237. Carnival Wedding: MAURICIO-CUENCA NUPTIALS (1934 Miss Visayas)

Marcelina Cuenca was a former Miss Manila and The Philippine Free Press' representative to the  1934 search for Miss Philippines. She won Miss Visayas (3rd place) after Luisa Laconico (Miss Luzon) and Clarita Tan Kiang (1934 Miss Philippines). A year after the contest, she wed Dr. Conrado Mauricio on 16 June 1935. Shown along with the newlyweds in this picture are: L-R: Lourdes Mauricio (bridesmaid), Julita Cuaderno (maid of honor) and Dr. Leon Ma. Guerrero Jr. (Best Man).

216. THE CARNIVAL BEAUTIES OF CENTRO ESCOLAR DE SEÑORITAS

CENTRO OF ATTRACTION. Miss Centro Escolar of 1934, lovely Nene with escort Jose, during the college day celebration.

During the Carnival years, one school that became one of the most ardent supporters of the national event was the Centro Escolar de Señoritas, a Spanish-influenced private institution founded in 3 June 1907 by two women educators, Librada Avelino and Carmen de Luna.

In fact, a fortuitous event at Centro Escolar in 1907 had resulted in the meeting, courtship and eventual marriage of the first Carnival Queen, Pura Villanueva with El Renacimiento editor Teodoro Kalaw of Batangas.

The all-girls school offered women education from kinder to college--with degrees in law, pharmacy, liberal arts, education and business. In its inaugural year, it attracted 250 students, but by 1927, it had had attracted over 1,500 girls, many from prominent families from all over the country.

A most-awaited school activity is the “Feria de Centro Escolar” or College Fair that began in the mid 20s, capped by the selection of a Miss Centro Escolar. Some of winners are still known to us; in 1929, Susana Casimiro reigned as Señorita de Centro Escolar and a certain Queen Nena in 1934.

Soon, the school was earning a reputation as the home of the most beautiful and accomplished ladies in the city, if not, the country. It was now wonder then that many of these campus beauties were always recruited as candidates to the yearly Manila Carnival Queen search. In fact, even the School Director, had a direct hand in the selection of the school representative.

Some of the Escolarina beauties who became Carnival Queen candidates included: Iluminada Perez (Princess at the 1929 Manila Carnival) Blanquita Opinion (Miss Visayas 1933 and a former 1925 Queen of Charity) and Luisa Marasigan, who was selected as the 2nd Miss Philippines in 1927.

Centro Escolar de Señoritas became a university in 1933 and became known as Centro Escolar University. CEU, as it is known today, has three campuses--the main Manila campus on Mendiola street, Malolos campus in Bulacan (1978) is in and the Makati Campus in the Makati Central Business District. The Parañaque campus was phased out in the early 1990s. CEU Cebu will be the first CEU campus outside Luzon. In 2007, Centro Escolar University—producer of some of the most beautiful Carnival beauties ever to grace the national fair—celebrated its centennial in 2007.

116.CEBU CARNIVAL QUEENS, 1914 – 1941, part II

1932, EVANGELINA MACARAEG
Petite Evangelina was the daughter of the district engineer from Pangasinan who was assigned in Cebu. She was a pre-med intern and a cadet sponsor of Cebu Junior College, a branch of the U.P., at the time of her election. “Lily” as she was called, eventually moved to Manila to work as a doctor, where she met and married Diosdado Macapagal. His election as president of the Philippines in 1961 instantly made her into a First Lady.


“Bitoon sa Babaye” of 1932 was Socorro Zamora, an elementary and high school valedictorian of St. Catherine’s School, an exclusive girls’ school run by Belgian nuns. She was the unica hija of Ricardo Zamora and Maria Codilla of Ormoc. She enrolled at UST where she became a popular coed in her chemical engineering class. She then took up pre-law at Southern Colleges (now University of Southern Philippines). Tragically, she died during the bombing of Leyte in 1944.

1933, ROSITA VELOSO
The Velosos are a well-known clan from Malitbog, Leyte. Her consort was Bernardo Torres. She later married prominent physician Dr. Leonardo S. de Villa.

1934, MARIA ONG y LAGRIMAS
This multi-titled Chinese mestiza beauty swept all the beauty contests held in the 6 sitios of metropolitan Cebu. Maria was a popular high school student at Southern College at the time of the contest which also saw the election of her court: Julia MacVean (Miss Luzon), Julita Veloso Abad (Barili, Miss Visayas) and Daisy P. Hontiveros (Miss Mindanao, former Miss Capiz and future wife of national artist and film director, Lamberto Avellana).

