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Manuel Manabat y Gozun known as TAX CONSULTANT in Provincial Capitol of San Fernando, Pampanga, but popularly known as ‘Don Manuel’ from his prominent friends and relatives in Bacolor and San Fernando because for being an illustrado (educated person) and speaking in Spanish fluently.
Born in Santa Inez, Bacolor on December 25th, 1873, Christmas day. “Maning” learned to read and write from her mother (name unknown) and he completed his Segunda Ensenanza or Secondary Education in Bacolor. He later went to Escuela de Artes y Oficios now Don Honorio Ventura College of Arts and Trade.
In 1904, the capital of Pampanga was transferred from Bacolor to San Fernando.
Speaking Spanish fluently are very few for many Capampangans during that time. That is why some prominent people in Bacolor and San Fernando wanted to learn Spanish language to him. Two prominent families teach Don Manuel is the Sengson and Lazatin family in San Fernando, Pampanga. Don Manuel teaches the family every evening sometimes in a dinner or after his work.
One of his works was his version of the book ‘The Pasion of Christ’ and translated into Spanish. Some of our elders used by his book during Lenten Season and sung it in front of the altar or what we called the ‘Pasiun’, but because lending of other people, the book was lost and never be seen.
Don Manuel married twice. By his first wife, Cresencia Uyengco of Macabebe, Pampanga, he had four children – Roberto “Pentong”, Potenciana “Puten”, Belen and Fortunata “Atang”. After Uyengco passed away, Don Manuel married Clemencia Ortega y Barrera of Santa Inez, Bacolor born on November 13, 1886, which he had three children – Demetria “Meding”, Guillermo “Duncan”, and Paulina “Neni”. They lived first in Santa Inez, Bacolor and they decided to transfer in Santa Lucia, San Fernando circa 1900.
Some of his children was finished their education. Roberto as Engineer in Manila, Fortunata as Public Teacher in Mexico, and Demetria the Valedictorian of Pampanga High School 1935 and mastered her teaching education in Philippine Normal College as a Public Teacher in San Fernando.
Don Manuel succumbed to heart failure while in their luncheon in their house in Santa Lucia on June 30, 1954. After 24 years when Don Manuel died, Clemencia followed and died in her bed on February 13, 1978. Their remains are now rest in Good Shepherd Memorial Park in San Fernando, Pampanga.
The first house of the Manabat family in Santa Inez, Bacolor, was destroyed by an eruption of Mount Pinatubo in 1991 and flooded the house by lahar. Few adobe blocks and asias (foundation of the house) are the only remaining today of the Manabat house. Today, the Bale Matua (Old House) of the Manabat family still standing in Santa Lucia, San Fernando, Pampanga. Don Manuel’s children are now peacefully rest and his last child died was Demetria my grandmother on October 19, 2004.
More of the information I have obtained came from my grandmother’s records and interviews with living relatives. Im hoping to obtain more information and would appreciate any input or contributions.
I am Bernard Alfaro y Cabrera eldest son of Renato Alfaro of San Simon, Pampanga, and Maria Luna Cabrera, daughter of Pedro Cabrera of Tarlac, Tarlac and Demetria Manabat, daughter of Don Manuel Manabat and Senora Clemencia Ortega of Bacolor, Pampanga. I was in the third generation of this family.
FOR GOD BE THE GLORY!
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