30. STAN CARBUNGCO: Our Mr. Philippines Who Rocked the Universe!

It’s not just our Philippine queens who are ruling pageants, this Pinoy muscleman made waves in a world bodybuilding tilt!

The icon of Philippine bodybuilding, Estanislao “Stan” Carbungco was born on 13 Nov. 1931, the youngest of 7 children to Don Ambrosio Ocampo Carbungco with roots in Porac, and Doña Angelina Cuenco. His father, a former chef of Casino Español for 8 years, was a successful restaurateur, founder of the popular Carbungco Restaurant, a renown catering and dining place in pre-war Manila, with a branch in Antipolo.

Though the young Stan Carbungco was raised in a comfortable household, he learned from his father the value of hard work, who had no qualms washing dishes and doing menial jobs in his own restaurant.

He spent his school years at the Far Eastern University, where he finished high school. He would later finish his Commerce degree at the same university.

Sickly growing up, Stan Carbungco was plagued with all sorts of illnesses like typhoid and pneumonia. At age 20, the weakling weighed only 89 pounds. He began doing weight training in a gym that his neighbor owned. Carbungco became so good at it that he was soon immersing himself deeply in physical culture. His parents did not exactly approve of his interest in bodybuilding, which was not a common sport at that time.

The only visible musclemen in the 50s was Jesus Ramos, Mr. Philippines of 1951, who became a certified star after appearing in a series of jungle movies, and dubbed as the Philippine Tarzan. His contemporary, Arlen Quindoy Aguilar. did good as well, using bodybuilding as a stepping stone to showbiz. The former Mr. Luzon assumed the screen name Cesar Ramirez and starred in the big budget 1951 film, “Bernardo Carpio” opposite Alicia Vergel, who would become his wife. Then there was Olympian Rodrigo del Rosario, who, en route to  placing fourth in the 1952 Helsinki Olympics,  set a world and Olympic record in the military press portion of his event.

Hoping to join competitions, Carbungco continued to train in secret. In 1954, he qualified for the Mr. Philippines bodybuilding contest, and to his surprise, won his first of second Mr. Philippine titles. He would duplicate that achievement by winning the Mr. Philippines title yet again in 1959, pipping Manuel Hernandez in the finals with the slimmest of margins—225 to 224 points. 1959 would prove to be his most successful year.

It was an exciting time for a 28 year old to fly to Montreal, Canada as the first ever country representative to the 1959 Mr. Universe bodybuilding contest. This premiere event was organized by the International Federation of Body Building and Fitness. He travelled alone to Canada braving the winter cold, without a retinue to assist him, but that did not seem to faze him. He not only made bodybuilding friends from around the world—but also history for Asian sports.

At the exciting finals held on 25 January 1959, Carbungco placed 1^st as the Most Muscular in the Medium class division, and earned runner-up honors to Mr. Universe Medium class. In the overall class, the unheralded athlete was named second Most Muscular after Eddie Silvestre of the U.S., who went on to become Mr. Universe. With his placement, Carbungco became the first Filipino and only Asian to break into the winning circle, a feat unprecedented at that time.

From Montreal, the Filipino muscleman went to New York where event sponsor Getz Bros., distributor of Borden Milk, feted all the winners at the Waldorf Astoria. Upon his return, Carbungco made a major shift by concentrating on weightlifting rather than bodybuilding.

It was an opportune time as the 1960 Rome Olympics were coming up, and he was hoping to follow the footsteps of the prodigious Rodrigo del Rosario who, 8 years before, pressed 231 ¼ lbs. , a new Olympic Mark in his featherweight division. He began powerlifting, and at one point, he was lifting weights that would have been good for Olympic bronze or silver.

Indeed, Carbungco was being touted as a sure Olympic bet and medalist in weightlifting, but his Olympic dreams were dashed when, after appearing in a print ad for boat motors, he lost his amateur status for being paid as an endorser.

Carbungco was sadly frustrated over this disqualification, but never looked back. Instead, he stepped up his efforts to promote the sports of bodybuilding like never before.  After his competitive days were over,  he put up a weight and fitness center, ‘Stan Carbungco’s  Gym”, in Quezon City where he personally trained and mentored many young physical culturists.  

To meet the growing needs for gym equipment, Carbungco pioneered the local manufacture of weight-training equipment and gear in the Philippines.  The well-patronized gym had a loyal following, and the hallowed institution for bodybuilding has been in operation for over 50 years now.

All his life, Carbungco devoted his time and effort to the fitness sport he loved. For many years he headed the Philippine Federation of Body Builders, an official affiliate of IFBB which fields Filipino bodybuilders to various competitions abroad. He co-founded the Powerlifting Association of the Philippines (PAP) in 1982. He never forgot the sports that made him famous too. At the remarkable age of 60, he could still snatch a 110 pound barbell with relative ease.

Fifty years after his victory in Canada, he would return to his place of victory where some of his children were settled. There, he would try to locate his fellow bodybuilders whom he competed against, way back in 1959. He was saddened to find that all have gone before him, leaving him as the lone survivor from that golden age of competitive bodybuilding.

The legendary bodybuilder, “Mang  Stan” as he was fondly called in his later years, passed away at age 81 on 10 March 2012. He left behind his wife, Edna Oquendo-Carbungco and their children, and a legacy of health and fitness that he passionately pursued, and which continue to inspire Philippine sports to this day.

