102. 9 SAINTLY KAPAMPANGANS WHO COULD BE FUTURE SAINTS

Before the Spaniards came in 1571, Kapampangans were pagans and Muslims. The fact that they quickly embraced Catholicism (and later the other Christian denominations) is a testament of not just the diligence of missionaries but also the inherent religiosity and spirituality of the Kapampangans themselves. Here are a few known for the depth of their holiness, that could qualify them as future saints.

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1. MARTIN SANCHO, The 1st Filipino Jesuit (1593)

The distinction of becoming the first Filipino Jesuit goes to a young boy savant who went to Spain to be presented to King Philip II by his guardian, P. Alonzo Sanchez. Not yet 10 years old, Martin Sancho impressed the court not just for his knowledge of Catechism but also for his pious ways. In 1593, Sancho became a Jesuit novice, but died upon his return to the Philippines in 1601, a victim of the white plague which he contracted in Europe.

2. Sor MARTHA de SAN BERNARDO, The 1st Filipino Nun  (1633)

Upon the death of Sor Martha de San Bernardo in 1630, at least 15 Kapampangans initiated the inquiry for her possible beatification. The saintly Kapampangan was the first Filipino nun, having broken barriers by being accepted at the Santa Clara Monastery in Manila, which had previously banned “indias” into their fold. When the Franciscan Provincial initially rejected the application, the Spanish nuns pleaded that she be taken in. A Franciscan chronicler observed that “she was so influential a woman, so noble and virtuous”. Thus, she was accepted, but sent instead to a new monastery set to open in Macao. In 1633, she was invested with her holy habit while on sea, to circumvent Spanish laws, and professed her vows in the Macao—the first brown nun of the congregation.  Sor Martha  spent the rest of her life in holiness and prayer, living up to the highest standards of the Spanish order.

3. Sor MADALENA DE LA CONCEPCION, The 2nd Filipino Nun (1637)

This Kapampangan noblewoman--Madalena de la Concepcion-- was admitted directly to the Sta. Clara of Manila, after the fine example shown by Sor Martha de San Bernardo. She was clothe in the habit by her namesake,  Abbess Madalena de Christo, and professed her vows in 1637. According to her biographer, “she persevered in her monastic life for 49 years in such an exemplary way…; in all those years, no deficiency was noted in her compliance with the policies of the convent, ever excelling with diligence in the most humble and difficult tasks…and always abhorring positions of honor.” The virtuous nun died on 5 April 1685.

4. JUAN DE GUERRA, The 2^nd Filipino Martyr after Lorenzo Ruiz (1640)

Juan de Guerra was part of the contingent of 4 diplomats and 70 crewmen sent by the Portuguese city of Macao in 1640  to patch things up with the Japanese anti-Christian officials. It must be remembered that Lorenzo Ruiz was executed for his faith in Nagasaki—the first Filipino martyr. Little did everyone know that the 30-year old seaman from Betis-- Juan de Guerra—would suffer the same fate. At age 6, he had been living at Colegio de San Juan de Letran as a student “interno”. Upon landing in Japan, all people on board were captured and jailed for conspiracy to spread Christianity. They were taken to Nagasaki, at the same place where Ruiz was martyred. Thirteen members of the crew were spared, however, so they could return to Macao as bearers of the Japanese’s warning. Juan de Guerra and a fellow Filipino, Juan Enriquez Carreon, were among the 61 who were beheaded for their Christian faith. It was said that when Manila received the news of their martyrdom, the city celebrated their noble deaths.

5. NICOLAS DE FIGUEROA, The Valiant Martyr of Bacolor (1672)

The Jesuits began their evangelization work in the Oceania with the Marianas Islands, led by Diego Luis de San Vitores and 5 other Jesuits, with a band of soldiers, majority of which were Filipinos, to protect the priests and pacify the native Chamorros. The group landed in Guam on 15 June 1668 and set up the mission there. In the group was a boy catechist from Bacolor, Nicolas de Figueroa, who assisted the priests in their ministries. On 1 April 1672, a band of 20 Chamorros lay in wait to ambush Figueroa and 3 others, that led to the killing of their Spanish companion, Manuel Rangel. Undaunted, the brave Figueroa turned against their leader, killing him with a cutlass, beheading him and chopping up his body, thus successfully scaring the Chamorros away. Fleeing the scene, de Figueroa sought refuge in the village of Ipao, where natives tricked him—dragging him and pushing him from a cliff. His body was repeatedly speared to ensure his death. A day after his martyrdom, San Vitores and his teen aide, Pedro Calungsod, were also killed. In 1673, a Jesuit tribunal began proceedings in Guam to look into possible sainthood for Figueroa.

