BALDOMERO GONZALES is best remembered as the last cabeza de barangay of Puerto Rivas before the Spanish-American War broke out in the Philippines.
He co-founded the local organization of the Iglesia Filipina Independiente (IFI) in Puerto Rivas in 1906. The other two pioneering Aglipayan leaders were Damaso Bernabe (Puerto Rivas Ibaba) and Mariano Escalada (Puerto Rivas Itaas).
Baldomero was a rich man who owned large tracts of land in Puerto Rivas Itaas and Tortugas. He even donated a lot for the use of the Tortugas Elementary School.
He was married to Salome Naval of Malabon. His children were: Remedios Gonzales-Cruz; Carmen Gonzales-Quesada (Charo Quesada’s grandmother); Pedro N. Gonzales (Dr. Louie Atienza’s grandfather); Mariano N. Gonzales (Escalada family); Jose N. Gonzales Sr. (grandfather of Norbie and Dr. Violeta Gonzales); Josefa Gonzales-Arcebido; Jose N. Gonzales I (Balanga mayor and father of Director Nestor Gonzales and Dr. Primo Gonzales); and Maria Gonzales-Pajares.
NESTOR ESPINA GONZALES (1923-1996) was a brilliant lawyer from Puerto Rivas, Balanga, who became the National Capital Region (NCR) director of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).
Atty. Gonzales, the eldest child of former Balanga Mayor Jose N. Gonzales I (16th, 1946-1947) and Irene Espina of Bulacan, was born in Puerto Rivas on February 26, 1923. He was the older brother of Drs. Primo and Felipe Gonzales. He completed his Law degree at the University of the Philippines in Diliman where his other siblings went to study.
After passing the Bar examinations, he joined the NBI where he rose to the rank of regional director for Metro Manila. He was married to the former Aurora Dizon of Puerto Rivas and had three children. He passed away on May 18, 1996.
PRIMO ESPINA GONZALES is a highly-specialized dentist from Puerto Rivas, Balanga, who has given so much of himself and his personal resources to the growth and progress of Dentistry for the past 50 years.
He once served as president of the International Dental Association. He is acknowledged as the personal dentist of former Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos, former First Lady Imelda Marcos, the late Senator Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino, the Cojuangcos and the cream of Manila’s 400.
Dr. Primo is the fourth child of former Balanga Mayor Jose N. Gonzales I (1946-1947) and the former Irene Espina of Bulacan. He was born on June 9, 1928. His other siblings include Nestor (former NBI director), Lolita G. Patricio, Amelia G. Cegara, and Felipe (another noted dentist).
A product of Arellano Memorial (Bataan) High School, he completed his Dentistry course at the University of the Philippines in 1952. He passed the Dental board exam on the same year. In 1954, he took post-graduate studies in Prosthodontics at the New York University College of Dentistry, followed by another year ofinternship in Dental Surgery and Anesthesia at the Morrisania CityHospital, also in New York City. While in the Big Apple, he organized the Philippine Dental Association of New York and vicinities and served as the organization’s president from 1954 until 1956.
Dr. Primo Gonzales returned to Manila in the latter part of 1956 and immediately set up his dental practice in Escolta, Manila. After 10 years, he transferred to Makati in 1966 upon the invitation of the Cojuangcos to serve as dental retainer to all their companies. He later transferred to a condominium office with six operatories at the ground floor of Solid Mills Building in Makati where he holds officeuntil now.
He also maintained two dental clinics in Malacanang Palace during the whole 20-year reign of President Ferdinand Marcos. He keeps another dental clinic at the Manila Hotel since 1978 to present.
A farmer by heart, Dr. Gonzales spends his weekends in his 120-acre farm and vacation house in Bataan.
