125. THE 1928 BATANGAS CARNIVAL

Batangas beauties have done very well in the Manila Carnival Queen quest, starting with Julia Otero Arceo of Batangas, Batangas, who wore the crown proudly for her province in 1913. It took another ten years for another Batangueña to win back the title; in 1923, Catalina Castillo Apacible of Balayan town was elected Queen. Then, in the very first search for “Miss Philippines”, the lovely Anita Agoncillo Noble of Lemery, handpicked by the Batangas governor to compete in the 1st National Beauty Show of 1926, did not disappoint and emerged victorious in the tightly-fought finals.


Perhaps, Anita Noble’s winning qualities set a standard that was too high to be matched by her would-be successor, so much so that in the next year’s Carnival edition, the local carnival committee opted not to send a delegate to the 2nd National Beauty Show of 1927, to the consternation of many who had expected to see another strong candidate from the province. Besides, it was a tall order for another Batangas beauty to win the crown two years in a row.

Instead, the local provincial carnival committee decided to focus their energy on their search for the 1928 Miss Batangas. This time, an appropriate grand event was planned that will be the backdrop for the proclamation of the province’s royal queen—the 1928 Batangas Carnival.


Sure enough, the search for Miss Batangas drew accomplished beauties from all over. There was Iluminada “Luming” Perez from Bolboc, who was already a popular Manila colegiala, and Consuelo Luna, the youngest daughter of Don Remigio Luna, an affluent businessman who had set up a lucrative pawn shop business in Batangas.


In the end, the title of Miss Batangas 1928 went to the fashionable Consuelo. But alas, that year, the 1928 Manila Carnival was scrapped for reasons still unclear, and with it, the national beauty pageant. Consuelo lost the opportunity to represent her province in the much-awaited beauty tilt.

Luming Perez, the Diwata ng Bolboc, was luckier, because the year after, she was elected “Miss Centro Escolar de Señoritas” , the muse of the Manila school she went to. She became the school bet to the 1929 Miss Philippines search, which had attracted contestants from colleges, universities and other educational institutions. Iluminada eventually won a place in the court of Pacita de los Reyes, a law student of U.P., who snagged the Miss Philippines title.


As for Consuelo Luna, she met and married a doctor ten years her senior, who had studied and taught at the University of the Philippines and Cambridge, England. As Mrs. Narciso Cordero, she settled in Quiapo, Manila where she and her husband started a family that consisted of two daughters, Gilda and Teresa. Gilda Cordero-Fernando is a respected figure in Philippine journalism today, an acclaimed and multi-awarded writer, editor, book publisher, artist and cultural advocate.

It would be another five years before another beauty of Batangas descent would wear the Miss Philippines sash. Half-Batangueña Maria Villanueva Kalaw, whose father Teodoro hails from Lipa, became Miss Philippines of 1931.

117. Carnival Beauties: ROSARIO PANGANIBAN, 1926 Miss Pampanga

QUEEN CHARING. Rosario Panganiban in her official Miss Pampanga photo, for the 1926 Manila Carnival. A popular beauty, she was also elected Miss Philippines of the leading national magazine, The Free Press. Dated 1925.

Rosario Hernandez Panganiban or Charing, holds the distinction of being the first ever girl to wear the Miss Pampanga title. Born on 30 May 1904 in Macabebe, Charing’s eye-catching beauty was apparent even in her college days when, in 1924, she was chosen as Miss Centro Escolar University of 1924. The next year, she was voted as Miss Philippine Free Press, chosen from over two thousand photographs of the most beautiful Filipinas of that time. Then, in the province’s 1st ever Carnival held in Angeles in 1925, Charing was named Miss Pampanga. At her coronation, she wore a crown of sampaguitas instead of traditional rhinestones and was feted around the town with a motorcade.

As Miss Pampanga, Rosario was sent to compete in the 1st National Beauty Contest of 1926, a parallel pageant of the Manila Carnival. Another Kapampangan from Tarlac, Isolina Palma was a fellow contender. The provincial candidates roomed with selected families in Manila for the duration of the contest activities. One of the official functions Rosario and the rest of the candidates attended was a tea danzant hosted by the Bachelors Club, held at the Hotel de Francia, then one of the premier hotels located at the corner of Avenida Rizal and Plaza Goiti.