6. JUAN DE LOS REYES, The Gentle Martyr (1676)

As a member of the missionary group in Micronesia, Juan de los Reyes was known for his extraordinary zeal in his ministerial work, matched with a gentle temperament and conduct. As such, his superiors promoted him to the rank of an “alferez”, holding him up as “an example to others, charitable and thoughtful to the other soldiers”. On 6 September 1676, as de los Reyes and his group (including Fray Sebastian de Monroy, a Spaniard and 5 soldiers) were preparing to set sail from Sumay village to Agana, Guam, they were suddenly attacked with lances, clubs and deadly native weapons, leaving  them all dead.

7. PHELIPPE SONGSONG, The Venerable Martyr of Macabebe (1685)

The life story of Phelippe Songsong (also, Felipe Songsong) is perhaps the best documented of Filipinos in our Spanish colonial history. A Jesuit chronicler from the period described his “life of heroic sanctity” in the missions that led to his death. The Macabebe martyr was born in 1611, after losing his wife, he left his material wealth to his son to volunteer for the religious mission in the Marianas led by the future saint,  Diego de San Vitores. The group of 17 also included Pedro Calungsod. In Agana, Songsong served the Jesuits faithfuly as a domestic, carpenter, tailor, cook, and all-around help. Although referred to as a “frater”, he, as a native, was never admitted to the order. But his holiness was renown.His solid virtues were an example to his countrymen and who, being a noble to his own people,  is now, we believe, from his blameless life, a noble citizen of the realm of heaven”. At the advance age of 73, Songsong was attacked by native heathens who wounded his head and neck seriously. He lingered for 6 months and died while kneeling in prayer on 11 Jan. 1685. Hailed as a saint, his coffin was carried by the governor of Guam to his grave site to honor his sanctity. Meanwhile, San Vitores and Calungsod have been declared saints, but the cause of Songsong has just begun.

8-9. THE SISTERS TALANGPAZ, Servants of God

MADRE DIONICIA DE STA. MARIA TALANGPAZ (b.1691/d.1732)/ and MADRE CECILIA ROSA DE JESUS (b.1693/d.1731)
These nuns were half-Kapampangans. Both their paternal grandmother (Juana Mallari) and maternal grandfather (Agustin Sonsong de Pamintuan) were from Macabebe, Pampanga. Born in Calumpit, they founded the Beaterio de San Sebastian de Calumpang in 1719, thus making them only the second Filipino foundresses of a religious congregation.  Their beaterio was just the 4^th in the city, and the only one that was founded by native “indias’. The sisters suffered innumerable times while running the congregation, and at one point, polarizing the women into factions. There were aspirants who used the influence of powerful people to gain admittance into the order, while others were unable to give the required dowry. This led to the sisters’ being ousted from their rented place. But they overcame all these and today, their religious community is the oldest non-contemplative congregation in the Recoleto order.  Devotees of the Talangpaz sisters, Mother Dionisia and Cecilia Rosa, applied for their beatification and the cause was accepted in 1999, thus entitling the sisters as  "Servants of God."

BONUS! A Future Saint Who Walked Among Kapampangans:

FR. CARLOS BRAGA SDB

The life and heroic virtues of Fr. Carlos Braga—“the little Don Bosco of China”---are now under study in  Vatican for his future sainthood.  Born in Tirano, Sondrio, Italy, the motherless child was entrusted to the Salesians of Don Bosco and became a priest of that order. In the 1^st World War, he was sent to the Far East and served in southern China as a director of the Don Bosco Middle School in Shiu Chow. Don Braga is credited with the erection of many orphanages and schools  in Macao and Hong Kong, and the expansion of  Salesian ministry to Beijing. 

Don Braga reached the Philippines in 1953 and was designated as the first Provincial Superior in 1955. Under his helm,  the Salesian mission in the Philippines flourished, schools were founded all over the country, including the first ever Don Bosco school in Tarlac,  and Don Bosco Pampanga which credits him as a co-founder in 1956. He died in 1971 in Bacolor, Pampanga where he was staying, both as a Confessor and Salesian Director. Four decades years after his death, the Philippine Salesians filed a petition for his beatification, and the Diocesan inquiry began in 2014 in San Fernando, Pampanga.

SOURCES:

Santiago, Dr. Luciano P.R., Laying the Foundations: Kapampangan Pioneers in the Philippine Church 1592-2001, Center for Kapampangan Studies, Holy Angel University 2002.

