The Old Families of Lipa, Batangas are renowned for their rich history and cultural heritage. These families were prominent during Lipa’s golden era in the late nineteenth century when the town was known for its coffee cultivation and trade. One fascinating aspect of these families is their tradition of intermarrying among themselves, which was primarily done to maintain their social status and ensure that their children married within the town’s social circle. This led to a high incidence of consanguineous marriages among notable clans such as Solis, Katigbak, Luz, Roxas, Africa, Mayo, Kalaw, and Dimayuga.
THE SOLIS, AGUILERA, OLAGUIVEL and LOZADA FAMILIES
“The Lipeño aristocracy in reality belonged to only one family group, all sired by Don Celestino Solis in a succession of three wives. Solis had about three times as many daughters as sons, and daughters had many more daughters. They were said to be the richest family in Villa de Lipa and their lives seemed to be like fairy tales.” – Maria Kalaw-Katigbak
The Solis clan was considered the richest family in Lipa and perhaps in the whole Batangas province. This family descended from Don Celestino Solis, born to Juan Solis, said to be a mestizo of Spanish-Mexican ancestry, and Irene de los Santos, whose ascendants were indios from Malabar (now Northern Kerala, India) who together with the ancestors of General Miguel Malvar were shipwrecked in Luzon and settled in Santo Tomas, Batangas. Celestino originally came from that town and initially worked as a clerk for the municipio.
Though Celestino was of humble beginnings, his industry, thrift, and luck saved him great fortunes and soon he owned vast tracts of estates in Lipa, Rosario, San Pablo, Laguna, and Dolores, Quezon. A court record, in fact, shows that he owned 991 hectares, 41 acres, and 46 centiares of land in Pinagsibaan, Rosario, Batangas.
He finally resided in Barrio San Andres in Lipa to venture into the town’s budding coffee industry. He became a member of the town’s principalía starting as the barrio’s Cabeza (village chieftain) and then elected as the town’s gobernadorcillo (city/town mayor) for three terms in 1843, 1848, and 1860-1861.
He successively married three times.
1st Marriage
In 1840, Don Celestino married Patricia de San Miguel Luz, daughter of Don Tomas de San Miguel Luz and of Doña Juana Malabanan Inciong (widow of Don Leon Africa). Celestino and Maria’s union produced two daughters, Maria (1841-1877) and Justa (1843-1878).
Maria Solis married the Spanish mestizo, Gregorio Aguilera y Esguerra, who came to Lipa in 1858 and was known to many as “fallas“. The Aguileras were from Malate, a suburb of Manila.
Maria and Gregorio had two children, Gregorio and Soledad. Gregorio (1869-1921) studied in Spain together with Rizal. He took up Law at the Universidad Central de Madrid. He was a reformist and supported all the activities of the Asociación Hispano-Filipina where he served as treasurer. As a literary man, he contributed to La Solidaridad with the pseudonym Kikil. Gregorio was one of the members of the Malolos Congress and one of the signatories of the Malolos Constitution. He served as Presidente Municipal from 1902 to 1903 in his hometown Lipa where he led philanthropic, patriotic, and cultural activities. During his incumbency as Batangas governor from 1904 to 1907, he on agriculture and education. He also served as the director of the local newspaper in Lipa called the Columnas Volantes de la Federacion Malaya and then took over the position of director of the town’s secondary school Instituto Rizal. Teodoro Kalaw enrolled in that school and as written in his biography, Aguilera Solis was one of his great mentors and to whom he owed his literary taste. Soledad became the President of the Cruz Roja De Damas (Red Cross Women’s Society), established by Gen. Miguel Malvar in Lipa during the Philippine Revolutionary Government under President Emilio Aguinaldo. This association was tasked to provide assistance to wounded Filipino soldiers, sick or injured civilians, orphans, and widows.
Justa Solis married Don Norberto Kalaw Katigbak, recipient of the grand cross of the Order of Queen Isabel La Católica of Spain which he received for his major contributions to the development of the wealth of Lipa during its heydays as the coffee-producing center. Two of their children were linked with Dr. Jose Rizal. Mariano Solis Katigbak was his best friend during their student days at Ateneo. Mariano’s sister Segunda Solis Katigbak was the national hero’s first love interest.
Doña Patricia died after giving birth to a son named Isidro in 1846.
2nd Marriage
In 1847, Don Celestino married another mestiza de sangley by the name of Jacoba Metra (Mitra), daughter of Don Manuel Metra (Mitra) and Doña Clara Bernardo y Villapando. Jacoba’s sister, Gertrudes was married to Don José de San Miguel-Luz (brother of Patricia Luz, the 1st wife of Don Celestino Solis)
Don Celestino and Doña Jacoba had several children: Salvadora, Filomena, Marcelina, Catalina, Germana, and Bernardo.
Salvadora was so obsessed with diamonds that these precious stones almost embellished her from top to bottom. She was married to Don Toribio Katigbak. Their marriage produced eleven children however only four survived to mature age. The eldest, Rosenda, fondly called “Senday” married her first cousin Gregorio Aguilera y Solis. Sinforosa married veterinarian Dr. Jose Honorides Alberto of Pasay, Rizal. Gregorio Katigbak y Solis was a bachelor who died of Tuberculosis at the age of 24. The youngest, Macaria Catigbac married Perfecto Salas of Molo, Iloilo, a law partner of Rafael Palma.
Filomena Solis married Don Catalino Dimayuga. In 1889, Catalino entrusted their son, Lauro Solis Dimayuga, to Dr. Jose Rizal to personally advise him concerning his studies and matters affecting his health. Lauro joined the indios bravos, a group that Rizal organized in Madrid. He was chosen to challenge to a duel Wenceslao Retana, who had written offensive remarks against Filipinos. For this, he earned the title “The Fearless Batangueño”. He was very active in the propaganda movement and wrote two articles criticizing the friars and the Spaniards on the way they looked at the Filipinos. These were entitled “Las Bellas Lipenses” and “Una Frase de Amor”. These articles were sent by Don Benito Katigbak Reyes, however, these were intercepted and came to the hands of the frailes of Batangas. They made a plot against him by falsely accusing him of sacrilegious handling of the sacred host. The guardia civil arrested Lauro. He was imprisoned in the Batangas provincial jail and executed without a fair trial in 1897.
Marcelina Solis was the second wife of Don Juan de Olaguivel y Tagle (widower of Maria de Guivelondo y Tagle), son of Don Nicolas de Olaguivel Esnal and Doña Feliciana Teresa de Tagle of Cebu. The Olaguivels (Olaguibel) were Basques from Vizcaya, Spain. Juan’s son, Nicolas Solis Olaguivel (named after his grandfather) was successively married to his first cousins, Pia and Salustia Solis (both are sisters). After the coffee boom, he ventured into the sugar industry and abaca trading but with unsuccessful results. Faced with business reverses, Don Nicolas sold many of Salustia’s treasured objects such as jewels, rosaries, and missals made of precious materials just to save mortgaged lands and to pay off his debts. Despite the reverses, his wife still remained the richest woman in Lipa. During the term of President Manuel Quezon, she was a member of his kitchen cabinet.
His only son, with Salustia, Eleno Bernardo Solis Olaguivel was an opera singer who performed in Rigoletto and other operas in the pre-war Metropolitan Theater. He later became a secular priest. Eleno’s sister, Criselda “Didi” Cecilia Solis Olaguivel, married Alberto Luz Katigbak, a career diplomat. He became a Philippine Ambassador to the Vatican. Their children are Nicolas, Hilda, Mario, Gerry, and Miriam.
Don Celestino Solis’ only son, Bernardo Solis (c.1855-1912) became a gobernadorcillo for two terms in 1881-1882 and also in 1894-1895. He was a poet, a playwright, and a journalist. One of his written plays was “Simoy ng Kaparangan”. He was very patriotic and in fact, he helped Rizal financially in the clandestine publication of his two novels“Noli me Tangere” and “El Filibusterismo.” During the war against Spain, he became a Lieutenant Colonel in the Reserva del Ejercito Filipino.
Don Bernardo’s wife was Guillerma Africa y Macarandang. Their family maintained a European lifestyle and reportedly dined off golden plates and cutlery on special occasions. He insisted that all meals be served formally. Diners were serenaded by a pianist and a soprano in residence. Siesta followed lunch. All were lulled to sleep by a pianist who only stopped playing when his patrons fell asleep.
Martin Tinio, in his article entitled Angkan from the book Batangas Forged in Fire, mentions that in 1880 Bernardo went to see the Paris Exposition, for which the Eiffel Tower was built. There, he went on a shopping spree, buying furniture, gilded mirrors, bronzes, statuary, porcelain, silver, and other luxury items. He even bought an entire mirrored wall of the Brazilian Pavilion on which the story of coffee was painted in reverse. They say he had to charter a ship to bring home all his purchases. In Paris, he told his wife to wear her biggest diamonds to the opera. They were so huge that they made her uncomfortable. Midway through the performance, she started removing them, one piece at a time, until all her jewels were resting on her lap. After returning to Lipa, while arranging their French purchases, Guillerma slipped on the highly polished floor. The next day, Bernardo ordered Persian carpets for the entire house, beginning from the bottom of the staircase to the bedrooms above.
Don Bernardo and Doña Guillerma’s had several children: Emilio Celestino (died in infancy), Leonor Teresa, Amanda, Emilia, Pia, Maria Germana, Maximo Bernardo, Salustia, Maria Rosario, and Casimiro Jose.
The eldest daughter Leonor Teresa was a Bachelor of Arts graduate of the University of the Philippines. Teresa was an educator and taught at the Lipa Intermediate School together with the Thomasites. In 1919, she was sent to the United States as a pensionado and went on a vocational training course at the New York School of Social Work. As a social worker, she landed a job at the Public Welfare Office of Manila. She was also a founding member of the Asosación Feminista Filipina, the first women’s club in the Philippines which encouraged the participation of women in public affairs during the American regime.
Amanda like her eldest sister Teresa was an educator and taught at the Lipa Intermediate School. She married prominent lawyer and businessman Herminio Kalaw Silva and had two children Lilia and Antonio.
Emilia married the lawyer, Orestes de Marcaida y Chuidian. Marcaida was General Antonio Luna’s Aide de Camp and a nephew of the prosperous businessman of Manila Don Telesforo Chuidian. Don Telesforo was a famous businessman who together with his two sisters, Candelaria (Orestes’ mother) and Raymunda, ran the Sociedad Chuidian, Buenaventura, y Cía, a formidable company engaged in the import of Arabian horses, perfumery, and other merchandise. They have also ventured into the coffee business in Lipa.
Pia Adelina Solis was the first wife of Nicolas Solis Olaguivel (first cousin). When she died, Nicolas married her sister, Salustia Guillerma Solis. Salustia’s hair was so long that it literally swept the floor. Every day, after her morning bath, her tresses were spread out over the handrail of her bedroom to dry. Her valued possession was an etui – a small box made of carved ivory –which contained a sewing kit with scissors, a thimble, a needle case, and spools made of solid gold. She wrote her letters with a golden feather specked with diamonds. She was so sentimental that when her mother, Guillerma Africa, died, the only thing she wanted was her mother’s favorite piña handkerchief.
Maximo Bernardo Solis married the heiress, Leandra Baldovia Espinosa of Sariaya, Tayabas. As a tradition, the wedding had to be held in the bride’s hometown. Sariaya was known for its rich livestock and coconut industry. In order to encourage the Lipeños to attend the festivities, the fiancee’s family said, “Come to Sariaya, and you will see our streets filled with carabaos.” But the Lipeños countered, “Come to Lipa, and you will see our streets paved with silver!” In the literary world, Maximo Bernardo was popularly known as Max Bernard, his pen name. He was the first director of the magazine Renacimiento Filipino and a columnist in the leading Filipino broadsheet in Spanish, La Vanguardia. Maximo and Leandra had two children, all named after their favorite operas by Wagner and St.Saens, Samson and Dalila. Max Bernard’s other children were: Carmen, Rosario Violeta “Charito”, A FAMAS and Gawad Urian award-winning Filipino film actress who died in 1998, Tristan, and Yolanda who married Emilio Tiongco, one of the Tiongco Singing brothers from Sta. Rosa, Laguna.
Maria Rosario Solis, the youngest daughter, married Don José López y Castelo of Balayan.
Bernardo and Guillerma’s youngest son, Casimiro Jose Solis, married Miguela Subol. Their son was Bonifacio Carlos S. Solis, the most outstanding Mayor of Lipa (1972-1986) who was recognized for the successful implementation of the economic, social, and physical development of the city in 1977. During his term, he approved the establishment of the Lipa City Water District in 1974, worked for the establishment of the Lipa City Science High School, and through his efforts, the present municipal building was built and completed in August 1989.
Doña Catalina Solis, the second wife of Don Gregorio Aguilera y Esguerra, owned the largest house in Lipa, with a vast dining room that could seat eighty guests. Dinners were always the talk of the town as the entire table service, including the plates and huge-sized platters, were of solid silver. The cutlery was said to have been made of solid gold. Upon her death in 1935, she bequeathed her large mansion to the Church, to be used as a diocesan residence. The house, together with the other palatial houses in Lipa, was destroyed during World War II. Catalina and Gregorio’s children: Vicenta, Remedios, and Luis all remained single. All their wealth was divided between the Church and their 21 Solis cousins.
Germana Solis married Don Jose Aguilera Lozada (Batangas Governor, 1907-1908), son of the Spanish sea Captain Don Domingo Lozada and Doña Segunda Aguilera. He was originally from Tondo but was assigned to Batangas as the attending physician during the cholera epidemic of 1882. He was one of the first in the province to earn the medico titular and subsequently, his profession assured him of immense wealth. Dr. Jose and Germana’s house in Lipa was famous for its stairway with gilt bronze balusters. When the Luna brothers came to Lipa in the 1890s to solicit contributions for the patriotic campaign that La Solidaridad was wagering, the Lozada couple accommodated them in a nipa-shingled guesthouse set in an orchard at the back of the main house. The walls were of woven sawali and the floors of split bamboo, but the bahay kubo was luxuriously appointed with crystal chandeliers, gilded mirrors, Persian carpets, and blackamoors. The following day, the guests were awakened for breakfast by a string orchestra. In gratitude for the couple’s financial contribution and hospitality, the Lunas gifted their hosts with a fine pair of large, gilded Satsuma vases that still exist today.
The Lozadas had only one child, Consuelo Solis Lozada, who married Reynaldo Medina Lardizabal, son of the first Filipino governor of Marinduque, Don Martin Lardizabal. Consuelo reportedly did not touch money and entertained guests by appointment only. Doña Consuelo and Don Reynaldo had two sons, Reynaldo Jr. and Jose Martin. Jose was active in the performing arts. He was the artistic director of the Bayanihan Dance Troupe and was with the Cultural Center of the Philippines during the Marcos era.
