pardon the terms, as ”A Scheming, Cunning, Gold-digging Bitch”!
In a similar vein, Dona Matea Rodriguez viuda de Sioco, viuda de Arnedo-Cruz did not want her daughter Florencia Sioco y Rodriguez [ o 1860 - + 1925 ] to marry the Europe-educated Spanish mestizo Don Dr. Joaquin Gonzalez [ o 1856 - + 1900 ] in 1883. True, his Gonzalez family in Baliuag, Bulacan was rich… BUT not as rich as the Siocos of Sulipan, Apalit, Pampanga were [ at the time of the patriarch Don Josef Sioco's death on 26 December 1864, he was the richest man in All of Pampanga, according to the memoirs of his grandson, Dr. Bienvenido Ma. Gonzalez, 6th President of the University of the Philippines ]. Why… his inheritance amounted to only a few hundred hectares!!! And that was before She even found out that he was actually the son of an Augustinian priest, Fray Fausto Lopez O.S.A. of Valladolid, Spain. “Que horror!!!” Furthermore, Dr. Joaquin’s Spanish mestizo and “ilustrado” penchant for The Good Life — good food and wines, European clothes, foreign books, fine furniture, horses, an elegant lifestyle — irritated the frugal and businesslike Dona Matea to no end. She absolutely preferred her other son-in-law and nephew [ the son of her eldest sister Prisca Ines Rodriguez de Escaler ], Manuel Escaler, who had married her eldest daughter Sabina. He was a simple man who worked hard and saved every peso he had earned to be able to buy more agricultural property. He ate simple food, dressed in simple clothes, and lived in a simple house. That was the kind of man Dona Matea liked, NOT the handsome, sophisticated intellectual Spanish mestizo doctor her second daughter Florencia had married.
Around 1915, Pampanga’s richest woman, a hacendera who owned thousands of hectares of rice and sugar lands in Central Luzon, eagerly awaited the marriage of her academically accomplished only son to his affluent and exceedingly intelligent ”novia” girlfriend, a lady of a prominent Binan, Laguna family who resided in an elegant house along Taft Avenue. But she didn’t know that her son was simultaneously seeing another lady, this time from an old family of San Fernando, Pampanga. Somehow, the second lady became pregnant [ "pikot" she supposedly seduced him by all accounts, but "it takes two to tango" ] and he had to marry her hastily to “preserve her honor” and avoid a social scandal; Meanwhile, he had to break up with his real “novia” girlfriend [ After their breakup, The Real Girlfriend proceeded to finish her studies at the UP University of the Philippines and graduated with a degree in History in 1917 and a master's degree in 1918; She pursued further studies in the United States and obtained a master's degree in History from Radcliffe College in 1920 and a Ph.D. doctoral degree from Columbia University in 1923; She was the first Filipina to have obtained a Ph.D.; She never married. ]. Richest Hacendera was frankly horrified, not because her son had impregnated a woman other than his “novia,” but that he would have to marry a woman whom She considered penurious, descended from several Old and Venerable Pampanga Families alright, but already impoverished, lacking the Immense Wealth to be considered their Social Equals. “Que horror!” She disapproved of the match and refused the forthcoming marriage. The Only Son defied his mother’s wishes and married his pregnant lady immediately. It was a happy and fruitful but short marriage as he died young twelve years later. Relations between Richest Hacendera and her widowed daughter-in-law were never warm, but Richest Hacendera greatly favored her eldest grandson by her, so that widowed daughter-in-law never wanted for anything the rest of her long life.
In the late 1920s, a scion of a prominent Spanish [ and Chinese ] mestizo family of aristocratic Calle R. Hidalgo in Quiapo fell in love with a young Visayan lady of an established and increasingly influential sugar fortune. By all appearances, it was a match of financial and social equals. But that was not the opinion of the young man’s family. To them, She was an Outsider: Yes, an Heiress, but of a distant provincial fortune; worse, while She herself became a practicing Catholic because of her Assumption Convent education, her hacendero Clan had notoriously deserted the Catholic Church during the 1896 Revolution and had not returned to its fold. She simply would not do for them; her considerable wealth was not a factor because they were also very rich . His father declared: “Better he lose a million pesos than to marry that woman.” But for Her, The Family was full of misplaced Spanish mestizo airs and pretenses which their considerable wealth didn’t necessarily justify [ the percentage of actual Spanish blood in their "aristocratic" veins was less than 25 % ]; She was very confident of herself and her Iloilo family: They came from Money, knew how to make Big Money, and constantly knew how to make Bigger Money from their Big Money. Hence, She also “looked down” on The Family. The maverick Son defied his parents and social conventions and married his lady in a hastily arranged ceremony in a side chapel of the Manila Cathedral. Months later, when they first visited the R. Hidalgo paternal home as a couple, She knew she would face a hostile reception from his family and hesitated to proceed upstairs; she clung stubbornly to the newel post and the banister of the “escalera principal” grand staircase. Only her husband’s gentle entreaties convinced her to let go. Once upstairs, She was met with the condescending looks of his “aristocratic” family. In an act of Ultimate Rudeness, one of the Husband’s adolescent sisters came forward, licked her finger and rubbed it on the Bride’s arm “to see if She is really that dark as they say She is…” That was the Height. But to show how much of a financial equal The Bride was, She had carried Php 20,000.00/xx cash to her Baguio honeymoon while The Bridegroom had less than Php 100.00/xx [ in 1927 Php pesos ]; in fact, He had to call his eldest brother in Manila to send him additional funds. Nowadays, it really is telling that the branch descended from The Couple is the Richest of the several branches of that R. Hidalgo Clan today.
“Debt Payment” / “Bride For Sale” was how my grandmother Rosario Espiritu Arnedo was derisively described by my grandfather Augusto Sioco Gonzalez’s richer Escaler and rich Gonzalez relations upon their marriage on 22 February 1930. It referred to the fact that she was forced to marry him because her father, former Pampanga Governor Don Macario Arnedo y Sioco, owed his industrialist half first cousin Augusto Sioco Gonzalez a big amount of money Php 50,000.00/xx, indeed already a fortune in those days. My grandfather had been married to his maternal first cousin, Marina Sioco Escaler, whom he lost to severe asthma and diabetes in 1928. The negative impression never left Dona Sabina Sioco de Escaler, Augusto’s aunt [ also Rosario's, in a more distant way ], who always thought that her nephew had left his second wife too many properties and too much money; the impression also never left Augusto’s children with his first cousin Marina.
A pretty and intelligent Gonzalez first cousin of my father married into Pampanga’s Richest Family in 1947. She and her husband had been very much in love for many years. But his infinitely rich and aristocratic parents tried to prevent the marriage in every way. It did not help that her rich paternal uncle Don Augusto Gonzalez y Sioco and immensely rich grandaunt Dona Sabina Sioco de Escaler had been key factors in the accumulation of their immense sugar milling fortune: She was not a direct descendant of either one. Because her maternal Liongson side was possessed of considerable eccentricity, her fiance’s parents used it as a convenient, polite excuse to block the marriage, when in fact the real reason was that she was not propertied and not moneyed, and frankly, Poor as far as they were concerned [ they were the richest in the province, after all ]. It was hypocritical of them to think that way, when in fact their son was an epileptic. When the excuse of eccentricity failed, the fiance’s parents claimed that weddings in their family were done “American Style”: The Bride’s Family pays for Everything, knowing full well that the fiancee’s widowed mother, despite the ownership of a few properties, simply did not have the money to spend for such an occasion. The widowed mother turned to her sister-in-law [ who happened to be her namesake ] who was the widow of her richest, industrialist brother-in-law. The charitable sister-in-law paid for Everything, The Bride came down from her Quezon City house [ not from her own ], sister-in-law’s bratty youngest son became the ring bearer, and sister-in-law became a “madrina” of the couple, something which pleased the Rich Parents. In fact, they said that they would have been very pleased to have one of Rosario Arnedo de Gonzalez’s children [ second set of Don Augusto Gonzalez ], or one of the richer Gonzalez-Escaler children [ first set of Don Augusto ] , as their in-law, instead of the one their son had picked.