1935, ANGELES NOEL
The Noels are from Carcar, and earlier, the family had produced a beauty queen in the person of Amparo Noel, Queen of the Visayas. Known as “Clara Bow of Cebu”, Angeles studied at Cebu High School where she was known for her fashion flair and poise. Her consort was Eddie Molina, a dashing Philippine Military Academy graduate.


1936, CARMEN ROA y REGIS
Daughter of former governor Jose Roa, and Apolonia Regis of Carcar, Carmen was a leading high society figure of Cebu. She was to die in a sea tragedy aboard s.s. Corregidor, which sank in Manila Bay on December 1941, just shortly after the bombing of Pearl Harbor.


1937, MILAGROS VALENZUELA
Twice named Miss Cebu by the Free Press (1937-38), Milagros was the oldest child of Ramiro Valenzuela and Josefina Dela Victoria. At her coronation, she was escorted by Manuel Urgello, whom she later married in 1939. They had five children: Adelwisa, Manuel Jr., Ernesto, Lucy and Roberto. Mila died in 1950.



Her co-winners include Valeriana Alducente (Miss Visayas and voted Miss Cebu 1936 by Free Press) who became a teacher at Abellana High School after the contest, and was married to Lorenzo Encomienda, former mayor of Lauban, Tayabas.


1938, CORAZON ECHAVEZ
Daughter of Vicente Echavez of Aloguinsan, Cebu. At the time of the contest, she was a student at the Little Flower of Jesus Academy. She was escorted to her crowning by her brother, Vicente Jr., a lawyer. She eventually also married a lawyer who later became a judge in one of Cebu’s northern towns.

1939, MARY GULLAS
The only daughter of Paulino Gullas, a representative of the second district of Cebu. Se married her consort, Mike Jayme, who became a lawyer.

1940, CRISTINA ABERASTURI
For the 1940 edition of the Cebu Carnival, two queens were chosen to reign over the festivities. The first was Cristina Aberasturi, a Spanish mestiza and an interna at the St. Catherine’s School in Carcar. Her court included: Milagros Lebumfacil (Toledo, Miss Luzon) who became the wife of Imelda Marcos’s elder brother; Amelia Tan Villanueva (Miss Visayas), already a gifted teacher when she joined the contest, and Soledad Misa (Cebu City, Miss Mindanao)

1940, CARMEN GONZALES
The 2nd Carnival Queen of Cebuin 1940 was another Spanish mestiza, Carmen Gonzales, dubbed as the “Deanna Durbin of Cebu”. She was a student of St. Theresa’s College, and she was attended to by her court of honor that included: Bernardita Tabada (Miss Luzon), Elena Borromeo Herrera (Miss Visayas) and Dolores Dineros (Miss Mindanao).

1941, NENA GONZALES
The impending war did not dampen the Carnival spirit of Cebuanos, for in 1941, two queens were again elected in one of the liveliest carnivals Cebu ever had—which was to be the province’s last. Nena Gonzales of Lahug got the crown of Cebu Carnival Queen.


1941, FLORDELIZA MANCAO y PANUNCIALMAN
Sharing the throne was Flordeliza P. Mancao, proclaimed Miss Labor Day, and especially chosen to reign over the Labor Day celebration. She was the daughter of Pedro Mancao and Sofia Panuncialman of Carcar. No less than the Mayor of Manila and Secretary of Labor, Leon Guinto, crowned her. She was escorted by Engr. Cesar Dakay. Three years after her reign, she married Dr. Rafel Ong of Capiz and was at one time a Home Economics teacher at the Carcar Central School.

115.CEBU CARNIVAL QUEENS, 1914 – 1931, part I

The Manila Carnival fever caught on not only in the provinces of Luzon but also in the cities down South—cascading down to Cebu which led the way in staging the most opulent spectacles outside of Manila. If Manila had Wallace Field as the venue, Fuente Osmeña was the original site of the Cebu carnival events. The carnival season in the Queen City of the South, it was said, rivalled those of Manila in terms of pageantry and presentation, and the royals who reigned over the festivities were no less beautiful and accomplished than the national winners.

1914, ENRIQUETA ALDANESE y LASSO DI VEGA
The 1st ever Carnival in Cebu was held 6 years after the national Carnival. The winner, Enriqueta Aldanese belonged to the prominent Aldanese family from Sibonga, Cebu. She had also been the Dia del Español Queen (Spanish Day Queen) for that year. Later, in 1918, Enriqueta bagged the Manila Carnival Queen title, an even bigger honor that made her into a national figure. She eventually became the wife of Don Jose Paris, an engineer.

1915, ROSARIO SINGSON

1917, BASILISA ABAD
The second Cebu Carnival was held in 1917 and a beauty from Barili, Basilisa Abad, was chosen as Queen. She married a certain Dr. Atenzo and settled in Mindanao with her children.

