“NEPOMUCENO LEGACY”: THE CONSTRUCTION OF AN ELITE HERITAGE A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE GRADUATE DIVISION OF THE UNIVERSITY OF HAWAI‘I AT MĀNOA IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS IN ASIAN STUDIES DECEMBER 2016 By Alexander R. Kuestner Thesis Committee: Patricio Abinales, Chairperson Barbara Andaya Vina Lanzona Keywords: genealogy, Philippines, elite, Nepomuceno, celibacy, priests Copyright ©2016 Alexander Kuestner ii ABSTRACT This thesis examines the manner in which the Nepomuceno family promoted themselves in two books published in the early 21st century. The Nepomucenos are an elite family in the province of Pampanga in the Philippines. They are regionally important in politics and business. Their ancestors founded Holy Angel University, a private Catholic institution. The Nepomucenos used Holy Angel’s press to have two books published which promote the family’s descent from locally prominent elites in the 18th to 20th centuries, including but not limited to a Spanish priest named Guillermo Masnou. The Philippines is dominated, both politically and economically, by nationally powerful oligarchic families. The Nepomucenos are not one of these as their power is limited within their home province. It is clear from their portrayal of themselves in their books that the Nepomucenos would like readers to believe that the family is just as significant as the oligarchs. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS Abstract………………………………………………………………………………………….iii List of Tables………………………………………………………………………………….. vii List of Charts……………………………………………………………………………...........ix Preface…………………………………………………………………………………………..xi Personal Interest Statement…………………………………………………………..xi Early Development of Thesis……………………………………………………….. xiv Introduction………………………………………………………………………………………1 How the Nepomucenos Highlighted their Priestly Ancestry………………………..2 Nepomuceno Entrenchment in Positions of Power………………………………….6 Organization of Thesis………………………………………………………………….6 Chapter 1: Nepomuceno Genealogy and Entrenchment in Pampanga…………………..9 Nepomuceno Family Defined and Explanation of Terms…………………………...9 Genealogical Terms and Concepts………………………………………….10 Introduction……………………………………………………………………………..12 Descent from a Spanish Priest……………………………………………….13 Historical Context………………………………………………………………………15 Chinese Mestizos and Spanish Priests……………………………………..16 The American Period and the Second World War…………………………20 Independence…………………………………………………………………..24 Nepomuceno Origins and Rise to Power (18th to 20th centuries)…………………27 Nepomuceno Family in the 21st century……………………………………………..54 Conclusion……………………………………………………………………………....56 Chapter 2: History of Clerical Celibacy and ‘Illegitimacy’……………………………....…..57 Introduction……………………………………………………………………………..57 iv History of Priests Having Children (prior to the Council of Trent)………………...59 Council of Trent (1545-1563)………………………………………………………….66 History of Children of Priests in the Broader World (Post-Council of Trent)……..69 History of Children of Priests within Spain (Post-Council of Trent)……………….73 History of Children of Priests in Post-Trent Spanish Empire (non-Philippines)....78 Children of Priests Throughout the World (19th-century non-Philippine context)..82 History of Clerical Celibacy in the Philippines…………………………………….....85 Children of Priests outside the Philippines (20th-century context)………………...91 Children born out of wedlock (20th-century non-Philippine context)……………....95 Children of Priests in the Philippines (late Spanish period to 20th century)……...98 Children of Priests Throughout the World (21st-century context)………………...108 Children born out of wedlock (21st-century context)…………………………….....111 Conclusion..........................................................................................................113 Chapter 3: The Construction of an Elite Heritage…………………………….…………....115 Introduction………………………………………………………………………….....115 Similarities between the Nepomucenos and the Oligarchic Elites……………....115 Differences between the Nepomucenos and the Oligarchic Families…………..117 Overview of Nepomucenos’ 21st-Century Self-Promotions……………………....118 Specifics of Nepomucenos’ 21st-Century Self-Promotions…………………….…122 A Cofradia of Two………………………………………………………….....123 Destiny and Destination……………………………………………………...138 Conclusion (of Chapter 3)…………………………………………………………....146 Conclusion (of thesis)………………………………………………………………………....147 v Appendix A: Genealogical Charts and Tables..............................……………………….153 Pedigree Charts..........………………………………………………………………..153 Tables Showing Genealogical Links to Nationally Prominent People....