Thursday, September 28, 2017

62. 13 AMAZING INVENTIONS OF DR. BILLY MALANG, PAMPANGA’S AWARD-WINNING ‘INNOVENTOR’

DR. VIRGILIO ”Billy” L. MALANG is one of the country’s most prodigious inventors. He has won over  20 local and 18 international awards, including recognitions at the 2008 First International Inventors Day Convention (Bangkok), the Outstanding Service Medallist for 2008 International Federation of Inventor Association (IFIA), the 2008 Outstanding Alumnus in Science and Technology of Pampanga High School and the 2015 Most Outstanding Kapampangan Awardee for Science and Technology.  Born in San Fernando, Pampanga, Dr. Malang graduated with a PhD from the University of Santo Tomas, and an MBA from the U.P. He also serves as technical consultant of San Miguel Corporation, an author an entrepreneur, founder and CEO of Humana Pharmaceuticals.
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BONUS! Watch Dr. Billy Malang's Videos Here!

WATCH. DR. MALANG'S VIDEO HERE:
"Bilib Ka Ba, Bitoy?"

WATCH  THE SAN MIGUEL BEER COMMERCIAL
featuring Dr. Billy Malang Here:
SOURCES:
MR. Malang’s Invention: Billy Malang’s FB page
San Miguel Vitamin Beer TVC: youtube, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K1Bcf_9VHzM
Uploaded by vitaminsanmiguelbeer, 27 June 2008.

Monday, September 18, 2017

61. 7 KAPAMPANGAN WINNERS OF NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL SINGING CONTESTS

The Kapampangan’s natural affinity and talent for music becomes apparent the moment you turn on the TV, where, chances are, you’ll find a Kapampangan singer-contestant belting his heart out in those popular star searches. Here is a list of Kapampangans who sang their way into the hearts of audiences in national and international song competitions through the years.


1.      CENON LAGMAN, Grand Champion, Tawag ng Tanghalan 1959
“Tawag ng Tanghalan” was the first true national talent search conducted in 1954 by manufacturing giant, Philippine Marketing Company, producer of such staple 1950s-60s products like Luto, Perla Soap, Dari Crème, Star Margarine and its banner brand, Purico. The show, which was used by PMC as a promotional platform, spawned nationally famous singers like Pepe Pimentel, Diomedes Maturan, and in later years, Nora Aunor. In 1959,  Cenon Punla Lagman, a high schooler and a  fisherman’s son from Masantol copped the grand title with the kundiman, “Ikaw Lang ang Iibigin Ko”.  Part of his prize included appearances at the Manila Grand Opera House. Lagman also starred in the movie “Maturan and Lagman” along with his successor, Diomedes Maturan. Known as the “Prinsipe ng Kundiman”, he recorded hits like “Pandora”, “Bakas ng Lumipas”, ”Bakit Di Kita Malimot” and “Salamat sa Ala-ala”. He settled in Las Piñas with his family and died on 25 May 2013.


2.      JUN PEÑA, Grand Champion, Tawag ng Tanghalan, Grand Champion 1965
Rosendo “Jun” Peña, the 1965 Grand Champion, is listed in the “Tawag”record books as having represented Northern Luzon at the national finals. Actually, Peña comes from Barangay Batang 2nd, in Sasmuan, Pampanga. It so happened that while he was paying a visit to his girlfriend Helen in Dagupan, the “Tawag” auditions were also being held there. He signed up, won the Dagupan regionals and was whisked off to Manila for the finals. A Bachelor of Arts student at Letran, Peña was also a champion orator and choir soloist.  He sang “Autumn Leaves” during the Gran Finals, and romped off with the top prize, earning a singing engagement at Clover Theater in the process. His soothing voice earned him the monicker, “Johnny Mathis of the Philippines”. Peña still resides in Pangasinan today.


3.      SARAH GERONIMO, Grand Champion, Star for a Night 2002-2003
“Star for a Night”, first staged in 2002, was a local adaptation of the British show of the same title and produced by Viva Television. The popular TV show aired on IBC 13, was hosted by Regine Velasquez. One of the contestants was a 14 year-old singer from Balutu, Concepcion, Tarlac—Sarah Asher Tua Geronimo. During the grand finals, Geronimo—who performed last—sang Celine Dion’s “To Love You More”, and won the judges’ vote, winning over future famous singers as Mark Bautista, Angelique Quinto and Mau Marcelo. She won the 1 million cash prize and a managerial contract under Viva Artists Agency. Geronimo, dubbed as Popstar Royalty, would go on to bigger acclaim as actress-singer, TV celebrity, record producer, songwriter and dancer.


