THIS MISAMIS MISS IS NOT TO BE MISSED. The 1st Miss Misamis, Amparo Neri became a well-known writer and poet after her Carnival days.The first Miss Misamis to be sent to first ever Miss Philippines quest in the 1926 Manila Carnival was the lovely Amparo Neri. The Neris trace their roots to Iligan and Umalag, Cagayan de Oro, and among the members are poets and patriots like Vicentico Neri and Don Tirso Neri. Amparo, who, early on had literary leanings, had two equally accomplished sisters, Araceli and Pureza.
Amparo Neri came to Manila to participate in the festivities, rooming with Remedios Santos (Miss Rizal) and Anita Noble (Miss Batangas) in the house of Alfredo Roa Sr. , who is from Misamis Oriental himself. Anita later was crowned our country’s first Miss Philippines.
Amparo married a Domingo and continued to pursue her passion for writing. She subsequently became the first female writer of the weekly Graphic Magazine. She also became an accomplished poetess, publishing her works in the volume, “The Weak Flesh and the Willing Spirit”, which earned praises from Jaime Cardinal Sin and Fr. James Reuter in the 1990s.
Thank you very much for this. This is my Lola Amparing and I am a direct descendant of her. My father, Tonichie, is her sixth child, whom she wrote a poem about in one of her books. She was a remarkable woman and she is the biggest influence in my life. I grew up with her as we lived in the same family compound along with another uncle, Eric, and his family. She married Enrique Ongsiako Domingo, my grandfather and had 7 children.
ReplyDeleteShe taught me about grace, dignity, etiquette and kindness. She read books to me in English and sang to me in Spanish. She was a true artist and influenced every single bone in my body. I am retired now but I was an independent tv and film producer/director for a while and I owe this all to the influence she had in my life.
At 17, I left for Canada with my family in 1986. I saw her again in New York in 1990 when she visited my Tita Leny, who like our Lola, also competed in pageants and became a finalist in the 1966 Miss Caltex pageant in Manila. Her full maiden name was Maria Elena Domingo. She was good friends with Aurora Patricio, who eventually won the 1966 pageant. Incidentally, Aurora Patricio became my sister's, Patricia's (Trixie), godmother.
Sadly, I didn't see my Lola gain after New York. She passed away a few years later.
Sorry about the ramblings but I really appreciate this. Thank you so much.
Tonchot Domingo
Thanks, Tonchot, for the blog visit. And thanks for the recollections ou shared of your lovely Lola. I am sure she's proud of what you've become, and more!
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