Melecio Gaudencio Valencia

Melecio Gaudencio Valencia y Padilla (1824 - 1916), also known as Ka Miling among his family, keen and friends was a teacher and a former Augustinian lay brother who wrote La Historia del Familia Padilla y Antonio en Las Yslas Filipinas in 1847 after leaving the Augustinian convent. He lived and died a bachelor who was into music and theater arts. He was the one who encouraged the young Jose Padilla y Galvez, his grandnephew, into acting. He also trained him in public speaking. Jose eventually became the most loved Governor of Bulacan in his time. He motivated him to go into politics in Bulacan because of his wide knowledge of law and good relationship to the people of Bulacan. In his years as a teacher, he promoted to the Spaniards and Americans and to fellow Filipinos, the colorful and rich cultures of the Ilonggot tribe.