Family Historian Prof. Penn Tulabing Larena
I. BACKGROUND INFORMATION
DATE OF BIRTH: Feb 14, 1889
DATE OF DEATH: May 5, 1932
PROMINENCE:, Beauty Queen and First Lady of the Province
BIRTH
PLACE: Bais City ,Negros Oriental 
Early life
Francisca Gomez Baena was born in Hacienda Hangyad Bais City Negros Oriental, the daughter of
Spanish Navy Officer Don Diego Garcia Baena from Cadiz Spain and Brigida
Gonzales Gomez from Avila Spain. Her family Baena la Familia is one of the
oldest and most prominent clan in Bais City Negros Oriental The family trace
back its roots in Cadiz Spain with our patriarch Don. Francisco Paula de Baena
and Doña Maria Antonia Eliza Garcia from a farmer, military and adventurous
traveler who came to the Philippines engaged in the sugar industry.
Family History
In 1871 Cadiz Spain born Don Ramon a Spanish military officer and
brother Don Diego Garcia Baena a Spanish navy officer who was assigned in
Havana,Mexico and Far East the Philippines. After serving the colonial
government they settle in Carcar Cebu and find their way to Negros Island. The
two brothers met the Spanish mestiza Gomez sisters Tomasa and Brigida daughter
of Don Bruno Vaquero Gomez & Ramona Ramos Gonzales established their
hacienda in Bais and Tanjay area.
Her Siblings Ysabel( Married to Jeremias Alcon Teves), Diego (Genara
Bacalso) Bruno (Maria Zamora )Ramona ( lola monay married to Cipriano Rubio
) and Antonio ( married to Dolores Teves Villanueva) .Her first cousin Maria
Antonia Gomez Baena is married to Julian Lajato Teves who built the Almar Hotel
and later Governor of the Province
Chiching as popularly called by family and friends related to the old
Spanish families in Negros Oriental like Gomez,Gonzales,Diago
,Abilla,Burgos,Teves and Vicente Hermanos.
Personal life
She was educated in Assumption Convent Iloilo and after High School she
went to a boarding school in France to learn French Literature and French
language.
After Boarding school, she came back. At 19 Francisca Gomez
Baena became the first "Queen of the DUMAGUETE Carnival” and
“Negros Oriental Carnival Queen”.
She married a young politician
Enrique Cayetano 'Eking” Teves Villanueva son Hermenegildo Regis Villanueva and
Anselma Pinili Teves who became a Governor ( 1916 TO 1925and Congressman (
1925to 1931) in the Province and had 9 children
Her great grandchildren are now famous in their own field Multi-talented Actress Chanda Romero,Political Historian Penn T. Larena, Joseph Albert Basa Music Professor,Redd Villanueva Public School Teacher,John Villanueva Call center industry leader and Mark Duran Event Planner & Scout Manager for Beauty Queen
A life of a Carnival Queen
In 1909 during the leadership of Governor Hermenegildo Teves Villanueva
holding the State Fair for the first time, one of the highlights is the
coronation of the Carnival Queen a pattern of the Manila Carnival Queen in
1908.Doña Asuncion Larena Villanueva was the chairman of the event later became
her sister in law .Chiching was toasted up by her cousins Ramon and Jose Baena
to participant in the event. The official float of Carnival Queen was made
possible by relatives and friends like Pedro Tapia, Bruno Baena, Pedro Teves
and
Ramon Baena.Her official escort is Jose Baena and during the parade her
younger brother Antonio Gomez Baena
The following year 1910 she was crowned as Bais Carnival Queen. She met
his charming escort Enrique Cayetano 'Eking” Teves Villanueva and she marries
him in 1912 with a grand wedding in Bais Negros Oriental in a Protestant Church
Unlike today’s rigorous pageant training, candidates for the crown back
then relied heavily on a woman’s upbringing, education, and social status.
Hacienderos would sponsor a candidate’s campaign to run for the crown. Many of
the candidates were students, both high school graduates and attended good
education in Europe many of the queens were also from prominent families with a
distinguished lineage. In some instances, they would attend the event organized
by the government and charity activities.
In 1929, Negros Oriental held another provincial fair
to celebrate their foundation day and to mark their prosperity and progress,
primarily driven by their sugar industry. Chosen to reign as was the
lovely Victorina Antonio. As Queen of the Negros Oriental
Carnival Fiesta, she ruled over 70,000 people for two weeks of festivities.
.Chiching Baena Villanueva was the chairman of the search for Queen of
the Negros Oriental Carnival Fiesta.
From Beauty Queen to First Lady
In 1914 when her husband run for the Mayorship for Bais she supported
his campaign from barangay to barangay, distribution of food pack and campaign
materials. Meeting the barangay leaders are a few of her role as the wife of a
politician.
When the husband won in the Provincial Level as Governor her role as the
first lady of the Province.Chiching was asked to lead to organized the
inaugural ball of the new capitol building in Feb 25,1925. It was followed by a
program and reception given by the governor.In the evening the capitol building
became a great ballroom crowded with provincial officials, prominent officials
of Dumaguete and other towns and young ladies and gentlemen of the towns.
First
lady to Assemblyman Spouse
She was so involved in the civic organization in Manila like the
Philippine Tuberculosis Society, Inc, American National Red Cross (ANRC),Women
Club of Manila, Family Population Commission and Manila Art Club. As a painter,
she did volunteering as an art teacher in tondo to help children want to learn
drawing and painting. She also volunteers to help the wives of Army personnel.
Her life was well lived from being a beauty queen to a first lady. Before her
death, she helped the suffrage movement in Negros Oriental for women rights
She belong to a light Roman Catholic umbrage but she followed her
husband to the Protestant Faith. She died in 1932 was laid to rest in the
Villanueva La Familia Sementeryo in Talungon Bais City
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