My mother, Pilar Quiason Reyes, penurious but of Old Capampangan bloodlines [ Dizon, Pangan, Dayrit, Paras, Quiason, Henson, Aguilar, Valdes; actually of better Capampangan lineage than my father, whose ancestors were mostly from Bulacan: the Spaniard "cura parroco" of Baliuag Fray Fausto Lopez O.S.A. of Valladolid, Spain, Gonzalez, de los Angeles, Sioco, Arnedo, Tanjutco, Carlos ], was derided by my father’s rich Gonzalez and richer Escaler relations upon her engagement in 1956. “What is he doing? He is marrying the electrician’s niece…” they snickered among themselves [ in reference to her paternal Reyes uncle, who did dabble in the trade ]. The snide smiles continued as they watched her awkwardly adapt to a life of affluence under their Tia Charing Arnedo de Gonzalez. But gradually through the decades, disregard turned to respect as they witnessed her singlehandedly build several substantial businesses that became the new income sources of the family Post 1972 Agrarian Reform.
My father’s younger brother married a pretty and stylish lady. It did not help that she came from one of Tayabas’ / Quezon province’s richest, most prominent families. Her widowed mother was roundly criticized by hypocritical Old Manila Society for the audacity to build a French Mediterranean palace in the Dewey Boulevard area and for having the corresponding lavish social life [ a vicious circle: the mother, although descended from the oldest Laguna and Tayabas families, was derided as socially inferior by her rich mother-in-law and other relations { actually, the wealth of the husband's family was of recent vintage compared to the wife's venerable lineage }; she was snubbed by her husband's relatives in her adoptive Tayabas town; she made the Ultimate Snub when she built the biggest mansion in the family, actually a palace, in the place that mattered most, by the sea in Manila. ]. The 1958 Wedding and its preparations provoked a chorus of criticisms from the conservative Gonzalez family members for its enormous costs. Disagreements and resentments occurred between the groom’s and the bride’s siblings. My frugal father, tasked to settle the wedding bills by my grandmother [ who was on a European tour with my mother ], was stunned when he paid the bill of Php 10,000.00/xx cash for the wedding dress, three bridesmaids’ dresses, and the flower girl’s, all in a native “bayong” [ bag of woven grass ], at the atelier of the top couturier Ramon Valera; that, when a standard Valera wedding gown in 1958 only cost Php 1,500.00/xx. According to Betty Favis-Gonzalez [ in 1988 ], “Ramoning” had shown the wedding gown to his closest lady friends Chito Madrigal, Meldy Ongsiako, Luz Puyat, Elvira Ledesma, including Betty herself and blithely described it as “estilo mariposa,” and he jokingly wondered how the bride would be able to walk down the long aisle of Malate Church. The entire “Wedding of the Year” cost Php 130,000.00/xx in 1958 pesos, which was a very big amount in those days. Quite a contrast to my father’s and mother’s 23 June 1956 wedding which cost all of Php 5,000.00/xx. *LOLSZ!!!*
So funny: The Ones Discriminating sooner or later become the Ones Discriminated Upon. And the Ones Discriminated Upon sooner or later become the Ones Discriminating as well.
Moral of the Story: No matter how Rich and Powerful You are… There will always be Someone Richer and More Powerful than You. 
“Maleldo 2009″
April 13, 2009 at 10:11 am (19th century Filipino Art, Family Traditions, Gonzalez de Sulipan, Pampanga Art, Pampanga Cuisine, Pampanga Traditions, Personal, Random memories, Religious Traditions, Rodriguez de Bacolor, The Manilenos, The Pampanguenos)
Reunion Runs
January 20, 2009 at 3:43 pm (Angst, Arnedo de Sulipan, Brother Andrew F.S.C. of De La Salle, Escaler de Sulipan, Family Traditions, Gonzalez de Sulipan, Humor, Pampanga Cuisine, Pampanga Traditions, Personal, Quiason de San Fernando, Random memories, Reyes de Arayat, Rodriguez de Bacolor, The Cebuanos, The Davaoenos, The Global Crowd, The Ilocanos, The Ilonggos, The Laguna Tagalogs, The Manilenos, The Negrenses, The Pampanguenos, The Tarlaquenos, The Tayabenses / Quezonians, Tristesse)
We are having clan reunions left and right and it is becoming quite maddening… specially if one [ like I ] belongs to several!!!
According to the Western astrologers, in recent years there has been a “planetary alignment” of some sort in the universe which is causing people to gather in family / clan reunions. I don’t take planetary alignments seriously but it must serve as an explanation to all these ever-increasing family and clan reunions… !!!
Last November 2008, the Hizon-Singian Clan of San Fernando, Pampanga had its once every two years Reunion at the residence of Pilar “Piluchi” Luciano Ocampo-Fernandez at the old Fernandez [ Fernandez de "Compania Maritima" ] Compound in San Juan.
Last 13 December 2008, a Saturday, the Cacnio Family of Apalit, Pampanga celebrated the 80th birthday of their doyenne, Esther Mercado Cacnio-Atienza, with a joyous Clan Reunion. They were so generous to invite their Gonzalez, Arnedo, Espiritu, and Mercado relations as well. It was amazing to see a senior relative, former Quezon City Mayor Adelina Santos-Rodriguez “Imang Daling” still so attractive and fit even in her 80s!!!
On 14 December 2008, a Sunday, the descendants of Augusto Diosdado Sioco Gonzalez [ 1887 - 1939 ] of Sulipan, Apalit, Pampanga gathered to celebrate the 90th birthday of his only surviving daughter, Natividad “Naty” Gonzalez-Palanca [ born 14 December 1918 ]. The Holy Mass was celebrated by [ Cubao ] Bishop Honesto Ongtioco, D.D. and her second cousin, Bishop Federico “Freddie” Escaler. Tita Naty was a senior Gonzalez family member beloved for her kindness, uprightness, and generosity and was revered, but most importantly loved, by the whole family. It was a wonderful occasion with an almost complete attendance by that particular branch of the “Gonzalez de Sulipan” Clan.
The Ongsiako and the de Santos Clans had a Reunion in Makati.
On 11 January 2009, the Coronel Clan of Santa Rita, Pampanga [ cousins of the Valdes de Pampanga Clan; the clan owns the classic PreWar house where the tearjerker classic "Tanging Yaman" was filmed ] had their Reunion 2009.
Last Sunday, 18 January 2009, we had the annual “Valdes de Pampanga” Clan Reunion [ as differentiated from the ValdeS [ with an "s" ] de Manila of the Tuason- Legarda-Prieto-Valdes Clan and the ValdeZ with a “z” Clan from Ilocos Norte ]. We did have some pretty Spanish mestiza members of the Valdes de Manila Clan because it’s slowly turning out that there are actually blood relations between the two Valdes with an “s” Clans. The Valdes de Pampanga Clan has _____ branches: the Ignacio Valdes [ Yellow group ] — the Camilo Quiasons, the Edgardo Yaps, and the Sergio Naguiats; [ Blue group ] the Armand Fabellas, the Bates, the Africa Reynosos, and the Ely Narcisos; [ Red group ] the Guanzons, the Florencia Coronels, and the Lita Lilleses; and the Roman Valdes [ Green group; Valdes de Bacolor, Pampanga ] the Carlos J. Valdeses, the Erlinda Gonzalez-Rodriguezes, and the Raquel Gonzalez-de Leons. It was held at the new gym of the Fabellas’ Jose Rizal University “JRU” along Shaw Boulevard. We honored our Valdes relatives who had passed away in the past year 2008: Remedios “Remy” Valdes-Panlilio, Carlos “Charlie” J. Valdes, Armand V. Fabella, Milagros ___, and Mandy ____. There was a nice lunch followed by a great set of games conducted by Justa Yap Bautista and Martin Reynoso which got Everybody going!!! It was completely easygoing and needless to say was a lot of fun!!!
