119. 1915 Queen of the Benguet Carnival, EVELINE CHAINUS GUIREY

Eveline Chainus Guirey was the eldest of 10 children of Guirey, a Benguet baknang (well-to-do man, equivalent to an English country squire) and Dakalay , an Igorot who also went by her Christian name, Flora Pacalso. Born in 1902 in Gumatdang, Itogon, Chainus was schooled by missionaries at the Bua Public School near Baguio.

She was just 13 when she was elected Queen of the Benguet Carnival, becoming the fair's major attraction and drawing crowds of up to 8,000 people. With long straight hair, a morena complexion and a regal bearing, petite Chainus captivated Benguet with her every appearance, whether dressed in her native costume of green and purple silk or in a Western gown with a long gauze train. On her head was a unique tiara made of copper and silver plates with a precious ruby stone set at the center.


As part of her royal duties, Chainus was invited to go to the Manila Carnival with her court, and her presence elicited even more buzz what with their exotic mountain dresses and personal adornments. In appreciation, the Philippine Carnival Association gifted her with a silver tea set.


After her graduation from Bua, Chainus was handpicked by the school director Mrs. Alice Kelly, to go Manila to take up education at Philippine Normal School and later, a nursing course at St. Luke's Hospital. But she contracted turberculosis from which she never recovered. She died with Episcopal Bishop Florencio Mosher by her side. Schools were closed, classes were suspended and a large crowd--including VIPs like Mayor E. J. Halsema, Mt. Province Gov. Luna, Vice Gov. de Guzman, Chief of Police Joseph Keith and Jim Wright of the Trinidad School Farm attended her funeral on Oct. 5, 1920, which was pre-faced by a requiem mass. She was just 18 years old.

A decade later, J.J. Murphy established a motion picture theater along Session Rd. and named it Alhamar-Chainus, in her memory. Contrary to a popular belief, Chainus is not the subject of a statue of a Benguet girl that stands in the Italian Garden of Camp John Hay, erected long before her death.

118. 1929 SURIGAO CARNIVAL

Surigao was once Caraga, a large district that also included parts of Davao Oriental and eastern Misamis Oriental. The province was further reduced in 1911 when the politico-military commandancia of Butuan, then a sub-province of Surigao was created into the province of Agusan. The still undivided Surigao province held its first and only Carnival from Sept. 7-15, 1929. It was held at the height of the rainy season, but this did not prevent the Surigaonons from celebrating their own fair to the hilt.


The crowning of the Surigao Carnival Queen, Her Majesty, Queen Lourdes I was attended with much fanfare, and the coronation had an Egyptian theme patterned after the national carnival. The Queen was surrounded with a retinue of beauties, Miss Municipality winners from the towns of Surigao.



One other sensation of the Surigao Carnival of 1929 was the Bureau of Agriculture exhibit which displayed the agricultural and commercial products of the province.

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.

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.

114. 1927 MISS PHILIPPINES' MESSAGE

(To her guests on the occasion of a literary and musical program given by her on February 20, in honor of the Philippine Beauties of 1927.)

Charming guests, ladies and gentlemen:

It seldom falls upon the lot of a mortal and indeed, it presents itself but once in a life time, to have the honor, as I do this evening of extending a cordial welcome to this galaxy of beautiful ladies, the pride and gems of our land. Never in the history of this hall, has there been gathered a group of such charming and incomparable beauties, a bunch of the choicest and rarest flowers we might say, as there has been here tonight.

Blessed is this occasion and twice blessed in this hall where this evening we behold, as in a vision, this sisterly gathering of the representatives to the second national beauty contest of the pride and flower of the provinces of the Philippines. This hall, by your presence, charming guests, has been transformed, as one might say, into a rendezvous of the goddesses of Mount Olympus for the purpose of a divine meeting; and I, as a humble hostess in my capacity as representative of the City of Manila and of the entire Philippines,--an honor that others would have acquitted better than myself,--thank you and welcome you in the name of my Alma Mater, the Centro Escolar de Señoritas.


I thank you not only for your presence here tonight, but also for the gallantry and generosity with which you have received my election as Miss Philippines. I know I am unworthy of the distinction, and I would have been happier if others worthier than I were in my place. I have nothing to say but words of thanks to you, to the judges and to all those who have exalted me to such a place of honor.

I am very well aware of my responsibilities, and I tremble to think that my capacity, ability and beauty are not equal to the task. But I am confident that you will not abandon me in my trying hours as the honor you have conferred upon me involves the honor and dignity of our country.