3rd Marriage
Don Celestino’s third marriage was with Guillerma Maralit Manguiat. They got married in 1862. From this marriage came, Petra Solis (married to Don Clemente Leyesa) and Gliceria Solis (married twice to Don Apolonio Sales and second to Ramon Dizon of Pampanga). According to Salustia Solis, her Tia Gliceria possessed the rare beauty that no other Solis had ever possessed.
Petra had 9 children: Nicolas, Alberto, Narciso, Potenciana, Agapita, Clemente Jr., Arsenio and Angel.
Alberto’s grandson was former Lipa Mayor, Ruben Leyesa Umali.
Potenciana, married Justa Solis’ grandson, Benigno José Macarandang Katigbak (son of Don Mariano Solis Katigbak and Doña Ysabel Ramirez Macarandang). Benigno is one of Lipa’s unsung heroes. At the age of 27, he was slain while performing his duty as the town’s chief of Police. He left Potenciana with three children: Artemio, Rita, and Carlos. Carlos Katigbak became Lipa’s Vice Mayor in 1960. He was affectionately remembered by his fellow Lipeños as a pro-poor public servant who sponsored laws that benefited the impoverished people and depressed communities in Lipa.
After 6 years of widowhood, Potenciana married Gregorio Mayo Katigbak who was the delegate for the Third District of Batangas in the First Philippine Assembly of 1907-1909. He was also the Colonel of the Philippine Army in Batangas during the revolution against Spain.
Two of Gliceria’s daughters married two Katigbak first cousins. Vicenta Solis Sales married Pedro Roxas Katigbak and Maria Juana Solis Sales married Bartolome Mendoza Katigbak.
THE KATIGBAK CLAN
The earliest known ancestors of the Katigbak clan were Don Juan Catigbac and Doña Nicolasa Concepcion. Their son, Tomas Catigbac, married Juana Masonsong in 1780. Their union produced ten children, Maria, Rita, Eustaquia, Pasqual, Agustin, Juliana, Magdalena, Micaela, Josef, and Felipe.
Pasqual M. Catigbac married twice. His son (from the second wife, Andrea Manguiat), Exequiel Manguiat Catigbac, married Aniceta de los Reyes, daughter of the famous Lipa gobernadorcillo, Don Gallo de los Reyes. (Don Gallo spearheaded the widespread cultivation of coffee in the town.)
The son of Bernardino Reyes Catigbac, a teniente primero, married Rosela Metra Mayo. Their son Gregorio Mayo Katigbak, a revolucionario and a well-known politician. He became Batangas’ delegate during the First Philippine Legislature in 1907-1909. With his strong desire to provide education to the youth, he led the establishment of the Instituto Rizal in 1899 which produced Lipa’s great men of caliber. Later on, his son, Dr. Jose Maria Braceros Katigbak (Presidente Municipal 1945-1946), carried on his father’s mission and thus founded “The Mabini Academy” of Lipa.
Josef M. Catigbac became gobernadorcillo in 1827. He married Andrea Aguila Calao. They had seven children, Mateo (1m. Petra Mendoza, 2m. Dominga Gonzales), Maria (m. Alejandro Altamirano) Cayetano, Francisco, Lino, Norberto, and Susana (m. Manuel Mayo).
The eldest, Mateo Catigbac, became Lipa gobernadorcillo in 1858.
Cayetano became gobernadorcillo in 1865. He married Fausta Tapia who owned large tracts of undeveloped land, which were all cultivated by the time she died. They had four children: Toribio, Leoncia, Petra, and Maria. When Don Cayetano remarried, the children transferred their mother’s properties to their names. Toribio (Presidente Municipal, 1901-1902), said to be the richest person in town during the coffee boom, married Salvadora Solis y Metra. Of all their children, only Macaria Solis Catigbac had heirs. She married Perfecto Salas of Molo, Iloilo, a law partner of Rafael Palma. They had two sons and one daughter, Adela. Adela’s brothers perished during the Second World War and so the family estate was divided between her and a nephew. She was so rich that from just the proceeds of molasses-by-product of the sugar harvest – she could travel around the world annually.
Lino Catigbac became gobernadorcillo in 1869 and married three times. The names of his three wives were: Eufemia Mendoza, and the sisters, Jacoba and Vicenta Roxas. His line produced descendants such as singer, Minda Azarcon; composer, Rosario Africa Unite; bankers, Enriqueta Katigbak-Castillo and Fe K. Dimayuga-Medalla; doctors, Teodoro K. Villa and Arturo K. Dimayuga; jeweler, Antonio Katigbak; and diplomat Eva K. Luz-Costa.
The most accomplished among Don Josef’s sons was his youngest, Norberto ( Lipa gobernadorcillo in 1862). In 1887, Norberto received the second class Grand Cross of the Order of Isabel La Católica in recognition of his outstanding services for the encouragement and development of agriculture and commerce in Lipa and also the whole Batangas province during his tenure as the head of the board of Agriculture. During this year too, Lipa was elevated to the status of Villa because of the flourishing coffee industry.
Norberto married Justa Solis y Luz, daughter of Don Celestino Solis. Their eldest son, Mariano Solis Katigbak (Capitan Municipal, 1896-1897), was Jose Rizal’s classmate and best friend while studying at the Ateneo. He married twice first with Ysabel Ramirez Macarandang and when the latter died he married Rosario Mercado Luz, half-sister of Manuel Metra Luz, his brother-in-law.
Mariano’s eldest son, Jose Petronio M. Katigbak, graduated with a degree of Qualified Civil Engineer and a certificate of Distinction in King’s College of the University of London in 1903. Petronio then obtained his BS in Engineering at the Lawrence Scientific School of Harvard University in June 1904. To practice his profession, he came back to the country and worked with the Bureau of Public Works as a Transitman in 1905, laying out the city of Baguio in a plan prepared by Architect Daniel Hudson Burnham, and in 1914, he became First Assistant City Engineer of Manila. Aside from his distinguished career, he was a visual artist and poet. The incessant strain of his work had undermined his health. At the young age of 36, he succumbed to typhoid fever and died on May 16, 1916. Such was his contributions that the Municipal Board of Manila, during his death, decided to name one of the principal streets, facing the New Luneta, Katigbak Boulevard (now Katigbak Pkwy).
Segunda Solis Katigbak was José Rizal’s first love interest and probably the best-known of her clan. While studying at Colegio de la Concordia in Santa Ana, Manila, her brother, Mariano brought her with him to a party where she met José. Smitten, Rizal showered the fourteen-year-old lass with flowers, poems, and sketches. Unfortunately, this romance was short-lived because when she turned sixteen she went back to Lipa and married her uncle, Manuel Metra Luz, a wealthy planter. Rizal never forgot Segunda. It was said that one time he visited Lipa to solicit funds for La Liga Filipina. Rizal then met Manuel Luz and played chess with him and when he lost, he said, “I not only lost the game but my heart, as well.”
Leon Mendoza Katigbak ( Presidente Municipal 1916-1922), the son of Don Norberto from his second wife Macaria Latorre Mendoza, had two children with Paz Luz Roxas whose mother, Doña Alejandra Luz y Metra, was the eldest sister of Don Manuel Luz y Metra. Don Leon’s only daughter, Imelda Roxas Katigbak, married Aurelio Limjuco Dayrit of San Fernando, Pampanga. One of their daughters, Carmen (Menchu) headed the National Commission for Culture and the Arts under Presidents Aquino and Ramos. Leon’s only son, Jose Roxas Katigbak, married Maria Kalaw, daughter of Teodoro M. Kalaw. They had four children: Marinella, Josefina (Pinky), Purisima, and Norberto. Marinella married Armand Fabella of Pagsanjan whose family owns Jose Rizal University in Manila.
The land of Don Norberto Katigbak in Batangas spanned “fifteen barrios”. From his two marriages, he had 20 children but only fifteen survived to mature age. Each one received 145 hectares of land as their inheritance.
THE LUZ CLAN
The Luz clan was descended from Don Tomás de San Miguel – Luz (gobernadorcillo, 1807), a mestizo de sangley and his two marriages with Ysidra Maderazo and Juana Malabanan Inciong.
Don Tomas changed their surname from de San Miguel to Luz. This transition was in compliance with the decree issued by Gobernador General Don Narciso Claveria y Zaldua in 1849. (This was also applied by the Metra or Mitra Clan who also used the de San Miguel surname).
Tomas and Ysidra had only one son, Lucas de San Miguel Luz, (c.1799-1883) who became gobernadorcillo in 1833, and three daughters, Eustaquia ( 1m. Juan Malabanan, 2m. Pablo Macarandang), Petronila (m. Felipe Librea), and Ygnacia (m. Santiago Aranda). Ygnacia was the ancestor of Bishop Alfredo Aranda Obviar whose cause for beatification is already underway.
Lucas was married twice. First, he married Florentina Latorre. Their children were: Pablo Luz (m.Micaela Mayo), Segunda Luz (1m. Eulalio Mayo Malabanan, 2m. Pedro Advincula Reyes), Pedro Luz (m. Juana Maño), Baltazar Luz (1m. Cecilia Quizon, 2m. Petrona Dimaano, and 3m. Monica Mayo), Catalina Luz (m. Silvestre Reyes), Petra Luz (m. Mariano Lopez) and Margarita Luz (m. Macario Dimaano).
Pedro Latorre Luz was the great-grandfather of Dominador “Dadong” Sangalang Luz who was mayor during the Japanese occupation (1944-1945). He married Carmen Ignacia Katigbak Katigbak.
Lucas’ second marriage was with Maria Asuncion Mantuano, daughter of Don Francisco Mantuano, who was gobernadorcillo in 1784 and allegedly brought the first coffee seeds to Lipa.
Lucas and Asuncion’s son, Honorato Luz, married Ynocencia Maralit. They willed a vast land property to their daughter, Gabina (m. Patricio Arellano Recinto). According to her descendants, the Japanese invaders forcibly took that land and made it their landing field during World War II. It is now known as the Fernando Air Base.
But it was José de San Miguel Luz (1820-1882), Don Tomas Luz’s son from his second wife Doña Juana Malabanan Inciong (widow of Don Leon de Africa), who was considered the patriarch of most of the Luz descendants in Lipa. He had a succession of three wives namely: Gertrudes Metra, Filomena Mercado, and Antera Tolentino. José became a gobernadorcillo of Lipa in 1844 and again in 1854. He was a poet and agriculturist known for his advanced ideas and foresight. The descendants of José were very wealthy and passionate about culture and the arts. In fact, they have produced painters, sculptors, musicians, scholars, and writers in every generation.
The best-known among the Luz family was Jose’s son, Simeon Metra Luz (Gobernadorcillo of Lipa, 1879-1880). Capitan Simeon was the first “elected” Governor of Batangas in 1903-1904. He was described by his political enemies as muy americanista, for being the foremost supporter of the American government in the Philippines. Aside from being a famous politician, Don Simeon was popular for being an ardent admirer of beautiful young women. Already 70 then, he married his 16-year-old fourth wife, Enriqueta Recio. There were three(3) children from his first marriage with Cristeta Magcawas namely Maria, Teofila, and Emilio. When he married for the second time with Feliza Macarandang, two(2) sons came about. They were Fernando and Dr.Simeon Jr. From his third marriage with Teresa Rodelas bore (1) child named Blanca. Lastly, from his fourth marriage with Enriqueta Recio came forth Pacita, Cecilia, Clara, and a son, Arsenio, who died early in his childhood.
Manuel Metra Luz, the younger brother of Simeon, was one of the supporters of the revolucionarios who provided them with financial and material resources. He hid suspected revolutionaries in his vast properties and used his influence with the Spanish authorities to help those in trouble. He married Segunda Solís Katigbak and had nine children. The nine children were Cristeta, Manuel Jr., Arsenio, Flora, Paz, Julio, Justa, Valeriano, and Fernando. The daughter, Paz Katigbak Luz, recalled that his father’s passion was music. Such inclination was passed to the family that every evening, after dinner, the whole family would gather in the sala for a concert with everyone singing or performing on a different instrument.
Arsenio Katigbak Luz was a businessman and writer. He wrote for El Renacimiento and La Vanguardia; became the editor of El Ideal, and was appointed manager and editor of the Philippines Herald in 1922. As a business executive, he managed the first Sweepstakes in 1933; and he happened to be the first Filipino president of the Rotary Club. He was the first director of the Manila Hotel and the prestigious Manila Carnival. He married his cousin, Amparo Luz Katigbak. Their daughter, Amparito, was the soprano, Santuzza, in the long-running Italian opera, Cavalleria Rusticana. She was a member of the famed Mossesgeld Chorale Ensemble.
Paz Katigbak Luz was married young to Pablo Dimayuga, the first pharmacist in Lipa. After her husband’s death, Paz returned to her mother Segunda, who took her and her children to the old house (now Casa de Segunda).
Justa Ynes Katigbak Luz married her first cousin, Dr. Isabelo Macarandang Katigbak, one of the first Lipeños to graduate from the U.P. School of Medicine in 1909. Isabelo’s practice was so successful that his best friend and a relative, another doctor, murdered him in the feat of professional jealousy, leaving Justa with two young sons, Edgardo and Alejandro. Edgardo was the sculptor in the family and did the bronze bust of his grandfather, Manuel (now in the family memorabilia in Casa de Segunda). He was also with the group of sculptors who made the famous tableau of the Cry of Balintawak.
Valeriano Katigbak Luz worked for the Philippine Bureau of Commerce. He was married to Rosario Mayo Dimayuga, also from Lipa, the doyenne of Philippine Interior Designers who after her death was conferred several awards, the most distinguished being, the Lifetime Achievement for Interior Design. Valeriano’s children were: Vicenta, Alfredo, Remedios, and Arturo.
The eldest daughter, Vicenta Luz, married Carlos Cosculluela of Negros. Their son, Rafael, became Negros Occidental Governor in 1998. Alfredo Luz, an architect trained under Frank Lloyd Wright in the U.S.A. and a good friend of J. D. Rockefeller, designed: the regional World Health Organization (WHO) building, the Magsaysay Center, and the Los Baños International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) complex – all Rockefeller Philanthropic projects in the country. He married Carmen Montinola of Bacolod. Another daughter, Remedios, married Teodoro Baluyot of Pampanga. The youngest, Arturo Rogerio Luz, was declared a National Artist for Visual Arts in 1997.
THE AFRICA CLAN
Leon Mercado de Africa, a native of Bauan, married a mestiza de sangley, Juana Malabanan Inciong in 1798. Leon became Lipa gobernadorcillo in 1805. They had two sons, Atilano ( m. Ysabel Cueto), and Gallo (m. Valentina Macarandang), and two daughters, Eulogia (m. Martin Santos-Lantin) and Maria (m. Pedro Macasaet).
Gallo became gobernadorcillo in 1841. His marriage with Valentina produced four sons, Juan Africa (m. Manuela Reyes), Nasario Africa (m. Saturnina Katigbak), Lino Africa (1m. Maria Mayo Luz, 2m. Luisa Lescano); Fernando Africa (m. Sabina Macasaet), and Benito Africa (m. Tomasa Masonsong).
