Antique Pictures Lourdes Cuenco of Cebu Philippines

Lourdes Cuenco, 1932

Perhaps because I've always been interested in family genealogy, relatives and friends have been forwarding old family pictures to me.  Many pictures were damaged or lost in the Philippines during World War Two, and therefore old family pictures are rare.

I'm featuring pictures of my aunt, Lourdes Cuenco, oldest sister of my mother Concepcion Cuenco.  Lourdes remained unmarried as was her younger sister Carmen.  They were famously known as the Old Maids living on Mango Avenue, Cebu City. I should perhaps add that Lourdes Cuenco had an avid suitor whom she turned down so she could take care of Carmen who had health issues. They ran the Monte de Piedad Pawn shop in downtown Cebu, plus other businesses.




Together my old maid aunts preserved many of our family (Cuenco) traditions. They hosted noche buena (Christmas Eve) festivities for instance. They served homemade pastel de lengua, lechon, bam-i, homemade ice cream, and many other Cebuano dishes.

For the children, they did the "sabwag" -- the scattering of coins and candies which we children scrambled on the floor for.  They gave each one of us money in envelopes which we happily spent on Christmas day -- on a movie and some snacks perhaps. They hosted many other family events at their home. Lourdes gave me money before I immigrated as a student to the US.  She left me a sapphire and diamond jewelry set upon her death.

Tiya Oding or Lourdes Cuenco was one of those who gave me old pictures when I used to ask her questions about the family.  Recently my cousins Manny Gonzalez and Celine Gonzalez Conejos sent me many family pictures that came from their mom (Teresita Cuenco Gonzalez).  These pictures of Lourdes came from the Gonzalez siblings.  Thanks Manny and Celine.

I am sharing these to honor my Tiya Oding. Lourdes Cuenco was born April 5, 1909 and died on May 12, 1985.

l-r: Consuelo Cuenco, Concepcion Cuenco, Lourdes Cuenco, circa 1922

Children on the floor l-r: Carmen Cuenco, Consuelo Cuenco
Seated l-r: Lourdes Cuenco, Filomena cuenco, Remedios Lopez-Cuenco, Remedios Cuenco Borromeo, Concepcion Cuenco
Standing l-r: unidentifeied broehr, Dr. Teofilo Borromeo, Monsignor Jose Ma. Cuenco, Senator Mariano Jesus Cuenco, Congressman Miguel Cuenco

Pictures taken at Assumption College 1929; Lourdes Cuenco is far right in the middle row

Lourdes Cuenco 1923

Lourdes Cuenco 1929

Lourdes Cuenco 1937

Lourdes Cuenco 1939

Lourdes Cuenco 1939

Lourdes Cuenco 1957

Tags: Cuenco family, Cebu, Philippines, politics