Eduardo Brillantes (1937-2006)

Ancestry
Eduardo Brillantes y Madrid (30 April 1937 - 25 June 2006), was the telecommunications officer of the Municipality of Banate from 1960 until his retirement in the year 1998. Born to a devout, Catholic Spanish-Filipino mestizo family of the town, where his maternal and paternal ancestors with Principales for centuries, Eduardo carried his family's tradition of active service to the Catholic Church, and to the local community.

He was born in Banate, Iloilo, on 30 April 1937 to the spouses Francisco Brillantes y Pelagio (4 June 1892 - 24 May 1981) and Josefina Madrid y Balderas (30 August 1902 - 6 September 1976), in  a family of five sons and five daughters. His parents were married at the Catholic Parish Church of St. John the Baptist in Banate, on 7 January 1923.

Eduardo's father Francisco was a direct descendant of Capitan Don Tomas Juanico who, belonging to the  Principalía of Banate, was Gobernadocillo of the town from 1855 - 1856.

Josefina, his mother, was the youngest daughter of Dona Maria Balderas y Baviera, and Marcelo Madrid y Alguevar (a Spaniard born in Barcelona, Spain), who died in Banate on 1 August 1921. Maria was the eldest daughter of Capitan Don Martin Balderas, also a Gobernadorcillo of Banate, and Dona Apolonia Baviera, who was herself the only heir of the first Gobernadorcillo of Banate (1837), Don Felix Baviera. On the other hand, Marcelo's parents were Juan Madrid and Maria Alguevar.

Younger Years and the World War II
Eduardo was born a few years before the World War II. He was only five years old when Banate was occupied by the Japanese. His father, who was among the few people in the Philippines equipped with knowledge of electronic radio communications, was conscripted into the Filipino guerrilla forces, participating in clandestine attacks against the occupying Japanese Imperial forces in the Island of Panay.

Before the Japanese army came to Banate, the ancestral home of the Balderas Family, which Josefina inherited from her mother Maria Balderas (who was already dead at that time), was burnt to ashes by the Filipino forces, for fear that the huge house in the center of the town's capital will be used as an garrison of the enemy's forces. Hurriedly, Eduardo's family had to carry whatever ancestral heirlooms they could save from destruction, and had to move somewhere else to save their lives.

All these incidents placed Eduardo's family in a very difficult situation, with only their mother Josefina left to take care of their daily needs and survival. They were forced to rent a nipa house in Barangay Belen, which was around three kilometers away from their former ancestral home (southeast of the Poblacion or the town's capital), and quite a considerable distance away from the menace of the Japanese invaders, who encamped at the town's capital. Unable to retain full control of their ancestral lands for cultivation, the elder children (Jesus, Ofelia, Nieva, Amparo, Sol, and Francisco Jr.) had to to out every now and then to find whatever was available in there for their food, and to look for firewood. Mary, the eldest daughter, was already a teenager. So, Josefina took pracuations not to expose her to the sight of the Japanese, who were known to have perpetuated rampant abuse of women in wherever territory they conquered. Eduardo and his other younger siblings Arturo and Armenio were still very small, and were mostly kept at home in Belen.

A very tragic incident came one day, when rumors about the death of their father by beheading, in the town of Sara under the Japanese powers, reached the knowledge of their mother Josefina. That shattered her senses. However, the will to survive of her children was able to encourage her to keep on going and to find ways and means to face the difficult challenges that the war brought to their lives. Still, every day, she would anxiously ask her eldest child Jesus, to accompany her to Mount Bual-bual in Barangay Libertad, which is around eight kilometers from where they had sought refuge. It seems that Eduardo's father Francisco made some previous arrangements with his mother Josefina to meet in that place one day, when he could find away.

On his part, Francisco was able to escaped death from the hands of the Japanese, and traveled on foot from Sara, trekking the forested mountains of central Iloilo, toward the town of Dumalag in the Province of Capiz. While already in the forests of Dumalag, he collapsed almost dead because of fatigue, sickness, and famine. However, luckily, an elderly couple in some remote village of Dumalag found and saved him.

After Francisco recovered, he stayed to help in the farm of this elderly couple for some months. Fully recovered back to good health after the harvest, he was ready to come home. This kind elderly couple gave him two sacks of rice for his family, and they also asked two men from their village to accompany Francisco on his journey back to Banate.

