65. 12 STATELY KAPAMPANGAN RESIDENCES, AS THEY LOOKED IN THE 1930s

The 1930s was a period of relative peace and prosperity for many Kapampangans, especially for those who made their fortunes from the province’s burgeoning sugar and rice industry. Old colonial homes were refurbished and expanded, modern residences were built,  designer mansions and multi-storey homes were commissioned to be lived in, and to be seen. Here are some of them as they appeared in the halcyon days of the 1930s.

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The spacious Don Alfonso de Leon residence was designed by Arch. Fernando H. Ocampo, considEred as the “Father of Modern Architecture”. It was constructed with Rizal Cement and furnished with renowned Puyat Furniture pieces.

The residence of Don Luis Wenceslao Dison and Feliza Hizon Dison is located in brgy. San Jose. It is another creation of Arch. Fernando H. Ocampo, built with Rizal Cement, painted by A.B. Villanueva & Sons, and furnished with Puyat Furniture. The 1930s house, whose main features remain intact,  is now being used as the Archdiocesan Chancery.

Don Benigno Fajardo is one of the founding fathers of Lubao Institute which opened in 1929. The most distinctive part of his multi-level house is the double-roofed upper storey terrace, accessible by a grand central staircase.

A prominent sugar planter of Lubao, Don Ambrosio Gonzales (b.1876/d.1957)  is also a socio-civic leader of the town, having founded the Hormiga de Hierro (Ants of Steel) in 1901. His charming 2-storey house, which is enclosed by a metal grill fence, sits on a lush garden and is typical of the modernized homes in 1930s Pampanga.

The Guanzon house was built in 1932 by Don Felipe Pineda Guanzon for his wife Dona Epifania Alvendia- Guanzon of Sta. Rita. Known today as Villa Epifania, the concrete house has sleek art deco elements, a style in vogue during the Commonwealth years.

Don Leandro Ibarra, an accomplished lawyer, was named Secretary of Interior of the Philippine Revolutionary Government under Emilio Aguinaldo. His capacious  “bahay na bato” residence was still well-kept and in order in the 1930s,

The Angeles home of Don Jose Lazatin, a  well-known businessman and sugar planter was designed by Menem Tayag. The concrete and wood house is furnished with the latest in Puyat Furniture.

The imposing Lopez Mansion, built in the grand Greek revival style, is reputed to be the first all-concrete house in Pampanga. It is constructed with APO Cement and furnished with Puyat Furniture. Owner Don Alejandro Lopez was a successful planter, owner of the Lopez Rice Mill, Co., and the Vice President of Pampanga Sugar Mills Planters Association. Together with his wife, Jacinta Limson and his family, Lopez resided and also held office here.

The home of Don Jose Luciano in Magalang was a favorite party place of the town’s elite, and the Lucianos would often host dinners and balls for Manila’s high society families like the Madrigals.  The beautiful house with a wide porch. was specially designed by Arch. Fernando H. Ocampo,  built with Rizal Cement and furnished with Puyat Furniture.

The beautiful home of lawyer  Don Pedro Morales (b.1886/d.1945) and Magdalena Hizon, was designed by his wife’s cousin, Arch. Fernando H. Ocampo in Mabalacat. A typical 30s house, it was furnished with Puyat Furniture. When the couple perished in he 1945 liberation of Manila, their lone surviving child inherited the house, and moved it to Magalang. Unfortunately, a fire destroyed the ancestral Morales house.

The house of Don Teodosio Pecson Santos and Josefa Panlilio was another design of the much-in demand architect, Fernando H. Ocampo, and furnished with the usual Puyat Furniture. Located along A. Consunji Street in Barangay San Jose),  it was purchased by the Miranda family, and is now recognized as one of the capital city’s treasured ancestral houses.

Don Emiliano J. Valdes (b. 1876/d.1953), the generous Kapampangan philanthropist who gave his name as well as financial donation to fund Pampanga’s leading TB hospital in Angeles had his grand residence built along Plaridel St. in the mid 30s. The Valdeses had barely enjoyed their new house when his wife died on 20 September 1936.To make matters worse, his house was taken over by the Japanese during the war and turned into a military headquarters. To forget the sad events that transpired in his Angeles home, he sold the house and lot after the war, and the space has since become a commercial area.

SOURCES:
PAMPANGA SOCIAL REGISTER, 1933
Lubao Commemorative Fiesta Program, 1936
www.viewsfromthepampang.blogspot.com, for Emiliano Valdes, Lopez Mansion, Pedro Morales House, 

64. 13 GABALDON SCHOOLHOUSES IN THE KAPAMPANGAN REGION

The establishment of a public education system was one of the most important legacies of the American colonial regime in the Philippines. Most school buildings were damaged and lost during the Philippine American War, so the Philippine Commission passed Act No. 268 creating the Bureau of Architecture and Construction of Public Buildings,  with the task of erecting school houses all over the country.

To underscore the importance of this mission, right after the Philippine Assembly was formed in 1907, Assemblyman Isauro Gabaldon of Nueva Ecija authored Act No. 1801, known today as Gabaldon Act, which appropriated Php 1 Million between 1907-1915 for the "construction of schoolhouses of strong materials in barrios with guaranteed daily attendance of not less than sixty pupils."

