168. ESPERANZA ESCOLAR LIMJAP-OSMEÑA: From a Carnival Princess to the Country’s First Lady

FROM A FIRST PRINCESS TO A FIRST LADY. Esperanza Escolar Limjap, from the nationalist Limjap family, was in the royal court of the 1915 Carnival Queen. She eventually became the First Lady of the Philippines by becoming the 2nd wife of Pres. Sergio Osmena.

Seven years after the first Carnival of 1908, the national fair had established itself as a grand event of eminence, due not just to the spectacles, but also in part to the prominent, high-profile personalities who participated actively in the Carnival festivities. One of the most ardent supporters were members of the wealthy Filipino-Chinese Limjap family, led by the family patriarch, Mariano Limjap and his wife, Maria Escolar.

It is to be remembered that the very first Carnival Queen of 1908 was Leonarda Limjap, an elder daughter of the Limjap couple. She, however, had to abdicate her throne in favor of a family trip to Japan. Pura Villanueva stepped in to assume the queenship of the very 1st Carnival. Perhaps to make up for that inconvenience, the Limjaps gamely joined the winner’s royal court of honor in the next few years.

First to make her appearance as a princess of the 1915 Carnival Queen, Concepcion Medina, was 19 year old Esperanza Escolar Limjap. Born in 1896, Esperanza , aside from Leonarda, had two other sisters—Felisa and Paciencia, and two younger brothers, Jose and Francisco, who would both marry Carnival Queens. Jose or Perico was wed to Catalina Apacible (1923 Queen) while Francisco was the King Consort of the 1926 winner, Socorro Henson. The Limjap sisters were popular high society figures due to the status of their family, who were also held in esteem for their strong nationalist bent—Mariano was known to have lent his financial support for the Philippine Revolution.


Just five years after her Carnival stint, Esperanza would meet and marry Sen. Sergio Osmeña, a widower who had previously lost his first wife two years before, Estefania Chiong Veloso. Osmeña had been tirelessly working for Philippine independence ever since he launched his political career, becoming a Speaker of the House of the 1907 Philippine Assembly. The promised independence was delayed by the World War II and the Japanese Occupation. Upon the death of Pres. Manuel Luis Quezon, Osmeña ascended the presidency of the Philippine government-in-exile in the United States—making Esperanza the fourth First Lady of the land.

She remained in the Philippines, however, all throughout the dark days of the World War II. She was a First Lady for just two years, while rearing her children Victor, Ramon and Rosalina. Esperanza Limjap-Osmeña, the beautiful lady-in-waiting of the 1915 Carnival court who became a First Lady, died in 1978 at age 82 years old.

61. 1930, THE BATHING SUIT CONTROVERSY I: Wear It or Lose It

GALVESTON GIRLS. Beauties from around the world assemble at Galveston, Texas for the International Contest of Beauty and Pulchritude. The Philippines was said to have been invited to field a delegate.

A major uproar in the 1930 Manila Carnival was the so-called ‘bathing suit incident’, a behind-the-contest drama that threatened to cast a shadow on the results of the Miss Philippines search. The controversy lingered even after the contest was over, fanned by newspapers who published different versions of the incident. But the basic account was the same—the six Miss Philippines finalists were invited to a party in the house of Antonio Torres, president of the municipal board of Manila.

STATESIDE BEAUTIES MEET GLOBAL BEAUTIES. Contestants from Europe compteted against state queens from America in this early pageant.

In the said affair, the panel of judges required the finalists to wear swimsuits and those who did not conform to this requirement automatically lost by default. The Philippine Carnival Association had apparently received an invitation from a contest organizer based in Galveston, Texas to field a delegate to the International Contest of Beauty and Pulchritude which had a mandatory swimsuit competition.

MODESTY ASIDE. The mandatory swimsuit segment of the competition triggered the controversy that arose in the 1930 Miss Philippines search. In the eye of the storm was Miss Violeta Lopez, who refused to wear a swimsuit--and was thus, as her supporters claim, eliminated from the royal race.

In the center of the storm was Iloilo belle Violeta Lopez, a strong contender for the title and a candidate of The Tribune, who eventually dashed all hopes of winning when she flatly refused to wear a swim suit. For this act, she was both praised and twitted, and a flurry of claims and counterclaims were hurled from both sides—Violeta’s relatives and supporters and the officials and judges of the Carnival association.

One of the strongest statements of support came from the Catholic Women’s League headed by Mrs. Leonarda Limjap de Ubaldo, who, one can recall was the original 1908 queen-elect who gave up her crown. “In these days of the breakdown of this womanly virtue of modesty, your example will be both an inspiration to all and an incentive to ideals helpful to our nation”.



