*333. Pampanga's Schools: DON HONORIO VENTURA TECHNOLOGICAL STATE UNIVERSITY, Bacolor

ESCUELA PRACTICA DE ARTES Y OFICIOS DE BACOLOR. The newly reconstructed trade school, as it appeared in 1909. Damaged during the Revolution, the school was rebuilt using funds donated mostly by the native elite of the town. Today, Don Honorio Ventura Technological State University is a premiere technological university of the region. Luther Parker Collection, 1909.

While the Americans are recognized for reforming Philippine public schools, the Spaniards are credited for founding the first trade schools of the country, starting with the vision of Augustinian P. Juan Zita to help young but underprivileged youths of Bacolor. Bacolor’s elite, led by Don Felino Gil, donated the land and raised funds for the establishment of a school devoted to manual training and education. Thus was opened the Escuela Practica de Artes y Oficios de Bacolor, in 4 November 1861.

Initially, the school offered courses in carpentry, furniture making, ironworks and other practical arts, until the operations were interrupted by the Philippine Revolution. The school was converted to an ammunitions plant that supplied the Republican army with guns and bullets. The school sustained heavy damage as a result.

The school reopened in 1905 as Bacolor Trade School. Now under the Americans, the school underwent major reconstruction from 1906-07 at a cost of Php 12,000. At the grand inauguration of the new edifice, distinguished guests like former Gov. Ceferino Joven and Acting Director G.N. Brink, plus prominent members of both local and the American community graced the occasion that culminated in a lavish ball.

American instructors were at the helm of the school, teaching carpentry, wood craft, furniture making, weaving and embroidery. It was once again renamed to Pampanga Trade School in 1909. In 1911, the school observed its 50th anniversary, a milestone that was marked with yet another festive celebration held on 4 November.

A secondary curriculum that included Building Construction for boys and Domestic Science for girls was offered in 1922. Recognized as a regional trade school and renamed as Pampanga School of Arts and Trade, it added technical education courses in 1957. Pres. Diosdado Macapagal signed a decree in 1964, officially changing the name of the school to Don Honorio Ventura Memorial School of Arts and Trades (DHVMSAT) in honor of philanthropist Don Honorio Ventura, a native son of Bacolor who once helped Macapagal financially as a struggling student.

In 1978, under provincial governor Estelito P. Mendoza, the school became a state college. Curricular expansion led to the offering of courses such as Industrial Education, Engineering, Architecture and Home Economics. Masteral degrees were likewise offered in such fields as Public Administration, Education, Educational Management as wells as a Doctorate in Education in 2003. 

In June 2009, a house bill sponsored by Congressman Aurelio D. Gonzales, Jr.that called for the school’s conversion into a technological state university was passed and approved, that paved the way for the passage of a Senate Bill sponsored by Sen. Lito Lapid. On 9 December 2009, then Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo signed Republic Act 9832, finally declaring the school as Pampanga's first and only state university—the Don Honorio Ventura Technological State University.

From its humble beginnings, DHVTSU has grown by leaps and bounds, yet it continues to hold fast to its original mission envisioned over one hundred and fifty years ago--to keep the flame of technology alive so it may be used to improve lives, and enrich the future.

*332. Hands on the Future: LEARNING THE INDUSTRIAL ARTS

OUT ON THE FARM. Young farmers pose for a pcture before the Domestic Science building of Mexico Elementary School. Ca. 1920s.

In revamping the curriculum of Philippine schools, emphasis was given by American teachers to subjects called Industrial Education (for boys) and Domestic Science (for girls).

To improve the basic motor skills of children, schools started offering vocational and manual training, teaching boys handicrafts, carpentry, weaving, toymaking and gardening.

On the distaff side, girls were trained on home arts that included sewing and embroidery,  marketing, cooking and house cleaning (yes, there is a systematic process in waxing and buffing floors!).

