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November 21, 2023

Mariveles in 1900s


"I am Pocholo De Leon Gonzales, son of Avelina De Leon Gonzales and Luis Gansit Gonzales, natives of Mariveles. I grew up on Jose Sarreal Street in the Barangay of San Carlos in Mariveles, Bataan. Ever since I was a child, I always asked myself, 'Who is San Carlos?' I thought he was a saint.


Unknown to many natives of Mariveles, Barangay San Carlos was not named after a saint or any church figure. It was named after the founder of Barangay San Carlos, Mayor Dr. Carlos “Carling” Lara Sarreal. Mayor Carling was the one who established Barangay San Carlos, situated in the center of Mariveles Town, during the time the Bataan Export Processing Zone or BEPZ was also being constructed in 1969. Dr. Carling was elected as the Mayor of Mariveles in 1967, and from then on, the town evolved from a 5th Class Municipality to a 3rd Class Municipality.

Pocholo  De Leon Gonzales (Baby) with GrandFather Amado Velez De Leon Sr., Great Grand Father Emilio Advincula De Leon with Alain De Leon and Boy De Leon Cesar.


Dr. Carling's excellence and greatness were inherited, as his grandmother was none other than the revered and recognized Mother of the Katipunan and Revolution of Mariveles, Bataan, Agatona De Leon. Agatona De Leon was the sister of Ignacio De Leon, from whom the De Leon clan in Mariveles originated. Ignacio De Leon married Julia Advincula and had a child, Emilio Advincula De Leon. Emilio, known as Milyong, had three wives: first, Socorro Delgado, second, Zuela “Chelay” Velez, and third, Celerina “Nena” Batungbakal Mandocdoc. From his marriage to Zuela, they had children: Amado Velez De Leon, Virgina Velez De Leon – Riego De Dios, and Lolita Velez De Leon Cesar. Amado was the father of my mother, Avelina De Leon Gonzales.

Mayor Carlos "Carling"  Lara Sarreal


Agatona had a first husband from the Gonzales lineage, but he passed away early. They were blessed with two children: Melchor Gonzales and Esteban Gonzales. Esteban Gonzales was my great-grandfather. He married Juana Bautista, and their child was Leoncio Gonzales. Leoncio married Marina Gansit, and they had my father, Luis Gansit Gonzales, who became the Municipal Administrator of Mariveles during Mayor Jessie Concepcion's term. Ace Jelo "AJ" Concepcion, one of the youngest mayors of Mariveles, was their child. Thus, my mother and father are third cousins from the De Leon lineage.


My Mother Avelina De Leon Gonzales and Luis Gansit Gonzales


Esteban Gonzales and Melchor Gonzales were recognized heroes of the Katipunan in the town of Mariveles. They attended the meeting to create a document called the “Acta ng Katipunan.” They signed the document with their own blood and vowed that no matter the hardship or punishment, they would not reveal the rules and doctrines of the Katipunan.


The beginning of the Revolution in Mariveles was set on May 31, 1898. They agreed that after the third sound of the drum, known as the “Signal for the Dawn of Freedom,” and called the “Day of Uprising.”


Marina Gansit and Leoncio Bautista Gonzales


This revolution was the easiest, fastest, least bloody battle, and the most successful in the history of Mariveles. In this event, the greatness of Agatona De Leon, known as “Cabesang Tonang,” was recognized. She became a symbol of the Mother of the Katipunan of Mariveles, Bataan, and led the liberation of our beloved town against the cruel and exploitative Spaniards. She was the only woman who led, fought, and shouted “Charge, my brothers!” which signaled the start of the revolution in the Town of Mariveles. She later remarried a well-known Gobernadorcillo from the town of Imus, Cavite, named Julian Sarreal. The bloody yet successful chapter of our town's history is called the “Copo De Mariveles” or Mariveles Coup d’etat.

Esteban De Leon Gonzales with grandson Napoleon Viray and Fernando Gonzales Viray


Cabesang Tonang was also one of the first to promote the Aglipayan religion or Iglesia Filipina Independiente (Aglipay Church) due to the enslavement and torment of Filipinos by the Spaniards, along with the families of the heroes of the “Copo de Mariveles” in 1898.


