Ang Aming Angkan


Traditional Filipino Nicknames
09.03.2010, 00:26
Filed under: .General

Jose Rizal, our national hero, was also called "Pepe".

The nickname is something every Pinoy parent plans about the same time they come up with their child’s “real name”.  For example, my nickname is Monette; and I have two sisters named Suzzette and Nanette — no way that was a fun coincidence.

Growing up, childhood nicknames brand us.  Calling an acquaintance by a nickname elicits a sense of immediate familiarity.  The Pinoy practice of calling complete strangers Tito-Tita (uncle-aunt), Kuya-Ate (big brother-sister) and Manong-Manang (big brother-sister) feeds that very need for familial intimacy.  Politicians make up traditional nicknames to appear more approachable to their constituents.  In a visit to Bicol years back, my husband’s cousin (who also happened to be mayor) introduced me as “Monang”, which temporarily disguised my pseudo-urban upbringing.

To paraphrase the Pinoy comedian Rex Navarrete , every Filipino family is required by law to have a “Boy” and a “Baby” – or at least, it feels that way.  Each region has their own version of these nicknames, often reserved for the youngest of the siblings, regardless of how phonetically distant their “real” names are.  These uniquely Filipino defaults are “Boboy”, “Nonoy”, “Totoy”, ”Inday”, “Ineng”, “Neneng”, among many.

In conversations I’ve had over the years over my family history, it is very common for relatives to forget real names.  I am stuck with an “Inkong This” or “Mamay That” to work with.  So in the service of those who will walk down the same path I did, here are traditional Filipino nicknames and their likely equivalents.  

I started with my own database; but do send me your Lolo’s and Lola’s nicks, sans the westernized names, at monaveluz@gmail.com.  I’d be happy to include them here.

Nickname Possible “Real” Name
Aldo Romualdo
Amparing Amparo
Ani Bayani
Asyong Nicasio
Bani Bayani
Belay Isabel
Beloy Isabelo
Beriong Silverio
Berta Alberta, Edilberta, Gilberta, Roberta, Umberta … ends with “berta”
Berto Alberto, Edilberto, Gilberto, Roberto, Umberto … ends with “berto”
Binday Brigida
Caching Escolastica
Caloy Carlo, Carlos
Carding Ricardo
Chato Rosario
Conchita Concepcion
Cora Corazon
Cordiya Concordia
Coring Socorro
Dadang, Daday Abelarda, Armida, Brigida, Candida, Leonarda … ends with “da” 
Dadô Conrado, Diosdado
Ditas Merceditas
Dodong, Doy Abelardo, Brigido, Diosdado, Leonardo … ends with “do”
Dolpo Rodolfo
Doray Dolores, Isadora, Teodora
Encar Encarnacion
Felicing Felicisima
Gardo Edgardo
Genya Eugenia
Goryo, Goying, Goyito  Gregorio
Igno Benigno
Iking Enrique
Imâ, May Felicisima, Geronima, Guillerma, Zosima … ends with “ma”
Imô, Moy Felicisimo, Geronimo, Guillermo, Zosimo … ends with ”mo”
Ingga Dominga
Inggo Domingo
Inyang Herminia
Inyong Herminio
Ipê Felipe
Ipyon Concepcion
Isang Felisa
Juaning Juan
Juling Julio
Kadyô Leocadio
Kanor Nicanor
Karyô Macario
Kikay Francisca
Kikô Francisco
Kulas Nicolas
Kulasa Nicolasa
Lando Orlando
Leno Eleno
Libay Ligaya
Lina Angelina, Marcelina, Paulina … ends with “lina”
Lino Angelino, Marcelino, Paulino … ends with “lino”
Lito Angelito, Carmelito, Joselito, Paulito … ends with “lito”
Lumen Iluminada
Lupe, Lupita Guadalupe
Maning Manuel
Manoy Manolo, Manuel
Mena Filomena
Menggay Carmen
Mila, Milagring Milagros
Miyong Romeo
Monang Ramona
Monching, Moning Ramon
Munding Edmundo
Nanding, Nando Ferdinand, Fernando
Nanoy Mariano
Narding, Nardo Leonardo
Nena Elena, Josefina, Juana, Magdalena
Nora Nicanora
Pacing, Pacita Paz
Pasya Bonifacia
Pepe, Peping, Pepito, Pepoy Jose, Felipe, Rafael
Pinang, Pining Agrifina, Josefina
Piyang Sofia
Ponso Alfonso
Puring Pura
Quitong Paquito
Roging Rogelia
Sebya Eusebia
Sebyo Eusebio
Silya Cecilia
Simâ Felicisima
Simô Maximo
Sinang Rosalina
Sintô Jacinto
Sisa Francisca
Sita Carmencita, Rosita. Teresita … ends with “cita” or “sita”
Siyon Asuncion
Soleng Soledad
Tasyô Anastacio
Tatô Liberato, Renato
Tentay Vicenta
Tentoy Vicente
Teray Sotera
Teroy Sotero, Teodoro
Tidad Trinidad
Tinang Agustina, Cristina, Florentina, Valentina .. ends with “tina”
Tinong Agustino, Cristino, Florentino, Valentin, Valentino … ends with “tin” or “tino”
Tita Carmencita, Lolita … ends with “ita”
Titing Vicente
Tiyago Santiago
Tolome Bartolome
Tonyo Antonio
Totoy Carmencito, Umberto … ends with “to”
Toyang Antonia, Victoria … ends with an “ia”
Tuning Antonio
Udoy Mariano
Urbing Urbana, Urbano
Yano Cipriano, Emiliano … ends with “iano”
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Ramon Hidalgo Felipe
08.30.2010, 09:32
Filed under: Calleja

