My Suggestion for your New Year Resolution-Take a Power Nap

Do you believe in the benefits of the power nap ? I am a believer and a practitioner of this activity because it boost my memory, creativity, and energy level during my working hours and even after work at home. I had been power napping, since I first started working for FDA in 1990 and until my retirement in 2002. Today I still Power nap at home even for just 15 minutes whenever I can.

According to Dr. Sara C. Mednick, PhD, sleep expert and author of Take a Nap! Change Your Life.

"You can get incredible benefits from 15 to 20 minutes of napping, You reset the system and get a burst of alertness and increased motor performance".

According to the article from WebMD, the length of your nap and the type of sleep you get help determine the brain-boosting benefits. The 20-minute power nap. sometimes called the stage 2 nap which is good for alertness and motor learning skills like typing and playing the piano.

What happens if you nap for more than 20 minutes? Research shows longer naps help boost memory and enhance creativity. Slow-wave sleep -- napping for approximately 30 to 60 minutes which is good for decision-making skills, such as memorizing vocabulary or recalling directions.

When I was still working for FDA ( 1990 to 2002), I take power naps during my one hour lunch break. I take a nap whenever I can, that is if we do not have all day meetings with the pharmaceutical companies, or seminars and emergency project meetings.

My office was very conducive and had ultimate privacy when it comes to power naps. Speaking of offices in FDA, during my working years at the agency, I had offices ranging from small and no windows to an office with 3 windows with venetian blinds and big enough for a sofa and lounging chair.

During my first 6 months in FDA my office was in the old Parklawn Building in Rockville, MD. I had even to share the office with another review chemist. The opportunity to take a power nap is zero except when my office mate went out to lunch and I had packed my lunch before I left for the office.

During this period at about 3PM, two hours before closing time, I could barely open my eyes and my productivity is almost zero as a chemistry reviewer. When I arrived from the office after saying Hello to my wife and kids, I take a 30 minutes nap. After my nap, I am ready for dinner and conversation with the family. This has been my habit until my retirement in 2002. The kids when they were still small know not to bug me when I arrived from work and not until I have my nap.

In 1995 our Division ( Anti-Infective Drug Products) moved to a newer building with bigger offices with windows, new furniture and computers. As a reviewer with five years seniority I was entitled to have an office with one window by myself. During lunch time, I could closed my office and take a nap between 15 to 20 minutes.

When I was promoted to Chemistry Team Leader in 1998, my office had three windows and space big enough to bring my own private lounging chair and sofa, a small microwave oven and a small refrigerator. With the oven and the small refrigerator, I brought my own lunch every day except on Fridays when our team went out to lunch. This office set-up was perfect for power napping.

In FDA at the time, the sizes of the offices had direct connection to your position. Specifically, the reviewers ( chemists, medical officers, pharmacologists/toxicologists, project managers) have offices with one window. The team leaders could have offices from 2 to 3 windows. The directors and up will have offices with 4 windows or more, depending on their seniority and location of the office buildings. The size of your office is a status symbol, indeed!

May I conclude this article that power naps had made me a productive and happy Federal employee from 1990 to 2002.

Today, I still practice my after lunch nap whenever I am at home which is almost every day except on Tuesday when my wife and I are gallivanting to the Indian Casino near our home.

I suggest you start taking power naps as your New Year resolution. I guarantee you will like it.

Celebrate New Year's Eve by Playing Mahjong

Have you heard of the tile game mahjong? I associate the word mahjong with the following: childhood and teenage years, my mother, addiction and relatives and Barotac Viejo, Iloilo. How about you? If you are not going out, I suggest play mahjong to celebrate your New Year's eve.
A Mahjong Set

I learned this tile game when I was a child. It is mostly a game of luck, once you learned the basics of the game. This tile game is similar to the card game, gin rummy, but played with tiles. It is a game that most Filipina housewives are addicted to. I am sure if you reside in the Philippines or Hongkong, this game must be very familiar to you. You may be even addicted to it.

My mother taught me as well as my brothers and sisters how to play mahjong when we were growing up in the Philippines. We have two mahjong sets in the house. The cheap one was made of plastic which we used quite often and the expensive one made of ivory. The one made of ivory, we only used on special occasion when we celebrate birthdays, weddings and other special events when I was growing up in the Philippines.

According to my mother, I started playing mahjong very well when I was only 5 years old. It is a game of luck with a little skill involve once you learn the basics. I also learned how to play a card game called "Pangingue" in the Philippines, probably similar to pinochle, but different from gin rummy. Mahjong can be played on line or you can buy a disk and play it in your computer.

I have a disk (Hongkong mahjong) in my computer, but it has been a while since I played this game. Mahjong like any gambling game is very addictive. I have heard that a close relatives in the Philippines died of tuberculosis(TV) because he played mahjong almost all day and do nothing else. Unbelievable,if this is true.

Mahjong rules and specifics varies from region to region in the Philippines, but it is still a favorite past time of the middle class in the Philippines. A lot of Filipina housewives are addicted to mahjong. Besides mahjong there are two card games popular in Marinduque and other parts of the Philippines are PIKWA and TONG-IT. A number of housewives in my neighborhood in Amoingon, Boac, Marinduque play Tong-it every afternoon, both for recreation and a little gambling activity. We play Tong-it during a party break as a family game but no betting involved, when we are in Marinduque.

For rules and instruction how to play Mahjong read Wikipedia or ask a friend or relative for a demonstration. Once you learned the game, be careful it could be very, very addictive. But again, it is an excellent way to get rid of your boredom and the long, long hot summer in the Philippines. Here's a summary of the game from Wikipedia.org

"Mahjong, also spelled majiang, mah jongg, and numerous other variants, is a game that originated in China. It is commonly played by four players (with some three-player variations found in South Korea and Japan). The game and its regional variants are widely played throughout Eastern and South Eastern Asia and have a small following in Western countries. Similar to the Western card game rummy, mahjong is a game of skill, strategy, and calculation and involves a degree of chance.

The game is played with a set of 144 tiles based on Chinese characters and symbols, although some regional variations use a different number of tiles. In most variations, each player begins by receiving 13 tiles.(In Iloilo we used 16 tiles) In turn players draw and discard tiles until they complete a legal hand using the 14th drawn tile to form four groups (melds) and a pair (head). There are fairly standard rules about how a piece is drawn, stolen from another player and thus melded, the use of simples (numbered tiles) and honors (winds and dragons), the kinds of melds, and the order of dealing and play. However there are many regional variations in the rules; in addition, the scoring system and the minimum hand necessary to win varies significantly based on the local rules being used".

So my dear friends and relatives, if you have nothing else to do this new year why not play mahjong?

Dodie Katague will be the Guest Speaker of Sons in Retirement

My oldest son, Dodie will be the guest speaker of SIR( Walnut Creek Branch) this coming January 8, 2015 ( see announcement at bottom of the page). This is the first time I heard of this organization, Sons in Retirement, so I was curious and googled it. The following is information I found in the web. There is a branch here in the Sacramento area # 69. I am interested in joining the group if they have a duplicate bridge group since I do not play golf.



Who we are and what we do...

As they say in New Orleans,"Laissez les bons temps Rouler". Let the good times roll. Fun is what we're all about.

