Guia Balmori: 1938 Carnival Queen

Guia Balmori, 1938 Carnival Queen (Miss Philippines), was named after Nuestra Señora de Guia, patron saint of Manila’s Ermita district. The Balmori women of Ermita were noted for their beauty and charm.

Guia was studying at the University of Santo Tomas when she became a Carnival Queen candidate over the objections of her father who felt it was frivolous and expensive. Her school felt the same. But that did not deter her supporters, including several newspapers. When all the votes were counted, Guia emerged winner without spending a centavo.

Her coronation gown was made by the very promising designer at that time, Ramon Valera.

In 1940, Guia married Atty. Jose Avelino Jr., whose father Jose Sr. was Commonwealth Secretary of Public Works and later Senate president.

Semi-closeup of the 1938 Carnival Queen (left). Guia Balmori in coronation gown by Ramon Valera (right)

Could Mrs. Jose Avelino Jr. be the grandmother of award-winning actor Paulo Avelino? Whom to ask? Girlie Rodis who, along with Celeste Legaspi, produced Larawan where Paulo played the male lead.

Girlie asked Paulo, who in turn, asked his father. Turned out that the Carnival Queen was Paulo’s grandaunt. His grandmother was Rubia Puigcerver of Madrid, the daughter of Luis of Alicante, Spain. She married Baltazar Avelino, the oldest brother of Jose Avelino Jr.

Thanks Girlie for that bit of family history of Paulo. — RKC