………..182 Appendix B: Summary of People Mentioned in Chapters who are Genealogically Linked to Target Nepomucenos...................................................................203 Appendix C: Summary of People Mentioned in Chapters who are Not Genealogically Linked to Target Nepomucenos.......................................235 Appendix D: Points that Could Merit Additional Research.............................................246 Glossary........................................................................................….............................268 Bibliography………………………………………………………………………………….....272 vi LIST OF TABLES 1. Organization of Pedigree Charts…………………………………………………….154 2. Organization of Table Showing Genealogical Links to Nationally Prominent People……………………………………………………...183 3. Connection #28: Aguinaldo…………………………………………………………..184 4. Connection #28b: Aguinaldo………………………………………………………....186 5. Connection #29: Quezon……………………………………………………………..187 6. Connection #30: Laurel……………………………………………………………….189 7. Connection #31: Osmena…………………………………………………………….190 8. Connection #32: Roxas……………………………………………………………….191 9. Connection #33: Magsaysay………………………………………………………....192 10. Connection #34: Ramos………………………………………………………………193 11. Connection #35: Bonifacio……………………………………………………………194 12. Connection #36: Malvar……………………………………………………………....195 13. Connection #37: Rizal………………………………………………………………...196 14. Connection #37b: Rizal……………………………………………………………….197 15. Connection #38: Luna………………………………………………………………...198 16. Connection #38b: Luna……………………………………………………………….199 17. Connection #39: Zobel de Ayala………………………………………………….….200 18. Connection #40: Ejercito……………………………………………………………...202 vii 19. Summary of People Mentioned in Chapters who are Genealogically Linked to Target Nepumocenos…………………………………...203 20. Summary of People Mentioned in Chapters who are Not Genealogically Linked to Target Nepumocenos……………………………....235 viii LIST OF CHARTS 1. Nepomuceno Part One…………………………………………………………..155 2. Villasenor………………………………………………………………………….156 3. Gomez……………………………………………………………………………..157 4. Aquino Part One………………………………………………………………….158 5. Aquino Part Two………………………………………………………………….159 6. Romualdez………………………………………………………………………..160 7. Valdes……………………………………………………………………………..161 8. Davrit………………………………………………………………………………162 9. Tayag………………………………………………………………………………163 10. Henson…………………………………………………………………………….164 11. Nepomuceno Part Two…………………………………………………………..165 12. Wilkerson………………………………………………………………………….166 13. Mendiola…………………………………………………………………………..167 14. del Rosario………………………………………………………………………..168 15. Revelino…………………………………………………………………………...169 16. de Miranda………………………………………………………………………..170 17. Gonzalez…………………………………………………………………………..171 18. Escaler…………………………………………………………………………… 172 19. Madrigal…………………………………………………………………………...173 20. Marcos…………………………………………………………………………….174 21. Santos……………………………………………………………………………..175 22. Nepomuceno & Henson…………………………………………………………176 23. Lopez………………………………………………………………………………177 ix 24. Masnou……………………………………………………………………………178 25. de Sequera…………………………………………………………………….....179 26. Nepomuceno Part Three………………………………………………………..180 27. Franco……………………………………………………………………………..181 x PREFACE Personal Interest Statement This thesis grew out of my interest in genealogy. My parents first introduced me to genealogical research when I was ten years old. I started out with a family tree of about 300 people which was based on primary source documents that had been handed down within my family since the 19th century and on compiled family tree charts dating back to 1634 that earlier generations of genealogists in my family had created. I was fascinated with genealogy and it quickly became my main hobby. I have been interested in history for as far back as I can remember. As I learned more about my family history, my interest was directed to the areas and time periods that were most relevant to the ancestors I was researching. My ancestors were from many different levels of society, but I found early on that the few who were from upper-class backgrounds were much better documented than the farmers, cupbearers, etc. My discovery of descent from minor British and German aristocrats in the 16th century and earlier fueled my interest in European political history. I read many books about European politics and the political marriage practices between various dynasties and other factions by the time I was about 14. I used the information in them as sources in order to extend my genealogy further back. Some of my favorites included The Mammoth Book of British Kings and Queens and The Story of the Irish Race. My family tree grew to about 10,000 people by the time I finished junior high. One of the results of my childhood genealogical research was that although I was still very interested in history and continued to use the families xi that I researched as a means to direct my historical studies, I started to tire of the predictability