I was one of the hapless students of the 1960s who took up this required subject at Mabalacat Elementary School, which was quite an ordeal to finish. First, I was never handy with tools, and second, I hated gardening under the hot sun. I was eventually exempted from the subject because of my fragile health, but relief would not come easily; I was cross-posted in the Home Economics class of the girls where I ended up peddling snacks from room to room.

 Students have no one to blame but Harvard graduate Fred W. Atkinson, who, in 1902, was appointed as General Superintendent of Public Instruction in the Philippine Islands by Gov, Gen. William Howard Taft. The 35 year old former high school principal quickly reformed the school system—imposing the use of English as the language of instruction, the importation of teachers (known today as Thomasites), and of course, the integration of industrial and domestic arts in the elementary level curriculum.

 As was expected, the importance of the subject was lost on Filipino parents who sent their children to school—in the first place--to save them from a life of hard, manual labor. Unpopular with teachers, Atkinson was dismissed and was assessed as a failure. He was replaced by David Prescott Barrows who included the education-deprived barrios in his goal to develop a ‘cultured peasantry’. He re-skewed the emphasis on academic subjects, like Reading, Writing, Grammar and Spelling. He argued that manual training will only chain Filipinos to a life of peonage.

 But of course, Industrial Arts continued to be taught in primary schools all the way to the 70s and 80s. Manual training subjects became less and less laborious, in the case of needlework and drafting. Garden plots gave way to new school wings and Home Economic buildings were either knocked down or adapted for re-use as spare classrooms, until the subject of practical home arts was no more.

 My manual dexterity has not improved a bit in my use of a simple coping saw and hammer. Nor am I exactly a green thumb today. But for sure, the training has given me a better appreciation of the skills and efforts of people who use their hands for a living—from the anloagues, pandays, masons, cocineras, modistas and bordaderas of yesteryears to the talented Kapampangan furniture makers, culinary masters, potters, parol makers, and landscape gardeners of today. In their deft hands, they shape the future of our commercial, industrial and agricultural progress.

*331. IN THE SWIM OF THINGS

SINK OR SWIM.  Every summer, Kapampangans beat the heat by going to their favorite swimming holes, like this Sta. Rita teen in a period swimsuit posing before a natural pool before taking the plunge. Ca. 1920s From the Gosioco Album, CKS copy.

The heat of summer is upon us, and amidst this stifling sizzle, we find ways to fight off the searing temperature. Many find welcome relief in going to air-conditioned malls or theatres, while others choose to cool off with a tall glass of Razon’s halo-halo and maybe, a refreshing iced buco juice or melon shake from a roadside stall. Still, for some, the best way to beat the heat is to find a watering hole or a pool to go swimming in.

 Before the advent of modern water resorts and their fancy swimming pools, Kapampangans living by the banks of the Gran Rio de la Pampanga fended off summer heat by simply take a dip in the shallow portions of the river and swim with the slow current for a kilometer or two. Picnickers, on the other hand, preferred the baños (baths) of Arayat-- swimming holes fed with the cooling spring waters that descended from the mountains.

For many Kapampangan youths in the 20s and 30s, Arayat was the equivalent of Antipolo, its forested slopes offering a shady refuge, dotted with many natural pools believed to contain medicinal properties. The baths of Arayat would soon be expanded and organized into the Mount Arayat National Park, a protected recreational area that continues to operate today.

Magalang benefitted from its proximity to Arayat, as the town too, had many natural swimming pools that were regularly visited by local townsfolk and tourists from nearby provinces. Similarly, in Mabalacat, Mascup River in Barrio Bana was also a favorite camping and swimming spot by excursionists during summer vacations. Entrance was always free.

As far back as the 1900s, the more adventurous American servicemen stationed at Camp Stotsenburg, delighted in the wild, rampaging waters of Bamban River. Whole troops regularly went to swim here to escape the tropical heat, but swimming was always a challenge as the river was crammed with stones and large boulders. In Porac, Mayamit Falls was another option, but the arduous trip to the waterfalls is not for the faint-hearted.

