Minalin, Pampanga - Famous Minalenians

Famous Minalenians

Among many famous Minalenians who distinguished themselves in the 20th century are the following:

• Governor Eddie T. Panlilio, the former governor of Pampanga.
• Francisco Lagman, the first Minalenio to become a member of the Pampanga Provincial Board.
• Atty. Vicente S. Aquino, current executive director of the Anti Money Laundering Council (AMLC).
• Atty. Roberto M. Lagman, son of Francisco Lagman, current Associate Justice of the Sandigan Bayan. He served also as Assistant Provincial Fiscal of Pampanga, Senior Prosecutor in the Philippine Department of Justice and Judge of the Manila Regional Trial Court.
• Demetrio Munoz of barrio Santa Catalina, a philanthropist and successful businessman. He was a self-made multi-millionaire and a close adviser of the late President Diosdado Macapagal. He founded Munoz Press, DM Transit and Munoz Market in Quezon City.
• Santiago Lagman Ocampo, founder of the famed "Ocampo’s for Everything". He was a middle class citizen who rose to build a huge and successful business empire which extended beyond the territorial jurisdiction of Pampanga.
• Honorable Mariano Ocampo, son of Santiago Ocampo. He became a governor of Tarlac during the presidency of Cory Aquino during the late ‘80s through the early ‘90s.
• Lamberto Ocampo, another son of Santiago Ocampo and a sanitary engineer. He was instrumental in the establishment of the giant engineering firm, DCCD in Manila.
• Juan T. Macapinlac, a successful entrepreneur, together with Coning Naguit of San Nicolas, pioneered the local business popularly called "Viaje" which employed many Minalenios as "Viajeros" or travelling salesmen throughout the Philippine Archipelago.
• Ruben P. Macapinlac, a scholar and public servant, became Undersecretary of Finance during the term of Secretary of Finance, Dominador Aytona.
• Arsenio Lopez of barrio San Francisco, a CPA topnotcher and a professor at the University of the East in Manila. He became a vice president of the Bank of the Philippines Islands and a high official of the Knights of Columbus and represents the said Catholic organization in international conferences.
• Rafael B. Pangilinan, engineer and businessman of barrio San Nicolas. Another self-made multi-millionaire and former jeepney driver turned businessman. He co-founded the AB Industries, Inc. in Cainta, Rizal, a big firm engaged in the manufacture of rock-crushing equipment, heavy machinery and conveyors. He is also a major poultry raiser and a civic spirited citizen.
• Dr. Manuel Macapinlac, a famous Philippine medical doctor of barrio Sta. Rita, a product of the University of the Philippines and took up postgraduate studies in medicine in the USA.
• Atty. Ricardo Sagmit, popular politician. He was elected as a delegate to the 1971-72 Constitutional Convention chaired by the late President Diosdado Macapagal .
• Pacifico Lagman, a famous artist, noted architect and successful real estate developer and contractor in southern California and in New York. He designed two award winning floats for the town of Minalin and the province of Pampanga in the last Centennial Celebration and Parade in Los Angeles, California.
• Laureana Tayag Deang-Abano, CPA, model wife and loving mother. She was the first Filipina elected to the Board of Education in Piscataway, New Jersey and the first woman president of the Federation of Filipino Associations in the state of New Jersey, USA.
• Nancy Lagman-Tremblay, a long-term successful health care professional in Canada who carry on the public service legacy of her famous grandfather, Don Cristino Lagman. She returned to her hometown in early 1997 to establish a charitable organization and multi-purpose health center to help the poor people of Minalin who live in remote areas and do not have easy access to medical and dental care.
• Reverend Father Edgar Abano, one of many who were called to the service of God but few were finally chosen. He completed his degree in theology and ordained for the Catholic priesthood in the USA. He is now a parish priest in Piscataway, New Jersey and very active in the propagation and teaching of the Kapampangan language as well as in the study and research of Kapampangan culture and history.
• Reverend Father Rodel Balagtas, another loyal servant of God who serves as parish priest of the Catholic community in Valinda, California and officiates as Spiritual Director of Club Minalin USA.
• Chito D. Pabustan, a former star athlete in Calgary, Canada is the eldest son of the former Crescencia Deang of Minalin and Engr. Eduardo Pabustan of Bacolor. He is a young and innovative architect who is currently making a name for himself in structural design, real estate development and building construction in Canada. He earned two degrees in Architecture and Environmental Science from the University of Waterloo and became a partner in a big architectural firm with expertise in landscape, architecture and environmental planning after three years of employment.
• Rona Y. Mercado, lovely daughter of Remigio and Rachel Yujuico Mercado. Endowed with intelligence and exceptional beauty, she is an outstanding newsletter editor, civic-spirited youth leader and an honor student at California State University at Long Beach. She was honored by Mayor O’Connor of San Diego, California by bestowing on her with a Leadership and Courage Award for her active support to the Make-A-Wish Foundation and as a patient advocate for the terminally ill. She also represented Minalin in a recent popularity pageant in California and assisted in raising thousands of dollars for the Mt. Pinatubo victims in Pampanga.

There are many Minalenians who immigrated to foreign countries like the USA and Canada for adventure and economic reasons for which they are very successful and do not forget where they came from and help in many ways their fellow townmates. Among these successful Minalenios are former presidents of Club Minalin of Southern California, Atty. Benjie Lopez, a legal luminary, socio-civic leader and a descendant of the founders of Minalin, Chito Mandap, an engineering consultant by profession and the chaiman of the United Pampanga Leaders Council in Southern California, Thess Figueroa, Rina Bentajado, Jessie Yambao, Nida Panlilio, successful businessman Sam Pingol from the illustrious Pingol clan of Minalin which produced Cabeza de Barangay Don Crisanto Pingol, Capitan Mayor Don Alejandro Pingol and Honorable Mayor Dr. Sabas N. Pingol. Carrying on the torch of community service and outstanding leadership for 1998-1999 are the energetic club presidents Jess Panlilio and Bessie Macapinlac-Mandap, a descendant of the famous Macapinlac family and beautiful wife of United Pampanga Leaders Council chairman Chito Mandap.