We are Branch 146 of Sons in Retirement (SIR), part of a larger organization with branches in many communities in Central and Northern California. The purpose of SIR is to provide opportunities for retired men to socialize. The number of members in Branch 146 is about 270 - large enough to provide opportunities for members to renew old friendships and to develop new friends by participating in any number of many activities that might be of interest to them. Branch 146 holds its luncheons in the Boundary Oak Golf Course Clubhouse in Walnut Creek on the 2nd Thursday of the month.

Branch 146 members are a congenial group of guys. A lot of friendships have been formed over the years since the branch's inception in 1988. Energy and a willingness to contribute to the good of the branch are personal qualities that have been dominant factors in our steady growth.

Golfing remains the largest activity, involving half the membership. Foursomes for regular Tuesday golf are selected randomly using an innovative computer program, which ensures that members play with different players each week. In addition, there are many "away golf" outings throughout the year, some of which include golfers from other branches. Bowling is another activity. Our bowlers participate in a larger bowling league and in state and other local tournaments. Bocce ball, table pool, duplicate bridge, party bridge, and cribbage are also part of the branch's activities scheduled once or twice per month. Many other social groups round out the weekly and monthly social calendars, including four cooking groups, fishing, gardening, investment, four poker groups, SongSirs, theater, veterans, and walkers. Importantly, members' spouses and significant others participate in special social activities including scheduled dances, couples' bridge, ladies day luncheons, wine tasting events, and travel both domestically and internationally.

The Sons in Retirement organization and especially SIR Branch 146 is, at least in the hearts and minds of its members, second to none!

• SIR 146 Monthly Luncheon -- 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Jan. 8. Guest speaker will be Deputy District Attorney Dodie Katague, head of High Tech Crimes Unit of the Contra Costa County District Attorney's Office, speaking about "High Tech Crimes." Katague is an expert in the field of high crime and white collar crime and has prosecuted these types of crimes since 2000 for the DA's office. Katague has a nationwide reputation within the law enforcement community and has authored legislation in California related to high-tech issues. Clubhouse at Boundary Oak, 3800 Valley Vista Road, Walnut Creek. $25. Reservations by Jan. 2. 925-937-3833, www.sir146.com.

Wild Turkeys in Our Front Yard and Our Christmas Eve Day

We have lived in our house here in Northern California for 12 years, but yesterday was the first time, Macrine and I saw about ten wild turkeys grazing in our front yard. Yesterday was Christmas Eve. The day was gloomy and a bit foggy. Macrine and I were just relaxing in our living room picture window after breakfast when all of a sudden we saw several wild turkeys leisurely grazing in our front yard. At first we saw a couple, then suddenly about six more just came into our sight. I was thrilled especially when I saw two of the turkeys were white. They stayed for about 3 minutes then walked away across the street and disappeared. This incident was the most unusual event we experienced this Christmas eve day with the exception of the Children Christmas mass that we attended later in the afternoon.



The above incident is a big contrasts of other events happening in our Christmas eve day of 2014. We have received pictures and activities from Amoingon, Boac Marinduque Philippines of the Christmas reunion of Macrine's relatives in our retirement house, Chateau Du Mer. The above picture made us envious but such is life. We hope we can fly to the Philippines after February 8, 2015 if Macrine's is feeling well enough to travel. February 8 is the final performance of the children musical The Velveteen Rabbit, starring my granddaughter Carenna Katague Thompson. The musical play is the first play that Carenna has the leading role and I would not want to miss it.

Some of My Good-Looking Relatives All Over the World

My Six Grand Children, Photo Taken on my 80th Birthday on 12/20/14. From Left to Right- Carenna Katague Thompson (11), Elaine Katague King (22), Ian Katague King (24) Philip Katague (22), Alix Katague (20) and Marina Katague (18).

Recently I joined a secrete FB group named the Balleza clan. After joining this group, I realized the numerous relatives I have on my mother side of the family. Pictures of seconds cousins, third cousins, nieces and nephews on my first and second cousins lines, I viewed with interest and curiosity. I realized I have good looking relatives that I have just meet via FaceBook. The following are some of the photos of a new-found relative as well as old ones that I like to share with you.

Rick Katague-my nephew from London, UK (son of my brother Erico of Jaro, Iloilo)

Reagon Katague Gregorio-my nephew from Kuwait and Philippines ( son of Amor Katague Gregorio from Jaro, Iloilo) -

Joerick Santiago, son of my first cousin Dr Sylvia Balleza Santiago from Boston, MA


Efren Katague and Family-my brother from Australia

"This one's my favourite" | Steph & Dave's Birthday, 2014 from Dave Katague on Vimeo.

I have relatives from Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the UK as well as here in the US. Specifically, I have good looking nephews and nieces in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental,as well as in Iloilo, Philippines. If I have not mention you in this blog, please forgive me. It does not mean you are not handsome or beautiful, because beauty is not only outside but also inside. Again, Merry Christmas and Happy New year to All!

Greatest Compliment of My Culinary Skills and the 80th Birthday Celebration

My 80th Birthday Celebration with Family and Neighbors-Yesterday

The day before my birthday party, I spent about 4 hours preparing a dish that my whole family likes. It is my classic chicken macaroni salad. That day our cleaning ladies)(2 ladies in their late 40's)were also busy cleaning the house for the party. At the end of their cleaning chores, I invited them to taste my chicken macaroni salad. I asked them how is the taste, that is if it needs more sweet relish or mayonnaise.

One of the ladies said the taste is perfect. The other lady exclaimed, Wow, David this is the best tasting salad that I have ever tasted in my life. She wanted the recipe and I give it to her as soon as they left for another cleaning job.


Speaking of cleaning ladies, Macrine and I are lucky to have twice a month the services of these two housekeeping ladies whose company named is called Heavenly Help House Cleaning. Their pay is a compliment of our 4 children. This service was started after my wife was diagnosed with Parkinson Disease. Again, thank you to our dear children Dodie, Dinah, David III and Ditas.
Birthday cake and card from Ditas
One of a few e-card that I received. This one one is from Mariam Mataac.

I like to thank my four children and six grandchildren for making this occasion, a day I will always remember. Specifically to Dinah for managing and set-up ( decor and party utensils), for Ditas for the cake, wine, ice cream) for Dodie for the drinks and for David III for preparing the fruit salad, picking up of food and clean-up. Last but not least to my spouse of 57 years who helped me in the preparation of the chicken Macaroni salad above.

In addition my special thanks to all my FB friends and other relatives( more than 100) who posted their greetings in my timeline, to Agnes Katague Galvin ( my sister from MD) and to Olga and Lito Quiazon ( first cousins from Vancouver) for their personal call and BD greetings.Last but not least to my sister-in-law from Mountain View, Charro Jambalos Levine for the empanadas and my two neighbors, Lina Edison and Dennis & Karen Richardson for the potatoes side dishes. Special thanks to Carenna and Philip for serenading me with their vocal solos and guitar renditions, the entertainment portion during the party.

Most of all thanks to the LORD for all his blessings throughout this eight decades of my life.

Where the Heck is Barotac Viejo, Iloilo?

Recently I was invited to join a FB secret group named the Balleza Clan whose members have roots in Barotac Viejo, Iloilo. I am reposting the following article I wrote about 2 years ago about the town where I grew up. Comments from the clan will be appreciated.