Tantingco, Robby P. : Felipe Sonsong: From Macabebe Soldier to Saintly Missionary, Center for Kapampangan Studies, 2018

Talangpaz Sisters: http://religiouswomen.blogspot.com/2012/03/second-native-fiilpino-beaterio.html

Carlo Braga: 

“Inquiry on Canonization of Salesian Opens Today”, https://www.sunstar.com.ph/article/327296

“China – The cause of the Servant of God Fr Carlo Braga SDB is moving slowly ahead”, http://www.infoans.org/en/sections/news/item/1200-china-the-cause-of-the-servant-of-god-fr-carlo-braga-sdb-is-moving-slowly-ahead

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carlo_Braga

www.newsaints.webfaith,com

38. 10 KAPAMPANGAN WUNDERKIDS

Once in a great while, gifted kids are born to astound the world with barrier-breaking feats and achievements. Mozart was a composer at age 5, Shakuntala Devi was an Indian mental calculator prodigy and 11 year old Mikaela Fudolig entered the University of the Philippines, and graduated in Physics, summa cum laude in 2007. Pampanga, too,  has its own share of amazing wonder kids who made news for their talents, genius and good looks.

MARTIN SANCHO was a frail 10 year-old boy, who, in 1587, was sent all the way to Spain to have an audience with Philip II, then the world’s most powerful monarch. He had earlier created a sensation among Spaniards in Manila for his fluency in Spanish and knowledge in Catholic education.  It was the intent of Spanish officials to present him to the royal court as proof that the new colony—which the king wanted to quit-- were worth keeping and that the natives could be educated like Europeans. Martin Sancho did not disappoint. He, not only conversed with the King in Spanish, but breathlessly recited prayers, articles of faith, and  the entire Catholic catechism in Latin! His performance was met with thundering applause. After his successful  appearance, the boy stayed on in Spain as a ward of his companion priest, Fr. Alonso Sanchez. When he reached  17, he was taken to Rome to join the Jesuit novitiate. He went back to Spain, lived in Toledo, and finished college in Murcia. In 1601, Sancho, his body racked with tuberculosis, finally returned to the Philippines to reunite with his Kapampangan parents whom he had left when he was only 10. Martin Sancho tragically died one month later at age 25.

Nestlé dairy products were known to Filipinos as early as 1895, imported by Sprungli and Co. Milkmaid Sweetened Condensed Milk was an early brand from the company that was heavily promoted.  In 1929.  Milkmaid conducted its search for the country’s most “Beautiful Babies”. Readers were encouraged to send pictures of cute babies and the chosen few appeared on the pages of The Philippine Free Press, the leading newspaper of the day. One winner was a bouncing Kapampangan baby boy, CARLOS SALVADOR GOMEZ JR, of Mabalacat, Pampanga. Born on 7 February 1929, Baby “Bolet” is the firstborn of Carlos Ramiro Gomez Sr. and Ma. Paz Dionisia Dizon. The senior Carlos was descended from the Spanish Masnous of Valladolilid. In his adult years, Bolet  married Zenaida Novak Feliciano of Magalang on 14 March 1950, with whom he had 10 children. He died of brain aneurysm at age 68 on 31 October 1997.

By the 1950s, Sampaguita Pictures was already an established Philippine movie company—producing blockbuster films like Paru-Parong Bukid, Takipsilim, Apoy sa Langit , Anghel ng Pagibig, and many more. Its contract stars included Rogelio de la Rosa, Carmen Rosales, Pancho Magalona and Tita Duran. But in 1951, a disastrous fire razed the studios to the ground, leaving the founders—the Vera-Perezes—on the brink of bankruptcy. Enter TESSIE AGANA (b. 16 May 1942), daughter of actress Linda Estrella and Adriano Agana of Tarlac—and recently cast in the tearjerker budget film, “Roberta”, written by Mars Ravelo. During the shooting, Tessie was bribed with Max’s Fried Chicken to put her in an acting mood. It worked; she memorized all her lines, cried at the drop of a hat, and stole every scene she was in. When “Roberta” was shown at the Life Theater, it became a monster hit—and the one week run was overextended, until it broke all existing box-office records. Her convincing performance as a poor, pitiful child endeared her to an audience who took her into their hearts, and catapulted her to instant stardom—the first child superstar of Philippine movies. Sampaguita Pictures managed to get back on its feet and would eventually come out even bigger and better than it was before. In gratitude for helping save the studio, Tessie was cast in picture after picture, and was hailed as the Philippines’ Shirley Temple. After her stint with showbiz, Tessie Agana married Dr. Rodolfo L. Jao in the U.S. in 1962, and would raise a big family of 9 children. She is settled currently in Valparaiso, Indiana.

