Arsenio Luz

“Get the Carnival Spirit!”, was the rallying cry of the Carnival publicists for 1923, an encouragement that is hardly necessary in Manila. For with the approach of the opening day of the Manila Carnival, by force of habit, the city changes its whole aspect and becomes a realm of fun, frolic and amusement.

That year’s Carnival pretty much kept the same ingredients that made the previous year’s edition successful.. For the second year in a row, a Filipino was named as the Director General of the Carnival, Arsenio Luz who, to his credit, administered the 1922 Carnival with aplomb. He was described as a livewire and a “go-getter”, qualities needed to ensure that the big event runs smoothly, and that, more importantly, the Carnival makes both ends meet, financially.

Arsenio was a businessman and writer of El Renacimiento, the managing editor of Philippine Herald in 1922, first manager of the Philippine Sweepstakes in 1933 and the first Filipino president of the Rotary Club.

Arsenio was also a cabinet member (press secretary) when Jose P. Laurel was the President of the Philippines and was also an adviser/ghost writer for President Manuel Quezon. He, together with Claro M. Recto were the only Filipinos honored by Spain by being inducted into the La Academia de Lengua Espanol..... as being prolific Spanish language writers and speakers.

He married his cousin, Amparo Luz Katigbak. Their daughter, Amparito, was the soprano, Santuzza, in the long-running Italian opera, Cavalleria Rusticana. She was a member of the famed Mossesgeld Chorale Ensemble.