SOURCES: 

Sibug, Edgardo. “PORAC: A Rancheria at Batiauwan 1594-2004”, © 2003. p. 280

FB Interview with Mr. Tiny Carbungco, son of Stan Carbungco

Tiny Carbungco FB Page

Jeffrey dePadua Panela

Lolo Stan Carbungco Tribute: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ef9a9q9g3f4

Uploaded by Grace Carbungco, published April 3, 2012.

Stan Carbungco tribute: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7hqbaut5UI

Uploaded by Beng Gonzales, published 22 March 20102, accessed 2 Nov, 2018.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodybuilding_in_the_Philippines

http://www.philippinewatchclub.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=39&t=13717

Iron Pinoy : https://issuu.com/ironpinoy/docs/ipmag2011may-june/29

https://issuu.com/ironpinoy/docs/ipmag2011may-june/29

https://www.ironpinoy.com/a-short-history-of-philippine-powerlifting/

29. Twice A Hero: JACINTO CIRIA CRUZ, 1936 Basketball Olympian

The Filipino basketball Olympian, JACINTO CIRIA CRUZ may have lived a short life, but his selfless contributions to the country were enough to leave a lasting mark in our history. In the fight for Olympic honors, he was part of the fabled 1936 Olympic basketball team that gave the country a Top 5 finish in the premiere world sporting competitions—the highest placement Asia has reached in an Olympic basketball finals, a feat never repeated nor equalled since, 88 years ago. And, in the fight for freedom, Ciria Cruz made the ultimate sacrifice by giving his life in the service of his people and his country at the height of a global war.

JACK OF ALL SPORTS

 Born in Pandacan, Manila, on 16 Aug. 1910, the young Jacinto always had an affinity with body and mind-building. He was a member of a local club, Panulat at Lakas, that promoted both physical and mental well-being through sports and literary pursuits. Cirio Cruz excelled in baseball, volleyball, and basketball—but it was on the hardcourt that earned him national recognition.

In high school, Ciria Cruz was often found practicing basketball in the cemented court on the grounds of Pandacan Church.  He bannered the champion Mapa High School basketball team in the Manila Athletic Association of Secondary Schools basketball tournaments, where he had early encounters with another cage sensation, Ambrosio Padilla, of Ateneo High.

Padilla recalls him for his ability to think quickly with his mind and his feet, his clever, unpredictable moves and his high-altitude leaps, which earned Ciria Cruz the nickname, “Jumping Jack”.

COURTING VICTORY AT THE 1930 TOKYO FAR EAST GAMES

These qualities paved the way for his entrance to the University of Santo Tomas and a place in the Glowing Goldies varsity basketball team. The 5’9” guard showed his basketball mastery by leading the UST team to an NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) to a championship title in 1930.  Ciria Cruz was recruited to try out for the national basketball team that was being assembled for the 9th Far East Championship Games in Tokyo.

Of course, Ciria Cruz passed with flying colors along with former nemesis Ambrosio Padilla, UST team mates Mariano Filomeno, Alfredo del Rosario, Rizalino Gamban, Antonio Villanueva; Johnny Schlobohm (Ateneo),  Jesus Lacson Suarez (Ateneo); and Briccio Reynoso (U.P.). The team sailed to Japan in May 1930 for the Far East Games.  Since the inception of the games, the Philippine basketball teams had always brought home the crown, except in 1921, when China prevailed.

As expected, the Philippines and Japan played exceptionally well, and after playing all their matches, the 2 countries were tied for first place. A play-off settled the final placements with the Filipinos drubbing the Japanese, thus extending their winning streak. The triumphant Philippine basketball team were hailed as conquering heroes upon their return home, their photos and feats were plastered on sports headlines of the leading papers of the day. But for Ciria Cruz, it was back to the usual swing of things, as he resumed his basketball duties for U.S.T. 

In October 1932, Ciria Cruz made news again during the Philippine Amateur Athletic Federation (P.A.A.F.) Open National basketball tourney when he scored the winning goal against the formidable Sampaloc Vandals in the last 8 seconds  of the play.

Ciria Cruz received the supreme accolade from his school when he was voted as their Most Valuable Athlete in March 1933 during the first annual athletic commencement, winning over baseballers Celestino Martinez and Regino Portacion. Jacinto’s name has the distinction of being inscribed first on the “Most Valuable Athlete Cup” (Seville Cup), donated by the institution’s sports head, Dr. Hermenigildo Sevilla. He also received a Gold Medal for his achievement.

REBOUND: AT THE 1934 FAR EAST GAMES IN MANILA

Once again, in 1934, Ciria Cruz made it to the Philippine team for the Far Eastern Games in Manila, and so did his 1930 team mates Padilla, Filomeno, Reynoso, Schlobohm, with new members Franco Marquicias, Herminio Gonzaga, Primitivo Martinez, Bibiano Ouano, Amador Obordo, Hermino Silva, and Daniel Warren. 1930 team mate Alfredo del Rosario, served as Coach. The Philippines reached the finals, and playing against them were their 1921 tormentors, China. But the Philippines dominated the play and went on to win the basketball gold, capping a glorious run in the 10^th and last of the Far East Games.