Barotac Viejo, Iloilo, Philippines National High School. Me and My sister (Amor) in front of the Sign at the entrance of the school showing our mother's land Donation to the School

If you have not heard of this place, I do not blame you. It is a 4th class municipality about 60Km North of Iloilo City. Iloilo is one of the four provinces in Panay Island. Panay Island is part of the Western Visayas Region of the Philippines. The Visayas Region is the Central Part of the Philippine Archipelago. You may ask me why I am writing about Barotac Viejo, Iloilo (BVI) . Let me explained.

BVI is the town where I grew up. It is the town where I finished my elementary school years. It is also the town where I finished high school. In 1951 I graduated valedictorian of my high school class. It is the town where I have both pleasant and unpleasant memories of my childhood and teenaged years.

My childhood memories of the American-Japanese war occurred in the town proper, foothills and jungles of this town. ( http://davidbkatague.blogspot.com). My memories of my elementary and high school years as discussed in my autobiography , http://theintellectualmigrant.blogspot.com , (Chapter 2 and 3) also occurred in this town.

When I left BVI in 1951 to pursue my college degree in Iloilo City and later in Diliman, Quezon City, BVI was a 4th class town with less than 5000 residents. Today, Wikipedia states that is still a 4th class municipality, but with around 39,000 residents. When I left BVI in 1955, there was the elementary and high schools, public market, Cockfighting Arena, the Catholic Church, the Post office and one gas station, a couple of hardware stores, a Chinese bakery and may be 100 residential homes in the town proper. Today it is still a 4th class town with more buildings both for business and private homes. The local high school was named to be a national agricultural high school. Part of the land for the school was donated by my uncle ( Jose Balleza) and my mother Paz Balleza ( see photo above). There is a beach resort ( Balaring Beach) about 5 Km from the town proper.

When I left the town in 1955, the mayor of the town was Luis Tupas, a relative of my mother. Today the local politics, are still controlled by the Tupas family and their clan. When I left the town, my parents bestowed me a 12 hectare parcel of rice land as part of my inheritance, as discussed in my blog http://lifeinus1960present.blogspot.com. Today that land has been land reformed and I have not received a single centavo from the Philippine government. What was left of my inheritance is a 2-hectare parcel in the upland area without water irrigation and almost useless for crop growing.

So after all this years, almost 57 years, the town has not really changed. I found a Facebook Page about the town last year. Searching in Google, there is not much information about BVI. If you click on the Image Section, two of my pictures are in the first page.

In 2005, my wife and I accompanied by my sister visited our parents grave in the cemetery of BVI.Me and my wife and sister Amor at the Cemetery. Our old house (located at the back of the Post Office) was gone. The only thing that remained was the foundation stone with the engraving Dolce Building, 1952.

Tears from my eyes flowed like a gentle rain, when I saw that foundation, recalling the pleasant memories of my teen-age years. The house is gone but my memories of BVI will live forever. I wish for a better future for BVI and its residents. If you know of someone from Barotac Viejo, Iloilo, I will appreciate your comments.



The butterfly is a common subject in many Philippine folk dances where the beautiful spread wings is a metaphor of many equally beautiful things like good looks, a delicate kandungga (big triangular scarf) decoration, a blossoming flower, a colorful woman's shawl or a dressed-to-kill woman going to church.

The "Ohoy! Alibangbang" from Negros and "Ining Alibangbang" from Sorsogon are song dances similar to the "Ay, ay Alibangbang!" and "Alibangbang Pula" both from Eastern Samar .

Handsome butterflies may also go courting from flower to flower as in the "Mariposa" of Pangasinan or the "Kuykuyappo" among the Isinay people of Dupax del Sur, Nueva Vizcaya.

Among the Christianized Gaddang and the Yogad people of Isabela and Nueva Vizcaya, the "Balamban" either mimics butterflies or a flying fish.

Tagalog Translation of "Ohoy Alibangbang"
Contributed by Youtuber Ezrach:

OH! PARU-PARO
Trala-lala-lala lala-lala-lala. . .
Oh! Paru-paru kung ikaw ay lumipad
Iyong alalahanin ang lahat ng mga bulaklak
Baka sa huli'y ikaw ay makalimot
Kawawang Gumamela, sa lupa Ahay! mahulog.

Oh! Paru-paru kung ikaw sumipsip ng bulaklak
Iyong alalahanin ang daan na dadaanan mo
Baka sa bandang huli, matinik itong paa mo
Kaawa-awang katawan, masayang lang ang dugo mo.
Trala-lala-lala lala-lala-lala. . .

Here's my rough English Translation

Oh Butterfly, trala-lala-lala-lala-lala
Oh Butterfly When your are flying
Just remember all the flowers
Perhaps later you may forget
Poor Hibiscus(Gumamela) will drop on the ground.

Oh Butterfly sucking the nectar of the flowers
Remember the path of the roads you have pass by
Perhaps later, you feet will get pinch by thorns
I pity your body since you just wasted your blood.
Trala-lala-lala lala-lala-lala..

SOURCE OF INFORMATION:
The Cultural Center of the Philippines Encyclopedia of Philippine Arts.

The Tango and Memories of My Father

When I was a teenager growing up in the 3rd class town of Barotac Viejo, Iloilo, Philippines, My father used to teach us (me and my cousins) how to dance the tango, paso doble, the rumba and the waltz. This music does reminds me of my teenager days. This is one of the many reasons, why my favorite TV shows today are Dancing with the Stars(DWTS) and So You Think You Can Dance(SYTYCD).

I hope you enjoy the following video(s) and related music as much as I do.
Do not forget to view the related videos in this set. I recommend the Tango with the La Cumparsita music. This music was the first tango music my father used to teach us. Pleasant memories indeed!

Handel's Hallelujah and Merry Christmas to All

University of the Philippines Student Catholic Action Choir, 1952
This song reminds me of my student days at the University of the Philippines in the early 1950's. This song is one of the songs the University of the Philippines Student Catholic Action Choir sang in the 1952 Concert. Both Macrine and I will never forget those memories of our student days in UP, Diliman, Q.C., Philippines from 1951-1955. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to All!

Maximize Your Earnings from Your Adsense Account

Photo from adsenseblogforbeginners.com

The following is a reprint from article written by Kevin Sinclair for ezinearticles.com I hope it works for you, since it does not work for me!

When you know what to do - Adsense is quite easy to master. When I want to make about $30 to $35 daily on each site, I follow these Google Adsense tips:

Tip 1: Place Ads Above the Fold

When a page loads, what you see is called the fold. It is important to make sure that Adsense ads are visible without a person having to scroll down. The majority of people surfing the Net won't waste their time with this and often do not scan below the fold.

Tip 2: Do Not Exceed Four Ads For Each Page

This tip does not refer to ad blocks, as I am speaking only about ads. Google has a knack for situating the best advertisements at the top of a page so the fewer ads you display, the more you will receive for each click.

Tip 3: Select Medium Rectangles

When showcasing three ads, I suggest using a rectangle that measures 250 x 250. You may also split test a larger rectangle, but I have found that the best results come with a rectangle of medium size.

