VIEWS FROM THE PAMPANG

SEEK YE FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD. Clark's Chapel One, as it looked in 1959. Just recently finished that year, the modern church featured amenities such as air conditioning for churchgoers'' comfort and convenience. The church as remained the same, unlike Chapel Two which was heavily restored post-Pinatubo.

By the late 50s, Clark Field was a modern, bustling and fully equipped air base, the nerve center of U.S. Air Force operations in Southeast Asia. The “biggest air base in the world” was home to thousands of servicemen from the Thirteenth Air Force and their families. Here, they converged as a community, from all parts of America, of diverse backgrounds and interests--and with different religious beliefs.

For the varied spiritual activities, three base chapels and a religious center staffed with 8 chaplains of different faiths, were ready to offer varied religious programs to all Clark Air Base personnel. The chapels were the designated venues for the daily and weekly activities of major religious groups. As such, there were regularly-held Protestant Sunday Services, Sunday School, General Worship Service, Episcopal Service, Latter Day Saints Sunday School, Christian Science Service, Protestant Evening Fellowship and Evangelistic Service.

Two notable churches were operational by 1959. Church 1 was the newest, built on sprawling grounds near the corner of Dyeess Highway. The church had a modern, sleek design and even had air-conditioning for the churchgoers’comfort and convenience. On the other hand, Chapel Two, with its trademark spire, stood along Marrat Highway, across Kelly Restaurant and right next to the Gymnasium.

The churches and the religious staff observed a hectic schedule, what with weekly services that include Midweek Fellowship, Episcopal Communion and Bible Study. Seven times on Sunday, Catholic Sunday masses were celebrated. On regular days, masses were said twice daily. Also conducted weekly were evening devotions, and novenas.

Religious organizations included the well-attended Sunday schools operated by the Protestant chaplains on an inter-denominational basis. They sponsored a daily vacation Bible School, a Junior and Senior Choir, Youth Fellowship, Retreats, Bible Classes and frequent social events.

On the other hand, Roman Catholic chaplains organized religious groups like the Holy Name Society, Ladies’ Sodality, Legion of Mary, with well-rounded programs that included holding Holy Name Retreats, missions, novenas, choir and religious instruction classes.

Special Jewish services conducted by their chaplains include: Chanukah, Purim, Passover and Shavvoth.

Baptism, confirmation, weddings and other religious ceremonies could also be arranged by contacting the chaplain of one’s respective faith.

Today, the churches of Clark, heavily restored post-Pinatubo, are still very much around, serving a whole new community that includes both military personnel and civilians-- local tourists, PX shoppers, residents of nearby cities of Mabalacat and Angeles. Chapel One (now dedicated to Saint Joseph) and Chapel Two (dedicated to Our Lady of the Remedies, patroness of Pampanga) have regular AFP chaplains on duty. They continue to be popular venues for Masses, Weddings and other Catholic rites as well as houses of prayer and refuge, just as they were intended to be, over 50 years ago.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

OUT ON THE FARM. Young farmers pose for a pcture before the Domestic Science building of Mexico Elementary School. Ca. 1920s.

In revamping the curriculum of Philippine schools, emphasis was given by American teachers to subjects called Industrial Education (for boys) and Domestic Science (for girls).

To improve the basic motor skills of children, schools started offering vocational and manual training, teaching boys handicrafts, carpentry, weaving, toymaking and gardening.

On the distaff side, girls were trained on home arts that included sewing and embroidery, marketing, cooking and house cleaning (yes, there is a systematic process in waxing and buffing floors!).

I was one of the hapless students of the 1960s who took up this required subject at Mabalacat Elementary School, which was quite an ordeal to finish. First, I was never handy with tools, and second, I hated gardening under the hot sun. I was eventually exempted from the subject because of my fragile health, but relief would not come easily; I was cross-posted in the Home Economics class of the girls where I ended up peddling snacks from room to room.

Students have no one to blame but Harvard graduate Fred W. Atkinson, who, in 1902, was appointed as General Superintendent of Public Instruction in the Philippine Islands by Gov, Gen. William Howard Taft. The 35 year old former high school principal quickly reformed the school system—imposing the use of English as the language of instruction, the importation of teachers (known today as Thomasites), and of course, the integration of industrial and domestic arts in the elementary level curriculum.

As was expected, the importance of the subject was lost on Filipino parents who sent their children to school—in the first place--to save them from a life of hard, manual labor. Unpopular with teachers, Atkinson was dismissed and was assessed as a failure. He was replaced by David Prescott Barrows who included the education-deprived barrios in his goal to develop a ‘cultured peasantry’. He re-skewed the emphasis on academic subjects, like Reading, Writing, Grammar and Spelling. He argued that manual training will only chain Filipinos to a life of peonage.

But of course, Industrial Arts continued to be taught in primary schools all the way to the 70s and 80s. Manual training subjects became less and less laborious, in the case of needlework and drafting. Garden plots gave way to new school wings and Home Economic buildings were either knocked down or adapted for re-use as spare classrooms, until the subject of practical home arts was no more.

My manual dexterity has not improved a bit in my use of a simple coping saw and hammer. Nor am I exactly a green thumb today. But for sure, the training has given me a better appreciation of the skills and efforts of people who use their hands for a living—from the anloagues, pandays, masons, cocineras, modistas and bordaderas of yesteryears to the talented Kapampangan furniture makers, culinary masters, potters, parol makers, and landscape gardeners of today. In their deft hands, they shape the future of our commercial, industrial and agricultural progress.

LIVING IN A “SONIC BOOM” TOWN. An FW-640 plane lands in Clark, one of the "guardians of Philippine defense". 1959.

In the days of Clark, not so long ago, we, from Mabalacat, would find ourselves being rudely waken and shaken up at odd hours of the day by the loud and intense aerodynamic noise created by jets flying overhead. Our roofs would rattle, dogs would bark, chickens would cackle and our ears would be attacked by the unbearable noise generated by these bad-ass birds taking off from Clark. To this day, many can't forget those noisy days of yore, prompting even top Kapampangan artist, Andy Alviz, to immortalize the jet plague that rocked Mabalacat in one of his songs.

Mabalacat was in the direct path of these various aircrafts—F-4, F-5, F-18s fighter jets mostly—and especially in the Vietnam years, the noise pollution they created was a major economic bane to the town. They were the reasons, local folks say, why the egg industry failed to prosper in Mabalacat as no hen could produce eggs under such noisy, disturbing nerve-wracking conditions.

The noise barrage from Clark’s aircrafts intensified even further with the launch of the Cope Thunder program, introduced by Brig. Gen, Richard G. Head in 1976. It was an immersion exercise conceived to give all American air personnel stationed in Asia their first taste of combat in a realistic training environment. The program was initiated in Clark, which meant the participation of hundreds of planes in the simulated air combat exercises. The take-off point these aircrafts was, of course, Clark.

The low-flying, high speed military jets produced ear-shattering noises that became even louder as the aircraft increased its speed. The density of the air at low attitudes heightened the deafening roar of the jets. Over the years, Mabalaqueños learned to live with the sonic booms that occasionally cracked glass panes, shook windows and doors, interrupted afternoon naps and terrified babies. Surprisingly, other than these mishaps, there were no major incidents reported all throughout the time the Americans were in Clark—not until 2 May 2002.

That morning, a Philippine Air Force F-5 fighter jet, manned by Capt. Daniel Teodoro Policarpio of Basa Air base, crashed into a residential areas in Mabalacat, Pampanga, killing the pilot instantly and injuring at least 10 people. The plane—acquired from the U.S. way back in 1965—was about to land at Clark Air Base, when it exploded—with most of its parts crashing at the Mabalacat Elementary School, and the rest of the debris, strewn around populated areas of barangay San Joaquin.

Injured on the ground were Mabalaqueños Jess Rivera, Junior de la Cruz (janitor of the school) and a certain Virginia Garcia. The school and some houses were also razed and damaged. As a result of the ill-fated crash, Air Force Chief Benjamin Defensor grounded the 9 remaining F-5 fighter jets of the Philippine Air Force.

The hasty departure of the Americans in 1991 due to the Pinatubo eruptions have not completely silenced Mabalacat skies. For one, the regular RP-US Balikatan joint military exercises call for air combat simulations which necessitate the launching of fighter planes, Phantom jets, choppers, ABDR birds and what have you-- at some given time in the year.

The opening of the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport has also resulted in the influx of commercial airlines, increasing air traffic and noise over Pampanga’s newest chartered city. Though the problem today is not as pronounced, Mabalacat is still susceptible to the “necessary inconveniences” of being a travel hub. Still, pardon the puns, it is hope that Mabalacat will rise above the din, as it soars to become Pampanga’s next ”sonic boom” city.

ESCUELA PRACTICA DE ARTES Y OFICIOS DE BACOLOR. The newly reconstructed trade school, as it appeared in 1909. Damaged during the Revolution, the school was rebuilt using funds donated mostly by the native elite of the town. Today, Don Honorio Ventura Technological State University is a premiere technological university of the region. Luther Parker Collection, 1909.

