Antonio Somoza Arnaiz

Antonio Arnaiz was born to a haciendero family of prominence in Bais, Negros Oriental. He studied at the Dallas Aviation School. In 1936, Colonel Arnaiz, together with Juan Calvo, made the pioneering Manila- Madrid flight, a first in Philippine aviation, now known as the ‘Arnacal Flight’. When they returned to the Philippines, the two were promoted to Lieutenant Colonels in the new Philippine Army Air Corps by President Manuel L. Quezon. In 1937, Antonio was selected to become the King Consort to Maria Carmen Zaldarriaga, at the Manila Carnival celebrations. They were soon married and begot five children. Antonio earned a doctoral degree in aeronautics engineering and served as the Vice President and Director of the Philippine Aviation Corporation. Upon his death in 1979, the old Pasay Road was renamed Arnaiz Avenue, in his honor. This road crossed Makati Avenue and Paseo de Roxas, once the runways of Nielson Airport, from where Antonio Arnaiz took off on an adventure that earned him a place in Philippine aviation history. More here: http://bit.ly/iQcznK.

His friend Juan Calvo was a Lt. Col. when World War 2 broke out. After the fall of Bataan and Corregidor in 1942, Juan fled to Cuauyan, Isabela and, with Col. Alfredo Ramirez, set up the Ramirez-Calvo Guerrilla Organisation (formally, the 34th Division, 6th Military District, Ramirez-Calvo Unit, or Ramcal unit). Juan would be executed by the Japanese in 1945 after being caught in April 1944. Sunico de Sevilla Tree Custodian, 2019