Merry Christmas!

To all members of the clan:

Merry Christmas! The Lord is born, gloria in excelsis Deo! May we always allow Him to live in our hearts.

Melania Galindes-Gacias

This photo was taken in 1918. The dedication at the back reads:

Mr. Sabiniano Gacias
Manila
____ 119 Victoria

Manoy Sabin:

Ymoda gnani an tayo co cay dolodianis, nian dili na aco nag para lacao sin mayad cay daco na aco, imoda gnani cay dianis man an Saya co, condi cay filme an pag cadto co sa ilaya asin man sa pasacay, cay an ato balay y___ ____ sa botgna cay an sa lobi na balay na olag san baguio. comosta co camo si A si M. Ines puro manay manoy mayad co.

M. Gacias

Here's an Old Photo of the Family

This is the oldest photo I've got of our forebears. This was handed to me by my Papa (Ernesto Guban-Gacias) while we were preparing for Lolo Serio's centennial birthday last year. This photo was taken either in 1909 or 1910.

With this, allow me to challenge everyone to produce an earlier photo. Let's open and check our parents' and grandparents' bauls for a very exciting treasure hunt. Who knows, we may not just make the most interesting find about our roots; we may also give the rarest treasure to our own branches.

From left to right: Eustaquio Pura, a teacher; Maria Galindes-Gacias; Lola Emeteria Encinares-Pura-Galindes; Sabiniano Galindes-Gacias; Glicerio Galindes-Gacias; Rosa Pura-Galindes-Gacias; Asuncion Galindes-Gacias; Pedro Gabiazo-Gacias.

• Eustaquio Pura: Salient features about him are currently unknown. We would genuinely be grateful if anyone can volunteer information about him.
• Maria Galindes-Gacias, known as Lola Biyay, was the third child of Pedro Gabiazo-Gacias and Rosa Pura-Galindes-Gacias. She married Norberto Tagum -- known as Lolo Berto -- and bore six children. She was famous to the clan for having a green thumb for gardening. She died on January 19, 1970 and was buried in Irosin, Sorsogon.
  
• Emeteria Encinares-Pura-Galindes, a.k.a. Lola Teria, was from Gubat, Sorsogon. She was married to Ramon Galindes, a former Capitan del Pueblo of Irosin, Sorsogon, and was the mother of Lola Rosa Pura-Galindes-Gacias.
• Sabiniano Galindes-Gacias, a.k.a. Lolo Sabin, was born on December 31, 1896. He must have been thirteen years old in this photo. He was the eldest child of Pedro Gabiazo-Gacias and Rosa Pura-Galindes-Gacias. He was an educator and was a retired district supervisor of the education department. He taught in Batangas as well as in the municipalities of Castilla, Bulusan, Sorsogon and Irosin of the Sorsogon province. A prolific writer and poet in his own right, he composed poems in Bicol and Spanish including the historical account of the town of Irosin, Sorsogon which has now been published in book form by Erlano Francisco "Kiko" Reynante-Gacias. (For an on-line edition of said book, click here.) Endowed with a sweet baritone voice, he was a good haranista during his younger years. He was married to Margarita Leander of Sorsogon with whom he had ten children. He died on March 5, 1983 and was buried in the Catholic Cemetery of Irosin, Sorsogon.
  
• Glicerio Galindes-Gacias, a.k.a. Lolo Serio, was born on August 27, 1907. Now 101 years old, he is considered as the oldest living member of the clan. He is perhaps best known in Irosin, Sorsogon for his religiousity. A lay minister in Irosin, he used to go to Mass every day, at 4 AM, seven days a week -- until a few days before his 100th birthday when he was diagnosed with ulcer. Donning the politician's shoes during his younger years, he was elected as municipal councilor in 1940. He married Eulogia Duque with whom he sired a daughter -- Emma. When Eulogia died, he later married Salud Guban of Bulan with whom he had three children. He lives in San Juan, Irosin, Sorsogon. For more infomation about Lolo Serio, here's a write-up on him.
• Rosa Pura-Galindes-Gacias, known as Lola Totay or Dona Rosa, was born on March 19, 1875. She was an only surviving child among thirteen births. The somehow miraculous story is already posted in this site under the title A Tale of an Image. Lola Rosa studied in La Concordia College in Manila. Good in horseback riding, she would go to every town fiesta around the province just to play intre-cuatro, a card game. Being an only child, she was rich, landed and bejewelled. She literally slept over money -- the pesetas and the onsetas having been kept in large bauls under her bed. She died on September 1, 1963. Her remains lie in the Gacias Mauseleum in the Catholic Cemetery of Irosin, Sorsogon. Some bits of stories about Lola Rosa:

1. Lola Rosa's real estate properties were so vast that she could easily give away tens of hectares of land to whoever she would favor. In fact, according to historical accounts, she gave several hectares of land that include the now famous Masacrot Springs in San Roque, Bulusan to her favorite nursemaid.
2. She lost most of her collection of jewelry to a thief who robbed her house.
3. Her bauls in which she kept her jewelry were unfortunately destroyed by termites. A few pieces of wood nevertheless survived. They were converted by my father Erning into a desk which he now considers very lucky.
   

• Asuncion Galindes-Gacias, a.k.a. Susing, was born in 1901 and was the second child of Pedro Gabiazo-Gacias and Rosa Pura-Galindes-Gacias. She was married to Raphael Borromeo but died childless in 1926.
• Pedro Gabiazo-Gacias was born on June 29, 1871. A seminarista turned politico, he was a Cabeza del Pueblo in Irosin, Sorsogon. He was the founder of Partido Democrata in Irosin, a political party which became famous and powerful in local politics for a couple of decades in the history of the town. He was said to have fallen victim, however, for three times, to Eleccion Feliciano, a term used to describe massive election fraud and cheating especially orchestrated by Partido Nacionalista during his time. He decided to quit politics for good and became popular for his Adios Pueblo march around the poblacion. He had six children with Rosa Pura-Galindes-Gacias. He died on July 27, 1959. His remains lie beside his wife Rosa at the Gacias mauseleum in the Catholic Cemetery of Irosin, Sorsogon.
  

A Tale of an Image

In about 1840 or so, Ramon Galindes who hailed from Tabaco, Albay and who was later elected Capitan del Pueblo of Irosin, married Emeteria Ramos-Pura of Gubat, Sorsogon. This union resulted in the somewhat miraculous birth of Rosa -- an only living child. Rosa was the thirteenth child and all the twelve who preceded her died at childbirth.

The story goes this way: When Lola Teria conceived Rosa, the priest-brother of Capitan Ramon, upon contemplating that the twelve births died at childbirth, advised the couple to adopt and profess a religious devotion to Dolorosa, the image of the grieving mother of Christ. The couple did as told and even adorned the image of the Blessed Mother with fresh flowers to join the Holy Week's procession. In answer to the devotion of the couple, the thirteenth child was born and survived. They named her Rosa, in honor of the image of the Mater Dolorosa.

Thus, the end of the couple's sorrow and being childless was Rosa, the thirteenth and last birth. And she was also the beginning. She became the saving grace of the family. Were it not for her, Sabiniano, Maria, Glicerio and their siblings could not have possibly seen and enjoyed life. And they could have not possibly offered this world many sons and daughters and grandchildren.

To honor the Dolorosa and somehow imprint its role in the history of the clan among the hearts of every member, the image is traditionally honored in the processions during Lent where all members of the clan are invited to join the procession.

Faith in God and in Mater Dolorosa won and saved the clan.


Nota bene: The image of the Mater Dolorosa is currently under the care of Papa Tentoy (Judge Jacinto Tagum) who has dutifully allocated a parcel of riceland for the expenses usually incurred for its maintenance and especially for the processions held during the Lenten season.