While the Americans are recognized for reforming Philippine public schools, the Spaniards are credited for founding the first trade schools of the country, starting with the vision of Augustinian P. Juan Zita to help young but underprivileged youths of Bacolor. Bacolor’s elite, led by Don Felino Gil, donated the land and raised funds for the establishment of a school devoted to manual training and education. Thus was opened the Escuela Practica de Artes y Oficios de Bacolor, in 4 November 1861.

Initially, the school offered courses in carpentry, furniture making, ironworks and other practical arts, until the operations were interrupted by the Philippine Revolution. The school was converted to an ammunitions plant that supplied the Republican army with guns and bullets. The school sustained heavy damage as a result.

The school reopened in 1905 as Bacolor Trade School. Now under the Americans, the school underwent major reconstruction from 1906-07 at a cost of Php 12,000. At the grand inauguration of the new edifice, distinguished guests like former Gov. Ceferino Joven and Acting Director G.N. Brink, plus prominent members of both local and the American community graced the occasion that culminated in a lavish ball.

American instructors were at the helm of the school, teaching carpentry, wood craft, furniture making, weaving and embroidery. It was once again renamed to Pampanga Trade School in 1909. In 1911, the school observed its 50th anniversary, a milestone that was marked with yet another festive celebration held on 4 November.

A secondary curriculum that included Building Construction for boys and Domestic Science for girls was offered in 1922. Recognized as a regional trade school and renamed as Pampanga School of Arts and Trade, it added technical education courses in 1957. Pres. Diosdado Macapagal signed a decree in 1964, officially changing the name of the school to Don Honorio Ventura Memorial School of Arts and Trades (DHVMSAT) in honor of philanthropist Don Honorio Ventura, a native son of Bacolor who once helped Macapagal financially as a struggling student.

In 1978, under provincial governor Estelito P. Mendoza, the school became a state college. Curricular expansion led to the offering of courses such as Industrial Education, Engineering, Architecture and Home Economics. Masteral degrees were likewise offered in such fields as Public Administration, Education, Educational Management as wells as a Doctorate in Education in 2003.

In June 2009, a house bill sponsored by Congressman Aurelio D. Gonzales, Jr.that called for the school’s conversion into a technological state university was passed and approved, that paved the way for the passage of a Senate Bill sponsored by Sen. Lito Lapid. On 9 December 2009, then Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo signed Republic Act 9832, finally declaring the school as Pampanga's first and only state university—the Don Honorio Ventura Technological State University.

From its humble beginnings, DHVTSU has grown by leaps and bounds, yet it continues to hold fast to its original mission envisioned over one hundred and fifty years ago--to keep the flame of technology alive so it may be used to improve lives, and enrich the future.

LET'S DO THE HORSEY-HORSEY! My dad (R) and younger sibling Manuel (L) pose with their all-purpose family horse at home. My grandfather used to ride this horse when inspecting his farmlands, but it was also used for leisurely ride around the backyard by the brothers. Ca. 1930.

Next to the carabao, the lumbering beast of Philippine farmlands, the fleet-footed horse, or kabayo, ranks as another favored animal prized for its beautiful form and function. For many a busy hacendero in Pampanga, owning a horse was a must, for its varied uses—as a means of transport and conveyance, a trusty steed heroes rode in times of war, an animal enjoyed for recreation and leisure, as well as a prized status symbol.

A picture of my father and his sibling exist in one of our old albums, showing off their small, but fine steed. I never bothered to ask the name of their family horse, which I assumed, was used by my Ingkung in checking out his farm holdings in Bundagul and Mabiga. I bet my father and my uncle rode this horse all around the spacious backyard, and maybe even around town. The horse was kept in my granduncle’s house next door, perhaps in his spacious garage. The horse was most definitely tended by Tatang Simon, my father’s family driver.

The horse was never an ideal animal for our wet farmlands—the damulag which could efficiently plow through mud was perfect for the job. In Europe, however, the horse ruled the dry wheat fields of Europe. Even then, the horse has managed to find a special place in Philippine pop culture.

“Kabayo”, is derived from the Spanish word “caballo”, and to this day, we call it as such, whether dappled, spotted or tan. In those times, many horse driven carriages were a convenient way to move around the country. In Manila, there were the ‘quilez” (a one-horse rig), the “tartanilla” (2 wheeled horse carriage) and the horse-drawn “tranvia”.

During the Hispanic era, the art of horsemanship was integrated in the grand dances of old Pampanga. As a striking musical preface to the spectacular balls, it was said that Kapampngans danced the rigodon on horseback to display their equestrian skills and to flaunt their fine steed, fit for royalty.

In and around the provinces like Pampanga, the more humble “karomata”and “kalesa”were more popular, their arrival announced by the pleasant tinker of the calesa bell and the rhythmic trot of the horse, with blinders and leather harness, arrayed with silver bridles, decorations and plumed headdress. To this day, the horse-drawn kalesa, though handful in number, continues to ply the dusty side roads of many Kapampangan towns, alongside jeeps and trikes.

The animal has enriched our local culture, belief system and language; there are local adages that refers to the handsome steed, to wit: “Ing cabayung e queca, paburen me qng lacad na”(Leave a horse that is not yours, to trot along, read; Mind your own business). Another one goes, “Ïng cabayung alang rienda, capilitan managuinis ya” (A horse with no reins will be forced to bite).

Philippine riddles make allusions too, to the horse: “Kabayu ng Adan, e mangan nung eme sakyan” (Adam’s horse will not eat unless you ride on it. Ans.: coconut grater). A more cryptic riddle runs: “Ing buntuk na kabayo, ïng batal na pari, ing katawan na ulad, ing bitis na lagari.” (It’s got the head of a horse, the neck of a priest, the body of a worm, the feet of a saw. Ans.: Locust).

Around the house, there are domestic objects that refer to the horse. The animal gave its name to the old folding wooden ironing boards that resembled the 4-legged creature--the ‘pakabayu”. In the 19th century, children played “juego de anillo”, a game in which they attempted to collect hanging rings with a wooden sword while riding hobby horses of sticks. “Kabayuan” is to ride the back of a playmate in a horseplay, while “mangabayu”refers to the horse rider. Ironically, despite the graceful form and handsome figure of the horse, to be called “lupa kang kabayu” (to have the face of the horse) was tantamount to being called ugly.

Blame it on the horrific image of the “tikbalang", that huge cigar-smoking, tree-sitting denizen of Philippine folklore who took the shape and features of a horse, albeit elongated and uglier looking. The movies too, perpetuated the image of a laughable horse—as in the 1958 fantasy film about a talking horse, “Silveria, Ang Kabayong Tsismosa”, starring Dolphy. Why, even a comedian became famous in the 80s because of his resemblance to a horse—“Ritchie D’Horsie”.

Richard III may have lost his life and kingdom for a horse, but this trusty animal has existed long enough to witness the gallantry of men and heroes: Bucephalus led Alexander the Great to his many conquests, Rocinante followed Don Quixote to his many adventures and an unnamed white steed of the young boy general, Gregorio Del Pilar accompanied him to his martyrdom. In recent memory, a world-class horse raced to glory with Kapampangan equestrienne Mikee Cojuangco’s gold medal winning performance at the 2002 Asian Games in Busan, Korea.

Loyal, dependable and trustworthy, our equine friend has certainly managed to gallop its way into our hearts, homes and history.

SO YOU THINK YOU CAN COOK? School girls learn the art of cooking and baking uisng more modern kitchen implements and gadgets, in this home economics class. 1920s

In large Philippine homes—there’s a kitchen and then, there’s a dirty kitchen. While a kitchen is where Mother displays her fine chinaware, gleaming copper pans, bowls, trays, sleek toasters and pantry cabinet, the dirty kitchen is where she and her househelps toil away in front of sooty clay stoves, enveloped by smoke, heat and odors emanating from frying pans and trash cans.

Such was the house that I grew up in—and nowhere was it busier, smellier, more chaotic--than in our dirty kitchen. For here, all sorts of implements, gadgets and strange instruments abound—for cooking, broiling, boiling, grilling, grinding—all designed to help a new homemaker become a top-rate cook.

The basic tools of cooking rest on a narrow, sturdy table called “dalikan”, made of bamboo or planks of wood, with the top, covered with an iron sheet. Here, one can find kalang uling (charcoal clay stove), which rests on 3 stumpy legs (“tungku”). Under the “dalikan”, one can find chopped firewood, used to start a fire in the kalan, with the help of a tsupan (a metal cylinder used to blow air and stoke a fire) and a “sipit” (a pair of thongs to move pieces of wood and charcoal around). A charcoal-fed “pugun” or a clay/earth oven, was permanently set in the kitchen for baking breads.