Early swimming pool resorts made their appearance in Angeles in the late 30s. Paradise Resort was a favourite summer haunt. Standard swimswear included bloomers for women and one-piece swimsuit for men. In Abacan, Balibago, the Del Rosario Swimming Pool opened to the public in 1958. It featured an adult pool with a diving board and two kid-sized pools and were always full-packed with families during the summer break.

The housing boom in the 60s also resulted in the establishments of residential villages with their own clubhouses and exclusive pools. Villa Angela was one such subdivision, and I would remember swimming in the village pool along with the fathers of Sacred Heart Seminary. Marlim Mansion, located at Severina Subdivision in Balibago, was one of the first high-rise hotels to feature a swimming pool as part of its modern facilities. By the mid 70s, Olympic size pools were the standard in Forest Park in Angeles and Yap Park in Dau.

Today, of course, water sports facilities abound in Pampanga with dizzying modern features and themes to cool the hot and harried Kapampangan. In Fontana, Clark Field, there are water slides and pools with machine-generated waves. Clearwater offers more than just swimming, but also kayaking. In Apalit and Mexico, I have seen water resort complexes with fantasy themes that are more like amusement parks than swimming places. Why, we even have our own Boracay in Pampanga, aptly named Poracay!

So when the next heat wave strikes, look around—there’s always a body of water near you: a river, a brook, a resort club or a village pool. Get into your swimsuit, grab a rubber tire, and plunge right in!

*330. CLARK'S PLACES OF WORSHIP

SEEK YE FIRST THE KINGDOM OF GOD. Clark's Chapel One, as it looked in 1959. Just recently finished that year, the modern church featured amenities such as air conditioning for churchgoers'' comfort and convenience. The church as remained the same, unlike Chapel Two which was heavily restored post-Pinatubo.

By the late 50s, Clark Field was a modern, bustling and fully equipped air base, the nerve center of U.S. Air Force operations in Southeast Asia. The “biggest air base in the world” was home to thousands of servicemen from the Thirteenth Air Force and their families. Here, they converged as a community, from all parts of America, of diverse backgrounds and interests--and with different religious beliefs.

 For the varied spiritual activities, three base chapels and a religious center staffed with 8 chaplains of different faiths, were ready to offer varied religious programs to all Clark Air Base personnel. The chapels were the designated venues for the daily and weekly activities of major religious groups. As such, there were regularly-held Protestant Sunday Services, Sunday School, General Worship Service, Episcopal Service, Latter Day Saints Sunday School, Christian Science Service, Protestant Evening Fellowship and Evangelistic Service.

Two notable churches were operational by 1959. Church 1 was the newest, built on sprawling grounds near the corner of Dyeess Highway. The church had a modern, sleek design and even had air-conditioning for the churchgoers’comfort and convenience. On the other hand, Chapel Two, with its trademark spire, stood along Marrat Highway, across Kelly Restaurant and right next to the Gymnasium.

The churches and the religious staff observed a hectic schedule, what with weekly services that include Midweek Fellowship, Episcopal Communion and Bible Study. Seven times on Sunday, Catholic Sunday masses were celebrated. On regular days, masses were said twice daily. Also conducted weekly were evening devotions, and novenas. 

Religious organizations included the well-attended Sunday schools operated by the Protestant chaplains on an inter-denominational basis. They sponsored a daily vacation Bible School, a Junior and Senior Choir, Youth Fellowship, Retreats, Bible Classes and frequent social events.

On the other hand, Roman Catholic chaplains organized religious groups like the Holy Name Society, Ladies’ Sodality, Legion of Mary, with well-rounded programs that included holding Holy Name Retreats, missions, novenas, choir and religious instruction classes.

Special Jewish services conducted by their chaplains include: Chanukah, Purim, Passover and Shavvoth.

Baptism, confirmation, weddings and other religious ceremonies could also be arranged by contacting the chaplain of one’s respective faith.

