Cebu, Philippines: Antique Photographs Pictures Cuenco, Carlock

I have written about Judge Lyman J. Carlock, the first American judge in Cebu, Philippines, in the early 1900s, soon after the US acquired the Philippines.  My great-grandfather, Mariano Albao Cuenco was the Court of Clerk and worked closely with Judge Carlock.  Please read my earlier and lengthy article about him.

Antique Vintage Filipina Dresses #Philippines #sayas

I'm featuring antique/vintage dresses worn by my Cuenco relatives. These antique Filipina gowns and clothes are now gone. My aunt, Teresita Cuenco Gonzalez, told me that during World War II in Cebu, they cut up the old gowns to make into other dresses to sell, to help them survive.

Take the time to study these antique/vintage dresses. They come from a time that is no more.

The top picture is my mother, Concepcion Cuenco. My mother is the one in the middle of the children's picture.

Concepcion Cuenco

Cebu Philippines: My Aunts, Lourdes and Carmen Cuenco

Lourdes Cuenco

I have been enjoying the family pictures recently shared by my cousin. Some pictures reminded me of my unmarried aunts, Lourdes and Carmen, who were important characters in my childhood.

We used to refer to them as "the Old Maids," not to be unkind but because that was just how things were. This did not mean we called them that in their presence, but it was when we were going to their house, for instance, when we would say, "We're going to the Old Maids' house."

Cebu Politics Philippines: Cebu's Cuenco Family in 1932

Cuenco Family, photo taken 1932 when Mariano Jesus Cuenco was Governor of  Cebu
My mother, Concepcion, is standing far left

My cousin, Manny Gonzalez, found a cache of Cuenco family pictures including this family picture of Mariano Jesus and Filomena Cuenco.  Manny's and my mother are in the picture. His mother Teresita is the youngest one, standing between Filomena and Mariano Jesus. Mine (Concepcion) is standing, far left.

The other members of the family are: seated left, Consuelo, seated right, Carmen; standing beside my mother is Manuel, and to his left is Lourdes.  The photo was taken in Cebu City in 1932. At the time, my grandfather was Governor of Cebu; my mother had been Cebu's Petit Carnival Queen in 1931, a coveted title.

What people don't know is the story of vindication behind the glow of success.

Philippines: Cuenco Family of Cebu and Lopez Family of Naic, Cavite

Percival Cruz sent me a picture that includes my grandfather, Mariano Jesus Cuenco. Mariano is the gentleman in the middle of the page, behind women in black. This photo was taken at the funeral of Mariano's maternal aunt, Concepcion Lopez.

MORE RE JUANA LOPEZ & FAMILY

From Cecilia to Percival:
I should correct you: Juana was my great-greatgrandmother; Remedios was my great-grandmother. If your Lola Concepcion was your grandmother, there is a generational gap so to speak, and I believe this is because Concepcion married twice and you're from the second marriage. I also suspect Concepcion was older than Remedios, which would explain why Juana brought her to the Visayas and not Concepcion who may have been married to the first husband. Speculation lang.

