THE SECOND MISS MINDANAO 1939. Nieva Erana, a popular Escolarina student, is credited in extant Carnival photos as the other Miss Mindanao, together with Adela Planas.
Adela Planas was in the court of
Iluminada Tuason, Miss Philippines of 1939, as
Miss Mindanao; in fact, Adela was with the rest of the winners during Iluminada’s coronation night.
But we have visual documentation of another
Miss Mindanao, who was accorded that honor but who politely declined it.
She is no other than
Nieva Paz Eraña, who, four years before had previously reigned as
Queen of the Students’ Night during the festivities at
Centro Escolar de Señoritas from Jan. 18-21, 1935.
Shortly after the Carnival, she married
Major Jaime Velasquez of the Philippine Armed Forces. He was also
Quezon's
aide-de-camp during the war; later he worked for the Ayalas in developing Makati--so now a a park and a street is named after him in Salcedo Village). Their 1938 marriage was short-lived.
Nieva contracted malaria during her pregnancy, but sadly the passed away during childbirth in 1940. The baby boy she managed to deliver tragically passed away too, after 3 days. Nieva is interred at the North Cemetery.
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