Gacias: A Historical Background (Second Part)

Bulusan

Glicerio Gacias attests that the first unknown ancestor came from a place which is now the urban center of the town of Bulusan. Glicerio Gacias, now 101 years old and still as strong as people half his age, is the oldest surviving member of the clan. Bulusan, a one hour drive from Sorsogon proper, is one of the four oldest regions in the Tierra de Camarines -- now also known as the Bicol Region -- established by the missionaries. The three other oldest regions were Labo, Isarog and Mayon.

The town of Bulusan is located at the eastern part of the province of Sorsogon facing the vast Pacific Ocean. At a time, it became a part of the province of Albay. The province of Sorsogon, which currently includes the municipality of Bulusan, was separated from the province of Albay only on October 17, 1894.

Irosin

Perhaps, driven by a spirit of adventurism, three of the sons -- Octato, Cenon and Nicolas -- settled in a new village called Hin-ay, now the municipality of Irosin. Irosin, formerly Hin-ay, was then a mere sitio of the town of Bulusan. Now a second class municipality, it is the only inland town in the province of Sorsogon and nestles right at the foot of Mount Bulusan.

Octato

Octato, the eldest son, settled in a place which is now Barangay San Agustin -- the original settlement of Hin-ay. He sired one son, Pastor, who in turn sired one son, Faviano. Faviano bore two children -- Gloria and Felix. Gloria lived in Manila and unfortunately, nothing more was heard about her since. Felix, on the other hand, sired several children. More unfortunately, however, and indeed very sadly, it is now probably impossible to determine their exact number and much less, to be able to know them. Felix sold all his children to Chinese merchants perhaps for adoption or worse, for slavery. His children and their descendants now constitute the missing Gaciases.

Octato Gacias
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Pastor
(Severa Santiago)
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Faviano
(Dorotea Gallanera)
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Gloria --------------------------Felix

Cenon

Cenon, the second son, settled in Macawayan, now a barrio of Irosin, just a kilometer away from the town center. He sired three children -- Jacoba, Severo and Urbano. Severo and Urbano later settled in the barrio of Casini, a place located in the southern past of the municipality and just about three to four kilometers away from the town center. Today, the numerous Gaciases in the barrio of Casini in Irosin are all indebted to Severo and Urbano.

Nicolas

Nicolas, the youngest son, like Octato, settled in a place which is now Barangay San Agustin. According to accounts given by Glicerio, he was a poblador. He was accordingly kind and hardworking. He sired two sons -- Pedro and Pantaleon. Pedro had six children -- Sabiniano, Asuncion, Maria, Monico, Glicerio and Melania. While Pantaleon sired three children -- Gerarda, Roman and Ines. Today, the Gaciases living in the poblacion of Irosin and its neighboring barangays and barrios are practically descendants of Pedro and Pantaleon.

Bernardino

Bernardino, the third son, however, separated from his three brothers and settled in San Roque, a barrio of Bulusan. San Roque is about twenty minutes away from the poblacion of Irosin and around the same time away from the poblacion of Bulusan. Hence, it is practically midway the town proper of Irosin and the town proper of Bulusan.

Bernardino sired two sons -- Felipe and Maximo. Felipe sired three children -- Daniel, Benito and Celestina. While Maximo sired eight children -- Alejandro, Isidoro, Eulalia, Irene, Eduardo, Eulogia, Juliana, and Gloria. Their descendants are scattered in the different barrios of Bulusan, from San Roque to Dancalan and Buhang.

Other Gacias Lineage

There are other Gaciases in the town of Irosin, both in the poblacion and in the neighboring barrios. This is mostly attributed to another lineage of Gacias: that of Catalino and Hilario.

Catalino and Hilario were brothers. Their father is unknown to us today. Nevertheless, it is established that they had a sister named Sixta.

Catalino lived in and became a municipal councilor of Bulusan. He sired five children -- Rosario, Librada, Ropo, Arsenio and Domingo. Sixta's whereabouts were unknown. Nevertheless, it was established that she was the second child and did marry. Hilario settled in Irosin and sired five children -- Bonifacio, Amicia, Quirico, Marciano and Ruperto. Most of their descendants live in Irosin today.