Meanwhile, for months, Josefina never failed to go to Mount Bual-bual everyday with his son Jesus, whom she urged to hasten with her to that place every morning, after completing the household chores. She never lost hope that Francisco would come home one day. Her love and hope never failed her, for one day Francisco indeed came home.

Reunited, the whole family lived simply and discretely in Belen, avoiding the attention of the Japanese invaders, until the war came to an end.

After the liberation of Panay, the couple and their ten children moved to Barangay Talokgangan (another shore barangay at the other side of the town's capital, one and a half kilometers toward the northeast direction), and engaged in commercial fishing, in partnership with one of their close relatives. When things went to back to normal and when  the Philippine government was restored, the family settled back to the town's capital, where they built a new and much modest home in sitio Kaliburan. Francisco also resumed his work as an officer of the Telecommunication Bureau in its Regional Office in Iloilo City. At this time Eduardo was also able to pursue his studies.

Studies and Profession
After the World War II, Eduardo took his elementary studies in the town of Banate. Due to the reversal of family fortune caused by the war, Eduardo had to find ways for supplementing whatever his parents could afford to provide for his daily needs as a student, as well as that of his four other brothers and five sisters. He would wake up early in the morning and sell pan de sal (salt bread), which is a favorite breakfast item for Filipinos. His other siblings also learned the same practical attitude, which made all of them persevere in attaining education. They were also trained by their mother Josefina how to cook, how to maintain strict personal and environmental hygiene, and how to be strong and decisive in facing challenges in life. Their experience during the war taught them how to be wise spenders, serious students, and diligent workers.

Later, Eduardo went to Iloilo City to continue his Secondary Education at the Lopez Jaena High School in the City's La Paz District, where he was an Officer of the Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC).

He wanted to be a lawyer but later, after finishing his high school studies, he decided to follow the profession of his father Francisco, and enrolled at the Central Radio and Electronics School in Iloilo City, which was co-founded by Ludovico Arroyo Banas, who was at that moment the Regional Telecommunications Superintendent for Region IV of the Philippine Republic (comprising the islands of Panay, Negros, Romblon, and Palawan). Banas, a former student and a close colleague at work of his father Francisco, would later become his father in law.

A graduate and a professional at the age of eighteen years old, the young Eduardo was assigned in Estancia, which was and is one of the main fishing ports of the Philippines. The town had one of the busiest Offices of the Telecommunications Bureau in the country being a commercial fishing center.

In 1960, Eduardo opted to be near his family when the Bureau of Telecommunications Office in Banate became available. There he spent the rest of his life as a civil government official until he retired in 1998.

Marriage and Family
Eduardo's father Francisco was a longtime friend, town-mate, fellow war veteran, and close colleague at work of Ludovico Arroyo Banas (16 February 1901 - 29 July 1979). While helping their son find the right partner in life, Francisco and his wife Josefina saw no other fitting prospect than Maja, the third daughter of their family friend Ludovico.

Maja, who was a teacher by profession, always spent vacation at the home of her grandparents Celestino Barboza Banas and his wife Francisca Arroyo. The house of her grandparents is also on same street as the house of Eduardo's family. It is only a few meters away. Practically, they were close neighbors of Eduardo. So, whenever Maja visits Banate, Eduardo's cousins and sisters would find ways to arrange occasions for the two to meet. Both belonging to old, conservative and old-fashioned Filipino families, dating was prohibited. The only chances that both could see or have some moments to talk with each other were during some group moonlight strolls along the pristine beach of Banate, which the young people of the town at that time could be allowed to organize. This was usually participated by Eduardo's cousins and unmarried siblings. Later, Eduardo made manifest his intention to be engaged to Maja. Since that time, he would travel from Banate to Iloilo City on weekends to visit his fiancee, who was working in Ticod Elementary School in La Paz Disctrict - her residence.

The family of Maja's mother Carmen Jover y Jalandoni (5 March 1910 - May 1992) is an old political family of the City. It produced two leaders for the Presidencia of La Paz and of Iloilo City during the first half of the 20th century. Carmen's brother Vicente was President of La Paz during the American Period, prior to the annexation of this district as part of the reconstituted City of Iloilo in 1937. Another brother, Dominador Jover (a lawyer by profession), became Mayor of Iloilo City.

