The organizers of this charity were inspired by the lives of common Filipino women and men. In particular, Lourdes Ancheta and Antonio Ancheta, come to mind.
Back in the nineteenth century, the Spanish colonizers still ruled the Philippine Islands. Education was, by and large, available only to Spanish peninsulares and mestizos, as well as the local chieftains or principales, who were but a few. There was no public education, something that came with American colonization at the dawn of the twentieth century.
In the north of Luzon Island, there lived a clan that pre-dated the arrival of the Spanish, but which derived and retained its identity for more than four hundred years, the Luna Novicio Ancheta of La Union. The mainstay of this clan was the production of tobacco leaves, and later the sorting of the beach pebbles, both of which were exported to far away places.
By the 1880s, the Luna brothers were brought south to Manila for higher education, at the Ateneo de Manila, and later, to Europe. Juan Luna polished his artistic skills in Spain and France. He won top prizes in European painting competitions, so that some of his works are still on display in the Prado Museum of Madrid, as well in Paris. Juan’s brother Antonio was more inclined to study history and military science. Eventually, both returned to the Philippine Islands.
Juan became the most renowned artist of his native country, a national hero. Antonio, who joined the Philippine Revolutionary Army and its struggle to form a nation, began a military academy, rose to become a general, but whose life was cut short by assassination due to rivalry by the bodyguards of the proclaimed Philippine president. He, too, has since been considered a national hero.
The legacy of Juan and Antonio carried on in La Union. The homestay of Antonio in Namakpakan by the sea was later renamed Luna. His progeny carried the name of Antonio (and Antonia) over the generations. The clan has led in politics in Luna continuously. Antonio Ancheta and Lourdes Ancheta were part of this progeny.
Antonio Ancheta and his brother Francisco evolved as leaders of Luna. During the Second World War, they led guerilla units in La Union. Thereafter, Francisco became mayor of Luna, while Antonio moved to Manila to pursue his studies, and stayed there to further his career. He became one among the group of developers who built the Projects housing complex for the middle class in Quezon City. He also built and led the two largest government workers union in the country. Antonio was one of the developers of Fairview district in Quezon City, the largest barangay in the nation. He was it’s barangay captain for decades until his death in 2005.
Lourdes Ancheta or “Unding,” was the sister of Antonio (“Tony”) and Francisco (“Paquit”). She was a devout Catholic who led a simple austere life in Luna. Though fair and possessed in beauty, she eschewed society and preferred to dwell on the comforts of home. Yet, during the onset of the Japanese occupation in the early 1940s, Unding was kidnapped by guerrillas in La Union. She was kept by the guerrilla leaders for the duration of the war, and begat two children then, a boy and a girl.
Toward war’s end she was abandoned with her kids. Unding found her way back to Luna, where her family, especially Tony, helped her care for her children. Unding’s children took on the surname of Ancheta. Unding, as a single mother, kept her faith, and educated her children in spite of humble means. The children graduated from university, settled and raised families. Unding also assisted her daughter to raise her kids. Unding’s grandchildren have largely accomplished lives with children whose achievements reflect those of their ancestors.
Throughout their lives Unding and Tony espoused a sense of community and concern for common folks. In a country wracked by the effects of neo-colonization, they sought to uplift lives, by encouraging family and others to seek education and build honest livings.
“Lolo” and “Lola” mean grandfather and grandmother. They are used as terms of endearment by the young to show respect for the elders.
The LOLA Foundation 