An evening parade followed, with the beauties riding in flower-decorated cars. The motorcade wended its way through Avenida, Azcarraga, Legarda, Escolta, Taft Avenue until it reached its final destination, the Manila Grand Carnival Auditorium at the Luneta. Here, the candidates transferred to their own lighted “chariots”, each bearing the name of their respective provinces. They were then wheeled around the auditorium to be viewed by the crowd and the judges who rendered their decision in a secret balloting.

Thus, by this process, the very first ever Miss Philippines was chosen. The coveted title went to a Batangueña, Anita Noble. Miss Noble boasts of an illustrious pedigree with a score of patriots and heroes on both sides of her families that included the Agoncillos. (Three decades later, Anita’s daughter by Juan Nakpil, Edith Nakpil, would become Miss Philippines 1955). A separate title, Miss Pearl of the Orient Seas, was given to Zamboanga’s bet, Carmen Fargas, who tied twice with Miss Noble, going into the finals.


Rosario took her loss in stride as more exciting things were happening in her young life. While still a campus coed, Rosario found her true love in Vicente Salumbides, a budding filmographer from Lopez, Quezon. They met through Vicente’s niece, Nanita, who was a classmate of Rosario, then just recently-proclaimed campus queen. Salumbides studied acting and directing in Hollywood then later took up Law at the University of Southern California. In 1924, Vicente formed a movie production outfit together with Jose Nepomuceno.

When the Manila Carnival of 1926 ended, Vicente convinced some of the candidates to appear in his films—including Muslim princess and former Miss Cotabato, Sofia Lota (real name: Pinaganda Magadi Sinambal Malibatang). In a scene from the movie “Fate or Consequence”, Vicente had to engage Sofia in a passionate embrace. Rosario, who would also appear in Vicente’s next film, was livid. “When I saw you (Vicente) kissing Miss Cotabato”, Rosario recalled, I suffered the worst feeling of jealousy although we were not engaged at that time. I don’t want to experience another attack of that sort. It’s better to be away from temptation”.

She finally married the famed director in 1927 with Jacobo Fajardo and First Lady Dña. Aurora Aurora Quezon as sponsors (Later in 1939, Dña Aurora became a partner in Salumbides Film Co. Ltd.). Charing’s uncle, Don Emiliano J. Valdez walked the bride to the altar. The marriage was officiated by Rev. Fr. Selga (director of the Weather Bureau) at the Church of St. Vincent de Paul in Malate. Vicente filmed their wedding which became the basis of the movie, “The Soul Saver”, in reference to Charing’s conversion of the agnostic Vicente to Catholicism. Their union bore 8 children: Thelma (+), Vilma (+), Nida, Marlene (+), Ruby, Vicente Jr., Rizalina and Florante (+).


Certainly one of the most photographed beauties of her time, Rosario appeared in photo spreads on major Philippine magazines such as Liwayway. She was also featured in the Free Press Album of Filipina Beauties, a tribute to the country’s fairest ladies of 1926-27. A bust in her likeness was also cast in bronze by noted sculptor, Guillermo Tolentino. Rosario, our 1st Miss Pampanga, passed away on 14 September 1969.

It is interesting to note that a famous relation of Rosario is the actress Yolanda Marquez (Mary Hernandez in real life), who was a featured player in Salumbides’ “Milagro Ng Nazareno”. She is more popularly known as Mary Prieto.

90. THE EXALTATION OF BEAUTY, II

That is not to say, however, that the Carnival participants were totally free from some form of exploitation, both subtle, overt and legitimate. After all, the Carnival was looked at as a business venture, and the beauty search was an accepted means of raise funds. Early publicity materials like to point out that every candidate representing “the piquancy of Morolandia, the grace of the Mountain Province, the charm of the Modern Filipina, not forgetting the dark-eyed Spanish mestizas, the blue-eyed daughters of American pioneers and the almond-eyed descents” can vie for, and win the queenship.

DAUGHTERS OF LUZVIMINDA. Beauties from Luzon (Miss La Union), Visayas (Miss Leyte) and Mindanao (Miss Lanao) converge at the 1927 edition of the Manila Carnival.