Nicasio “Nick” Osmeña, head of the Proclamation Night and the eldest son of President Sergio Osmeña, thought that there was much ado about nothing. “Stories praising Miss Lopez to the skies for refusing to put on a bathing suit are all but applesauce”, he said in a Herald interview, “Beside, she was already out of the running before the party (at Mr. Torres’ house)”. This prompted a cousin of Violeta, Luis J. Lopez to accost Nicasio at the Cine Ideal lobby where reports said he “attacked Nick, cutting his lips”, an incident that Osmeña denied.

Of the statement of Nick Osmeña, Miss Lopez retorted: “I do not know how Mr. Osmeña can pretend to have known what transpired in that party, when he was not even present”. She added that it was not true that she had wanted to wear a bathing suit but could not because she did not have one—she refused to put on one, period. “I never suspected that my refusal to wear a bathing suit would be so capitalized on by the newspapers…and now the facts are being twisted”.

43. 1923, Queen of the Manila Carnival, CATALINA CASTILLO APACIBLE

1923 QUEEN OF THE MANILA CARNIVAL. Catalina Apacible y Castillo, of Balayan, Batangas was the daughter of the well-known patriot, doctor and diplomat, Dr. Galicano Apacible.
In the 1923 Manila Carnival, a Batangueña with a distinguished lineage reigned supreme: Catalina Apacible y Castillo. She was the only child of physician, patriot and statesman Dr. Galicano Apacible and Conchita Castillo of Balayan. Galicano was a noted propagandist and also one of the founders of La Solidaridad.

As an ‘unica hija’, Catalina or Neny, was treated with parental strictness, but also with indulgence. So, when her sponsor, the Bachelors’ Club, asked her to run for the queenship, her parents gave their total approval. Immediately, friends and admirers began working for her victory, led by Eugenio Lopez, a young man from a wealthy Iloilo family. He had actively participated in previous carnivals before, and was a consort to one of the princesses of the previous 1922 court. He was relentless in his campaign for Neny, mobilizing musicians and organizing torch parades to raise much-needed funds.

QUEEN NENY I. Coronation picture of the beauty from Batangas.

Neny’s closest rival was a beautiful mestiza, Conchita Seiboth, but even she and her backers were no match to the well-oiled vote generating machine of Neny’s avid supporters. The 19 year old beauty was thus proclaimed as Queen of the 1923 Manila Carnival.
A 1923 article from The American Chamber of Commerce Journal described the events leading to the royal coronation: “The big outstanding event of the Carnival Week is the coronation of the Queen, which is performed with all the formal ceremony and pomp of real life. No expense is spared for costumes and properties. For days, the Queen and her court are rehearsed by the best talent available, to go through the elaborate ceremony in a proper manner.
THE 1923 ROYAL COURT. Queen Neny's top drumbeater, Eugenio Lopez, was the logical choice of her father to be her King Consort.

On the night of the coronation, the brilliantly lighted Auditorium is packed with a huge throng of Carnivalistas who watched the elaborate ceremony with bated breath snd burst out with a tremendous shout when the Queen finally takes the throne after the diamond-studded crown has been placed on her pretty head by the Master of Ceremonies.”

THE QUEEN AS A CZARINA. Neny cuts a beautiful figure at her coronation dressed as a Russian czarina. A similar themed ball had her dressed like Cinderella, complete with a powdered wig.
Indeed, Neny’s Grand Coronation was marked with much fanfare and gaiety. For one, the coronation theme was very unique—it was Russian. Wearing a czarina outfit complete with a vest and boots, Neny was attended by a court dressed like Hussars. Her King Consort was none other than Eugenio Lopez, a well-deserved partner chosen by Dr. Apacible himself.

THE RUSSIANS ARE COMING! The Coronation Theme of the 1923 Carnival was Russian. The escorts were dressed like Hussars while the ladies wore czarina outfits.
When her Carnival days were over, Neny married Pedro ‘Perico’ Limjap in 1928. Perico too, had a noble pedigree, son of a well-known Chinese-Filipino family. His sister, Leonarda was in fact chosen as queen in 1908, but had chosen to relinquish that title. Another sibling, Esperanza, was married to Sergio Osmeña, a future president. A brother, Francisco Limjap would also marry a Carnival Queen.

NENY, QUEEN OF THE CARNIVAL, QUEEN OF THE LIMJAP HOME. Shown with her eldest child, Eddie Limjap.

The Limjaps had three children—Eddie (a pilot), Evelyn ( medical doctor) and Connie. But their happy family life was shaken when Perico, who was engaged in underground guerrilla activties, was captured and executed by the Japanese during the second World War. After the war, Neny, the widow, went to America for an eye surgery and decided to stay on in Daly City, California with her children. A woman of resilience and independence, she lived alone and even drove her own car. Though uprooted from her country, Neny regularly visited the Philippines and died at age 78..

