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untings to celebrate her win. Vicente
Rufino was her King Consort at her Hindu-
Arabic themed coronation, which required
her to ride the back of a real elephant.
Socorro ended up marrying one of the escorts
of her court—Francisco Limjap y Escolar,
from an affluent and influential Manila
family. After her marriage, she completed
her Home Economics degree at the
Holy Ghost College and bore 4 children:
Francisco Jr., Baby, Josefina and Ginny.
MARIA AUGUSTINA PILAR
NEPOMUCENO (Miss Angeles 1933). (b. 13
October 1911-d. 5 June 1995) Daughter of
Gonzalo Mariano Nepomuceno and
Gertrudes Ayson y Cunanan. Not much is
remembered about her reign or the circumstances
of her victory. Later married noted
doctor, Conrado Manankil y Tison. They
have 4 children, one of whom—Marieta
Manankil—continued the tradition of beauty
in her family by becoming Miss Angeles 1955.
MARINA LICUP CONCENGSO (Miss Angeles
1936) In June of 1936, as part of the
U.S. Independence Day festivities, a committee
chose an 18-year-old Chinese mestiza
to wear the Miss Angeles crown. The
winner, Marina Licup Concengso, born 18
July 1918, was the daughter of Eduardo
Concengso of Malabon and Beatriz Licup of
Angeles. She practically grew up in the
Lourdes Sur area near the Angeles Train Station
where her beauty obviously went unnoticed.
She emerged as the winner in the contest
that put emphasis on beauty alone.
Based on hazy recollections, a poet laureate
named Angel did the coronation honors.
There were no escorts or court of honor to
speak of, but she participated in a motorcade
in her honor, riding a topdown car installed
with a decorative arch. Three years
later, she married a prominent Fernandino,
Ramon Hererra Jr. in Bayombong, Nueva
Vizcaya, where the groom’s uncle was a
health officer. They had two daughters,
Marietta (now Gaddi, present Dean of the
Holy Angel University College of Nursing) and
Cecilia. The marriage lasted for just 6 short
years, with the death of Ramon in 1945. Marina,
who never remarried, died in 1985.
VICTORIA MARIETA MANANKIL (Miss
Angeles 1955). (b. 23 April 1936). Mariet
is the eldest and only daughter of Conrado
Manankil M.D. and Pilar Nepomuceno, herself
a Pampanga beauty titlist. Noted for
her proper grooming sense, she carried this
fastidious trait to her golden years. She married
Renato Mercado y Magpayo with whom
she had 3 children: Ma. Gliceria Regina,
Renato and Rufino.
MA. VICTORIA CRISTINA PAMINTUAN (Miss Caltex 1965 Finalist)
(b. 1 June 1943). One of the most prestigious corporate
contests of the 1960s was the Miss Caltex search, began in 1962.
The nationally televised Miss Caltex was more than just a beauty
contest, however; it placed a premium on the personality and
intelligence of contestants. As such, it attracted scores of highprofile
beauties like past winners Elsa Payumo, Aurora Patricio and
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Naida Benedicto. The contest was on its
3 rd year when Maria Victoria Cristina
Pamintuan, daughter of Ramon
Pamintuan and Esperanza Fabella,
joined the pageant. Many were quick to
point out her prominent Kapampangan
lineage—Backie, as she was called, had
illustrious Angeleños as forebears: Don
Florentino Pamintuan y Torres and second
wife Tomasa Centeno of Pulung Bulu.
Sure enough, Backie was chosen as
among the 5 finalists, that also included
Elnora Cunanan, Wilhelmina Dulla,
Gladys Baban and eventual winner, Susan
Suarez. Backie later married Dr.
Miguel Fortich Celdran with whom she
had 4 children: Anna Patricia, Denise,
Miguel Jr. and Carlos. Backie has another
well-known younger sister, fashion icon
and cultural advocate Patis Pamintuan
Tesoro.
MIMILANIE LAUREL MARQUEZ (Miss
International 1979). Though her roots
are in Mabalacat (her father is noted
director Artemio Marquez), Melanie
Marquez, the future 1979 Miss International,
practically grew up in Angeles.
After high school at the Holy Angel University,
she won as Bb. Pilipinas International
at age 17. She had previously
joined Maid of Cotton at age 13 and
placed 3 rd . In Japan, she not only bagged
special awards (Kumamoto Festival
Award, Best in National Costume) but
also the plum title of Miss International
1979. Years after, she moved to the U.S.
and romped off with Face of New York
title in 1986. She, however, opted to
wear the Philippine sash in the Ford
Supermodel of the World ’86 competition,
and emerged 1 st runner up and winner
of the Clairol Award. Recently, she
was chosen as the Most Beautiful Miss
International by Global Beauties, an
internet group composed of beauty aficionados
from around the world. In
2005, she represented the country in
the Mrs. World Contest in India and
emerged as a semi-finalist. She is married
to Adam Lawyer.
VIOLETA ASELA ENRIQUEZ NALUZ
(Bb. Pilipinas-Universe 1986). This
comely Angeleña triumphed as Bb.
Pilipinas-Universe, giving her the right
to represent the Philippines’ “people
power” in the Miss Universe pageant
held in Panama. The winner that year
was Venezuela’s Barbara Palacios-
Teyde.
MARILEN ESPINO (Bb. Pilipinas-
World 1992, Supermodel 1988). This 6-footer Angeleña first gained
prominence by becoming Supermodel of the World-Philippines in
1988. In 1992, however, she won the more prestigious Bb. Pilipinas-
World, but she was sidelined by a sickness that caused her to skip
the international pageant in London (fellow Kapampangan Marina
Benipayo went in her place). After her reign, Marilen became a
much-sought after fashion model, with stints in Europe, U.S. and
Socorro Henson of Angeles (1926), first
Kapampangan to win a national beauty
title (Alex Castro)
Maria Augustina Pilar Nepomuceno, Miss
Angeles 1933 (Alex Castro)