THE GUIANG PATRIARCH IN PAOAY

We have a few Guiang personalities in Paoay who belong to the family of the patriarch.  Pascual I (4th generation and one of the great grandsons of DON MARTIN GUIANG) was the only one with known historical record, which was the basis of  the two cousins, Hilario Pobre Guiang and Mauro Guiang Fuertes, in tracing and producing the genealogy of the Guiangs.  After over 20 years and upon returning from the USA in 1950, both worked and produced the Guiang Family Tree from 1956 to 1967.  Hence, most of the information in this web site is about the generations of Pascual I.  Below are the direct generations of Pascual I: 

Pascual I married Paula Lazaro and had seven children:  Ramon, Saturnina, Camila, Eustaquia, Juana, Tiburcia and Lorenza.  Only Ramon and Saturnina got married.  Ramon  married Faviana Abrajano Pobre and set a wonderful record in begetting children.  Believe it or not, the couple had twelve children, namely: Hilario, Luisa, Catalina, Leon, Maria Natividad, Eufrocina, Leoncia, Maria Concepcion, Sergio, Pascual II, Bienvenida, and Maximo. They were said to be the Guiang family’s Magic 12, 6^th generation of DON MARTIN GUIANG.

Being the eldest in the family, Hilario proved to be the model of his younger brothers and sisters.  With his courage, guts and determination, together with his 1st degree cousins, Mauro Guiang  Fuertes, and Fernando Pobre Reyno, he spent challenging and adventurous life in the United States of America and Canada in 1900 thru 1950s. As working students, Hilario and Mauro attended University of Cincinnati in Ohio.  Hilario also attended St. Cloud State University in Minnesota.  Both received Bachelors Degree in Education.  The two decided to stay single and spent their retirement life in Paoay, Ilocos Norte. Their cousin Fernando went home ahead to the Philippines and raised his own family. 

Luisa, Catalina, Leon, Maria Natividad, Eufrocina, Maria Concepcion, and Bienvenida like their oldest brother remained single.  Leoncia, an elementary public school teacher, was married to Quirino Gonzales and had a child who died infant.

SERGIO POBRE GUIANG was the 9th son of Ramon and Fabiana.  He joined the US Army and was an undisputed hero in the infamous bloody Korean War in l950.   A freedom fighter, Sergio was a brave soldier who died with his boots on. During the same year, he was posthumously awarded the Purple Heart by the United States of America (US National Archives and Records Administration)

 The high-class award signed by US President Harry Truman reads:

“Private First Class Sergio P. Guiang, RA XXXXXXXX, Infantry, died in the military operations in Korea on August 3l, l950.  He stands in the unbroken line of patriots who have dared to die that freedom might live and grow and increase its blessings. Freedom lives and through it, he lives in a way that humbles the undertakings of most men.”

Sergio or Serapio, as called by his family and close friends, is  a great HERO and proudly honored not only by the Guiang Family, but the United States of America.  He sacrificed his life to give freedom and peace to our generations.

PASCUAL POBRE GUIANG is the 10th in the Family Circle of 12.  A government educator for many decades, he retired as District Supervisor in the Isabela School Division of the Department of Education in 1970s.  His 43-long-year service in the academia  impressed both his peers and superiors owing to his untarnished record and sterling achievements. Prior to his career in education, when the World War II broke out in 1945 he joined the USAFFE (United States Armed Forces in the Far East) in Northern Luzon under the 14th Infantry, 5th Battalion, as member of the “Bolo” men unit with the rank of Major.  He served as a trusted aide under the anti-Japanese guerilla unit of resistant leader Col. Fernando Bernolo Ramos, his father-in-law.  At the height of the Japanese Occupation in Isabela, he was held by the enemy as one of the 50 prisoners of war (POWs).  He and his captive comrades were incarcerated in a garrison for four days and nights without food or water.  All were severely tortured and beaten as they were tagged as suspects in the ambush-slaying of four Japanese soldiers in the area.  Unfortunately, the Col. Fernando B. Ramos guerilla unit was never recognized by the post-war government, and the bolo men were not compensated compared to their lucky counterparts who received back-pay and other war claim benefits. When Col. Fernando B. Ramos died of old age in his residence at the Veterans Village in Project 7, Quezon City, Philippines, some Philippine Veterans Administration Office top guns formally attended his funeral and draped his casket with a Filipino flag in recognition of his bravery and heroism during the Second World War.

Pascual II is married to Eufresina, the eldest daughter of spouses Fernando Ramos and Dativa Abenoja who hailed from Munoz, Nueva Ecija and migrated later to Isabela where they lived there as pioneers.  The young Pascual and Eufresina first met each other at Isabela and after being engaged for several months, they got married in 1930s.  After the Liberation Period (postwar era), the couple built a two-story house in a sprawling lot compound at  Roxas Town where they raised all their 8 children.  Pascual and Eufresina have 17 grandchildren and 7 great-grandchildren. Three married children are now living in California and Nevada.

Pascual II and his wife retired at the Guiang ancestral home in Paoay. The couple celebrated their Golden Wedding Anniversary in mid '80s.  They renewed their marriage vows in a grand ceremony held at Paoay’s St. Augustine Catholic Church, attended by their children, relatives, and friends.

In 1980s, both rejoined their children in California, but after several years the aging couple decided to return home and live in Paoay Town.  In 2002, Mr. and Mr. Pascual P. Guiang II hosted a grand luncheon banquet held at the Sierra Madre ballroom of the five-star Fort Ilocandia Resort Hotel in Calayab, Laoag City near Paoay town to mark their 90's and 80's birthdays, respectively. Hundreds of guests consisting of their children, relatives, and friends graced the four-hour gathering.

MAXIMO POBRE GUIANG is  the youngest brother in Guiang’s “Family Circle of 12” did not live long to see his children’s success.  He passed away years after he retired in the early 1980s as government senior officer at the headquarter of then Philippine Department of Trade and Commerce in Manila.  He was the protégé of their uncle, Philippine ambassador to Egypt Attorney Bartolome Umayam.  Max and his wife Fanie have five children and  four grandchildren. Three children are now living in California.