The children of Cabesang Tonang served as leaders of our town after the revolution. Among them were Melchor Gonzales and Esteban Gonzales. Esteban Gonzales served as the Town Judge and became the Mayor in 1908 during the American period.


 He also started the first Elementary School in Mariveles.


The eldest child of Agatona with her second husband, Julian Sarreal, was Jose De Leon Sarreal, Sr. (after whom Jose Sarreal St., in San Carlos, is named), belonging to one of the affluent families in Mariveles. He was a businessman before entering politics. He was appointed as “Kapitan Municipal” or Mayor in 1898. He became the thirteenth (13th) Mayor of Mariveles and served for six years.


Cabesang Tonang's grandson was Carlos Lara Sarreal, who became the seventeenth Mayor of Mariveles. He served three terms from 1968-1979. He was born on November 4, 1936. Mayor Carling established the Mariveles Water District and the Mariveles Town Market. Here, it is evident that the legacy or 'Pamano' of Cabesang Tonang truly runs in the blood of the generations that followed her. It can be said that Agatona De Leon is truly the real mother of San Carlos and the town of Mariveles.


As a descendant of Agatona De Leon, my only desire and aspiration for the present and future of this town, especially for the Youth, is to not forget the history and the sacrifices and love of “Cabesang Tonang” to achieve our Freedom and to embody patriotism and love for our origins and the heritage of history.


Long live Barangay San Carlos! Long live the Town of Mariveles!"

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February 27, 2022

 Si “Cabesang Tonang” Ang Tunay na Ina ng San Carlos

Isinulat ni Pocholo De Leon Gonzales AKA The VoiceMaster

 

Agatona "Cabesang Tonang" De Leon

Ako si Pocholo De Leon Gonzales, Anak ni Avelina De Leon Gonzales at Luis Gansit Gonzales taal na taga Mariveles. Lumaki ako sa Kalye ng Jose Sarreal sa Baranggay ng San Carlos sa Mariveles, Bataan. Bata palang ako lagi kong tinatanong sa aking sarili. Sino si San Carlos? Akala ko isa syang Santo.

Lingid Sa Kaalaman ng mga Nakararaming Taal na Taga Mariveles, Ang Baranggay ng San Carlos ay hindi ipinangalan sa isang santo o kanino mang mga tao sa simbahan. Ito ay ipinangalan sa taong nagtatag ng Baranggay ng San Carlos na si Mayor Dr. Carlos “Carling” Lara Sarreal. Si Mayor Carling ang nagpatayo ng Baranggay San Carlos na nasa Gitna ng Bayan ng Mariveles noong panahon na kung saan kasalukuyan ding itinatayo ang Bataan Export Processing Zone o BEPZ taong 1969. Taong 1967 ng si Dr. Carling ay nahalal bilang Punong-Bayan ng Mariveles at simula noon mula sa 5th Class Municipality ang bayan ay naging 3rd Class Municipality.

May pinagmanahan ang Ang kagalingan at kadakilaan ni Dr. Carling sapagkat ang kanyang lola ay walang iba kung ang Dinadakila at Kinikilalang Ina ng Katipunan at Himagsikan ng Mariveles, Bataan. Walang iba kung hindi si Agatona De Leon. Si Agatona De Leon ay Kapatid ni Ignacio De Leon na kung saan nagmula ang lahi ng mga De Leon sa Mariveles. Si Ignacio De Leon ay napangasawa si Julia Advincula at naging anak si Emilio Advincula De Leon. Si Emilio kilala bilang Milyong ay nagkaroon ng 3 asawa, una ay si Socorro Delgado, Pangalawa ay si Zuela “Chelay” Velez at Celerina “Nena” Batungbakal Mandocdoc. Mula sa asawang si Zuela ay naging anak nila sina Amado Velez De Leon, Virgina Velez De Leon – Riego De Dios at si Lolita Velez De Leon Cesar. Si Amado ang ama ng aking ina na si Avelina De Leon Gonzales.


