Kapampangan People - Prominent Kapampangans - History, Politics and Religion

History, Politics and Religion

• Francisco Tongio Liongson, doctor and statesman, was a native of Pampanga's ancient capital, Villa de Bacolor, who became Pampanga's governor and its first senator.
• Pedro Tongio Liongson, lawyer and judge, was a native of Pampanga's ancient capital, Villa de Bacolor, who served as member of the Malolos Congress (1898-1899) and as Judge Advocate General of the Army of the First Philippine Republic (1899-1900).
• Reynaldo Vitug Reyes - is a native of Maligaya, Floridablanca, Pampanga who became Major General of the Philippine Air Force (PAF) and known as the first Floridablancan Air Force General.
• Benigno Aquino, Jr. - was a senator whose assassination triggered the events that led to the People Power Revolution.
• José Abad Santos - was a native of the City of San Fernando who became the 5th Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines. He was killed by Japanese forces during the occupation of the Philippines in World War II.
• Pedro Abad Santos- was a doctor, lawyer, Marxist, and politician who later became a leader of the first of two Communist rebellions from the 1930s to the 1950s. He was the older brother of José Abad Santos.
• Félix Manalo - founder of the religious organization Iglesia ni Cristo.
• Eliseo Soriano - (he was born in Pasay City Of Manila)evangelist and presiding minister of the Philippine-based Members Church of God International. He is known as Bro. Eli in his radio and television programs Ang Dating Daan (The Old Path).
• Satur Ocampo - co-founder of the National Democratic Front, he is a politician, journalist, and writer. Also a representative for the Bayan Muna party in the Lower House of Philippine Congress.
• Luis Taruc - was a political figure and Communist revolutionary. He was the leader of the Hukbalahap rebel group between 1942 and 1954.
• Rufino Jiao Santos - was the Archbishop of Manila from 1953 to 1973 and was the first Filipino to be named Cardinal.
• Don Juan Macapagal - Datu of Arayat, was the great-grandson of Lakandula. He was given the title Maestre de Campo General of the natives Arayat, Candaba and Apalit for his aid in suppressing the Kapampangan Revolt of 1660 and was the only native in the Philippines to become an encomendero.
• Dr. Rey B. Aquino - was the former mayor of San Fernando City and the CEO of Philippine Health Insurance.
• Tito Morales Mendiola - was the former mayor of Floridablanca and the Senior Vice President of Philippine Health (PHILHEALTH) Insurance for Operations and Area Vice President for Mindanao.
• Diosdado Pangan Macapagal - was the 9th President of the Republic of the Philippines and a native of Lubao, Pampanga.
• Eddie Panlilio - the first Catholic priest in the Philippines to be elected as a provincial governor. Transformer of the Traditional Politics in the Philippines to promote Good Governance.
• Yeng Guiao - the Vice-governor of Pampanga and a professional basketball head coach for the Red Bull Barako in the Philippine Basketball Association. Guiao won four PBA titles since starting his head coaching job for Swift in the early 1990s. He is a former Philippine Basketball League commissioner from 1997-2000.
• Gil J. Puyat - was a Senate President of the Philippines from 1967 to 1972.
• Rogelio dela Rosa - was one of the most popular Filipino matinee idols of the 20th century and was elected to the Senate in 1957. He was also the first film actor able to parlay his fame into a political career, paving the way for other Filipino entertainers-turned-politicians. He had an equally famous brother, Jaime dela Rosa, also a matinee idol in the 1950s.
• Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan - senator and husband of celebrity Sharon Cuneta
• Artemio Panganiban - 21st Supreme Court Chief Justice of the Philippines. His ancestors originated from Pampanga and then later generations migrated to Manila.
• Randy David - a political analyst, newspaper columnist and a professor at the University of the Philippines in Diliman.
• Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo - was the 14th President of the Republic of the Philippines. A daughter of the 9th President of the Republic Diosdado Macapagal, she was the country's first female Vice President during the tenure of Joseph Estrada.
• Armando Biliwang - was a municipal mayor of San Fernando and was well known for his fearless stand against Communism during his term as municipal councilor and mayor.
• Manny Bamba Villar – one of past Senate Presidents. His mother from the Bamba clan hails from Pampanga.
• Benigno S. Aquino III - incumbent President of the Republic of the Philippines.

Arts and Culture

• Anselmo Jorge Fajardo - Father of Kapampangan Literature. Author of the first and longest longest metrical romance in any Philippine language, Gonzalo de Cordoba. He was a native delegate to the Spanish Cortez.

• Juan Crisostomo Soto - Kapampangan writer, revolutionary leader and veteran of the Philippine–American War. Father of Kapampangan poetic debate, Crissotan, and author of "Alang Dios" (There is no God), Perlas quing Burac, Anac ning Katipunan, Lydia and many others Zarzuelas and Playwrights.
• Francisco Alonso Liongson - Outstanding Philippine playwright in Spanish and founding president of Circulo Escenico, Pampanga's Spanish theatrical group that became nationally renowned.
• Aurelio Tolentino - one of the mystics of the Katipunan, a compadre of Andres Bonifacio, a nationalist writer in both Kapampangan and Tagalog. He coined the word dula for drama and ironically became known in history as the Father of Tagalog Drama for his anti-US colonial masterpiece Kahapon, Ngayon at Bukas. A theatre at the Cultural Center of the Philippines is named Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino in his honor.
• Jose Gallardo - Kapampangan Poet Laureate and one of the most prolific Kapampangan writers of the late 20th century.
• Amado Yuzon - Kapampangan Poet Laureate, was a Philippine academic, journalist, and writer.
• Alejandro T. Quiboloy - Kapampangan educator, public servant, writer and Protestant minister. Born in Lubao, Pampanga on May 3, 1909.
• Vicente Manansala - a National Artist of the Philippines in Visual Arts, was a direct influence on his fellow Filipino neo-realists.
• Isidoro C. Soto Born on April 4, 1918 in Suban Bacolor, Pampanga. One of the greatest artist-decorator-designers of Pampanga. One of his living artworks is the ceiling painting of Betis church, painted with Dr. Juco as his mentor. He was also the designer of the logo of Philippine Rabbit Bus Liner. He used to decorate for Circulo Fernandino, Batu-Balani, Old legs, Circilo Masantoleno, to name a few. He is a descendant of Juan Crisostomo Soto, the famous Pampango poet. Isidoro died at the age of 70 on June 9, 1988.
• Ambeth Ocampo - is a Filipino historian, academic, journalist and author best known for his column in the Philippine Daily Inquirer, "Looking Back."
• Gene Gonzales - nationally renowned chef, restaurateur, educator management consultant and author. He is the author of Cocina Sulipeña: Culinary from Old Pampanga.
• Don Zoilo Hilario - a member of the Institute of National Language who dedicated his life to imposing the ABAKADA on Kapampangan writing through the Akademyang Kapampangan, the organization he created.
• Mon David - is a jazz singer from Sto. Tomas, Pampanga. He won the grand prize in the prestigious 2006 London International Jazz Competition (LIJC).
• Eduardo Mutuc - is a 2005 NCCA GAMABA National Living Treasure Awardee for upholding the traditional Kapampangan art of pinukpuk or silver inlaying and embossing on retablos, carosas and altar pieces.
• Brillante Mendoza - is a Filipino film director who won the award for Best Director for his film Kinatay at the recently concluded 62nd Cannes Film Festival in France.