María Ana "Bambi" L. Harper

“Bulacan is full of cultural heritage,” said Bambi Harper, Filipino Heritage Festival director. “It would surprise people how all the architecture in the houses and churches were preserved, and how the traditions were upheld in a place this near to the Metro. It should be a matter of pride to all Bulakeños”.

Harper herself is a Bulakeño. “I have roots in Bigaa (now Balagtas), and I’m certainly proud of what Bulacan is,” she said.

María Ana "Bambi" L. Harper is a Filipino cultural writer and columnist, renowned historian, heritage conservationist, and socialite, who was  the founding President of the Heritage Conservation Society of the Philippines, and a columnist for the Philippine Daily Inquirer with "Sense and Sensibility", which focuses on Philippine cultural history.  In 2008, she became administrator of the historic Intramuros district of Manila.

A founding member of the Concerned Citizens for the National Museum, Inc., and festival director of the Filipino Heritage Festival, Inc., Harper has been involved in the preservation of Philippine heritage.

One successful endeavor is the annual Filipino Heritage Festival, which showcases the regions’ cultural delights and promotes heritage conservation.

Harper is also the commissioner of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco), and council member of the National Trust Foundation. She was also executive committee member of the Presidential Commission on Culture and Arts, commissioner of the Manila Historical Commission, and consultant to the Department of Tourism.

María Ana "Bambi" L. Harper was also the first Pama-as Gintong Bai awardee for cultural heritage conservation, an honor she received in 2005 during the celebration of the Centennial Year of the Feminist Movement of the Philippines.

Anna Maria or merely “Bambi”, launched her first novel “Agueda: A Ballad of Stone and Wind” on Oct. 25, 2012 at the Filipinas Heritage Library.

Bambi took graduate studies at the Ateneo de Manila and Georgetown U. in Washington, DC, earning a Master’s degree in English Literature from the latter. She is currently working on a degree toward a Doctorate in Arts and Letters at the University of the Philippines, and hopes to write and complete within a ten-year period two more novels on the Galleon Trade and the Second World War.

Paquito Rey Pacheco

Paquito Rey Pacheco popularly known as Kaka, was born in Dalig, Balagtas (Bigaa), Bulacan. He graduated with BSc in Accounting and Economics from the Far Eastern University (FEU) with a minor in Political Science. 

He spent 21 years in Philippine radio broadcasting and held responsibilities such as news writer, reporter, producer and commentator. He held the position of PRO for Radio in the Office of the Secretary of Philippine National Defense. He was a Charter Member and Chairman of the Rural Broadcasters Council of the Philippines.

As a journalist, he was a reporter for Bagong Buhay newspaper handling the congress beat. On August 29, 1967, Pacheco receives the Presidential Plaque of Merit from Ferdinand Marcos in recognition of his efforts to promote the administration’s rice and corn self-sufficiency program.

In Winnipeg, he was a member of the Good Morning Philippines team for almost 13 years with Emmie Joaquin and Joe Sulit on CKJS Radio 810 AM, serving as the show’s News Director and as a commentator on the Manila Sound afternoon program.

Kaka is also a Tagalog poet and writer, he now writes a regular column, ”Pilantik” for the Pilipino Express News Magazine.

              Ako

Balagtas ang aking bayang sinilangan.
Bigaa ang dating tanyag na pangalan;
Walumpong-taon na ang taglay kong buhay,
Pahiram ng Diyos na tanging patnubay!
***
Siya ang liwanag sa gitna ng dilim,
at gabay sa tulay ng sigla’t panimdim;
Pasasalamat ko’y wagas at taimtim,
Sa mga kaloob Niyang aking hiling!
***
Ako’y taga-bukid na sanay sa hirap,
Nguni’t ang damdami’y hitik sa pangarap;
Waring ang maraming taon na lumipas,
Nananabik pa rin sa magandang bukas!
***
Inakay ng Diyos, kaya naiwasan,
Ang maraming tinik sa landas ng buhay!

Paquito Rey Pacheco

Pablo Reyna Libiran

Komiks Writer/Editor/Poet 

Pablo Reyna Libiran - was born on January 15, 1952 in Balagtas, Bulacan, which was also the birthplace of a great poet, Francisco Balagtas.  He is a multi-talented and multi-awarded poet, broadcaster and writer.