Do you know who the parents of Juana were? Here's a bit of tidbit, my granduncle, Archbishop Cuenco had mentioned a sister of Juana named Blanca. That is all I know. Maybe she's the one who ran off with the Spanish friar? What do you think of what my aunts had said that Juana had been with a Spanish Admiral, that said Admiral was the father of Remedios and Concepcion - true or false, in your opinion?
~~~~~
From Percival to Cecilia

The plot thickens . . .

Juana had a sister, according to my mother, and she too "ran away" with a Spanish friar. What's with those Spanish friars?

Juana's daughter, Concepcion, my Lola Cion, led a busy life in Manila while her mom, Juana, and sister, Remedios led a new life in Cebu or Leyte. They were both originally from Manila (Naic and Tondo).

Lola Cion had two husbands. I presume, the first one died of a natural cause. With a certain Ocampo (I don't have his first name) he had three sons --- Luis (who lived in Sta Ana, Manila by the Pasig River), Raymundo and Tayo (Cayetano?), who both lived in Tondo. Raymundo had a fleet of jeepneys that plied the Divisoria-San Nicolas route. If it was a green-colored jeepney, it belonged to my Tio (we called him Kaka) Mundo.

She was remarried to my grandfather, Damaso Fojas, also of Naic, Cavite. I believe, he was a Katipunero (but this I have to document). The marriage produced only two siblings -- Patrocinio, my mother; and Pacita, my aunt. My mother was the younger of the two.

I remember all my uncles, their wives and family members. But I have very little recollection of Lola Cion. My knowledge of her is based on what my mother had told me. Perhaps, my elder brothers and sisters would have a better recollection or some.

However, I still have a mental picture of Lola Cion's final days - she occupied a large bed that filled the living room of the house in Sta Ana, and the relatives kept coming and going to see her. It was a big house made of nipa, common during those days. There were wooden carved furniture and lamps all around that we now call antique. I was, probably, 4 or 5 years old at that time.

She was laid to rest in the Sta Ana cemetery.
~~~~~~~~~~~
From Cecilia to Percival, commenting on the husband/partner of Juana"
I heard it was a Spanish Admiral, and I never got it straight if she and the guy were actually married. So it would have been a priest, Spanish frayle probably. yes, correct about the second husband, a Veloso from Baybay. I wonder if your Lola Concepcion was older than Remedios. Maybe Concepcion was married when Juana brought young Remedios to the Visayas. Definitely Juana had properties in Cebu; my blog includes a document. I have heard of Menggoy Veloso and I believe he is from the Baybay Veloso side; my Mother knew him. I do not know if he was a Congressman.
~~~~
Photo shows Juana Lopez

MORE INFO RE JUANA LOPEZ, REMEDIOS DIOSOMITO CUENCO

I was thrilled to have heard from a relative, Percival Cruz, who emailed the following. FYI Juana Diosomito Lopez was my great-great grandmother; Remedios Diosomito Cuenco was my great-grandmother. Following are important genealogical info re the Diosomito, Lopez, Cuenco, Manguerra, Reyes, Gonzales, Borromeo families of Cebu:
~~~~~~~
Dear Cecilia,

It has been a while since I last wrote you. Rest assured though that I have not forgotten; I visited your websites and assimilated the wealth of information you have put together about you and the Cuenco family.

My mom, Patrocinio Diosomito Lopez Fojas Cruz, passed away in 1986. Whatever information I have about the Lopez family I had heard from her.

Remedios, your great grandmother, was the sister of my grandmother, Concepcion (Lola Cion).

Their mother, Juana Diosomito was married to a Lopez. The Diosomitos and the Lopezes were and still are natives of Naic, Cavite. Juana's first husband was a Spanish priest (or ex-priest, maybe). Again, this is the story of my mother and something that I have not documented. Juana's 2nd husband was a Veloso from Baybay, Leyte.

My Lola Cion owned and rented out houses and apartments in Tondo. She may have inherited these properties from mother Juana. Juana may have owned properties in Naic and Tondo, as well as, in Leyte and Cebu.

My Lola Cion never left Luzon Island. On the other hand, her sister, Remedios, migrated to Cebu.

Did mother Juana who got remarried to a Visayan from Leyte, a guy named Veloso, migrate to Cebu and take along daughter Remedios; while daughter Concepcion remained in Naic and Tondo? Very possible.

My mother used to tell me that her grandmother (Juana) owned lands in Leyte and Cebu. My mother also introduced us to the idea that we had relatives in the Visayas, which I found weird at that time. No one in the family spoke Cebuano nor talked to any.

I am among the youngest in a family of 10. I did not have a chance to interact with my Visayan relatives. Our eldest brother, Berting, worked in a boat that sailed regularly between Manila-Leyte-Cebu; he met Tio Menggoy (Domingo Veloso), who was either part owner or manager of the boat. One other elder brother, Feodor, met Archbishop Jose when I was in elementary (1956). He entered the San Vicente Ferrer seminary in Iloilo under the sponsorship of your uncle Jose. I remember my parents accompanied Feodor on this trip to Iloilo. A younger brother and sister made it, too; but I was left behind at home and did not have a chance to meet the Archbishop. My sister, Judith, worked as a secretary at the office of Tio Menggoy (did he become a congressman?). And my other elder brother, Walfrido, worked at the Congress at the behest of Senator Cuenco. In fact, my father worked also at the Senate and I would like to believe that it was your grandfather who made it possible. I also overheard my father that the good senator worked out an appointment for him to be a judge in Cotabato but my father declined. Had my father accepted that job, maybe I would have become a general in the Abu Sayaff army. While I was in U.P., I heard about Tony Cuenco. He was my senior. I did not have a chance to associate with him, though. My mother used to go to the senator's house somewhere near Sto Domingo Church to see your grandpa.