Tip 4: Don't Ignore the Power of Blending

You've probably already heard this before, but people are becoming increasingly blind to ads. If something looks like an advertisement, it has a good chance of becoming ignored. This means that your ads need to blend in with your website. I suggest using the same background color and the same size font. Also, blend in borders into the background. And:

Tip 5: Make Links Blue

It doesn't matter what your text or background color is - Adsense links are blue. People view the color blue as a sign that a link is present. The whole point of this entire process is to get people to click on your links - especially when they are attached to Adsense.

Tip 6: Channel Set-Up

When possessing more than one ad unit for each page, make sure to set up a channel for each unit, but also remember not to exceed more than four ads per page. If there is only one ad unit on a page, create a channel for each. Channels are a good way to monitor which ads are making a profit and which ones do not.

Tip 7: Monitor CTR Progress

CTR (Click Through Ratio) is rather important to consider, as it showcases the amount of clicks that are divided by the number of page views. This number is then multiplied by 100. If one of your pages possesses a lower CTR than the rest, you may want to consider altering the content on the page. When following the before-mentioned suggestions, you should have established at least a 5 to 10% CTR. If this is not the case, you may want to reorganize your site.

Tip 8: Constantly Check Adsense Ads for Content Relevancy

At times, some irrelevant Adsense ads will make an appearance on your pages. If so, it is highly recommended to investigate the issue. Some people have found that they had to switch meta tags, while others learned that a single word in the content was influencing efficiency and effectiveness.

When I want to make at least $30 per site on a daily basis, these are the tips that I follow. While I can't promise you that this will generate as much money as I make -I do know that it would be foolish to overlook these easy Adsense tips, as you stand to miss out on making a lot of money.

Kevin Sinclair is the publisher and editor of Be Successful News, a site that provides information and articles on how to succeed in your own home or small business.

Personal Note: I have followed the 8 tips above, But I am lucky if I earned 25 cents a day. Perhaps it is the contents of my blogs that do not attract page views. Correct? Any one dare to comment?

The Life of Jose Rizal

Time for a good movie about a Filipino hero on this rainy day here in Northern California.

Governors and Representatives to Congress of Marinduque, Philippines

The article on Gregorio Nieva, (brother of Juan Morente Nieva-my wife's grandfather) that I reposted yesterday in my blogs reminded me of my posting last year on the list of Governors and Congress Representatives from my second home-the island of Marinduque, Philippines from 1898 to the present. Enjoy if you are a history enthusiasts!

Juan M. Nieva, Lt. Governor, 1907-1916. Macrine Nieva Jambalos Katague( my spouse) grandfather on her maternal side of the Family.

The following is the list of Governors and Representatives to the House of Congress of Marinduque from 1898 to the present. This was published by Eli Obligacion in his blog marinduquegov.blogspot.com about two years ago. I am updating it for this year 2013.

I found it very informative and interesting because it showed that Marinduque is not exempted from the Philippines' Political Dynasty Syndrome. Most of the old names sound very, very familiar to me even though I was not raised in Marinduque. But the three names that I have familial association with are Calixto Nieva ( Macrine's great grandfather, Juan Nieva ( Macrine's, my wife, grand father) and the Celso Preclaro ( Macrine's uncle) who was the governor in 1963-1967.

Engineer Preclaro (from Santa Cruz) was the late husband of Macrine's aunt Tita Ponti( (Faustina) Jambalos from Laylay. Tita Ponti is the older sister of Macrine's Dad, Bernardo Jambalos, Jr of Boac. I used to visit their residence in Sampaloc, Manila, when I was courting Macrine in mid 1950's. Here's the list that is still not complete according to Obligacion.

GOVERNORS OF MARINDUQUE

1898-1901 MARTIN LARDIZABAL Politico-Military Governor
(Appointed Military Governor of Marinduque with Eduardo Nepomuceno as Delegado de Justicia, Tomas Roque as Delegado de Hacienda and Calixto Nieva as Delegado de Policia. Lardizabal was Commandant of the Marinduque Revolutionary Force during the Philippine-American War in Marinduque).

1901-1902 RICARDO G. PARAS, SR.* Provincial Governor of
Tayabas and Marinduque
1902-1904 RICARDO G. PARAS, SR.* Lieutenant Governor
1904-1907 RICARDO G. PARAS, SR.* Provincial Governor
(Paras was delegate to the Malolos Congress in 1898; appointed provincial governor by Pres. William H. Taft from 1901-1902, then as lieutenant governor from 1901-1904 and provincial governor from 1904-1907)

1907-1916 JUAN M. NIEVA* Lieutenant Governor
(Nieva was appointed lieutenant governor; became the municipal president of Sta. Cruz; campaigned hard for the extensive planting of coconuts throughout the province; all the towns of Marinduque were first connected during his term through the installation of telegraphic lines)

(Act No. 1649 May 17, 1907, declared that all of the territory comprised in the Island of Marinduque to be the sub-province of Marinduque, forming a part of the Province of Tayabas. Section 1 of said Act provided for a lieutenant governor for the said sub-province to be appointed by the Governor General with the advise and consent of the Philippine Commission.)

1916-1919 PEDRO MADRIGAL (elected) Lieutenant Governor
(Madrigal’s name was associated with the Philippine-American War in Marinduque; also former municipal president, he established the first drug store, “Botica de Boac”.

(Act No. 2354 Feb. 28, 1914 was passed making the office of Lieutenant-Governor elective in the sub-province of Marinduque, Tayabas)

1919-1920 VICENTE TRIVINO (elected) Lieutenant Governor

(Trivino was aide-de-camp of Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo and participated actively in revolutionary activities during the Philippine-American War; was first appointed provincial governor under the Marinduque Charter (1920). Act No. 2880 Feb. 21, 1920, separated the sub-province of Marinduque from the province of Tayabas)

1920-1922 VICENTE TRIVINO (hold-over) Provincial Governor
1922-1925
1925-1929 DAMIAN REYES Provincial Governor
1929-1933
1933-1936 PEDRO DEL MUNDO Provincial Governor
1936-1939
1939-1942 JOSE L. BASA
1942-1945 JOSE L. BASA (hold-over)
1945-1946 RICARDO NEPOMUCENO, SR.*
1946-1947 CESAR NEPOMUCENO*
1947-1951 CESAR NEPOMUCENO
1951-1955
1955-1963 MIGUEL M. MANGUERA
1963-1967 CELSO PRECLARO
1967-1988 ARISTEO M. LECAROZ
1988-1992 LUISITO M. REYES
1992-1995 LUISITO M. REYES
1995-1998 JOSE ANTONIO N. CARRION
1998-2007 CARMENCITA O. REYES

Carrion served as Governor of Marinduque from 1995-1998 and 2007-2010.
2007-2010 JOSE ANTONIO N. CARRION

Reyes served as Assemblywoman from 1978 to 1986 (Martial Law period), Representative of Marinduque from 1987 to 1998 and 2007 to 2010, as well as Governor from 1998 to 2007 and 2010 to present.
2010-2013 CARMENCITA O. REYES
2013---Carmencita O. Reyes
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
The current Pork Barrel Scandal has named our Congress Representatives as Representa thieves or TONGressman or TONGresswoman

Members of the Philippine House of Congress ( Philippine Legislature)

Marinduque had no representation from 1907-1922. GREGORIO NIEVA of Boac was appointed, however, as Secretary of the House in 1910. Gregorio and Juan were brothers.