4.      RAYMOND MANALO, 2nd Place,  Search for a Star 2004
Raymond Manaloto Manalo was an artistic scholar of Holy Angel University and was a Financial Accounting junior when he decided to join the “Search for a Star” in 2004. The talent search was a project of Viva Television aired on GMA 7. The homegrown Angeles lad was practically self-taught in music, honed by years of participation in his school’s activities—as an Angelite Musical Ambassador, and as founding president of Holy Angel Music Club. It was no surprise that he became one of the 10 finalists in the nationwide star search. Manalo, who sang “Kailangan Kita”, was pipped in the finals by eventual winner, Rachelle Ann Go, but his second place finish paved the way for a recording career capped by the release of his CD, “Faithfully”. He also managed to finish his business administration degree from the Asian Institute for Distance Education in Makati.


5.      RONNIE LIANG, 3rd Place, Pinoy Dream Academy 2006
Ronnie Liang grew up in Angeles City, the youngest of 7 children. While studying for an Education degree at Holy Angel University, he worked in a fast food restaurant and moonlit as a ramp model--until his manager found out he could carry a tune. Liang was encouraged to join Pinoy Pop Superstar where he became a top contender, but the controversy over his having a manager prompted him to leave the show. His next stop was at “Pinoy Dream Academy” a new talent search on Channel 2 that required contestants to live in an academy for 4 months. Liang qualified as one of the 20 “scholars”—and then made it to the Honor’s List of Six. In the finals, he sang the OPM song “Ngiti”  and placed third behind Jay-R Siaboc and champion, Yeng Constantino. Liang became Department of Education spokesperson for Brigada Eskuwela 2008-2010 that aimed encourage the youth to stay in school and finish their studies. He mae TV and movie appearances, became a mainstay of the Sunday show ASAP 08, and today, continues to perform here and abroad.


6.      THIA MEGIA, 11th place, American Idol 2012
In the 10th season of American Idol 2012 , a fifteener, Thia Megia (born Thialorei Lising Megia) , a Fil-Am with Kapampangan roots, barged into the group of 12 finalists.  Megia was born in Hayward, California to parents Cynthia Lising and Loreto Megia, originally from Brgy. Sta. Teresita , Angeles City. The couple had emigrated to America in 1968, where they had their ‘Mejia’ surname, change to “Megia”. Thia has been joining and winning song contests as a kid, and has appeared on TV’s “Kid Star of Tomorrow” before joining American Idol. She eventually placed 11th, with her performance of the Elton John song, “Daniel”.


7.      SASSA DAGDAG, 4th Place, The Voice Kids 2015
The guitar-playing Sassa Dagdag of Angeles City was just 13 when she joined the second season of “The Voice Kids”.  Coached by her father, the Holy Angel grade school student  passed the audition to thunderous acclaim when she sang Sia’s “Chandelier”. Under Bamboo Mañalac’s mentorship, Dagdag reached the final 4 of the contest with her unique vocal styling. In the finals, she sang “Ikaw” (duet with Sharon Cuneta”, “Starships”, and the power ballad “Next in Line”. When all the votes came in, Dagdag found herself in 4th place, behind winner Elha Nympha. Dagdag later moved to Manila to pursue her studies and singing career,

SOURCES:
CENON LAGMAN:
ROSENDO PEÑA:
SARAH GERONIMO:
Photo: Sarah Geronimo, the Philippines’  Queen of Pop: http://sarahgeronimoknights.blogspot.com/2016/01/flashback-sarah-geronimos-winning.html
RAYMOND MANALO:
RONNIE LIANG:
Pinoy Dream Academy:
THIA MEGIA:
SASSA DAGDAG:
The Voice Kids Philippines Blind Auditions: https://i.ytimg.com/vi/t3DkEmNRASY/hqdefault.jpg