As of date, the link between the lineage of Catalino, Sixta and Hilario and the lineage of Octato, Cenon, Bernardino and Nicolas, has not yet been clearly established. It will be included in a later and updated edition when that missing link shall have been established with certainty or with convincing documentation.

But while this particular link has not yet been established, it is worth mentioning here that descendants of both lineages observe close kinship among themselves. Indeed, it is also worth mentioning that several relatives, descendants of female Gaciases who already lost their family name by marriage and now with various family names still claim close kinship with the Gaciases.

The Northern Gaciases

In the northern part of the country, particularly in Cagayan and in the Batanes islands, live several families with the family name of Gacias. There is for instance Dr. Felix Gacias of the Batanes cousins and Lt. Col. Renato Gacias of the Cagayan cousins. Lt. Col. Renato Gacias was awarded with the medal of valor by then Chief of Staff Gen. Fabian Ver during the Marcos regime. Unfortunately, he was killed in 1989 in a military field operation.

It is worth mentioning that one objective of this blog is to establish links with our northern cousins.

Gacias: A Historical Background (First Part)

Before 1849, the Indios had only one name each, like Lapu-lapu and Sulayman. This is much unlike us today who have two – a first name like Juan, Pedro and Jose, and a family name like De la Cruz, Reyes and Santos. The Indios were the natives of the islands. They are distinguished from the Peninsulares, those true-bloodied Spaniards who were born in Spain and were merely visiting the Philippines; the Creoles, those true-bloodied Spaniards but considered below the Peninsulares because they were born in the Philippines; and the Mestizos, those natives with Spanish blood or those members of the aristocracy because of their family wealth and education or because of the pigmentation of their skin.

Peninsulares
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Creoles
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Mestizos
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Indios

(Social strata during the Spanish Regime)

After 285 years of missionary works since the arrival of Legazpi in Cebu, there were still many natives with single names such as Saday, Cabug, Kalaw and Puti. These names were taken from objects, color, occupation, etc. For those converts, a Christian name usually taken from Christian calendars was given upon baptism. Saday for instance would become Miguel Saday if he was born on September 29, the feast day of St. Michael the Archangel.

During Legaspi’s time, the first Indio convert Jandulaman was given a Spanish first name Isabel and she became Isabel Jandulaman. It is in this manner why we have Spanish Christian first names preceding the local single names that in turn become the surnames as in Alfonso Magsaysay, Eugenia Kalaw, Juan Pagulayan, etc.

The Peninsulares who came to the Philippines for commercial ventures, civil, military and religious assignments also sired progenies through marriage and their children carried their father’s surname.

Many of the Chinese who were already in the country long before the coming of the Spaniards preferred to retain, upon conversion to Christianity, their surnames and only their Christian first names were thus given. Thus, Jano Wan Tang for instance became Juan Lao. Usually the first names were derived from Christian calendars with the names of patron saints entered in each feast day. So if a Chinese named Tan Sing Lang was born on August 31, he would be named Ramon Tan. However, some influential Chinese families chose to retain their whole Chinese names as their surnames and only added their new Christian names to their Chinese names as in the case of the Cojuangcos, Coseteng, etc.

Finding this system confusing, and to conform with Spanish customs, Governor General Narciso Claveria passed a decree effecting the hispanization and localization of names on November 21, 1849. All the Indios and all converted members to Christianity were ordered to adopt a family name or choose one from among a long list of family names brought by the friars from Spain. Consequently, many chose to adopt family names taken from the long Spanish list. Thus, we have several Spanish names in the country today like De la Cruz, Alegre, Santos, etc. Others, however, adopted the singular names of their fathers for a family name. Thus, we hear of family names like Dilem, Macapagal, and Magsaysay. Still, others preferred some other name of an ancestor or near relative.

The implementation of the decree was by province. In the province of Albay which then included Catanduanes, Masbate and Sorsogon, officials implemented the decree by assigning surnames to the different towns in alphabetical order. In the pueblo, the naming was further implemented by assigning surnames by family. A kin with another family might therefore get the next listed surname in the list thus making it possible for a Gabito to be closely related to a Gabitan or a Gacias to a Galias. Thus, Macias is surely not related to a Gacias unless there was typographical or clerical error upon registration much like Buensalida becoming Fuensalida or Fulo becoming Polo.