Those who were really in a better position to win the crown were daughters of de buena familia families who not only had the financial clout, but who also possessed sterling reputation and spotless character. Indeed, the voting public seemed to have placed a premium on the candidate’s distinguished background over physical beauty if one were to see the early list of winners. It was not necessary to make character investigations as the delegates were often handpicked by provincial officials and came to Manila with the most glowing recommendations.

REDEFINING THE STANDARDS OF BEAUTY. Carmen Papa, who, as one observer noted was "the least attractive, but certainly the gentlest", went on to win the 1925 Carnival Queen title. It also helped that his father, Ramon Papa, was a high profile member of the Philippine Commission.

Such was the case of the early winners like Pura Villanueva, whose feminist writings were already familiar to Manila society even if she wrote for regional newspapers. In 1925, queen-elect Carmen Papa, was described by beauty observers as being the least attractive among the candidates, but certainly “the gentlest”. The next year, when the choice for the Queen vacillated between Anita Noble of Batangas and Carmen Fargas of Zamboanga, the judges finally cast the deciding vote for the candidate with the more distinguished lineage—Anita Noble, who had the illustrious Agoncillos (diplomat Felipe, Maria, wife of Emilio Aguinaldo; Marcela, maker of the Philippine flag) on her bloodline.

Delegates of ethnic descent had slim chances of winning the crown given the stature of their provinces compared to imperial Manila which produced the most number of Carnival Queen winners (8), followed by Batangas with 3 (1913, 1923, 1926) and Iloilo, Bulacan and Pampanga with 2 winners. Even the backgrounds of the two Kapampangan winners were downplayed as Socorro Henson (1926) and Guia Balmori (1938) practically grew up in the city. The 1927 queen, Luisa Fernandez was actually from Tayabas, but represented Manila as she was a student in the city at the time of the contest.

PROMDI QUEEN. Provincial lasses held their own against the more sophiticated beauties from Manila and other key cities. Iloilo was the first province to have a daughter proclaimed as Carnival Queen, but only after the original Manila winner renounced her crown.

One would think that when a panel of judges replaced public subscription voting in 1926, the playing field for all contestants would be levelled. While it was true that Bala Amai Miring (Miss Lanao 1926) and Nora Maulana (Miss Sulu 1927) made it to the royal court as Misses Mindanao, the rules decreed at that time that the regional winners should authentically come from the provinces of Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. This rule was revoked in 1930, and henceforth, the second, third and fourth placers were named as Miss Luzon, Miss Visayas and Miss Mindanao respectively.

MINDANAO MAIDENS. Nora Maulana and Bala Amai Miring (left and middle) were both named as Miss Mindanao in the 1926 and 1927 Carnival. Rules dictated then that the regional winners should come authentically from the region. No other Mindanao beauty won after the rules changed in 1930, where the regional titles were awarded to the 2nd, 3rd and 4th placers, irregardless of their origins . The third girl is Scott Rasul , Miss Sulu of 1926.

For ‘minority contestants’, the rule change practically reduced the chances of winning to virtually nil, paving the way for more Manileñas to place in the finals. There was quite a dissonance in the victory of Louise Stevens as Miss Mindanao 1931—as she was an American-mestiza and a Manila resident.

ALBAY CARNIVAL QUEEN OF 1935. Teresa Barrenechea. Provincial petit fairs were all the rage in the 1930s, with mini-carnivals staged everywhere from Cebu to Sorsogon, Capiz to Cagayan , Pampanga to Baguio.

The provinces thus, concentrated on their provincial fairs and expositions which, like the Cebu Carnivals, were said to rival the national event in Manila in terms of pomp and pageantry. Provinces like Baguio, Pangasinan, Bulacan, Tarlac, Sorsogon, Capiz and Pampanga held their own spectacular carnivals, electing Queens who did not have to go to Manila to compete for the Miss Philippines title; their royal duties were exclusive to their provinces alone.

52. 1926, CANDIDATES OF THE 1ST NATIONAL BEAUTY CONTEST

THE 1926 BEAUTIES OF THE PHILIPPINES. A record number of 37 contestants, from Ilocos Norte to Sulu, were fielded by their provinces to the 1st ever National Beauty Contest of the Manila Carnival.

