23.THE AYUYAOS OF MAGALANG

Magalang is very diversified in terms of its population. But others are migrants itself who they found their long lasting serenity in this town. Aside from natives, Chinese are the second dominant group composed of then small population of Magalang. Perhaps, the one of the famous Chinese families found Magalang as their new sanctuary is the Ayuyaos. A certain Chinese mestizo from Bacolor, Pampanga; Isidoro Licup Ayuyao established its connection to this town by marrying a certain woman, who was the one of the pioneers of sweets industry of this town, in the name of Ana Pineda David. The couple produced eleven children and their children are, Isidoro married to a schoolteacher with British stock, Leoncia Garife; Servillano married to Petra Feliciano; Trinidad married to Jose Sanchez; Claro married to Librada Mungcal; Ricardo married to Felisa Naguit; Conrado married to Josefina Rodrigo, a sister of the late Senator Francisco "Soc" Rodrigo; Porfirio married to Victoria Padilla; Magdalena married to Dominador Tumang; Rafael married to Soledad Avenir; Nunilon and Gregorio are unmarried for the rest of their lives. 

Almost of their children established their illustrious careers in various fields. Isidoro finished his law degree in the University of the Philippines; while Servillano practiced his medical profession in Magalang. Claro, practiced his dental profession also in Magalang.  He was the one of the founding members of Pampanga Dental Association, and subsequently, he was elected first president of PDA in 1931. Gregorio finished his medical degree in University of Santo Tomas; and he was credited for conducting a first successful amputation operation for the injured; due to train accidents. Ayuyaos has their hearts also to provide public service to their fellowmen. Servillano was elected mayor of Magalang in 1934; while his brother Porfirio, was elected mayor of then prosperous town of Ormoc, Leyte. Nunilon served as one of the municipal treasurers of Magalang. 

However, it was during the Japanese period when the Ayuyaos were became well known. When Mayor Jose M. Navarro was killed by the guerrillas, Japanese appointed Isidoro to become new mayor of Magalang. Isidoro bore the brunt of his risky responsibility to protect his town mates against the abuses of the Japanese.  Due to his cruel experiences, Isidoro and his family left Magalang and they temporarily reside in Paniqui, Tarlac; however, due to encouragement of Magaleños to continuously serve their beloved town, he returned to Magalang. He later established the Magalang Social Service League to provide basic services to Magaleños affected by the war. After the war, Isidoro dreamed to provide quality education by putting up a  first  secondary school in Magalang. This school was finally born in 1946 and it was christened as the Magalang Institute. This school was one of the catalyst to provide the young Magaleños a good quality secondary education. Magalang Institute; also known as MI is the one of the leading educational institutions in Magalang up to the present. However, in 1951, Isidoro, Nicasio Sebastian, his running mate; Martiniano Soliman, campaign manager and Ceferino Feliciano attended a meeting in sitio Tambacan in barrio San Francisco. While the meeting was going on, a band of Huks surfaced and they're abducted; and up to this day, their whereabouts are still unknown.  

At the present, Ayuyaos is still as one of the known families in Magalang. One of the known descendants of the Ayuyaos are; Elmer Cato, Charge' d' Affaires' of the Philippines in Iraq; Lourdes Sanchez-Carreon; who continued their legacy in sweets industry through their famous Carreon's Sweets and Pastries. In the fields of education, one of the well known is Dr. Nunilon G. Ayuyao; she was a former dean in Angeles University Foundation and she is the present president of Magalang Institute. Other known Ayuyao educators are Carmelita Mandig, former registrar of Pampanga State Agricultural University, and Magdalena G. Sarmiento, a retired teacher from Magalang Elementary School. Present Ayuyaos continued also their legacies in the fields of law and medicine. One of them is Atty. Angelo Ayuyao and his brother, Dr. Fernando Ayuyao, a lung surgeon.   

Photo Credit:

Atty. Isidoro D. Ayuyao; provided by Dr. Ignacio P. Morales

Sources:

Bartolo, Louie Aldrin L. and Dizon Lino L., The Magalang Book: The Historical Life and Culture of a Kapampangan Town (1605-2015), Manila; National Commission for Culture and the Arts, pages 123, 126 to 128, 130 and 131; 2016

Additional information provided by: Dr. Nunilon G. Ayuyao, one of the children of former mayor, Atty. Isidoro D. Ayuyao