Tuesday, September 5, 2017

60. 16 IMPORTANT CULTURAL PROPERTIES IN PAMPANGA, AS DECLARED BY THE NATIONAL MUSEUM

Important Cultural Properties or cultural properties having exceptional cultural, artistic, and historical significance to the Philippines are determined by the National Museum, the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP), the National Library of the Philippines (NLP), and/or the National Archives of the Philippines (NAP). Pampanga is honored to have in its midst, important cultural properties that are now included in the Philippine Registry of Cultural Property (PRECUP),  the repository of all information pertaining to properties in the Philippines deemed significant to our cultural heritage.
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SAN AGUSTIN PARISH CHURCH (Lubao)
The San Agustin Parish Church is considered one of the oldest in Pampanga, having been built in 1572, in Barrio Sta. Catalina. It moved to its present site 30 years later, due to floods. Fray Antonio Herrera undertook the construction using local materials, including sand mixed with egg albumen as binder. It was used as a hospital in 1899 by American forces. Destroyed in the last war, it was restored from 1949-1952, under Fr. Melencio Garcia. It celebrated its 440th founding anniversary in 5 May 2012 with the reception of the relics of St. Augustine and St. Monica. The church was declared by the National Historical Commission as Important Cultural Property on 28 August  2013.

THE CHURCH COMPLEX OF SANTO ROSARIO (Angeles City)
The Holy Rosary Church was built by residents of Culiat and was finished in 1896. Exhibiting a European Romanesque style,  its most distinctive feature are its twin bell towers, which served as watch towers for the revolucionarios from 1898-99. The remains of Angeles founder, Angel Pantaleon de Miranda and his wife, Rosalia de Jesus, are interred at the sides of the altar. During the Philippine-American War, the church served as a military hospital from1899-1904, and was also used by the Japanese army in the 1940s as a motor pool. The adjoining building was a convent that Augustinian nuns turned into the Colegio de la Sagrada Familia.  German Benedictine nuns took ver the school in 1922 and who renamed it Holy Family Academy.

ANGEL PANTALEON DE MIRANDA HOUSE (Angeles City)
The house of Angel Pantaleon de Miranda, considered the oldest house in the city, was built in 1824, with much of the wood coming from their original 1811 house in Barrio Cutcut reused in the construction. The stately 19th century bahay-na–bato was bequeathed to daughter, Juana de Miranda, who was married to Dr. Mariano Henson, LL.D.  It then passed on to a series of heirs, including son, Don Mariano Vicente Henson, Jose Pedro Henson, and Vicente N. Henson. Vicente’s daughter, Rosalie, married to Mr. Sergio T. Naguiat, Jr., are the current owners of the old house known today as “bale matua”.

PATRICIA MERCADO-GOMEZ MASNOU HOUSE (Angeles City)
The house of Patricia Mercado was built in 1860, paid for by Fray Guillermo Gomez Masnou, then Angeles parish priest, with whom she had 6 children, Upon his death, Mercado took over the domain until her death in 1900. Daughter Maria Teodora “Mariquita” Gomez , who was married to Don Filomeno Santos, inherited the house and rented out the ground floor to American Thomasites John  W. Osborn and Marion Huff. Mariquita’s eldest—Francisco Santos—took possession of the house upon her death in 1954; in 1986 he sold it to Mr. Jose G. Paras who restored the crumbling home to its old glory.  It currently is being used as a function hall for social and community activities.

JUAN NEPOMUCENO CAMALIG (Angeles City)
The old camalig (shed or storehouse for grains) along Sto. Rosario St. was built in 1840 by Don Ciriaco de Miranda. A descendant, Capitan Juan Nepomuceno, the town’s first post-colonial mayor, improved on the original wooden structure. The 150-year-old wooden camalig was inherited by descendant  Armando L. Nepomuceno through five generations, who owned a small pizzeria established in 1973. In 1980, he transferred his pizzeria to the camalig Now known as the Historic Camalig Restaurant, it is also billed  as ‘The Home of Armando's Pizza: Ang Pambansang Pizza'." The camalig houses many old family photos and artifacts original to the granary. Armando’s son and his family, Marc Nepomuceno, are the current owners of the place, which stands as a fine example of successful adaptive re-use for business.

