254. Carnival Beauties: LEONARDA OCAMPO, Miss Philippines 1934 Candidate

A PRETTY GIRL IS LIKE A MELODY. Leonarda Francisco was a music student of St. Scholastica when she made a bid for the Miss Philippines 1934 crown. This lovely Nueva Ecijana became a well-known concert pianist later in life.

 Leonarda Ocampo, was the first female graduate of Saint Scholastica College's Conservatory of Music. She was still a student when she was prevailed to run for the 1934 Manila Carnival search for Miss Philippines. She originally represented her province of Nueva Ecija having been born in Brgy. Bangad, Cabanatuan.The crown went to the Marilao beauty, Clarita Tan Kiang.

Leonarda became a well-known concert pianist. She passed on the musical genes to her descendants, which include the award-winning composer Louie Ocampo and Fr. Manoling Francisco S.J., composer of the well-known songs, "Hindi Kita Malilimutan" and "Tanging Yaman". A school that stands on a piece of land donated by the family in Cabanatuan City is named after this musical beauty.

226. THE 2ND NUEVA ECIJA CARNIVAL OF 1927

QUEEN AMPARING I. The queen-elect of the 2nd Nueva Ecija Carnival of 1927, held at Cabanatuan. However, the one who got to go to Manila for the Miss Philippines contest was Julita Matias.

Nueva Ecija, one of the rice and sugar-producing provinces of Central Luzon, was an early supporter of the Manila Carnival. Proud to showcase its achievements especially in the field of agriculture, the provincial government put up exhibition booths in the early years of the Carnival (1908-1909). Some Nueva Ecijanas also figured in the national search for the Manila Carnival Queen; Pacita Bantug de Guzman of San Isidro came close to winning the 1912 crown when she placed 2nd to Paz Marquez. The province was also represented in 1926 (candidate unknown) and in 1927 by Julita Matias.

Gripped with Carnival fever, Nueva Ecija soon started holding its own petit carnivals beginning in 1926. In 1927, the 2nd Nueva Ecija Carnival was staged, capped with the coronation of Queen Amparing I, as the festival royalty.