The Anthem Philatelist

Pedro D. Villadolid, Waterfalls, 1979, Oil on Masonite, 24"x42",  Private  Collection   Pedro D. Villadolid (6 October 1916- 7 August 1980) loved nature. He was a self taught painter who  worked with actual subjects but added elements from his fertile and wild imagination. In this painting we see lush autumn tree colors not seen in our country and two deers with long antlers, non-existent in Bantayan island ,  Cebu . He loved birds in flock-of-seven and here, we see them perched on a branch (right tree), on a rock (beside middle tree) and in flight (left tree).  This flock-of-seven bird pattern can also be seen in his 1953 Farm scene , 1976 Forest , and in this painting. His trees appear crooked and asymmetrical, the rock formations unrealistic.  "He paints with apparent disregard for proportion or natural coloration.  His subjects architecture were free, loose with bright gay colored patterns", writes Manuel Duldulao in his famous 198...

  Francisco "Kikoy" Miranda Morelos (2 Apr 1900- 17 Aug 1994) Educator, prolific writer and columnist of the post war (1947) Republic Daily and The Freeman covering political and social issues and events.  Here he writes about the 1977 National Referendum and the wedding of his nephew Don Morales (son of Avelino Morales , his wife's elder brother) with Grace Con-ui and the meeting of two political giants who were at that time adversaries but for familial love , stood as godparents- Mayor Eulogio Borres and Governor  Eddie Gullas .       Wedding of Avelino "Don" Morales, Jr. and Grace Con-ui in 1977. Principal Sponsors: Cebu Governor Eduardo Gullas, Cebu City Mayor Eulogio Borres, Beatriz Derecho, and Esperanza Racaza.   Lolo Kikoy is seated at extreme right talking to Gov. Gullas and Mayor Borres.     The young Avelino "Don" Morales Jr. with family driver Inting (1957)   The 1977 National Referendum   I can concede that ...

" Glimpses of Old Cebu: Images of the Colonial Era " is a 276-page coffee table book of nearly 600 of the best photographs, postcards , stereoviews and lantern glass slides of Cebu and its many towns taken between 1870-1945. More than just a mere showcasing of rare, never-before-seen images, the book also provides a treasure trove of information accompanying nearly every picture. The author, Lucy Urgello Miller has been collecting vintage Philippine postcards and photographs for over 20 years, the thrust of her collection being Cebu . She acquired 90% of her Cebu collection in the United States where she is living with her husband Richard "Rick" Miller. Most of the collection was bought at antique postcards shows. Lucy has about 1,000 pictures and postcards on Cebu but she selected only the best and most interesting for this book. Mommy Gingging, Lucy and my wife Grace A blue-blooded Theresian, Lucy spent her entire education from kind...

Casimiro Villacin del Rosario ( 13 Jun, 1896- 15 Sep, 1982) is a foremost Filipino physicist, astronomer and meteorologist.   Dr. del Rosario is known for his researches on ultraviolet light of different wavelengths, effect of radioactive radiation on Euglena , high voltage electrical discharges in a vacuum, and many others. His works have been published in international journals such as the American Physics Review and the Journal of Franklin Institute .   He is the co-founder of the Bartol Research Foundation in Philadelphia, an institution which did pioneering researches in physics.   Dr. del Rosario was the recipient of a Presidential Award in 1965 for his contributions to physics. He was made Director of the Philippine Weather Bureau for 11 years, and the first vice-chairman of the National Science Development Board in 1958. He was conferred as a National Scientist in 1984.   Dr. Casimiro del Rosario was born on June 13, 1896 in Bantayan , Cebu to Pantale...

Jorge B. Vargas (August 24, 1890 – February 22, 1980) was a lawyer and youth advocate born in Bago City , Negros Occidental , Philippines. He graduated valedictorian from Bacolod High School in 1909 and obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1911 and a Bachelor of Law degree with honors in 1914, both from the University of the Philippines .    He was a founding member of the Philippine Amateur Athletic Federation (now the Philippine Olympic Committee) in 1911 and served in its Executive Committee in 1918. He served as its second Chairman from 1935 to 1955. He was also the first Filipino member of the International Olympic Committee.   After being admitted to the Philippine Bar in 1914, he was appointed as law clerk in the Philippine Commission. He quickly rose through the ranks and was promoted to the position of Chief Clerk of the Department of the Interior in 1917.   In 1918 he served as the legislative secretary to Speaker Sergio Osmeña of the House of Represe...

Isabelo de los Reyes , popularly known as " Don Belong", was a law graduate of the University of Santo Tomas majoring also in philosophy, history and anthropology. He was a Notary Public at age twenty-two. He was the founder and the first president of the first Labor Union in Manila. A founding member of the Philippines Independent Church, he also served as councilor of Manila for two years and finally as senator for six years.   Born to Elias de los Reyes and the poetess Leona Florentino in Vigan, Ilocos Sur, he attended schools in Vigan and Manila. He followed his mother's footsteps by initially turning to writing as a career and became a journalist, editor, and publisher in Manila.   At 6 years old, due to troubled marriage of his parents, Isabelo was entrusted to a rich relative, Meno Crisologo, who later enrolled him into a grammar school attached to their local seminary run by Augustinians.    In 1880, at age 16 he escaped to Manila where he finished Bac...

Whatever by Josefina "Jo" Gaboya Magsaysay Reprinted with permission from Sunstar Cebu August 31, 2006 issue   He was playing Mozart on the piano, his fingers caressing the keys like a lover. Piano was his first love, his first teacher was Anita Cabahug Trasmonte who rapped his wrists and knuckles to keep them in line. Be a doctor, his father, Engr. Vic (Evangelista-Auza- Garcia ) Avanzado, ( Talibon , Bohol ) told him, don’t be a musician. And because he was a good son, he obeyed his father.   Now Vicente B. Avanzado Jr . is a full-fledged doctor of medicine, in fact a fellow and a diplomate in Gastroenterology . Goodlooking with a smiling personality and yes, he still plays the piano. Beautifully. Music "relaxes and inspires" him and he believes "music and medicine are alike, both need continuous study and both can heal."    To celebrate Ting’s successful entry into the rarefied medical clique of fellows (he completed his fellowship at U.E. Ramo...