1918, ROSARIO LLAMAS
Another Spanish mestiza from Parian was the winner of the 1918 Cebu Carnival crown—Rosario Llamas.

1921, AMPARO ROYO

1922, AMPARO MELLADO

1923, ANGELES CLIMACO y OSMEÑA
Angeles Climaco was the last queen to be crowned at Fuente Osmeña, the original site of the Cebu Carnivals. “Angeling” was the daughter of Don Arsenio Climaco, the provincial governor, and her mother was Dna. Juanita Osmeña. At her coronation, she was escorted by Nick Osmeña, eldest son of then National Assembly Speaker Sergio Osmeña, who was an active participant of the Manila Carnivals. Catalina Apacible, also that year’s Manila Carnival Queen winner, lent her crown for her to wear. Nene was then more than a dear friend of Perico Limjap, Sergio Osmeña’s brother-in-law, and would shortly become her husband. Angeles married Dr. Ildefonso Ubud, whom she outlived.


1925, CECILIA MICHAEL
Angelic-faced Cecilia Michael was the queen-elect of the 1925 Cebu Carnival and was escorted by Francisco Racaza. She later married Rafael Ramos.


1927, ENCARNACION LIVIOCO
The 1927 winner , fondly called Encarnita, practically grew up in Manila and was the daughter of the Cebu provincial treasurer. Her consort was Victorino Climaco, the younger brother of Queen Angeles, and a pharmacist by profession.


1930, MARIA CONSUELO CABASA
In 1930, Jose Nolasco, the Director-General of the Cebu Carnival, lauched a city-wide search for the next queen. All the districts of Cebu fielded a delegate, making the contest more competitive. In the end, it was Ma. Consuelo Cabasa, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Juan Cabasa of Pasil district, who emerged victorious in the most spectacular edition of the carnival pageant. Her damas included: Maria del Mar (Parian) and Remedios Manlunas (Sambag). Consuelo, escorted by Paciano Reyes, had the distinction of being crowned by the 1930 Miss Philippines and her namesake, Monina Consuelo Acuña. She later became the bride of Capt. Gallardo of Bohol, but the couple remained childless.


1931, CONCEPCION CUENCO y ALESNA
The charming Concepcion Cuenco (b. 18 Feb. 1912), daughter of Sen. Mariano Jesus Cuenco and Filomena Alesna, reigned as the 1931 queen. Her consort was Dr. Protacio V. Solon. Concepcion also snagged the Miss Free Press Cebu titles two years in a row, in 1931 and 1932. She married Engr. Mariano F. Manguerra of Sta. Rosa, Laguna. Her 4 surviving children (Victoria, Mariano, Ana Maria, Cecilia Catalina) are all professionals. The youngest, Cecilia Manguerra Brainard, is an accomplished Fil-Am author.


In that same carnival, another beauty was named “Bito-on sa Babaye”—Rita V. Pañares, daughter of Bartolome Pañares and Manuela Villaflor of Barli. Rita was a valedictorian of her elementary and high school classes at Colegio dela Immaculada Concepcion At the University of the Philippines, she was a champion debater together with the 1929 Miss Philippines, Pacita delos Reyes. She married a UP professor, Atty. Alvarez.

87. 1939, MISS LUZON, MISS VISAYAS, MISS MINDANAO

ESTRELLA SANTOS FABON, Miss Luzon 1939

Estrella Fabon was also a candidate to the 1938 Perlas ng Silangan Contest. A well-known society figure in her time, she died young and single at the height of the American liberation of Manila.

*****

ADELA PLANAS, 1939 Miss Visayas

Daughter of Iluminado Planas and Concepion Lim. She is the younger sister of Carmen Planas, the 1st woman councilor of Manila while another sister is Atty. Charito Planas, director of Nayong Pilipino-Clark and a champion of women's causes. Adela married a Paterno and became a doctor and a healer.

*****

(NOTE: Nieva Erana is also credited as 1939 Miss Mindanao 1939 in some extant pictures, but was never featured in the royal court)

*****

HERMINIA CAJULIS, Miss Mindanao 1939

Herminia "Meni" Cajulis was born on Feb. 1919 in Binakayan, Cavite to Mr. and Mrs. Felix Cajulis. She was also a contestant of the 1939 Bb. Perlas ng Silangan. After the contest, she went back to Cavite, settled in Kawit and ran a beauty-dress shop till the 1980s. She remained single all throughout her life.

*****

84. 1938, MISS LUZON, MISS VISAYAS, MISS MINDANAO

ROSARIO FERRO, Miss Luzon 1938

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BELEN DE GUZMAN, Miss Visayas 1938

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MARINA LOPEZ, Miss Mindanao 1938

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82. 1937, MISS LUZON, MISS VISAYAS, MISS MINDANAO

ELISA MANALO, Miss Luzon 1937

Kapampangan Elisa "Ely" Manalo was also elected Miss Radio of 1937, a contest that counted previous contestants like Lina Flor and Carmen Rosales. Like many beauty queens before her, she was lured into showbiz and was cast in the movie "Anna Maria", produced by Silangan Movietone Pictures in 1939.

