8.LACSONS: MIGRANTS TURNED INTO GREAT MAGALENO FAMILY

Lucila David Lacson

All we know that Lacsons are one of the powerful clans in the Philippines. They are famous owning large sugar plantations particularly in Iloilo, Negros Provinces and in Pampanga. The Lacsons are believed to be descended from a Chinese migrant in the name of Sung-Lak. His offspring are spread within Manila and surrounding provinces particularly in Pampanga. A certain man named Cristobal Lacson envisioned and dreamed to attain political and economic power in Angeles. He was born around 1799 to a small landowning class family in barrio Malino, San Fernando. He later migrated in nearby town of Angeles to find his luck. He married his first wife, Juliana Supan and they had eight children; Josefa, Hilaria, Bernabela, Dionisia, Pedro, Joaquin, Evaristo and Maria Juliana. He was appointed cabeza de barangay but unfortunately; his first wife died. He later married Agustina Suarez from Angeles and they had twelve children; Lorenzo, Maxima, Florentina, Manuel, Aniceto, Anacleto, Raymunda, Francisco, Pablo, Francisca, and Doroteo. After his children grew up, in 1840, he and his some partners explored thick forested areas located in the foothills of Mt. Arayat. Magalang's town proper that time was in barrio San Bartolome. Cristobal and his partners cleared the thick forest and they converted into a prosperous sugarcane fields. Cristobal later prospered and he was elected as gobernadorcillo of Angeles in 1843. After his brief stint as local chief executive in Angeles, he and his large family settled for good in their new lands which is still part of Arayat. And after the forced transfer of Magalang from San Bartolome to San Pedro Talimunduc in December 13, 1863, Cristobal welcomed the new residents. He donated his large landholdings to become the new town proper of Magalang where the San Bartolome Church stands today and the old cemetery (where the present day Acejo grocery located). He was the one of the Kapampangan donors who donated funds to establish the Colegio de Primaria y Latinidad founded by Don Felino Gil and Fr. Juan Zita in Bacolor, Pampanga (today as Don Honorio Ventura Technological State University) in 1864. Due to his old age, Cristobal died in Magalang and his landholdings located in barrios San Jose, San Francisco, San Pedro and San Antonio all in Magalang was inherited and divided among his children. All of his children to his second wife, Agustina were become new key players in the local government and commerce in Magalang and nearby towns. Three of his sons, Manuel, Aniceto and Anacleto were become gobernadorcillos of Magalang, Pablo served as gobernadorcillo accidental (acting mayor) of Angeles and juez de paz of Magalang, Francisco and Doroteo both served as cabezas de barangay. And even his sons in law; like Maxima's husband Luis Amirante Narciso served gobernadorcillo of Mabalacat in several terms and Raymunda's husband Buenaventura Paras, a native of Mexico, Pampanga served as presidente municipal of Magalang during revolution. Florentina married Domingo Cecilia Agustin, a Chinese mestizo merchant from Malabon and at the same time, he served as cabeza de barangay in Angeles. Cristobal's other grandchildren are also intermarried with powerful families in Magalang and Angeles; spun off a whole offspring of illustrious families such as Narcisos, Parases, Felicianos, Lazatins, Urquicos, etc. 

Today, Lacsons are very popular in their field in local politics, business, culture and religion in Magalang. One good example is Daniel T. Lacson, a descendant of Anacleto served as mayor of Magalang from 1968-1986; and his two sons, Daniel Jr. or fondly known as Joey served as mayor of Magalang from 1988-1998 and Norman who presently serving as vice mayor of Magalang. His daughter in law, Maria Lourdes Paras Lacson was recently elected as first woman mayor of Magalang. Another descendant of Anacleto, Atty. Serafin D. Lacson married the famous Kapampangan writer and academician, Evangelina Hilario, a daughter of revolutionary, Zoilo Hilario. Former Representative Carmelo "Tarzan" Lazatin and his son, Representative Jon Lazatin are both descended from Raymunda's daughter Maria Paras de Feliciano. My great-grandfather, Ricardo Lacson, grandson of Pablo served as one of the longest serving councilors of Magalang in 50s and 60s. His half-brother, Rev. Msgr. Jose T. Lacson served as one of the respected priest in Diocese of Cabanatuan. Another descendant of Pablo, George V. Samson, president of World Medical Relief. A descendant of Maxima, the religious Fr. Tarcisio Maria H. Narciso, OSB, who formerly served as abbot of Abbey of Our Lady of Montserrat of the Benedictine order. Another Lacson in the name of Pacifico Lacson, who also served as councilor of Magalang in 1968; he is a descendant of Manuel. 

Photo Credit: Lucila David Lacson; Dr. Evangelina Lacson collections; Angeles University Foundation, Institute of Kapampangan Studies