CECILE LICAD (b. 11 May 1961), daughter of Rosario Buencamino and Dr Jesus Vitug Licad from Lubao, began her piano studies at age 3. At 7, she made her debut as soloist with the Philharmonic Orchestra of the Philippines. At  11 years old, the prodigy won the Manila Young Artists’ competition with her incredible rendering of Chopin’s F Minor concerto, a piece that one judge assumed was not for her age. At 12, she was accepted at the Curtis Institute of Music under the mentorship of Rudolf Serkin, Seymour Lipkin and Mieczyslaw Horszowski. At 19, she won the prestigious Leventritt Gold Medal, one of the youngest winners ever and attained international acclaim.  Signed up by CBS records, her Rachmaninov Piano Concerto No. 2 and the Saint-Saëns’ Piano Concerto No. 2 made it to the Billboard classical charts. Licad, a favorite of First Lady Imelda Marcos, has played with the world’s most notable orchestras like the New York Philharmonic, Boston Symphony, London Philharmonic and Tokyo’s NHK Symphony,  among others. She has also appeared in top music festivals such as Tanglewood, Santa Fe and Marlboro Music Festival. In March 2007, she performed with her then 19-year-old son Ottavio L. Meneses, also a pianist, at the Cultural Center of the Philippines. Licad, called “a pianist’s pianist” by The New Yorker, held her historic homecoming Pampanga recital at Holy Angel University in March 1912.

The Filipina musical theater star who took West End and Broadway by storm was born as Maria Lea Carmen Salonga (born 22 February 1971) to Ligaya Imutan and Feliciano Salonga, a Kapampangan naval admiral. LEA SALONGA spent the first six years of her life in Angeles City where she attended the local O.B.Montessori school.  At age 7, she made her theatre debut in the musical, King and I. She also starred in Annie, Paper Moon, The Fantasticks, The Sound of Music, among others. At 10, she recorded  “Small Voice” which turned her into a certified child star. She had her own TV show ”Love, Lea”, earned a FAMAS nomination, and made popular movies in the 1980s. But it was her casting as Kim after a worldwide search  for “Miss Saigon” that made her  an international star in 1989. The Cameron Macintosh-produced musical gave her a coveted Laurence Olivier Award. She reprised that role for Broadway, and won a Tony, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle and Theatre World Awards. In 1992 Lea lent her voice to the Oscar-winning song from the Disney film, Aladdin—“A Whole New World”. She was in the “Les Miserables” anniversary concerts (1993,1996), headlined ”Flower Drum Song” (2002), starred in “Cinderella” and returned to Broadway with “Allegiance”. In her 37-year career, Lea has performed for six Philippine presidents , three American Presidents, for Diana, Princess of Wales and Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

KIMBERLY JANE CUNANAN (b.1991) made waves at the Batang Pinoy Games held in Bacolod City in December 2001 when she won in the Under 10 Age Group category.  The young princess of the gameboard, daughter of Herome Cunanan of Apalit and Annabel de Guzman of Dau, proved that her victory was no fluke as she collected 4 more national titles. Cunanan would have played in international chess championships in Kuala Lumpur and Spain had it not been for lack of funds. In 2004, she was named as a member of the Philippine Team to the World Youth Chess Championship in Crete, Greece (bannered by then 11-year old Wesley So), but could not compete due to financial constraints. In 2006, she was named as Most Outstanding Kapampangan Awardee in the field of Sports. In June 2007, Cunanan, then 15, clinched the gold medal in the Under-16 division at the Eight Asean Age Group Chess Championships in Thailand  and led two other Filipinos to the team bronze.

At the 2003 Most Outstanding Kapampangan Awards, ANGELI MARK DAVID BARRO  (b. 1 October 1992) became the youngest winner to be recognized for his achievement in sports—earning the coveted recognition at age 11 years, 2 months. Born in Lakandula, Dau to parents Angelito Barro and Leni David, this taekwondo champion blackbelter is the recipient of over 21 awards and citations in sports. He has also won Gold, Silver and Bronze medals at various editions of Batang Pinoy, a national age-group sportsfest. As the youngest among 50 delegations to the 12th U.S. Open Taekwondo Championship in Las Vegas, Nevada, Barro came away with a Bronze Medal. In his older years, he was named as one of the Ten Outstanding Youths of Angeles City for 2010. Barro graduated in 2013 from the Angeles University Foundation College of Criminal Justice Education , and was named Most Outstanding Senior of the Year Award and Student of the Year .