On top of the“kalang”, one can use different pots and pans, depending on what you are cooking. Before the advent of rice cookers, the basic “kuran” with a lid is used to cook the perfect rice. It is also used to cook favourite viands and soups like “adobo, tinola and sinigang”. The metal “kawali”, made of cast iron, is ideal for frying, with the help of an all-purpose “siyansi”.

To boil water, one uses a kettle (“tekwan”) of aluminum, copper or brass. I still have my late Ingkung brass pan with a rounded bottom and a wooden handle used for boiling water and eggs. He called it “pohiya”, a term that nobody seem to use, except us! Another brass container was the tsokolatera, a small pitcher where homemade chocolate was prepared. A wooden batirul was hand-turned to whip up a frothy, hearty drink.

Those craving for grilled foods like “ningnang babi, bangus o balasenas” had to use a “parilya” (a gridiron of thick wire) over live embers . Basting was done using a brush made of bamboo stick and banana leaves. Large-scale cooking once entailed the use of steel vats—kawa—which came in extra large sizes, good enough for a pig to fit in. I still see a few “kawas” these days—only in landscaped gardens, where they are used for accents.

Raw ingredients were either crushed or powdered in a stone “dikdikan” or "daldakan", which consisted of a small mortar (asung) and a pestle (alung). Ground rice was turned into sticky galapong using a stone “gilingan”, that had a hole on top into which rice and water was fed. A handle was turned manually around and around until the galapong emerges from a spout and is collected for making kakanins—sampelut, bibingka, sapin-sapin, bobotu.

Native trivets, we call “lakal”—made of bamboo, woven to form a ring, on which a pot can be made to rest. Placed over one’s head, the “lakal” helps an ambulant vendor steady an “igu” or a “bitse”(woven winnowing trays) filled with local delicacies, while she goes walking around the neighbourhood.

Food was served on plates (“pinggan”) made of enamelled tin or cheap ironstone imported from England. Special viands for a crowd of hungry guests were put in deep “pasung Intsik”, which had the shape of flower pots, but without holes. I remember these glazed pots which we brought out from our “lansena” for use only during fiesta time. they were dark brown in color with a light brown band at the top, decorated with stylized dragon designs.

To scoop anything from a container, there’s the sanduk bican (scooper/ ladle) fashioned from a coconut shell. When holes were drilled onto the ladle, the sandukbecomes a “panyalak”or a sieve. Water dippers made use of almost the whole shell, fastened to a long wooden handle. Back then, any visitor can cool his thirst off with a free welcome drink. All he had to do was to take a water-filled dipper filled from a big clay jar –banga--that stood in front of houses. Cockleshells were often thrown into the banga to maintain the clarity of the water.

Other clay jars in a household include the narrow mouthed ”oya”, “balanga” (for storing dishes), “gusi”( glazed pot with handles), “tapayan”( a water jar outfitted with a faucet). These often were set on the “banguerra”. Uneaten food or leftovers were stored in a paminggalan, a small pantry cabinet with slats to let air in.

Today, a wide assortment of high-tech kitchen gadgets have been invented to improve kitchen efficiency and convenience: from electric mixers, juicers, steamers to microwave ovens and grillers. But for yesteryear's homemakers, nothing beats the fruits of hard labor--whether it is turning a gilingan with sheer muscle power or pounding rice for hours--for it is believed that this is the only way that she can fully bring out life's many flavors.

HANDS SALUTE! The future cardiologist, Mario de Mesina Alimurung of Bacolor, as the No. 1 cadet of UST. An artist, a teacher, a writer and a medical researcher, this world-class doctor co-founded the Makati Medical Center together with Dr. Manahan and Dr. Fores in 1969.

The Alimurungs are one of the oldest families of Pampanga, with many members settling in Bacolor. From this family with ancient Muslim roots, comes one of the greatest doctors this country has ever known, a world-class cardiologist and a compassionate healer who went on to become one of the founders of Makati Medical Center: Dr. Mariano de Mesina Alimurung.

Born on 4 August 1916 in Bacolor, the young Mariano went to St. Mary’s Academy for his early schooling. He next went to Letran for his high school education where he graduated at the top of his class in 1936. He chose to take up Medicine at the University of Santo Tomas and there, too, he became an outstanding student and a scholar. In Manila, the Alimurungs kept house on Dapitan St., just a walk away from the pontifical university where Mariano pursued his medical course, even as he also took up military science.

From being Letran’s Corps Commander, he assumed the same top post at the UST, handling a whole brigade and leading other fellow officers including Carlos Arguelles (future architect), Antonio Delgado (future ambassador) and kabalen Carlos Vergara.

Just 23 years old in this picture, Alimurung was quite a campus figure, be-medalled and brilliant, highly regarded by his peers--both in the military and in the medical field.

After earning his medical degree, Dr. Alimurung specialized in Cardiology and became renowned in his field. On the side, he was also a sports enthusiast (he revived interest in the NCAA during the Japanese Occupation by forming a league composed of former Ateneo, Letran and San Beda players) , a teacher and an ardent Kapampangan writer and cultural activist (in 1977, he resurrected the Circulo Escenico, a zarzuela group of long standing, founded in 1930 by Francisco Liongson).

Dr. Alimurung was one of the founders (along with Dr. Constantino Manahan and Dr. Jose Fores, ) of Makati’s premier hospital--the Makati Medical Center in 1969. He sat as the Chairman of the Department of Medicine, Director of the Coronary Care Unit, and Head of the Cardiology Section. He was also the first and only director of the Office of Medical Education, borne by his interest in medical research and education.

Though at the start, the reason for building a hospital was driven by enterprise, the deeply spiritual Dr. Alimurung recalled:“Divine Providence works His way in the midst of human decisions and human motivations. He writes straight even with crooked lines and works His will into the mazes of human struggles.”

The founders’ shared mission, thus was refocused on how to deliver the best healthcare to people-- young and old, rich or poor alike, of whatever economic rank--a lifework that was not lost on the leaders of the Catholic Church.

For his selfless contributions to the Philippine community, Dr. Alimurung was given one of the highest Papal Orders of Chivalry—the Knight Commander with the Star of Gregory the Great and Knight Commander of St. Sylvester I. Recipient of many distinguished awards in his time--Cunning’s Humanitarian Award and Distinguished Fellow Award (from the American College of Cardiology), Distinguished Physician Award (Philippine College of Physicians), Distinguished Service Award (Philippine Medical Association)—Dr. Alimurung’s dedication to serve humanity never wavered..

Accolades continue to pour even after his death: the Catholic Physicians Guild of the Philippines gave him a Distinguished Service Award while the Philippine Heart Association named him recipient of its Distinguished Teacher Award.

In his memory, the Makati Medical Center Library was renamed the Dr. Mariano M. Alimurung Library. A son, Benjie Alimurung, also a medical doctor, recalls his father’s words that he lived by: “At every stage of your career, take stock of where you are and where you have been and these will give you invaluable direction on what you should do and where you should go next.”

Dr. Mariano M. Alimurung, the benevolent healer, certainly lived up to this way of thinking, as evidenced by his singleminded pursuit of finding ways to give Filipinos a better, healthier life, regardless of their place in society till the very end of his life. This benevolent Kapampangan healer died in 1989.

THE HAND THAT ROCKS THE CRADLE. A new mom bottlefeeds her baby, who is all swaddled in clothes, as was typical practice in the 1920s.

Birthing rituals are rooted in many cultures, and in Pampanga, there are folk beliefs and practices attendant to the delivery of a baby and his period of infancy and many more traditional customs observed in this important life event.

An expectant mother, for example, is discouraged from eating twin bananas, as this may result in the birth of twin babies. A mother should also finish the food on her plate so that everything will come out during delivery, leaving her womb clean. If someone ate her leftovers, he will suffer bouts of sleepiness and drowsiness at work. Cutting her hair during pregnancy is not also advisable as the baby will be prone to baldness.

To avoid a difficult delivery, a pregnant woman should not have her house remodelled during her term and should avoid watching scary movies, lest her baby is aborted. Nor should she wear tight clothes so as not to deform the fetus. Participation in funeral activities is also a no-no. It is believed that both mother and child’s well being were dependent on the kinds of food she eats during her term.

To promote healthy eating, she should eat a diet of rice, monggo beans, raw eggs (for strength during labor), pigs tail ( for fetal movement) and kalamunding, a local citrus, so that her baby will have a flawless complexion. Scratchy root crops like taro or gabi should be excluded from her diet because it would cause her perineal area to itch.

A child’s gender was determined by the way the mother looked during her pregnancy. If a mother’s tummy was set high and is pointy, the baby will be a boy. If a mother looked beautiful all throughout her term, the baby will definitely be a pretty baby girl. Pre-natal care rituals were the domain of women, and during health screenings, an infanticipating mother was often accompanied by a female family member rather than her husband. In rural areas, women turned to the local comadrona (midwife) or a female hilot to assist in the delivery.

