24. 24 LITTLE-KNOWN FACTS ABOUT ROGELIO DE LA ROSA

November 12, 2016 marks the birthday centenary of Rogelio de la Rosa (b. 1916/d. 1986)—matinee idol, politician, ambassador. This feature pays homage to Lubao’s famous son who rose to become the first King of Philippine Movies during the golden age of Philippine cinema, and the first showbiz personality to become a successful politician, and later, a much-admired diplomat.  

1. Rogelio de la Rosa’s grandfather, Francisco, was a pure Spaniard and and surveyor.  His grandmother—Francisco’s wife—was an Ilocano belle, Marciana Dariano, of Naguilian, La Union.

2. Feliciano, Rogelio’s father, is credited with donating an artesian well to the people of barrio San Jose Gumi, pre-dating Magsaysay’s practice of giving out water pumps to barrios. Feliciano was a painter, while mother Rosario, was famed as a singer.

3. The de la Rosas were the first family in Lubao to own the town’s first car.

4. The young de la Rosa was a zarzuelista, and along with his friend, Diosdado P. Macapagal, appeared in staged plays like “Sumpang Metupad”, “Atul ning Banua” and “Bayung Jerusalem”, written by playwright, Urbano Macapagal, Diosdado’s father.

5. After high school at the Lubao Institute, de la Rosa went to Far Eastern College where he earned a Liberal Arts degree. There, he became a superb athlete (intercollegiate welterweight boxing champ, member of the undefeated basketball Central Luzon basketball team) and a champion orator (Claro M. Recto Gold medallist  in Oratory).

6. Rogelio’s favorite books:  The Political Upheaval) (Schlesinger), Caesar and Christ (Will Durant), The Importance of Living (Lin Yutang) and Soviet Russia in China ( Gen. Chiang Kai-Shek). Favorite food: Pinakbet.

7. His baptismal name was “Regidor”; Rogelio de la Rosa was a screen name given to him by Jose Nepomuceno (“Father of Philippine Movies”), who directed him in  his first movie. She was paired with Bacolor-born Rosa del Rosario (Rosa Stagner, in real life) and their love team was alliteratively billed as—Rogelio de la Rosa and Rosa del Rosario.

8. At age 16, Rogelio made his first movie, “Ligaw na Bulaklak”, directed by Jose Nepomuceno. As it was a silent film, his lead actress mouthed lines in English,  while Rogelio spewed out sentences in Kapampangan. Fearing that the audience could lip-read, director Nepomuceno enrolled them in a Tagalog language course.

9. At his prime, de la Rosa stood 6 feet tall, weighed 184 pounds and had a 45 in. chest. In 1948, he had a fixed monthly salary of Php 2,000, and had  25% to. 33.3% share of net proceeds from his pictures, giving him a guaranteed annual income in the range of Php 150,000- Php 200,000, a substantial amount in those days.

  

10. The popular Rogelio de la Rosa-Carmen Rosales love tandem began with the 1939 musical, “Takipsilim”. They would appear together in 12 more films:  Lambingan, Señorita, Diwang Awit, Colegiala (1940), Panambitan, Tampuhan (1941), Camelia, Kampanang Ginto (1949), Maalaala Mo Kaya (1954), Ang Tangi Kong Pag-ibig, Iyong-iyo (1955), and their last movie together, Lydia (1956).

11. The actor put up his own RDR productions  with J. Amado Araneta and Placido Mapa in 1941, and produced box-office hits including: Ang Maestra, Anong Ganda Mo (1941) and Caballero (1942).

12. De la Rosa was the first Filipino actor to in a film slated for international release in 1949:  ‘Sword of the Avenger’, where he was top-billed as Ramon Delgado along with Sigrid Gurie. Produced by Eagle Films and the United Philippine Artists, it also had a Tagalog version—‘Ang Vengador’, this time, with Pacita Francisco. Shot  in Hollywood, the film was directed by Sidney Salkow,and featured the exploits of “ the swashbuckling leader of the Filipino resistance to Spanish opposition during the 19^th century”.

13. Many of the films of Rogelio de la Rosa spawned a few theme songs that became very popular:”Maalaala Mo Kaya?”, “Sarung Banggi”, “Tayo Na Sa Antipolo” and “ Ang Tangi Kong Pag-ibig”.