Following is a chart showing the alphabetical assignment of surnames in the towns of Albay province:

LETTER	ASSIGNED TOWN/S	EXAMPLES
A	Albay, Legaspi	Agnole, Aldana, Annonuevo
B	Lib-og, Tabaco	Balaoro, Ballalan, Beros
C	Malinao, Tiwi	Candia, Casim, Celestial
D	Manito, Bacon	Daco, Dino, Dugan
E	Gubat	Encinas, Encinares, Escano
F	Barcelona, Bulusan	Foller, Funes, Furing
G	Bulusan, Matnog, Bulan	Gabito, Gacias, Gerona
H	Juban, Casiguran	Haboc, Hael, Hitosis
I	Masbate	Imperial, Interia, Inolsella
J	Sorsogon	Jardin, Jalmasco, Jimenez
L	Castilla, Pilar	Lansio, Lloganes, Llaneta
M	Donsol, Daraga	Malejana, Manzanilla, Mendoza
N	Daraga, Camalig	Nacion, Navera, Nuyda
O	Guinobatan	Odiver, Ofracio, Oropesa
P	Ligao	Pancho, Pardo, Patanao
Q	Jovellar	Quintana, Quintanilla, Quinto
R	Oas	Rances, Redillas, Rigoroso
S	Polangui, Libon	Salalima, Sales, Simplicio
T	Bato, Baras	Teves, Traballo, Tejada
U	Virac, San Miguel	Ubalde, Untalan, Uson
V	San Andres	Vivar, Veysa, Vargas
Y	Viga	Yuson, Yasay, Yorac
Z	Panganiban	Zamora, Zela, Zare

Nevertheless, it must be noted that the facts mentioned above were the reasons why there were already surnames beginning with other letters of the alphabet other than the assigned letter in the town when Claveria’s decree of hispanization of Filipino names was implemented. Effective conversion resulted in the assigned letter being no longer dominant in the towns.

The First Ancestor

The first ancestor, the original Gacias man who reached the province of Sorsogon, will now probably remain a nameless and faceless man whose personal circumstances are now shrouded by the mist of antiquity. Today, no one could possibly say with known certitude who he was. Almost nothing is known about him. Nevertheless, it is established that he had four sons who all bore the family name Gacias. They were Octato, Cenon, Bernardino and Nicolas.

Unknown first ancestor

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Octato Gacias -- Cenon Gacias -- Bernardino Gacias -- Nicolas Gacias

One of the four, Nicolas, according to accounts given by Glicerio Gacias, died in 1912 at the age of 88. This means therefore that he was born in 1824, long before the hispanization and localization of names were declared by Governor General Narciso Claveria. Thus, he was probably 36 years old when his family was assigned the surname Gacias. In 1850, Bulusan was given surnames that begin with the letters F and G with the implementation of the decree. For purposes of posterity, we thus consider the brothers Octato, Cenon, Bernardino and Nicolas as the original Gaciases.

Gacias: Etymology and Meaning

It is infered that the name Gacias is nominally derived from and is a corruption of the Spanish word "Gracias" which is translated to mean "thank you" or "graces." It is believed that the name was originally Gracias and that in the course of time, the letter R was accidentally, or perhaps purposely dropped. Hence, the name Gracias evolved into its present form Gacias. Incidentally, and as already mentioned, the earliest known ancestors , namely Octato, Cenon, Bernardino and Nicolas have been known to have used the name Gacias.

Ernesto Gacias, however, has advanced another theory which is that the name Gacias is derived from and is a corruption of the words "Gat Hiyas." "Gat" is a Tagalog word which is synonymous to "Ginoo" and is translated to mean the English equivalent title "Sir." "Hiyas," also a Tagalog word, is translated to mean "gem" or "jewel." Ernesto Gacias infers that the first unknown ancestor, or perhaps even his immediate ascendants, were Indios who assumed the family name "Gat Hiyas" and later, Gacias, long before the decree of hispanization and localization of names were passed by Governor General Narciso Claveria.