THE APACIBLES. Back Row: L-R, Neny, husband Perico Limjap (executed by the Japanese during the war), father Dr. Galicano Apacible. Front: L-R: Son Eddie (who became a pilot), Mrs. Concha Apacible, Evelyn ( who became a doctor) and seated in the foreground is Carmen.

21. 1912, Queen of the Manila Carnival, PAZ JURADO MARQUEZ

1912 MANILA CARNIVAL QUEEN. Paz Marquez y Jurado of Tayabas, Quezon. She went on to become one of the leading lights in Philippine writing in English.

Once again in 1912, the Manila Carnival was staged with attendant fanfare and excitement. That year, the royal crown went to Paz Marquez y Jurado, an accomplished woman from a well-known family from Tayabas, and one of the first to be educated under the American system.

LA MATRON DA FILIPINAS. 'Dormitory Girl' Paz Marquez was one of the first graduates of the University of the Philippines.

Born in 1894, Paz was the second of 12 children of Gregorio Marquez and Maria Jurado, herself, a beauty queen in her hometown, Magsingal, Ilocos Norte. Maria was often referred to there as “La Estrella del Norte”. Paz went to local schools and attended Tayabas High School for her secondary education.

THE AUDITORIUM OF THE 1912 MANILA CARNIVAL. At Wallace Field, Luneta Park. site of the coronation of Paz Marquez.

As was the case with landed families, Paz was sent off to study at the Normal School in Manila, established by Americans. She stayed in the school dormitory under the watchful eye of their den mother, a certain Mrs. Burton, a widow of a U.S. senator. Her “Dormitory Girls”, as the elite group came to be known, learned English, adopted American ways and were trained social skills and proper deportment. The group, whose members also count Socorro (her sister), Francisca Tirona (her future sister in law) and Pacita de Guzman, became quite popular and were often invited to the Malacanang social functions hosted by Gov. Gen. W. Cameron Forbes, a bachelor.

Little did the members know that that they were being eyed for the queenship of the Carnival. But it was the slim 18 year old Paz—who, at 5’4” stood taller than the other girls—who was singled out for her beauty, brains and deportment to wear the prestigious title of “Matrona de las Filipinas” of the 1912 Carnival.

PAZ BE WITH YOU. Svelte, fair, tall and pretty--Paz was the top choice for the queenship, plucked from Mrs. Burton's 'Dormitory Girls'.

Her father, Don Gregorio was not pleased with the idea, and it took the Carnival Committee to convince him to give his consent. He acquiesced and the first thing he did was to write a congratulatory letter to his daughter: “Quiero ser el primero para render homenaje a los pies de la Reyna de Filipinas “ (I wish to be the first to render homage at the feet of the Queen of the Philippines).

The appointment of the Queens in the 1912 edition of the Carnival was significant in that the selected beauties were really from the regions they represented, and not according to their placements in the ballot count. Queen Paz was thus attended to by Reyna de Luzon, Pacita de Guzman (Nueva Ecija), Reyna de Visayas, Amparo Noel (Cebu) and Reyna de Mindanao, Remedios Reyes (Camiguin). They were also the first set of queens to wear national and regional dresses, as opposed to the European-influenced wardrobes of the past Queens.

THE 1912 ROYAL COURT. Paz, surrounded by a bevy of princesses, dressed in traditional Filipina costumes, a first in the carnival.

After her reign, it was business as usual for Paz, going back to her books to finish her Liberal Arts course at the U.P. She spoke sparingly of this moment in her life, even denying the fact that she was once a national beauty queen. She managed to have herself excluded from the souvenir programs of later Carnivals, which had pictures of past queens (only her “damas” were featured.)

Going back to her first love—literary writing—she founded founded Women’s Home Journal, the first women’s magazine in the country in 1919. One of the columnists was Leonarda Limjap, the 1908 Carnival winner who gave up her crown.

Paz is well-known for authoring the first Filipino modern English-language short story--Dead Stars—published in the Philippine Herald in 1925, now considered a classic in Philippine literature. She also became a professor of composition and English at the University of the Philippines . Later, she would set up St. John’s Academy in San Juan, together with her sisters.

It was at the U.P. that Paz met Francisco Benitez, also a former student of Normal School and a pensionado sent to study at the United States. Francisco's father, Higino, had been one of the original signers of the Malolos Constitution. Tasked with organizing the university’s College of Education, Francisco started the publication of “The Philippine Journal of Education”, which Paz would eventually edit.

PAZ AND FRANCISCO AT THEIR WEDDING. 20 year-old Paz and Dean Francisco Benitez of Laguna, a government pensionado, were a perfect match. Dean Benitez became a leading educator of the country, helping establish the College of Education at U.P.