                                           

From humble beginnings during his younger years, he strives to become one of the best in “Balagtasan”.  He was regarded as the “new breed of poet, and together with Elena Sunpongco and Rodolfo Milan, were able to popularize more the Balagtasan through  “Bagong Oras ng Balagtasan”, a popular  radio program during his time.   He also wrote a book about balagtasan, ”Balagtasan, Noon at Ngayon” in 1985 , and  “Gintong Kawikaan Sa Daigdig” which were published by National Bookstore.

Balagtasan, named after Francisco Balagtas, is a form of a rhymed  poetry competition which is delivered through a debate of two competitors,  with a moderator and  the audiences as judges.

Pablo Reyna Libiran, joined the comics industry in 1971 as a proofreader of Kislap Magazine, and after a couple of years, he became an associate editor of News Parade Magazine and from 1975, he was already an editor of several other popular comics and magazines.

By 1982, he was honored as Writer of the Year for his work “Kung Tawagin Siya’y Baliw”.  He was also awarded as the Best Editor, during the first ever KOMOPEB Awards, an association of comics magazine writers and editors, as editor of Lovelife Komiks, which eventually won also the Best Short Story Komiks. 

Libiran became vice president of SGP (Screenwriters Guild of the Philippines) despite having written only 1 screenplay in 1988, a comedy film, Jacky Tyan which was starred by Herbert Bautista.

Other awards he had garnered are:

The Pio Valenzuela Memorial Award in 2000
Parangal ng Komisyon Ng Wikang Pilipino in 2003
Outstanding Citizen of Balagtas, Bulacan in 2005
Dangal Ng Lipi Sa Sining At Kultura – Bulacan in 2005

Hermogenes Ilagan

Si Hermogenes Ilagan (1873-1943) ang tinatawag na Ama ng Sarsuwelang Tagalog o Ang Dulaang Tagalog sa bansa.

Isinilang si Hermogenes Ilagan sa Bigaa (Balagtas), Bulacan. Nag-aral siya sa Ateneo de Manila. Natuto siya ng musika sa kanyang ama na si Simplicio Ilagan, may-ari ng isang banda ng musiko. 

Biniyayaan ng magandang boses na tenor, si G. Ilagan ay naging tiple at naging pangunahing mang-aawit ng koro ng simbahan ng Bigaa.

Siya ang nagpasimula ng produksyon ng mga sarsuwela sa bansa. Inilaan niya ang kanyang 40 taon para rito, at naging matagumpay naman ang tanghalang Pilipino.

Noong 1902, bumuo si Ilagan nang isang tanghalan ng sarsuwela na tinawag na Compania Lirico-Dramatica Tagala de Gatchalian y Ilagan, na kinalaunan ay pinaiksi ang pangalan sa Compania Ilagan o Samahang Ilagan, na nagtanghal ng mga sarsuela sa iba't ibang lalawigan ng Luzon tulad ng Laguna, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija at Tayabas (ngayon ay Quezon).

Mga sariling akda ni Ilagan ang itinanghal ng samahan gaya ng Dalawang Hangal, Biyaya ng Pag-ibig, Despues de Dios, El Dinero, Dalagang Bukid at iba pa. Malaki ang nagawa ni Ilagan upang ang sarsuela ay tanggapin ng madla at iwan ang panunood ng Mora-moro.

Karaniwang romantiko ang mga dula ni Ilagan tulad ng pinakapopular na Dalagang Bukid. Mayroon din siyang mga dulang pampolitika at mapang-uyam. Ang Lucha Electoral, Ilaw ng Katotohanan at Gobernador ay mga pampolitika samantalang ang Isang Uno Cera, Ang Buhay nga Naman ay mga mapang-uyam.

Siya ang ninuno ng mga Ilagan na kinikilala sa larangan ng radio, pelikula at telebisyon - sina Robert Arevalo, Jay Ilagan, Liberty Ilagan at ang noo'y sumikat na si Eddie Lat Ilagan.