*****



SONIA ORTALIZ GAMBOA, Miss Visayas 1937

Sonia Ortaliz Gamboa is the daughter of Jose Benedicto Gamboa and Eliza Ortaliz. She is from Silay City, Negros Occidental. In 1936, she reigned as queen of the Iloilo Carnival. She married Horacio Santos, whose family founded Prudential Bank and Trust Company. Their children include: Sonia, Jose Ma., Ma. Cristina, Horacio Jr., Roberto, Alessandro, Victor Roman and Regina Victoria.


*****



ADELA COSCOLLUELA, Miss Mindanao 1937

Adelaida Coscolluela comes from the prominent Coscolluela family of Negros. "Daiding" died young at the age of 28.


*****

80. 1936, MISS LUZON, MISS VISAYAS, MISS MINDANAO

AMPARO REYES KARAGDAG, Miss Luzon 1936

One of the most famous beauties ever to come from the Carnival royalties is the alluring Amparo Karagdag. “Amparing” was born on 11 March 1915, the eldest of 7 children from a Reyes family in Malolos, Bulacan. She was adopted by a certain Nena Karagdag and she assumed her last name.

At the 1936 Miss Philippines finals, she placed a strong second to Mercedes Montilla. Acting as Miss Luzon’s escort was Ricardo Manotok. After the contest, she became even more popular when she joined showbiz, appearing in movies as: Dating Pugad, Angel na Tukso, Pasalubong, Kundiman and Ikaw at Ako. In the course of her short career in which her beauty title was always touted, she had as leading men Carlos Padilla, Leopoldo Salcedo, Jose Padilla Jr.

Amparing was also a favorite dancing partner of Pres. Manuel L. Quezon who caught her eye during the Carnival pageant. Quezon had always taken a strong interest in the Miss Philippines search, where his advice often influenced the outcome of the contest. Amparing and the president were always seen during government socials that she was rumored to be his “girlfriend”.

*****

HELEN CUTARAN BENNETT, Miss Visayas 1936

Miss Visayas 1936 Helen Bennett was born in Nueva Vizcaya, making her a genuine Gaddang beauty. She was the daughter of American Roy Bennett with Josefa Cutaran. Family tradition had it that the Bennetts descended from Rufus Bennett (b.1754) a body guard of Gen. George Washington during the American Revolution. Roy had been a Thomasite teacher who was assigned to Nueva Vizcaya to teach and to help build the local high school there. The union resulted in 5 children, of which Helen was the eldest daughter.

Coming to the contest, the elegant Fil-Am mestiza had impeccable credentials. She had been named earlier as Miss Pearl of the Orient Seas by the Philippine Free Press which conducted its own Miss Philippines search. It was not surprising at all that she would land in the winners’ circle, placing third after Mercedes Montilla and Amparo Karagdag. At the Coronation Night, she was escorted by Francisco Chanco.

The War years brought untold sufferings to the Bennetts. Because of their American blood, the whole family was detained at the University of Santo Tomas. A younger brother, Roy Jr. --an editor of Manila Bulletin--was incarcerated and tortured at Fort Santiago after refusing to operate the popular daily under Japanese censorship. The family survived the War and soon after, Helen joined the government service as Foreign Secretary under Pres. Elpidio Quirino.

She married late in life, to Joseph Schon, an engineering graduate from Johns Hopkins University. The officiating person was Justice Manuel Moran, (grandfather of Miss Universe 1973, Margarita Moran). Helen, still very active at age 98, resides in Kanlaon City. The Schons have a son, Ricky Bennett Schon who is active in the cultural affairs of the city. Another well-known niece is Lalaine Bennett, the first ever Miss Philippines to place in the Miss Universe finals, coming in fourth in the 1963 tilt.

(Many thanks to Michael Ocampo for providing some of the background information on Helen Bennett)

*****

CLEOFE JAIME BALINGIT, Miss Mindanao 1936

Cleofe or “Soping” was the daughter of a former Macabebe Scout Felix Balingit and Juliana Jaime. Long before the 1936 Miss Philippines Contest, this winsome colegiala, was already involved in civic work, lending credence to her “beauty with substance” reputation. She often acted as a welcome official of the town. On 10 September 1933, she was part of the entourage (led by Gov. Pablo Angeles) that welcomed Gov. General Frank Murphy ( 1890-1949) to the fiesta of Macabebe. As the reigning Miss Macabebe, she again was a frontliner at the 1935 town visit of U.S. Senator and Col. Rice William Means (1877-1949) of Denver, Colorado.

