The Mendiola Clan: Mayors of Naga, Cebu

The Mendiola Clan produced a man who, along with his children, served Naga, Cebu, as its chief executive. Teodoro “Doring” Suarez Mendiola who married Eugenia Rivera Manubag, served the Municipality of Naga as municipal president (town’s chief executive during the American occupation from 1899 to 1935) from 1926 to 1929.

Two of his sons also served the Municipality of Naga as mayors, one was Reynaldo (who married Claudia Lada) who became a lawyer. He served Naga as mayor from 1945 to 1952. On November 14, 1967, Reynaldo, also known by his nickname “Rening”, was elected Board Member of the Province of Cebu. Rening Mendiola became part of the team of Governor Rene Gandiongco Espina in his re-election, his fellow board members were lawyers Valeriano Carillo and Pablo Garcia, later elected as congressman and governor of Cebu.

The brother of Reynaldo by the name of Vicente, also called “Inting”, became a lawyer on April 3, 1953 and succeeded Reynaldo as mayor from 1952 to 1963, earning the title as the longest-serving mayor of Naga after he served for 25 years.

The other children of Municipal President Teodoro Mendiola were Carolina (who married Mario Borromeo), Resurrection (who married Undo Manguray of Carcar), Carlita, Teodoro (who married Cita Manapin) and Eugenia (who married Elsing Chiong of Toledo). Eugenia (fondly called as Lola Gamay) is the grandmother of the first lady lawyer mayor of Naga, Kristine Vanessa Chiong. The father of Mayor Kristine by the name of Valdemar served Naga as mayor and vice mayor. The elder brother of Valdemar by the name of Enan also served Naga as mayor for several terms, the city’s activity center is named after him.

The children of Mayor/Board Member Rening are Sonia (who married a Lee), Norma (who married a Goodrow), Sarah (who married a Guererro) and Reynaldo Jr., while the children of Mayor Inting are Romeo, Susan Ruby, and Theodore.

The other members of the Mendiola Clan who became lawyers are: Francisco (admitted to the Bar on February 4, 1939), Pedro (November 3, 1922), Marcial (February 4, 1933), and Marcelo (December 16, 1940).

According to the book “A Brief Survey of What Was and What is the Diocese of Cebu”, Naga was erected as parish by superior provision on June 12, 1829 under the patronage of San Francisco de Assisi. Its mother parish is the San Nicolas Church in Cebu City. Its original barrios are Inayagan, Tinaan, Langtad, Pandan, Cantag-an, Lutac, Uling, and Alpaco.

The legacy of leadership and service of Municipal President Teodoro Suarez Mendiola to the citizens of Naga, Cebu, continues with his grandchildren and greatgrandchildren.