124. Carnival Beauties: PACITA MATEO, 1927 Miss Bulacan

Miss Bulacan 1927, Pacita Mateo was born in Baliwag, to Pedro Mateo, the town’s municipal president and the legendary beauty, Josefa Lara Tiongson. Pacita’s mother was also known as Pepitang Baliwag or Pepitang Himala, and is said to be the subject of the kundiman, Jocelynang Baliwag, which was very popular during the time of the Revolution.


One of Pepita’s many suitors was the by labor activist–politician-writer Isabelo de los Reyes ( 1864-1938) whose daughter (one of 27 from three wives) , Isabel delos Reyes, became a Carnival princess in 1929, in the court of Pacita delos Reyes.


Little is known about Pacita’s participation in 1927 Carnival, won by Luisa Marasigan of Manila. Bulacan held its own provincial fair that year, highlighted by the province-wide search for Miss Bulacan, with all its municipalities fielding their own candidates.