Don Juan Africa and Manuela Reyes’ children include Julia, Eliseo, Timoteo, Delfin, Manuel, and Sixto. Julia Africa was the second wife of Celestino Luz, son of Capitan Jose Luz. . Don Eliseo Africa’s daughter, Teodula Kalaw Africa, discovered the production of Nata de Coco. Don Timoteo Africa married Justa Macasaet. Their sons were: Francisco M. Africa and Candido M. Africa. Francisco was the first dean of the Institute of Arts and Sciences of the Far Eastern University and was an author of Filipino folk tales. Candido was a medical doctor who became internationally known for his research in the field of Parasitology.
Apolinario Mabini, who was then teaching at the school of Maestro Sebastian Virrey, had a crush on Constancia Luz Africa whose father, Don Lino Africa, was one of the revolucionarios who fought against the Spaniards during the Philippine Revolution of 1898. The saber that he used is still being kept by his descendants.
Don Gallo and Doña Valentina’s six daughters were Maria (m. Marcelo Metra Mayo) Ygnacia (m. Cayetano Catigbac), Guillerma (m. Don Bernardo Metra Solis, Francisca (m. Alejandro Altamirano), Germana, a spinster; and Dorotea (m. Fortunato Latorre). Dorotea and Fortunato were the paternal ancestors of the Queen of Kundiman, Sylvia La Torre.
Other prominent families include the Kalaw, Malabanan, Mayo, and Roxas clans who were known for their intellectual minds.
THE KALAW CLAN
“In a historical document of the late 16th century, a few years after the Spaniards conquered Manila, the name of the first known Kalaw appeared. He was the chief of Tondo who was sentenced to death for leading a rebellion against Spain. It is apparent that the love of freedom ran in the Kalaw blood from way back. Kalaw was derived from the name of a bird, the Philippine hornbill, following a custom of adopting Filipino names.”
– Purita Kalaw-Ledesma
The name Calao (Hispanic spelling) appears also in the registros parroquiales of Lipa, Batangas. On Feb 10, 1800, the name Luis Calao was cited. He was married to Yldefonsa Segismundo Aguila. They had several children: Andrea (m. Josef Catigbac), Evaristo (m. Francisca Briones), Gregoria (m. Joaquin Gonzales), Esteban (m. Francisca Villapando), Gregorio (m. Petra Gonzales), and Ramon (m. Romana Inciong).
Luis became gobernadorcillo of Lipa in 1821.
Gregorio Kalaw’s son, Cipriano, was one of the staff advisors of General Miguel Malvar and was vice president and treasurer of the Hongkong Junta- the Filipino Revolutionary government organized by Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo to advocate Philippine annexation to the United States. Cipriano was married to his relative Feliza Africa Katigbak (granddaughter of Andrea Kalaw). Their daughter, Victoria Kalaw, was the first female physician in Lipa. Considered one of the first accredited Filipina social workers, she served as the first Philippine government Social Welfare Administrator Director, supervising the creation and running of the Welfare Home for Women and Girls, where help was provided to abused Filipina women and young girls in the 1950s.
Another patriotic member of this clan was Ramon Kalaw’s son, Valerio. He was the last capitan municipal (1897-1898) under Spain and was responsible for the plan of attack during the siege of Lipa in 1898. He became the first president municipal in 1903 under the American Government.
Valerio’s eldest son was Teodoro Manguiat Kalaw, a brilliant lawyer and editor of El Renacimiento, a leading newspaper of those times, which revealed the abuses of some of the officials in the American Colonial government. Dean Worcester filed a libel suit against him and won. Teodoro could have been jailed if not for the pardon given by incoming American governor-general Francis Burton Harrison. Teodoro was an assemblyman (1909-1912) and director of the National Library until his death. He married the Ilongga Purificacion Garcia Villanueva, the first Manila Carnival Queen of 1908. Their children are Maria, Purita, Evelina, and Teodoro Jr.
Maria, Miss Philippines in 1931 and a senator (1962-
1967), married Dr.Jose Roxas Katigbak. Purita married Rafael Ledesma of Negros Occidental; their daughters were Rita, Consuelo, Ada, and Lourdes. The latter is single Rita, who headed the Metropolitan Museum of Manila and is married to Jaime Gonzalez of Pampanga. Consuelo, a former nun, after obtaining Vatican dispensation married Luis Jalandoni, a former priest, and spokesman of the Netherlands-based National Democratic Front. Ada married Ambassador to the United Nations, Philip Mabilangan, son of Ambassador Felipe Mabilangan of Santo Tomas. Philip’s sister Maria Luisa, an aide of U.S. president Bill Clinton, married a Haley of Little Rock, Arkansas.
Evelina Kalaw married Ramon Katigbak, brother of Ambassador Alberto Katigbak. Their son, Ramon Jr., was a technocrat during the Marcos administration and a member of the president’s Economic Staff. Teodoro Kalaw, Jr. married Eva Estrada of Tarlac, who was a senator in the 1960s. Their daughter, Chingbee, formerly married to Ricardo Manotoc, Jr. is now married to Roberto Cuenca, whose family was originally from Cuenca, Batangas.
Valerio Kalaw’s eldest daughter, Rosario, married Dr.Manuel Luz Roxas, a famous agriculturist, and son of Capitan Sixto Roxas and Doña Alejandra Luz.
Valerio’s second son, Maximo Kalaw, was a prolific writer and private secretary to Manuel L. Quezon when he was the resident commissioner in Washington. Maximo took up law and was the first Filipino to get a doctorate in Political Science. During the Commonwealth, he was elected to the Philippine Assembly and served two terms.
THE ROXAS CLAN
The ascendant of the Roxas clan, Agustin, was originally from the province’s capital, Batangas. He came to Lipa in 1807 and married Yliodora Ylagan, daughter of Don Simon Ylagan (originally from Taal) who was Lipa’s gobernadorcillo in 1788. Agustin and Yliodora had two sons Manuel and Alejandro. The eldest, Manuel became gobernadorcillo in 1857.
Manuel married Ygnacia Maralit Panganiban. Their son, Sixto, also became gobernadorcillo in 1867. He married Alejandra Metra Luz, the eldest daughter of Don Jose Luz. They had two eminent sons – all in the field of science, Baldomero and Manuel Roxas. Baldomero was a physician and surgeon. He was Dr. Jose Rizal’s intimate friend. Through him, Rizal was able to practice his profession in the country. While Manuel was a famous scientist; cited for his scientific contribution to agricultural chemistry. He was listed in the top ten men of science in 1950.
A daughter, Maria Paz Luz Roxas, married Leon Katigbak Mendoza, the half-brother of Segunda Katigbak y Solis.
Sixto and Alejandra’s other son Sixto Jr., was a physician and became Presidente municipal, 1903-1904. Sixto was the medical director of Batangas Provincial Hospital during the 1930s. He married Lucila Mayo Leyesa. Their grandson, Salvador Roxas Gonzalez ( 1925 – 1991) was a distinguished educator in the field of Mathematics and Physics. He served the Philippine government as director of science and higher education in the Program Implementation Agency under President Diosdado Macapagal. He submitted a report on needed fundamental reforms in the Philippine educational system.
Don Sixto Panganiban Roxas’ granddaughter, Felicia Kalaw Roxas (daughter of Dr. Manuel Luz Roxas and Rosario Manguiat Kalaw), married Arturo Tanco from San Isidro, Nueva Ecija who was the head of National Rice Corporation (NARIC). Tanco’s eldest son is technocrat Arturo Roxas Tanco, Jr. He was President Marco’s Agriculture secretary who solved the perennial shortage of rice and turned the country from an importer to a big exporter of this product. Such contribution gave him international recognition as elected President of the World Food Council, a reputable honor for the country.
Felicia’s brother, Financier Sixto Kalaw Roxas was one of the founders of Bancom Development Corporation. He married the daughter of World War II heroine Josefa Llanes Escoda, Teresa “Bing” Escoda, who headed the Cultural Center of the Philippines under Presidents Aquino and Ramos.
Sixto’s siblings: Urbano Roxas, Jacoba Roxas, and Vicenta Roxas all married Katigbak descendants. Don Urbano married Jacoba Mendoza Katigbak, daughter of Don Mateo Kalaw Katigbak (gobernadorcillo – 1858). Jacoba Roxas and Vicenta Roxas, in succession, became the wives of Don Lino Kalaw Katigbak (gobernadorcillo – 1867-1870).
THE MAYO CLAN
According to family lore, the Mayos descended from Anthony Mayo, a British Soldier who landed and chose to stay in Lipa during the short-lived British Invasion of Manila from 1762 to 1764. To hide his identity he changed his name to Antonio de la Cruz. He married Feliciana Casilag (Casilda) and had only one child Sebastian.
Sebastian Mayo becamegobernadorcillo of Lipa in 1797. He married a mestiza de sangley named Maria Pantoja (Pantoxa) and had several children, Cipriano, Genaro, Cecilia, Eufemia, and Paterna.
Cipriano Mayo became gobernadorcillo in 1833. He was married to Ygnacia Metra (Mitra). From their branch came well-known descendants. His son, Petronilo Mayo became gobernadorcillo, 1883-1884. He married Petra Malabanan. Their daughter, Rufina Mayo married Don Pablo Borbon, 1910-1916 Governor of Batangas. Their daughter, Remedios Mayo Borbon is the mother of his eminence Gaudencio B. Cardinal Rosales. While Don Cipriano’s granddaughter Doña Micaela Mayo (daughter of Ariston Mayo and Ysabel Atienza) was married to Don Claro Recto, Sr. of Tiaong whose son is the famous nationalist statesman Claro Mayo Recto. Don Cipriano’s great-grandson Esteban Mayo became Presidente Municipal in 1931-1934,1946 and became First Lipa City Mayor in 1947-1952. His son, Atty. Vicente Mayo became the Governor of Batangas in 1988-1995.
Paterna Mayo married Juan de la Peña Malabanan (gobernadorcillo of 1853). They are the earliest known ancestors of most of the Malabanans in Lipa today. This clan was a family of educators and one of the pioneers who put up schools in Lipa. The sisters Tarcela and Emilia Malabanan together with Dr. Jose Ma. B. Katigbak (husband of Tarcela and also a Malabanan descendant through his mother Antonina Malabanan Braceros), grandchildren of Don Juan and Doña Paterna, founded the Mabini Academy of Lipa in 1922.
Genaro Mayo was gobernadorcillo in 1850. He was married to Vicentina de los Reyes. Their son Eduardo Reyes Mayo became gobernadorcillo from 1889 to 1890.
Sources:
Angkan by Martin I. Tinio in Batangas Forged in Fire
The San Sebastian Cathedral registros parroquiales of 1778-1958, research by Renz Marion D. Katigbak
Personal interviews with Mrs. Salvacion (Lola Salve) Reyes Africa Vda. de Vargas by Renz Marion D. Katigbak
Mariano Solis Katigbak Family Registry 1996 by Robert K. Katigbak
Mayo Clan, genealogical research by Maricel Claudia Alabastro, a descendant of Don Bernardino Katigbak and Doña Rosela Mayo
Herencia Lipeña 
wow….interesting facts about lipa batangas. i am also a proud lipeno!
as an owner of Batanggenyong Online website, http://www.batanggenyo.net, i would like to ask your permission to promote your website in my site and my facebook batanggenyo groups.
Lipatourism, would please give me permission to reproduce the newspaper photograph of Claro M. Recto? I need it for an article that I will publish soon in an Ateneo de Manila forum on Philippine literature written in Spanish.
Cordially,
Eugenio Matibag, Professor of Spanish
Iowa State University
very interesting. You know my family background more than I do. Thanks and hope to read more in the near future
Inciongs Oahu also from Paranaque and Batangas. I believe related to the Kalawa clan. Not positive but our ancestors are definitely from Batangas.
May I post your photos in my facebook group http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=o.338405166772. Tnx!
Very informative. I was born and raised at granja nevertheless didn’t know my heritage, only remember my late grandpa was a coffee grower.
the author must be very resourceful… he made lipeños aware of these famous clans… they are indeed the original clans of lipa.
the section about my grandfather simeon luz is very much lacking. What i will add are information from my mother the late blanca rodelas luz, the only child from his third marriage. There were three(3) children from his first marriage namely maria, teofila and emilio. When he married for the second time, two(2) sons came about. They were fernando and dr.simeon jr. From his fourth marriage came forth pacita, cecilia and clara and a son who died early in his childhood. The above uncles and aunts, I have actually met except teofila who passed away way before my birth. My cousins keep on mentioning about an article in the FREE PRESS where it says that my lolo had 24 children. I am wondering where that information was sourced.
thank you for updating your account of Mamay Simeon Luz, even the picture is different from my initial visit to this website. I stand corrected if the name of one of my uncles is Alejandro instead of Fernando, as what I’ve thought all along.More power to the LIPA TOURISM people!!!!
Hi Mam Victoria,
you’re correct it is fernando not alejandro. I saw the baptismal of fernando felipe macarandang luz . he is the cousin of my great grandfather – Benigno macarandang catigbac
My name is Jennifer Africa Luz Chatterpaul….my grandfather is Fernando Luz brother of Dr Simeon Luz Jr and my father is Felixberto Luz and mother Lydia Africa Luz . ..small world Victoria.
Hi I am actually updating the different family trees of Lipa. May I get your family members list under Fernando Luz? please email me at renzkatigbak@yahoo.com.
Hello, I believe we are related. My dad is the late Leon Luz-Recio. I can still remember your parents visit our Greenhills home in the 70’s.
Thanks for this awesome feature. I am always proud of being a Mayo and a true Lipeño.
I am not sure which Michael Mayo posted, but I know of two in the States, one being my brother, also a resident of Columbus, Ohio. Thank you so much for sharing your research of my heritage! I am endlessly amazed and proud of the discoveries of our family and their service to others!
Hi my name is Haydee Mayo Lingi.
I strongly believe were related on my mom’s side.
We lived here in Mindanao.
My relatives are from Jacinto Mitra from San Jose, Batangas.
This is a very informative piece. I was born in Lipa but did not grow up there (although spent my summers, Christmases and holidays there) so this helps me know a bit of my ancestry. I am from the Katigbak clan. My grandmother is Rita Katigbak Templo and my mother is Jovita Templo Cadiz. How are we related?
This is very interesting. I did not grow up in Lipa, but my father is from there. He is Rodolfo Katigbak Rodelas. His mother, who died when he was 7 years old is Remedios Katigbak married to Ruperto Rodelas. Where do I fit in the family tree?
Renz is Potenciana Solis Leyesa,wife of Benigno, and the Potenciana,wife of Grogorio Mayo Katigbak(from your list of city mayors), one and the same person? If so,then that would make your grandfather half-brother to Jose Braceros Katigbak. Is this accurate?
yes sir nana potenciana married twice. Benigno was killed while performing his duty as chief of police in 1911. after six years nana married Don Gregorio Mayo Katigbak (widower of Antonina Malabanan Braceros). One of their children, Maria Paz Leyesa Katigbak (half-sister of Tatay Carling) married an Africa.