To ease a woman’s labor, windows and doors were flung wide open. A bath before delivery is thought to facilitate the birth of a child. In one barrio of Guagua, relatives of a woman about to give birth make noises (shouting, beating tin cans and exploding firecrackers) to help expel the baby faster. Children born on a Sunday were favored with a rich, long life. They were thought to be safe from from drowning and hanging. Those born on midnight, old folks say, will be brave, while those who come inot the world at the break of dawn will have short tempers.

In the first few months of his life, a baby was looked after and doted on unlike any other. If a baby suffered from hiccups, a water-soaked cotton ball was placed on his fontanel to relieve him. A baby’s sneezing fit foretell the coming of rain. To keep him from harm’s way, babies are kept in the house in the belief that they are not yet fully protected. It is not good for a visiting person to praise a baby as this is thought to bring “usug” ( a spell of bad luck), making him cranky and sickly. To ward off “usug” and evil elements, a dot of red lipstick is dabbed on a baby’s forehead.

A baby had to be baptized in the first six months of his life. In Mexico, Pampanga, the baby is brought to the church by a group of boys and girls, borne on a gareta (carabao cart), accompanied by a band. All expenses are paid for by the godparents. During the christening of a child, the godfather must give money to the “hilot”; otherwise the baby will always be afflicted with sore eyes.

Bringing a baby into this world entails responsibilities that can often test the mettle, patience and endurance of parents. But for a Kapampangan mom, a baby is the center of her universe; fulfilment comes from raising him, nurturing him, watching him grow. It is a 24/7 role that she has come to embrace, and if there ever was a slogan to capture this unconditional maternal commitment, it’s got to be this—with apologies to Gerber’s-- “Babies are our business…our only business!”.

ALAK,BABAE, SUGAL. A staged picture of showing the different vices of men--women, alcohol, gambling. Kapampangans had their share of woes and troubles brought about by these abominable excesses. Ca. 1920s.

Kapampangans certainly left indelible impressions on foreign observers and travellers who came to our isles in the 19th century, prompting them to write not just about their virtues, but also their vices, which paint a bi-polar picture of our character, and a culture of extremes that shaped traits and habits that lingers to this day.

Writer and traveller Jean Mallat, noted in his opus “The Philippines: History, Geography and Customs” that “the most estimable indios are those in the provinces of Pampanga, Cagayan, Pangasinan, Ilocos and Cebu. They are almost generous, courageous, industrious and capable. Their defects are incessant deceit, and an unbridled passion for gambling, and especially cockfights.”

Cockfighting or sabong had always been the traditional gambling sport of Filipinos since the 16th century. Chronicler Antonio Pigafetta wrote about the sport in his “First Voyage Around the World”, noting that the “natives keep large cocks which they never eat, but which they keep for fighting purposes. Heavy bets are made on the upshot of the contest..”.

So valued where the fowls that it was said that when a Filipino’s home caught fire, he rescued first, his rooster, then his wife, and children. In 1771, the arch-episcopal palace in Manila ordered the secular clergy to “strive to banish the sport of cockfighting , not sparing any effort to do this..”. Similarly, Gov. Gen. Simon de Anda attempted to ban cockfighting to avoid the upsurge of thefts and robberies—to no avail.

After all, by 1779, the game was contributing significantly to government revenues, with earnings of over Php 30,000, even during time of War. As such, sabong operators were given permits to operate even on Sundays. Kapampangans took to the sports like crazy, and their shady reputation as bigtime sabungeros with political clout still prevails to this day. Almost every Pampanga town have their own coliseums, but specially Guagua, Mexico, Lubao and Bacolor are considered as sabong centers of the province today.

After cockfighting, the colonial government added in 1849, the loteria (lottery) as an official means to keep the coffers of the government full and to keep the Filipinos hopeful for a richer life. Before that, card games were all the rage in the archipelago, that included “panguingue”, a form of rummy originally from Mexico and “monte”. Then there was the “cuajo”, which was noted to be “favorable among Pampangos”.

But nothing was more popular than”jueteng”, an illegal numbers game that originated in China and which caught on in the province like wildfire. Easy to play, one need only to call on a “kubrador” discreetly as he trod the neighborhood street. One then places a bet (as low as 10 pesos) on a chosen pair of numbers from 1 to 37.

Pampanga has often been described as “the Vatican of jueteng”. This was spurred by a political scandal in June 2005 in which relatives of then-President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo were suspected to have received pay-outs from jueteng operators, led by Bong Pineda of Lubao (husband of incumbent governor) and an alleged jueteng kingpin in 5 regions of the country.

Before the advent of San Miguel Beer and “markang demonyu”, Kapampangans in Minalin, and Sasmuan were already making native liquor of all sorts, like tuba and lambanug, all from coconut. Chinese distillers, however, proved to be master mixers, using Pampanga’s molasses from pilones. They supplied outlets with their intoxicating firewater, animating Kapampangans’ social sprees while dazing minds. In the 1930s, one can go to Salva’s Canteen in Angeles to buy all kinds of liquor, including whiskey and beer.

The illicit sale of liquor became widespread when the American population in Clark started to grow. A “Rum Row”existed in Clark as early as the 1930s, in which local entrepreneurs made rum for illegal sale to Americans. Homesick military men, out for a cheap, good time, took to heavy drinking, often resulting in some unfortunate accidents. For instance, on the night of January 23, 1938, five drunk officers figured in a car crash that resulted in the death of four; only the driver survived. Where wine is, a woman can’t be too far behind.

The lure of the flesh was another “evil” that Kapampangans find irresistible. A safe destination to meet girls in the Commonwealth years was the Amusement Palace Cabaret, operated by Juan Cortez in Angeles, which would soon be a hotspot for carnal knowledge. One of the rites of passage male teens dare to undergo is to hie off to the notorious “Area”, a place where one can have himself devirginized in a jiffy. Angeles was once described as “an amazing pattern of brothels, gin mills anddance halls” , during the heyday of Clark.

Things appear to be unchanged if one were to believe eyewitness online accounts: ”Balibago is a non-stop drunken revel 7 days a week, every day of the year. Recreational sex is the sport of choice. If you are looking for a new friend for the night, you can almost certainly find a young lady to suit your taste..”

Alak, babae, sugal. For many Kapampangans, life is too short to go without a bisyu. Lead him not into temptation…he will find his way.

DOCTOR OF RESPECTED GUIDANCE. A cardiologist, pharmacologist and educator, Dr. Conrado Singian Dayrit from San Fernando, was later known to champion the health benefits of coconut, leading people to give him that monicker. His son, Manuel, became a Health Secretary during GMA's term. Ca. 1957.

As a child, I was afflicted with all sorts of ailments of the serious kind—asthma, pneumonia, respiratory infection, and the worst of all—rheumatic heart disease. I remember missing school for weeks every year, due to my condition, and I still recall the worried looks on my parents’ faces as they shuttled me from one doctor to another. I was always on the edge every time we made those trips to Manila in the 60s because I detested being pricked by needles by nurses, and being poked by stern-faced doctors alone, in their cold examination rooms.

One doctor stood out, however, for his warm and welcoming presence. He had an office at the new Polymedic Clinic back in the late 60s (now Dr. Victor Potenciano Polymedic Hospital), and I vividly recall our first visit there—because we had to take an elevator—my first ride ever. When I met him, he spoke to me in a calm, unhurried voice and he took his time with me, explaining the tests he would do, assuring me that the electrocardiogram session was not going to be painful at all. Most of all, he would confer with my parents in Kapampangan after, and their conversations would include a lot of family talk in between.

I would hear later from my mother that Dr. Conrado Singian Dayrit was our Del Rosario “kamag-anak”, so that put me at ease even more. I was also told he was an accomplished doctor, one of the most capable in the country. Sure enough, over the years, I would hear more of Dr. Dayrit and his medical legacy which included being a pharmacologist, heart specialist, medical professor and naturopath.

He was born on 31May 1919 in Manila, to parents Conrado Sr., (formerly with the Bureau of Public Instruction) and Eufronia Singian. A true-blue Atenean all throughout his elementary, high school and college days, he enrolled at the University of the Philippines and earned his medical degree in 1943. That same year, he passed the board as a topnotcher and was immediately employed as assistant professor at U.P. College of Medicine.

In 1946, he was named International Fellow in Pharmacology by the Kellogg Foundation and stayed in the U.S. for 2 years. He took his postgraduate studies at the University of Michigan Medical School and the Cornell University Medical College.

When he got back to the Philippines, Dr. Dayrit resumed his teaching at U.P. In 1955, he was named Officer-in-Charge of the U.P. Department of Physiology. Due to his work at the Philippine General Hospital as a physician to outpatients with cardiovascular problems, he was inspired to found the Philippine Heart Association and served as a member of its Executive Committee from 1952-1958. He has also been a member of the Asian Pacific Society of Cardiology, the Cancer Society, the Manila Medical Society.

An tireless researcher, Dr. Dayrit has authored many scientific articles on such areas of interest as cardiology, pharmacology and medical education. He made a study on the “bangungot” phenomenon, as well as various papers on heart disease, its medical and surgical treatment as well as the pharmaco-dynamics of various drugs.

