It was when we produced the documentary film “The Making of Quezon City”—a project of the Quezon City Public Library that I went back to Calauag, Quezon after sometime. I was with director Jowee Morel, the controversial Fil-Briton filmmaker who was at the helm of the project.
Calauag has time and again enthralled me so much with its fascinating seaside and magical idyll especially with the recollection of the so-called Bahay na Puti (White House) of the Moratos atop a hill overlooking Calauag Bay. There were still remnants of the past in the historical abode where Manuel Luis Quezon, the former president of the Commonwealth had always dropped by, alighting from the train, going up the palatial structure and conversing with his best friend, Tomas Morato, a peninsular from Spain who found love—not only once but twice—and brought forth the many popular figures in society, culture and entertainment.
Quezon was pivotal in the making of Quezon City because he was the father of the capitol. He was the one who thought of making the vast Diliman—extended to many unnamed places—a city at the time it was called Balintawak City. Morato helped him urbanized the area.
In the doc, we interviewed some residents of Calauag like Atty. Joven Florido who revealed a mouthful about Morato and Quezon.
Revisiting Calauag brought back memories of the controversial Manuel Morato, one of Tomas’ sons and their scions like Jake Cuenca and Bobby Andrews whose maternal sides are Moratos. Former sex nymphet and winner of Miss Dance Owl Night Party Jessica Pica who beat Hilda Koronel of the title is also a Morato.
There are still other Moratos who are involved in the arts but have chosen privacy.