For the second straight year, Ciria Cruz was chosen as  “Most Valuable Athlete of 1934” by U.S.T. and was presented the Seville Cup for his all-around achievements in sports. To prove that point, he coached the U.S.T Baseball Team which went on to become one of the strongest teams in the Manila Bay Baseball League tournament in October 1935. In March, the following year, Ciria Cruz joined the same baseball team as a centerfielder to play against the Hawaiian All-Stars  in an exhibition match in Cebu. The Philippines were soundly, beaten 7 to 3, before a record crowd. His team later joined Hawaii’s baseball 9 in the southern leg of their tour.

HISTORY IN BERLIN, 1936

But the best was yet to come for this crack athlete. In 1936, the Philippine Amateur Athletic Federation sounded a call for a national try-out to determine the members of the Philippine Basketball Team for the upcoming Berlin Olympics.  The cream of the crop of basketball from schools, universities and leagues nationwide came in droves for the gruelling qualifiers, which pruned the number down to 37 players making the cut.

After deliberation, 17 more Olympic hopefuls were dropped, leaving 20 finalists. Under the watchful eye of coach Dionisio Calvo, elimination games were held at the Rizal Memorial Field to choose the final 12. When the names of the official team members were announced, none were surprised at the inclusion of Jacinto “Jumping Jack” Ciria Cruz, the toast of the basketball circuit, along with Ambrosio Padilla (captain), Charles Borck, Franco Marquicias, Primitivo Martinez, Jesus Marzan, Amador Obordo, Bibiano Ouano, ,Fortunato Yambao, with reserves Antonio Carillo, Miguel Pardo, and John Worrell.

Ciria Cruz and the rest of the team sailed to Berlin in July, arriving there in a month’s time for the August opening. “Hitler’s Olympics”, as the games were later dubbed, was plagued with rains, making the outdoor court soggy. To cut short the ballgames, the rules were changed in the finals to a system of knock-out rounds.

This proved to be disadvantageous to the Filipinos, because they were knocked out of contention by the taller Americans in the quarterfinal rounds (56 to 23), even if they had won earlier against Estonia, Italy, Uruguay and eventual Bronze winner, Mexico, in the earlier rounds. The Philippines placed 5^th, an unprecedented victory not only for the country, but for Asia, as it remains the best continental finish in the Olympics to this day.

POST-OLYMPICS AND PRE-WAR PLAYS

After the Olympics, Ciria Cruz put his B.S. Physical Education to good use by coaching and mentoring young athletes in local games. In 1936, he coached the “Flying A” Volleyball team that won a volleyball competition sponsored by the TVT publications held in the grounds of Florentino Torres high school in Tondo.

The Philippine Olympic Team were so popular that they were in great demand to play exhibition games around the country. They were included as part of the 10 teams in the 1936-37 Manila Bay Amateur Basketball League that got underway on 15 November 1936.

Then, on 29 January 1937 Ciria Cruz and his Olympic mates suited up once more to play a controversial match against Southern California’s inter-collegiate basketball quintet, the Trojans. In a messy game marred by a near-walk out due to the boisterous crowd, the American collegians drubbed the local boys 61 to 36 drubbing before an overflow of 10,000 ball fans at the Rizal tennis stadium.

His competitive days ended when he joined Colegio de San Juan de Letran as coach of the men’s basketball team. Under his helm, the college won the NCAA cage crown in 1938. In May 1940, Ciria Cruz was one of the coaches of the Philippine team that were sent to compete in the 1940 Japan Memorial Games-- the “missing Olympics” that were scrapped and moved to Helsinki because of Japan’s role in precipitating a World War.

Coach Ciria Cruz had just introduced the Letran Junior and Senior Team for the 1941 NCAA season slated to begin in August 1941 at the Rizal Memorial Stadium, when World War II broke out shortly after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, on 8 Dec. 1941.

A HERO’S END GAME

A military career under American rule held much attraction for many athletes like Olympian swimmers Teofilo Yldefonso, Abduhraman Ali and hurdler Miguel White were with the Philippine Scouts.

The calling must have been felt as well by Jacinto Ciria Cruz as he had enlisted with the USAFFE (United States Armed Forces in the Far East)  just months before the war reached the Pacific.  Since the invasion of Manchuria by Japan, talks had been rife about a global war, and by 1937, the threat had become real, finally coming to a head with the bombing of Pearl Harbor.

Mobilized to defend the country were the Commonwealth Army and the USAFFE that  include the combined forces of 100,000 Filipinos and underground guerillas. 2^nd Lt. Ciria Cruz joined the defense of Bataan Peninsula, until its fall to the Japanese on 9 April 1942. He survived the Death March, and reached Camp O’Donnell in Tarlac only to fall sick due to the conditions there. Japanese soldiers came to learn of his athletic exploits in the Tokyo Far East Games, and so was accorded special courtesies. He was released in July to continue his treatment at the San Lazaro Hospital.

With the Japanese Occupation of the Philippines, Ciria Cruz tried to live his days with a semblance of normalcy. He returned to the sports scene in late September 1942, at the “Unang Sigaw” Basketball League in Balintawak, Caloocan, as the event’s Guest of Honor. The next month of October,  Ciria Cruz, along with former Olympians Herminio Silva and Alfredo del Rosario, reunited to referee the games for the day.