Mayor Carling Lara Sarreal


Si Agatona ay may unang asawa na nasa lahing Gonzales ngunit ito ay sumakabilang buhay ng maaga. Sila ay biniyayahan ng dalawang anak na sina Melchor Gonzales at si Esteban Gonzales. Si Esteban Gonzales ay ang aking Lolo sa tuhod. Napangasawa nya si Juana Bautista at naging anak nila si Leoncio Gonzales. Napangasawa nya si Marina Gansit at naging anak nila ang aking ama na si Luis Gansit Gonzales na naging Municipal Administrator ng Mariveles sa panahon ni Mayor Jessie Concepcion na naging anak ang Sumunod na isa sa pinakabatang Mayor ng Mariveles na si Ace Jelo "AJ" Concepcion.. Kaya ang aking ama at ina ay pangatlong pinsan sa Lahing De Leon.

Si Esteban Gonzales at si Melchor Gonzales ay ang mga kinilalang mga bayani ng Katipunan sa bayan ng Mariveles. Dumalo sila sa pulong na magkaroon ng kasulatan na tinawag na “Acta ng Katipunan.” Nilagdaan nila ng sarili nilang dugo ang kasulatan at nanumpa na kahit anong uri ng hirap ng kaparusahan ay hindi ibubunyag ang tuntunin at doktrina ng Katipunan.

Itinakda ang Simula ng Himaksikan sa Mariveles noong ika-31 ng Mayo taong 1898. Pinagkasunduan nilang pagkatapos ng ikatlong pagtulog ng bombo na tinagurian “Hudyat sa Banaag ng Kalayaan” at tinawag na “Araw ng Kupuhan.”

Ang himagsikang ito ang pinakamadali, mabilis, hindi madugong labanan at ang pinakamatagumpay sa kasaysayan ng Mariveles. Sa pangyayaring ito kinilala ang kadakilaan ni Agatona De Leon na tinaguriang “Cabesang Tonang” na naging simbolo ng Ina ng Katipunan ng Mariveles, Bataan at siya ring nanguna sa pagpapalaya sa ating bayang mahal laban sa malupit at mapagsamantalang mga Kastila. Siya ang kaisa-isang Babae na namuno, sumugot at sumigaw ng “Salakay mga Kapatid!” na naging hudyat ng pagsisimula ng himagsikan sa Bayan ng Mariveles. Nakapangasawa niyang muli ang isang kilalang Gobernadorcillo ng bayan ng Imus, Cavite na si Julian Sarreal. Tinawag na “Copo De Mariveles” o Mariveles Coup d’etat ang madugo ngunit matagumpay na kabanata ng kasaysayan ng ating bayan.


Mayor Esteban De Leon Gonzales


Si Cabesang Tonang din ang isa sa mga unang nagtaguyod ng relihiyong Aglipayano o Iglesia  Filipina Indepediente (Aglipay Church) dahil sa pangaalipin at pagpapahirap ng mga Kastila sa mga Pilipino kasama ang mga  pamilya ng mga bayari ng “Copo de Mariveles” noong 1898.

Ang mga naging anak ni Cabesang Tonang ay ang mga nagsilbing leader ng ating bayan matapos ang himagsikan. Naririyan si Melchor Gonzales at Esteban Gonzales. Naglingkod si Esteban Gonzales bilang Pambayang Hukom at naging Punong Bayan noong 1908 sa Panahon ng mga Amerikano. Siya rin ang nagsimula ng kauna-unahang Elementaryang Eskwelahan sa Mariveles.

Ang panganay na anak naman ni Agatona sa pangalawang asawa na si Julian Sarreal ay si Jose De Leon Sarreal, Sr. (Sa kanya pinangalan ang Jose Sarreal St., sa San Carlos) ang isa sa mga nakakariwasang pamilya sa Mariveles. Isa syang negosyante bago pumasok sa larangan ng pulitika. Naitalaga siyang “Kapitan Municipal” o Mayor noong 1898. Naging pang labing-tatlong (13th) Mayor ng Mariveles at nahalal at nanungkulan sa loob ng anim na taon.