Concepcion Lopez who got stuck in Luzon was a good businesswoman. I remember my mother telling me that she owned houses in Tondo. My mom got her education at an exclusive all-girl school called Instituto de Mujeres, took up piano lessons and became a town beauty queen during her heydays. My father was a poet and novelist (he was a contemporary of Amado V. Hernandez). My father and mother met in one of those beauty queen coronations. My father recited a poem for my mother, they fell in love, and then they went on their happy way for 70 years. By the way, it might interest you to know that my father's collection of novels was published by the Ateneo and it is being used to this day as a textbook in college.

Concepcion Lopez may also had had a part in a "calesa" business; she had a sister-in-law or cousin (now I am not sure which) who became well-known for owning a fleet of "calesas"; she was Rosa Fojas who became known as the "Reyna ng mga Cochero" ("Queen of the Coachmen").

Remedios and Concepcion were both very enterprising, strong women. Remedios produced a congressman, a governor, a senator and an archbishop. Had Uncle Jose lived longer, he would have become a cardinal, too. That Remedios also became the first woman publisher -- wow!--
her accomplishments are really mind-boggling! I'm sure her genes rubbed off on you.

Other famous Lopezes, Fojases from Naic, who I'm sure are also our relatives --
Rosario Lopez - the former chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission
Dr. Marcos Fojas - the eye surgeon
Gen. Nazareno - PNP head during Cory Aquino's term
Judge Noel Diosomito
Felix Fojas - poet, writer

Good Friday is the traditional reunion day for the Lopezes/Fojases. The clan gathers in Naic, Cavite and fulfills the vow of having the 2-day "Pabasa" and "Prusisyon" in honor of Jesus. The family has an antique heirloom --- a black Nazarene lying in state ("Santo Intierro").

I have a famly tree -- just did it at Geni.com -- if you're interested, I can give you the link.

So long for now, I'm proud to have you as a relative.

Percival
Burbank, California
~~~
Photo shows Remedios Diosomito Cuenco with her family

RE REMEDIOS CUENCO BORROMEO

Here's an interesting email correspondence re my grand-aunt Remedios Cuenco Borromeo:
~~~
The only girl in the Cuenco family is Remedios Cuenco Borromeo, she is the only sister of your (grand)father. Although she was not that famous she was gifted in her own right. She was an accomplished pianist and acclaimed writer. She also wrote so many stories in the Veritas. You failed to mention her in your letter to your mother. By the way I am your relative living in Chicago, Illinois. Please acknowledge her existence. She was very dear to me.
from: Angelica Borromeo
~~~~~
Thank you for writing. I have been wanting information about Tiya Edyong. I heard she was a "storyteller." Do you have more info? - her date of birth, name of her husband, number of children, schooling, when she died. And if you can send me copies of her writings, I would be THRILLED. And info re her grandchildren too.

I visited her when I was young and by that time she was half paralyzed, but she always had a sense of humor. (She was the sister of my grandfather Mariano J. Cuenco ) - I remember she said something like, "It's a good thing many of their silbings died, otherwise the Philippines would be in a revolution because of the Cuencos" - she was referring to their volatile nature.

Yes, I would LOVE to write about her, but please give me info.

I did not mean to leave her out in the Cuenco site - I just had little information and pictures about her. I was always interested about her, especially when I heard she was a writer. Pls. do send info, her writings, maybe pics, info. thanks!!!!

My mother was Iton Cuenco; in case you knew her. I was the youngest in the family. I've always been interested in family stuff.
From: Cecilia Brainard
~~~~~
I have to talk to my sister Titus. She has some info. I was young when Lola died. I will get in touch with you as soon as I get some more info. I have old pictures of her with husband and my dad Peping. Thank you so much for your interest.
From: Angelica Borromeo
~~~~~~~~
I remember Tiyo Peping! And I am sure we met each other when we were children in Cebu. I remember Mitos - is she your sister?
I have another questions - I remember Tiya Edyong, but the old photo I have showing the Cuenco siblings have her name down as Dolores. Was she Dolores? Or Remedios?

Pls. send me info. I gather what I can about the Cuenco genealogy. You will also find some more info not just in the Cuenco site, but also in my blog - also some Old Cebu historical info. My current friends in Cebu are historic Old Cebu enthusiasts.

Your Dad and my grandfather were first cousins.

Let me know what you find out!
From: Cecilia (I was known as BAby)
~~~~


As soon as I have more information about Remedios Cuenco Borromeo, I'll update the Cuenco site, but in the meantime, do visit: http://www.palhbooks.com/cuenco.htm

1896 CEBU GENEALOGY - JUANA LOPEZ DIOSOMITO

My friend Gavin Bagares in Cebu sent me the following historical materials that have to do with my great-greatgrandmother, Juana Lopez y Diosomito. The first report is dated 1896 and involves Juana buying two houses in Cebu City from Prudencio Sanson Camara (ancestor of Gavin). The second article below is dated 1901 and involves a real estate deal with Prudencio Sanson Camara once again. 