MISS AGUSAN: Leonila Reyes
MISS ALBAY:
MISS BAGUIO: Cristina Victoria
MISS BATAAN: Rosa Reyes
MISS BATANGAS: Anita Noble
MISS BOHOL: Ascension Gaviola
MISS BUKIDNON: Isabel Melendez
MISS BULACAN: Leonor Reyes

(from Malolos, Bulacan, a teacher all her life. She died single, 27 Feb. 2006 at age 96)

MISS CAMARINES SUR: Andrea Baduria
MISS CAPIZ: Rosario Picazo
MISS CEBU:
MISS DAVAO: Lucille Maxey
MISS ILOCOS NORTE:
MISS ILOCOS SUR: Rosario Cadiz
MISS ILOILO: Aida Kilayko
MISS ISABELA: Ernestina Pardel Nieto
MISS LAGUNA: Loreto Relova
MISS LANAO: Bala Amai Miring
MISS LA UNION: Manuela Ortega
MISS LEYTE: Aurora Reyes
MISS MANILA: Rosario Genato
MISS MARINDUQUE: Rosario Cayetano
MISS MASBATE: Elia Sanchez
MISS MISAMIS: Amparo Nery
MISS NEGROS OCCIDENTAL: Margarita Lacson
MISS NUEVA ECIJA:
MISS NUEVA VIZCAYA: Martha Maddela
MISS PALAWAN: Carmen Fernandez
MISS PAMPANGA: Rosario Panganiban

(became the wife of film director Vicente Salumbides, starred in some of his movies like "Miracle of Love")
MISS PANGASINAN: Corazon Sison
MISS RIZAL: Remedios Santos
MISS ROMBLON:
MISS SULU: Scott Rasul
MISS SURIGAO: Sol Soriano
MISS TARLAC: Isolina Palma

(daughter of Genoveva Puno and Gregorio Palma, former Bacolor mayor. Married Dr. Valeriano Calma Ph.D. in agriculture and agronomy. Settled in Los Banos, Laguna)
MISS TAYABAS: Nita San Agustin
MISS ZAMBOANGA: Carmen Fargas

(*Thanks to Mr. Roland Lorenzo Maddela for providing the name of the 1926 Miss Nueva Vizcaya)

51. 1926, MISS LUZON, MISS VISAYAS, MISS MINDANAO

ROSARIO GENATO, Miss Manila

1926 MISS LUZON

***

AURORA REYES, Miss Samar

1926 MISS VISAYAS

Aurora Reyes of Samar was the daughter of Ricardo Fuentes Reyes, a mestizo, whose father, Don Andres Reyes came from Cadiz, Spain. She will always be remembered as the 2nd wife of the great Filipino statesman, jurist, parliamentarian, politician Claro Mayo Recto (divorced from 1st wife was Angeles Silos). Aurora and Claro had two sons, Rafael and Clarito. Rafael is the father of former senator Ralph Recto.

****

BALA AMAI MIRING, Miss Lanao

1926 MISS MINDANAO

***

50. 1926, Miss Pearl of the Orient Seas, CARMEN FARGAS

THE PEARL OF THE ORIENT SEAS. Carmen Caguiat Fargas, 1926 Miss Zamboanga. She gave the 1st Miss Philippines, Anita Noble, a stiff fight in the 1st National Beauty Contest of the Manila Carnival, that judges gave her a special title.

In 1926, the 1st National Beauty Contest was started, as a parallel pageant to the Manila Carnival Queen search. It was the first truly national quest for a queen as provincial representatives, each wearing the sash of their province, came to Manila to vie for the title of "Miss Philippines". It was also different in that, unlike Manila Carnival Queen which relied on public balloting, the selection was done by a panel of judges.


From Zamboanga came Carmen "Carmencita" Fargas, a mestiza beauty born on 16 January 1908 and bred in Aplaya, Ayala in Zamboanga. She was a student of Normal College when the contest beckoned, and was installed as an early favorite as the elected 1926 Miss Zamboanga. She found stiff competition from the 1926 Miss Batangas, Anita Noble, whose lineage included patriots and heroes from both sides of her family. But Carmen held her own, and as the judging reached its final stages, she found herself on top of the judges' list, a major contender for the crown.