Nagkaroon ng apo si Cabesang Tonang, sya si Carlos Lara Sarreal at naging pang-labingpitong Mayor ng Mariveles. Nanungkulan ng tatlong termino mula 1968-1979. Pinanganak sya noong November 4, 1936.  Si Mayor Carling ang nagtayo ng Mariveles Water District at ng Pamilihang Bayan ng Mariveles. Dito makikita na ang Pamano o Legacy ni Cabesang Tonang ay tunay na nananalaytay sa dugo ng mga lahing sumunod sa kanya. Masasabing si Agatona De Leon talaga ang tunay na ina ng San Carlos at ng bayan ng Mariveles.

Bilang apo sa Talampakan ni Agatona De Leon. Isa lang ang tanging hangad at hangarin ko sa  kasalukuyan at kinabukasan ng bayang ito lalong lalo na sa Kabataan. Huwag nating kalimutan ang kasaysayan at ang mga ginawang sakripisyo at pagmamahal ni “Cabesang Tonang” upang makamtan natin ang Kalayaan at isapuso at isipan natin ang pagiging Makabayan at mapagmahal sa ating pinagmulan at ang pamana ng kasaysayan.

Mabuhay ang Baranggay San Carlos! Mabuhay ang Bayan ng Mariveles!

 

 

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February 27, 2022

 



77th Liberation Day

Pebrero 26, 2022
Taun-taon nating ginugunita ang buwan ng Pebrero bilang araw ng pagpupunyagi sa bayan ng Mariveles. Ating sinasariwa ang yaman ng ating bayan hindi lang sa kalikasan kung ‘di sa likas na kagalingan ng ating mamamayan. Ngunit bukod sa mga kasiyahan, mahalagang alalahanin pa rin natin ang dahilan ng pagdiriwang ng kapistahan.
Makasaysayan ang buwan na ito hindi lang para sa Mariveles. Ang bayan natin ay naging tahanan ng mga nakulong na Pilipino at Amerikanong sundalong nakipaglaban para sa Pilipinas noong World War II. Dito naganap ang bakbakan laban sa mga Hapon na naglunsad ng pagdaong ng mga barkong nagpalaya sa mga nakakulong na sundalo noong taong 1945.
Kalaunan, naging kaugalian nang ilunsad ang Fiesta ng bayan sa huling linggo ng Pebrero. Makasaysayan at mahalaga ang gampanin ng bayan natin sa pagpapalaya sa bansa. Kaya marapat lamang nating ipagmalaki na tayo ay Mariveleños.
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December 21, 2021





Japanese soldiers, lightly clad, submit to questioning by Brig. Gen. Clinton A. Pierce, left, and another American officer at headquarters on Bataan peninsula in the Philippines on April 10, 1942. That was before continued Japanese attacks drove the defenders to abandon their positions and resulted in death and capture of many.

 


American and Filipino troops emerge from a tunnel to surrender in May 1942 at Corregidor, Philippines.


American prisoners of war sort through equipment to be taken over by the Japanese on April 11, 1942, at Bataan, the Philippines. Then the death march to Camp O'Donnell began.

Japanese soldiers stand guard over American war prisoners just before the start of the 'March of Death' for the soldiers of Bataan and Corregidor in 1942. This photograph was stolen from the Japanese by the Philippines during Japan's three-year occupation in World War II.

While a Japanese soldier stands guard, center, with fixed bayonet, American soldiers captured on Bataan and Corregidor pause to rest. According to the Marine Corps caption, this photo, taken during the 'March of Death' on Luzon in 1942, was stolen by Filipinos from the Japanese.

Nearing the end of the Bataan Death March, a thinning line of American and Filipino prisoners of war carry casualties in improvised stretchers as they approach Camp O'Donnell, a new Japanese POW camp, in April 1942 during World War II.

Arms tied behind their backs, American soldiers captured on Bataan and Corregidor pause during the 'March of Death' on Luzon in the Philippines in 1942. The photo was stolen from the Japanese during the war and ended up in the possession of the United States Marine Corps.

Captured soldiers from Corregidor in the Philippines are marched away after surrender.

