Oldest Knight is father of famous Sisons

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Title: Oldest Knight is father of famous Sisons
extracted text: LAST March 26, in a quiet and unobtrusive house built in the conservative architec ture of the early 20th century on Calle Sison, Paco, Manila, a bent and old but still sprightly man passed his 85th birthday an niversary. He is Jose Braulio Sison. In length of membership, Don Braulio, as he is addressed by his intimates, is one of the handful of oldest Filipino Knights of Columbus, who are still living. He was ini tiated in the Order in 1918 and is now a life member of Manila Council 1000. In point of age, he is, as far as can be ascertained, the oldest Knight of Columbus hereabouts. But antiquity is not the only distinction of the octogenarian. For his eight and a half decades of exemplary life as a father, Don Braulio can boast not of any consider able monetary or proprietary wealth but of a closely knit family composed of three sons and four daughters, all distinguished in their chosen callings. Western civilization taught the Filipino the value of academic achievement. This in fluence is reflected in the self-sacrificing efforts of countless parents, who do not hesitate to borrow money, sell an only parcel of land or pawn their last precious heir loom to be able to send a child to college. Together with his wife, the former Josefa Ungson, who is also 85 years old and still living, Jose B. Sison gave college education Oldest Knight Is Father Of Famous Sisons By’ ISAGANI V. TOLENTINO not to one or two or three children but to all of their seven living offsprings on his salary as a minor official of the Manila Railroad Company. The Sison children, after going through college, set out and have made names for themselves in their respective professions. Agerico B. M. (Benito Mariano), 61 years old, became a doctor and is now the Dean of the College of Medicine of the University of the Philippines. For some years Agerico was Director of the Philippine General Hospital and has received numerous awards and distinctions locally and from abroad for Turn to page 26 FLORIDA COLLEGE Corner Blumentritt & N. Domingo San Juan, Rizal Send, your children to Catholic schools where religion is taught. S. K. GODOFREDO L. KAAMIAO April. I«W Mi ii BIG MAN "My son went abroad ten yean ago to make his fortune.” “And what is he worth now?” “The New York police are offering $20,000 for information about him.” (Rally) UNCLE SAM . . . From pogo 2S died Buddenlv, declared unilaterally in early December, 1956, that the talks would have to be recessed temporarily. Ambassador Charles E. Bohlen stepped in to the affair on being named to the Phil ippines. Suave, clear-thinking Bohlen point ed out a lew salient facts to those who crit icized the amount of aid being given to the Philippines by Uncle Sam. ‘ He recalled that approximately $65,000,itOO come to the Philippines each year in payments by the United States Veterans Administration. In addition, the United States is spending in the Philippines about $50,000,000 a year in maintaining the mili tary bases which give employment to thou sands of Filipinos. Aside from the vast sum of $350,000,000 spent on a giant naval project at the bases, the United States International Cooperation Administration (1CA) contributes the equiv alent of $35,000,000 annually for economic and social developments in the Islands. Bohlen pointed out that Uncle Sam’s Mil itary Assistance program to the Philippines supplies the Armed Forces with practically all their needs, saving thereby for the Islands the dollars they would otherwise have to spend. Then, there are other financial assistance projects, unfortunately not used to complete advantage by Filipinos, such as the Devel opment Loan Fund to facilitate loans for industrial development; the existing credit with the Export-Import Bank of many un used millions of dollars; plus the Industrial Development Center in Manila with a work ing capital of over a quarter-million pesos for industrial loans. Bohlen summarized his listing by saying, “There are currently available to the Phil ippines considerable sources of additional United States economic assistance for its industrial development which do not require any new legislation or authority from the Tu» to pag* 27 OLDEST KNIGHT . . . From pag* II his outstanding services in the medical world, most recent of which was the fellow ship in the British Royal Society of Med icine. He is a Knight of Columbus. Fernando E. V. (Escolastica Victoria), 57, graduated as a civil engineer. He became a district engineer for various provinces; General Manager and Director of the Mani la Railroad Company (where his father was the chief of the personnel division until his retirement in 1952), an Undersecretary of Public Works and Communications, and now is the President of the Chamber of Indus tries, Executive Vice-President of the In dustrial and Business Management Corpora tion, and President of the new Industrial Mutual Fund. An acknowledged industrial leader, Fernando is also a member of the Knights of Columbus. Natalia .Josefa (Mrs. Ambrosio G. Santos), 55, a pharmacist and chemist, is a member of tire faculty of Mapua Institute of Tech nology. Cecilia Trinidad, 53, a dentist, is the den tal supervisor of the Bureau of Health for Manila. Benita Filomena (Mrs. Antonio de la Ro sa), 