1922-1925 RICARDO NEPOMUCENO
1925-1928 RICARDO NEPOMUCENO
1928-1931 RICARDO NEPOMUCENO
1931-1934 JOSE A. UY
1934-1935 JOSE A. UY

Commonwealth Government
1935-1938 CECILIO A. MANEJA (Maneja was defeated by Jose A. Uy in election contest decided in 1937)
1938-1941 JOSE A. UY
1941-1946 CECILIO A. MANEJA

Republic of the Philippines
1946-1949 TIMOTEO RICOHERMOSO
1949-1953 PANFILO M. MANGUERA
1953-1957 PANFILO M. MANGUERA
1957-1961 FRANCISCO M. LECAROZ
1961-1965 FRANCISCO M. LECAROZ
1965-1969 FRANCISCO M. LECAROZ
1969-1972 FRANCISCO M. LECAROZ

Martial Law Priod
1978-1986 CARMENCITA O. REYES
1987-1992 CARMENCITA O. REYES
1992-1995 CARMENCITA O. REYES
1995-1998 CARMENCITA O. REYES
1998-2001 EDMUNDO O. REYES, JR.
2001-2004 EDMUNDO O. REYES, JR.
2004-2007 EDMUNDO O. REYES, JR.
2007-2010 CARMENCITA O. REYES
2010-2013 Allan Jay Velasco
2013-2016 Regina O Reyes still being question by Allan Jay Velasco?
Any news on the status of the Regina Reyes and Allan Velasco fight for Marinduque's lone district?

Life and Achievements of Gregorio Nieva of Boac, Marinduque

 A very informative article on the achievement of  Gregorio (Yoyong) Nieva. Gregorio is the brother of Juan Nieva -my wife's grandfather. Gregorio is the grandfather of Veronica Nieva Ettinger from Chevy Chase, Maryland.

AKO'Y KASAYSAY $@ISLA DE MARINDUQUE: REVISITING THE BOAC WATERWORKS SYSTEM AND THE GREG...: REVISITING THE BOAC WATERWORKS SYSTEM AND THE GREGORIO NIEVA PUBLIC FOUNTAIN IN BOAC TOWN PLAZA ON THEIR 100 TH YEAR Th...

An Unexpected Drive on California State Route 160 from Sacramento to Antioch

We Got Lost on Our Way from Sacramento to Walnut Creek, California for Thanksgiving Dinner but Had a Scenic Trip via State Route 160 -the Heart of the Sacramento River Delta
Welcome to Locke, California
Last Thursday, Thanksgiving Day 2014, my youngest son was driving us for Thanksgiving dinner to my oldest son residence in Walnut Creek, California. This drive will normally be about 90 minutes duration without traffic via Interstate 80 West then thru I-680S. At About 10 minutes at I-80, the traffic was so clogged and we were on Stop and Go for ten minutes. My son decided to get out of the I-80 freeway at the Reed Ave exit in West Sacramento, with a plan to get to I-5 south then connecting to 12 to Rio Vista and to Route 160 to Antioch then SR 4 to Concord and I-680 to Walnut Creek.

My son however, missed our entrance to I-80 then to I-5 South (from Reed Ave to Jefferson Blvd) He decided to drive straight on Jefferson Blvd hoping there might be another entry to I-5. We were driving for almost 30 minutes on a country road and then along the Sacramento River and we realized we were at the California State Route highway 160-one of the most scenic route in the heart of the Sacramento River Delta.

I have always wanted to drive by this route because I know from my readings that in this route are historic small towns such as Walnut Grove, Locke, Isleton, Ryde and also Rio Vista.

We were not disappointed by the scenery. Since it was a beautiful sunny day, we took our time and still arrived in Walnut Creek about 90 minutes and was on time for our dinner appointment.

I searched on the Internet for information on California State Route 160. I also found two videos on Locke, CA and a music video filmed in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada. The following are some of the highlights of my search.

State Route 160 is a state highway in the U.S. state of California consisting of two sections. The longer, southern, section is a scenic highway through the alluvial plain of the Sacramento River, linking SR 4 in Antioch with Sacramento via the Antioch Bridge. The Northern section runs thru the City of Sacramento and ends on Highway 80 towards Roseville.


The above video was filmed in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada, but the scenery in the early evening sunset is almost identical to Ca State Route 160 along the Sacramento River Delta. I enjoyed this video very much.

Heading from South to North ( opposite of our trip route): State Route 160 begins in eastern Antioch at SR 4. After two interchanges, the highway rises onto the two lane Antioch Bridge over the San Joaquin River. It cuts north across the center of Sherman Island, reaching the Sacramento River on the opposite shore. From here to Sacramento, SR 160 never strays far from the river, first following the east levee over the 1949 Three Mile Slough Bridge (a lift bridge), past Brannan Island State Recreation Area, and across SR 12 opposite the river from Rio Vista.

After passing Isleton, the highway crosses the river on the Isleton Bridge, a bascule bridge built in 1923, and runs along the west shore on Grand Island, where it meets the east end of SR 220.

The Walnut Grove Bridge carries County Route J11 east across the river to Walnut Grove, and, at the north end of the island, SR 160 crosses the 1924 Steamboat Slough Bridge onto Sutter Island and then the 1923 Paintersville Bridge across the Sacramento River to the mainland, both bascule bridges.
The Rio Vista Bridge
Locke and Isleton are the two historic towns that I have heard before. Here's a paragraph from Wikipedia about the two towns:

Locke (traditional Chinese: 樂居; simplified Chinese: 乐居; pinyin: Lèjū; Jyutping: Lok6geoi1), also known as Locke Historic District, is an unincorporated community in California's Sacramento – San Joaquin River Delta built by Chinese immigrants during the early 20th century. It was originally named Lockeport after George Locke, who owned the land that the town was built upon at a time when Chinese people were not allowed to own land. Locke is located in the primarily agricultural region south of Sacramento, California, near State Route 160. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1971 and further was designated a National Historic Landmark District in 1990 due to its unique example of a historic Chinese American rural community.



Locke,California- historic town

Isleton is a city in Sacramento County, California, United States. The population was 804 at the 2010 census, down from 828 at the 2000 census. It is located on Andrus Island amid the slough wetlands of the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, on the eastern edge of the Rio Vista Gas Field.
The city has many preserved 19th-century era storefronts along its main street, some of which show distinct Chinese influences. Chinese began immigrating to Isleton around 1875, and at its peak, the Chinese population numbered approximately 1,500. A Chinese tong (community organization) building in Isleton was featured on a July 2008 episode of the PBS program History Detectives.
Isleton is part of the Sacramento–Arden-Arcade–Roseville Metropolitan Statistical Area. California State Route 160 passes through the city and crosses the 1923 Isleton Bridge.

For more pictures visit this blog at: http://sactoriver.blogspot.com/2011/10/morning-on-state-route-160.html

Are You Addicted to FaceBook?

