PinoyBuilt — Stories of Filipino America

Oas, Albay • September 2026. Found on FamilySearch: My Great-Grandmother Saturnina Manlangit's Household in the 1895 Oas, Albay Census. saturnina manlangit, rafael manlangit, petrona recuenco, oas albay census 1895, manlangit family genealogy, filipino genealogy familysearch, cabeceria oas albay, rosa camposano mother. GENEALOGY • OAS, ALBAY • SEPT 2026 Found on FamilySearch: My Great-Grandmother Saturnina Manlangit's Household in the 1895 Oas, Albay Census An 1895–96 tribute ledger, an 1881 census, and the AI-assisted read of two 19th-century Spanish records that named my great-great-grandparents — and seven siblings I didn't know existed. PinoyBuilt illustration. The actual 1895–96 Oas, Albay padrón page — the primary source for this article — is reproduced in the body below. I've spent months chasing my great-grandmother's name through other people's paperwork. Saturnina Manlangit surfaces in exactly one place I...

Oas, Albay, Philippines • June 2026. Rosa Manlangit Camposano: The Full Name Behind Lola Rosita. genealogy, familysearch, oas albay, manlangit, recuenco, camposano, perseveranda, filipino family history, spanish colonial records, padron de almas, baptismal record, fil-am. GENEALOGY • OAS, ALBAY • JUNE 2026 Rosa Manlangit Camposano: The Full Name Behind Lola Rosita My dad and my Tita Gigi already knew the names. A 1914 parish record from Oas, Albay confirmed almost all of it — and quietly corrected one detail that had slipped from living memory. PinoyBuilt illustration, built from my Lola Rosita's own 1930s-era studio portrait, reworked into our house zine style over the Oas, Albay parish records that confirm her Manlangit-Recuenco roots. Manlangit. Recuenco. I knew both surnames before I ever opened a genealogy website — my dad said them, Tita Gigi said them, the way elders repeat a name they intend to outlive them. ...

Finding Family: Connecting With My 2nd Cousin Once Removed Through the Manlangit Line By J.F.R. Perseveranda for Pinoybuilt.com Genealogy has a way of connecting hearts as much as it connects DNA. Recently, I discovered a close match on Ancestry: braverifles43 . According to the platform, we share 119 centimorgans across 9 segments , making him my 2nd cousin once removed (2C1R) — or possibly a half 2nd cousin. This is my 2nd closest DNA match, and it opens a window into our shared Manlangit heritage from Oas, Albay . My First Connection When I saw braverifles43 in my DNA matches, I sent a simple message, introducing myself and asking about our ancestral ties: “Hi! I recently received my DNA results and it looks like we’re distantly related. You’re actually my closest match on one side of my family tree. I was wondering if any of your ancestors might have come from the Bicol region of the Philippines. I’m based in Northern California and have roots there myself. Hope...

When DNA Finds You: A 49 cM Filipino Match, an Adoption, and the Manong Generation By J.F.R. Perseveranda for Pinoybuilt.com When I uploaded my DNA to Ancestry, I expected numbers, percentages, and maybe a few distant cousins. I did not expect a message that would quietly open one of the deepest and most emotional doors in Filipino American history. Her name here will be “BK” . That is not her real name. She is a real person, an adoptee, and someone still searching for where she truly comes from. This story is not about exposing anyone. It is about honoring how DNA reconnects Filipino families that history tried to erase. Reaching Out Across DNA When I saw BK’s name appear as my closest DNA match on one side of my family tree, I did something simple but brave — I sent a message into the unknown. “Hi! I recently received my DNA results and it looks like we’re distantly related. You’re actually the closest match I have on one side of my family tree. I was wondering if ...

My Ancestry DNA — Journeys by Parent Published on January 9, 2026.  By J.F.R. Perseveranda I recently explored my Ancestry DNA results in the new Journeys by Parent feature — and what a meaningful discovery it was! My two main regions by parent came back as: Bicol — rich in history, culture, and fiery spirit. Central Luzon & North Central Calabarzon — lands of plains, rice fields, and deep Filipino heritage. Seeing these regions connected to my parents on paper — and now in DNA — was emotional and powerful. It reminded me that while we may live across oceans or continents, the roots of who we are run deep in the places and stories that make us. It truly is a small world after all. Let’s All Get Connected If you haven’t yet, I invite you to create a free account at Ancestry.com . Upload your DNA results or *order a DNA kit* — and start building your family tree. Connecting with family, past and present, is one of the most rewarding journeys you can ...

92% Filipino, 8% China & Taiwan: Reading My AncestryDNA Results Through Filipino History When my AncestryDNA results came in, I wasn’t chasing a dramatic revelation or a foreign surprise. I wasn’t hoping for a plot twist that would somehow redefine who I am. What I received instead was something far more meaningful—something that confirmed not just identity, but history . 92% Filipino 48% Northern & Central Philippines 34% Luzon 10% Central & Southern Philippines 8% Eastern & Central China & Taiwan At first glance, these numbers might look like simple data points. But for anyone who understands the Philippines—its geography, its migrations, its fractures and continuities—this breakdown tells a layered story of movement, survival, and rootedness . This post isn’t about DNA as destiny. It’s about DNA as a map —one that makes sense only when read alongside history. Filipino Isn’t One Place—It’s an Archipelago ...

Ancestry DNA: Honoring the Camposano–Perseveranda Family Legacy 🧬 Posted on November 24, 2025 • By J.F.R. Perseveranda • Pinoybuilt.com Every family has a story, and ours begins long before we were born. Today, I’m sharing a treasured photograph featuring three pillars of our family: my great-grandfather Marciano Camposano , my lola Rosita Camposano , and my lolo Marciano Perseveranda . These are the faces whose choices, sacrifices, and strength helped shape the generations that followed. Great-grandfather Marciano Camposano (sitting), his eldest daughter Rosita Camposano (my Lola), and her husband Marciano Perseveranda (my Lolo), and my Lola's brother on the right. As I continue building Pinoybuilt and documenting our Filipino American experience, I’ve decided to take the next step in preserving our history by joining Ancestry DNA . With a major sale going on right now at Ancestry, I’m ordering the test and creating our family tree—something I’ve wanted to do for years. ...