On 8 November 1942, on the occasion of Letran Alumni Day, cage tilts were lined up as part of the homecoming activities at the Letran court, pitting alumni teams “Blue” and “Red”.  Coach Ciria Cruz had the honor of refereeing the matches. One of the last yearend activities he attended was the formal organization of the Alumni Association’s Athletic Union on the evening of 1 Dec. 1942 at the Jose Rizal Stadium, in which Jose D. Warren, of the Jose Rizal College, was elected president.

Little did everyone know that Jacinto Ciria Cruz, had been seething with rage at the daily cruelties committed by the Japanese on his helpless countrymen. In 1943, he returned to join the Hunter’s ROTC underground guerilla movement, serving as captain in operations around Luzon.

In one such mission in Bayambang, Nueva Vizcaya, Capt. Ciria Cruz and his men were captured by the Japanese. This time, not even the kind assurance of former Japanese athletes-turned-soldiers who knew him from his Tokyo exploits could save him. On Christmas Eve, he was tortured for 24 hours into admitting his involvement in the guerrilla movement, but he remained steadfast in silence. A POW witness, Victorio Ludan, said that he saw the emaciate and bloodied captain dragged Ciria-Cruz and his men out of their cells by 5 bayonet-armed Japanese. The soldiers returned later with their blood-stained bayonets, but the Filipinos were never seen again, and were presumed killed, their bodies never recovered.

Thus, Jacinto  Ciria-Cruz left this world in a blaze of heroic glory twice—first, as an athlete, for reaping the highest basketball honors for the Philippines in the greatest sporting spectacle that is the  Olympics, and second, as a soldier of courage, for giving his life for his country’s freedom. In his honor, the sprawling recreation and multi-facilities sports center in his home district of Pandacan, Manila was named after him; the Jacinto Ciria Cruz Sports Complex.

SOURCES:

 JACINTO VOTED MOST VALUABLE Santo Tomas All Round Athlete Given Cup and Gold Medal As Prize Reward, The Tribune (Philippines : 1932 - 1945)Saturday 11 March 1933 - Page 7

 Jacinto Is Voted Valuable Athlete, The Tribune (Philippines : 1932 - 1945)Tuesday 13 March 1934 - Page 9

Olympic Medal, The Tribune, 9 May 1934, p. 1

 The Tribune, 6 March 1936, p. 6. Graham Homers as Hawaiians Beat Tommies VISITORS WIN CEBU CONTEST

SPORTS OF ALL SORTS Santo Tomas Athletic Commencement on Today Jacinto Is Most Valuable Athlete; Will Receive Seville Cup, The Tribune (Philippines : 1932 - 1945)Saturday 10 March 1934 - Page 11

The Tribune, July 8, 1942, p. 3: Sick Prisoners Praise Japanese Captives Given Fair Treatment in Tarlac

2 Dec. 1942, p. 2. ATHLETIC UNION ORGANIZED

Walking Tour of Pandacan (Lakbay Kamalaysayan) FB page

1936 Official Olympic Report, 1936 Berlin Olympics, LA 84 Digital Collection

28. 1928 Olympic Sprinter ANSELMO P. GONZAGA: The Cainta Flash (active 1927-1934)

In the 1920s, with the athletic programs introduced by the U.S. in the school curriculum in full blast, scores of fine Filipino sprinters were discovered and trained to become national athletes who found fame in meets, here and abroad. Old sports fans still recall names such as Fortunato Catalon, Juan Taduran, Pedro Yatar, German Candari, and David Nepomuceno. But one name stands out for making waves in the world athletics scene despite a short career: ANSELMO P. GONZAGA, popularly referred to as Cainta’s Speed Marvel or the Cainta Flash.

Although he was a celebrate athlete in his time and had a long career, there are scanty accounts of Gonzaga’s early life. He was born on 21 April 1906, the son of Andres Gonzaga and Juana Pineda. He had at least one known sibling, Rosa Gonzaga. The Gonzagas were from Cainta, Rizal, where many of the natives have dark complexions due to its large Indian populace that intermarried with the locals. Anselmo, himself, was swarthy-skinned, but this may also be a result of his outdoor training runs.

How he came to be a student of Silliman University in Dumaguete is not known, but it was here that the Gonzaga’s reputation as an outstanding runner was first heard of. The Far East Games Championships was already an established Asian regional event by the 1920s, with active participation from sports clubs and varsity school teams from all over the country.

Visayan schools regularly sent their best athletes to the Carnival fair athletic tournaments which were used as qualifying tryouts for the Far East Games . The collegian Gonzaga made news when he set a new Philippine record of 10.5 seconds, a time that was the 4^th best in the world in 1927.

 Gonzaga’s next stop was Shanghai, for the 1927 Far East Games, where he was entered in the sprint events and the relay. The 100 m. was captured by team mate Olympian David Nepomuceno, but Gonzaga came back strong in the 200 m. straight race, with a time of 22.3 secs., relegating Nepomuceno in 3^rd place, and Japanese Takayoshi Yoshioka in 2^nd. In the 4 x 200 Relay, the Philippine quartet that included Gonzaga, won over Japan with a time of 1:31.20 secs.

1928 would bring to Gonzaga, his most exciting and memorable games yet in his career, for he not only qualified for the 1928 Amsterdam Olympics, but was also selected to be the flag bearer of the 8-man Philippine delegation (4 athletes, 4 officials) during the parade of nations held in the Netherlands. Entered in the 100 m. and 200 m. events, Gonzaga struggled to find his form that made him the Philippines’ top sprinter.