Ramon Hidalgo Felipe

Ramon Hidalgo Felipe was born in 1921 in Naga City, Philippines to Ramon B. Felipe and Rosalia Felin Hidalgo.  He completed his primary and intermediate education in 5 years under the  Naga public school system and graduated class valedictorian in 1932.  He enrolled at the Camarines Sur Provincial High School in his freshman year; but transferred to the Ateneo de Manila where he got his high school diploma with first honors.  In college at at the Ateneo de Manila, Ramon was a full scholar, the President of the Ateneo Student Council, Associate Editor of the Guidon, and an organist of the Ateneo Choir.  He received his AB in 1940, graduating summa cum laude and was granted a full scholarship to the College of Law.  When war broke out on 08 December 1941, Ramon reported for duty with the USAFFE as an ROTC sergeant, but he never saw active duty.

In the summer of 1941, Ramon met a young Assumptionista, Aida de Belen Abella, while vacationing in Baguio.  The two were married on 27 December 1942 by Archbishop Pedro Santos at the Archbishop’s Palace.  Doña Concepcion Abella-Diaz, Aida’s aunt, and Msgr. Cecilio Penilla, the parish priest of Naga Metropolitan Cathedral stood as principal sponsor.  Their union bore eight children:  Cecile, Annabel, Amelia, Marlene, Emetrio, Ramon, Antero and Jesus.

In 1945, Ramon placed third in the Philippine Bar Examinations, even before formally graduating from law school.  Active in socio-civic organizations, he served as President of the Junior Chamber International (Naga) from 1957 to 1958.  Running as an independent LP candidate, Ramon became the mayor of Naga City in 1963 and served until 1965.  Before he could finish his term, he was drafted by his party to run for Congressman of the first district of Camarines Sur.  He won against the incumbent, Rep. Juan F. Triviño.  While in Congress, he was chosen one of Ten Outstanding Congressmen every year of his first and second terms by media. In 1969, he was elected Minority Floor Leader.

When martial law was declared in 1972. Ramon returned to his private law practice.  In March 1975, he joined the Araneta Group of Companies as its vice president for Legal Affairs.  President Ferdinand Marcos, under pressure to assign an opposition member to the Commission on Elections, appointed Ramon in time to oversee the 1984 Batasang Pambansa elections.  He the same post under President Cory Aquino, until he retired on 03 February 1988.  He rejoined the Araneta Group of Companies as its VP for Legal Affairs in 1989 until he retired in 2007 at age 86.