Renz, Am doing some research in Taal, is your Artemio married to a Lontoc?
Vic
Hi Vic! yes he was married to Lilia Braceros Lontoc (Lontok).
Very interesting genealogy research information, thank you for sharing.
*I would to know this stuff.
I would like to know this stuff.
Good Day!
My cousin Ginger Helmick immediately called my mom Rosalinda Katigbak Rodelas married to Dr Anacleto B Quinio Jr and mentioned about this very intersting and informative document. What my mom told me is that her mom’s siblings are all gone where can i find my mom’s first cousins. She only know Evie Luz Costa and Nilda Luz KIison and Eva Katigbak the siblings of Gerry and Elmo Katigbak. I would like to find about the Librea family who I believe are in the United States. Would appreciate it very much if you could furnish us their address if possible.
Thank You and God Bless
HI LISA,MAYBE YOU CAN GET SOME ADDITIONAL INFO FROM EDDIE LUZ WHO NOW LIVES IN DASMARINAS VILLAGE IN MAKATI. HE IS THE BROTHER OF EVIE LUZ COSTA AND EDDDIE LUZ WAS MY FORMER STUDENT IN ADAMSON UNIVERSITY,MANILA.
My Mother-in-law is a Librea from LIpa, Julieta Librea Rodriguez. She married Vicente Rodriguez from Sariaya Quezon. They both passed away more than 10 yrs. ago. Julieta has 3 sisters, Tia Uding Lardizabal +, Tia Justa Dimayuga+ and Mercedes (Tita Ched) Martinez, who lives in San Jose, CA and 1 bro. Rev. Fr. Rafael Librea, who passed away last month. I hope my information is good enough. Thank you and God Bless. Mary Ann O. Rodriguez
My name is Nelson Tolentino Mayo, son of Sebastian Recio Mayo married to Belen Rosales Tolentino. Son of Alfredo Umali Mayo married to Eugnia Recio. How far more top of our family tree can you still share with me ?
Thank you.
Hi Sir Nelson,
I am not really an expert on the Mayo Genealogy. The information was shared by Tita Maricel Alabastro who did a book about the Mayo Ancestry. She is also a descendant of the Mayo Clan.
Renz
Hi Renz,
I also belong to the Mayo clan of Lipa under the Cipriano Mayo lineage.
Just want to ask if that Mayo Clan book is already finished and published? Who could i get in-touch with to buy a copy of the book?
My father was given a copy of the ‘Few There Were Like My Father’ by the author, Sen. Maria Kalaw Katigbak, i will try to look for it coz it was borrowed from my daughter.
Thanks.
~ Edd
Hi Reinz! My grandfather was Wenceslao Mayo Reyes married to Generosa Latorre. During my growing years in Lipa, I seemed to recall something that my grandfather was a closed relative of Claro Mayo Recto. Would you have some info about this? Thank you.
Hi Ms.Belen! Your grandfather, Wenceslao Mayo Reyes and Claro Mayo Recto were second cousins. Their maternal Mayo grandfathers, Marcelo and Ariston were siblings.
hi sir you may get in touch with tita maricel alabastro through her email to know more about your genealogy: maricel_claudia@yahoo.com
i think i know a bit of your mother side belen because her best friend and classsmate is my cousin veney k.maralit they finished high school in mabini academy. belen sister is charing and pacing. also nini. originally from bolbok then move to balagbag,lipa city. they have brother edgardo. your grand oa is slipper maker and your lola is ka annge..Sebasstian is an employee of pnb
nelson, we’re from Petronilo Mayo according to the family tree that i saw when i attended the last reunion in fernando air base….
Hi, am also from Lipa although I grew up iin Manila and now based in the U.S.
My Dad is Leon L. (Luz) Recio. My Mom is also from Lipa…the former Amelia Castillo (is a Mayo). My only sibling is Leonora Recio-Angeles. My grandmother is Gertrudes Luz who if am not mistaken came from the 3rd marriage of Jose Luz. The siblings of my Dad: Leonardo, Victor, Roque. Francisco and Angel. I know some of his cousins: Amb Alberto Katigbak, Dr Porfirio Recio, Tita Nena Roxas-Kalaw, Presen Recio-Katigbak, Judge Romy Silva, Tita Nilda Kison, Tila Celing Luz-Africa, et al. On my Mom’s side: Tita Alice Katigbak (of Mabini Institute), Tita Lourie Gomba-Silva, Tita Ella Silva, Teresa Katigbak. The Alabastros are my cousins on my Mom’s side (Luching Alabastro…my Mom’s sister).
Thanks for the awesome work done on the families of Lipa…very historical!
Proud to be a Lipeno!
Stella Recio-Huelgas
Hi Stella,
I guess we’re related. My dad’s name is Adolfo Katigbak, son of Francisco Katigbak. He used to tell me stories about his Tio Alber (Amb. Alberto Katigbak). He said he named me after him.
I really think all Katigbak’s are related 🙂
Hi Sir Alberto
I am Renz Katigbak and I am doing the Katigbak Genealogy and one of the contributors for this article. Is your dad the son of Francisco Luz Katigbak, Jr. and Anita Bayot? If so could you provide me the list of all his siblings? and the list of present descendants?
Yes all these families mentioned are related either through affinity or blood.
Thanks
Renz Katigbak
Hello, Alberto~ Are you the son of Ate Chedeng and Tio Paqet Katigbak? Sorry, I have not visited the web site in a while. Regards. Stella
I guess your Dad and my Lolo are brothers. My Lolo was the youngest brother of Lolo Albert:)
His Dad is the nephew of Ambassador Alberto Luz Katigbak.
Just wondering is Mercedes Katigbak or Ate Chedeng your Grandmother?
Hi!
My name is Ruel A. Mayo. My father Claro Z. Mayo is from Lipa City. His father was Don Hipolito Mayo married to Paula Zara. My great grandfather was Santiago Mayo married to Marcela Atienza. They all lived in Lipa. Beyond that I don’t know the lineage of my ancestors. I’ve heard that we have descended from China.
Sometime ago, I stumbled upon a write up about the Mayo’s of Lipa but I’ve forgotten who wrote it. It says there that a certain Ferdinand Mayo from Ireland was shipwrecked in Balayan, Batangas. After settling here, he married his cook who was a Chinese and her name was Pan To Ja. They had four sons.
I’d like to trace our lineage. I would appreciate if you could shed some light on it.
Thanks,
Ruel
Hi Sir Ruel,
Maybe Tita Maricel could shed light on this. She is the one expert on the Mayo Ancestry. I will forward your comments to her.
Thanks for visiting this website.
Renz
I would like to seek permission to print these historical facts about the famous families of Lipa. I am a history teacher at the Asian Intergrated School.
Hi Sir Antonio,
Feel free to do so. This is the corrected article version from the Batangas Forged in Fire Book.
Renz Katigbak
Are you related to Mercedes Katigbak?
Renz,
what is the relation of our grandparents to their half sisters and brothers, I believe they descended from Pasqual. This solves the mystery! All Katigbaks are related.
Hi Kuya Ting,
yes they descended from DON PASQUAL. Since Nana Poten married Don Gregorio Mayo Katigbak who is a direct descendant of the latter. I will show you the whole Katigbak Family registry and history that I’m doing. I already talked to a publisher who would help me in printing the book.
DON PASQUAL MASONGSONG CATIGBAC 2m. ANDREA MANGUIAT – DON EXEQUIEL MANGUIAT CATIGBAC m. ANICETA DELOS REYES- DON BERNARDINO DELOS REYES CATIGBAC m. ROSELA METRA MAYO – DON GREGORIO MAYO KATIGBAK 2m. POTENCIANA SOLIS LEYESA —–ENRIQUE, FROILAN, MANUEL, VICTORIA, DOLORES, CORAZON AND PAZ LEYESA KATIGBAK
hi sir
you may get in touch with tita maricel alabastro through her email to know more about your genealogy: maricel_claudia@yahoo.com
what is the name of the book and were i can buy this Mayo ancestry book
hi renz,
please shed light on my ancestries both the africa’s and the silva’s. the only information i knew were those of my immediate lolo and lola on the silva side. will greatly appreciate if you can add this knowledge. hehe!
thanks and more power,
roger africa
Hi Sir Roger
I already have the roots. I just need to gather historical facts about the Africa Family. The record i have is Don Leon Mercado de Africa the son of Don Baltazar de Africa and Dona Maria Mercado. Don Leon’s son is Don Gallo de Africa married to Dona Valentina Macarandang. Children are Jose, Juan, Ygnacia and Guillerma. Ygnacia was the second wife of Don Cayetano Catigbac and Guillerma is wife of Don Bernardo Solis. Those Africa’s i’ve mentioned became gobernadorcillos of Lipa. All Famous families are related by blood or through affiliation because of intermarriages. Lipa’s ancestry is very amazing!
The Silvas of Lipa are, I think, from the old surname “DE SILVA”. I’ve seen so many documents with that surname and they are very wealthy.
hello renz,
wow, this information you have is wealth to me! i crave for more . . . please post other information if you come across them in your research because this is the first time i am learning my lineage.
thanks a lot.
roger
there’s another son of Don Gallo de Africa, Benito Africa married to Dona Tomasa Masonsong.
Who are the descendants of Macario de Silva?
Hi Renz, this is an amazing work! I’m Loida Africa Lupac-Sagaran. I grew up in Lipa but doesn’t know a lot about my lineage. My mom is Andrea Rodelas Africa, the daughter of Guillermo Africa and Perfecta Rodelas. I’d appreciate if you can trace back for me.
Hi Roger, are you the son of Tito Narding Africa and Tita Nelly Silva? if so, my mom and your dad are first cousins, thus making us second cousins then. I remember your dad visiting our ancestral home in C. M. Recto (the street parallel to the Claro monument) when I was in my grade school in Lipa.
Thanks,
Loida
Hi Ms Loida,
It is still a mystery for me how all Africas in Lipa are related. your branch doesn’t belong to that of Don Gallo Africa.
your mother Andrea Rodelas Africa’s paternal grandparents are Don Norberto Castillo Africa and Doña Andrea Amante Dimaano. On the maternal side her grandparents are Don Felix Africa Rodelas and Doña Benita Robles Africa. Church records state that both the paternal grandparents are residents of Bolboc. You are related to Tita Dida Rodelas Dimayuga – Reyes through the maternal side of your mom. and also to Tito Leo Ona whose grand mother is Guadalupe Rodelas-Mojares.
Don Norberto Africa’s parents are Don Teodorico Africa and Doña Maria Castillo. I just couldn’t tell the relationship of Teodorico to Gallo Africa. probably they are brothers or cousins.
HI ROGER, ARE YOU THE SON OF NELLY SILVA OWNER OF NELLY’S PHARMACY AND NARDING AFRICA BROTHER OF LOLA CHARING AFRICA CUSTODIO,I HAVE PICTURES OF THEM BECAUSE MRS. CHARING CUSTODIO IS A COUSIN OF MY DAD i OFTEN GO THEIR HOUSE IN REMEDIOS,MALATE.YOU WILL BE SURPRISE I HAVE A PICT/URE OF YOU BECAUSE YOU ARE OUR RING BEARER WHEN WE GOT MARRIED. aSK ICHU DIMAYUGA OR MELANIE. ALSO YOU WERE THE ESCORT OF MY DAUGHTER DURING THE PRINCES OF CHARITY CONTESSST. SHE ALSO STUDIED IN CANNOSA NOW LIVING IN CHICAGO MARRIED WITH 2 CHILDREN
thank you so much for the clarification about my late Tio Andoy’s real name. The LUZ clan surely appreciates it!
I love all the history that Lipa has to offer! I am a descendant of Paz Katigbak Luz Dimayuga. I am very proud of the fact that her grandchildren, my mom included, helped restore Casa Segunda. Although my mom has meticulously chronicled our vast family history, this has definitely made it more interesting. Thanks and great job on this article!
I’m a granddaughter of Wenceslao Mayo Reyes married to Generosa Latorre. I’ve heard that my grandfather was a cousin of Claro Mayo Recto, the distinguish senator…will you please tell me the history of my grandfather? Thank you so much. Belen Reyes-Lirag
Wow, thank you so much for posting this. My last name is Africa and have always wondered how I got it. I believe I am from the lineage of Gallo Africa through Jose…This is the million dollar question for all of us with last name Africa’s. How did we get our last name? What is the Africa lineage, Filipino? Chineese? Spanish? And as far as Casilag…My Great Lola was a Casilag who married a Lirag. Any chance that they may have came from Mayo? Thank you so much for shedding light on my/our ancestry.
-God Bless.
Hi Sir,
I was able to interview Lola Salve Africa-Vargas but I wasn’t able to write the origin of the surname Africa…I will go to her again and ask her of the origin of the name..As i can remember it has really something to do with an African lineage with mixture of Spanish blood…
hi!
hopefully, we will know where and why the family name ‘africa’.
looking forward to your reply lipatourism. . .
regards,
roger africa
Hello C. Africa. I am a Lirag whose Grandfather (Lirag) married a Kasilag. Are we related?
Hello C. Africa!
You mentioned your great Lola was a Casilag/Kasilag. Was she by chance related to the Kasilag’s of Lemery? I’m currently doing some research on my Lolo’s paternal family history and luckily came upon this great article! My Lolo is Vicente Kasilag, his father was also named Vicente Kasilag who was from lemery, Batangas. They lost communication after the senior was assigned to a different school/region. The Lolo ofmy Lolo was Luis M. Kasilag.
Thank you!
the mayo clan, the way the article was written is not clear who micaela mayos father
was .is it petronilo or genaro? who are her siblings specially brothers who carried the last name?
hi please get in touch with tita maricel alabastro. She’s the expert on the Mayo Clan Ancestry. Her email add is: maricel_claudia@yahoo.com
-Renz Katigbak
correction:who is micaelas father?is she rufinas sister? do you know anything about the other three sons of sebastian mayo ? i am trying to find where our mayo fit in .thank you.
Hi!
Fascinating article. i hope you can help me discover what lineage my family belongs to. My great grandfather is Mariano Katigbak Rodelas married to Eulogia Africa. Would appreciate any information you can share? thank you
Hi Renz,
I am Manuel Roxas de los Santos, grandson of Manuel Luz Roxas (Son of Sixto Roxas and Alejandra Luz; brother of Baldomero Roxas) and Rosario Manguiat Kalaw (daughter of Valerio Kalaw and Maria Manguiat; sister of Teodoro M. Kalaw). My daughter has a family tree project and is tasked with going as far back as she can.
This is what I have so far: on the Kalaw side, I have gone as far back as Luis Calao and Yldefonsa Aguila (parents of Valerio Kalaw).
Please let me know if you have any data that will bring us further back the Roxas/Luz or Kalaw lines.
thanks,
manny
Hi Sir Manny
I could give you the ancestors of Alejandra Luz and Sixto Roxas, and Don Valerio Inciong Kalaw. Please take note that Don Luis Kalaw and Dona Yldefonsa Aguila are the grandparents of Don Valerio Kalaw. Parents of Valerio are Don Ramon Kalaw and Dona Romana Inciong. I will send you an email today.