It is interesting to note that Francisco’s brother, Conrado, married Francisca Tirona, a former “Dormitory Girl” like Paz, and founder of the Philippine Women’s College in 1919. Thus, in 1914, when Paz got married to Francisco, everybody agreed at the compatibility of the partnership.

The couple had 4 children—Francisco jr., Virginia, Roberto and Vicente Rafael. Francsico died of a sudden heart attack in 1951. Paz continued to edit “The Philippine Journal” till her late 80s. Paz died in 1983. The annual Paz Marquez-Benitez Lectures honor her memory by focusing on the contribution of Filipina writers to Philippine Literature in English. Her biography, “Paz Marquez Benitez: One Woman’s Life, Letters, and Writings” was published by her daughter, Virginia, in 1995.

8. 1908, LEONARDA LIMJAP: A Royal Resignation

LEONARDA LIMJAP, the first 'Reina del Oriente' of the 1908 Manila Carnival, abdicated her throne in favor of a family trip to Japan. Here, she stands on the fair left, together with sister Esperanza (middle, future wife of Pres. Sergio Osmena). Seated is her mother, Maria Limjap.

To ensure that only “quality” candidates signed up for the queenship of the first Manila Carnival, W. Cameron Forbes began approaching prominent pater familias with daughters of suitable age. One such person he met was Don Mariano Limjap, an immensely affluent Chinese-Filipino businessman from Legaspi who helped finance the Revolution. Forbes persuaded the patriot to allow one of his daughters– the accomplished Leonarda Limjap--to participate in the Carnival, but the Don replied that “he did not want to be talked about”.

DON MARIANO LIMJAP. Prominent Filipino-Chinese patriot and the reluctant father of the Queen-elect, Leonarda Limjap.

With or without his permission, Leonarda’s candidacy was announced in the papers, and the votes she amassed were a testament to her popularity and influence, with many answering the call to “rally to her beauty, dignity and patriotism”. Only 17 years old, Nena finished high school at the Assumption College and became a pupil of the arts. She studied painting under Fabian de la Rosa and piano under Dna. Ventura Galvez. Likewise, she excelled in the sports of tennis and fencing. A well-travelled girl, Nena has journeyed to Europe in the company of her governess, covering Paris, London, Rome Madrid and other major European cities. It was also her dream to visit all the islands of the Philippines to know her country better.

With sterling credentials such as these, it was no wonder that Nena led Filipina candidates all the way in the quest for the Oriental Queen title. But in the midst of the newspaper scandal, the voting was suspended and instead, the final selection process was thrust in the hands of the members of the Philippine Assembly.

On 13 January 1908, the Philippine Assembly cast their votes and of the 69 votes tallied, 39 were in favor of Leonarda Limjap, beating other distinguished ladies like Purita Villanueva, Carmen Francia, Dolores de Morio, Paz Yangko and Inocencia Reyes. Leonarda Limjap had won the 1908 Reina del Oriente crown of the 1st ever Manila Carnival. The newspapers rushed to print her sensational victory and congratulatory accolades pured in. “We congratulate her sincerely”, the leading newspaper El Renacimiento proclaimed, “the Assembly chose a worthy queen to wear the crown of the Queen of the Orient”.

But alas, hardly had the ink on the papers dried out when Nena shocked the Carnival Committee and the Philippine Assembly that had chosen her by renouncing the honor and declining the queenship. Her reason was that she was traveling to Japan for a month in the company of Mr. Regidor and his daughter and further expressed that “she does not want to miss the opportunity to travel in the company of such a nice family”.

THE ROLE OF THE 1st RUNNER UP IS VERY IMPORTANT. The Queen of Iloilo took over the throne and the title refused by Leonarda Limjap who cited a trip to Japan as her reason. Pura Villanueva had consistently ranked 2nd after Leonarda in the counting.

With just a few days to go before the opening of the Carnival, the title was offered to the reigning Queen of Iloilo who had placed a strong second to Leonarda: Purita Villanueva. A telegram was quickly dispatched to Iloilo, but Pura initially declined the proposal, preferring to represent her province. A day later, she relented and accepted her appointment with grace.

At last, the Carnival has found its Oriental Queen: Pura Villanueva y Garcia.
Long live the Queen!

(POSTSCRIPT: Leonarda Limjap married Aristeo Rizal Ubaldo, the son of Olimpia Rizal, Jose Rizal's sister. They had 4 daughters. Her sister, Esperanza, would eventually marry Sergio Osmena and become a First Lady of the Philippines. )

Many thanks to Mr. Joey Tirona, grandson of Leonarda Limjap, for the use of the Limjap family photo. Likewise to Mr. Raul Boncan)