The Gabaldon Act stipulated that each school was to be built at a cost not to exceed Four Thousand Pesos unless the municipality contributed a counterpart sum of not less than fifty percent of the total amount granted. The municipality was authorized to appropriate its own funds, receive voluntary contributions in cash, kind, or in manual labor, for the construction of schoolhouses.

To facilitate the building of the schools, the Bureau of Public Works and Bureau of Education  came up with standardized designs. These were known as "Gabaldon School Buildings" or simply "Gabaldon,".  

Their distinctive features echo the bahay kubo design, with the body of the building elevated on short concrete posts, swinging capiz windows for maximum ventilation, carved fretwork on top of walls to allow air to circulate and a raised roof clad in galvanized iron.

In Pampanga, a few examples of these Gabaldon  School Buildings could still be found, some untouched by time,  while others, though heavily rebuilt, still retain vaguely their distinctive Gabaldon features.

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PICTURE SOURCES:

Apalit, Sulipan Gabaldon, courtesy of  Sta. Maria Minalin Archives

Arayat Gabaldon, iorbit news

Capas Gabaldon, courtesy of Mr. Ivan Henares, Gabaldon Legacy

Floridablanca Gabaldon, maipo.net

Lubao Gabaldon, wikipedia, Lubao, Pampanga

Mabalacat Gabaldon, courtesy of Mr. Leo Cloma

Magalang Gabaldon, courtesy of Mr. Louie Bartolo Lacson

Mexico Gabaldon, courtesy of Mr. Jonathan Panganiban

San Luis Gabaldon, from san Luis Elementary School FB page

San Simon, Sta. Ana, Sta. Rita Gabaldon, www.pampangatalents.com

63. INSIDE CLARK AIR BASE: 13 VINTAGE IMAGES FROM THE 1960s

Clark Air Force Base, straddling parts of Angeles and Mabalacat, is the headquarters of the U.S. Thirteenth Air Force. This modern, fully equipped air base is the nerve center of the Unites States Air Force operations in Southeast Asia. Let's take a look at what's inside Clark, in the 1960s.

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1. OFFICERS’ OPEN MESS

The tastefully furnished, air conditioned CAB Officers’ Club holds events like dances, variety shows, game nights, bridge tournaments, buffet and family dinners. The club is famous for its charcoal broiled foods and excellent services available at the downstairs “Rathskeller”. Adjacent to the main building, one can find a barber shop, beauty salon, an outdoor patio and a swimming pool.

2. THE ‘TOP3’ NCO CLUB

Touted as ‘the finest in the air force’, the NCO club has an indoor patio that can seat 1100 persons. It features a beautifully-decorated bandstand manned by a 16-piece dance band which plays 6 times a week, while Western music holds forth the other night. The plush cocktail lounge—"T-Bar-3 Room"—is a fine place to relax and bask in the Western-style atmosphere complete with cattle horn décor and Western rug. The NCO Club also has a Stag Room and an air-conditioned barber shop.

3. AIRMEN’S CLUB

The Airmen’ Open Mess, established in 1954 on Bong Highway,  is a favorite spot of ‘lower four’ airmen. Recently remodeled in the early 1960s, it has a Stag Room, cocktail lounge, TV and game room, an enlarged dining area and a ballroom with a distinctive tropical motif. The club features dancing nightly, Sunday breakfasts, floor shows, game nights, and a weekly “Mr. Big Shot” contest where the winner gets a free all-expense paid weekend in Manila. This facility was later renamed Coconut Grove.

4. SILVER WINGS SERVICE CLUB

The Silver Wing Service Club is a recreation center, constructed in 1949, that provides a host of activities for personnel and their dependents—from games, pool, billiards, ping pong, shuffleboard, badminton, plus card and games of all types.  The Mars-o-Gram, the base telegraph office, is also housed in this club. The spacious main lounge is equipped with a stage and a superb dance floor. Weekly programs include Sunday morning coffee hours, square dancing, USO Shows, Grand Ole Opry entertainment and Manila specialty attractions. One of the most popular is “Stateside Calling”, where base personnel can send messages and requests to their loved ones via their hometown radio, through the facilities of the Clark radio station.

5. ARMED FORCES RADIO AND TELEVISION STATION

Clark TV is available on Channel 8, and offers approximately 8 hours of TV enjoyment every day, with special presentations such as sports events, feature movies, and canned popular U.S. TV series, like “Perry Mason” and “Rawhide”. The best in stateside viewing from the 4 major TV networks can be seen daily. In addition, local talent shows, such as Pantomime Teens and others are also shown.  Round the clock radio—1220 on the dial is provided. UPI (United Press Int’l) and AP (Associated Press)  wires and over 250,000 transcribed musical selections offer the best for everyone’s pleasure.