In 1936, Soping was chosen to carry Pampanga’s colors in the national beauty finals of 1936. Bolstered by her credentials and strongly supported by the local newspaper “Ing Catimauan”, Cleofe won the Miss Mindanao title in an all-mestiza finals. She was escorted to her coronation by fellow Kapampangan, Ricardo Paras.

Returning to Pampanga after her reign, she married Dr. Mariano Bayani of Apalit. She became even more active in socio-civic causes, most especially the Pampanga Chapter of the Girl Scouts and the local Red Cross, raising funds and pursuing related advocacies. She died in 1981 of natural causes.


*****

77. 1935, MISSING MISS MINDANAO: The Case of Carmen Del Rosario

THE ORIGINAL MISS MINDANAO OF 1935. Carmen "Carmeling" del Rosario joined the contest as a favor to her father's friend, an editor of a newspaper. She was so sure that would not win but she did. She immediately resigned here title in compliance with her father's wish to prioritize her studies.

As soon as Carmen del Rosario was proclaimed as Miss Mindanao 1935, her face was splashed all over the national papers alongside her co-winners. But her reign was a short-lived one, for soon after, Carmeling resigned her title under the most unusual circumstances that sent the Carnival Association frantically looking for a new regional queen.

Carmeling, as she was to be known all her life, was born in Manila on 2 July 1916 to Jose del Rosario and the former Carmelita de Leon, one of 9 children. Her paternal grandfather, Anacleto Sales del Rosario (b. 13 July 1860/d.1895) was the country’s leading chemist during the Spanish times and was known even to Jose P. Rizal. His pioneering work on nipa palm and its products won First Prize at the 1881 World’s Fair in Paris. Today, he is known as the Father of Philippine Laboratory Science.

LA VANGUARDIA'S CANDIDATE. Carmeling del Rosario in a publicity photo drumming up her candidacy to the 1935 search for Miss Philippines.

Carmeling was a standout campus beauty of Centro Escolar de Señoritas where she spent her college years. An editor of La Vanguardia newspaper—and a close friend of her father—had been beseeching him to allow the paper to sponsor her candidacy in the search for the queen of the 1935 Manila Carnival. Carmeling’s parents did not really approve of such beauty shows, but after much persuasion, and perhaps thinking that her chances of winning were slim, her father relented. One stipulation of the agreement however was that should Carmeling win, she would have to quickly relinquish her title.

As luck would have it, 19 year old Carmeling was one of the top vote-getters of the 1935 Carnival, eventually garnering the Miss Mindanao crown, just 3 steps away from the eventual winner, socialite Conchita Sunico. But for her family, there was no real cause for rejoicing.


THE ROYAL ENTOURAGE ANNOUNCED. The 1935 roster of winners have already been announced and printed on national dailies when Carmeling relinquished her title. She was succeeded by Celia Araullo.

Her victory had already been reported in national papers together with Catalina Zabala (Miss Luzon) and Julieta Abad (Miss Visayas, who had a Kapampangan escort from Tarlac, Jose Feliciano, later to be a Secretary of Agriculture under Pres. Diosdado Macapagal’s term), when she announced that she was giving up her title. Her conviction to stand by her decision in fulfillment of her father’s wish ruffled quite a few feathers among the carnival officials and participants who now believed her to be a nuisance candidate. Thus, 4th placer Celia Araullo was elevated to the court as Miss Mindanao.

WEDDING OF CARMELING DEL ROSARIO AND VIRGILIO RODRIGUEZ. A much publicized 'wedding of the year" between a short-lived beauty titlist and a well-heeled Kapampangan from an affluent San Fernando family.

But her all-too-brief carnival days were not without wonderful moments. That same year, she met Virgilio Rodriguez, son of sugar baron Don Godofredo Rodriguez and Doña Victoria Hizon of San Fernando. On 26 June 1935, Carmeling and Virgilio were married in spectacular rites at the Sto. Domingo Church, on 26 June 1935, a talk-of-the-town wedding that merited coverage in the Pampanga Social Register 1936, which chronicled Pampanga’s alta sociedad events. They settled in San Fernando where she quickly learned to speak in Kapampangan. They had 5 children: Victoria, Godofredo, Gorgonia, Ana Marie and Jo Anne. Although in delicate health, 93 year old Carmeling is settled in San Lorenzo Village, Makati today with an unmarried daughter.