In the first ballotting, the regional winners were easily determined, but it was a deadlocked tie for the Miss Philippines crown--between Carmen and Anita. A 2nd balloting did not resolve the issue, and it was only past midnight when Pres. Manuel L. Quezon stepped in and offered suggestions to the tired judges for a quicker resolution to the problem. As related in the previous entry, a final scrutiny of the contestants was done, this time with another judge added.


Thus, it was in this manner that the tie was broken--with Anita Noble pipping Carmen and emerging as Miss Philippines of the 1st National Beauty Contest. But so keen was the competition till the last minute that a special title --"Miss Pearl of the Orient Seas" (Perlas ng Silangan) was awarded to the equally deserving Carmen. At the proclamation of Miss Philippines, the Pearl of the Orient Seas also had her rightful place of honor. In the entire history of the annual Carnival, the 1926 edition was the only one that had 3 beautiful muses reigning together.


After the contest, Carmen went back to her schooling but her life was never to be the same again. Back in Zamboanga, she was caught in a whirl of activities-- attending provincial functions, crowning petit fair queens and participating in Rizal Day festivities. As Miss Zamboanga, she was succeeded by Manolita Villaescosa.
MISS PEARL OF THE ORIENT SEAS WITH MISS VISAYAS 1926, Carmen Fargas (1926 Miss Zamboanga) and Aurora Reyes (1926 Miss Samar)
Carmen managed to finish school and in her later life, she married Dr. Herminio Caguiat. Carmen was a whiz in the kitchen, both as a baker and cook. She was fond of Cadbury chocolates and enjoyed ice cream all her life. The beauty who almost became our 1st Miss Philippines passed away on 4 October 2004.

49. 1926, Miss Philippines of the Manila Carnival, ANITA AGONCILLO NOBLE

THE FIRST MISS PHILIPPINES. 20 year old Anita Agoncillo Noble of Lemery, Batangas, chosen at the 1st National Beauty Contest of 1926. Anita comes from a distinguished family of patriots and revolutionists.

The 1st National Beauty Contest search for the first Miss Philippines was launched with much fanfare and was met with resounding approval by provincial authorities. Quickly, municipalities conducted their own “Miss”, from among whom a provincial bet to the national contest was chosen. Batangas Governor Modesto Castillo however, already had a perfect candidate in mind, so he scrapped the local tilt and named his beauty of choice. No one criticized this arbitrary move, as his decision was met with unanimous approval. Anita Noble y Agoncillo of Lemery was named as “Miss Batangas” and was sent off immediately to the national contest.

MISS PHILIPPINES, 1st National Beauty Contest Winner. All official pictures of Anita as Miss Philippines show her crown-less. She reigned alongside the last Queen of the Manila Carnival, Socorro Henson of Pampanga.

Anita was the middle child and only daughter of Leoncio Noble and Maria Agoncillo, who, in turn come from distinguished families of Lemery. Leoncio managed the family estate in the Lemery-Taal area, while Maria was directly related to patriots Felipe Agoncillo, diplomat of the 1st Philippine Republic, Maria, 2nd wife of Emilio Aguinaldo, and Marcela, maker of the 1st Philippine flag.

Anita had two other siblings: Froilan and Vicente. When it was time for their higher education, the boys were sent to San Juan de Letran, while Anita was accepted as an interna at the nearby Santa Rosa College. It was indeed a surprise, that given her strict upbringing, her parents allowed her to participate in the contest. But inasmuch as she was always in the company of other girls and their chaperones, she was allowed to participate in the contest activities.

BELLE FROM BATANGAS. Another official photograph of Anita Noble as Miss Philippines. Curiously, she is the only queen of the Manila Carnival who never wore a crown in her photo sittings.

During the contest proper, she stayed in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Alfredo Roa Sr., together with Remedios Santos (Miss Rizal) and Amparo Neri (Miss Misamis). Mrs. Conchita Zamora Roa was their official chaperone. One of the most memorable event was a tea dance party given by the Bachelors’ Club to the candidates at the Hotel de Francia along Avenida Rizal. The candidates were paraded in the evening in decorated automobiles that wended its way around Rizal, Escolta, Taft Avenue and ending at the Manila Grand Carnival auditorium at the Luneta. Alighting from the cars, the candidates boarded individual wheeled chariots bearing the name of their respective provinces. Before an adoring crowd and a panel of judges, the candidates were thus presented and voted on.