I believe you are if:

1. FB is your homepage or default browser

2. You read your FB three times a day, in the morning, in the afternoon and before your bedtime

3. You open FB when you feel depressed or bored

4. You read all the chatters including all ramblings of your friends and people you do not even know

5. You love hearing all the compliants, plans and gossips and pictures of people you do not even know

6. Last in my list ( but probably not in yours) you get withdrawal symptons, if there is problem with your PC and the internet is not available for more than 3 hours and FB is not available.

I know there are other symptoms, I had not listed, so please feel free to add to the above list.

Last but not least, if you are reading this blog, you are not only a FB book addict but also an Internet addict. Any way Happy Thanksgiving and may your life filled with abundance and blessings.

I Play Bridge Daily to Exercise My Brain

I play Bridge every day to Exercise My Brain

For the last six decades I have been playing bridge socially or alone via the computer. I found that this card game improves my memory, it is fun and a very challenging game. For this reason, I did some Internet search to confirm if my personal experience is only true for me or if there are scientific evidence that indeed playing bridge is one of the best way to exercise and stimulate your brain as you get older.

If you do not play bridge but wants to exercise your brain, now is the time to learn this fascinating and challenging game (specifically Duplicate Bridge). I have written in Hubpages an article/hub dated 12/09/11 describing the basics of both Party and Duplicate bridge ( http://chateaudumer.hubpages.com/hub/bridge-is-my-card-game). I urged you to read it if you want to know more about bridge-my favorite card game.

The following article is from home.comcast.net. I can really identify with this article so I am reposting it with my personal comments for your information. It was written by Karen Walker

“With so many activities competing for your leisure time, why invest your energy into learning a game as complex as bridge? Why bridge instead of computer games, poker, chess, golf? If you're wondering if bridge is for you -- or if you've always wanted to learn but have been afraid it's too difficult -- here are some of the reasons why millions of people around the world are hooked on this fascinating game.

Bridge can be a lifelong pursuit. It takes only rudimentary knowledge to begin playing and enjoying bridge, but as any player will tell you, this is not a game for those who demand instant gratification. Learning to play well takes time and effort, and the game is impossible to master. But that's precisely why bridge is so popular, and why it's called "the game for a lifetime". No matter how many years you play, you'll always find new challenges, and the learning process will never end. Bridge also caters to all physical conditions and disabilities, so players can actively pursue their pastime throughout their entire lives. Comment: I have been playing bridge for almost six decades and indeed this is a lifelong pursuit for me.

Bridge will never bore you. The game can be exciting, challenging, frustrating and humbling, but it will never be boring. There are more than 750 trillion possible hands, so you'll see something new every time you play. It's actually a fast-paced game, too. Each hand takes just five to ten minutes to play before you move on to the next deal and a new challenge. Comment: Each hand is different and the trillion of hand combination requires different degrees of challenge.

Bridge stimulates the brain. Bridge is one of the best ways to practice the "use it or lose it" advice for maintaining mental sharpness in older age. Research has shown that regular bridge playing improves reasoning skills and long- and short-term memory. You'll feel the neurons firing not only while you play, but long after. Many players say that hours after a bridge game, they still feel mentally alert and energized, similar to the "high" that long-distance runners experience after a race. Comment: I agree with above paragraph wholly and completely. After a duplicate game, my brain is super stimulated it will take more than 3 hours for me to sleep,

Bridge exercises both sides of your brain. Bridge is one of the few games that stimulates both the left and right sides of your brain. Every time you play, you use -- and improve -- your skills in communication, logic, math, memory, visualization and psychology. It's a unique type of mental workout that is both relaxing and invigorating, and that can't be duplicated by other leisure or work-related activities. Comment: This is the first time I heard of this, but I believe it is true.

Bridge can improve your physical health. Research has shown that a game of bridge can even boost your immune system. By stimulating the brain cortex, bridge-playing activity produces higher numbers of the white blood cells that fight disease. Other studies have found that people who play bridge regularly are 2½ times less likely to develop Alzheimer's disease. Comment: This must be true, since I started playing bridge, I did not suffer any major or minor ailments except for my HBP.

Bridge is social. A game of bridge involves communication and cooperation with your partner and interaction with your opponents. There's a special camaraderie among bridge players that develops from the social setting and the game's emphasis on teamwork, ethics and sportsmanship. And if you play duplicate bridge, you can find new friends and partners at more than 3300 bridge clubs throughout North America. Comment: In the 1970's when my wife and I were still playing duplicate bridge, our communication and interaction with other bridge players were on high gear. It was one of the happiest social event in our married life.

Bridge is a bargain. All you need for a bridge game is a deck of cards and three other people. You don't have to leave your home, and if you have a computer, you don't even need the cards or the people. You can play and practice on your own with bridge software, or you can join in live games with thousands of players from around the world at one of the free online bridge clubs. You can also enter games at your local duplicate club, where you'll enjoy a three-hour session of bridge for less than the cost of a movie. Comment: Yes indeed it is a bargain, since playing bridge we do not have to go to the Casinos or attend a concert or a movie.

Bridge is fun. Of all the reasons to learn the game, the most important is that it's just fun to play. It offers the suspense of poker, the cerebral qualities of chess and the excitement of athletic sports, all in a sociable setting where you're a participant, not just a spectator. Every session allows you to test yourself and experience the feeling of accomplishment when you find a successful bid or play. Comment: I like to play games that are challenging and I agree that bridge is Fun, Fun, Fun..

That's what keeps people coming back to the bridge table, and it's why bridge will always be the world's most popular card game".

All I can say is Amen, Amen, Amen!

I am in the Mood for Violin Music, Today

I am in the mood for some violin music today. Here are two of my favorite violin concertos for your enjoyment.



L. V. Beethoven - Romance for Violin and Orchestra No. 2 in F major, Op. 50
Renaud Capuçon, violin
Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, conducted by Kurt Masur



Felix Mendelssohn - Violin Concerto in E minor, Op. 64

I. Allegro molto appassionato (00:00)
II. Andante (12:05)
III. Allegretto non troppo -- Allegro molto vivace (19:34)

Encore: C.W.Gluck - Melody from Orfeo ed Euridice (29:17)

Renaud Capuçon, violin
Jaap van Zweden, conductor
Verbier Festival Orchestra

I Got Lucky at the Casino, Yesterday

If you have been following my blogs, you probably know that my wife and I go the Casino every week as part of our entertainment budget We play the slots machines and also enjoy a delicious dinner either at the Buffet or the other five restaurants in the Casino(Thunder Valley, Lincoln, CA).

This month of November, we did not make it at the second week, since my wife was not feeling well. But yesterday, we did not only have an excellent dinner of grilled salmon with spicy rice and asparagus, but I won $200 playing the slots.

I played only in 8 slots. I won in 6 of the new slots of around $50 with a minimum bet of 30 to 50 cents. After 3 hours in the Casino I was still winning around $50. However, 15 minutes before our departure, I saw this machine called the Bufallo Stampede with minimum bet 0f 75c. I have never played on this machine because the minimum bet of 75 I felt is expensive. However, since I was $50 ahead, I decided to play the Bufallo machine. The first few minutes, I was not winning at all. At my 10th try I hit the bonus feature. At the end of the feature I won $150 and it was time to go home.

The following video I found in the web and is very exciting to watch. Good luck if you ever want to visit a casino soon or in the near future.