Ilang mga Gawa:

Ang Buhay nga Naman
Ang Buwan ng Oktubre
Bill de Divorcio
Dahil kay Ina
Dalagang Bukid
Dalawang Hangal
Despues de Dios
el Dinero
Ilaw ng Katotohanan
Kagalingan ng Bayan
Venus (Ang Operang Putol)
Wagas na Pag-ibig
Sangla ni Rita
Isang Uno't Cero
Centro Pericultura
Panarak ni Rosa
Lucha Electoral

BALAGTAS: BAHAY NA TISA

Balagtas is rich in historical places, one of which is the Bahay naTisa. It was built in 1804 and is one of the oldest tiled-roof heritage houses of Bulacan, located in front of Balagtas Municipal Hall along the McArthur highway. The house is also near the church, the market, and the bridge along the river.

This historic house was initially owned by one of the richest man in Bulacan former mayor Valentin Constantino and was eventually transferred to Don Nazario, then to Don Antonio Constatino. It was also owned by Dr. Felipe B. Constantino and his sister Julia.

Bahay na Tisa - Balagtas

Bahay na Tisa has an area of 1200 square meters, while the house have its territorial length of 800 square meters. Family properties including float of some saints and old structure of Mary Magdalene, which Constantino’s display during Holy Week and Christmas were kept in the house.

The Constantino house or the Bahay na Tisa in Balagtas is another example of an old Spanish colonial house. Decorated with intricate colonial design and exquisite craftsmanship, the original terra cota tiles hence the name “Bahay Na Tisa”, traditionally keeps the stone house cool. The upturned gables suggest a Chinese influence. The woodwork is of thick, wide hard planks. The sliding wood sashes and the clerestory hold the original panes of "kapis" shells. The white of eggs served to wet the lime and sand that cemented together the large stones of the house's foundations, vaulting and archways. Fronting the street are two lamp-like attachments at window level. These served as airy closets, or dispensas, where special wines, sweets and other delicacies were kept for visitors on special occasions. 

It is the same house that served as temporary home to Jose Rizal and his wife, Josephine Bracken during their visit to Malolos in 1892, when Don Nazario Constantino was master of the house. Rizal is a friend of Constantinos. The couple, after a tiring journey to the north, stayed at Constantino’s house to have a temporary vacation before going back to Manila. But Rizal's visit also cost him four months of imprisonment in Fort Santiago, as he was suspected as rebel.

From 1896-1898, this house was used as the municipal building where eight Spanish soldiers were imprisoned.

The ancestral house was resided by almost 20 families, and during the colonization of Japan, Japanese soldiers tend to stay here and installed a prison in the basement of the house. The house was supposedly be bombarded during the Japanese war, but was saved by Filipino soldiers by throwing the bombs away from the house, and only suffered minor damage. After the war, the Constantinos rented it out as a school.

There are rumors in the late 90’s that there are some Japanese treasures left in the house. But, according to housekeeper and current owner, Dra. Marilou Constantino, considered great granddaughter of Capt. Valentin Constantino, those are just rumors of the people nearby. Dra. Marilou Constantino is a doctor of medicine, a physician and surgeon. She lives in the ancestral house with her fifteen dogs. 

The National Historical Commission of the Philippines, an agency from the government, offered to preserve this historical site, but the owner refused as she wanted to keep her ancestor’s properties private, thou the house is always open to those who would like to visit and learn the history that it had witnessed.

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ANG BIGAA, SI DOLPHY, PATI NA SI REGINE

Lingid sa kaalaman ng marami, isa rin siyang Dugong Bulakenyo, may lupain si Dolphy sa Bgy. Wawa, Balagtas, Bulacan. Ang ina ni Dolphy na si Salud ay nagmula sa Wawa, Balagtas. Isa sa kanyang anak, si Rodolfo, Jr. ay nakatira sa kanyang rest house sa Sitio Barmat, Wawa.

Ang malapit na kamag-anak ni Dolphy sa Balagtas ay ang lahi ni Lolo Kanor o ang aming Ingkong Kanor na ama ni Kapitan Pabling Miranda ng Wawa. Kapag umuuwi si Dolphy sa Bigaa, ay tumutuloy siya sa matandang bahay ni Ingkong o kaya ay sa bahay ni Tata Pabling sa Bgy. Wawa—ang barangay kung saan nagka isip at nag-aral ng elementarya si Regine Velasquez.