On Sunday, 25 January 2009, there will be the annual “Rodriguez de Bacolor” Reunion. It will be held in a Sibal Building in Quezon City. I received the Reunion Menu of homestyle Kapampangan dishes by text from Cousins Evelyn Dayrit Rodriguez and Vita Rodriguez-Laki and it sounds really good!!!
On 28 February 2009, Saturday, there will be a “Gonzalez de Sulipan” / “Gonzalez de Baliuag” [ Descendants of Fray Fausto Lopez, O.S.A. and Maria Amparo "Mariquita" Gonzalez y de los Angeles ] Reunion on the occasion of the 69th birth anniversary of Brother Andrew Gonzalez, F.S.C. at Gene Gonzalez’s “Cafe Ysabel,” # 455 P. Guevarra Street, San Juan. It is being organized by the Dr. Virgilio Sioco Gonzalez branch of the clan [ the Cebu branch ], and that means Arch. Jackie Gonzalez Cancio – Vega, Charo Gonzalez Cancio – Yujuico, Dr. Vicki Gonzalez Belo, David Gonzalez de Padua, Dr. Donna Gonzalez de Padua, et. al.. Entrance fee is Php 1,500.00/xx per person so that the food will be “suitably Gonzalez” and also to raise some funds for the “Gonzalez Doble Zeta” organization. Gene Gonzalez will recreate “Cocina Sulipena” [ Old Sulipan Cooking ] for his Gonzalez Cousins. Since “Cafe Ysabel” only has a seating capacity of 120 persons, attendance will be limited to 20 persons for the “Gonzalez de Baliuag” [ the Soledad Gonzalez -Mariano Gonzales, Jose Gonzalez - Francisca Carrillo, and Francisco Gonzalez - Maria Lloret branches of the Clan ], and 90 persons for the “Gonzalez de Sulipan” [ the Joaquin Gonzalez - Florencia Sioco branch ], only ten descendants each for the ten Gonzalez – Sioco brothers Dr. Fernando, Dr. Jesus, Dr. Emilio, Atty. Augusto, Octavio [ died young; no issue ], Dr. Virgilio, Atty. Francisco Javier, Dr. Bienvenido, Dr. Joaquin, and Congressman Fausto. So let this be an announcement to our cousins!!!
This is the Philippines after all, where Everyone is related!!! 
Beauty and The Belo
August 26, 2008 at 1:17 pm (Family Traditions, Gonzalez de Sulipan, Humor, Personal, Random memories, Rodriguez de Bacolor, The Cebuanos, The Global Crowd, The Manilenos, The Pampanguenos)
Everybody knows what a Big Success the dermatologist Dr. Vicki Belo is: In the Philippines, quite simply, Beauty is synonymous to the gorgeous Dr. Vicki Belo.
“Wow!!! You’re so ‘Vicki Belo’!!!” [ "Wow!!! You're so beautiful!!!" ]
“I’m having my ‘Vicki Belo’ this afternoon.” [ "I'm having my dermatological appointment this afternoon." ]
So when my dear friend, award-winning production designer Gino Gonzales said that his New York- based mentor and onetime professor Eduardo “Toto” Sicangco would be doing the production design for Dr. Vicki Belo’s anniversary party, and that “Venus would be emerging from a Big Seashell,” I knew that I would have to make a beeline for those sought-after invitations!!! For not only was THE Dr. Vicki Belo giving a big party, two of the best-ever production designers of the Philippines would be staging it!!!
I earnestly requested Vicki’s elder sister Jackie to secure an invitation for me, specially in the event that the Cancio-Gonzalez siblings would have extra invitations… Thanks to her, the elaborate invitation featuring “The Birth of Venus” by Sandro Botticelli arrived one afternoon, declaring that it would be a “Venetian Ball.” Since I obviously couldn’t come as a Doge, I thought of coming as a gondolier…
The Big Day came and Careless Me, as usual, and also because of several bothersome concerns, had neglected to prepare an appropriate “Venetian” costume. No Doge, no gondolier… So I did the next best thing and threw on Italian clothes: Giorgio Armani shirt, pants, and jacket and Ferragamo shoes. I tied a silk scarf around my head. I looked like a misplaced Chinese corsair!!! Thus did I sally forth to the Belo “Venetian Ball”…
As always, I was already late as I arrived at 8:00 p.m.. I entered through the separate Ballroom Entrance of the Makati Shangri-La Hotel as the invitation had specified. I went up the escalator to the Rizal Ballroom. Oh my, it was really a full-blown gala event…!!! Waiting at the top of the escalator was a horde of paparazzi ready to shoot the rich and the celebrity guests. Thank goodness the young and pretty actress Y*smin K*rdi dressed as Marie Antoinette was ahead of me so she attracted all the attention of the eager photographers. I passed through the back of the paparazzi and proceeded to the registry table where I signed my name under beautiful Hong Kong socialite Audrey Puckett-Chiu. I slipped through the back of the announcer, received a nice papier mache mask from the Belo staff, wore the mask, and finally entered the ballroom. Since I was not used to wearing masks — with eye slits some millimeters off my own eyes — I bumped into at least 12 different people on the way to Table # 13… Whattaklutz!!!
OhmyGod, I was the least-costumed. The affluent and beautiful — simply beautiful — guests really took the “Venetian Ball” attire seriously and were resplendent in silks and satins. Oh well, I wouldn’t be seen the moment I sat down anyway, I thought to myself as I made my way to Table # 13, which turned out was to the immediate right of the stage…
I arrived just in time to see Burlesque Queen Dita von Teese’s first number called “Birdcage”…
The guests were requested by Dr. Vicki not to take photos or videos of Dita von Teese’s performance…
Woohoo!!!
Odd, but the loudest cheers came from the Gay Men in the audience. Perhaps they were fantasizing about performing as Dita von Teese themselves in private. The Real Men were just dumbstruck and certainly sizzling inside their pants.
Sarah Geronimo.
Regine Velasquez.
Senator Mar Roxas. The Launch of the Ike and Nena Belo Foundation.
Christian Bautista.
Dr. Vicki again reminded the guests NOT to take photos or videos of Dita von Teese’s performance…
Then Burlesque Queen Dita von Teese’s second number called [ Champagne ] ”Toast”…
Woohoo!!!
Again, the loudest, most rambunctious cheers came from the Gay Men in the audience… The Real Men were simply sizzling in their pants. I knew that there would be plenty of “Dita von Teese-ing” that night in the gay, and even straight, guests’ homes. Dita von Teese The Burlesque Queen was a Big Hit at the Belo Bash!!! I knew She would be The Talk of Manila in the days to come… I was sure that many libidinous old politicos would be fuming that they had not been invited to see and drool over the voluptuous Dita von Teese’s performances!!!
It was past midnight and The Party was going on strong. But I had a string of commitments the next morning so I had to leave.
Thank you Vicki, it was the most marvelous evening of the year thus far…!!!