The international runners were grouped to run in 16 heats;  the 2 fastest would then advance to the quarterfinals. Gonzaga was in Heat #16, where he placed a strong second to Bob McAllister. Gonzaga moved on to the 6 Quarterfinal series, each with 5 or 6 qualifiers. This time, he could only finish 4^th of 5 runners,  that was topped by American Frank C. Wykoff who clocked 10 and 4/5 or 10.8 secs. Gonzaga was thus eliminated. The 100 m. gold eventually went to Percy Williams of Canada with a time of 10.8 secs. (Gonzaga’s best was 10.5 secs.).

In the 200 meter race, Gonzaga ran in the 5^th of 15 qualifying heats. He placed 3^rd with a time of 22.7 secs, behind the American champion Charlie Paddock and Mario Gomez, thus did not advance to the next round. Canada’s Percy Williams completed a golden double by winning the 200 m. finals, with 21.8 secs. (Note: In 1980, at age 92, Williams committed suicide by shooting himself.)

Gonzaga returned home inspire by his valuable Olympic experience—he forged on to do even better. In February of 1929, he and his college mates from Silliman (Carlos Raymond, Manuel Astida, and a certain Mamerto), shattered the Philippine mile relay record. The next year, he ran in a demonstration race against visiting German world record middle-distance runner, Dr. Otto Peltzer. In the run-up to the 1930 Far Eastern Games, he set a personal best during the national open of 21.5 secs. for the 200 m. run.

As always, he was fielded in the 100 m. and 200 m. sprints when the games unfolded in Tokyo. In his favorite 100 m., he was outran by Japan’s ace runner, Takayoshi Yoshioka, whom he had beaten in the longer 200 m. race 3 years ago. As if that was no fluke, Yoshioka also won the 200 m. race, leaving Gonzaga with a Silver medal. As a consolation, Gonzaga would win 2 more Silvers in the Team events—the 4 x 200 m. relay (with German Candari, David Nepomuceno, Constantino Alhambra) and the 4 x 400 relay (with Candari, Miguel White, Alhambra).

In the years following the Far East Games, Gonzaga was said to have won his last double title in the sprint at the national championships in 1932. In early1934, he was expected to make a comeback at the National Open Track and Field Meet, as newspapers reported he was doing well in his favorite 100 m. event.

Indeed, in  March 1934 , Gonzaga was listed among 77 athletes quartered in La Salle College for the open tryouts that will determine the members of the Philippine team to compete in the Far East Games to be held in Manila. Though he made the trials, he made a poor showing at the tune-up games conducted at the Rizal Memorial Field on April 28.

Picked to shine in the century dash, the Cainta Flash disappointed the fans by finishing fifth in the tevent, soundly beaten by Rafael de Leon. He only placed third in the 200-meter dash. The results of the test events proved to be ominous, as when the 1934 Far East Games went underway, Gonzaga was unplaced in all his events.  The Philippines romped off with the overall championship, a fitting finale to the last of the fabled “Oriental Olympics”.

The veteran Gonzaga retired at age 28, but would return to the track every now and then as a sports official, referee or field event judge. He was, by then married to Aquilina Buenviaje, and in 1936, had a son, Jaime.

The cancellation of the 1938 Far East Olympics schedule in Japan was a portent of a coming global war. Suddenly, the friendly sporting rivalry between Japan and the Philippines, a U.S. ally, escalated into an armed conflict that spread to the Far East. When Japan invaded the Philippines, a guerilla movement--Hunter’s ROTC—was formed in 1942, and Anselmo Gonzaga became an officer of the Cainta chapter. To this day, he is honored as one of those credited in the liberation of Cainta.

Nothing more was heard about him in the next 4 decades, but U.S. immigration records show that he and his family migrated to the U.S. on 9 Oct. 1985, and settled in Honolulu, Hawaii. He was already 79 years old at that time. That was the last we heard of the great Cainta Flash, who, for one brief shining moment, animated the world of Philippine sports.

 SOURCES:

Photo, 1934 FEG Athletics team: The Tribune, 9 May 1934,

Official Olympic Report Program, 1928 Amsterdam Olympics, LA 84 Digital Collection

Various Tribune issues:  Jan, 24, 1934, p. 7; 24 March 1934; 29 April 1934, page 26

Far East Championships: http://www.gbrathletics.com/ic/fec.htm

 familysearch.org, U.S. Migration, United States Index to Alien Case Files, 1940-2003, Anselmo Gonzaga : https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:6FY4-FQB5

Ancelmo P. Gonzaga, mentioned in the Record of Jaime B. Gonzaga (Ancelmo P. Gonzaga's Son)Vital, Philippines Marriages, 1723-1957: https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:HBV8-676Z

Ika-78 Anibersaryo ng Cainta Liberation,uploaded by Atty. And Mayor  Elen Nieto: https://www.facebook.com/elen.nieto.7/videos/867441764513397/

27. Her Race is Run: IRENE PENUELA, Relay Specialist, Silver Medalist, 1958 Tokyo Asiad

Nearly forgotten, the name IRENE PENUELA came to fore when her daughter, Lyn Majaducon sounded a call for financial help for her mother who was battling ovarian cancer. It turns out Irene Penuela was a former national athlete, who, at the 1958 Asian Games in Tokyo, chased sporting glory—and won the Team Silver Medal in the 4 x 100 M. Women’s Relay.Together with her team mates, top sprinter Inocencia Solis, Rogelia Ferrer and Francisca Sanopal, the Philippine team placed 2^nd to the hometown Japanese quartet, a no mean feat in the region’s biggest, and most highly-competitive sporting event.