14. De la Rosa won two Best Actor awards for his movie “Higit sa Lahat”, earning the FAMAS Best Actor nod in 1955, and the Asia Film Festival Best Actor trophy in 1956, held in Hong Kong.

15. The very private Rogelio was already married when he was at the peak of his career. He was married during the Japanese Occupation to  Dolores “Lolita”  Z. Bayot of Masbate. Rogelio was  married a second time to a fellow Kapampangan actress, Carlota “Lota” Concepcion Delgado”, who was born in Camp Stotsenburg.

   

16. The de la Rosa children’s names all begin with the letter “R”:  Ramon, Rudolf,  Reynaldo, Roberto, Regidor (Rocky) and only girl, Ruby. His son with Bayot was also named Rogelio Jr.

17. In 1951, de La Rosa bought a 300 hectare property in Irisan, Baguio which  he developed into the RDR Dairy Farm. He supplied his city friends with eggs, pork, beef  and 225 quarts of milk daily, from his 150 cows imported from the U.S. Bureau of Animal Industry officials once tested their dairy milk and found it to have superior butterfat content.

18. During the Japanese Occupation, de la Rosa joined the underground resistance movement. He also volunteered to go to the war during the height of the hostilities in Korea, to help boost the morale of the U.N. forces.

19. De la Rosa’s first fling with politics was in 1957, when he ran for the Senate and won—largely on the support of his legions of fans, mostly from the masses. His most vital piece of legislation was his sponsorship of a bill that condemned the illegal appropriation of public streams and rivers by big fishpond owners. As a senator, he met with Pres. John F. Kennedy at the Oval office when the U.S. president signed the War Bill in 1962.

20. Pres. Ramon Magsaysay designated de la Rosa as his adviser on labor, agriculture and rural development. He impressed the president so much that Magsaysay even encouraged him to run for governor of Pampanga in 1955.

21. When de la Rosa ran for the Presidency as an Independent in 1961, he chose the salakot and a pair of bakya (wooden shoes) as elements of his campaign seal.His slogan was : “We shall return to Malacañang!”, in reference to his pro-“masa” (common people) approach to governance.

22. Ten days before the election, de la Rosa withdrew his presidential bid as he realized that he would split the opposition votes against the ruling re-electionist  Carlos P. Garcia. This move generated many ugly rumors: that he was paid Php 500,000 by the Macapagal camp to withdraw, plus a key cabinet position and control of the Central Bank, and that his decision had driven his wife, Lota, to drink poison and attempt suicide.  Another rumor had it that Malacañang paid de la Rosa to run to split the Luzon votes, but when he looked headed for victory in the South, the Nacionalistas were alarmed that he could actually win the presidency. De la Rosa gave way to his brother-in-law, thus paving the way for Macapagal’s victory.

23. De La Rosa served in the diplomatic corps for 18 years, starting as ambassador to  Cambodia in 1965, where he was admired even by Prince Norodom Sihanouk, He was also assigned to the Hague, Poland, and Bulgaria and Sri Lanka. During his term, he became the dean of the diplomatic corps. He retired from the Foreign Service in 1983.

24. He ran for a position in the Batasang Pambansa under the banner of KBL in 1984, but lost, amidst mounting protests against President Ferdinand Marcos. 

SOURCES:

 The Case for Rogelio de la Rosa,  Sunday Times Magazine, 23 November 1961.

 The “Untimely Withdrawal” of Roger de la Rosa, by Quijano de Manila, November 1961

 Garcia, Jessie B., A Movie Album Quizbook, Erehwon Books and Magazine, Iloilo City. December 2004. P. 107-111.

 Rogelio de la Rosa: Matinee Idol, Icon, Patriot, Gentleman. By Tonette Orejas, Philippine Daily Inquirer.p, A2-3.  13 Nov. 2016.

Doña Sisang and Filipino Movies. Philippines: Vera-Reyes, Inc. Published by A.R. Mercado Management, Inc.

Photo sources: Video 48, The Chronicle, Sunday Times Magazine,Constantino, Ronaldo, K., ed., "Memorable Tagalog Movie Ads 1946-56" Manila: Danny Dolor Publications, 1994,  Alex R. Castro Photo Collection. SPECIAL THANKS to; Michael de Leon, for photos of RDR and Lota Delado, and children.