JOSE PEDRO HENSON’S “DEPOSITO” (Angeles City)
This structure—which was meant to be a used as a storage and parking house for carrozas and processional santos, was built in 1899 by Jose Pedro Henson, great grandson of the founder of Angeles. It served as a jail for errant American soldiers during the Philippine-American War. One such prisoner was Pvt. George A. Raymond who was put on trial,found guilty of murder, robbery and rape, and sentenced to death by a U.S. Military Commission. After the last war, it was rented to the U.S. Army 11th Film Exchange. Once again, it was used as a jail by the U.S. military police and 13th U.S. Air Force at various times, from 1947 to 1965. It was converted into the city’s post office building form 1967-1978 and today it houses a Physical Therapy Clinic.

CIRIACO DE MIRANDA HOUSE (Angeles City)
The Nepomuceno Ancestral House  was built in 1840 by Don Ciriaco de Miranda, the first gobernadorcillo of Angeles town, and the younger of two surviving sons of the founders of Angeles, Angel Pantaleon de Miranda and Rosalia de Jesus. He was married to Carlota de Leon. As they were childless, they raised Agustina Henson, the daughter of Mariano Henson and Juan Ildefonso de Miranda, daughter of the founder of Angeles, Angel Pantaleon de Miranda with Rosalia de Jesus. On 25 July 1868, Carlota willed their house of wood, stone and capiz to their foster daughter Agustina, who married Pio Rafael Nepomuceno of Lucban, Quezon. Upon her death on 27 July 1905, her property was passed on to her heirs, children Ysabelo, Juan, Ramona, Nemesia, Maria, and her Dayrit grandchildren, from late daughter Carmen.

MARIANO LACSON HOUSE (Angeles City)
Mariano Lacson was a rich haciendero who owned most of Sapang Maisac. He had this house built around late 1930’s, it was said to be the first "architected" house in Angeles. It was commissioned to Arch’t Fernando Hizon Ocampo. During WWII, the Japanese took over the house and made it their garrison. It was occupied by the USO, an agency of the American military in the 1950s. Dr. Amelia Guiao & Dr. Luz Ayson made this house the Mother of Perpetual Help Hospital. It was then used as the site of the first OB Montessori Pre-School in Angeles—whose most famous alumni is international Broadway star, Lea Salonga.Today, this house is owned by a Cebu-based company; it is building a tall structure at the back though they promised to keep the house intact.

RAFAEL YUTUC SR. HOUSE (Angeles City) 
Along Sto. Entierro St  stands the old Yutuc House, which once belonged to Rafael Yutuc  Sr., a pharmacist , and his wife Felixberta Dela Cruz. The house, which sits on a spacious 1,647 sq. m. lot, bears traces of its 19th century beginnings. The senior Yutuc died at an early age and a son, Rafael Jr., with wife Carolina Dela Cruz, inherited the house.   Family lore has it that the residence was so beautiful that Juan Luna was moved to make a painting of it. The house has undergone many restorations, including one in 1923. A neighbor put up a funeral parlor business just across the house;  but  as the Yutuc children apparently could not stand having a front view to funeral wakes every day, they sold the house to the Lagunilla family. The new owners solved this problem by putting up a  high wall which unfortunately hides the house—now known as Casa Lagunilla-- from public appreciation.

MUNICIPAL HALL OF GUAGUA
The heritage town hall of Guagua where the mayor and other elected officials hold office, was built in 1937. It has kept most of its original features, which is remarkable for an 80 year old edifice built in the Commonwealth years. It stands on the grounds fronting Brgy. Plaza Burgos. The old statue of the patriotic writer, Aurelio Tolentino has been moved to the front of the municipal hall.

THE CHURCH COMPLEX OF INMACULADA CONCECPION (Guagua)
The first church edifice was constructed in 1587 but was unfortunately razed by fire. The current Church structure was constructed in 1772 under the administration of the Augustinians. The Church was greatly improved in 1862 until 1870. The interiors are simple and the centerpiece attraction is the main altar, a creation of noted local artist Willy Layug. While still simple, the exteriors on the other hand, are marked by massive strength. The Cathedral-type church is located immediately adjacent to the Guagua Municipal Building and houses the Cardinal Santos Catholic Center and the Immaculate Conception Parochial School.