[ It so happens, through a fortunate circumstance, that Dr. Vicki Belo is a Gonzalez Second Cousin of mine { Vicki's adoptive mother Florencia "Nena" Singson Gonzalez-Belo, Vicki's biological mother Imelda Concepcion "Conchita" Singson Gonzalez-Cancio, and my father Augusto Beda Arnedo Gonzalez, were Gonzalez first cousins }. And that I am close enough to her eldest blood sisters Charo Gonzalez Cancio-Yujuico and Jackie Gonzalez Cancio-Vega. ]
Food Chain
June 7, 2007 at 4:07 am (Arnedo de Sulipan, Escaler de Sulipan, Family Traditions, Gonzalez de Sulipan, Pampanga Cuisine, Pampanga Traditions, Quiason de San Fernando, Random memories, Reyes de Arayat, Rodriguez de Bacolor, The Global Crowd, The Manilenos, The Pampanguenos)
All Pampangos in the Food Business are connected in one way or the other — that is, if they’re not related outright…
When closeness is a gift
April 13, 2007 at 6:34 pm (Family Traditions, Gonzalez de Sulipan, Pampanga Cuisine, Pampanga Traditions, Random memories, Rodriguez de Bacolor, The Pampanguenos)
Every year without fail [ even during the Lahar years ] during Holy Wednesday “Miercoles Santo,” the old Rodriguez Family of Bacolor, Pampanga gathers the various members of their clan from near and far in an informal and affectionate reunion. There is a nice Capampangan lunch prepared, and “merienda” as well. In the afternoon, the ladies and their daughters occupy themselves with leisurely stringing the “sampaguita” flowers to be used on the Rodriguez family’s image and “carroza” of the “Misericordia” [ a miraculous, 19th century image of the Crucified Christ ]. At 5:00 p.m., the able-bodied family members accompany the image of the “Misericordia” on its 1920s silverplated “carroza” to the Bacolor Church, where it is the main feature of the “Miercoles Santo” procession. After the procession at 7:00 p.m., the family members return with the “Misericordia” to the Old House and they enjoy a delicious Capampangan dinner, accompanied by more affectionate banter. The older family members start leaving at 9:00 p.m. and by 10:00 p.m., the Rodriguez family calls it a day.
I find it remarkable that such closeness and affection exists in such a large clan. Absolutely wonderful!!!
Bacolor Ancestry: Tuason, Pamintuan, Rodriguez, Sioco, Escaler, and Gonzalez
April 13, 2007 at 6:30 am (Arnedo de Sulipan, Brother Andrew F.S.C. of De La Salle, Escaler de Sulipan, Family Traditions, Gonzalez de Sulipan, Pampanga Traditions, Random memories, Rodriguez de Bacolor, The Pampanguenos)
During the British Invasion of Spanish Manila in 1762, Governor General Simon de Anda moved the colonial capital to the town of Bacolor in Pampanga.
Antonio Ma. Tuason was a Sangley ( Chinese ) merchant loyal to the Spanish colonial authorities. He generously placed his resources in the service of the Spanish defenders. After the British Invasion ended in 1764, he was rewarded by the Spanish Crown with a land grant and a noble title ( “mayorazgo” ), thus elevating him and his family to the ranks of the Spanish peerage.
Antonio Ma. Tuason had a younger brother named Gregorio. After the Invasion, Antonio Ma. returned to Manila to resume his commercial activities but his brother elected to remain in Bacolor to engage in agriculture.
Gregorio Tuason married Maria Pamintuan and had two daughters: Escolastica and Maria Juana.
When Escolastica Tuason was six years old, she was kidnaped by Moro pirates who successfully entered the towns of Guagua and Bacolor ( these were periodic occurrences in Pampanga from the late sixteenth to the early nineteenth century; in fact , several old Pampango families, like the Alimurung ( “Ali” “murung” ), trace their lineage to Moslem forebears ). She was held hostage and taken to Mindanao. She was returned, already a young lady ( fourteen years old ), when her father was able to send her captors the considerable ransom money.
She inherited a hacienda in Bacolor, Pampanga from her father which yielded 2,000 piculs of sugar and 1,000 cavans of rice yearly.
Dona Escolastica Tuason married Don Olegario Rodriguez, also from Bacolor. Her sister Dona Maria Juana Tuason married Don Anastacio Hilario, also of the same town.
The Rodriguez family had migrated to Bacolor from Bataan around 1800 [ they are related to the Banzon, another Bataan family; Don Fausto F. Gonzalez y Sioco, a Rodriguez descendant, used to look up a Rodriguez y Nacpil family in Barrio San Antonio, Bacolor while constructing a Rodriguez - Sioco- Gonzalez genealogy, now lost ] Three generations of the Rodriguez have contributed a ” Capitan Natural ” to Bacolor town: Don Francisco Rodriguez ( father of Don Olegario ) in 1830, Don Olegario Rodriguez in 1842 and again in 1853, and Don Felix Rodriguez y Bautista ( son of Don Olegario ) in 1891 to 1892.
Don Olegario Rodriguez was a wealthy man who had inherited properties from his father. He married Dona Escolastica Tuason y Pamintuan when he was overseeing her father’s lands.They had five daughters: Prisca Ines ( born in 1834 ), Matea ( born on February 24, 1835 ), Juana, Marta, and Maria.
After Impung Culasa ( Dona Escolastica Tuason de Rodriguez ) died in 1850, Incung Luga ( Don Olegario Rodriguez ) married Dona Jacoba Bautista. They had ten children: the eldest is not known, then came Macario, Felix, Jose, Maxima, Maria, Francisco, Librada, et. al. The Rodriguez y Bautista children loved fine horses and beautiful dogs, and the men liked good and beautiful women. Some of them married at a mature age, some died as spinsters, and they all preferred to live peacefully at home; not one was a politician, and only Felix came to be Capitan Mayor of the town.
Impung Cobang ( Dona Jacoba Bautista de Rodriguez ) died on January 31, 1874.
The beleaguered Incung Luga ( Don Olegario Rodriguez ) died on June 3 of the same year.
Dona Prisca Ines Rodriguez y Tuason married Don Justo Escaler of Balanga, Bataan. They had three children: Manuel, Eulogia, and Domingo. Their son Manuel Escaler y Rodriguez married his first cousin Sabina Sioco y Rodriguez of Barrio Sulipan, Apalit, Pampanga in 1882. Sabina Sioco y Rodriguez was the second daughter of Impung Ines’ ( Dona Prisca Ines Rodriguez de Escaler ) younger sister Impung Matea ( Dona Matea Rodriguez, viuda de Sioco,viuda de Arnedo-Cruz ) by her first husband Don Josef Sioco who settled in Barrio Sulipan, Apalit, Pampanga in 1840 from Bocaue, Bulacan. ( the Sioco family had settled in the towns of Bocaue and Santa Maria in Bulacan from Bataan. They were originally from Lingayen, Pangasinan: family legend has it that the Siocos are descended from Sho Ko, a Japanese pirate who was the right hand man of Limahong ( Lim Ong Hong ), the dreaded Chinese pirate who attempted to lay siege on Manila in the 1570s. He was repelled, and he retreated to Lingayen, Pangasinan from where he left Filipinas. Some of his men with their families stayed behind in Lingayen, so the story is possible. )
Eulogia Escaler y Rodriguez married Esteban Clemente. Domingo Escaler y Rodriguez died young.
Dona Prisca Ines Rodriguez de Escaler died on May 3, 1894 at the age of 60. Her remains are in one wall of the Gospel transept of the Apalit Church.