Thanks for visiting this website…
Renz
Hi Mr. Renz
I would also like to know more about the ancestors of Sixto Roxas and Alejandra Luz! If you could forward me information as well. I’m doing research on Dr. Baldomero Roxas. An old article of the Manila Times (Feb. 22, 1967) says he was the 5th of 18 children, but based on another source his siblings were: Sixto II, Pacita, Brigida, Manuel.
Hi Miguel, If you read through this blog you will find out who the parents of Alejandra Luz (daughter of Don Jose San Miguel Luz and Dona Gertrudes de San Miguel Mitra) and Sixto Roxas (son of Don Manuel de Roxas and Dona Ygnacia Panganiban) are. You are correct that he is 5th among 18 children however majority of those children died in their early childhood or when they were still a baby. It was only 6 of them who survived to mature age. Baldomero, Sixto Jr. Maria Paz (Pacita), Maria Natividad, Maria Brigida and Manuel. Are you a descendant of the Roxas Clan of Lipa City.
Hi,
I was interested in your article because I am a SILVA from my father’s side and a GOMBA from my mother’s side, both from Lipa City. Can you trace my family history for me, my grand parents are: Pedro Silva married to Brigida Recio, and Pablo Gomba married to Soledad Mayo Reyes.
My husband may also be from Lipa, he is a Recto from the line of Cesar Lopez Recto, whose father is Alfonso Recto.
Hope you can help.
Hi Ms. Carmela
You are connected to the Kalaw, Katigbak and Solis trees. Your grandmother Brigida Sales Recio is the daughter of Ramon Katigbak Recio and Carolina Solis Sales. Ramon Katigbak Recio is the son of Dona Petra Tapia Catigbac (daughter of Don Cayetano Catigbac and Dona Fausta Tapia) and Don Gregorio Sigesmundo Recio (son of Don Paterno Recio and Dona Ysabel Segismundo). Carolina Solis Sales is the daughter of Dona Gliceria Manguiat Solis (daughter of Don Celestino Solis and third wife Dona Guillerma Maralit Manguiat) and Don Apolonio Inciong Sales (son of Don Valentino Zales and Dona Manuela Inciong, mestizos de sangley).
Pedro Kalaw Silva, Jr. is the son of Don Pedro Recinto Silva and Dona Gavina Gonzales Calao. Don Pedro’s parents are: Don Tomas de Silva and Dona Josefa Recinto. Dona Gabina’s parents are: Don Gregorio Aguila Calao (son of Don Luis Calao and Dona Yldefonsa Aguila) and Dona Petra Gonzales.
Could i get the present list of your family and list of relatives from the RECIO side? I would like to include you in the KATIGBAK, SOLIS, KALAW FAMILY REGISTRIES that I am doing.
Thanks and hoping for your response.
Sincerely
Renz Marion D. Katigbak
Hello renz!…related ba kami sa silva?… Alam ko sa Reyes kami…
Hi Renz,
Thanks for the info. I’m Carmela’s brother and we would be more than happy to provide you with as much info as we can provide. Our eldest sister Inez is the most informed of our family tree and I will ask her to provide you with what we can share.
Jose Pedro Silva
Tito Romy Silva, father of Carmela is my father’s nephew. Their grandma, Lola Diday is my Dad’s cousin. Stella Recio-Huelgas
Renz~ Carmela is my cousin, both on my father (Recio-Luz) and my Mom (Castillo-Mayo). I believe Judge Romeo Silva (Tito Romy), Carmela’s Dad is my father’s nephew. Tita Ella Gomba Silva, her Dad is a cousin of my mom.
Thanks for this! My lolo Tomas is a Recio-Umali, son of Gregoria Recio who was the daughter of Paterno Recio and Isabela Sigesmundo. His sister Benita married a Mayo and his other sister Eugenia married a Manguita. I never knew my Lipa relatives, except a few of the Umalis (itim) since my Lolo moved to Tiaong when he married my Lola. Would be interested to find out who we are related to in Lipa!
Good afternoon Sir,
I hope your having a wonderful week so far. Do you have any updates on the origin and source of the last name Africa?
-Thank you for all your work.
Hi Mr. C. Africa
The oldest Africa that I have traced is Don Baltazar de Africa who was originally from Bauan and married Dona Maria Mercado, Don Baltazar de Africa was Lipa’s gobernadorcillo in 1796. Their son was Don Leon Mercado de Africa who married Dona Juana Malabanan Inciong June 11, 1798. Don Leon de Africa became Lipa gobernadorcillo in 1805. Their marriage bore DON GALLO AFRICA y INCIONG who married Dona Valentina Macarandang.
There was no information stating that they descended from any Spanish Ancestor. Since the Spanish church records classified them as INDIOS – natives.
Hi Renz:
Great job you’re doing ! My name is Antonio Kison. I have 2 questions:
1. My grandmother Maria Luz ( daughter of Jose de San Miguel Luz ) was married to
Leon Librea. How far up can you trace the Libreas?
2. On my fathers side, my grandparents are Martin Kison ( originally Quizon) and Catalina
Catigbac. What do you know about the Quizons and our particular branch of the huge
Katigbak clan?
BTW, my nephew Doy Kison sent me a copy of my parents’ original marriage certificate,
which you had posted on his Facebook wall. I appreciated this very much, but I am wondering
where you found this document. Thank you very much!
Sir may I know the middle name of Kabesang Leon? I just wanted to know how he is related to Romana Librea. Thanks.
Leon Mayo Librea…
Renz,do you know the relation of Leon Mayo Librea to Romana Quizon(Kison) Librea? I really thought they are siblings.
not siblings…i didn’t do the Librea lineage…
i am rodolfo luz silva, the second child of rodolfo morada silva and clara recio luz. my paternal grandparents are eliseo dimaano silva and felisa aranda morada. on mommy’s side are my grandparents simeon metra luz and enriqueta _ recio. (originally from bulacnin). the B. Morada Avenue in Lipa refers to a Brigido Morada, among those who were banished to the Ivory Coast, in Africa for insurrection during the Spanish times. I doubt if he survived. There were probably some who did, and went back home to Lipa and were called “Africa.” This is only a personal conjecture.
Hi Sir Rodolfo,
The Africas already existed before the Spanish insurrection. My research tells me that the AFRICAS originated from Bauan Batangas. In the late 18th century they moved to Lipa.
The middle name of Dona Enriqueta Recio is Quiza as shown in her marriage record dated 17 June 1920.
thanks for the important info on my Nanay Itay (Enriqueta Quiza Recio). I spent a few days at her house along Calle Real sometime before I started school in Manila. The house was right beside Dy Yeng Lumber/Sawmill, her tenant.
The Mayos have British ancestry? Now I know why some of my relatives act like royalties! Hahahaha….
According to research, the Mayos descended from a British soldier who came in the Philippines during the short-lived British invasion in the 18th century.
Thank you for responding to my initial comment. I made that with tongue-in-cheek…..I did not come from the wealthy camp of the Mayos, nevertheless I am proud of my and my siblings humble achievements…..
Sir Renz,
Very informative. I was born and raised at balintawak lipa city, didn’t know my heritage, only remember my late grandpa belong to Mendoza and Mea Clan of Lipa.
Hope you can help.
Many Thanks
cmendoza
hi im cavier felix , do you have updates about reyes , garcia , castillo , laygo , adaya , de luna , ramos , and mercado ? thank you! sorry for disturb! ill hope you answer that question , ill been waiting for your answer.
I’m just curious about the Kalaw’s and would like to know the Kalaw’s in Lipa city. My Mom is Gertrudes Kalaw was born on March 1914 who grew up in Sabang,Lipa and was married to Nicasio Gona Aquino the brother of Perico Aquino. Is there any blood related or any relationship to all descendant of Don Luis Calao. With Teodoro M. Kalaw I have no knowledge of Mom’s relationship. I would appreciate your help. Thank you.
my grandmother is felisa Luz Recinto daughter of Gavina Luz and Patricio Recinto, would you please help me to trace our family.
Luz,Recinto Family from Catallina village Lipa city, thanks and more power!
Sir Renz,
I’m Edwin Katigbak and very much interested with the whole Katigbak registry and history you are doing. I hope i can see it too since I know only the name of my grandfather “lolo benito katigbak” and a short story how he landed in Quezon province from Lipa during his time. I am researching my father side history and ancestry since I know nothing about it. You’re help would be much appreciated. Thank You.
Hi Mr. Edwin,
I don’t have any records of your grandfather “Benito Katigbak”. But would you be able to email me the short story how your grandfather landed in Quezon? please email it to me: renzkatigbak@yahoo.com. I’m trying to solve the mystery of how the katigbaks spread in other places…I believe there are some Katigbaks in Tiaong who still retain the old spellling with the C on both ends CATIGBAC….i have a classmate named Nikko Paolo Katigbak who is from Tiaong Quezon.
There were also Chinese people who adopted the surname from my ancestors who became their sponsors in baptism. There were also stories told such as the landlords who allowed their tenants to borrow their surname and of course the naughty fecundation of men.
Sir Renz,
I’m Edwin Katigbak and very interested in the Katigbak History and Genealogy you are doing, I hope I can see it and help me identify which lineage my grandfather and us belongs to. I only know
HI. my great grandmother is Gavina Luz, alsofrom lipa, one of her daugther is my grandmother Felisa Luz, in Catallina Village , dont know if we are related to Don Simeon, and Don Manuel Luz, thanks, more power
Hi I don’t have any record of your great grand mother Gavina Luz. She must have descended from a different Luz branch…
hello, I’m ur cousin from Eliseo Luz Recinto married to Isabel Capuchino (Eldest son of Gabina Maralit Luz (married to Patricio Recinto)
excerpt – Luz Clan 6th paragraph “When Florentina died, Don Lucas married Maria Asuncion Morete Mantuano, daughter of Don Francisco Mantuano (gobernadorcillo of 1784) who reportedly brought the first coffee seeds in Lipa. Their son was Honorato Mantuano Luz, who married Ynocencia Maralit, who originally owned the land where Fernando Airbase is now located. Their daughter, Gabina Maralit Luz (married to Patricio Recinto), against her will, forcibly bequeathed the land to the Japanese perpetrators to become the land field during World War II.”
hello! sila po ang may ari ng buong fernando airbase hangang sa bagongpook, wayback 18th to 19th century, sabi po ng tito ko nung bata pa daw sila, my binibisita daw sila kamaganak na Teresa tere Recinto, ang asawa po ng lola ko sa tuhod ay si Patricio Recinto, sabi naman po ni ms.elisa villanueva daughter of blanca rodelas Luz, malamang ay gumulo, dahil sa intermarriage with other luz cousins, salamat po. . more power, pls help po 🙂
Could you check further up the tree from my grandfather macario de silva and grandmother luisa Macasaet both of whom are from lipa. Thanks.
R, Mitra Silva
Any information available from your records will be appreciated.
Any information on this request? Thanks
You never fail to amaze me Mr Katigbak. The depth of your research as well as your dedication in promoting our History deserves much accolade from us ignorant Lipenos hehehe. The daunting task of completing the Katigbak Family Tree is a major feat in itself let alone documenting the other families as well. You might want to apply for a permanent and continuous funding from rich descendants of these families in order to produce a scholarly work that is at par with the best researches in our country. But I doubt it if you would drop your current Job for this as well as funding source for this kind of undertaking hehehe.
Again I would like to reiterate here that no amount of joy or happiness can be derived in reading books and biographies about famous persons around the world if you don’t know your own family history. Because of you Mr Katigbak,I can happily read books again less the guilt hehehe.
The only fact in this article of yours that truly caught my attention is Juana Inciong’s 2nd marriage to Tomas de San Miguel Luz which produced,as you described,the Grand Patriarch of most Luz’s today,Jose Inciong de San Miguel Luz. Gallo Inciong Africa is considered the Grand Patriarch of most Africa’s today and his being a half brother to Jose Inciong Luz would make Juana Inciong Africa Luz the Grand Matriarch of both the Luz’s and Africa’s today hehehe. And that would make my Great Great Grandfather Lino Macarandang Africa and Manuel Metra Luz as first cousins but not because of my G.G.Grandfather’s marriage to Maria Mayo Luz but because of the Inciong connection i.e. Juana Inciong. How can I know this Renz if not for this research of yours,thanks!!!
Now as to the Million Dollar Question of where The Africa surname came from,I think it’s already immaterial to me. To know who my ancestors were upto 8th generation,their names and their contribution to our beloved City is the most important thing or fact that I have learned from this article of Mr Katigbak. I will forever be grateful to you!!!
In being not content with a piece of cake,please allow me Renz to ask for more of your time in tracing the roots of Maria Mayo Luz(Lino M. Africa’s 1st wife) and Maria Librea Malabanan(Francisco Luz Africa’s wife) since you already mentioned in this article her younger sisters Tarcela and Emilia. Their parents are Servando Malabanan and Romana Librea but I don’t know their middle names. Thanks!!! And my best wishes to you up there in North America!!! I hope your enthusiasm would not waiver for this thing that you are doing is truly a noble undertaking!!!
Good day once again to you Renz or shall I say goodnight hehe. You mentioned that GRT would have been Mrs Maximo Bernardo Solis if WWII hadn’t intervened. My Grandma and Glecy were first cousins and they practically grew together. My Grandma spent all her childhood and adolscent(Japanese occupation period) years in her Aunt Filomena’s(Miñang) house. They were so close that she named her eldest daugther Zenaida(Nedy) after my Grandmother. Ask our Aunt Salve,she’s their classmate in elem and highschool…
I just want to express here my personal gratitude to GRT for helping my grandparents financially all through out the pre EdsaI period. Thanks thanks thanks eventhough I haven’t seen her nor any of her kids in my entire life!!!
regarding the Gliceria Dimaano Rustia account. It was Samson Solis son of Maximo Bernardo who was courting Gliceria Rustia. this account came from Martin Tinio not from me.
Though request are just request and an answer may or may not be given, I just wonder on what basis a comment or reply from lipatourism is made. Thanks anyhow for a wonderful job in sharing with all interested people of Lipa the background of all these illustrious names.
I stand corrected Renz. Nanligaw laang ga o naging nobya na hehehe. kung nagkatuluyan pala sila’y malamang Russol’s ang ngalan ng dep’t store nila hehehe…Ah Renz can you give me a tip on where to buy the books mentioned as sources of information in the above article? Thanks.
hi renz, pls. permit me to reply to my 2nd cousin loida africa lupac-sagaran thru this site, since first time na connect ko siya and no way of communicating w/ her initially.
yes, loida my dad is leonardo and mom is nelly. yun gang tinutukoy mong bahay sa may cm recto ay iyong sa mga tiyo reyning dimaano at tiya asun? kung yun nga, i remember emma, ric and daisy na mga anak nila. if you can pm me your email address i can send you a copy of the family tree beginning from norberto africa and andrea dimaano, nakita ko rin dun name mo and your parents. my email is rogerafrica@gmail.com.
thanks,
roger africa
Hi Roger,
Yes, that’s exactly it. I call Reynaldo Dimaano “Papa” and Asuncion Dimaano is “Mama” to me although they’re just my uncle and my aunt. My mom is the youngest sister of Asuncion who’s married to Reynaldo (who’s also hers and your Dad’s first cousin).
