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.

72. 1934, Miss Philippines of the Manila Carnival, CLARITA VILLARICA TAN KIANG

1934 MISS PHILIPPINES. Winsome Chinese-Filipina beauty Clarita Tan Kiang emerged victorious as the queen of the national fair. Her father was pure Chinese from Amoy.

In the 1934 edition of the Manila Carnival, the Miss Philippines crown went to an Oriental Filipina beauty, instead of the Spanish mestizas who had regularly dominated the past editions of the pageants. That year's winner was UP coed Clarita Tan Kiang. Clarita's father, Eduardo Tan Kiang, was born in Amoy, China and arrived in the Philippines as a young boy. He met and married Luisa Villarica and the couple settled in Marilao, Bulacan. Eduardo would serve as the first municipal mayor of this town and would further expand his family to 10 children.


When the children came of age, they were sent to Manila schools, and so the Tan Kiangs eventually spent more time in the city than in Marilao. Besides, Eduardo had other business interests in Manila. Clarita, the second eldest child, finished high school at the Holy Ghost College. Simultaneously, she also took up music courses at the University of the Philippines Conservatory of Music.


It was as a high school student that she was nominated to vie for the Miss Philippines title, and The Philippine Collegian became her major sponsor. Clarita had, as her main drumbeater, Arturo Tolentino, the editor of the school publication.Clarita was wrote about in the school paper in glowing terms—from her “laughing eyes, bedimple smile” to her voice that was likened to “the tinkle of golden bells”.


However, Clarita faced formidable opponents at the pageant. She had to contend with the reigning Miss Manila, Marcelina Cuenca and a bevy of Kapampangan belles led by Luz Sarmiento of Bacolor and Lucy Pamintuan of Angeles, daughter of Pampanga’s very affluent hacendero, Don Florentino Torres Pamintuan. Then there’s Luisa Laconico, a cousin of last year’s winner, Engracia, who was no less beautiful.


The Chinese community’s support of Clarita proved pivotal, as when all the votes were accounted for, Clarita came on top of the heap. She was thus proclaimed as Miss Philippines of the Eight National Beauty Contest in glittering ceremonies at the Carnival Auditorium together with her court: Luisa Laconico as Miss Luzon, Marcelina Cuenca as Miss Visayas and Consuelo Villamor, a UP schoolmate, as Miss Mindanao.


She received her crown that was uniquely designed with three stars representing the island groups—one star as a center topper, and two, dangling on strings of pearls. Clarita kept this crown as a memento of her reign all her life. She wore a sequined terno at her coronation, but changed to a billowy long sleeved gown with a long train for her Miss Philippines Night. Her damas wore identical ruffled numbers, with consorts dressed as Grecian princes.


It was back to her studies at U.P. when the Carnival ended, and she made up for her lost time by taking summer classes. She finished high school in 1935 and continued with her music course at the U.P. Later she enrolled at the College of Banking, Business and Economics, but her studies were interrupted by the coming War. Clarita did not remain idle and instead, she worked with a group that ministered to ailing former prisoners in a Pasay-based hospice. She worked tirelessly to maintain this home for convalescing war patients.


When the war years ended, she went back to her books, enrolling at the Philippine Law School, and earned another beauty title—Miss Justice—as part of the school’s silver anniversary celebration. It seemed that Clarita was too busy to make time for romance; she was already in her 40s when she found true love.


In one Malacanang occasion, she was introduced to Conrado Sanchez, a widower and a former law school professor, by First Lady Trinidad Roxas, herself a former Carnival Queen. Conrado was all set to become a Supreme Court Justice when he was smitten by Clarita. They tied the knot on 9 May 1965 and adopted a child in 1969.


After law school, Clarita immersed herself in the Tan Kiang family business and founded professional women’s organizations such as the Women’s Management Association and the Women’s Lawyers’ Association. She remained involved in socio-civic causes in her golden years, but she also continued to honor her roots by keeping her Marilao haven until her death.

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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70. 1933, Miss Philippines of the Manila Carnival, ENGRACIA ARCINAS LACONICO

1933 MISS PHILIPPINES. As a young woman growing up in Tondo, Engracia Laconico y Arcinas was elected as Miss Trozo. But the biggest title yet was the Miss Philippines crown which she won in dramatic fashion at the 1933 Manila Carnival.