Dona Matea Rodriguez y Tuason married Don Josef Sioco ( born on January 24, 1786 ) who had settled in Barrio Sulipan, Apalit, Pampanga in 1840 from Bocaue, Bulacan. She was his second wife. ( His first wife was the daughter of a neighbor in Barrio Sulipan, Dona _____ Carlos, with whom he had a daughter: Dona Maria Sioco y Carlos. Dona Maria married Don _____ Tanjutco by whom she had a daughter: Dona Crispina Tanjutco y Sioco. Dona Maria was widowed. She then married her husband’s first cousin the widower Don Joaquin Arnedo-Cruz y Tanjutco, of the Arnedo family long settled in Barrio Sulipan but originally from Hagonoy, Bulacan. ). They had three daughters: Francisca, Sabina, and Florencia. Francisca died young. Their second daughter Sabina Sioco y Rodriguez ( o 1860 – + November 25, 1950 ) married her first cousin Manuel Escaler y Rodriguez who had come from Balanga, Bataan to Barrio Sulipan to manage his uncle’s ( Don Josef Sioco’s ) many parcels of land. Their third daughter Florencia ( o November 7, 1860 – + November 6, 1925 ) married Dr. Joaquin Gonzalez y Lopez of Baliuag, Bulacan, the son of Fray Fausto Lopez, O.S.A. of Valladolid, Espana, and Dona Maria Amparo Gonzalez y de los Angeles of Baliuag.
The story of Dona Matea Rodriguez’ marriage to Don Josef Sioco is very interesting. He was a Chinese mestizo landowner and trader who was very industrious and very frugal. The old people in Apalit called him “Joseng Daga” because he stashed everything away, like a rat. In his house, there was a small corner room stacked with jars filled with gold coins from floor to ceiling. Even in old age, with his eyes failing, he insisted on tilling the land at the back of his house barefoot and with the carabao on a long leash, just so he could find his way to and from it ( Corazon Cacnio, interview, 1990 )! He was in his early 70s when he paid court to Dona Marta Rodriguez y Tuason ( younger sister of Dona Matea ) of Bacolor who was in her early 20s. She was not receptive of his courtship. Matea, an elder sister, less attractive but more intelligent, presented herself to be his bride. And since beauty was hardly an issue for the old man who was almost blind, he readily accepted her. The marriage took place in 1859. He was 73, she was 24. Dona Matea not only upheld the honor of her father Don Olegario Rodriguez, she married a rich hacendero as well.
Incung Jose ( Don Josef Sioco ) died on December 26, 1864 aged 78 years, 11 months, and 2 days. His remains are in one wall of the Gospel transept of Bacolor Church, now under meters of lahar. His gravestone was last seen by a great great grandson in November of 1990.
After the death of Incung Jose ( Don Josef Sioco ), his widow Dona Matea ( Dona Matea Rodriguez, viuda de Sioco ) relinquished some properties to her stepdaughter Dona Maria Sioco y Carlos, de Arnedo ( daughter of Don Josef Sioco by his first wife, surnamed Carlos; a woman Dona Matea’s age ) but withheld a large hacienda in the town of Santa Maria, Bulacan, an old Sioco property which was assigned to Dona Maria even during Don Josef’s lifetime. The withheld Santa Maria hacienda remained in the memory of the Arnedo y Sioco family, who never forgave Dona Matea.
The Santa Maria hacienda was eventually given by Dona Matea to her second daughter Dona Sabina Sioco de Escaler. [ But by then, it was insignificant compared to the other vast landholdings of Dona Sabina, whose properties increased every year because of her astute business sense, assisted by the family's two financial geniuses: her son Jose and her nephew Augusto, the fourth son of her younger sister Dona Florencia Sioco de Gonzalez.]
Dona Matea Rodriguez viuda de Sioco, with three infant daughters but only 29 years old, went on to marry Don Juan Arnedo-Cruz y Tanjutco. He was the equally rich younger brother of Don Capitan Joaquin Arnedo-Cruz y Tanjutco, who had married Dona Maria Sioco y Carlos, viuda de Tanjutco, the daughter of Don Josef Sioco by his first wife, surnamed Carlos. The marriage of Dona Matea and Don Juan had no offspring. After his death in 18__, she inherited all his properties which, many years later, she left to her two surviving daughters from Don Josef Sioco: Dona Sabina Sioco de Escaler and Dona Florencia Sioco de Gonzalez.
One of the larger properties left by Don Juan Arnedo-Cruz y Tanjutco to Dona Matea Rodriguez, viuda de Sioco, viuda de Arnedo-Cruz was an old Arnedo-Cruz property: the fertile Hacienda de Caldera, an entire sitio in Barrio Sulipan in Apalit town comprising __ hundred hectares. It also remained in the memory of the Arnedo-Cruz family, who narrowly thought that it should have reverted back to Arnedo-Cruz ownership because Don Juan had no issue. It was eventually inherited by Dona Matea’s youngest daughter, Dona Florencia Sioco de Gonzalez.
Dona Matea Rodriguez, viuda de Sioco, viuda de Arnedo-Cruz died on January 22, 1918 at the age of 83 years. Her remains are in the Escaler mausoleum at the Cementerio del Norte.
Dona Juana Rodriguez y Tuason married Don Agapito Guanzon of Santa Rita, Pampanga. They had a daughter: Juana Guanzon y Rodriguez, who married Sixto David y
______) .
Dona Marta Rodriguez y Tuason married Don Hilarion Santos. They had two children: Rafaela Santos y Rodriguez who married Vicente Fernandez and Roman Santos y Rodriguez who married Juliana Andres. After the death of Don Hilarion Santos, Dona Marta Rodriguez, viuda de Santos married Don Domingo Carlos.
Roman Santos y Rodriguez was raised as a ward by his first cousin Dona Florencia Sioco de Gonzalez in Barrio Sulipan, Apalit, Pampanga. Her elder sister, Dona Sabina Sioco de Escaler, lent him the initial capital to purchase his first bamboo “casco” ( raft )with which he ferried the dry goods he was buying and selling in various towns.
Don Roman Santos y Rodriguez founded Prudential Bank and a very successful family of businessmen active to this day.
Dona Maria Rodriguez y Tuason was a spinster.
Augusto Marcelino Gonzalez y Reyes and Macario Diosdado Gonzalez y Arnedo [ Brother Andrew Benjamin Gonzalez, F.S.C. ]
26 June 2000 1800 hrs
SOURCES :
The main framework for this text was derived from the notes of Don Augusto Diosdado Gonzalez y Sioco and his younger brother Don Dr. Bienvenido Ma. Gonzalez y Sioco.
1 ] Don Augusto Diosdado Gonzalez y Sioco ( o November 8, 1887 – + July 12, 1939 ): a notebook titled:: ” Genealogia de la Familia Gonzalez y Sioco ” [ handwritten ]
” Bisabuelos por Mama Florencia: Olegario Rodriguez y Escolastica Tuason “..Impung Culasa is identified as Escolastica Tuason; in 1990 this was further confirmed by a great great great grandson who saw a gravestone marked ” Dona Escolastica Tuason y Pamintuan ” on one wall of the Epistle transept of Bacolor Church [ In the same row on its right was the gravestone of Don Jose Leon Santos, and on the adjacent wall, two rows higher, the gravestone of Dona Ramona Joven y Suarez, the 19th century ancestors of the present-day Santos-Joven-Panlilio clan of Bacolor who were painted by the renowned painter Simon Flores y de la Rosa. ] Unfortunately, these gravestones are now under meters of lahar.