I’m happy to get connected with you. I’ll email you shortly. I’m excited to get hold of the family tree.
Hello Renz, thanks very much for your help. You don’t how much this means to me. More power to you.
Thanks,
Loida
Hi again Renz,
Yes, Leo Ona is my relative and we’re in touch in FB. I remember visiting Lola Upe and her sister Lola Anang when I was in gradeschool.
Hi cousins Loida and Roger,are you both descended from Gallo Africa? If yes,which branch? It seems to me that there is a mutual liking between the Africa’s and the Dimaano’s for my grandfather married a Dimaaano also:-)
They are not from the line of Gallo Africa…they came from a Certain Don Teodorico Africa…as i’ve mentioned in my reply to Ms. Loida it is still a mystery for me how all africas in lipa are related. like how we did with the katigbak we were able to connect the katigbaks of mabini academy, rosario and our katigbak – 8 generations back. We need to find a common ancestor for the Africas. i was only able to establish the line of Gallo Africa since many of his descendants intermarried with the Katigbaks, probably he has brothers or sisters pa or cousin nya si Teodorico Africa.
pinsan roy, pls. pm me your email address so i can also send you our africa family tree, see where you fit in if ever. my email address is rogerafrica@gmail.com, from there pwede na tayong magkwentuhan nila pinsan loida at mga iba pa…roger
thanks again renz and lipa tourism! mabuhay kayo!
Insan,mamangears@yahoo.com. Insan kung Rodelas kayo ay malamang pinsan niyo sina boyet africa at tarnate’s ng villa lourdes. Saka ang kuya Mumoy na alagang alaga kong alalayan sa sabungan kasama ng tiyo Andoy hahaha. Palagay ko eh nakaline kayo sa kapatid nung baltazar na Jose yata or Juan na naging Gobornadorcillo bago pa man si Lolo Baltazar. Insan malaking bagay na magsama-sama tayo upang magkameron tayo ng Grand Reunion din gaya ng ginagawa ng mga Katigbak,Macasaet,Mayo atbp. I hope we can do it na in the next 2 or 3 years hehe. We’re going to make Mr Renz Katigbak as our sole V.I.G(very important guest)hehehe
Hey Roy – found this site while researching. I think you just mentioned my grandfather Mumoy Africa. I was just thinking about him. My family is here in Chicago and my mom is Leticia Africa Lantin. I just want to say thank you for taking care of my lolo at the sabungan – that meant a lot to us. I was looking at the picture of the Africa patriarch Don Timoteo Africa and he looked so much like our lolo. I would like to get a hold of the family tree as my mom mentioned that we have one. I’m just very interested in history and this article is a good read.
Insan JPE,my family was very close to Kuya Mumoy so it’s natural for me to help him everytime he had some difficulty walking or ascending the steep stairs of our local cockpit. Napakabait ng Lolo mo. Eventhough he’s too old already,he would still walk kilometers at a time just to help my brother Eric in his election bids. Miss ko na rin ang huntahan naming tatlo ng aking kuya Andoy Africa na pumanaw na rin nung 2006. Halos magkasing tanda sila. JPE add me,just type this name ManuelRoy Africa. Thanks!!!
If you want your complete family tree then get in touch with Renz Marion D. Katigbak. Just type his name. By the way,he’s also there in the U.S.,if you want to get in touch with him personally.
This is a good read indeed. I wish we could trace our line from the very first folk who reached the Philippines. That way, we may know of a broader family tree and traits perhaps. As a kid, a stranger mentioned to me that we have a family crest. If that’s true, it would be an awesome find. Many thanks!
I am also from africa family and daughter of Gabriel Silva Africa son of Nicanor Africa. Just do not know our family lineage since my father and his two sisters were orphaned at an early age. Will appreciate if we can find our other relatives this site.
Insan Add me. Just type ManuelRoy Africa. Maybe I can be of help to you. Or better still,add Renz Marion D. Katigbak. He was instrumental in finding mine. Thanks!
insan Roy Africa, yun email address mo na mamangears@yahoo.com di tinatanggap yun email ko. roger
Insan ini-add kita. Please confirm thanks!
Timoteo Africa and Justa Macasaet have 9 children namely Guillermo married to Sofia Reyes also of lipa; Primitiva a retired teacher; Emilio a agriculturist from UP married to Basilisa Barroso of Bay Laguna; Francisco AB & LLB graduate of UP married to Trinidad topacio of Imus Cavite; Candido a UP doctor married to Rosario Villongco of Malabon; Maria a retired public school teacher married to Mariano Roxas; Elena A BSE graduate of UP; Dolores A BSE grauate UP married to Dr Simeon Luz of Lipa; Josefa BSE graduate of UP married to Arch Igmidio Marquez. Also Justa Macasaet Africa was named Mother of the Year in 1952 along with Julia Vargas Ortigas by Natl Federaration of Women’s Clubs
Michael Africa Robles, cousin, better log in to facebook and be a member of the ‘Africa Clan of Lipa, Batangas’ and contribute your share of knowledge into our family tree. add me as a friend after logging in. thanks, cousin roger
Hi, I am Anthony Manalo Lescano, whose paternal grandmother, Lagrimas Mayo Lescano, is the youngest sister of Esteban Mayo, the first City Mayor. I would appreciate if you can further expound on our family’s history. Likewise, I would like to know the relationship of my maternal grandfather, Martin Kalaw Manalo, to the family of Teodoro Kalaw and if possible his ancestors.
Hi Sir I would like to know who are the maternal grandparents of your maternal grandfather? I only have my ancestral records with me.
The late actress Charito solis is also a daughter of Don Maximo Solis.
My dad Vicente Paran Zara was from Lipa, but I don’t have any information on his ancestral background. Any information on the Zara or Paran family would be greatly appreciated. Thank you
I can’t find my ancestors here: Cipriano Kalaw and Feliza Africa Katigbak
Hi Bianca, I cannot put all the family trees here but if you want to know more about that branch send me an email at renzkatigbak@yahoo.com. or add me on facebook “Renz Marion D. Katigbak”. Thanks I’m looking forward to your message.
Hi Renz… Don Timoteo Reyes Africa and Justa Macasaet are my great grandparents. They actually had 4 sons… Guillermo, Emilio, Fransisco and Candido Africa. They had 6 daughters… Rosario, Maria, Elena, Dolores, Josefa, and Crisencia Africa. FYI.
I encourage everyone to reconnect and share some knowledge as I know it’s hard for Renz to put all of the facts together. Thank you.
Hats off to Renz! Great job… You are truly giving justice to your course and you are an amazing researcher. Hope you could help me find some information regarding the streets. Is it safe to say that this history would be the basis why some streets in Lipa were named after these famous people? Or there’s more to it? Thank you very much!
Hi Mam,
Yes it’s safe to say some of the streets in Lipa were named after these persons.
G. A Solis St. – named after Don Gregorio Aguilera y Solis, former Presidente Municipal (mayor) of Lipa and former governor of Batangas, one of the signatories of the Malolos Constitution, A man of letters
Pres. L Katigbak St. – Don Leon Mendoza Katigbak – Presidente Municipal 1916-1922, philanthropist and my uncle told me he donated the land where the present City Hall now stands which is in Marawouy (father in law of Maria Kalaw – Katigbak)
Obviar St. – Msgr. Alfredo Aranda Obviar, former Parish Priest of Lipa, Auxiliary Bishop of Lipa Bishop of Lucena – now a candidate for sainthood…
Dear Mr.Renz Katigbak,
I am Edwin M. Katigbak son of Alejandro Garcia Katigbak.My titos and titas were mercedez Katigbak Floresta,Dadi Katigbak,Teddy Katigbak,Nerio Katigbak,the only one living among the siblings of Luis Luz Katigbak and Jovita Garcia and Precy Katigbak.My grandfather was Luis Luz Katigbak,brother of Ambasador Alberto Katigbak ,please enligthen me about the brothers of my Lolo Luis. I am so happy knowing about the history of my lineage. I am confused because i was told before that we hailed from one of the ten Datus from Borneo.And that the meaning of Katigbak is Katig Ng Bangka,If it is not a burden to you Mr.Renz,please enlighten me on this matter.My Grandma was Jovita Garcia,grandaugther of Kabesang Pateng,a very wealthy landowner,it was said that when she toured her ricefields her tenants made the sign of the cross,she did not walked the fields,she rode on a bamboo papag carried by her kasama.and when all the palays were harvested due for milling,you can found the head of the kariton at Pinagkawitan,Lipa City,and the tail at Padre Garcia.That was the story told to me by my mama Eugenia Musica,of San Antonio,Quezon,were the property of Kabesang Pateng was located…..thank you for taking the time reading a bit of our history
Hi Tito
Can you give me the updated list of your family? I am doing our very big family tree. please email me at renzkatigbak@yahoo.com or if you have any facebook account please add me up: Renz Marion D. Katigbak. You are right, it was one of the oral family tradition that have been passed to us the datu ancestor and that the Katigbak was derived from Katig ng Bangka.
Thanks,
Renz
Hi Tito Please help me update your family tree.
………… 3 Luis Candido Luz Katigbak 1901 – 1970 – son of Don Francisco Africa Katigbak and Doña Maria Concepcion Tolentino Luz
……………. + Maria Felicidad Jovita Briones Garcia – daughter of Alejandro Garcia and Petra Briones
………………. 4 Meynardo Alejandro Garcia Katigbak
………………. 4 Alejandro Garcia Katigbak
………………. 4 Mercedes Lucina Garcia Katigbak
………………. 4 Vicenta Viola Garcia Katigbak
………………. 4 Clemente Teodoro Edgardo Garcia Katigbak
………………. 4 Priscila Felisa Garcia Katigbak
Hello Renz,Maria Felicidad Jovita Garcia married Luis Luz Katigbak you have to add the youngest among the children, and the only one alive,NERIO KATIGBAK,living in Los Angeles. I will update you after my consultation with Tita Violeta Luna,daugther of Petronio Garcia the brother of Jovita Garcia Katigbak.Thank you for taking your time answering my querries,i will message you again
I am Kristina Mayo Stanford,I was married to Ruben Mayo. We have three children. Alejandro,Joel and Marc. I get very homesick reading about Lipa and all my family there. I remember my auntie Jovet she always brought me candies from Manila. I remember Teddy Katigback. Many wonderful memories of those days.
Hi Renz, Leo Ona here. I am having a hard time tracing my lola’s (father side) lineage. My father’s mother’s maiden name is Maria Macasaet Recto who married Ambrocio Ona Sr. I don’t have any other info about who her parents are. Thanks in advance.
Hi Tito Leo, you may check in the records of Cathedral.
What I heard from Mayo Re-union in Lipa is that the Irish soldier is Ferdinand Mayo and not Anthony Mayo.
The records of Cathedral say its Anthony (Antonio dela Cruz Mayo).
yup, that’s right, we are from Ferdinand Mayo an Irish soldier who came to the Philippines & married a filipina w/c i can’t recall the name…
Hi Renz,
I am Georgia Katigbak Manansala Pangan. My mother is Gloria Latorre Katigbak. Her parents are Vicente Katigbak and Faustina Latorre. Her siblings are Luz, Rolando, Zita and Fiorello. Fiorello, the youngest, is still living in the ancestral house in Pres. L. Katigbak St. in Lipa City. I came across your Lipa’s Famous Families as my cousin Alan Santos Katigbak (only son of Rolando) who lives in New York has taken an interest in tracing the Katigbak family line. Maybe you have come across the names of my maternal grandparents and could tell me how they are related to the Katigbak’s and Latorre’s. I am going to Lipa, Batangas with Alan this end of September to find out about our lineage from my uncle Fiorello and his wife Norris Virrey Katigbak. Thank you for your time and hoping to hear from you soon.
Regards,
Georgia
Hi you came from the line of Pasqual Catigbac m. Andrea Manguiat – Exequiel Catigbac m. Aniceta Delos Reyes – Bernardino Catigbac m. Rosela Mayo – Gregorio Catigbac m. Antonina Braceros – Vicente Guiilermo Braceros Catigbac m. Faustina Recede Latorre – Gloria Latorre Katigbak….Tito Teddy M. Katigbak has a list from this branch…
Hi Renz,
Thank you so much for the information. Alan and I will visit Tito Teddy this end of September as well to get a copy of the family tree. This is very interesting work that you are doing. Will you be coming out with a book on the Katigbak’s? Wishing you all best in this endeavor.
Regards,
Georgia
very informative and interesting. what caught my attention is the intermarriages. i’m just wondrin’ how was that now? is intermarriage still practiced or allowed up to now?
Thank you for all the hard work, and permit me to impose a question.
How far back could one trace the Dimayuga family in the Lipa Church records if one were to attempt it?
The oldest records are the matrimonial (matrimonios) and death (defunciones) registers starting from 1778.
Baptismal (bautismos) records start from 1823. From which branch of Dimayuga do you belong? I have records of the Dimayugas. I trace my Dimayuga lineage from Don Evaristo Dimayuga gobernadorcillo of Lipa in 1809.
Hello. There is a Guia-Dimayuga that is married to Severo Maliuanag (commonly misspelled as Maliwanag) I don’t know the given name of the wife. They are my great grandparents. So am looking for the name of the daughter who married a Maliuanag whoes mom is a Guia and dad a Dimayuga. Hope you can help.
Wow! 1809. Where did Don Evaristo hail from?
I was raised in Lipa.
My father is Dr. Celestino Sebastian Coronel Dimayuga.
His father was Jose Dominador Mayo Dimayuga, married to Felicisima Coronel of San Juan.
His father was Roman Dimayuga, married to Rufina Mayo,( daughter of Benedicto Mayo and his wife Isabel Dimayuga).
His father was Domingo Dimayuga, married to Juliana Tiru. That is as far back as I know.
My interest is twofold. To find siblings of Roman Dimayuga and their progeny, and in a matter of curiosity, see how far back, and from where does the name Dimayuga originate from?
(The source of my curiosity is the discovery over 10 years ago of descendants of a Dimayuga who apparently immigrated to Acapulco Mexico in the mid 1850s as well as a family of Dimayugas, living in central France, who are descended from a Dimayuga who immigrated to Hanoi, in the mid to late 1800s)
The easiest way to do this research is to access the microfilm records of the Mormons, either you go to the main Family History Center in Utah or in their family history center branch in Quezon City. In the 70s the Mormons microfilmed all the Catholic Church records in the Philippines for their worldwide Genealogy project.
I wasn’t able to connect yet your Dimayuga Lineage to the line of Don Evaristo Dimayuga.
All the Catholic Church Records? That was a lot of work.
Thank you very much.
yes that’s worldwide.