ANNIKA CHANEL PINEDA-CAYABYAB (b. 2001) comes from a family of sports enthusiasts: her mother, Mylin Pineda is an avid golfer, while her father, Archen Cayabayab was a former basketball player from National University and the Philippine Basketball League (PBL).  Coached by Jack Nicklaus-trained Norman Sto. Domingo, Annyka began her career at the Mimosa golf course in Clark and started competing age 7, and bagged her first title a year later.  She has not stopped there since and continued collecting titles—from the Future Champions of Golf International junior championships in San Diego, California to the Veritas World Junior international golf tournament, a crown which she has won thrice beginning in 2012. In 2014, the young OB Montessori grade schooler was recognized with a Most Outstanding Kapampangan Awards in the field of sports. Her grandmother, Lilia Pineda, is the incumbent governor of Pampanga and hails from Lubao.

The showbiz career of ETHAN DIZON (b. 2002, West Hills, California) began very early at age 2, when he bagged his first commercial roles for the national ads of Target, the American Egg Board, Taco Bell, and Mercedes Benz. His father , actor Eric Dizon is the son of Chris Dizon who is from Mabalacat, Pampanga.  Ethan’s mother, Corinne Chooey is of Chinese ancestry, a relative of Hong Kong actress Kwun Ling Chow. Ethan made his acting debut in the CBS hit series, “How I Met Your Mother” and had guest roles in  “Grey's Anatomy”, and “'Til Death”. He can be seen most recently on Awkward and Sullivan & Son. His film credits include: “Get A Job”, “Bad Words” ( with Jason Bateman), and the “The Inevitable Defeat of Mister and Pete”, where he is best-known for playing Pete.  In 2017, he will be seen in “Spiderman: Homecoming”. Ethan is a member of Screen Actors Guild since 2006.  A gifted artist, he was nominated for Best Actor at the NBCU Short Film Festival 2014 in "Paulie", where he played the title role.

“Little Miss Philippines” is a special segment conducted by “Eat Bulaga” , the longest-running noontime show on Channel 7. It is a nationwide pageant search for little girls and is credited with launching the careers of former winners and candidates as Aiza Seguerra (1987), Gladys Reyes, Donna Cruz, Dessa, Lady Lee, Jessa Zaragoza, Pauleen Luna (1995) and Julie Anne San Jose. In 2012, 6 year old RYZZA MAE DIZON (b. 12 June 2005) of Brgy. Pampang, Angeles entered the contest. She was short, chubby, dark and toothless---but she was bubbling with charm and precocity. Even so, the audition jury  ought to eliminate her—but show hosts Ruby Rodriguez recognized her specialness and pleaded that they give her a chance. The smart dark-horse not only advanced to the finals but  won the coveted 2012 Little Miss Philippines crown, over finalists Maria Francesca Rojas, Jenna Marie Niedens , Jhie Ann Marie Crisostomo and Precious Angel Aceah Delda. Ryzza also was awarded Miss Talent and “Cutest Little Miss” for getting the most “likes” on Facebook. She went on to become a co-host of Eat Bulaga , starred in a talk show (The Ryzza Mae Show), had her own teleserye, and appeared in blockbuster movies like My Little Bossing and  Si Agimat, si Enteng Kabisote at si Ako.

 PHOTO SOURCES

CECILE LICAD:

http://media.philstar.com/images/the-philippine-star/lifestyle/arts-and-culture/20150911/cecil-licad-then-now.jpg

http://www.clickthecity.com/arts/a/1546/cecile-licad-and-son-octavio-debut-in-ppo-concert

https://sg.news.yahoo.com/blogs/the-inbox/pomp-perils-competition-093425263.html

 ETHAN DIZON:

http://www.lasplash.com/publish/686-New-Talent/ethan-dizon.php

 ANGELI MARK BARRO: Leni Barro FB page

ANNIKA PINEDA CAYABYAB

http://pinay.com/golfer-annyka-cayabyab-young-star-on-the-rise/annyka-pineda-in-champion-form/

 RYZZA MAE DIZON

http://theultimatefan.blogspot.com/2012/06/ryzza-mae-dizon-little-miss-philippines.html

 LEA SALONGA

http://leasalonga.com/bio/

ALL OTHERS: Alex R. Castro Collection