Godofredo S. Samonte or Nyol Guding as he was called by those who are close to him, was born to Raymundo Samonte Jr and Angela Samonte in San Roque, Cavite on November 08, 1904.
His parents died early, so his uncle Ramon Samonte and aunt Francisca de Leon took the responsibility of taking care of him and educating him. After finishing seventh grade, he taught in the elementary school for three years.
In 1924, he graduated from Cavite High School and resumed his teaching career in 1925. He enrolled at the University of the Philippines in preparatory medicine. However, he was not able to finish because of his early marriage to Rizalina Navarro Suarez with whom he had eight children.
He became an Auditor of Corregidor Island and later on as bookkeeper in Cavite City Local Government. He took courses in embalming and had his practicum with Dr. Juanito Sta. Cruz, a well-known pathologist of his time. He was employed by almost all funeral homes in Cavite City including Funeraria Filipinas.
On July 19, 1990, he passed away at the age of 85. Nyol Guding was also a historian and poet, he wrote many articles about his hometown such as Saga of Cavite City, The Treasure of Cavite, Cavite’s Chabacano, History of Sangley Point, Odyssey of the Virgin of Porta Vaga, Hymn to the XIII Martires de Cavite and many more. In 1990, he was awarded a Plaque of Recognition by the City Government of Cavite (Posthumus) for his outstanding contributions to the Arts and Letters.
In 2009 he was recognized by the De La Salle University- Dasmarinas for his contributions in preserving the Chabacano language.
(Information: Biography of Godofredo Samonte by his six daughters, undated, courtesy of Edwin Guinto of Café Antix @cafeantixofficial. Canticos del Amor para la Reina by Father Virgilio Saenz Mendoza, 2017. Photos of G. Samonte from Edwin S. Guinto)
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