76. 1935 MISS LUZON, MISS VISAYAS, MISS MINDANAO

CATALINA ZABALA, Miss Luzon 1935

*****

JULIETA ABAD y LUGOD, Miss Visayas 1935

Married to Rafael R. Rufino Sr., whose family earned its fortune through film distribution, construction of movie houses (Gaiety, Ever, Rizal, State and Avenue and later in Makati, Quad, Magallanes and Rizal Theaters) and also commercial banks (Bank of Commerce, Security Bank). Children includes Manny, Rafael Jr., Antonio, Maria Victoria Rufino (artist and author), Assunta and Joey (+).

*****

CELIA ARAULLO, Miss Mindanao 1935
On April 20, 1938, Celia married the famed architect Gabriel Formoso, with whom she had 4 children: Junior, Maria Erlinda, Roberto, and Gabriel.
*****

73. 1934, MISS LUZON, MISS VISAYAS, MISS MINDANAO

LUISA LACONICO, Miss Luzon 1934

Luisa sought to extend the reign of beauty of the Laconicos by running for the Miss Philippines queenship in 1934. It was a tall order, as the reigning royal was her own first cousin, so it was unlikely that she would figure at all in the finals. Her facial beauty and form were outstanding, even by today’s standards (she was called ‘Body Beautiful'). It came as no surprise that she placed a strong second in the finals, claiming the 1934 Miss Luzon title.

At the coronation, she was escorted by Hector Gomez, whom she eventually married the next year at the Quiapo Church. Their main wedding sponsors were Dna. Angela de Butte and Gov. Ramon Racelis.

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MARCELINA CUENCA, Miss Visayas 1934

Marcelina Cuenca, the 1934 Miss Visayas had represented Manila in the Philippine Free Press search for Miss Philippines. In the finals, she placed second to win the Miss Luzon title. She took one more shot at the more prestigious quest for Miss Philippines of the Manila Carnival and earned a spot in the winner’s circle by becoming Miss Visayas. Her Prince Consort was Antonio Albert.

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CONSUELO VILLAMOR, Miss Mindanao 1934

Consuelo, Miss Mindanao 1934, was the daughter of Pedro and Josefa M. Villamor. She was born on 26 September 1911 in Bangued, Abra. Her siblings included Domiciano, Baldomero, Belen (Sr. Thecla of St. Paul) and Luz. “Consoling” spent her early years in Abra, but at various times, she also lived in Sta. Rosa, Laguna and Cabanatuan for her high school education. She was a popular girl in her time, famous for her beauty and intellect, and for which she was elected Miss Abra.

When she went to Manila to study at the University of the Philippines, her popularity grew even more. She became a cadet sponsor of the school’s R.O.T.C., an honor reserved for accomplished campus beauties. When nominations for the 1934 Miss Philippines opened, Consuelo was the overwhelming choice of U.P. She did not disappoint, as when the judges handed out their decision, they included the lovely Consoling in the winners’ list as Miss Mindanao.

The heady Carnival days soon ended and Consuelo went back to her books at the state university. Upon graduation, she taught at her alma mater and became an accomplished academician, educator and author, serving U.P. for many years. The grateful school named her a Professor Emeritus.

In the midst of her career, she married Abraham A. Asis and bore three children, Antolin, Victor and Angela. The Villamor family settled in San Juan. Consoling lived a long and full life, outliving all her siblings, husband and two sons. She passed away on 6 April 2009, just a few months short of her 89th birthday.

71. 1933 MISS LUZON, MISS VISAYAS, MISS MINDANAO

CHARITY O. CROW, Miss Luzon 1933

Miss Luzon 1933, Charity Crow, was born on 6 Dec. 1915 at the Philippine General Hospital, daughter of Joseph William Crow of Hollister, California and Asuncion de Ocampo of Iloilo, Iloilo. Joseph was a member of the “Thomasites”—American teachers recruited to teach in the Philippines and tasked with reforming the public school system in the country. It was while assigned in Iloilo that he met and married Asuncion, who bore five more daughters (Carmen, Carrie, Charity, Celeste, Catherine ) and two sons (Clem, Carl).

Charity started schooling at St. Bridget’s Academy in Batangas where her father was then the Provincial Treasurer. Then she moved to Manila where she finished high school at St. Scholastica’s College in 1932. From there, she enrolled at the University of Sto. Tomas where she was elected as the “Most Beautiful College Girl”. Her beauty title brought her to the attention of Carnival organizers who enlisted her as a candidate to the 1933 Manila Carnival.

No doubt, it was more than her physical beauty that made her a leading contender to the crown—it was known that she treated every one with the highest regard, and people found unique qualities of having “beauty, brains and heart” so endearing. One story has it that once, she saw a dog drowning and she jumped into the water to save the canine’s life.