47, graduated as a Bachelor of Science in Commerce and is at present the chief of the Filipiniana Section of the National Lib rary. Maria Dolores F., 45, a Home Economics graduate, used to be an active social worker, now faithfully looks after her aged parents. Arsacio Joaquin, 41, a chemical engineer, is a division chief in the Bureau of Geodetic Survey and is on the faculty of Mapua In stitute of Technology. Two children of the Si sons died at a very young age. The father Sison was not bom of a rich family. While still young, his parents, orig inally from Ermita, Manila, moved to Dagupan, Pangasinan. When he was ready to go to college, he journeyed to Manila on his own. Fortunately, he found a kind benefac tor, Don Eustaquio Mendoza, a well-to-do resident of Binondo, who allowed him to live in his house, treating him like a son and pay ing for his studies at Colegio de San Juan de Letran. In March 1891 he graduated as a Bachelor of Arts. Don Braulio wanted to study medicine afterwards, but due to lack of means, he was to content himself with a commercial course at the Ateneo Municipal de Manila. After graduation, -his kind ben efactor helped him to get a job in a soap fac 71m MOSS tory. The folowing years found him at sev eral different jobs. He learned English through self-study and became among the first English teachers in Pangasinan, later becoming the chief clerk of the division su perintendent of schools in the province. Finally, he found a position with the Ma nila Railroad Company, where he stayed on for 21 years. Public recognition finally came to the Sisons for their unusual family record in 1949 in the form of no less than a presidential citation. Together with two other outstand ing families, the Sison family was nominated for the p’residential award by the Women’s Civic Assembly for "exemplary family life and family relationship according to the highest Filipino traditions.” One day that year the old couple walked to Malacanang and with proud tears in their eyes, heard the following words of acclamation from the highest official of their country: "By hard work and judicious use of their limited financial resources and through selfabnegation, he and his wife have raised and reared a Christian family of seven children, giving all of them a university education and teaching them to become useful citizens who are actually rendering meritorious service to their country in their various lines of en deavor.” ■ Old man Sison remembers his initiation into the Knights of Columbus 41 years ago, 13 years after the first KC Council was or ganized in the Philippines on ADril 5, 1905. The ceremony took place in the former head quarters of Manila Council a short distance from Fort Santiago in Intramuros. At the time his son Agerico was already a member of the Council, having been initiated two years earlier. The Grand Knight then was the late Gabriel La 0 and the Council still had a few of the American members who first organized the Order in the Philippines. "Those American Brother Knights were fine companions,” Don Braulio recalls. He re members Dr. Salvador Araneta, now pres ident of Araneta University, as one of those who were initiated with him. During the incumbency of Grand Knight Jose’Ma. Delgado, now Philippine Ambassa dor to Rome, sometime between 1928 and 1935, Don Braulio served as Financial Sec retary for two years at the same time that Celso B. Jamora, present Grand Knight of Manila Council, was the Recorder. He re calls that the Knights of Columbus then did not have as much activities as at present when a more progressive community de mands increased activities. SOUTHERN CRUISE SET FOR MAY The Manila Council - sponsored cruise to the southern islands will be made from May 5 to 18 on the M./V Panay. Details: Manila Council Club house, Tel. 3-39-49 and 3-46-37 or Bro. Francisco Panlilio, Tel. 5-46-92. UNCLE SAM . . . From page 26 United States Congress.” In reference to the military bases, Bohlen noted, "The only reason for the existence of these bases and their only justification is that thev serve the mutual security inter ests of both countries. ... It is a fact that an attack on the Philippines is an attack on the United States and would cause the Unit ed States to act immediately.” Uncle Sam and Miss Luzviminda will patch up their differences, as they must, because of their long-standing mutual respect. Con gressman John W. McCormack of Massa chusetts gave voice to this mutual resnect ■when he mused over the occasions when Filipinos and Americans have stood together against common foes and said, “Whenever democracy is threatened or imperiled, there we have our Filipino allies ready and de termined.” Don Braulio received his Fourth Degree in the Knights of Columbus during the first Fourth Degree exemplification to be held in the Philippines, which took place in Manila in November, 1949. Until a few years ago, he was actively attending activities of Ma nila Council. The octogenarian, who has eleven grand children and ten great grandchildren, used to serve Mass at San Marcelino Church daily, until the priest stopped him for fear that one day he might stumble over the altar steps carrying the heavy missal. At present, old man Sison still wakes up at 5:30 in the morning everyday to catch the six o’clock Mass and receive Holy Communion. April. 1950 Page 27
Date: 1959
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