2 ] Don Dr. Bienvenido Ma. Gonzalez y Sioco ( o March 22, 1893 – + December 30, 1953 ): notes on the Rodriguez family of Bacolor, Pampanga, courtesy of his daughters Eva B. Gonzalez y Rafols and Lilia C. Gonzalez y Rafols [ It was fitting that Don Bienvenido wrote about his family's Rodriguez ancestry: as a child, together with his younger brothers Joaquin Jorge and Fausto Felix, he spent much time at the Rodriguez ancestral mansion in Bacolor town called " Bale Sim " ( Capampangan: " Bale " means house, " Sim " means iron roof, " Bale Sim " is " the house with an iron roof ". Such a description was a distinction in late 19th century Bacolor. The Rodriguez mansion was the first structure in town to install an expensive roof of corrugated iron sheets, replacing its old roof of heavy tiles. ), which his mother Dona Florencia Sioco de Gonzalez visited every week , and he was the ward of his young and indulgent Rodriguez aunts: Dona Jacoba ( born 1883 ), Dona Josefa ( born 1885 ), and Dona Gorgonia ( born 1886 ). ]
Impung Culasa is erroneously identified as Nicolasa Tuason. Incung Luga, or Olegario Rodriguez is erroneously identified as Leodegario Rodriguez. This is understandable because their diminutives, which the old people used, could have been derived from those formal names. Despite these lapses, Don Bienvenido laid the groundwork for the Rodriguez genealogy.
3 ] ” Teresa de la Paz and her Two Husbands “, a book about the Tuason, Legarda, Prieto, and Valdes clans.
The book provided the information about Don Antonio Ma. Tuason, founder of the Tuason ” mayorazgo ” ( noble estate ).
4 ] Mrs. Rafaelita Hilario Soriano: interviews in her New Manila residence, 1987, 1988.
Escolastica Tuason was the daughter of Gregorio Tuason and Maria Pamintuan. She had a younger sister named Maria Juana, who married Anastacio Hilario [ Mrs. Soriano's forebear ].
Gregorio Tuason was the younger brother of the founder of the Tuason ” mayorazgo “.
5 ] Dona Beatriz Rodriguez y Tiamson ( born o May 6, 1910; on May 6, 2000 celebrated her 90th birth anniversary ): interviews at ” Bale Sim ” ( the ancestral Rodriguez mansion ), Barrio Santa Ines, Bacolor, Pampanga, 1987 – 1995; interviews at her new residence on B. Mendoza St., San Fernando, Pampanga, 1996 – 2000.
Imang Bets ( Dona Beatriz Rodriguez y Tiamson ) has provided much information about the 19th century life at “Bale Sim,” most likely related to her by her cousin Impung Oniang ( Dona Gorgonia Rodriguez y Yabut, o September 19, 1886 – + November 14, 1960 ), with whom she spent the first half of her life.
6 ] Souvenir Program: 1964 Bacolor Town Fiesta – in honor of Nuestra Senora del Rosario, La Naval de Bacolor
7 ] The gravestone of Dona Prisca Ines Rodriguez y Tuason on one wall of the Gospel transept of the Apalit Church.
” Sra. Dna. Prisca Ines Rodriguez y Tuason, + 3 de Mayo 1894, 60 anos “
Her name was listed only as Ines in previous genealogies.
8 ] Rafaelita Hilario Soriano
Dona Matea Rodriguez y Tuason was born on February 24, 1835.
9 ] Arsenio Manuel, ” Dictionary of Philippine Biography,” 1955. Article on Jose Escaler. Article on Joaquin Gonzalez.
The Escaler article mentions Manuel Escaler as coming from Balanga, Bataan. The Gonzalez article mentions Jose Sioco as coming from Bocaue.
10 ] Old Sioco sisters, household staff of the various branches of the Escaler y Sioco family, perhaps distantly related to the Sioco progenitor ( Don Josef Sioco ) of the Arnedo y Sioco, Escaler y Sioco, and Gonzalez y Sioco families: interviews at the ancestral Sioco property in Sitio Pulung Cauayan, Barrio Sulipan, Apalit, Pampanga ( later the Escaler y Sioco, then the Fernandez y Escaler, then the Padilla-Fernandez, then the Fernandez-Nadal, and finally the Gonzalez-Reyes, also Sioco descendants ), 1998 – 2000.
The sisters mentioned that there were still Sioco relatives in Santa Maria, Bulacan. It lent credence to the ” Philippine Biography ” article on Joaquin Gonzalez that Jose Sioco was from Bocaue. The two towns are next to the other.
11 ] Corazon Cacnio y Mercado and Milagros Cacnio y Mercado: interviews in their residence in Barrio San Juan, Apalit, Pampanga, 1987 – 2000.
The old Cacnio sisters have provided much information. According to them, the Apalit elders remember the Siocos to have come from Bataan.
12 ] Don Fausto Felix Gonzalez y Sioco ( o May 30, 1897 – + October 15, 1951 ): the Gonzalez elders attribute the legend of Sioco the Japanese pirate to him.
Sioco the Japanese pirate also appears in an article on Limahong in the Filipino Heritage book series.
13 ] Dona Elisa Arnedo y Espiritu: interviews at the Arnedo y Espiritu residence ( St. Peter’s Mission House ), Barrio Capalangan, Apalit, Pampanga, 1978 – 1987.
Lola Ising ( Dona Elisa Arnedo y Espiritu ) provided much information.
Don Joaquin Arnedo married Dona Maria Sioco. It was a widow-widower nuptial. Don Joaquin had a daughter from his first marriage: Juana, who married Felipe Buencamino Sr. Dona Maria also had a daughter from her first marriage to a Tanjutco: Crispina, who remained a spinster.
The Arnedos came to Barrio Sulipan from Hagonoy, Bulacan.
Don Manuel Escaler was working as a ” personero ” ( overseer ) for his uncle, later father-in-law, Don Josef Sioco. ( An overseer was a high-ranking employee. Lola Ising was only repeating the descriptions of the old Arnedos, who had an age-old rift with Impung Matea ( Dona Matea Rodriguez, viuda de Sioco, viuda de Arnedo-Cruz ), who luckily inherited properties the Arnedos claimed were their own.
14 ] Dona Beatriz Rodriguez y Tiamson ( born o May 6, 1910; on May 6, 2000 celebrated her 90th birth anniversary ) : interviews at ” Bale Sim ” ( the ancestral Rodriguez mansion ), Barrio Santa Ines, Bacolor, Pampanga, 1987 – 1995; interviews at her new residence on B. Mendoza St., San Fernando, Pampanga, 1996 – 2000.
Imang Bets ( Dona Beatriz Rodriguez y Tiamson ) has provided much information about the 19th century life at ” Bale Sim,” most likely related to her by her cousin Impung Oniang ( Dona Gorgonia Rodriguez y Yabut: o September 19, 1886 – + November 14, 1960 ), with whom she spent the first half of her life.
Matuang ( Old ) Jose_ Sioco, a very old man from Barrio Sulipan in Apalit, courted Impung Marta ( Marta Rodriguez y Tuason ) first, but she refused.
Impung Matea ( Matea Rodriguez y Tuason ) decided to marry Jose_ Sioco , the very old man.
The very old, very rich Don Jose_ Sioco died conveniently after five years of marriage.
15 ] The gravestone of Don Josef Sioco on one wall of the Gospel transept of Bacolor Church.
” Sr. Dn. Josef Sioco, + 26 de Diciembre 1864, 78 anos, 11 meses, 2 dias “
The information enabled the researcher to establish his birthdate ( by backtracking ) as o January 24, 1786.
Don Josef Sioco built his house ( a bahay-na-bato/ a mansion by the standards of the day ) in Sitio Pulung Cauayan, Barrio Sulipan, Apalit town, Pampanga. The house, already derelict ( since 1964, when it was cannibalized by Escaler grandson Isidro Fernandez y Escaler to build a house for his friend, the actress Shirley Moreno in BF Homes, Paranaque. ) was a favorite haunt of Filipiniana scholars researching the bahay-na-bato, when it was torn down in the first quarter of 1988. According to the scholars, it was in the Geometric Style of the 1850s.