Buffalo Stampede Slots was introduced to Las Vegas in 2013. It is manufactured by Aristocrat Gaming. Although Aristocrat increased the cost per spin up to 75 cents minimum, it is a wonderful game. It is one one of those games that is worth saving up for to play as advertised by the Casinos!

The Best of Opera Music amd Melodies

The following songs are 40 popular songs and melodies from operas, that I enjoy. Today most of the US are bombarded with the arctic vortex and cold temperatures. Luckily here in Northern California we are still in the 50-70's although today it is raining and misty foggy- a welcome event because of the drought we had been experiencing this year. I was looking at my old blogs and found the following videos. Of the 40 songs my favorites are:

#2 The Drinking Song from La Traviata by Verdi

#5 Nessum Dorma from Torandut by Puccini

#20 Meditation from Thais by Massanet and

#40 Flight of the Bumble Bee by Kimsky Korsakov

Enjoy the Video as follows:

A Guest Article by Deb Hamilton

I was looking at my old blogs and discover this guest article from Deb Hamilton. It will make you smile and I hope brightens your day.



Today's guest article is from Deb Hamilton. It is a piece of writing I enjoyed very much. I hope it makes you smile and enjoy the humorous side of Deb. Deb is a middle-aged woman married to a trophy husband, a guy she just calls “Scotch.” Deb has three young adult children, three dogs, one cat, 137 pet peeves, and a fish named Goldengate. Deb loves to travel to funky places that require a passport and plenty of antidiarrheals. A “woman of a certain age,” she’ll readily tell you what she thinks or what you should think. Or maybe just tell you off. You’ll get used to it.

FAQ: What To Do With Your Weiner At The House Gym

Semi-nude photos of Representative Anthony Weiner taken at the House Gym on Capitol Hill have been recently, um, uncovered. This has caused the staff here at the gym to reconsider some of our guidelines. Many people don't know what to do with their Weiner while they're working out. These FAQs should help clear up any confusion and help you appropriately handle your Weiner:

1. Can I just leave my Weiner at home? No. Some Weiners get lonely if you don't take them out enough. They might chew the sofa or get on Twitter without you. Always take your Weiner wherever you go.

2. Does my Weiner have to pay a separate entrance fee? Please see the wall chart posted by the main desk. Only Weiners that are shorter than the height of Nancy Pelosi's outstretched arm can get in for free.

3. Who is obligated to watch my Weiner while I work out? Anyone may watch your Weiner at any time but the staff here at the House Gym cannot be held liable for any physical, emotional, or psychological damage caused by your errant Weiner. It is best to keep your Weiner close at hand. Unruly Weiners cannot be allowed on the premises.

4. My Weiner has needs; who is responsible to meet these needs during my workout routine? Please ensure that your Weiner is content prior to arriving at the gym. Exceptions cannot be made for sick Weiners, for Weiners following Kosher dietary laws, or for Weiners allergic to nuts.

5. Does my Weiner need to have a separate towel? Staff members are not permitted to make this determination. If you feel comfortable sharing a towel with your Weiner, this is allowable. Please be advised, however, that some Weiners require the use of two towels.

6. What should I do if my Weiner gets tired before I do? This is a sensitive issue for some of our clients. You may want to discuss this with your family doctor, after sending her photos of your Weiner.

7. Could my Weiner feel shy in the shower area? Yes. Just assure your Weiner that it is normal to have these feelings.

8. What if my Weiner doesn't feel shy enough in the shower area? Some Weiner behaviors just have to be ignored. Try not to make any sudden moves or draw undue attention to your Weiner.

9. How much time should I give it if my Weiner is having a hard time following the House Gym rules? Members who have Weiners continually breaking the rules should resign themselves to the fact that this might not be the place for their Weiner. Accordingly, they should secure alternate arrangements as soon as it is feasible.

Please visit Deb Hamilton blog at http://debutopia.blogspot.com

Latest Update on the Nieva Ancestry from Marinduque

Today, I was reading the Facebook conversation of Macrine's first cousins in the Philippines, Yong and Rene Nieva. I found the following comment very relevant to my blog on the Nieva ancestry from Marinduque-the ancestral home of my wife, Macrine Nieva Jambalos Katague. I AM POSTING IT as an update and I hope Rene do not object since it is public knowledge already. Here's the comment between Rene, Yong and Ramon Mayuga(Mon) from the Rosita Nieva clan.

"Yes, Yong and Mon( Ramon Mayuga), one of our ancestors was a Spanish-French priest. His lapida has even been preserved on the aisle of the Boac Cathedral, the only one left there. He is the father of our Lola Lola (great great) grandmother Epifania (Maneng) Morente, wife of Calixto Nieva, who is our common great grandfather. This is why the Nievas are not only religious but also romantic. These two traits may seem incongruous but they seamlessly combine in us Nievas in some degree or another. That is why some of the descendants either also become saints, and others sinners, and most, like you, me and Yong, saints and sinners, the only difference being the degree to which one is of either".

The above paragraph is the comment of Rene Nieva as published in Facebook, November 16, 2014 regarding the cleric ancestry of the Nievas from Marinduque. The rest is my article on the Nieva ancestry from Marinduque, dated May 21, 2011 as published in my blogs.

Dave and Macrine with Olga Nieva Luarca Quiazon. Olga is Macrine's first cousin. The photo was taken during our Medical Mission Orientation in Marinduque.


See the two recent updates at the bottom of this page-An e-mail from Veronica Nieva, granddaughter of Gregorio Nieva, one of the brothers of Juan Nieva, Macrine's grandfather and a photo of me, Macrine and Rene Nieva, another grandson of Juan Nieva in front of the Nieva Street in Makati. This small street is located in the financial district of Makati was named after Gregorio Nieva.

It is summer time and time for family reunions. The Nievas of the World will probably be have a reunion in the Philppines or here in US sometime this year or next year. Hopefully, Macrine and I could attend this time.
Dave and Macrine Katague of Marinduque and Northern California

In 2003, there was a reunion of the Nieva clan in the Philippines organized by Rene Elizalde Nieva, Macrine's first cousin. We were invited but not able to attend. Rene wrote in his invitation that he is in the process of writing a book about the Nieva clan. He said the book will be privately published with limited printing which will include a general history starting on the possible roots of the Nieva family as well as the achievements of various members of the clan and their contribution to the betterment of Marinduque and of the Philippines. As of this writing date, I have not heard on the status of Rene's book.

In his invitation he invited all the direct and indirect descendants of the children and spouses of Calixto Nieva and Epifania Morente. Note that Rene is the great-grandson of Calixto Nieva and Macrine is also the great-granddaughter of Calixto Nieva , thus Rene and Macrine are first cousins.

I just can not believe that my six grand children are now the great-great-great grand children of Calixto Nieva and Epifania Morente.

Calixto and Epifania Morente had six children, four boys and two girls as follows (from oldest to youngest) along with their spouses.

1.Juan Nieva had two wives. The first wife was Isabel Decena. When Isabel died Juan remarried Elvira Sarmiento. Juan Nieva is both Macrine's and Rene's grandfather. He was the first governor of Marinduque and also the grandfather of the outgoing Governor. Rene and Macrine are first cousin of Jose Antonio (Bong) Nieva Carrion, the outgoing Governor of Marinduque.