Today, the churches of Clark, heavily restored post-Pinatubo,  are still very much around, serving a whole new community that includes both military personnel and civilians-- local tourists, PX shoppers, residents of nearby cities of Mabalacat and Angeles. Chapel One (now dedicated to  Saint Joseph) and Chapel Two  (dedicated to Our Lady of the Remedies, patroness of Pampanga) have regular AFP chaplains on duty. They continue to be popular venues for Masses, Weddings and other Catholic rites as well as houses of prayer and refuge,  just as they were intended to be, over 50 years ago.

*329. WHEN FLAPPER WAS IN FASHION

FLAPPER GIRL. A fashion-forward young miss from Sta. Rita shows off her low-waisted American flapper dress, complete with stockings on her legs, a headband and a bow. Only the fan remains of the Spanish fashion influence.

 The Americanization of the Pinoy youth began rather auspiciously with the introduction of a new school system by our colonizers that called for teaching subjects in the new medium—English. Kids were taught that ”A”was for ”apple”, and were trained to sing new songs like ”America, the Beautiful”, sometimes replacing the word “America” with “Philippines”.

The unceasing stream of American pop culture—from music to movies, fashion to food-- further heightened the consciousness of Filipinos for things Americans.

Young lads, for example, easily took to American styles, shunning the camisa and the barong for the tailored Americana cerrada of sharkskin cloth, matched with white pants. With a straw boater’s hat on his head and 2-tone shoes on his feet, our young sajonista was ready to paint the town red with his dashing good looks and fashion sense.

 Filipina women were not far behind. In the 1920s, women of age lived independently from their families in Manila college dormitories ran by American dorm mothers. Mentored in the American way, these elite “dormitory girls” spoke in English among themselves and held tea parties to show off their etiquette and social skills. The Roaring Twenties ushered in a new era of fashion that has come to be known as the Flapper Era. Popularized by the looks of movie stars featured in jazz films – Clara Bow, Louise Brooks, Joan Crawford, Vilma Banky—the flapper look was a breakaway from tradition, a rebellious statement against things prude and Victorian.

Perhaps, it was in synch with the rise of woman suffrage that was the talk of Philippine matriarchal society. No longer second class citizens, women decided to free themselves too of their long hair. Suddenly, bobbed hair became fashionable, along with spit hair.

 Icons of the day—like the Miss Philippines of the Commonwealth Manila Carnivals—came out in public sporting marcelled hair while wearing sleeveless, low-waisted chiffon dresses and dressy shoes of patent leather. The short skirted dresses fell above the knee and were trimmed with ruffles and sequins. To complete the look, the flapper ladies wore headbands (“headache bands”, as some remember them), dog collar adornments and extra-long string of pearls knotted around the necks which were swung at every given chance.

 The Flapper Age caught on among young Filipinas, and certainly, Kapampangans embraced the look, as seen from the above photo. Popular for over two decades, it was, without a doubt, a carefree, fun and trendsetting era. The local bodabil perpetuated the icon of the feisty Flapper—with dancers and performers scandalizing many with their short skirts and made-up faces, while flaunting cigarettes in long holders—a no-no with conservative Filipinas.

 But the Flapper era just roared on. False modesty and pretentious decorum fell by the wayside. There was daring and gaiety in the way Flappers looked, behaved and moved, repulsing others, but attracting even more youths that were bent on hastening the country’s Americanization, which they believed is the key in opening new doors for the Filipina women of the future.

 Just as quickly as it had raged, the Flapper fad would slow down as the Commonwealth years ended and a brewing war took hold of an unsuspecting Philippines. The War would eventually reach our shores and put everything on hold—and would mark the beginning of the end for an age of unbridled fun and symbolic rebellion—age of the Flapper.

*328. In Their Spare Time: DEPENDENT ACTIVITIES IN CLARK

ANIMAL RACE. A field meet at Stotsenburg featured an Animal Race, held from Nov. 8-15, 1920. The participating wildlife included a goose, a chicken, a dog,  a pig and a few more fowls. Field meets were regular dependent activities in the early days of Clark and were held at the all-purpose drill grounds.