Permit me, my guests, to convey to you my idea of the significance of the contest that has just terminated.. To my mind, the national beauty contest which was held for the second time in the Philippines, should not only be an occasion for the outburst of our admiration for physical beauty.

It should also be an occasion for the cultivation of a higher form of beauty—the spiritual beauty. It should be an occasion when the representatives of the various provinces vie with each other in beauty not for their personal aggrandizement but for the honor of the country we all love.

It should be an occasion for manifesting to the world without blushing that in this rosary of beautiful isles dwells a people conscious of its physical, moral and spiritual worth, a people that aspires to shape its own destiny.


As representatives of the pride and flower of our land, we have duties to perform. We are not mere decorations or works of arts to be exhibited in a museum. We are daughters of the Philippines, endowed with physical qualities that should be utilized for the refinement and elevation of our moral and spiritual legacies. This yearly gathering should also be an occasion for renewing our faith in the righteousness of our sublime aspiration—the freedom of the Philippines.

Because what is physical beauty unaccompanied by a spiritual grandeur, and what is spiritual greatness that does not aspire to liberty, the supreme of all sentiments?

Charming guests, once more, I welcome you. You are at home in this building; you have taken possession of it. Consider it as your own home and our worthy Directress as your own mother. Here you will not be lonely for in this house which you have taken possession of tonight, you will find loving hearts and sisterly affection.

Our hearts throb for you and all our best wishes are for you. These eager-looking ladies around you are your sisters who have come to this school to drink from its fountain of wisdom, that in the future will be of use to the land we all adore and for which we cherish a beautiful dream.

I thank you.

113. Carnival Beauties: CARIDAD C. MORENTE, 1927 Miss Mindoro

Caridad “Caring” Morente, Mindoro’s bet to the glittering 1927 Manila Carnival was born on 7 January 1906 and grew up in the rustic Pinamalayan town. After graduating valedictorian from grade school, she was sent off to Manila for her high school education at St. Scholastica. She became a boarder, together with her sisters, Consuelo and Guadalupe in faraway Manila, and as such, could only afford to come home to Mindoro only once a year, in a boat.

Under the watchful eye of the German Benedictine nuns, Caridad excelled in science and physics. She was in junior year when she was chosen to represent her island province in the national search for the Carnival Queen by Mindoro Gov. Ignacio, with the support of her father. The crown was won by Manila’s Luisa Marasigan.

Caridad, however, was more concerned about her future than wearing a rhinestone crown. After graduating from St. Scholastica in 1928, she enrolled at the University of the Philippines where she obtained her Bachelor of Science in Zoology, a pre-Medicine course and where she also became an instructor for 9 years.

Twice nominated to a Barbour scholarship to Michigan University, her old-fashioned father would not allow her to make the overseas trip. In 1933, she married lawyer-landlord Jesus Tereso Pineda and moved with him to his large farm in Concepcion, Tarlac where she readily picked up the Kapampangan language while raising six children, who all earned M.A. degrees.

Though poor health prevented her from becoming a doctor, Caridad encouraged others to develop their talents. She became the President of the Puericulture Center of Concepcion, Tarlac and remained a mentor to the Center for 13 years.

With the help of the late Congressman Jose Feliciano of the third district of Tarlac, she was able to put up a building for the center. To foster health and sanitation in their barrio, Caring held contests for the cleanest and most orderly house and yard, giving away such prizes as home furnishings and kitchenware.

She convinced her husband to get Kapampangan priests to give their tenants retreats and she herself taught them how to confess. She and her husband also helped build a chapel for the barrio.

Tragically, a car accident claimed the life of her husband, Jesus Pineda, in 1972, a crash she survived. She then devoted herself to apostolic work as a tertiary sister of the Third Order of St. Dominic. She established a Tertiary Chapter in Tarlac, becoming a Prioress for two consecutive years. She taught catechism, Spanish language lessons, good manners and right conduct and cooking to member communities until she was 93 years old. She also regularly visited Mother Teresa’s hospital in Tondo and the Bahay na Walang Hagdan, helping care for the sick.

At age 98, she suffered a fall that required a hip operation from which she happily recovered: a smiling survivor if ever there was one. She shares a centennial birthday with St. Scholastica College and now, over 104 years old, she is not only the school’s oldest surviving alumnus but also an outstanding Scholasticisian


(Photo and portions of biographical sketch, used with permission from Mr. Alfredo Roces, son-in-law of Caridad Morente-Pineda. Pls visit: http://dingrocespo.blogspot.com/2009/04/life-at-103.html. )