<< Cont'd from Chapter 7, Page 4

      Many Pagsanjeños have an inherent talent for art. Unfortunately, only a few of them bothered to develop it. Thus until the present day no Pagsanjeños has ever finished from any school of fine arts, except four who finished the architectural course and became professional architects. These are Ceferino Cabreza, Eusebio (Bobby) Abella, Jr., Aida Cruz (now Mrs. Formoso), and Olga Yaneza.
      Famous artist of Imelda Marcos is Oscar de Zalameda, famous for his original oil paintings.
      At least, two living Pagsanjeños are known to be gifted artists. Despite their lack of formal training in painting, they have produced paintings of remarkable artistry. The first is Mario Macalalag, better known in the local movie world as the dashing Mario Montenegro, hero of many thrilling motion pictures. He is a gifted son of Gerardo Macalalag, former vice-mayor of Pagsanjan, and Desiree Collin (French woman).
      The second is Delfin Resoso, a popular house painter. It is a pity that his inborn gift for painting is being wasted on commercial sign boards and buildings. Being a poor man, he has to do such an artisan job in order to make a living. If he, as well as Mario, had been given the opportunity of tutorship under such masters of brush as Fabian de la Rosa, Fernando Amorsolo, and Victoria C. Edades, they could have become great artists.

Pagsanjeños in World of Science

      The first Pagsanjeño to practice medicine in town was Dr. Narciso Cordero, Sr., a graduate of the UST College of Medicine and Surgery. He rose to prominence during the early years of the American regime. After him, came other Pagsanjeño doctors, namely Dr. Dolores Zafra, first lady physician of Pagsanjan; Dr. Rosendo R. Llamas, distinguished obstetrician; Dr. Zosimo Fernandez, successful general practitioner in Laguna; Dr. Ramon Abarquez, Jr., heart specialist; Dr. Sixto Maceda, gynecologist; Dr. Pedro Lavadia, surgeon; Dr. Zozimo (Boy) Fernandez, Jr., internal medicine; Dr. Gracia Fernandez Ramos, pediatrician; Dr. Eufemio Macalalag, Jr., urologist; Dr. Jaime C. Zaguirre, brain surgeon, famous psychiatrist; Dr. Ildefonzo Gomez, therapeutist; and Dr. Cipriano Abaya, former director of the provincial hospitals in Vigan and Bacolod.
      A Pagsanjeño physician who has attracted international attention is Dr. August E. Hocson, chief flight surgeon of the Philippine Airlines (PAL) and a retired surgeon general of the Armed Forces of the Philippines with the military rank of colonel. He represented the Philippines in the 21st International Congress of Aviation and Space Medicine at Munich, West Germany.
      The first Pagsanjeño dentist was Dr. Antonio Llamas, Sr. After him, appeared other dental graduates from Pagsanjan, such as Dr. Concita Cabreza Zalamea, first Pagsanjeña dentist, who is still practicing her profession as lady dentist at the FEU Dental Clinic; Dr. Mariano Macalalag, former vice-mayor of Pagsanjan; Dr. Salvador Umale, former municipal councilor of Pagsanjan, and Dr. Felix Yan, also a former municipal councilor and is now practicing his dental profession in Manila.
      The first Pagsanjeño to become a pharmacist was Exequiel Zaide, a graduate of UST College of Pharmacy. After graduation in 1905, he worked for some years as assistant pharmacist at Botica Boie in Escolta Manila. He returned to Pagsanjan in 1911 and established "Farmacia Zaide", the first drug store in town.
      Of international prestige as a scientist was Dr. Felix Hocson, former dean of the U.P. College of Pharmacy and member of the National Research Council of the Philippines. He represented the Philippines in the United States Pharmacopoeial Convention held in Washington, D.C., in 1940.
      Other pharmacists produced by Pagsanjan are the Cordero sisters: Elisa Cordero Rivera, wife of Godofredo Rivera, and Pacita Cordero Galian, wife of Dr. Galian; Mrs. Consuelo Francia Unson (widow of Salvador Unson); Mr. Eriberto Rivera, chief pharmacist of Metro Drug (Manila); Mrs. Maria Aquino, who is also a fine singer.
      The pioneer nurses from Pagsanjan are Miss Asuncion Alvarado, Mrs. Timotea F. Fernandez (widow of Dr. Zosimo Fernandez), Mrs. Cornelia Bermudez Maceda, and Mrs. Inocencia Zaide Gatchalian. They were all graduate of the School of Nursing of St. Luke Hospital (Manila). After them, many Pagsanjeñas took up nursing because of the great demand for nurses in the United States, Canada, England, Holland, and other foreign countries.
      The first Pagsanjeña to achieve distinction in science is Mrs. Carmen Llamas Intengan, a nationally known authority on nutrition. She was a recipient of the Presidential Award on Science in 1968.
      Pagsanjan has produced many good engineers. Among them may be mentioned German Yia, a mechanical engineer who became a ranking officer of the well known Atlantic Gulf Company; Gonzalo Abaya, distinguished electrical engineer in Manila; his younger brothers Angel Abaya and Alberto Abaya, both civil engineers; Ramon Abarquez, Sr., mining engineer who had been connected with the Bureau of Mines; Leopoldo Abad, a retired electrical engineer of the MERALCO; Escolastico (Tico) Lavadia Fernandez, former civil engineer of the city of Manila; Serafin Limuaco, civil engineer and contractor of public works in Manila and the provinces; Ramon Mijares, Jr., civil engineer who had built the water system in the city of Brunei and now practicing his profession in Pagsanjan; and Tito Rivera, civil engineer and popular contractor of public works in Laguna.