 This is the oldest historical document I have about any of my ancestors. I always thought Juan Lopez came from Naic, Cavite, but the documents below indicate she came from Tondo, Manila. The little I know about her came from my mother (Concepcion Cuenco Manguerra) and also from my aunt Lourdes Cuenco who had written saying Juana Lopez loved to dance. It was never spelled out who the father of her daughter Remedio Diosomito was, but there were some references of a Spanish Admiral - hmmm - 

 Aside from dancing, Juana was a sharp business woman, as we can well see from these documents that indicate she was investing in real estate. My mother said Juana bought houses and rented them out. Her daughter Remedios learned to do the same thing, and my granduncle (her son), Archibishop Jose Cuenco wrote in his autobiography that after his father died, Remedios supported her large family from these rentals. My own mother also learned to do this, and soon after my father died, my mother made daring investments in San Lorenzo and Bel Air villages in Makati, Manila. Mama said she went to Ayala and Mr. Fitch advised her not to be afraid to invest. Mama did: 3 lots in San Lorenzo and 5 in Bel Air. The photo shows Juana Lopez, seated right side, with Filomena Cuenco (standing), and Concepcion (child holding doll). The other child is Maria, a sister of my mother who died young. Here's another history trivia: President Sergio Osmena's father was a Sanson, not an Osmena. He was a love child and while the Osmenas and Sanson accepted this fact, at some point, it was the second wife of Sergio Osmena who didn't want this information to be public knowledge. In fact, many historians know about this. 

 --------------------------------------------------------- - 1896: Doña Juana Lopez Diosomito of Baybay, Leyte, purchased (for 3, 000 pesos, pacto de retro) two houses in Cebu City, one of mamposteria and solar on calle de Prim, facing the Plaza de General Loño, and the other of cal y canto and solar on calle de Prim, in the barrio of Maloco, from: Don Prudencio Sanson Camara, negociante, married, n and v* of Cebu City (Cebu Protocolos, Doc 11, 1/27/1896/1411: 74-77) * n and v represents natural and vecino, respectively - GSB 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Protocolo Cebu [or PC] 1424, No. 111, 26 Abril 1901, S52-S55 ... de una parte D. Prudencio Sanson Camara, mayor de edad, de estado casado, propietario y vecino de esta ciudad... Y de la otra D. Juan Niwel Sidebottom, natural de Manchester, "Ynglaterra," mayor de edad, de estado soltero, comerciante y vecino de esta poblacion en nombre y representacion de la Casa Smith Bell y Compania, en virtud del poder otorgado a su favor por D. Francisco Stuar Jones, socio gerente de la entidad mercantil colectiva Smith Bell y Compania... Primero: Que teniendo D. Prudencio Sanson Camara cuentas pendientes con los Senores Smith Bell y Compania de eta plaza, las cuales no es posible liquidar en este acto; para garantia de la espresada Sociedad por el alcance que pudiera tener a su favor al practicar la liquidacion definitiva, hipoteca [mortgage] las dos fincas siguientes: una casa de mamposteria con su correspondiente solar senalada con el No. 8 en la calle de Prim frente a la laza del General Lono de esta ciudad... mide 9 metros 20 centimetros de frente por 14 metros 80 centimetros de fondo: Segundo: una casa de cal y canto, con su solar correspondiente sita en el barrio de Maloco y en la calle de Prim de esta ciudad... dichas fincas las adquirio por retroventa de Dona Juana Lopez... Segundo: Las deslindadas fincas responderan siempre del saldo que contra el D. Prudencio Sanson Camara pueda resultar en la liquidacion definitiva que practique con los Senores Smith Bell y Compania, en los negocios que actualmente tiene con los mismos... PC 1424, No. 102, 22 Abril 1901, S16-S19B ... de una parte Dona Juana Lopez y Diosomito, mayor de edad de estado viuda, natural de Tondo Manila vecina de Baybay provincia de Leyte y con residencia en esta ciudad... Y de la otra D. Prudencio Sanson Camara de estado casado, mayor de edad, propietario y vecino de esta ciudad... Primero: Que por escritura otorgada en esta ciudad ante D. Joaquin Domenech y Costa Notario publico que fue de esta provincia en 27 Enero 1896, compro al D. Prudencio Sanson Camara las fincas siguientes: primero una casa de mamposteria con su correspondiente solar senalada con el No. 8 en la calle de Prim frente a la plaza del General Lono de esta ciudad... mide 9 metros 20 centimetros de frente por 14 metros 80 centimetros de fondo: segun de una casa de calicanto con su solar correspondiente sito en el barrio de Maloco y en la calle de Prim de esta ciudad... por precio de tres mil pesos, con la condicion de que si antes del 15 Julio 1897 le devolvia el vendedor dicha cantidad deberia otorgarle escritura de retroventa... Tercero: Y utilizando el derecho de redencion retrovende al D. Prudencio Sanson Camara las fincas deslindadas ... por el mismo precio de tres mil pesos... regards, gavin

