95. 1926-1931, KING CONSORTS OF THE MANILA CARNIVAL QUEENS

1926, VICENTE A. RUFINO, King Consort of Queen Socorro Henson
Vicente Rufino was a student of Law when he was selected to be the King Consort of Queen Socorro Henson. He was, at one time, also the president of Smiles Club, which regularly nominated and supported candidates to the annual Carnival. He married Remedios Rufino and the couple had the following children: Mercedes, Ma. Paz, Auxilia, Ma. Socorro, Macario, Carlos.

Vicente successfully continued the business of their family, which included construction of movie houses. One of the first high rise edifices along Ayala Avenue corner Herrera Street-- Rufino Building—is a prime Rufino property. The street has since been renamed V.A. Rufino Street. A brother of Vicente, Rafael Rufino went on to marry Miss Visayas 1935, Julieta Abad. Died 20 Apr. 1970.

OTHER ESCORTS

Francisco Escolar Limjap
Son of Mariano Limjap, the Chinese-Filipino businessman who helped finance the Revolution. His siblings included Esperanza (the original 1908 winner), Leonarda and Perico Limjap who married the 1923 queen, Catalina Apacible. Francisco married the 1926 winner, Socorro Henson in 1929 with whom he had 4 children.

1926, LEOPOLD Villarosa KAHN JR., King Consort of Queen Anita Noble

Leopold Kauffman Kahn Sr. (b. 1870) , together with the Levy brothers, came to the Philippines from Alsace in 1909 to found “La Estrella del Norte”, a jewelry store that expanded into a popular general merchandise store along Escolta. He started a family here with Agripina Villarosa (when she died, he married the sister Anacoreta), and raised eleven children.

Leopold Jr. was the eldest son from the first union, born in Manila on 13 March 1903. The brood that numbered 11 in all also included Raoul, Rene, Carlos Emiliano, Luz, Louis and Lita. “ Ito” was no stranger to the Manila Carnivals, as in 1924, he was one of the prince consorts in the court of Trinidad Fernandez. Tragically, he lost his entire family during the War, all killed by the Japanese, including his beloved wife Josephine Tremblay.

He left the Philippines for the United States after the War, and settled in Los Angeles, California, where he engaged in gemology, which after all, was a family tradition. His relatives remember him as “a wonderful person and a true gentleman”. He died in L.A. on 6 Jul. 1974.

(Many thanks to Ms. Malou Kahn Magsaysay for the information on Ito Kahn Jr. )

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1927, GUILLERMO JOSE, King Consort of Queen Luisa Marasigan
Guillermo Jose was a member of the popular Bachelor’s Club, and his photo was one of the scores submitted to the 1927 winner, Luisa Marasigan, who was to personally select her King Consort to her coronation.

Guillermo was a natural choice because her sisters Rosita, Alicia and Zita were Luisa’s schoolmates, all Escolarinas and very loyal alumnae. Guillermo was also the godson of the assistant directress of the college, Carmen de Luna, which further bolstered his association with the school.

Guillermo, however, fell for the charms of Miss Rizal, Encarnacion Ybañez Johnson, a situation somehow similar to the case of the 1926 winner, Socorro Henson, who married not her consort, but one of the courtiers, Francisco Limjap.

Encarnacion Ybañez thus became Mrs. Guillermo Jose, and the couple became the parents of tennis ace Johnny Jose. Johnny was a member of the 1955 Philippine tennis team in the Davis Cup and won a gold medal at the 1962 Jakarta Asiad. Guillermo was elected president of the Philippine Tennis Association in 1952, and a memorial tennis tournament bearing his name is held annually.

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1930, EMILIO Veloso OSMEÑA, King Consort of Queen Consuleo Acuña
Son of Speaker Sergio Osmeña with Estefania Chiong Veloso . Siblings include Nicasio, Vicenta (who herself was a Carnival queen candidate in 1922), Edilberto, Milagros, Teodoro, Jose, Sergio Jr. Married to Mary Louise Renner. His children include former senator John Osmeña and Dr. Emilio Osmeña Jr.

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1931, TEODORO Villanueva KALAW Jr., King Consort of Queen Maria Kalaw
Teodoro Jr. or “Teddy” was the brother of Maria Kalaw. Their parents were Pura Villanueva and Teodoro Kalaw. Teddy finished a course in Business Administration from the University of the Philippines. He pursued and finished Law at Far Eastern University and an M.A. in Industrial Management from U.P. He is also an Electronics Communications engineer and a Certified Public Accountant.

He married Eva Estrada, a Home Economics graduate from U.P. and the daughter of Dr. Salvador Estrada and Demetria Reynado. Eva Estrada later was elected a Senator of the Philippines. The couple had 4 children, Maria Eva (Chingbee), Teodoro III (Teddy Boy), Salvador (Salvy) and Valerio Ramon (Tyrone). Teodoro Jr. passed away on 14 June 1984.