A Noble Lineage
The Evangelista Clan of Candaba, Pampanga are an old Filipino clan who were part of the Principalia—the noble ruling class during the Spanish Colonial Era. Power, influence, and riches reached their zenith in the 19th century, when estates stretched from Mapanique to Magumbali—one could ride all day and still not reach the end of our lands.
Baptismal records from 1784 reveal our earliest known ancestor, Don Marcos Evangelista, already styled with the honorific “Don” and living in Barangay Batto as a “mestizo de Sangley.” DNA studies confirm what the old records suggest: we are Eurasian, primarily Filipino-Chinese with Southern European blood—a unique blend that shaped our identity as merchants, hacienderos, and leaders.
For nearly two centuries, five Evangelistas served as Gobernadorcillo (Town Mayor)—the highest office a native could hold—guiding Candaba through Spanish rule, revolution, and into the modern age. From Don Santiago “Capitan Tiago” Canciller Evangelista, the richest man in Candaba, to Dr. Honorio Canciller Evangelista, war hero decorated by President Truman, to Dr. José Evangelista y Limjoco, cardiologist and philanthropist in Michigan today—the legacy continues.