As is the case with veteran athletes past their prime, Penuela’s story is the same: after bringing pride to the country, they are left in oblivion, neglected and forgotten. Professional athletes in massively popular sports, like basketball and boxing,  have better chances of parlaying their fame to something more lucrative. On the other hand, amateur athletes from less-funded sports like sprinter Penuela, sadly have little or no support.

Which is why, when Penuela’s Asian Games achievement came to people’s attention via that appeal that came with a photo of her running in that historic relay, the memory of that long-ago victory rallied grateful sports groups and personalities to help the now-old and bedridden athlete.

Irene Penuela was born on 6 April 1938, to parents Jesus Penuela and Alicia Esporton originally from Jaro, Iloilo. Small, slim and standing at only 5'2", the young Irene took to running in her elementary school years where she often represented her school in meets. It was in her high school years at Dumangas High School (formerly Iloilo High School), that Penuela took running seriously. Her teachers knew they had a talent in their hands so she was always fielded in regional events, winning sprints at the West Visayas Athletic Association (WVAA)  Meets.

Penuela qualified as a member of the WVAA team that went to the premiere Bureau of Public Schools Interscholastic Athletic Association (BPSIAA) Meet,  a predecessor of today’s Palarong Pambansa organized back in 1948. It was held in Tagbilaran, Bohol, from Feb. 1 to Mar. 1, 1958. The scrawny teen served notice of her presence when she reached the finals of all her events:  3^rd in the 100 m. dash behind the East Visayan Concordia Avenosa, 4^th in both the 200 m. dash and 1^st in the 4 x 100 m. relay, turning the tables on their East Visayan opponents.

Penuela’s podium wins opened wide the doors of the 1958 National Open Track and Field Championships held just a week later, a prelude to the 1958 Tokyo Asiad. Now representing the Bureau of Public Schools (BPS), Penuela was entered in the 200 m. dash. 

Among the finalists was the national record holder Inocencia Solis, 6 years her senior, and Negros Occidental hurdler/sprinter Rogelia Ferrer, a ’54 Asian Games medalist. Unfazed, Penuela took her place in the cinder tracks and bolted from the blocks at the sound of the gun. When Penuela crossed the finish line, she was shocked to learn that she had placed third behind Solis and Ferrer, with a remarkable time of 26.6 secs., just 0.1 sec. from Ferrer, and 0.2 sec. from Solis.

When the composition of the 4 x 100 m. relay women’s team for the 1958 Tokyo Asiad was announced, Penuela was even more aghast when she saw her name included along with Inocencia Solis, Rogelia Ferrer, and Francisca Sanopal. Sports pundits were expecting either Visitacion Badana or Lucrecia Casorla to complete the quartet as they had been in the 4 x 100 relay team with Solis and Sanopal that smashed the 50 sec. barrier in the 1957 National Open with a new Philippine record time of 49.6 seconds.

But starting 1957, Visitacion Badana was peaking as the country’s best women jumper, the only one to break a national record in that years’ National Intercollegiate Track and Field Championship. Officials may have decided to keep her for the event where she excels best (Indeed, she would score the 1^st gold in the Running Broad Jump at the Tokyo Asiad). In the case of Casorla, she was more of a hurdler, but Sanopal and Manolita Cinco were already the dominant performers in that field.

Thus, all thing considered, officials put their bets on Penuela. It’s true that she never placed first in her events, but her runner-up clockings were just a few ticks away from the winners’ times. Who knows, the idea of running in an international event could even fire this promising athlete to go beyond her limits and win! On the 3^rd week of May, Irene Penuela arrived in Tokyo, Japan to run the biggest race of her life at the Third Asian Games.

In the finals of the 4 x 100 m. relay held at the National Stadium on 29 May, 11:30 a.m, the Indian runners returned to defend their title won in Manila 4 years before. The Japanese squad, however, were the crowd favorite to win the race. The Philippine girls were not ruled out either, as Solis had claimed the Gold in the century dash earlier, installing herself as Asia’s fastest woman.

The plan was for barely-rested Solis to be the lead-off runner, and followed by the Rogelia Ferrer. Penuela, the team’s youngest runner was sandwiched between the more experienced Ferrer and Francisca Sanopal, the hurdler-sprinter known for her strong finishing kick. Running second, Ferrer passed the baton to Penuela who ran the 3^rd leg against the formidable Ikuko Yoda, a future 1964 Olympian hurdler. She held her own as well against the fast-catching Indians, remaining  in 2^nd place as she handed the baton to Sanopal.

The Japanese sprinters (Sakura Fukuyama, Yoshie Fujii, Ikuko Yoda, Yuko Kobayashi) retained their slim lead until the finish to win Gold (48.6 secs. a new Games record), with the fighting Filipinas bagging Silver (49.0 secs. flat, a new PH record, Solis, Ferrer, Penuela, Sanopal), thus bettering their 3^rd place position in the last Manila Asiad. The dethroned Indians ( Christine Brown, Violet Peters, Stephie D'Souza,Mary Leela Rao) were pushed into 3^rd place (49.4 secs.).