FROM POINT CEBU "COLON'S PROMINENT RESIDENTS"

I stumbled across this article which is quite interesting: (credits to Point Cebu and Ybarra)

Colon’s Prominent Residents

During the late 19th century, Colon was first and foremost a street full of residential houses built in rows. For every store, shop and office on the ground floor, there was a family or two living upstairs. Some came from the most prominent families of their time and ours, others from once-prominent families now long forgotten, having moved out of Cebu, their descendants scattered all over the archipelago and abroad.

From the Colon section of Parian lived the Gantuangcos, whose descendant, Concepcion Gantuangco-Briones, wrote in 1980 an important first-person account of life in the old Parian district. The Gantuangcos lived on No. 66 Colon Street. Across the house lived the Lu. Do Family, whose children Paterno and Cayetano, would later make a name in the coconut oil manufacturing industry in Asia. It was here that Lu Do (or Oya Owa), who came from Amoy, China, built a copra-buying station on property leased from Fr. Venerado Reynes in 1896.

On this same row lived the Rallos family led by patriarch Florentino Rallos, who became Cebu’s Municipal President (Mayor) in 1907-08. The Rallos property was said to straddle the Parian Estero up to Manalili Street. Up until World War II, the family had kept an old caruaje, an heirloom piece at their Colon residence.

On the same row also lived the Osmeñas and the Singsons. The shipping office of Don Victoriano Osmeña was on the ground floor of this big stone house, which had two main doors – one opening to Colon, the other to the dark and narrow Sudlon Street. At the corner of Colon and Norte America (now D. Jakosalem) was the stone camarin and bodega of Don Tomas Osmeña, with a yard so big that it occupied an entire block. Don Sergio Osmeña, meanwhile, lived still farther, along the corner of Colon and Pelaez streets, where he had his law office on the ground floor. It was also here that Cebu’s first daily, El Nueva Dia, which he published, had transferred from Calle Comerio (later M.C. Briones).

Don Mariano Albano Cuenco, a lawyer from Carmen, Cebu came to Colon in the 19th century and built an imposing house located between the corners of D. Jakosalem and Mabini. Its ground floor later became the office of the Imprenta Rosario, a printing press founded by Cuenco in 1907 and taken over by his wife, Doña Remedios, who became the first woman publisher I Cebu. The printing press published, among others, the revived El Boletin Catolico in 1915, Cebu Daily News in 1923, and the English-language newspaper Republic News. The politically prominent Cuencos continue to own the property today.

During the first decade of the 20th century, the ground floor of Don Agapito Garces’ house at the corner of Mabini and Colon streets served as venue for early films. Another Garces, Doña Josefa, owned another property along Colon around 1914.

Father along the old part of Colon lived Don Victorino Reynes, foremost realtor, art collector and a famous philatelist. Don Victorino owned a shop at his residence o No. 86 which was across Teatro Oriente. At the junction of Legaspi and Colon lived the prominent theater owner Don Jose Avilla. Near this house, the Estero of Parian tapered off and vanished.

Across the Los Hijos de Pueblo clubhouse on the corner of D. Jakosalem lived Don Esclastico “Capitan Tikoy” Veloso, whose hose once served as office of the Real Audiencia. The ground floor was later converted into a shop where stagecoaches were made and repaired. Beside the Hijos clubhouse was the residence of the Martinez-Franco clan, with its ground floor hosting a busy foundry for making cawa (cauldrons). Don Domingo Franco owned the house together with his wife, Doña Lucia Chiong Veloso and her sister, Doña Charing Veloso-Martinez.

At the corner of the Junquera and Colon lived Don Mamerto Escaño whose family originally hailed fro Leyte. Increasing investment exposures in Cebu forced the Escaños to establish a foothold in Cebu. Like all the rest, the family made the most logical choice – Colon.


- Ybarra