Family History Research Notes

1.  Escandor, Juan.  “Bicol martyr’s granddaughter passes away”.  Bicol Mail.  Date published:  16 April 2009.  Date accessed:  01 August 2010.
2.  Sergio, Stephen H.  “Ramon H. Felipe, Jr.: a compleat public servant“.  Bicol Mail.  Date published:  05 March 2009.  Date accessed:  01 August 2010. 
3.  Ramon Hidalgo Felipe’s Family Tree can be found on Geni.com.



All in the Family: The Aquino’s of Tarlac
08.27.2010, 04:09
Filed under: .General

(Aming Angkan’s ”All in the Family” series looks into familial ties that bind the famous and the infamous.)

Noynoy Aquino comes from a political bloodline that has shaped the country for over a hundred years.  Even the women with whom these men shared their lives have secured their places in history, by ancestry and/or by accomplishment.

Noynoy Ninoy Igno Mianong

Here, I’ve summarized information Nick Joaquin unearthed and published in this fascinating book, “The Aquino’s of Tarlac”:

Generation 5.  Benigno Simeon “Noynoy” Cojuangco Aquino (1950-).   President of the Philippines, 2010-2016.  Senator, 2007-2010.  Congressman of the 3rd District of Tarlac, 1998-2007.

Generation 4.  Benigno Simeon “Ninoy” Aquino Aquino (1932-1983).  Senator, 1967-2007.  Governor of Tarlac, 1961-1967.  Vice-Governnor of Tarlac, 1959-1961.  Mayor of Concepcion, Tarlac, 1955-1959.  His wife:  Maria Corazon Sumulong Cojuangco, an heiress to the Cojuangco fortune and eventually, President of the Philippines.

Generation 3.  Benigno Simeon “Igno” Quiambao Aquino (1894-1947).  Speaker of the House of Representative, 1943-1944.  Secretary of Agriculture and Commerce, 1938-1941.  Assemblyman of the 2nd District of Tarlac, 1935-1938.  Representative of the 2nd District of Tarlac, 1928-1934.  Senator, 1919-1928.  His first wife:  Maria Valeriana Urquico, the bolo-waving daughter of Katipunero Antonio Urquico.

Generation 2.  Servillano “Mianong” Aguilar Aquino (1874-1959).  General in President Aguinaldo’s army.  Delegate to the Malolos Congress.  Military Governor of Tarlac, 1898.  Mayor of Mucia, Tarlac, 1897.  Katipunan Member, 1896.  His first wife:  Guadalupe Tañedo Quiambao was the daughter of Pablo Quiambao, a Macabebe scion-turned-Robin Hood.  Pregnant, she fought off Spanish soldiers who attacked her home.  She died in the encounter, with a bolo in one hand and a dagger in the other.

Generation 1.  Braulio Aquino.  Mayor of Concepcion, Tarlac, 1885-1887.  His wife:  Maria Antonina Petrona Aguilar de Hipolito, the great-granddaughter of Angel Pantaleon de Miranda (founder of Angeles, Pampanga) and the niece of Mariano V. Henson (the Mayor of Angeles).

PBA Stars «    All in the Family Series     »  The Road to EDSA



Aida de Belen Abella
08.23.2010, 07:06
Filed under: Calleja

Aida and her sister Magdalena with parents Emetrio Isaac Abella and Magdalena de Belen.

Aida de Belen Abella was the born to Emetrio Isaac Abella and Magdalena de Belen on 15 September 1924 in Naga City.  She was educated at the Colegio de Sta. Isabel under the guidance of the Sisters of Charity.  After her grade school graduation in 1938, she was sent to the Assumption Convent in Manila for further education.  When war broke out, her education was temporarily interrupted.