American prisoners of war carry their wounded and sick as they begin the Death March on Bataan in April 1942.


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December 21, 2021 1
The man behind ‘Mystery Singer’




Mystery Singer was a radio sensation in the late 1940s and early 1950s, with hits including Ramona, Planting Rice, Rosalinda, Lavandera Ko, Tristezas de la Alma, Are You Lonesome Tonight, Tennessee Waltz, Marta and Kiss Me With Your Eyes. He performed a song... Inez Rocha and IH Lloyd were the parents of Cecil Lloyd, who was born in Mariveles, Bataan, the son of a veteran of the Spanish-American War. When the Mystery Singer finished law school at the University of Pennsylvania in 1937, he received a mark of 85%. Before he was known as the Mystery Singer, Lloyd performed as the UP Troubadour on KZIB and KZRM. Because of friends like Skip Guinto, Sergio Acua and Gonzalo Yotoko basically pushed me into the microphone, I ended up being an actor. The guy I work with, Jimmy, is an excellent employee. In his On Air column, Luis Ma. Trinidad quoted Lloyd as saying that he came up with the radio moniker Mystery Singer for me ( Literary Song-Movie Magazine, March 1951). When Lloyd founded the Philippine Recording System in 1948 he signed up such artists as Sylvia la Torre, Bimbo Danao, Ruben Tagalog, Pancho Magalone, Tony Maiquez and Leopoldo Silos as the first Filipino-owned recording firm. Lloyd appeared on stage during the Japanese Occupation.


On DZRM's Sunday noontime broadcast in 1955, he ended his music career and joined the National Media Production Center. He agreed to have the Cecil Awards named after him before he died in 1988, and that honor was bestowed in his honor after his untimely demise.
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December 06, 2021




Ricardo was born in Mariveles, Bataan, Philippines, on February 7, 1919. To begin with, he and Helen grew up together in the Mariveles-Corregidor area. When Ricardo got accepted to the Philippine Military Academy (PMA), he was the first student from his province to accomplish so. Before he could complete PMA and marry Helen as planned, World War II broke out. While in Bataan during World War II, Ricardo witnessed the surrender of the United States of America and the Philippines to the Japanese Army, which resulted in the notorious Bataan Death March. With Helen, he managed to find his way out of captivity throughout the war and marry her.

Ricardo Catalan at PMA Baguio City 1939



A bachelor's degree in accounting was Ricardo's goal after World War II, so he entered the University of the East. At Clark Airbase, he began working as a civilian for the United States Air Force after founding and serving as president of the Mariveles Junior Chamber of Commerce.

Ricardo founded Mariveles Jaycees



In 1967, Ricardo and his family came to the United States and settled in the Excelsior neighborhood of San Francisco. After 30 years of service in the US Air Force, he retired as a Certified Internal Auditor. Ricardo worked for the state of California for another ten years before retiring.

The SIA (Special Immigrants Association), a social club mostly comprised of former Clark Air Base employees, included Ricardo as a member and he served as its president. Also, he was a founder and former president of the Corregidorian USA Association, a nonprofit that promotes the history and legacy of the island fortress of Corregidor.

At the National Archives, Smithsonian, MacArthur Foundation, Fort Belvoir, and Historico Militar in Madrid, Ricardo spent a lot of time doing research on Corregidor and Mariveles for the sake of historical accuracy. History of Mariveles is currently available for public use at the Llamas Memorial Institute's library thanks to a book written by him based on his research.

Throughout his life, Ricardo made a beneficial impact on the lives of many people. He was a man of honor, honesty, and compassion throughout his entire life. He was a kind man who will be much missed.

Ricardo Catahan with his son Ricky Catahan in San Francisco, California USA



When Ricardo M. Catahan passed away in Las Vegas on September 9, 2016, his second wife Lourdes was by his side to comfort him. Ricardo's first wife, Helen, and his youngest son, Peter, died before him (who died during child birth). Among those mourning his passing are his oldest daughter Aurora, second daughter Emma, son Ricky, stepchildren Den, Sirjohn, and Bodie, as well as several grandchildren.


 

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