In the first two decades of Fort Stotsenburg, families of military servicemn had to find ways to amuse themselves in their down time. There was just the parade ground to work on, which was converted into a playing field for sports events like polo, equestrian competitions and softball games.

For dependents who were not into heavy sports, creative recreational games were the answers. There were “fun” races for pets and other animals that provided hours of enjoyment and laughter. With the reconstruction of Clark after the War, there was more deliberate planning for spaces and buildings for recreational purposes. By the end of the 1950s, many facilities, social clubs and leisure programs were already in place, for military wives and youngsters.

The Officers’Wives Club, was one of the first associations to be put up, which held meeting in the O’Club monthly. It organized luncheons, bridge parties and does volunteer work for charity. Meanwhile, the NCO Wives Club included in their regular social schedule a wide variety of projects to aid the needy, both on and off the base.

Not to be outdone, the wives of the airmen on base also banded together to form the “Lower Four Wives’Club”, which maintained a busy social and charitable schedule. Many of the wives also participated in their own Squadron Wives’ Club, a very active organization that had a Bowling League Tournament. It also held many social get-togethers for both wives and husbands.

The pride of the teen-agers is their own Teen-Age Club. Through sponsors, the club held weekly dances, social dinners and special field trips around the island.

For active little youngsters, there is plenty of action in the Clark Little League. This group sponsors football, basketball and baseball for little sportsmen in a competitive mode. Excitement ran high during the various seasons when high energy games are held, as parents and friends cheered on. Clark’s Little League Football ranked as one of the few and the best in the Far East.

Although outside the United States, Clark has very active troops of Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts. The scouts, together with their leaders once embarked on fund drives, camp-outs and other activities with equal vigor. Highlight of Boy Scouting has been the 10th World Jamboree held in the Philippines in which Clark scouts participated. Sports-wise, the women have their leagues too.

There were various “Powder Puff” Leagues in softball, volleyball and basketball, where women engaged in fast, rousing games climaxed by hard-won championships. Bowling leagues occupied a prominent position during the season as the dependents hurry in the bowling alleys to help their favorite teams. Clark’s Gray Ladies of the Red Cross, on the other hand, thrived on the spirit of volunteerism. It always lent a helping hand at the hospital, on a volunteer basis.

When The Hobby Shop was opened, it offered courses in leathercraft, pottery and other artistic pursuits for dependents. Movies and theatrical performances staged by Clark students became staple entertainment in the base. Then there were the fund-raising exhibits, barbecue and swimming parties that bonded many military families.

With all these activities designed to amuse and fight boredom, there really was never and idle day in Clark for Americans and their dependents, who had come to serve their country in this little spot in Pampanga, thousands of miles away from their home.

*327. TONY SANTOS SR.: The Actor's Actor

TONY AWARD. Tony Santos Sr., stars as a sea gypsy with fellow Kapampangan Rosa Rosal, in the 1957 classic movie, "Badjao". He immersed himself in this role, even going to the extent of treating his hair with hydrogen peroxide to achieve that sun-bleached look.

 “Oras ng ligaya, halina tayong mag-saya”..so goes the theme song of the popular TV variety show in the 60s that starred celebrity icons Sylvia La Torre, the late Oscar Obligacion, Vic Pacia and Eddie San Jose. Viewers would occasionally see the director of the program—Tony Santos Sr.--make regular appearance on the show, wherein he coached and coaxed would-be child stars through a hilarious “tawa-iyak” performance exercise . 

But long before he became an acclaimed director, this half-Kapampangan was known for being a superb actor, known for portraying assorted characters with vivid realism and dramatic intensity. Antonio “Tony” Santos Sr. was born in 1920 to parents Dr. Gregorio Santos, a Caviteño and Aurelia Pineda, a Kapampangan. The eldest, Santos was raised in the strictest Victorian way, together with his six brothers and five sisters. 