His research papers --over 70 of them--have earned for him many awards, including 1st and 2nd prizes for the 1954 and 1955 Manila Medical Society Research Award for Basic Science and Clinical Researches and Best Papers Read at the 49th Annual Meeting of the Philippine Medical Association. He was cited as “The Most Outstanding Young Man In Science” by the Sunday Times Magazine in 1955. In 1977, he was honored with a Gregorio Y. Zara Award in Applied Science by the Philippine Association for the Advancement of Science.

He held many important positions that included the presidency of the Federation of Asian Scientific Academies and Societies and of the Philippine National Academy of Science and Technology. He was named an emeritus professor of pharmacology at the University of the Philippines College of Medicine. He would also be a recipient of the Republic Cultural Heritage Award.

Dr. Dayrit married the former Milagros A. Millar of Lucena, Quezon. They settled in San Juan and raised 5 children: Manuel, Conrado III, Antonio Fabian, Eduardo and Rafael. Eldest son, Manuel, also a doctor, became our country’s Secretary of Health from 2001-2005, under the term of Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Later in life, Dr. Dayrit championed the medicinal values of coconut and its by-product, virgin coconut oil especially on its efficacy on HIV, which started a national craze for naturopathy. Quite unexpectedly, our paths would cross again when he was invited to grace the launch of a new coconut based-cooking oil, the advertising of which I handled.

The venerable doctor, now over 80 years old, still commanded respect and awe for his profound knowledge on cardiovascular health. I shyly re-introduced myself to him in Kapampangan and namedropped my parents’ names and my Del Rosario surname, briefly recounting how I became his patient. He broke out in his trademark grin and answered back in crisp Kapampanga, “A wa, kakilala ke I Ma mu, ampo reng Del Rosario, kamag-anak mila..komusta naka?”. That acknowledgement certainly made my day.

Dr. Conrado S. Dayrit passed away on 5 October 2007, at the very same hospital where he had his clinic for many years.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

SWEETIE-SWEETIE STAR. Nancy Roman was born as Alice Hollingsworth in Magalang, daughter of American Reston and Edelina Hollingsworh (nee Indiongco). She was a staple of :The Nite Owl Dance Party" on TV, before she was discovered for the movies, where she was known for her sweet, almost pristine image.

The first time I saw Nancy Roman on screen was in the very popular movie, “Darna at Ang Babaing Tuod”. She played the role of the sweet, goody-goody Angela, rescued by Darna (Eva Montes) from her evil sister-turned tree monster, Lucy (Gina Alonso).

It was easy to figure out who was the bida and the contrabida—their names gave everything away: Angela/Angel vs. Lucy/Lucifer. All thoughout the movie, Nancy Roman looked and played her part perfectly, what with her virginal mestiza features, pure and untainted. To think she came into prominence by being a regular presence in the rowdy, teen-oriented TV music cum dance show, the Night Owl Dance Party in the mid 60s, hosted by Lito Gorospe.

Nancy was born as Alice Hollingsworth, the daughter of American Reston Hollingworth and Edelina Indiongco of Magalang, Pampanga. Her father died young, and her mother married a second time to Crisanto Garcia, a union that resulted in four more children—a girl and 3 boys. The television industry was but a fledgling business in the 60s, but it was attracting the attention of a young audience.

Channel 11’s Nite Owl Dance Party was one such hit program that catered to the yeah-yeah generation’s interest in combo music and dance. The show’s big attraction was the search for Miss Nite Owl Dance Party and the young Alice gamely joined, in the hope of winning a prize for the family. This exposure led to her being discovered for the movies by Ben Feleo, who introduced her to the producers at Ambassador Productions.

At age 16, she was cast in her first movie, “Batangueno Brothers” as the tomboy sister of the leading lady, Chiqui Somes, who played opposite Zaldy Zshornack. Though the film was not a hit, she was noticed by producers of People’s Pictures who offered her a 5-year contract, beginning with “Ang Batikan”, where she supported Celia Rodriguez and Maggie de la Riva. Secondary roles continued for Nancy in the popular “Lagalag” movie series.

But her biggest break was in the aforementioned classic “Darna at ang Babaing Tuod” (1964), where her screen presence was duly noted by movie fans. In her next movie, Captain Barbell, she was elevated to stardom.

When People’s Pictures concentrated on its cinehouse business, Nancy was released from her contract and turned freelancer, allowing her to do more movies and earn more. She also tried to step out from her goody-two shoes image by appearing in other movie genres—she sang alongside another Kapampangan ingénue, Helen Gamboa, in “Yesterday”.

She also starred in the youth-oriented “Swinging Jet Age” and the action-packed “Zaragoza” were two films done for Regina Productions. In the latter film, Nancy was paired with a kabalen, Jess Lapid. She would be linked romantically with this Porac native who was, at that time, making a name for himself in local Western and action movies.

Unfortunately, Jess Lapid was killed in July 1968, and her name was dragged into the tragic incident, tainting her sweet image. It was rumoured that the upcoming action star was killed because of her. Nancy had to lie low because of the Lapid case, but remembered her co-star with fondness. “He was such a very good fellow, thoughtful and considerate”, she mused, “I am very thankful for the good deeds he did for me.There will be no other man like him”.

Her last movies were done in 1970: Servillano Zapata and Counter Attack. After that, she faded from the limelight and moved to the U.S. Though she never achieved the heights of fame that her fellow Magaleña, Liza Lorena (Elizabeth Jolene Luciano Winsett) accomplished, Nancy's image as a young, sweet ingenue who can never do wrong, endures on screen and in countless "Darna" re-runs on television.

THE RAIN STAYS MAINLY IN THE CENTRAL PLAINS. The Philippines is a flood-prone country and not even its central plains are spared from inundation, Pampanga included. In 2013, the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDRRMC) identified yesterday 223 barangays in 14 towns and one city of Pampanga as high-risk areas for floods.

Pampanga has a long history of flooding owing to its proximity to great rivers and waterways. Which means that every wet season, low-lying towns get submerged, precipitating calamities of unimaginable proportions. Indeed, Pampanga’s townscapes have been permanently altered through the years because of great floods. Magalang, for example was founded by Augustinians in 1605 at Macapsa. Because of the Malong uprising, it was moved to San Bartolome in 1734. But the great flood of 1863 caused by the overflow of the Parua River destroyed the town, and Magalang had to be re-established again in Barrio San Pedro in 1863.

The location of the town of Minalin was also adjusted by the founders of the town, who had originally reserved a place called Lacmit, renamed as Santa Maria. Lumber had already been stacked to erect a church there, when flood waters overran the new town and swept away the logs to another site called Burol. There, the church was finally built to mark the new town. Because the site moved, the community was named “Minalis”, subsequently changed to “Minalin” due to a clerical error made by town head, Diego Tolentino.

The famous Candaba Swamp located southeast of the great Pampanga River catches much of the river overflow and the flood water that comes down from western Sierra Madre. The 250 square meter basin is under water for most of the wet season (July-September), and dries up during summer.

Floodings of the Pampanga River Basin were recorded in July 1962, May 1966, May 1976, October 1993, August 2003, August 2004, late September-October 2009, and August 2012. The catastrophic flooding that occurred in September 2011 caused by Typhoon Pedring nearly swallowed the Province of Pampanga as well as southern Bulacan.

But in recent memory, nothing compares to the 1972 flooding that inundated almost all of Central Luzon. So extensive were the floods that they covered 14 provinces in Ilocos, Pangasinan, Central Luzon, Southern Tagalog provinces and Manila. The Pampanga River Basin and the Agno River Basin converged over Tarlac, making the Central Luzon and Pangasinan plains one whole waterworld from July to August of 1972.

When then -President Ferdinand Marcos made a report to the nation, he announced, “For the first time, the waters of Manila bay linked up with those of Lingayen Gulf..”. Seen on the map, Central Luzon looked like it was about to be engulfed by the China Sea.

To make matters worse, alarmists began spreading news of doom and gloom: that Laguna Lake and even Taal lake were on the verge of overflow; and that Angat and Caliraya, the fearful reported, were close to bursting.

So devastating was the calamity that international aid poured in to help and save the people in the country’s richest agricultural region. The Philippine Marines, under the command of Col. Rudyardo Brown, were deployed to the worst-hit provinces—Pampanga and Bulacan—to distribute relief goods and assist the sick, feed the hungry and pluck the homeless, often found clinging on trees and swimming alongside floodwater debris. Schoolchildren gave part of their allowances—from 50 centavos to 1 peso—to help raise funds. Student groups volunteered to deliver relief packages in flood-stricken areas, while medical students and interns ministered to the sick.

They say that the recent floods spawned by the monsoon and typhoons were the worst to hit the country, all wrought by global warming. That may be so, but for Kapampangans who survived and who lived through those 40 days of deluge, the great floods of Central Luzon in 1972, have no parallelm wherem as one magazine reported, “it was as if the heavens had fallen on the Philippines, and instead of fire and brimstones, came down water, water everywhere."