My father is from Balintawak, Lipa City. His name is Anthony. This is the only information given to me. I’m just so happy to see where the KATIGBAKs came from. I feel a little connection and a little bit satisfied, but still craving. The last news I heard is that he was in CT U.S.A. I really wanted to know what things are really going on with him. A single story about him would do, to complete me. Please help me guys…Thank you so much!
This is interesting my great2x granmother was victoria katigbak kalaw married to jose zenerosa linan i didnt now that i have a bloodline to kalaw katigbak clan,so proud of it…
is kalaw katigbak related to laurel clan?
Hi Mark,
I am Renz Katigbak, I was the one who posted this article about the old families of Lipa. The Katigbaks and Kalaws are not related by blood to the Laurels of Tanauan, Batangas. By the way could you email me any updates on the family members of the KALAW-LINAN branch (children of Dr. Victoria Katigbak Kalaw and Jose Linan). Dr. Victoria Katigbak Kalaw is the daughter of Feliza Africa Katigbak (daughter of Don Cayetano Katigbak with his 2nd marriage to Ignacia Africa) and Don Cipriano Kalaw (one of the staff advisers of Gen. Miguel Malvar).
I am one of the 4th generation of the Luz – Recinto Clan (Gabina Maralit Luz) Eliseo Recinto their eldest son is my mother’s father.
excerpt “When Florentina died, Don Lucas married Maria Asuncion Morete Mantuano, daughter of Don Francisco Mantuano (gobernadorcillo of 1784) who reportedly brought the first coffee seeds in Lipa. Their son was Honorato Mantuano Luz, who married Ynocencia Maralit, who originally owned the land where Fernando Airbase is now located. Their daughter, Gabina Maralit Luz (married to Patricio Recinto), against her will, forcibly bequeathed the land to the Japanese perpetrators to become the land field during World War II.”
How about the RECIO clain in Lipa?
looking for relatives of Salustia Kalaw Angeles known as “Nena”
I can’t find my ancestors here: Casiano M. Atienza and Natalia C. Manalo of Lipa City., Thanks
hi arthur gonzales,
yes i am the eldest son of narding and nelly africa. i remember remedios house of mamay ikeng and nanay charing custodio cause malimit din kami dun. yes, time can garble my memories na. we do have the “Africa Clan of Lipa, Batangas” account on facebook which you can join. do you have a facebook account? mine is ‘roger africa’. lets be friend in fb so we can chat more. i want to see those pictures you are telling me about, hehe.
it would be a pleasure for us to be friends not only in fb but in person too since we are relatives unknown to each other,.my grandfathers name is leonardo africa gonzales. i know your dad’s name is leonardo too.are you in us? thanks for inviting me to join the family fb that was very nice of you. there. gigi my oldest girl is in chicago while gina my youngest is in Texas.you have scorted both inthe princess of charity event.
hi again cousin arthur,
where do you stay now? was it just by coincidence, that your grandfather’s name is also leonardo? or ginaya lang ng lolo cipriano yun name ni daddy? hehe. my email is rogerafrica@gmail.com, maybe you can send me copies of some pictures of you, your wife and daughters. i will be glad if someday we can meet in person. i live in las pinas city with my wife and 3 gentlemen. 😉
my name is zita katigbak arias, a descendant of Don gregorio mayo katigbak., related to you renz as an aunt. i know your dad Roldan, but i am a contemporary of your aunt durma katigbak cruz. in fact i visited them in their place in Bukidnon about 4 yrs ago. my husband just clicked on this website by mistake. but what a discovery, very informative am so happy to read everything in the tourism column. more power to you people. your patience have given me and my family great information so kudos for your research and i have forwarded this article to many of my friends to see and read..very productive and creative work, and to you tourism staff, my hats off, oh and especially to you, priscilla villa . i may see you this january 2014, ma mimiesta ako sa lipa.
met a relations of ESTEBAN MAYO<mayor of lipa when i was still living there, according to minda, the daughter, her father left as a young teen-ager and settled in davao,married a local girl and had 3 children 2boys and a girl, minda. they have never met nor talked to any of their siblings. they were very eager to talk to me about lipa and the mayos, will it be true that ESTEBAN mayo has a younger bother? they are now here in the USA living in las vegas. maybe you can clear this for these people who are really starved for more information about there roots.thank you so much for your work, stay healthy and kudos to you. zita
I am Wilfredo Mayo Santiago, son of Angeles Mayo Santiago younger sister of Esteban Mayo the former Mayor of Lipa City. My mother Angeles (Lola Geling to allwho know her) was the last surviving sibling of Esteban. She spent a few years in Virginia in the late 70’s but decided to go back home to Lipa. She recently passed away at a ripe old age of 96 in Feb this year….I live in Oceanside, CA and have been here since 1990.
I’m Ronald Allan Loo from Quezon province. Im interested with the whole Katigbak history. I hope i can see your work since the maiden name of my maternal grandmother is “Emerenciana Dones Katigbak”. She’s from San Pablo, Laguna though she said her father came from Lipa. She was born in 1920. She passed away 6yrs ago. She came from a poor family. I am researching my mother side history and ancestry since I know little about it. Thank You.
Hello, how awesome to find this great blog just to probably clear my confused lineage. I’m Ellen Reyes and I grew up in San Pablo City but i know my forefathers, paternal side, are all from Lipa, Batangas. According to my father,Eleuterio Reyes , they are all direct descendants of Don Gallo de los Reyes from Lipa… My dad is the first cousin of Don Fidel Reyes, and a brother to a long term mayor of Candelaria Quezon, Moises Reyes. The current mayor of Candelaria Ferdinand Reyes Maliwanag is his grandson. My dad’s only relatives here in San Pablo are the Libreas and the late Don Paulo Macasaet, founder of San Pablo Colleges. I’m just confused of how we are inter-related…they are definitely close relatives, but we the younger generation would want to shed some light on our genetic lineage…I know a lot of those names mentioned in this blog, Evie Costa, the Dimayugas and the Luz. and had met them one way or the other but reading this blog, i will not be surprised to find out we are all related, Only heaven knows…your blog just gives us the hope to find out.Thank you and May God bless you always. Cheers!
Hi Ms. Ellen, I am Renz Katigbak, creator of this blog. I would love to know more information on your Reyes family as I am currently working on the Reyes Family Tree of Lipa. Please send to my email renzkatigbak@yahoo.com, details like names of your grandparents, your parents’ names etc.
Hi Sir Renz,
Firstly, you have a very great and informative site.
Inspired by the girl that traced the roots of the American presidents, I did some tracing myself and came upon your website. I come from the Kalaw lineage. I just wanted to more know about how and when did the name Calao turn into the the present day Kalaw. I also came upon a website (http://wappenbuch.com/E175.htm) featuring 17th century German family crest of the Kalaw’s. Is this really true? I would like to get more information on the Kalaw family. My grandfather was Emeterio Kalaw married to Iluminda Arangorin.
Could you kindly send more details and information to kalaw78@yahoo.com?
Thank you.
Hi Sir Renz,
First of All CONGRATULATIONS for a very informative blog.
Ang “Y” po ba ng Ynciong and ” I ” ng Inciong ay relative po ba??
Hi Renz
Thanks so much for a great job tracing the genealogy of the Luz and Katigbak clan. It is truly interesting and very informative. My father is Arsenio Norberto Katigbak Luz Jr. His father is Arsenio Katigbak Luz, one of the sons of Segunda Katigbak Luz.
I have been living in Toronto, Canada since 1974.
Cheers
Miguel (Butch) Luz
Hello Mr. Renz D. Katigbak. I greatly appreciate the information provided on this website regarding family history. My name is Jared, and I am a great-great grandson of Don Eliseo Reyes Africa and his wife Urbana Maralit Kalaw, and thus through this website can trace my family line primarily through the Africa clan. However, I am also a great-great grandson to a Tarcila Katigbak Reyes and her husband Mariano Mayo Maralit. I was wondering if you could explain how Tarcila Katibak Reyes is related to the main Katigbak branch, and Mariano Mayo Maralit to the main Mayo branch? My mother and grandmother have been telling me what they can about family history in Lipa, and it has fascinated me. I’d appreciate any more information you can give.
Also, if you know an Analu Masangkay, she is my aunt!
Hi Jared of course i have those info you need. I’ll invite you to access the extensive Katigbak Family Tree. Are you Tito Alex Maralit’s grandson or his sister’s?
Yes, Tito Alex Maralit is my grandma’s older brother! I greatly appreciate your assistance, as I would like to impart Lipa family heritage onto my generation and eventually my children and their cohorts in the family.
Hi Jared ok I will be sending you an email later to view the family tree on ancestry.com. if you could help me updated that would be much appreciated too.
Of course, I’ll help with whatever I can. Thank you again!
Are you on Facebook?
I really appreciate information you sent. Because my grandma was just a little girl when she and Tito Alex lost their father, she doesn’t have many memories of him or his family. I will share what you sent with her during the family new year party, and will definitely ask Tito Alex more. And I am on Facebook, and imagine we have at least a couple of friends in common, so I will search for you; Happy new year to you and your family, Renz!
Renz Marion D. Katigbak is my account. Add me up.
Hello Renz – my late father-in-law was from Lipa but moved to Zambales back in the 1940’s, I guess. He married a Zambalenan, Iluminada Arangorin, from Masinloc, Zambales. My husband, whose name is Teodoro Kalaw, does not have any clue about his heritage. I have been doing my own research for the benefit of my children to trace his lineage. I know of a Lolo Goloy Kalaw from Barrio Bugtong, Lipa, Batangas. Don’t know his real name. My guess was he was descended from Gregorio Agila Calao, one of the children of Luis Cornelio Kalaw and Yldefonsa Segismundo Agila. Unfortunately I only found 1 name of Luis Cornelio’s children, Cipriano Gonzales Kalaw. I wish I have more info to provide.
I would appreciate any help that you can give.
Hi Ms. Guia, if you know the full name of your father in law I might be able to know from which Kalaw lineage he comes from.
This information would also help me if I have his records on file.
Hello Renz,
Thank you for responding to my email. My father-in-law was Emeterio Kalaw and his Kalaw relatives that I met back in the late ’60 lived in barrio Bugtong, Lipa, Batangas. I wish I have more information to give you. Emeterio is one of two brothers. I only know him by his nickname, Banong Kalaw and he died before I married into the family. He was never married, as far as I know.
Thank you,
Guia Kalaw
Hello Renz, Thank you for the response. That’s right, I should have provided my late father-in-law’s name. He was Emeterio Kalaw and he had a brother whom we only know as Tiyo Banong. He died before I married into the family. Their relatives whom I met in the late 60’s lived in Barrio Bugtong, Lipa.
Thank you in advance for any info.
Guia Kalaw
Sent from my iPad
Hi Renz,
I will ask for your permission, as i will be needing ancestral background of Lolo Celistino Solis. Can I possibly copy your insights of those to be presented on our family tree this coming Jan 11, 2014 for the Leyesa Clan reunion? Thanks much. I really appreciate your response.
Rizvy Leyesa Masangkay
Sure.
Good morning to all,
I want to know the rest of the Mitra clan. I hope I can get involve with those who might be interested to do this diligently. You may call me at 09178243022 or email me at alfredo_mitra@yahoo.com
Good to see all our connections in the family.
Cheers!
Alfredo O. Mitra
Great work! I wish Lipa could bring back its classiness but without the snotty aristocratic attitude. 🙂
Of all the entries in this blog, I like yours the most! Lipenos, especially the older generations were known for their “snotty aristocratic attitude.” Salamat
This is a mind-boggling wealth of information for those who are yearning to trace their clan origin like me! I found it fascinating to read the great genealogies that the Lipa City Tourism and Museum Council has poured efforts to weave and being generously shared to everyone. Thanks so much, it’s indeed a wonderful job!
My father hails from Albay province and married a widow from the Inciong clan. As far as we could track down, as a baby-boomer myself, we could only trace our great-grandfather Don Luis Inciong who served as cabeza de barangay in Mataas na Kahoy which I assumed then a barrio of Lipa in the 1880s. My grandfather Raymundo Inciong based from a laminated diploma went to Colegio de San Juan de Letran… they must be so wealthy and prominent by then.
Now, with the various pedigrees shared above, I only identified 3 female Inciong ancestors namely: Doña Juana Malabanan Inciong (married twice), Doña Romana Africa Inciong-Calao and Doña Manuela Inciong-Sales. My great grandfather’s name Raymundo Ylagan Inciong may not be their sibling with the middle names given as Malabanan for Doña Juana, Africa for Doña Romana while Doña Manuela’s was missing.
Ylagan’s apparently are from Taal but there are other great Inciong families in Lipa, remember the Inciong Furniture’s, not so sure if it still exists though; and what about the other Inciong clans? I am longing to hear from you through this venue… We have a FB group labelled as Inciong Forever while I can also be linked with my email ad at boyviterbo@yahoo.com as another option.
All the best to my kabayans!
yes one of the landmark – Inciong Furniture Bldg in front of Lipa Church was owned by my Grandfather name Don Simeon Inciong Sr.
Hi. My maternal side have Lipa roots. They are the Mendozas and de Torres of Mataas na Kahoy and Tambo. I sent you an email in renzkatigbak@yahoo.com. Thanks.
Renz, the wife of Artemio that I have is Liiia Marino Lontoc (d/o of Vicente and Marina Marino), please see middle name. Am I wrong or are we talking of a different Lontoc?
We do have an Artemio Katigbak in our family tree and he was married to Lilia Braceros Lontoc. In her baptismal record it says that her parents were Vicente Lontoc and Dalmacia Braceros.
If you have a baptismal record, I guess you are right. The Lontocs seems to claim connection to the Marinos via marriage of Vicente to a Marino but I did not have any documents to support this. Although a certain Enrique Bustos in “The Families of Old Taal” item 81 in the discussion claims that Marina Marino married a Lontoc. I think I saw a record at Family Search claiming Vicente married a Lontoc (unfortunately I did not copy this info ’cause it’s too far from my searches)
Hi Vic! Lilia’s father, Vicente Lontoc, was actually born in Lipa. His parents were Nicasio Reyes Lontoc and Filomena Recon del Rio. He was born on January 20, 1887. his baptismal record also mentioned his paternal grandparents, Fulgencio Lontoc and Prudencia Reyes, and maternal grandparents, Manuel del Rio and Maria Recon. What you found on familysearch.org was the marriage record of Federico Marino Lontoc who was married to Carmen Ella Keil. Federico’s parents were Vicente E. Lontoc and Maria Y. Marino.
My fathers name is Fidel Malleta Cabrera and he had a half sister named Salustia Angeles who I recently found out was one of the founders of Limcoma Cooperative. I remember a Tito Claro who turns out to be Claro Malleta. Am just trying to trace where I came from hard to move forward when you don’t know much about where you came from. Please help……….
Trying to trace the Malleta Clan of Lipa Batangas. As my fathers middle name was Malleta.