Charity was just a step away from winning the Miss Philippines title. Even then, she became even more popular in college. She graduated from UST with Summa Cum Laude honors. Charity was often invited to Malacañang Palace affairs and became friends with the family of Pres. Manuel L. Quezon. The high profile socialite met and married La Salle’s top athlete in 1938—Rafael Ygoa—then Asia’s No. 1 soccer goalkeeper. They had 4 children, born during the War years. After the Liberation, the Ygoa family moved to New York and then relocated to Colombia, in South America, where Rafael was appointed as Treasurer-Comptroller of TACA Airways. A fifth child was born there.

In 1948, Charity and her family returned to the Philippines at the request of Don Andres Soriano, who offered Rafael a job as a treasurer of the fledgling Philippine Airlines, Asia’s first airline. She took to her role as a housewife and mother back home, raising her 5 children while enrolling in modeling and cooking classes, both her personal interests. She also became involved in Catholic church activities, even supporting Fr. Patrick Peyton’s Holy Rosary Crusade.

A few years after, Rafael was asked to establish a leisure resort in Sotogrande, Spain and become its General Manager. Charity and the children followed suit and resided in Spain for 3 years. But then Rafael was called back to Manila to accept an offer he could not refuse: to be the head of the Philippine Airlines. He became eventually the Chief Operating Officer and President.

After retirement, the family moved to the United States. Charity and Rafael celebrated their Golden Wedding Anniversary at the Carmel Monastery in California in August 1988. Two years after, Charity passed away in February 1990. Rafael joined her in 2008 and the two rest in peace in Santa Monica, California. She is survived by her 5 children, 9 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren.

(I am indebted to Ms. Cristina Igoa, daughter of Charity Crow, for the biogaphical sketch of her mother, sent via e-mail.)

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BLANQUITA OPINION, Miss Visayas 1933

Blanquita's beauty career was launched early, when she was crowned as the 1925 Princess of Charity of Centro Escolar, an annual anti-tuberculosis fund raising program of the government. Eight years later, now a collegiate beauty, she placed third in the annual Manila Carnival Queen search. In later years, Blanquita became Mrs. de Testa and settled in Quiapo, Manila.

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ANGELINA BIUNAS, Miss Mindanao 1933

Angelina was born in 1915 to Pilar Tronqued and Victor Biunas. Married Carmelo Alonso with whom she had 5 children: Milagros, Rolando, Rose, Tina and Jose Mari. She died in 2003 and is interred at the La Loma Cemetery.

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69. 1932, MISS LUZON, MISS VISAYAS, MISS MINDANAO

ROSALINA C. LIM, 1932 Miss Luzon

Rosalina Lim placed 2nd to Emma Zamora in the 1932 edition of the search for Carnival Queen. Her father was Ramon Arandia Lim, a Spanish-Chinese mestizo who was connected with San Miguel Brewery as a comptroller, until he fell ill. Her mother was Justa Cispon, of Portuguese-Pangasinense extract. Her photographs show a delicate, contemplative kind of beauty, her Eurasian heritage evident in her height and Oriental eyes. At the coronation of the 1932 court, Rosalina was escorted by Geronimo Santiago Jr.

Further enriching her multi-cultural background, she married Claude Devlin Martinez, a British-Filipino. Claude's father, from Balayan, Batangas, was studying shipbuilding in Scotland when he met and married an Englishwoman from London. The couple lived in London for some 15 years before returning to the Philippines.Rosalina and Claude had an only daughter, Tita Martinez Sicat, a Ph.D. holder and a U.P. professor.

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ALELI A. GUZMAN, 1932 Miss Visayas

One of the most accomplished women ever to emerge from the Manila Carnivals is Aleli Guzman, Miss Visayas 1932, in the court of Emma Zamora. Her father was one of the country's 1st accountants, Fortunato Guzman, while her mother, Angela Aguilar, was a gobernadorcillo's daughter from Manila. The family lived on Marquez de Comillas St., in Paco.

Aleli was a UP student when the 1932 contest beckoned. She was a charter member of the U.P. Sigma Delta Sorority and was an Upsilonian Fraternity Sweetheart and Corps Sponsor of the U.P. Vanguard. With these "beauty and brains" credentials, she easily made it to the winners' circle. When the Carnival ended, she quickly put the title behind her and pursued her education, graduating in 1937 with a double degree in Chemistry and Medicine.

As if that achievement was not enough, she placed among the Top 10 in the medical board exams. Despite her busy schedule, she found time to marry her college sweetheart, Antonio Quirino, a future judge, who was quite active in the same school associations that Aleli joined. The doctora devoted much of her time to church and charity. She is credited with performing the 1st abdominal operation in the Philippines. She founded the St. Martin Charity Hospital in the parish of Santuario del Sto. Cristo in San Juan, Metro Manila.

For her lifetime of selfless service, she was accorded the Mariang Maya Award for Humanities (1983), Community Development and Social Work, the Ulirang Ina Posthumous Award (2001) and the Mother Teresa Award. Nowhere did the expression "beauty with a purpose" ring truer than in the life of Aleli Guzman, Miss Visayas 1932.