The selection of the regional winners—Misses Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao—proved to be easy. But the choice for the plum Miss Philippines title ended in a tie between Miss Zamboanga (Carmen Fargas) and Miss Batangas (Anita Noble). Not even a second voting could break the tie. As it was already past midnight, Madame Levy, one of the judges, suggested the postponement of the deliberation for another day. It was then that President Manuel L. Quezon made his appearance. Apprised of the situation, the President invited the contestants the next day at the Manila Hotel. He stipulated that they be dressed in simple baro’t saya and wear no make-up, and that another judge be added to break the deadlock. The judging continued the next day—the girls were judged how they ate lunch!

NOBLE NOBILITY. Miss Philippines-elect Anita Noble, as she appeared in a large 1926 Carnival souvenir photo.

The stringent process finally yielded results with the breaking of the tie. Anita Noble, 20 year old Miss Batangas was chosen as the winner of the First National Beauty Contest. But so tight was the competition, that the Carnival officials decided to create another title for Zamboanga’s Carmen Fargas. She was named as “Miss Pearl of the Orient Seas”. Named as Miss Luzon was won by Rosario Genato (Manila), Miss Visayas was Aurora Reyes (Samar) and Miss Mindanao was Bala Amai Miring (Lanao).

"TALAGANG MAGANDA SIYA". A souvenir photo sent by a certain Polent to Ka Oriang has this dedication on the back: "Bagamat hindi ka nakapanood ng Carnaval ay heto si Miss Philippines at siya ang nanalo sa Beauty Contest, at takagang maganda siya". Dated 14 Feb. 1926.

Our first Miss Philippines was proclaimed with much hoopla in the jampacked Carnival Auditorium. Batangas Assemblyman Antonio de las Alas escorted Anita, the pride of Batangas, to the throne. Leopoldo Kahn stood by as her King Consort. With the dancing ending at 5 a.m., everyone agreed that 1926 was “the liveliest and most successful night in the history of the Carnival”.

Accolades continued to pour in for Anita. Her school presented a musical program in her honor and when she went home to Batangas, her proud province mates gave her a rapturous welcome. She was besieged by admirers but it was not until 9 January 1927 that she met Paris-educated Architect Juan Nakpil, son of revolutionist Don Julio Nakpil and Gregoria de Jesus, the young widow of Andres Bonifacio.

As a graduate student of Harvard where he continued his studies after France, Juan had previously heard of Anita via Carnival news clippings sent to him. Upon his return to the Philippines, Juan met Anita on the feast of the Black Nazarene, in the Quiapo house of his uncle, Dr. Ariston Bautista Lin.

ALL IN THE NAKPIL FAMILY. Anita and Juan had 3 boys in succession: Ariston, Francisco (who had just received their First Communion in this picture), Eulogio (standing in front). Annie sits at the right, and youngest Edith is on her mother's lap. taken in 1936.

Smitten, Juan pursued Anita, often traveling to Lemery every Sunday to woo and visit her. He finally won her on 10 December 1927, and they were wed in the evening highlighted by a reception held at the house of the Batangas Governor. The union bore 5 accomplished children: Ariston, Francisco, Eulogio, Annie (who became Miss Batangas) and Edith (who, too, became Miss Philippines 1955 of the Boys’ Town Carnival).

ANITA'S BOYS. With two of her boys, first-born Ariston and 2nd son Francisco. Still every inch a beauty, Anita was in her late 20s when this picture was taken.

LIKE MOTHER, LIKE DAUGHTER. Daughter Edith Nakpil, like her mother, won the "Miss Philippines 1955" title at the Boys' Town Carnival. Edith is flanked by proud parents, Juan Nakpil and Anita Noble-Nakpil.

In 1973, Arch. Juan Nakpil was conferred the National Artist Award for his valuable contribution to Philippine architecture.Our first Miss Philippines, the accomplished and beautiful Anita Noble, passed away on 14 August 1979, after a bout with cancer.