Salustia Angeles was her half sister married to John Angeles. Salustia is one of the ones who started Limcoma Cooperative during the 70’s. I saw her name there. Claro Malleta as far as I know is the cousin of my father. My father also had a brother Benjamin Cabrera. Thanks
Hi Mike, the Salustia mentioned in this blog is Salustia Solis not an Angeles. I did not trace the Malleta lineage but I do have the names of the parents of Claro Malleta. Claro Malleta was the son of Jose Umali Malleta and Asuncion Reyes. Jose Umali Malleta’s parents were Tiburcio Malleta and Adriana Umali. Asuncion Reyes on the other hand was the daughter of an Ambrocia Reyes. Her father was unknown in the record but I found out that she was a natural daughter of Toribio Katigbak, who I mentioned in my blog. I hope this helps.
Hi! I’m Gil Josef Katigbak, my grandfather was Jose M. Katigbak and he was also from Batangas. I was born and grew up in Davao because my grand father was assigned to work here as a warden and I haven’t met any other Katigbaks in my entire life aside from my grandmother ( Visitacion Pineda Katigbak) mother, aunt and cousins here in Davao. I just want to know everyone in this family if ever I’m related with these Katigbaks. I’m also surprised that there was “Josef” Katigbak before me. It made me happy to knowing these things.
I read the whole article and I didn’t see my Lola’s name, Doña Carmen Katigbak, she’s the sister or Mariano and Segunda. I was named after her actually.
Hi Bea! I have your great grandmother, Maria Carmen Solis Katigbak in our family tree and you are also listed there too as a descendant of her second marriage to Cecilio Verte.
I found your website by searching about the Luz clan. Do you have info that one of the Luz descendants went and settled to northern Mindanao during the Spanish period (specifically around Mainit Lake bordering Agusan del Norte and Surigao del Norte)? I just one to check if our oral history which says that we are descendants from Lipa is supported by your research.
PS I used to work somewhere in Lipa and tried to solve this puzzle to no avail. I’ve seen few Luz’s there and they look like my Aunties — chinese mestizo looking.
Hi,
Would you let me know the roots of ‘Arsenio Lasin Africa, Sr.’?
I would like to complete my Family Tree 🙂
Thanks
Good day!
I am studying about the personalities behind the government seal of lipa city.
Do you happen to have any primary documents and sources I can use to gather information about the filipinos (lipeños) behind the carving of the seal of lipa city?
Hi Rupert,
The Official seal of Lipa City was actually patterned from the Coat of Arms granted by Queen Maria Cristina of Spain when Lipa became a Villa in 1887.
Renz Katigbak
Hello, I would like to know my relations with the Calao and Roxas Clan, my grandparents are from Agoncillo, Batangas and named Alicia delas Alas Briones (maybe a connection with Evaristo Calao’s wife?) and Dominador de Roxas Magsino.
Hi. I am searching for a dear friend of our family. Florianne Solis of Lipa Batangas. My sister died of cancer, her best friend. She must be related to the Solis of Lipa in this article. I am hoping that I can find her and let her know what happened to my sister.
Hi Liza i have forwarded your message to them and they will contact you.
Hi! I would like to thank you for having such blog filled with info’s about Lipa! hope you can help me though as I am curious if my family ,Coronel Clan hailing from San Juan, Batangas, have any ties or relation to the Coronel Clan hailing from Taal?
Thanks!
Hi Reinz! My children, Josephine Grace Lirag Kyne, Maria Stella Lirag Achacoso, Maria Chona Lirag Caparas, Barbara Lirag Caparas & Jay Reyes Lirag &:I are wondering about the Casilag heritage. My father-in-law & my kids grandfather was married to Regina Kasilag. Would you please give us some details about the relation of the Kasilag. Reinz, you are doing a wonderful job! Thank you so much. Belen Reyes Lirag Foster
This is excellent and scholarly research. I am distantly related to Orestes Chuidian de Marcaida (the son of Antonio Barretto de Marcaida and Candelaria Chuidian) who married Emilia Benita Solis. I just want to know if there are more info on them like birth/death/marriage info which you can share with us for our own family tree? Thank you in advance. gd_cruz@yahoo.com
Hi Gilbert?
How are you related to the de Marcaidas? I am actually in touch with them regarding their family tree. Would like to e-connect you with them.
Renz
Hi!
What a great job on this research!
I am currently researching on the family of my great-grandmother’s best friend Milagros Gesmundo. From what I heard her grandmother was a Mayo who married a Virrey, and then her daughter (Milagros’s mother, Mariquita if I’m not mistaken) married a Librea. Do you have records pertaining to this?
Thanks!
My maternal grandfather, Emilio Macasaet Africa, was the son of Timoteo Africa. He moved with my grandmother , Basilisa Baroso , to Sariaya, Tayabas (now Quezon) in the 1930s. This explain the Africa clan has a foothold in Quezon.
Hi Renz!
Thank you so much for this article!
My name is Emma Fe Teru, granddaughter of Dr. Jose Aranda Teru, son of Isabel Mendoza Aranda who was a granddaughter of Lorenzo Luz Aranda and Lucia Recio Africa and first degree cousin of Bishop Alfredo Aranda Obviar. Is it safe to say, basing on your article, that Lorenzo Luz Aranda is the son of Ygnacia Maderazo Luz and Santiago Aranda? And who was Lorenzo Luz Aranda’s wife Lucia Recio Africa? Why were their children using Recio as their middle names instead of Africa?
Isabel had a brother Leoncio Mendoza Aranda who was married to Josefina Mendoza Katigbak and Lutgarda Kalaw… 🙂 I guess Leoncio and Josefina were cousins since they had the same middle names…
Thank you Renz, you’re amazing!
Hi Emma!
Thanks for reaching out. You are indeed correct that Lorenzo Luz Aranda’s parents are Santiago Aranda and Ygnacia Luz. In the marriage record of Marcelo Aranda dated 18 May 1863, it is indicated there that his parents were Lorenzo Aranda and Lucia Recio (in some records it was written as Luisa). Lucia’s parents were Juan Recio and Lorenza Africa. This is why Recio is definitely their maternal surname. An explanation to why it was Lucia Recio Africa is that during the Spanish colonial period, Filipinos were actually considered as Spanish citizens then and thus followed the Spanish naming custom. This is by placing the maternal surname last rather than the paternal surname. I am not particularly sure if both the Mendozas of Lola Josefina M. Katigbak and Lolo Leoncio M. Aranda have any relation. We can only surmise at this point as I did not conduct further research on this.
Sincerely,
Renz
Hi Emma! I am also a descendant of Lorenzo Luz Aranda & Lucia Africa Recio – we belong to the Margarito branch. We still maintain the renovated ancestral house (what was left of it anyway!).
HI,
Thanks so much for all this information!
I just started researching my father’s side of the family. My name is Rowena Katigbak. I’m the daughter of Godofredo Katigbak and Carmen Katigbak (née Tinio) and granddaughter of Artemio Katigbak and Lilia Braceros Lontoc. We live in Canada so it’s been difficult tracking down information from here.
Are we related? Do you have a more extensive listing of my family geneology?
Thanks again for all your work!
Rowena
Hi Rowena,
I do have an extensive Katigbak family tree. We are second cousins.
Your Lolo Artemio is my Lolo Carlos’ brother.
Renz Katigbak
i am related to you too rowena, from the Katigbak side and from your great grandmama whose last name is BRACEROS a sister of my grandmother. I know all of your father’ immediate family, in fact i am about your tita emily’s age. wow. all over the world na tayo, as i am a resident of chicago ., Illinois since the early 1960. How do you do? i am glad to know a branch of my family tree and doubly glad because we are connected by 2 of them. my best regards to all the family. I guess i am a lola to you now. zita-katigbak-arias. hello to you too RENZ, i was in lipa last month and saw your tita virgie.
hi. my great great grandmother is arsenia katigbak silva. would you know which lineage we belong? thanks
Hello, I am tracing relatives of Don Ubaldo Roxas in Lipa, I found out that one of his sons Simeon Roxas married a Teresa Roxas, daughter of Dr Sixto Roxas. Is Dr Sixto Roxas related to Don Sixto Roxas who married Alejandra Luz? Thanks! Dr Ma Cecille Cayetano of Ibaan, Batangas
Dr. Sixto Luz Roxas, Jr. is the son of Don Sixto Panganiban Roxas, Sr. and Doña Alejandra Luz. Dr. Sixto Roxas married Lucila Leyesa and had 3 children, Maria Carmen, Soledad Josefa, and José.
Soledad Josefa, married Simeon Reyes Roxas, whose parents are Vicente Panganiban Roxas (1st cousin of Sixto Sr.) and Juliana de Chavez Reyes of Ibaan, Batangas. – Renz Katigbak
Hello Renz, thank you very much for answering my question. Kindly help me again as Im trying to finish our family tree. We have already traced our roots till the 1800s when Don Ubaldo Roxas came from ??? and settled in Ibaan. we still dont know our lola’s name (Don Ubaldo Roxas’ wife). Don Ubaldo Roxas’ 4th child is Jose Roxas married to ??? Vicente Roxas is their only child. Vicente Roxas married Juliana Reyes and they had 6 children. Simeon Reyes Roxas is the youngest. Kindly explain to me how Vicente Panganiban Roxas is related to Don Sixto Roxas Sr. Thank you!!!! Thank you for patiently tracing roots of Lipa’s gentries 😀
ie Vicente Panganiban Roxas’ mother and how is she related to Sixto Sr. Thanks!
also from our records, Simeon Reyes Roxas married Teresa Roxas, daughter of Dr Sixto Roxas! Medyo magulo na 😀
Hi there, I just started finding out about my heritage from my father’s side whom I never met. But I know that his grandmother or great grandmother was Honoria Katigbak.. Would she be in any relation to this family?
Hi Paula,
The only Honoria we have in the KATIGBAK Family Tree is Honoria Natividad de la Rosa Katigbak who married a Geronimo Cachuela.
Would you know if Honoria came from the town of Lipa, Batangas?
Renz Katigbak
Hi Renz, yes, she was from Lipa! Is there a direct email I can reach you at to give more information? (not sure if I want to be posting info on here if it might not be in relation.) Thank you!
Greetings, fam! It’s been awhile since I’ve commented here, but I’d like to extent my thanks to Renz Katigbak for providing me with the necessary information needed to dig a bit further into my family history (our shared family history). I think this information may interest (and support the veracity) members of the Mayo Clan regarding the claim that we are descended from British/Northern European ancestry, which should be unheard of amongst Filipinos prior to the 1900s. I did a DNA ancestry test through 23andme, which I believe is superior to Ancestry.com in its population pool and thus accuracy. And lo and behold, an interesting statistic revealed itself: I am 0.1% Northwestern European, which includes the countries of Ireland, the British Isles, and Scandinavia. I’ve verified to be exactly a 10th Generation grandson from the theoretical “Anthony Mayo”, and assuming no intermarriage occurred between Mayo members in my line, after 10 generations I should be 0.1% Northwestern European (which is true). So yes, the tale of a British soldier being stranded in the Philippines might very well be true after all! I recommend other family members taking 23andme, maybe we can find one another!
My father Primotivo Martin Salinas, he carries his mothers last name, she was Piedad Salinas was born in 1896 in Acapulco, Mexico, he said his Father name was Manuel Dimayuga, he married my mother in New York city in 1933 and had six children. could you shed any light on his family, I recently had a DNA test and found allot of unexpected Phillipean, Chinese and Thailand ethnicities. My name is Raymond Velazquez Salinas. Thank you
Hi Raymond, Dimayuga indeed is an indigenous Filipino surname and very prolific especially in the province of Batangas in the Philippines.
I am actually a direct descendant of a Don Evaristo Dimayuga who was the gobernadorcillo (a town mayor during the Spanish colonial era) of Lipa in 1809.
I think the Dimayugas in Mexico were the descendants of the Dimayugas who joined the Manila-Acapulco Galleon Trade from 1565 to 1815.
Renz Katigbak
I recently received my mtDNA result and I have 3 exact matches (for my maternal lineage Petrona Capulong resident of Sta Ana.
1. from Kingdom of Mongondow founded 1600
2. a Mr B Palma Resurreccion Decillo whose maternal greatgrandmother is a Maria Mayo
did Maria Pantoja Mayo re-married after Sebastian Mayo passed away?
Thank you very much and God bless,
Dr Maria Cecille Cayetano-Angelia of Ibaan 0998 971 2740
PS I haven’t traced my Masongsong roots yet (my match has ancestor Esteban Masongsong married to a Victorina Gonzalez) who has a daughter Maria Masongsong married to a Nicolas Sprinkle.
Hello I am tracing my wife’s ancestry in Lipa City, her maternal grand mother was Anastacia Zara baptised at San Sebastian Cathedral Lipa on 21 Jan 1911, her parents were Lorenza Zara and Modesta Morada, the grand parents were Francisco Morada & Agapita Recio, and Victorino Zara & Franciso Recio. Ah! two Recio grand mother’s this must be significant, they could be sisters or cousins especially as we have two mtDNA matches and autosomaal DNA matches one to the above Dr Cecille Angelia and the other to Mayo line in Batangas plus serveral thers related to LIpa. As the primary DNA match is mitochondrial passed via the female line I am interested to know who were the parents of the Recio grand mothers, or grand parents if they were not sisters but cousins. Finally I would comment on the supposed atDNA connections of the Mayo line supposedly origuinating from British male, atDNA is not reliable over ten generations and 7-10CentiMorgans is the limit over 5-6 generation BUT it can be extended when there is a known lineargae i.e Y DNA and / or a fully documented family history. For males Y DNA wiuld be the definitive test passed via father to son, I would be happy to advise on the use of DNA in confirming or otherwise in family research, I would also add that NPE ie, non parental events are known on average to occur at six gereation apart. And the Mayo surname is likely to have originated in France and brought to England in 1066 via the Saxon / Norman invasion they is no knowm link to Co Mayo in Ireland! my contaact Email is mike@family-barry.com any Recio, Zara or Morada related people I’d be interested to make contact, thank you.
Hi, looking to verify lineage and can’t find much about our lineage. My great grandmothers name was Maria Africa Roxas and great grandfather was Mariano Roxas of Lipa City and later Magallanes Village, Makati. They had 6 daughters, one of whom was my grandmother. I can’t seem to verify that they were part of this lineage.
Hi Vanessa, your great-grandparents both descended from the Old families of Lipa – Roxas, Africa, and Katigbak.
Mariano Manalo Roxas is the grandson of Urbano P. Roxas and Jacoba Katigbak. Maria M. Africa-Roxas is the granddaughter of Gallo Africa and Valentina Macarandang.
Thank you for this amazing blog, full of invaluable genealogical and historical research. I am the great grand-daughter of Petra De Guia Dimayuga from, presumably, Bauan, where my grandfather Pio Dimayuga Carino (Julius) was born. My trip to Batangas took me to Bauan, and to Lipa where I visited Casa Secunda and met other Dimayugas. I now have positive DNA evidence of my connection to a Dimayuga (Jose), and I would like to construct my family tree. Can you point me in some directions? Thanks.