After years of traditional Filipino courtship, Eduardo and Maja were married at the Church of Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage in La Paz, on 4 June 1966. They stayed in La Paz for a while. But later, Maja also found work in Banate as teacher. The couple settled on the property, where Maja's paternal grandparents (who died in 1960 and 1962) used to lived. On 25 June 1969, Ludovico Arroyo Banas and his wife Carmen Jalandoni Jover sold the property to Eduardo. Since then, the land became the home of Eduardo and his family. It was here that he and Maja were blessed with five children: John (who became a Catholic priest in 1996), Mary Lee (also a teacher, was married to Clemente Eclar, Jr. in 1996), Newlyn (who works in a Bank in Iloilo City, was married to Percios Ariel de Juan in 2000), Marlon (an Officer in commercial shipping profession, was married to Gemma Jacomille in 2003), and Jane (a commerce graduate, was married to Emar Badayos in 2004).

Through the years, while Eduardo remained the Officer of the Telecommunications Bureau Office of Banate, Maja taught in several elementary schools in the town's barangays: Merced Elementary School (1970), Libertad Elementary School (1972), Talokgangan Elementary School (1976) and finally, in Banate Central Elementary School (1984), where she retired from teaching profession in the year 2002. She has been known for her kindness and meekness among her co-teachers, students and her town-mates. She also served the local Catholic parish as organist for many years.

Involvement in Civic and Church Activities
Eduardo is a person who would rather focus his time and talents for his family, his town and his Church rather than for pursuits of personal gain, fame, and aggrandizement. Instead of going for higher positions in his profession, he would rather stay near his family, friends, town-mates and Churchmates than go somewhere else in order to be promoted. He was neither interested in partisan politics. Although, he was always being consulted by the mayors and other town officials of Banate (a good number of whom were his godchildren when they got married) on important matters that concerned the local community.

He would engage also in some projects that would benefit the fishing ang farming industry of the town. However, in whatever business enterprise he would preoccupy himself with (whether in farming or in fishing projects), his priority was always the welfare of his collaborators rather than his personal gain.

Most of his time, besides that which he dedicated to family concerns, was spent for Church activities of St. John the Baptist Catholic Parish in Banate, Iloilo. Even while he was not yet married, the activites that he and his siblings, and cousins would engage themselves in were always those which were connected with the Catholic Church.

He was most active in parish activities during the incumbencies of Rt. Rev. Mons. Panfilo T. Brazil, H.P., J.C.D. (1960-1970), and Very Rev. Fr. Quirino Palma, Jr. (1980 - 1996). During the time of Fr. Palma, Eduardo served as Pastoral Council member, First Responsible of the Neocatechumenal Way Movement, and Chancellor of the Knights of Columbus Chapter in the Parish.

After his retirement from government service in 1998, Eduardo was also elected as Grand Knight of the Parish Knights of Columbus. Now that his children finished their university degrees and were already professionals, he spent most of his retirement benefits for Church activities. He was very generous in supporting the construction of the new parish rectory, not only with his money, but with his time and personal labor as well. He was an avid promoter of volunteerism in the parish ever since his younger years.

In June 2004, it was discovered that Eduardo had colon cancer. Since then, he slowly faded away from civic and Church activities while fighting this disease, until he died on 25 June 2006.

Values in Life
As could be noted in his main preoccupations in life, Eduardo values faith, family, service, and work. Furthermore, he always underlined to his children these words: Magpaninguha lang kamo kag maghimo sang maayo (Work hard and do good). For him, a well-spent life is a life fully dedicated to doing one's responsibility to God, family and neighbor, and to cultiviating virtues (doing good). Happiness could not be found in money, fame and fortune. It is where God is, where love is, and where good is. The man who finds this truth is a wise man.

These values in life are captured in the motto of the coat of arms of Eduardo Brillantes y Madrid: Fides, Sapientia, Virtus (Faith, Wisdom, Virtue).

Coat of Arms
Blason Shield: Azure, an Eagle displayed Or charged on the breast with an escutcheon Gules a cross ensigned with a coronet and in chief an estoile of eight points between two fleur-de-lis also Or.

Crest: A demi lion Or holding with its dexter arms a cross of St. James Or.

Motto: Fides, Sapientia, Virtus Registration in Spain: Chronicler of Arms of Castilla and León, H.E. Don Alfonso de Ceballos-Escalera y Gila, Marquis de La Floresta, No. 8/2006.

Private Registration: American College of Heraldry on 25 August 2005



Notes and references
For the details regarding the genealogy of Eduardo Brillantes, confer: Alfonso Ceballos-Escalera y Gila, Certificacion de Armas a favor de Senor Don Eduardo P. Brillantes y Balderas Madrid, Segovia: 28 January 2006, No. 8/2006.