In front of the Apalit Church is an old gravestone in Chinese granite or ” piedra china ” ( a survivor of the previous church which collapsed in 1863 ) of Dona Vicenta Florenti—. It specifically says that she died in the house of Don Josef Sioco in 1842. So the house already existed then.
The old Sioco sisters ( household staff of the various branches of the Escaler y Sioco family ) mentioned that there were words, with the date 1840, carved on the overdoor above the ” escalera principal ” of the mansion.
The researcher is very much interested in Filipiniana and in the architecture of the bahay-na-bato. He was able to see the derelict house a few times and was fortunate enough to have visited it with several authorities on the bahay-na-bato once in early 1987 ( Mr. Martin I. Tinio, Arch. Luis J. Mata, and Miss Sandra Castro of the Intramuros Administration, along with Mr. Jose M. R. Panlilio and Mr. Frederick Agbayani, young Filipiniana researchers ). The group admired the architecture, the scale and proportion, the broken black and white marble squares and ornate azulejo tiles in the landing ( ” descanso ” ), the vestibule ( ” caida ” ) with its few remaining carved molave panels ( ” Definitely around 1850.” proclaimed Mr. Tinio. ), the salon ( ” sala ” ), the chapel ( ” capilla ” ) without its altar and floor planks, the dining room ( ” comedor ” ) without its floor and ceiling, and the bedrooms ( ” cuartos ” ) also without their doors, floors, and ceilings. It was very difficult to know what they were admiring, with “oohs” and “aahs”, and they must have had very good imaginations, because the place was a complete wreck. The azotea still had its monumental gateway, its collapsing stairs, its terra cotta balusters, its molave planking, clay tiles, and bricks.
There was a large, two-storey storehouse ( ” camarin ” ) to the left of the house, entirely of ” adobe ” ( a volcanic tuff stone quarried in Bulacan; on the other hand, Mexican adobe, real adobe, are blocks of mud and straw baked under the sun ). Beside the azotea was a great tamarind ( ” sampaloc ” ) tree, a fixture of every provincial bahay-na-bato, and this one was certainly over a hundred years old. At the back of the property were ruins of other storehouses, and in the rear’s center, a row of ten stoves, all in ” adobe,” used for fiesta cooking, as Mr. Tinio pointed out, although this researcher disagreed, because given their frugal natures the Siocos and the Escalers would not have been predisposed to fiesta cooking, unlike their relatives, the gallant and extravagant Arnedos who lived nearby. Mr. Tinio clarified that, while they were used for fiesta cooking, these outdoor stoves were used to cook the simple but hearty food served to the many tenant families who would converge at the master’s house ( Don Josef Sioco’s ) to assist in the cooking and the housecleaning, and certainly to partake of the plentiful food, during the fiesta. The exquisite ” Spanish criollo ” food was cooked in the main kitchen upstairs and served only to the affluent guests. Such were the feudalistic practices of yore which, in adjusted form, survive to this day.
The old Sioco sisters ( household staff of the various branches of the Escaler y Sioco family ) maintain that the original roof of the house was a gentle slope of heavy tiles, and that the kitchen was roofed with thatch. All of that was replaced by a steep roof of GI sheets before the Second World War.
There is enough evidence that the mansion was already constructed by 1840, so we can say that Don Josef Sioco had transferred from Bocaue, Bulacan to Barrio Sulipan, Apalit, Pampanga by that time.
There is an oil portrait of Don Josef Sioco, circa 1830s, that has survived to this day ( 2000 ). It shows him, a handsome Chinese mestizo, in the formal dress of the ” principalia ” ( wealthy class ): a European-style black jacket with tails over a pineapple fiber shirt ( a pina barong tagalog ) with ” suksok ” ( _______ ) embroidery. [ It was inherited by his youngest daughter Dona Florencia Sioco de Gonzalez. On her death in 1925, it was inherited by her youngest son Don Fausto F. Gonzalez y Sioco. When he died in 1951, it was passed on to his second wife Dona Pastora Cordero de Gonzalez. On her passing in 1998, it was inherited by her daughter Ernestina Gonzalez y Cordero, Mrs. Bibiano Lesaca y Padilla. ]
16 ] Dona Elisa Arnedo y Espiritu: interviews at the Arnedo y Espiritu residence ( St. Peter’s Mission House ), Barrio Capalangan, Apalit, Pampanga, 1978 – 1987.
and
Corazon Cacnio y Mercado and Milagros Cacnio y Mercado: interviews in their residence in Barrio San Juan, Apalit, Pampanga, 1987 – 2000.
They related the story of the Sioco hacienda in Santa Maria, Bulacan. It must have caused an uproar in 1864 ( the year of Don Josef Sioco’s death ), for people to still talk about it more than 120 years later.
17 ] Dona Elisa Arnedo y Espiritu: interviews at the Arnedo y Espiritu residence ( St. Peter’s Mission House ), Barrio Capalangan, Apalit, Pampanga, 1978 – 1987.
and
Bro. Andrew Gonzalez, F.S.C. ( Macario Diosdado Gonzalez y Arnedo ): conversations ( relaying information acquired from Arnedo elders, notably his mother Dona Rosario Arnedo y Espiritu, de Gonzalez ) at the Gonzalez y Arnedo residence in Quezon City.
The Hacienda de Caldera in Apalit is fertile, and thus productive, land. It was thus called because it is shaped like a ” caldo ” ( pot ). It is an entire sitio in Barrio Sulipan. In this day ( the year 2000 ), one can view it from the MacArthur Highway on the way to the main town of Apalit. On the road coming from Calumpit, Bulacan, after one has crossed the Apalit Bridge ( locally called the ” Control ” ), the wide, descending land on the left is the ” Caldera “.
The generation of Dona Rosario and Dona Elisa were told by their elders ( parents, uncles, aunts, and cousins ) that it was old Arnedo property unfortunately transferred to Gonzalez ownership by the marriage of Don Juan Arnedo-Cruz y Tanjutco to Dona Matea Rodriguez, viuda de Sioco after 1864. They had no children together but she inherited all his property. Upon her death in 19__, these were given to her two surviving daughters from her first marriage to Don Josef Sioco: Dona Sabina Sioco de Escaler and Dona Florencia Sioco de Gonzalez.
The Hacienda de Caldera was divided but a large portion was inherited by Dona Florencia’s fourth son Don Augusto Gonzalez y Sioco, the family’s financial genius. After his tragic death in 1939, it passed to the children of his first marriage to his first cousin Dona Marina Escaler y Sioco ( the eldest daughter of Dona Sabina Sioco y Rodriguez and Don Manuel Escaler y Rodriguez ). It remained in the family until 1972, when Ferdinand Marcos implemented Agrarian Reform with ” Operation Land Transfer ” ( OLT ). It was passed on forcibly to the tenants: the family of the ” personero ” ( overseer ) Julian Gonzales ( the tenants were wont to take the surname of the landowners ). But it did not take long before they sold their assigned parcels to a prosperous Chinese trader in 1973.
18 ] Rafaelita Hilario Soriano
Dona Matea Rodriguez y Tuason, viuda de Sioco, viuda de Arnedo-Cruz died on January 22, 1918 at the age of 83 years.