To Penuela, the Silver around her neck as she stood on the podium, glittered like Gold—for the 4 x100 m. relay was her one and only event, in her first and only international outing; it was, the biggest win of her running career. In Athletics, the Philippine team hauled 11 medals, 3 of which were Gold, 4 Silvers and 4 Bronzes. Of the 3 Golds, two were won by women athletes. The total medal harvest in Athletics put the Philippines in 3rd place behind Japan and Pakistan.

Japan was a good experience for her, for the new culture she was introduced to, for the sportsmanships fostered, and international friendships she forged with athletes from around Asia. 

Penuela returned to the Philippines to resume her life as a student athlete. She finished her Physical Education course at the Central Philippine University, in Iloilo. She continued her medal-winning ways collecting 11 Gold, 9 Silvers, and 9 Bronzes in post-Asiad meets in the Philippines. Her athletic career lasted only for 9 years, a short but fruitful one.

After 1958, she was married in civil ceremonies to Franquilino Majaducon of Jaro. By 1960, the growing Majaducon family would move to General Santos City, in brgy. Apopong, where she would remain for the rest of her life. They would have 6 children:  Erlien (a special child), Franklin, Gilbert, Elleen, Aileen and Arlien.  The 2 youngest daughters also became outstanding athletes in athletics and swimming.

As a new wave of stronger, faster runners emerged led by the Mona Sulaiman, Penuela went into coaching, mentoring pools of athletes for various national competitions and championships. She made history again in 2005 when she became the oldest female marathon finisher of that year’s Milo Marathon, at the age of 67.

In 2022, Penuela was stricken with ovarian cancer, and her grateful adoptive city of Gensan, accorded her not only financial assistance but also recognized her significant achievements that elevated Philippine sports and gave pride and honor to her country.

Two years after, she took a turn for the worse, which prompted her daughter Lyn to make an appeal for help in settling her medical bills. The response from the sports community was overwhelming, but, sadly it came a bit late for the ailing Irene. On 9 July 2024, Irene Penuela died peacefully, surrounded by her loved ones. There is no greater glory than running her final race, a journey to immortality.  

SOURCES:

1958 3^RD Asian Games, Tokyo, Japan Official Report

Athletics at the 1958 Asian Games, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Athletics_at_the_1958_Asian_Games

 1958 Asian Games, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1958_Asian_Games

 The Filipino Athlete, Official publication of the Phil. Amateur Athletic Federation (P.A.A.F) 1957-1958 issues.

 “PH Asiad medalist passes away, family asks for burial assistance”, by Randy Caluag, The Manila Standard, 9 July 2024.

 “Former Asian Games Silver Medalist’s Daughter in dire need of financial aid for mother’s burial and funeral service “, posted on Reboot TV Official  FB Page, 12 July 2024.

 Telephone interview with Lyn P. Majaducon, daughter of Irene Penuela, 29 Apr. 2025.

26. Asia’s Amazon of Speed: MONA SULAIMAN, active 1957-1966

The greatest Filipina track athlete of the 60s decade was, without doubt, MONA SULAIMAN (b. 9 Jun. 1942/ d. 21 December 2017) came into the track scene beginning in 1957, when the stocky 15 year old ran barefooted in several races during a Cotabato fiesta and wiped out competition. Sulaiman, daughter of policeman Kudelat and Aminan Sulaiman, had actually played softball in her elementary school where her running ability was spotted by a school official. Sulaiman, who was described in write ups as “the pride of the fierce Mangulamas tribe of Cotabato”, was hustled off to regional meets in Mindanao and the Visayas, and won those too.

Doubting Thomases were quick to dismiss her wins lightly, but in the national championships of 1960, she was pitted against the renown Inocencia Solis, the reigning 1958 Asian Games gold medalist—and trounced the veteran trackster. Not even Solis’ much ballyhooed, nationally-ranked Cebu Tech team mates, could come close to Sulaiman’s clockings.

Sports critics and observers were silenced, and they soon acknowledged that the sheer  power and brawn of  Sulaiman was superior than the smooth, running style of Solis. Another undeniable edge was Sulaiman’s versatility—she also excels in the throwing events  --shotput (Personal Best 41.2 ft.) , discus ( PB 115 ft. 5 and 5/8 in.), javelin and in the multisport pentathlon.

Sulaiman was soon installed as the new queen of sprints, and her next stop was no less than the 1960 Rome Olympics. That experience was an eye-opener for the 18 year old, and the thought of competing against the world’s best must have unnerved her. Though her performance was reported as “dismal” by the local press, she did fairly well, reaching the 100 meter dash quarterfinals and finishing in 6^th place with a time of 12.4 seconds. Her heat was ruled by the great American Wilma Rudolph, who would go on to win Gold in record time. In the 200 m., Sulaiman timed in at 25.8 secs., 4^th in her heat, won by Poland’s Barbara Janiszewska, who would win Bronze in the 4x100 m. relay.