Instrumento si Kapitan Pabling Miranda, pinsan ni Dolphy, na sinasabing nagpakilala kay CHONA VELASQUEZ kay Dolphy nang hindi pa ito gaanong popular. Ang unang exposure sa telebisyon ni Chona ay sa Tita Betty's Children Show noong nasa Manila pa sila, at ng lumipat na ang pamilya niya sa Balagtas ay nasali siya sa BARANGAYAN sa Channel 4.

Ang BARANGAYAN ay isang amateur singing contest sa Channel 4 kung saan inilalaban ng mga barangay ang pambato nilang mang-aawit.

Si CHONA ang inilaban ng Balagtas, Bulacan mula sa tulong ng ng malapit na kamag-anak ni Dolphy na si Kap. Pabling. Pumangalawa lamang si CHONA sa naturang nationwide search, pero ng sumali ulit siya sa Bagong Kampeon, isang nationwide TV singing contest, kung saan host sina Bert Tawa Marcelo na taga Baliwag at ni Pilita Corrales, ay natanghal siyang kampeon, at mula noon ang pangalan ni CHONA ay naging “REGINE” na sumikat nang todo at naging kasikuhan ang pinsan ni Kap. Pabling na si Dolphy. Kung ano ang naging naging halaga ni Dolphy sa pagsikat ni CHONA ay isang lihim na ang tanging nakakaalam lamang ay si Kapitan Pabling.

May ilang anak si Dolphy na nananatiling naninirahan sa Bulacan dahil marami silang kamag anak dito.

Flag in Bulacan town flown at half-staff to honor Dolphy

entertainment.inquirer.net

The flag at the town hall here was flown at half-staff on Friday to honor King of Comedy Rodolfo "Dolphy" Vera Quizon Sr., who passed away Tuesday.

Glimpse on the Old Balagtas Train Station

Balagtas or Bigaa station is one of the defunct stations of the abandoned Northrail line of PNR. This station also serves as a terminus for the Balagtas-Cabanatuan line.

After the invention of railroad in Britain in 1825, it reached France, Germany, the Netherlands, and in 1848 it was introduced in Spain. It was during the Spanish Revolution, and on 1872 that Filipino ‘propagandists’ in Madrid, showed that reforms were needed in the Philippines.

In 1875, Spanish royal orders were issued for general plans and ground rules for rail tracks in the Philippine. A Royal Order in 1880 started the work on the island of Luzon. A prototype line was built north from Manila to the nearby province of Bulacan, and eventually became part of the original main line. A Royal Order of 28 April 1882 directed the northern tracks be extended from Bigaa (present-day Balagtas, Bulacan) to Tuguegarao, Cagayan. Its operation began on November 24, 1892 as the Ferrocarril de Manila-Dagupan, during the Spanish period. 

The shipment of farm produce carried by the railway increased more than 100%. The economic impact was apparent. After his return from Hong Kong on June 1892, Dr Jose Rizal, the country's national hero, wrote that his 120-km train trip from Manila thru Bulacan to Tarlac, took him 5 hours 40 minutes.

By April 1899, the first American Commission to the Philippines arrived in Manila, and the so-called Schurman Commission was to survey conditions in the islands, just as the Philippine–American War started 2 months earlier. The Schurman Commission instructed that construction of roads, railroads, and other means of communications and transportation, as well as other public works be promoted. Transportation was given a high priority.

The second Commission was headed by William H. Taft, later America's 27th President. The Taft Commission's first law was to allocate P2 million (US$1 million) for road and bridge repairs.

Operation of the railroads was returned to its British owners in 1900 and was named as the Manila Railway Company during the American period.. By 1906, four branch lines had been added, including a 91.5-km Bigaa (Balagtas)–Cabanatuan, Nueva Ecija section, the closest the tracks got to the Cagayan Valley at that time.

 It was nationalized before the World War II, and was acquired by the Philippine government which expanded the rail network, only to be lost during the war. The extensive damage took several years to repair. On June 20, 1946, under Republic Act No. 4156 the company became Philippine National Railways.

Old Bigaa Train Station