Recent researches nevertheless indicate that the name Gacias had long been established in Spain. I have been fortunate to chat with Mr. Ceferino Gacias from Spain through the internet and he related that his family had always belong to Spanish nobility since the beginning of the Renaissance period.

It is therefore most likely that the earliest Gacias ancestor in Sorsogon province was an Indio who was given the family name Gacias from the long list of names brought by the friars from Spain as a consequence of the decree on hispanization and localization of names passed by Governor General Narciso Claveria.

Preface

Sa tabang nin langit na linalaoman,
manoltolan logod an ipagsasaysay,
magpoon kaidto asin sagkod ngonyan,
mga agi-agi, GACIAS na angkan.

Gabos na magurang sagkod kaapuan,
giromdomon bilang kan mga may buhay,
sirve sindang giya asin mga ilaw,
sa buhay tang ini, sa huri pang aldaw.

Daculang pasabong na ini gibohon,
giromdomon bilang nag-aging panahon,
kun sakali baga gibo bakong toltol,
hipnoan na sana, iyong linalaom.

Tunay na pagmawot na ini mahaman,
na minsan mamogtak sa kapangahasan,
ugali na ini nin may katuyohan,
tuyaon kun sukat kun igwang karatan.

Asin sa giraray haman sa paglaom,
an diit na obra na ipagboboyboy,
an katotoohan iyong sasabihon,
talae nin marhay sakong dadagoson.

Dedication of this Blog

In all humility, this blog is heartily dedicated to:

• My ancestors whose spirits may, by some means or another, know that we revere and honor their pioneering courage and noble customs and traditions; without them we would have not reached this far;
• The present generation so they won't forget to look back to our ancestors as reservoir for inspiration and fresh courage with which to meet whatever adversity the future has in store for them;
• The future generations who may consider this work a sort of link between the past and the future, if they may so believe that "the future is the past entered through another door."
  

Welcome to the Gacias Clan Blog

"All men desire to know." Such were the praenotaminal words of Aristotle in his famous opuscule Metaphysica. This only emphasizes man's existential inclination towards the possession of truth. But as all revolutions begin and take shape in the mind, all truths are first conceived in the inner wells of a person. Hence, more than anything else, innate in the heart of every man, irrespective of his racial, sociological or religious background, is his natural desire to know his identity. "Cognosce te ipsum - know thyself," was Thales' constrant refrain. Socrates would later on make this his philosophical battlecry and Alexander Pope, in a more recent time, would paraphrase this into his now celebrated words: "Know then thyself, presume not God to scan, the proper study of mankind is man."

Thus, it has also become a need. It epitomizes the self as the very structure of both its origin and destiny. And as a Tagalog saying goes: Ang hindi lumingon sa pinanggalingan ay hindi makararating sa paroroonan.

My selfish conviction in this old yet tested principle moved me to trace our ancestors and some salient features about them. Interviews and studies were conducted to crystalize existing but hitherto unknown affinities and relationships into printed texts. After all, I try to reason out and justify, the Hebrews have their staffs on which to record their immediate ascendants, the American Indians have their totem poles, and the early Japanese people have their stone gardens to remind them of their ancestors. Is it not right and proper then that we make a record and honor our own? For my part, I declare that indeed, it is quite interesting to have reached this far.

This blog attempts to come up with a family history. It will therefore be a record of facts and truths. As far as it can possibly be done, I will try to faithfully identify every member of the clan, including what modern society and civil law brand as spurious or illegitimate children. I will try to include them, not at all with any feeling of contempt or derision, but on the contrary, with the sincere assertion that modern society and civil law notwithstanding, BLOOD IS ALWAYS THICKER THAN WATER.

In fine, let me declare, with all the persons involved (and the people who have so far helped me are indeed so many), that this work is being done in the ever-burning Gacias spirit which is running in my veins. To the whole clan, I dare say:

Keep aloft that same spirit.