6. CHAPEL 1

Clark Air Base has 3 base chapels with 8 staff chaplains of different denominations to cater to spiritual needs of Clark servicemen and their families. They are used daily and weekly by members of all religions and for various services (Protestant Sunday service, Sunday School, Episcopal, Christian Science, Jewish Service, etc.). Catholic Mass is said 7 times on Sunday, and twice daily. Baptisms, weddings and other religious ceremonies can also be conducted in the chapels. The Chapel 1, which started as a single standing structure along Dyess Highway (now Recto Ave.), was expanded in the 1960s and installed with air conditioning.  Damaged by the Pinatubo eruption, Chapel 1 underwent a series of rehabilitation and improvements, and is now known as the Chapel of Our Lady of Remedies.

7. CLARK AIR BASE HOSPITAL

Opening its doors in December 1964, the new, $5 million Clark Air Base Hospital was built over a period of 4 years to answer the primary health care of U.S. military personnel and their dependents stationed not only in the Philippines, but all over Southeast Asia. It was equipped with the most modern facilities for almost all kinds of medical care , except heart surgery and neurosurgery. It had a Laboratory, X-ray facilities, a Pharmacy, and an efficient Emergency Room open 24/7. The hospital personnel is mostly American, including its nursing staff. Interestingly, the hospital also offers specialized training services to Filipino medical residents in the fields of veterinary medicine, sanitation, immunization and public health care. Now in ruins, the hospital was featured by the US TV show, “Ghost Hunters” for supposed paranormal activities happening in there.

8. HOBBY SHOP

The base hobby center, along Marrat Highway,  comes complete with equipment and instructors, plus many departments that cater to every type of major hobby: Woodworking, Leathercraft, Photography, Ceramics, Graphic and Fine Arts, Hi-Fi and Electronics, Lapidary, Model Building and even Automotive. Two hobby stores are maintained at the center for arts and crafts supplies. The model center has all the materials and tools needed to build models of just about everything, with a flying circle for model airplanes and a model car track.

9. BX (BASE EXCHANGE) AND COMMISSARY

The Base Exchange facilities in Clark includes a spacious main building and surrounding support buildings that contain every solution to almost every shopping problem. In the main store alone, on O’Leary Avenue, 10,000 items are offered. There are 7 BX branches scattered around the base for shopping convenience, all carrying many imported items as well as standard stateside purchases. The main BX is surrounded with fresh vegetables stores , jewelry and watch repair shop, shoe store, travel agency, radio-TV shops, tailors, barbers and beauty salons. Also in operation is a modern service station that offers standard services as well as motor,  scooter and U.S. spare parts sales. Adjacent to the BX is the local commissary with food stocks, frozen meats, canned goods, fresh produce, egg and poultry. A bakery, milk and ice cream plant are also on the BX grounds to supply bread, cakes and dairy products  of ” stateside quality”. A new Base Commissary along Dyess Highway was opened in April 1984, containing state-of-the-art equipment and marketing concepts, built at a total cost of $6.2 million.  At the time of its construction, it was the largest in the world.

10. PERMANENT AIRMEN’S QUARTERS

Housing in Clark began in 1919 with the creation of dormitories for servicemen. Modern in-base housing in the 60s already included buildings like this 2-storey, permanent airmen’s quarters, designed to make the most of the tropical breeze. These are furnished with the most essential items of furniture. Married officers and eligible civilians can plan on a 9-month delay in getting government quarters. The majority of the people obtain housing off-base until government housing becomes available.

11. BACHELOR OFFICERS QUARTERS

Bachelor-type quarters are available for single officers an those awaiting their families. Generally, these consist of a furnished room complete with refrigerator and bathroom facilities. They are designed for tropical living, with louvres and very little glass to allow unhindered ventilation. The Bachelors Officers Quarters are in the hill area, near the club annex, and are equipped with carport areas beneath them.

12. EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES

Elementary, secondary, vocational and college level courses are conducted in on-duty and off-duty classes at the base. The Wurtsmith Memorial School (1954), a modern school designed for “tropical teaching and learning”, is tuition-free to school-age dependents of military and civilian personnel at Clark. All textbooks, work books and other supplies are furnished to the students free of charge; papers and pencils are issued on regular schedules to meet their needs. Wurtsmith would be renamed Wagner High School in 1962. A decade earlier, in 1953, a branch of the University of the Philippines was established as a base residence program leading to a liberal arts degree.

13. SPORTS FACILITIES

Complete sports facilities include the Meyer Levin Gymnasium (built in 1955), just east of the Parade Ground, with courts for handball, squash, basketball and volleyball. A brand new football stadium called “Bamboo Bowl” and a well-lighted baseball diamond  are also available for use. The  sprawling Clark Golf Club with a challenging 18-hole course, practice green, driving range an club house is a must-stop fpr golf enthusiasts. There are 3 swimming pools in the base, where swimming classes are conducted regularly. A year-round program of sporting events have been developed to appeal to active athletes and spectators alike: from King Football, Little League baseball, Interservice League competitions, Powder Puff softball, basketball, volleyball and golf tournaments to boxing bouts, target shooting, horseback riding, diving exhibitions.

SOURCE:

Welcome to Clark Air Base Philippines booklet, ca. 1965