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VIOLETA LOPEZ, 1932 Miss Mindanao

The controversial beauty from Iloilo who cried "foul" over the bathing suit incident at the 1930 Carnival came back to compete at the 1932 search for Miss Philippines, proof that she harbored no ill feelings towards the organizers. Violeta Lopez's good sportsmanship paid off, as she placed third and earned the Miss Mindanao title in the finals.

The written dedication on the back of this picture written by a starstruck sender noted Violeta's outstanding beauty. She writes: "She is the most beautiful candidate, but she lacks votes. I all saw them in the Floral Parade and she was naturally beautiful. She is Miss Mindanao".

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(Many thanks to Mrs. Tita M. Sicat, daughter of Rosalina Lim for the biographical sketch of her mother, who, in her own words "eschewed beauty, and went on to earn a Ph.D. , became a professor, and who met you at the U.P. book awards lunch!" Thanks too, to Mrs. Ping de Jesus for inviting me to judge at the BDAP awards where the fortuitous meeting happened. I am also indebted to Atty. Lila Guzman Quirino, daughter of Aleli Guzman, for providing the short biographical sketch of her mother).

68. 1932, Miss Philippines of the Manila Carnival, EMMA GONZALES ZAMORA

1932 MISS PHILIPPINES. Emma Zamora of Quiapo, the Hongkong educated beauty who took the Carnival by storm, led a short but a full life, passing away at the very young ae of 30. Her regn is remembered for the many dignitaries she met, including the Governor General of French Indo-China.

Emma Zamora y Gonzales, the 1932 Miss Philippines, was often described as having the perfect face, oval shaped, with languid eyes, a fair complexion and small pouty lips. Combine that with her pedigree—the Zamoras came from Manila’s aristocratic Quiapo district—and so it came as no surprise that Emma was crowned our sixth Miss Philippines in the annual Manila Carnival.

SIAMESE BEAUTY. Emma dressed as Thai royalty, which was the theme of her coronation. Her bejewelled headdress doubled as her crown.

Emma was the eldest of three children, born to Manuel Zamora and Josefina Gonzales. As an only girl, she was naturally pampered and was sent to the French Convent in Hong Kong at age 18. She returned to Manila for her debut and immediately, the tall, willowy beauty caught the fancy of Manila’s alta sociedad and was immediately enlisted by the powerful Bachelors’ Club as their official candidate to the country’s most prestigious contest of Filipina pulchritude.

SIAMESE SPLENDOR. Emma Zamora had the distinction of wearing two different crowns--a Thai-inspired crown that was part of her costume and also a a banded rhinestone tiara.

She swept competition away with the British-Chinese-Filipina beauty Rosalina Lim coming in second as Miss Luzon, Aleli Guzman as Miss Visayas and the comebacking beauty from the 1930 Carnival, Violeta Lopez, as Miss Mindanao. Emma’s moment of glory was the talk of the town, for the Coronation motif was Siamese. The exotic costumes were truly a feast for the eyes. Emma was attred like a Thai royal with a stupa-inspired, gem-encrusted headdress that doubled as a crown. She carried a feather fan and wore a sleeveless beaded gown with winged decorations on the shoulders reminiscent of kinarees (angels) from Thai mythology. Her entourage wore similar, simple Thai costumes.
QUEEN EMMA AND KING CONSORT. Emma with Dr. Arturo de Santos. He was the brother of Alicia de Santos, Miss Luzon of the year before, who relinquished her title.

Emma was escorted by Dr. Arturo de Santos, a young bachelor of wealth and culture. He too, was in character during Emma’s coronation, regal in a long Oriental tunic. The highlight of her coronation included meeting the Governor General of French Indo-China, President Manuel L. Quezon and other high government dignitaries—unprecedented in Carnival history.

GOWNED AND CROWNED. Emma Zamora, 1932 Miss Philippines, in her Pacita Longos-designed gown, wearing a different rhinestone crown.

Emma changed to a simpler banded crown and Filipiniana attire designed by Pacita Longos for her other royal appointments, which consisted mainly of crowning provincial queens, attending social functions which sometimes require her to travel by boat. Despite her stature, Emma’s feet remained firmly on the ground and after her reign was over, she married Dr. Enrique Ruiz, a longtime family friend and several years her senior, a year after the Carnival.

The couple had five children: Enrique Jr., Josefina (died in infancy), Isabel, Anna Maria and Eduardo. Emma’s fairy tale life was destined to be short, for child-bearing and the war took its toll on her health. She was bedridden for most of 1942 and on 20 March 1943, the toast of the 1932 Manila Carnival, Emma Zamora, passed away at age 30.