2.Victoria Nieva married Doroteo Mercader

3.Dionisio Nieva married Salud de la Santa

4.Gregorio Nieva married Maria Arevalo

5.Jose Nieva married Trinidad Carmona

6.Rosita Nieva married Dr Angel Mayuga

Rene's invitation also included the descendants of the brothers of Calixto, namely Pedro and Francisco Nieva. It also included the brothers and sisters of Epifania Morente, which included not just the Morentes but also the Roceses, Abadas, Trinidads and the Kasilags. Incidentally, the Reyeses are second cousins of Macrine and the other Nievas of Marinduque.

This article will concentrate on the descendants of Juan Nieva and his two wives, Isabel Decena from Santa Cruz and Elvira Sarmiento from Buenavista..

Children of Juan Nieva and Isabel Decena ( from Oldest to Youngest)

1.Calixto Nieva married Juanita Jambalos
2.Blanca Nieva- single was killed by the Japanese during World War II
3.Elena Nieva married Bernardo Jambalos, Jr ( brother of Juanita)

Children of Juan Nieva and Elvira Sarmiento(from Oldest to Youngest)

1.Guillermo ( Willie) Nieva married Dr Celina Elizalde
2.Rosario Nieva married Ramon Carrion
3.Ester Nieva married Rafael Seno
4.Monica Nieva married Conrado Luarca
5.Elizabeth Nieva married Romulo Santo Domingo
6.Asuncion Nieva married Dr. Rafael Ocampo
7.Fr Constantino Nieva- single

For the purpose of this article, I will discuss only the descendants of Elena Nieva and Bernardo Jambalos, Jr. They have seven children as follows: ( From Oldest to Youngest)

1.Macrine Nieva Jambalos- married David B Katague from Iloilo ( that's me)
2.Sister Guia Jambalos- Order of the Cenacle-single
3.Bernardo Jambalos III married Loreta Mercader
4.Fe Jambalos married Edgardo Lazarte
5.Edgar Jambalos ( deceased) married Asuncion Pagalunan
6.Jean Jambalos married Mitch Maeda
7.Rosario Jambalos married Michael Levin

Note that Rene Nieva is the oldest son of Guillermo Nieva and Dr. Celina Elizalde. The younger brother of Rene, Yong is my partner in our literary project, I left my Heart in Marinduque ( not San Francisco). http://marinduqueonmymind.blogspot.com

Macrine's telephone buddy and first cousin from Vancouver, BC, Canada Olga Luarca Quiazon is the oldest daughter of Monica and Conrado Luarca

The outgoing governor of Marinduque is the second son of Rosario Nieva and Ramon Carrion

This posting continues with the offspring of Macrine Jambalos and David B. Katague. They have 4 children and six grandchildren as follows:

1.Dodie( Diosdado) Katague married Ruth Carver- They have 3 children, Philip Winchester, Alexandra and Marina Katague
2.Dinah E Katague married David E King- They have 2 children, Ian and Elaine King
3.David E III-single
4.Ditas Macrine Katague married Nick Thompson- They have one child, Carenna Nicole Thompson

Fe Jambalos has two daughters, Lanie and Ella
Jean Jambalos has two daughters, Yuri and Yuka
Rosario has two children, Carlos and Zehara
Asuncion Jambalos has three sons, Edmund, Nonoy and Jhun-Jhun and a daughter, Marilyn
Bernardo Jambalos III has five children and three grandchildren as of this writing date.

Accomplishments of the children of David B and Macrine J. Katague are discussed in detail at
http://theintellectualmigrant.blogspot.com

Some Interesting Vignettes:

The marriage of Calixto and Juanita Jambalos was not approved by their father Don Juan Nieva. Juanita was the daughter of a barrio businessman from Laylay. During those time, if you are from the barrios, you are not welcome or accepted to the social group of the main town of Boac. The Jambalos family although well off were considered TAGABUKID ( from the bonies). Don Juan Nieva wanted his lawyer son to marry Enriqueta Nepomuceno, one of the popular socialites in Boac. When Juanita died, Calixto did not marry again. Soon Calixto also died and every one in town claimed he died with a broken heart. Enriqueta in the meantime was waiting for Calixto. Enriqueta never married and died as a spinster.

Blanca Nieva graduated from Nursing School at Philippine General Hospital and was earning well. When their father died, she helped in sending her half-sister Rosario to College. She supported her sister and spoiled her by dressing her up to maintain her place in the high society of Boac at that time.

Elena, is the third child of Isabel Decena from Santa Cruz. Isabel died giving birth to Elena. Elena was therefore nursed by the sister of Isabel, Regina Decena Reforma. Elena and Policarpio Reforma ( son of Regina) shared the same breast milk of Tia Regina. When Elena was five years old, she and sister Blanca as well as brother Calixto, were brought to Boac where their father Juan Nieva remarried Elvira Sarmiento from Buenavista.

Elena grew up under the care of Lola Victoria ( sister of Juan Nieva). They lived in the old Nieva Building at the foot of the hill leading to Mataas Na Bayan. Elena later went to college at the University of the Philippines and finished her Bachelor Degree in Education.

When Juanita Jambalos-Nieva( wife of Calixto) died during childbirth, Elena and Bernardo Jambalos II ( brother of Juanita) were made in-charged of bringing the corpse from Manila back to Marinduque.
During the trip, people mistook them as husband and wife. Their romance started then and later were married at the Boac Catholic Church.

Today, if I had to guess, there should be more than seven hundred members of the Nieva clan, just based on the six children of Calixto Nieva and Epifania Morente all over the world. If you include the descendants of Pedro and Francisco Nieva, the two brothers of Calixto, it could reached to more than a thousand Nievas all over the universe. If you are a member of this clan, please let me know. Someday, I may be able to trace the Nieva genealogy all the way to Spain, as I did with my mothers name "Balleza", several years ago. My e-mail is in this site and I am also in Face Book.

Addenda dated 5/20/2011:
In front of the Nieva Street in the Makati Financial District with Rene Nieva, Owner of Perceptions, Inc. This street was named in honor of Gregorio Nieva, one of the brothers of Juan Nieva.

There is also a bridge in Gasan Marinduque ( between the Gasan Market and Downtown) named the Nieva Bridge. I believe the bridge was named in honor of Juan Nieva being the first Governor of Marinduque.

Here's another addendum from Veronica (Ronie Nieva) granddaughter of Gregorio Nieva.

Thank you, Ronie for the update. Macrine and I had a grand time during our mini reunion last December at the The Relish Restaurant in Makati. Here's Ronie's e-mail to me:

Dave, I just read your genealogy. To help you complete the story, here is the Gregorio Nieva line (which you may know already). Gregorio and Maria Arevalo had two children Antonio (my father)& Lourdes Mila (who died early). Mila and Arturo Zamora had one son, Amando. Antonio and Teresa Feria had Veronica, Vicenta, Violeta and Juan Antonio. Veronica & Steve Ettinger had Jonathan & Kenneth. Vicenta & Emil Quinto had Edouard & Nicolo; Edouard & Traci Morinaga have Cade. Violeta & Mariano Arroyo had Manuela & Mariano Jr. Juan Antonio and Irene Casus had Paolo, Monique & Franco. That's it for us!

Ronie, do you know that the Nieva Street in Makati was named after your grandfather?.