CLICK NA CLICK! Ace photographer Ricardo Reyes Twaño of San Fernando, owner-manager of Twaño Studio, the capital town's leading portrait salon in the 50s.

“Pretty as a picture!”
That’s how a person of impeccable looks is often described—no bad angles, beautiful, whether from a distance or up close. But in truth, it takes more than a pretty face to be “Miss or Mr. Photogenic”—it is oftentimes the discerning eye behind the camera that can make or break the picture-perfect shot.

Since the advent of modern photography, Kapampangans have developed an eye for this art, creating pictures that not only document and preserve the moment, but also tell stories, capture realities, instruct and inspire.

One of the earliest Kapampangan ace photographer was the prodigious Jose Ma. Piñon whose studios churned out “carte-de-visite”—small visiting card portraits popularized by the Victorian age. Piñon also took photos of the historic events in Malolos aduring the years of the Revolution.

In the first two decades of the 20th century, Pampanga’s most in-demand photographers were Roman Dizon (1882-1956) and Julio Valenzuela (1883-1940), who had studios in Angeles. They did mostly portraits—from solo sittings to family and wedding entourages. They married into the large Nepomuceno and Henson clans so it was said that they never ran out of projects that were automatically awarded by kins and relatives.

In the Commonwealth years, Juan de la Cruz Studio, under the proprietorship of Rogerio Lagman, rose to national prominence after being named as the official photographer of the 1933 Pampanga Carnival and Exposition.

Salon photography was certainly elevated to high art by Pablo “Bob” Razon who established a photo shop near the Manila Grand Opera along Avenida in 1946. His first patrons were Americans and their girlfriends; they could not pronounce his nickname “Pabs”, so they called him “Bob’s”, and the rest is history. Bob photographed presidents, moguls and mavens, socialites and royalties, celebrities and scions, with a long, successful career that ended only with his death in 2013. Today, he is acknowledged as the undisputed“Dean of Philippine Portraiture”.

Less well-known, but certainly just as skilled was Ricardo Reyes Twaño (b. 1922) of San Fernando. He was trained in Manila studios where he photographed personalities from Hollywood stars (John Wayne, Cyd Charisse, Harry Belafonte), statesmen (he photographed Pres. Carlos Garcia and family) plus scores of local showbiz celebrities, from Nida Blanca to Susan Roces. He set up the Twaño Studio right next to Pampanga Hotel which enjoyed quite a large patronage, especially from students amd American servicemen.

Selegna is perhaps Angeles’ most iconic photo studio run by the Pamintuans. The "home of glamour, haven of distinction" has been in service for over 60 years; its main shop was originally located along Henson St., with a branch at Sto. Rosario St. In the 50s, it specialized in glamourized portraits, family pictures, baby portraits and class pictures, with free panchromatic make-up. Today, Selegna continues to be favored by students for their yearbooks, debutantes, prom queens and kings as well as newlyweds.

Romeo V. Vitug of Guagua began a career in journalism as a photographer for many publications like The Sunday Times Magazine. His photos were often used as covers in the tumultuous ‘70s. From photography, he shifted to cinematography and earned awards for his work in many Philippine movie classics that include Brocka's "Tatlo, Dalawa, Isa", "Atsay", "Wanakosey", "Bituing Walang Ningning", "Pagputi na ang Uwak, Pag Itim na ang Tagak", and "Madame X".

In the 80s, the place to go for picture and video documentations was Mukha Photography. It was put up by Rolly Baron (his mother comes from Dau), who dropped out of Ateneo to pursue his love of photography. His first successful offerings were portraits in either color or black and white, mounted on boards. He branched out to event coverages—weddings, baptisms, debuts, reunions—which made Mukha Photography a national name.

Never has photography in Pampanga seen livelier times than now, with more and more Kapampangans taking up the camera in the hope of following the footsteps of Holy Angel alumni Yen Baet. Her husband started her interest in photography and she surprised everyone by winning First Prize in a contest sponsored by National Geographic. Today, she is ranked as one of the world’s top ten travel photographers.

Another award winner is Ruston Banal Jr., who placed third at the World Photography Organization’s Sony World Photography 2013 contest with his work, "Kuraldal". He describes his works as "visual anthropology", with focus on people and social atmosphere where culture and heritage revolve".

Then there’s Angeleño Jason Paul Laxamana, who made a big leap from photography to film, megging the acclaimed, “Babagwa” for the 2013 Cinemalaya Film Festival. It has since made the rounds of moviehouses worldwide.

Cameras have gone digital, making photography so simple for everyone to do—no more films, no more developing process, no more waiting—just point and shoot. What has not changed is the perceptive eye behind the camera, who sees more than a subject in front of him, but a picture-perfect story about to unfold.

IS THERE A DOCTOR IN THE HOUSE? The staff of the Pampanga Provincial Hospital, San Fernando, Pampanga. Dated 4 December 1953.

When the Americans came to the Philippines, they found a country plagued by many tropical diseases, a population with a high mortality rate brought about mainly by poor public sanitation. Immediately, through the colonial government, through its Bureau of Health, embarked on a nationwide health program that included introducing waste disposal through sewage systems, community vaccinations and fumigations, and of course, the building of puericulture centers and hospitals.

Pampanga’s premier hospital was inaugurated in 1931 as Pampanga General Hospital in Dolores, San Fernando. The spanking new 2-storey hospital was located about 2 kilometers from the heart of the capital town, and was considered as one of the most beautiful concrete buildings in the whole province. The modern hospital had a 50-bed capacity, but can accommodate up to 70 patients. It had separate wards for male, female and children patients. There was also a charity ward to treat indigent patients for free.

The Pampanga General Hospital was well-equipped with the latest apparatus of the period, both in the operating room and in the clinical laboratory. Previous to this, Pampanga’s only other health facilities were the 20-bed Pasumil hospital in Del Carmen and a large puericulture center in Bacolor, thus, the opening of Pampanga General Hospital was most welcomed. It became Pampanga’s premier center of health and wellness, attracting patients from all over Central Luzon and improving the lives of millions, through the years.

Today, the hospital has become part of the expanded Jose B. Lingad Memorial Hospital, named in memory of Pampanga’s former governor and congressman who was imprisoned and murdered during the Marcos regime. Since then, rival hospitals with leading edge medical facilities and services have sprouted in nearby Angeles City, but the provincial hospital continues to be a viable alternative especially to those who cannot afford quality medical care.

In June 2013, however, the expansion of Jose B. Lingad Memorial Hospital was launched, with the groundbreaking of 2 six-storey obstetrics-gynecology, pediatric and medical arts building. With the new structure, the bed capacity is expected to double from its current 250 to 500. This was envisioned to be just a kick-off of a more ambitious, much extensive 4-year expansion program for the hospital, so it can deliver quality medical and health services that everyone in the region deserves.

EMPLOYEES OF NAR-MAN'S TAILORING, working overtime on Christmas Eve, 1948. The shop, established by Narciso Mangune of San Simon in 1932, was located along Azcarraga, cor. Misericordia St.

As a child, my clothes were almost always ready-to-wear, bought off-the-rack from bazaars and clothing shops that abound along Plaridel St. in Angeles. I and my brothers wore basic short pants in khaki, black and navy blue, which we matched either with a T-shirt or a hand-me-down polo salvaged from my Manila cousins. All other clothing pieces were sewn by my multi-skilled Mother who was quite handy with a sewing machine.

By the time I got to high school, it was obvious that I needed better, more tailored clothes; beyond uniforms, I needed appropriate fashions for our teen socials, school activities like class parties and proms. So, my Mother sent me and my brothers off to a tailor in Angeles—Cong Peter—who had a shop right in his ramshackle house, just across Sacred Heart Seminary.

For the longest time, Cong Peter designed and dressed us up in the latest styles of the day—from funky denim bell bottoms, bodyfit long sleeved shirts with standing collars, to snazzy gabardine coats that were perfect for our more formal senior prom. He was a master cutter par excellence, so much so that he found employment in Saudi, which left us briefly distressed. Where do we go now for our next set of clothes.

Fortunately, every Pampanga town has many “sastres” of repute, known for their keen fashion sense as well as expertise in cutting and sewing. Before Cong Peter, there was a long line of master tailors who excelled in their trade and earned fame and fortune not only in their towns, but beyond the borders of Pampanga.

In the peacetime years, young men of Minalin would hie off to Simon;s Tailoring, operated by master cutter, Martin Santos. For style-conscious Fernandinos, only the shops of Elpidio David (David and Fashion Tailoring), C. Hugo Gentleman’s Tailor Modernist and Vivencio Salas would do. Magaleños went to Narciso Suing’s “Gentlemen’s Tailor”to have their fittings while in Masantol, it was the “Sastreria de Julian Usi”.