Returning home, Sulaiman worked on improving her form and technique, and her dedicated efforts rewarded in 1961 when she bannered the Philippine campaign at the Malayan Open in April. She won 4 Gold medals for the 100 meter dash, 200 meter dash (a new Malayan record), 4 x 100 m. women’s relay, and the Shotput (another new record), helping propel the Philippines team to 2^nd place overall. That same year, she had also annexed a new Philippine record in Javelin throw.

Coming into the 4th Asian Games in Jakarta in August 1962, Sulaiman looked formidable with her personal best times. She lived up to expectations by ruling the two centerpiece sprint events, registering a new games record of 11.93 secs. for the Gold in the century dash, way ahead of 2 Japanese, Ikuko Yoda (Silver, 12.35 secs.) and  Takuko Inokuchi (Bronze, 12.39 secs.). It was the same story in the 200 meters as Sulaiman prevailed with 24.63 secs. followed by Japan’s Haruko Yamazaki (25.86 secs.) and Ceylon’s Nirmala Dissanayake (secs. 25.92 secs.). 

She grabbed her 3^rd Gold when she teamed up with veteran Inocencia Solis, Francisca Sanopal and Aida Molinos to an upset win over the Japanese team that registered the same games record of 48.67 secs. But Sulaiman was not finish with her medal romp as she had to rush to the field event where she was also entered in the shotput. She won the Bronze with a throw of 11.97 meters.

1962 will be remembered as the peak of Sulaiman’s sporting career. She was the first Filipina to complete a rare golden sprint double at the Asiad. With her spectacular triple victories on the track and a medal at the field events, Mona Sulaiman became the most bemedalled Filipino athlete of the delegation, winning 4 of the total 7 Golds harvested from Jakarta. She was hailed as a local heroine upon her return home and everyone predicted more success in her future.

In April 1964, in preparation for the Tokyo Olympics, she was sent to the U.S. to undergo scientific training under coach Bill Bowerman of the University of Oregon. By July,  Sulaiman reported a notable improvement in her athletic prowess, She even managed to shave off .2 secs. from her 11.8 secs. record, lowering it to 11.6 secs., leading local officials to believe that she could be a potential winner of the pentathlon.

This was seconded by 2-time (1948, 1952) Olympic decathlon champion Bob Mathias, who, after sizing her up in Manila, concluded, “She can run, throw weights, and jump too. There is not one girl athlete in the world who could be as good as Mona in all these events.”

But by the time the 1964 Olympics in Tokyo unfolded, Sulaiman stuck to her pet events—100 m., 200 m. sprints, and the 4 x100 m. women’s relay. Her 2^nd Olympic stint was to  be another major disappointment. In her 100m. heat, she placed 7th and last, with a slow time of 12 seconds flat. In the 200 m., she placed 4^th in her heat, at  25.4 seconds. She anchored her team in the 4x 100 m. relay race, and finished second slowest at 48.8 secs. Thus ended Sulaiman’s Olympic campaign in Japan. 

Only 22 years old, Sulaiman continue to train, ready to redeem her poor performance by defending her titles in the 1966 Asian Games, slated in Thailand.  Sulaiman, as expected, was named as a member of the Philippine team. That year though, the organizers introduced the controversial gender testing among athletes. 

Sulaiman rejected the said test, claiming at first it was against her Muslim faith. But for the record, Sulaiman said she was suffering from flu at that time, so she decided to forego with the medical check-up though she was already in Bangkok.

Sulaiman’s refusal spawned many speculations about her real gender, which media played up back in the Philippines. Hurt and humiliated from being barred from the games, she withdrew from the sports and lost interest, thus putting an end to an illustrious athletic career that could have been longer.

MONA AT THE MOVIES, Courtesy of Video 48

She worked in the private sector and even ventured into film as a bit player. She did at least 3 action movies: Santa Fe (1973), Virgina Soliman (1974), and Interpol Malaysia 5 (1975), all with actor Jun Aristorenas. In 1990s, she was given employment by the Philippine Sports Commission as a consultant for the national athletics team. The PSC her inducted into its Hall of Fame in January 2016. Marvelous Mona Sulaiman, Asia’s first lady of speed, passed away on 21 Dec. 2017 at the East Avenue Medical Center after a lingering illness, at age 75.

SOURCES:

“First Lady of Speed”, Sunday Times Magazine, 25 March 1961, pp. 36-37

“Filipino Speedsters in Malaya”, Mirror Magazine, 26 Aug. 1961, p 26

“Asian Games Hopeful”, Sunday Times Magazine, 5 Aug. 1962

1964 Tokyo Olympics supplement, Sunday Times Magazine, p. 15

“Marvelous Mona”, Sunday Times Maazine, 19 Sep. 1964,

Official Report of the 1960 Olympics (Rome) program, LA84 Digital Collection

Official Report of the 1964 Olympics (Tokyo) program, LA84 Digital Collection

Mona Sulaiman, Asia’s fastest woman of early ’60s, dies at 75, Dec 22, 2017 12:13,

https://www.rappler.com/sports/191974-mona-sulaiman-obituary-track/

Philippines at the 1962 Asian Games, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philippines_at_the_1962_Asian_Games

Athletics at the 1962 Asian Games,

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Athletics_at_the_1962_Asian_Games

Mona Sulaiman movies: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4705025/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1

Movie posters of Santa Fe, Interpol Malyasia 5, courtesy of Video 48

Mona Sulaiman, Wikipedia.com