In 1941, while on summer vacation in Baguio, Aida met  Ramon Hidalgo Felipe, a senior at the College of Law of the Ateneo de Manila.  The two were married on 27 December 1942 by Archbishop Pedro Santos at the Archbishop’s Palace.  Doña Concepcion Abella-Diaz, Aida’s aunt, and Msgr. Cecilio Penilla, the parish priest of Naga Metropolitan Cathedral stood as principal sponsor.  Their union bore eight children:  Cecile, Annabel, Amelia, Marlene, Emetrio, Ramon, Antero and Jesus.

Aida passed away on 04 April 2009 in her beloved Naga City.

Family History Research Notes

1.  Acker, Divina Valenciano.  “Aida Abella-Felipe”.  Bicol Mail.  Date published:  23 April 2009.  Date accessed:  01 August 2010.
2.  Escandor, Juan.  “Bicol martyr’s granddaughter passes away”.  Bicol Mail.  Date published:  16 April 2009.  Date accessed:  10 August 2010.
3.  Nhile.  “Bicol martyr’s granddaughter passes away”.  Scarlett.  Date published:  22 April 2009.  Date accessed:  01 August 2010.
4.  Aida de Belen Abella’s Family Tree can be found on Geni.com.



All in the Family: PBA Stars
08.20.2010, 13:00
Filed under: .General

(Aming Angkan’s ”All in the Family” series looks into familial ties that bind the famous and the infamous.) 

So, which professional players in the PBA are related?

The colorful rivalry between the Crispa Redmanizers and the Toyota Tamaraws captured the attention of our baskeball-crazy nation back in the 1970s.  At the forefront of the on- and off-court action were Robert Jaworski for Toyota and Philip Cezar for Crispa.  Both were known for their physical game and passionate love for the sport.  The two eventually worked together as players-coaches of Ginebra San Miguel.

Jawo-Cezar

Robert Jaworski and Philip Cezar are separated by 21 genealogical steps.  They do not share a bloodline; but Cezar is the nephew of the husband of the grandaunt of the wife of the second cousin of the husband of the first cousin of the husband of the mother of Jaworski.  Another way to see the relationship:  Cezar is the second cousin once removed of the wife of the second cousin of the husband of the first cousin of the husband of the mother of Jaworksi.

Robert Salazar Jaworski → his mother, Lou Salazar → her husband, Fernando Clemente Bonnevie → his mother Trinidad de la Rosa Clemente → her father Moises Clemente → his son, Luis de la Rosa Clemente →  his daughter, Elizabeth Sabong Clemente → her husband, Lorenzo Escartin Calleja → his father, Mariano Malonda Calleja → his father, Lorenzo Calleja → his father, Gonzales Dietz → his son, Ignacio Calleja → his daughter, Angelina Calleja Serrano → her son, Melchor Veluz → his wife, Mona Liza San Diego Magno → her father, Carlo Ricardo Hernandez Magno → her mother, Fredesvinda Francisco Hernandez → her mother, Candelaria Francisco → her mother, Narcisa Francisco → her daughter, Leoncia Francisco → her son, David Francisco Cezar → his son, Philip Dudley Cezar

Jawo-YapAnother PBA cager, James Yap, shares a closer link to Robert Jaworski, via marriages into the Cojuanco-Aquino Family, with only 7 genelogical steps separating them.  Yap is the husband of the first cousin of the wife of the son of Jaworski.

Robert Salazar Jaworski → his son, Robert Vincent Jude “Dudut” Bautista Jaworski → his wife, Mikael Maria Antonia “Mikee” de los Reyes Cojuangco → her father, Jose Sumulong Cojuangco → his father, Jose “Peping” Chichioco Cojuangco → his daughter, Maria Corazon “Cory” Sumulong Cojuangco → her daughter, Kristina Bernadette Cojuangco Aquino → her husband, James Yap

Pinoy Politicians  «     All in the Family Series     »  The Aquino’s of Tarlac

Family History Research Notes

1.  Philip Dudley Cezar’s Family Tree can be found on Geni.com.
2.  Robert Salazar Jaworski’s Family Tree can be found on Geni.com.