More enterprising Kapampangan tailors set their sights on the big city of Manila, which had a bigger, more sophisticated and therefore more moneyed clientele. Narciso Mangune of San Simon set up his “NAR-MAN’’s Tailoring” along Azcarraga corner Misericordia, in 1932, armed with a vow to his customers: “Nung bisa kang lunto maticdi at calang alangan lalu na qñg sociedad, ipatai yu ing quecong imalan qñg cabalitan a sastreria NAR-MAN’s. Sane ya at biasang taluqui qñg macapanaun a moda” (If you like to look dashing and without any awkward feeling in society, have your clothes sewn by the well-known NAR-MAN’s Tailoring. It is experienced and is up-to-date with the current fashions of the day).

From Sasmuan, master cutter Jose S. Galang managed his own Galang Tailoring along 1122 Rizal Avenue. Just 5 stalls away was Alviz Tailoring, whose “clothing perfections” won First Prize at the 1933 Manila Carnival. Further down the road was Cura’s Tailoring, operated by I.D. Cura; it had a branch at Maria Clara St. Angel S. Domingo opened “The New York Modern Tailoring”at 1000 Magdalena St., Trozo in Tondo. His cabalen, P.S. Domingo, had his along busy Azcarraga (now C.M. Recto), fronting A. Rivera. Both came from Mexico.

Lopez Tailoring, operated by a certain T.S. Lopez in Escolta enticed its customers with its time-honored philosophy: “Success is not luck..it’s perseverance and personal appearance. Wear custom made-to-measure clothes and have personal comfort and distinctive style”.

The most impressive credentials seem to belong to Lorenzo V. Beltran, who owned and operated “Beltran’s Tailoring” on Echague. Beltran described himself as a “Sartorial Designer”, with over 18 years of experience in the tailoring profession. A Business Administration degree holder from the University of Manila, Beltran also bannered in his ads that he has travelled abroad for 3 year, and is one of the most up-to-date tailors in the city of Manila. The shop’s specialty was the “Evening Press”.

In recent years, more famous Kapampangan-owned tailoring shops include Toppers of Manila, which was founded by Atty. Amado Carlos of Apalit. In the 70s, it was one of the leading men’s wear chain in the country, specializing in suits done in 24 hours, dress pants, vests, coats and barongs. It still is in operation today, with its main office in Quezon City.

Fashion styles these days tend to be more casual, informal and laidback. Before, gentlemen shoppers would walk the Escolta strip in white Americana cerrada and straw hat while young Filipino swains dressed for the afternoon paseo at Luneta in smart sharkskin coats and tie. The demand for such styles may have waned, but tailoring shops continue to thrive in Pampanga towns, capturing a niche market of customers who want more than just signature brands—but accurate measurements, perfect fit, personalized, friendly service—all at an affordable price. Practicality—like quality-- never goes out of style.

TAWAG'S HOSTS WITH THE MOST. The iconic tandem of Lubao-born Patsy and Lopito will forever be inextricably associated with the most successful talent show ever to air on radio and TV. Tawag ng Tanghalan produced a bumper crop of singing superstars like Nora Aunor, Novo Bono Jr., Diomedes Maturan, Edgar Mortiz--including Kapampangans Cenon Lagman and June Pena.

Before the Filipinization of ”American Idol”, “America’s Got Talent”, “The Voice” , “X-Factor” and all those stateside talent searches, there was the one and only “Tawag ng Tanghalan”, the first true national talent search conducted by the local manufacturing and marketing giant, Philippine Marketing Company or PMC. PMC had been producing staple products for Filipino families for years, such as Luto, Perla Soap, Dari Crème, Star Margarine and its banner brand, Purico.

When it was bought by the global company, Procter and Gamble, its new product offerings expanded even more to include icon brands such as Tide, Vicks, Camay, Safeguard and Mr. Clean Camay (Crest, Zest, Oil of Olay and Ariel would follow many years later).

To promote its products to the mass market, PMC sponsored a nationwide singing talent search in 1955, with the intent of discovering a young amateur champion from the contests conducted through 7 radio stations and open auditions using 13 roving advertising trucks. Regional finalists, judged by a panel, were then transported to Manila for the national finals held at the capacious Manila Jockey Club to perform before a huge crowd.

In the end, a Spanish mestizo, Jose Gonzalez was adjudged as the first-ever Tawag ng Tanghalan champion with his song “Angelitos Negros”, followed by Angelita Espinosa, and the Montecillo sisters. Jose Gonzalez – who would later be known as Pepe Pimentel—received a cash prize, PMC products and a surrealistic trophy designed by artist Cesar Legaspi.

This marketing ploy proved to be effective for PMC that, when television became the next big thing in media, the company bought air time on Channel 3 and produced TV version of the same contest, which proved to be a long-running success, broadcasted from the radio and TV media from 1955 to 1972. There were to be 3 years (1966-69), that “Tawag” ceased airing, but the contest resumed in 1970, spawning artists like Novo Bono, Edgar Mortiz, Jonathan Potenciano and Nora Aunor.

Closely associated with its success where the hosts, Patsy and Lopito. Patsy Mateo of Lubao, spent her growing up years in Hawaii, but came back to pursue a career in stage (‘bodabil’) and film, during the Commonwealth years and after the war. “Tawag ng Tanghalan” would giver the opportunity to flaunt her Kapampangan-ness by breaking into the language at every opportunity—to tickle the audience, calm down contestants’ nerves, or even console losing singers who were dispatched home at the sound of a gong.

Patsy was not the only Kapampangan personality in “Tawag ng Tanghalan” as conetestants from Pampang regularly joined the weekly auditions. In 17 years of“Tawag”, at least two Kapampangans have brought home the Grand Championship trophy.

Cenon Punla Lagman of Masantol, Pampanga was a fisherman-turned singer who wowed judges with his inimitable renditions of kundiman songs. At the age of 24, he won the “1960 Tawag ng Tanghalan Grand Finals” with his performance of “Ikaw Lamang ang Iibigin”, succeeding the very popular Diomedes Maturan.

The two ”Tawag” stars went on to co-star in the movie “Maturan and Lagman”, under VIN productions. Lagman, known as the “Prinsipe ng Kundiman” went to on to record under Mayon Records, popularizing songs like, “Pandora”, “Bakas ng Lumipas”, ”Bakit Di Kita Malimot” and “Salamat sa Ala-ala”. Later, he joined Alpha Records while raising his family in Las Piñas. He died on 25 May 2013.

June Peña, the 1965 Grand Champion, is listed in the “Tawag” record books as having represented Dagupan, Pangasinan at the national finals. In truth, Peña comes from Barangay Batang 2nd, in Sasmuan, Pampanga. It so happened that while he was paying a visit to his girlfriend Helen in Dagupan, the “Tawag” auditions were also being held there. He signed up, won the Dagupan regionals and was whisked off to Manila where he bagged the major prize with the song "Autumn Leaves", succeeding Eva Adona. Peña still resides in Pangasinan today.

Attempts at reviving “Tawag ng Tanghalan” began in the mid 1980s with a special “Reunion of Champions” telecast that gathered past “Tawag” champions. Abroad, especially in the U.S., the spirit of “Tawag” lives on in several singing competitions that have adapted the same contest title. It is almost certain that a Kapampangan Come audtion time, it is almost certain that a Kapampangan will join, make the cut and give the performance of his life. With music in his blood, he will find it hard not to respond to the roar of the crowd and answer the call of the stage—ang “Tawag ng Tanghalan”!.

HILDA SA IYO. Susan Reid, aka Hilda Koronel, at age 14. From a teen sensation to an actress of international repute.She took Cannes by storm with her intense portrayal of a daughter scorned in the 1975 movie, "Insiang".

The first time I beheld Hilda Koronel on the silver screen was in her launch movie, “Haydee”. I had lined up with my sister to watch this much ballyhooed Mars Ravelo-penned movie at the Rizal Theater in downtown Angeles one hot summer’s day in 1971, and it had been a box office hit of the season.

It was a love story between a Filipina fan, Haydee (played by Hilda Koronel) and an international combo star, Darwin Clark (Ed Finlan), who had come to Manila for a musical concert. I had read from my "Tin-Edyer Song & Show" comics that it was loosely based on the life story of Filipina Jinky Suzara and Gary Lewis, lead singer of the U.S. band, Gary Lewis and the Playboys.

I became an instant fan of Hilda Koronel, proud of the fact that she was Angeles-born, hence, a kabalen. I even took note of the fact that she was my age, just 4 days older ( she was born on 17 January 1957), and I vowed to follow her career and be her loyal fan forever. At her birth, she was named Susan Reid by her mother who hailed from the Visayas. Her father whom she never knew, was a Clark Air Base serviceman. As a waif, she lived in poverty, in the outskirts of the city.

All that would change when she was presented to producer/ starmaker Mrs. Emilia Blas of Lea Productions. At just 12 years going on 13, Susan already possessed a soulful kind of teenaged beauty that had attracted the attention of talent scouts and casters. It was said that Mrs. Blas did not have to give her a second look at the tall, 5’5” Pampangueña’s features: a bedimpled smile, an enchanting face, long black tresses. Mrs. Blas immediately took her under her wings and gave her the name, Hilda Koronel.