It was no wonder then that three sisters (Remedios, Teresita, Rita and Jesusa) became nuns. In Tondo, where he grew up, he was sent to school ran by Belgian religious sisters, who noted his incorrigible behaviour and his involvement in street brawls. He only shed his nickname--“Terrible Tony”—when he left the environs of Tondo to begin high school at San Beda College. 

After finishing high school though, he drifted back to his Tondo ways. He couldn’t keep a job, and worse, the coming of the War dashed all prospects of earning a decent living. Santos discovered that he could dance, and he put this talent to good use by joining a dance troupe that performed at the Life Theater during the Japanese Occupation, for PhP 20 weekly. 

Santos led a double life during the difficult wartime years, performing onstage and involving in guerrilla activities at the same time. In 1944, Tony joined Hunter’s ROTC guerrillas, saw action in Laguna and rose from the ranks to be a 1st Lieutenant. Upon Liberation, he pursued his love for the stage and joined a performance group organized by Rogelio de la Rosa that performed around the country. He assumed different roles—one day, he was in the chorus line, the next day, he was the musical director, and the next, an errand boy. 

It was Director Gregorio Fernandez, also a Kapampangan from Lubao who gave him his break as an actor, casting him as a cop in the stage play, “Magtiis ka, Puso”. Soon, he was in demand as a thespian, and made the rounds of stage houses like Orient Theater and Manila Grand Opera House, playing title roles in such plays as “Stevedore”, “Judas”and “Tondo Boy”. 

It was but a matter of time that he made t a leap to the movies, in 1946, then still a small industry struggling to rise from the ruins of a devastating war. He made an indelible impression in his first film “Garrison 13”, where his performance as a counter-spy earned raves for the newcomer’s expressive face and natural acting skills. His output in the next years was incredible; there was one day in 1948 that he reported for the shooting of 3 films for 3 different roles, shot in different locations. In the morning, he shot his scenes for the horror film “Doctor X”, in the afternoon, he was a villain in “Misterioso” and in the late evening, he played second lead in “Kontrabando”. 

Santos was such a versatile player, appearing as an old man in “Krus na Kawayan”, as a villain in “Singsing na Tanso”and “Talisman”, and was a comic foil in “Miss Philippines”. In no time at all, the awards came in: a Best Supporting Actor Maria Clara trophy for “Hantik”, in 1950. In 1956, he starred as a disabled war veteran in the Lamberto Avellana-directed “Anak Dalita” that won the top Golden Harvest Award given by the Federation of Motion Pictures of Southeast Asia. To feel what it was like to be a cripple, Santos held his left arm immobile even while off the set. For his role as a sea-faring gypsy in “Badjao”, he dyed his hair for a sun-bleached look, earning his second Maria Clara Supporting Actor Award for that LVN classic. In 1959, “Biyaya ng Lupa”, a family drama set in lanzones country, teamed up Santos with fellow Kapampangan Rosa Rosal for the third time (after”Anak Dalita” and “Badjao”) and earned more raves for the gifted actor. 

Santos never forgot his love for directing and writing even when he was acting; by 1957 he had already completed “Banda Uno”, “Troop 11”, “Dama Juana Gang”and “Chaperone”—all moderate successes. By the time the television medium reached the Philippines, he was all set to give directing for TV a try. Here too, he left his mark, and couch potatoes would remember him for megging TV cult hits like the aforementioned ”Oras ng Ligaya" and many more for ABS-CBN. He continued to act through the 80s in such movies as "Sakada" (1976), "Ang Alamat ni Julian Makabayan"(1979"), "Sister Stella L."(1984), "Tagos ng Dugo" (1987) and "Huwag Mong Itanong Kung Bakit"(1988). 

With his passing in the 80s, this half-Kapampangan left a void in the world of Philippine entertainment that only a few artists could fill—an artist who gave life to every character portrayal, performing with real grit, spirit and soul, delighting and thrilling an audience for over four long decades.