THE CHURCH COMPLEX OF SAN BARTOLOME (Magalang)
The 19th-century baroque church of Magalang, dedicated to San Bartolome, is located at Brgy. San Nicolas I, Magalang. Around 1725,  the Magalang convent was exempted from paying its dues to the Augustinian province, thus allowing it to save up financial resources for the erection of a more permanent church structure.  The church, as we know it, was built by Fray Ramon Sarrionandia in 1866, with the finishing touches undertaken by Fray Fernando Vasquez, who had 2 bells installed.  In 1891,  Fray Toribio Fanjul renovated the church flooring and sacristy.

MUNICIPAL HALL OF MAGALANG
The Magalang Municipal Hall is a town landmark located across the Plaza de la Libertad. Its predecessor was the old Spanish era (ca. 1866) Casa Tribunal building built after the transfer of the town from San Bartolome. Made of light materials like nipa and bamboo, it was refurbished in 1875 during the tenure of gobernadorcillo Tereso Manalo, who had military barracks (cuartel) added. More improvements were initiated by Capitan Paulino Gueco in 1896, before the revolucionarios took over who used the municipio to detain  Fr. Pedro Diez Ubierna (the last Spanish priest of Magalang) and two Spaniards. The new edifice was built in 1922 , during the presidency of Antonio Y. Luciano, and was inaugurated 2 years later. The municipal building, which survived the war and other natural calamities, was declared an Important Cultural property in 2015.

MUNICIPAL HALL OF LUBAO
The Municipal Hall of Lubao, constructed around 1937 is one of the early concrete structures erected during the Commonwealth years. It was originally a 2-storey building with stairs at the sides that was expanded over the years, eventually acquiring a neo-classic look distinctively characterized by its massive frontal columns and clean, elegant lines. Much of its original features are intact—from its wooden flooring, balustrades to its offices. In march 2016, a new municipal hall costing Php14.7 million is envisioned to rise in an eight-hectare property along Jose Abad Santos Avenue in Brgy. Santa Catalina in an area where the town traces its beginnings.

HELIOGRAPH TOWERS OF SAN ISIDRO AND STA. CRUZ (Magalang)
In Magalang, the remnants of two 20 meter high torre heliografico (heliographic towers)—one in Brgy. San Isidro, the other in Sta. Cruz--were declared as Important Cultural Properties in 2017. Of the two, the Sta. Cruz tower is better preserved—part of a series of more than 10 heliograph towers that were strategically located in Magalang, Mabalacat and Concepcio in Tarlac as stations of communications. Messages are transmitted through flashes of light generated in rapid succession by mirrors that are turned on an axis. Transmission of messages via mirror signaling was known and practiced by North American Indians.

MUNICIPIO DEL PUEBLO ANGELES
The town hall was constructed during the American regime, in 1922, under mayor Juan D. Nepomuceno, and was built from the original 1840 Casa Tribunal. A detachment of the Spanish Army occupied the Tribunal in 1897, and the Philippine Revolutionary Government took it after the Spaniards fled in 1898. It was in this building that the Americans installed Florentino Pamintuan as the town alcalde. During WWII, the Japanese used the town hall as a jail for American escapees from the Death March prior to their execution. Beginning 1999, the town hall has been converted into a museum, Museo ning Angeles, by the Kuliat Foundation. In June 2012, the Museo ning Angeles was declared an Important Cultural Property of the Philippines, the first  such structure to be given such a distinction.


SOURCES:
Mercado-Masnou House: The Officoial Website of Angeles City.
Yutuc House/ Mariano Lacson House/ Yutuc House: Information and pictures c/o Joy L. Cruz
Heliograph Towers: Joel Pabustan Mallari / Louie Bartolo Lacson
Ciriaco de Miranda House: Nepomuceno, Marc: The Nepomucenos of Angeles City
Guagua Municipal Hall: Official website of Guagua, Pampanga, https://www.guagua.gov.ph/
Magalang Church: Galende, Pedro G. (1996). Angels in Stone: Architecture of Augustinian Churches in the Philippines (2nd ed.). Manila, Philippines: San Agustin Museum. pp. 143–144
Lubao Municipal Hall: 1939 Lubao Town Fiesta souvenir program
Magalang Municipal Hall: Photo: iorbitnews