19 ] Dona Beatriz Rodriguez y Tiamson ( born o May 6, 1910; on May 6, 2000 celebrated her 90th birth anniversary ): interviews at ” Bale Sim ” ( the Rodriguez ancestral mansion ), Barrio Santa Ines, Bacolor, Pampanga, 1987 – 1995; interviews at her new residence on B. Mendoza St., San Fernando, Pampanga, 1996 – 2000.
and
Eglantine Gonzalez y Elizalde ( Mrs. Luis B. Franco ): interviews in her residence at 65 Scout Fuentebella St., Quezon City, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1988, 1989, 1990; conversations during Doble Zeta Reunion meetings at the Gonzalez y Arnedo residence in Quezon City, 1988 – 2000.
and
Blanquita Santos y Luna ( Mrs. Renato P. Gonzalez ): conversations during Gonzalez y Palanca ( the children of Rogerio Gonzalez y Escaler and Lourdes Palanca y David ) family gatherings: a pre-Christmas party at the Gonzalez-Santos residence at 55 Cambridge Circle, Forbes Park North in 1989; parties at the Dizon-Gonzalez ( Manuel Martinez Dizon and Regina Palanca Gonzalez ) residence at 5 Molave Road, Forbes Park South in 1990, 1997, and 1998.
Imang Bets ( Dona Beatriz Rodriguez y Tiamson ) has provided much information about the Rodriguez family of Bacolor, Pampanga.
Incung Duman ( Don Roman Santos ), the founder of Prudential Bank, was a Rodriguez. He was the son of Impung Marta ( Dona Marta Rodriguez y Tuason ) who married Don Hilarion Santos. When Don Hilarion died, Dona Marta married Don Domingo Carlos.
Dona Marta died young. Her orphaned son, the young Roman was taken in as a ward by his older first cousin Dona Florencia Sioco de Gonzalez ( daughter of Impung Matea, elder sister of Impung Marta ) and he went to live at the Gonzalez y Sioco mansion in Barrio Sulipan, Apalit, Pampanga.
The young Roman spent some years in Barrio Sulipan and was like an elder brother to his ten Gonzalez y Sioco nephews: Fernando, Jesus, Emilio, Augusto, Octavio, Virgilio, Javier, Bienvenido, Joaquin, and Fausto.
There was a big ” studio ” picture of him with them ( taken around 1896 ) hung at ” Bale Sim ” in one small room filled with aparadores, before the Great Flood of October 1, 1995, which inundated the mansion with lahar from Mount Pinatubo ( which erupted four years before in 1991 ).
Tita Nena ( Eglantine Gonzalez y Elizalde ) has provided much information about the Gonzalez y Sioco family of Barrio Sulipan, Apalit, Pampanga. She is a daughter of Don Fernando Gonzalez y Sioco and Dona Clementina Elizalde y Cacnio and is the third oldest of the +- 115 grandchildren of Don Dr. Joaquin Gonzalez y Lopez and Dona Florencia Sioco y Rodriguez.
Incung Duman ( Don Roman Santos y Rodriguez ) was a first cousin of Impung Florencia ( Dona Florencia Sioco y Rodriguez, de Gonzalez ) and Impung Sabina ( Dona Sabina Sioco y Rodriguez, de Escaler ). He grew up as a ward in the Gonzalez mansion in Barrio Sulipan.
Impung Sabina lent Incung Duman the capital to purchase a ” casco ” ( bamboo raft ) for his first business venture: the trading of dry goods in the towns along the Rio Grande de Pampanga ( the Pampanga River ).
Incung Duman used to visit the Gonzalezes in Sulipan until before the War ( in 194_, the house was bombed from the air by the Americans who saw Japanese trucks parked beside it ). The Gonzalez brothers deferred to him as ” Tio Duman “.
Ate Ate’ ( Blanquita Santos y Luna – Mrs. Renato P. Gonzalez ), granddaughter of Don Roman Santos and Dona Juliana Andres, spoke about her grandfather.
Lolo Roman ( Don Roman Santos y Rodriguez ) spoke about his Rodriguez relatives in Bacolor, Pampanga.
Lolo Roman grew up with his Gonzalez cousins. He was then a poor relation.
Lolo Roman was a modest man. He was frugal and cautious in his business transactions. He became a successful businessman.
Gilda Cordero Fernando ( Gilda Cordero y Luna ), writer, arts patron and connoisseur – a relative of the Santos family on the Luna side, told the funny story of how, during the War, they were all hiding in the Santos house in Malabon when the ceiling collapsed with the weight of the rice, beans, and other supplies Lolo Roman had stored! He had hidden enough food to last for years!
According to the notes of Don Dr. Bienvenido Ma. Gonzalez y Sioco, Dona Marta Rodriguez and Don Hilarion Santos had two children: Rafaela and Roman. Rafaela married Vicente Fernandez.
This researcher saw the gravestone of Dona Rafaela Santos y Rodriguez on one wall of the Epistle transept of the Apalit Church: ” Dona Rafaela Santos y Rodriguez, + 25 de Junio, 1900 “.
It was only in the conversations with old relatives that the researcher uncovered that Dona Rafaela Santos de Fernandez was the mother of the controversial Rafael Fernandez. He married Josefa Escaler y Sioco ( who turned out to be his second-degree cousin: Dona Sabina Sioco y Rodriguez, de Escaler and Dona Rafaela Santos y Rodriguez, de Fernandez were first cousins ).
Tita Nena ( Eglantine Gonzalez y Elizalde ) mentioned that Tio Jose Escaler, despite his impeccable social connections, wanted his sisters married to relatives to preserve the family wealth. His sister Tia Marina was married to their first cousin Tio Augusto Gonzalez and another sister Josefa married to Rafael Fernandez, [ who, therefore, was probably a distant relative; it is difficult to admit a relation to the controversial Rafael Fernandez ].
It was Ate Ate’ ( Blanquita Santos y Luna – Mrs. Renato P. Gonzalez ) who confirmed the relation between the completely opposite personalities Don Roman Santos y Rodriguez and Rafael Fernandez y Santos: they were uncle and nephew.
FAMILIA RODRIGUEZ
DE
BARRIO SANTA INES, BACOLOR, PAMPANGA
1 ] Sr. Dn. Olegario Rodriguez + 3 de Junio 1874
2 ] Sra. Dna. Jacoba Bautista de Rodriguez + 31 de Enero 1874
3 ] Sr. Dn. Felix Rodriguez y Bautista o 8 de Enero 1853
+ 8 de Enero 1914
4 ] Sr. Dn. Jose Rodriguez y Bautista + 6 de Julio 1887 ( o 1853 )
33 anos, 7 meses
5 ] Sr. Dn. Francisco Rodriguez y Bautista + 12 de Noviembre 1887 ( o 1863 )
24 anos, 8 meses
6 ] Sra. Dna. Maxima Rodriguez y Bautista, + 30 de Octubre 1888 ( o 1857 )
de De los Reyes 31 anos
7 ] Sra. Dna. Librada Rodriguez y Bautista o 20 de Julio 1865
+ 14 de Febrero 1923
8 ] Sra. Dna. Maria Rodriguez y Bautista + 23 de Julio 1915
9 ] Sra. Dna. Jacoba Rodriguez y Yabut o 14 de Julio 1883
+ 10 de Enero 1922
10 ] Sra. Dna. Josefa Rodriguez y Yabut o 18 de Marso 1885
+ 29 de Junio 1936
11 ] Sra. Dna. Gorgonia Rodriguez y Yabut o 19 de Septiembre 1886
+ 14 de Noviembre 1960
These names and dates were taken by the researcher from the gravestones in the Rodriguez burial ground at the Bacolor Catholic Cemetery, November __, 1988, Sunday, 1600 hrs, Fiesta de Nuestra Senora del Santisimo Rosario, La Naval de Bacolor.
“Talanca” / “Talangka”
February 27, 2007 at 8:21 pm (Arnedo de Sulipan, Escaler de Sulipan, Gonzalez de Sulipan, Manila Houses, Pampanga Cuisine, Pampanga Traditions, Random memories, Rodriguez de Bacolor, The Global Crowd, The Manilenos, The Pampanguenos)