She invested in her promising discovery, enrolling her at Manuel L. Quezon University High School, and encouraged her to take drama, ballet, voice lessons and personality development. Hilda was cast in a bit role in the movie, “Leslie”, registering so well that the next inevitable step was a starring role in her launch movie, “Haydee”, a huge commercial success.

That same year, her dramatic skills were tested in the 1970 opus,”Santiago”. Her luminous performance was not lost in that year’s FAMAS—she was awarded a Best Supporting Actress trophy, the youngest winner ever, in the history of the prestigious award body.

However, the trend of the times were youth-oriented flicks and Hilda was soon appearing in formulaic lightweight hits like “Happy Hippie Holiday”, and recording silly ditties like “”Abracadabra Come Home”.

The turning point was when Director Lino Brocka took an interest in this talented girl and cast her in the 1975 classic, “Maynila: Sa Mga Kuko ng Liwanag”, opposite another discovery, Rafael Roco Jr. As Ligaya Paraiso, Hilda essayed the role of a girl forced to prostitute herself and give up everything, including her one true love, all because of a life of dehumanizing squalor. The movie won 6 major awards in that year’s FAMAS derby.

But it was in next year’s “Insiang” that Hilda’s star shone brightest and had everyone in showbiz talking. The story of a girl raped by her mother’s lover and exacting her revenge showed Hilda’s acting at her finest, earning her both a FAMAS and a Gawad Urian Award. Brocka’s acclaimed film went on to become the first Filipino film to play at the 1980 Cannes International Film Festival.

The response to this movie melodrama was thunderous, and all eyes in Cannes were, all of a sudden, on Hilda. She became the toast of Cannes, and her performance was raved about in magazines and newspapers, and her beauty even made the front pages of film periodicals. Hilda would become one of Lino Brocka’s favorite actresses, appearing in over ten of his films, including the trilogy, “Tatlo, Dalawa, Isa”, "Angela Markado" and "PX".

Hilda’s career spanned over 4 decades, which would translate to over 45 films, three acting awards and 11 acting nominations. She was also a much-sought after model, and was once member of Rustan’s VIP Council and appeared as a Lux Girl. In between, shefound time to wear a bachelor’s and a Master’s degree in International Stduies from Maryknoll (now Miriam) College.

For a long while, Hilda was romantically linked with the late actor, Jay Ilagan, with whom she had a daughter, Leona. With the late Bambi del Castillo, she had another daughter, Isabel, while her marriage to Spanky Monserrat resulted in a son, Gabby.She has a second boy, Diego, with Dr. Victor Reyes. She also has two adopted daughters, Patricia and Ivy.

In May 2000. Hilda put her failed romances behind her and married a Fil-Am businessman, Ralph Dulay Moore, in Nevada., whom she had met in Greenhills earlier in 1998. In 2006, the Moores left the Philippines to settle permanently in Calfornia. In 2012, however, Hilda accepted a movie role and, in 2012, filmed Star Cinema’s, “The Mistress”, starring Bea Alonzo and John Lloyd Cruz, and directed by Olivia Lamasan.. Her comeback role would win her a Best Supporting Actress trophy at the 2013 Luna Award, proof that she has not lost her brilliant thespic touch.

My 14 year old “Haydee”has now graciously grown into a 56 year old grandmother of two, but Hilda continues to mesmerize, her name, still commanding awe and respect as the first Filipina to blaze the trail and make history in the premiere movie capital of the world that is Cannes. Together with Brocka, she has helped paved the way for a new generation of actors, actresses, directors and film makers who are now leaving their mark in international festivals around the world.

KAPAMPANGAN HIGHLANDERS. A Kapampangan belle and her tribe of kids pose for a souvenir photo while dressed in genuine Igorot attires. Lowlanders found the exotic costumes of the northern highlands attractive enough to be used as favorite dress props for photography.

Baguio, the country’s summer capital, was developed by the Americans in the early 20th century as a mountain resort, a cool refuge from the oftentimes unbearable tropical climate they were unaccustomed to. Chinese and Japanese laborers were employed to build Kennon Road leading to the pine-clad city.

It would soon become apparent that Baguio would bloom into a city unparalleled in beauty and natural charm. Daniel Burnham laid out the city and build the famous park that now bears his name. The Manila-Dagupan Railways made access to the highlands easier and it was just a matter of time that lowlanders would go to Baguio to find work and eventually, a new home.

A lively building boom began immediately, peaking about 1915. At first, Japanese carpenters took an active part in the construction of the city. Sawmills were set up and these were manned and managed by Japanese settlers who invited relatives over to join them.

But in the 1930s, Pampanga carpenters gained more favour, as they were more adept in erecting houses of Spanish-Filipino style. Also, the Kapampangans charged fees that were more affordable. While the Japanese carpenters employed Ilocano, Ibaloy and Kankanay peons, the Pampanga carpenters brought in their own assistants, also from their home province. As fate would have it, it was the same Pampanga builders and their aides in the 1930s who went on to rebuild the devastated city of Baguio after World War II.

Many of these Kapampangans would fall in love in Baguio and eventually make it their home. Leogardo Mendoza, a Baguio resident since the 1930s, had a grandfather who was a maestro carpintero from Guagua. He took along his family in Baguio and Leandro’s parents went on to run baguio Theater and Bowling Alley along Abanao Street.

Some members of the Gosioco Family also had houses in Baguio and became permanent residents of the city in the 50s. As a child, I remember going to their popular general store located within Baguio market grounds, which carried everything from school supplies to Baguio sweets and souvenirs.

My uncle, Mateo Castro of Mabalacat, brought his young wife, Aurea Samson of Dau, to Baguio, and decided to settle there permanently. They made their home on top of a steep hill along Bokawkan Road, and their stylish bungalow would be a welcome home for their Kapampangan relatives every summer. As a teacher at St. Louis Boys’ High and later, a college professor at the Belgian-run St. Louis University, my uncle and his family found it easy to be integrated in Baguio society that was open and .

In the 60s and 70s, Baguio began attracting students as it grew to become a become a major center of education in the North. By then, it had become known as a university city, home to such fine schools as St. Louis University, Baguio Central University, University of the Philippines, University of Baguio, Baguio Colleges Foundation and even an agricultural school in La Trinidad.

My sister Celine would be the first of my siblings to go to Baguio for her college education at St. Louis University, and she would eventually get married to Ferdinand Hamada, whose forebears were among the first Japanese pioneers of Baguio. My brother Gregg and I would follow as well and it was always a delightful surprise to find many Kapampangans in my school, that included students from Sta Rita (Jeannie Saplala-Parker), Mabalacat (Robby Tantingco, Olga Hipolito) and Angeles (Lito Nievera, Rizal de Guzman, Ruby Pineda).

Just about the same time, Baguio developed a lively art scene, and artists from all over the country gravitated to the city, including Kapampangan painter, Ben Cabrerra (BenCab) and his wife Carolyne Kennedy. BenCab, now a National Artist, would found an art center called Tamawan Village, which houses a BenCab Museum, a 2000 square meter modern facility on a 4-hectare property beside the mountain town of Tadiangan. Today, it is a must-see destination for art aficionados.

Baguio has lost much of its wonder and mystique in the past years, its green mountains studded with unsightly developments, with many of its heritage buildings like Pines Hotel, lost forever. It has also become overpopulated due to the influx of lowlanders and informal settlers. My last visit to the city of Pines was over 8 years ago, and although the city has dramatically changed, I was happy that I could still catch glimpses of its glorious, beautiful past, etched in the still warm and welcoming smiles of its hardy people.

*330. CLARK'S PLACES OF WORSHIP

*331. IN THE SWIM OF THINGS

*332. Hands on the Future: LEARNING THE INDUSTRIAL ARTS

*333. OH, WHEN THE JETS COME FLYING IN

*334. Pampanga's Schools: DON HONORIO VENTURA TECHNOLOGICAL STATE UNIVERSITY, Bacolor

*335. AY, KABAYO!: The Horse in Our Pop Culture

*336. GAMIT-KUSINA &OTHER KASANGKAPAN

*337. His College Yearbook: DR. MARIO M. ALIMURUNG

*338. THE RITUALS OF BIRTH

*339. EVIL DID I LIVE

*340. Dr. Coconut: CONRADO S. DAYRIT M.D

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

342. NANCY ROMAN: Magalang’s Sweet Young Thing of the Movies

*343. DAYS OF DELUGE

*344. PICTURE-PERFECT: The Kapampangan Eye Behind the Camera

*345. Central Luzon’s Wellness Center: PAMPANGA GENERAL HOSPITAL

*346. TAILORED FOR SUCCESS

*347. KAPAMPANGAN VOICES IN TAWAG NG TANGHALAN

*348. HILDA KORONEL: Kapampangan Actress, Cannes Sensation

*349. KAPAMPANGANS IN BAGUIO