Trozo-born Engracia Arcinas Laconico, came into the world just as the gates of the 1912 Manila Carnival were opened. In Tondo, then part of the Sta. Cruz district, Engracia grew up, the youngest daughter of Panfilo Laconico and Rosario Arcinas. NENE OF THE NATIONAL VOLUNTEERS. The young candidate, sponsored by the National Volunteers which ran a small publication, upset the favorites for the crown with a last-minute surge of votes solicited by her father. Engracia’s beauty was apparent at a young age, for in one of the yearly fiestas, she was elected as Miss Trozo. But a bigger honor awaited her when she was nominated to be one of the contestants to the search for the 1933 Miss Philippines of the Seventh National Beauty Contest of the Manila Carnival. At the time of the pageant, Engracia was a piano student at the University of the Philippines, but her fingers were also adept with the fine art of crocheting, a lifelong hobby that she enjoyed doing. QUEEN-ELECT NENE LACONICO. The helmet-like crown she wore at her coronation garnered mixed reviews from the newspapers covering the event. ENGRACIA'S GRACE. The uncrowned beauty sits in one of her salon sittings as Miss Philippines of 1933. Pictures of her crown-less are rare. At the onset, Engracia preferred to take a backseat to the more popular girls of the contest who were avidly supported by giant newspapers like Tribune, Bulletin and La Vanguardia. Engracia’s victory came in dramatic fashion that left the favorites stunned. ENGRACIA'S COURT OF BEAUTY. Charity Crow (Miss Luzon), Balnquita Opinion (Miss Visayas) and Angelina Biunas (Miss Mindanao). In the final moments of the balloting, Engracia’s father engaged the resources of the National Volunteers, an organization that he headed as President, and which piblihsed its own journal. Enlisting the help of another civic association he headed, he amassed enough votes to help clinch his daughter’s triumph at the Carnival. THE WINNING CIRCLE. Engracia Laconico with her court of honor, Miss Luzon, Miss Visayas and Miss MIndanao. The tall, fair beauty thus was proclaimed as the country’s seventh Miss Philippines, with Charity Crow emerging as Miss Luzon, Blanquita Opinion as Miss Visayas and Angelina Biunas as Miss Mindanao. She wore a crown in the shape of a helmet strung with pearls and topped with a 4-pointed star. By her side, her accomplished King Consort and close family friend, Dr. Gregorio Y. Zara, smartly stood in his militaria regalia, Dr. Zafra , 10 years older, had by then established himself as one of the country’s brilliant scientists. QUEEN AND KING OF THE 1933 MANILA CARNIVAL. Family friend Dr. Gregorio Zara, who was many years Engracia's senior, escorted the lovely queen at her coronation. A THRONE FIT FOR A QUEEN. Engracia, a most photographed royalty at the Manila Carnival of 1933. A fairy tale ending was in store for Engracia and Gregorio as romance bloomed between the two and resulted in their wedding in 1934. They made their home in Quezon City where they raised four children: Antonio, Pacita, Josefina and Lourdes. ROYAL COUPLE, ROYAL MARRIAGE. Engracia and Dr. Zafra at one of the Carnival Floral Parades. Romance would blossom between the two and they would become man and wife a year after the Carnival. The Zaras frequently traveled together whenever the venerable doctor was invited to conferences abroad. Engracia however was content to devote her time to home and family. Her beloved husband passed away in October 1978 after receiving the National Scientist Award from the government 4 months earlier. Engracia lived the rest of her days in her Quezon City home made cozier with her crochet creations and the warm memories of her accomplished husband. A FAIRY TALE REIGN. A very rare souvenir photo postcard of Engracia ruling over the 1933 Manila Carnival as our 7th Miss Philippines.

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.

67. 1931, MISS LUZON, MISS VISAYAS, MISS MINDANAO

LINA ARAULLO, 1931 Miss Luzon

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LUISA RODRIGUEZ, 1931 Miss Visayas

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LOUISE STEVENS, 1931 Miss Mindanao

The Stevens family were longtime Manila residents. Louise was a member of the Daughters of American Veterans as her father served in the Spanish-American War. She actually placed fifth in the Miss Philippines 1931 tally, but earned the Miss Mindanao title after the resignation of Alicia de Santos. Her brother acted as her escort. During WWII, the family was incarcerated at the University Santo Tomas camp until the liberation. The Stevens, led by Thaddeus Stevens, traced their family history to a Spanish Viceroy who was sent over to the Philippines by the King of Spain prior to the Spanish-American War.

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