Tabancay Family Collection

Benny Tabancay was born in the municipality of Bacarra, in the province of Ilocos Norte, in the Philippines in 1906. The details of his immigration to the United States are unknown, but he eventually came to settle in Watsonville where he opened a dry cleaning business called Ideal Cleaners with Ben Ragsac, another Filipino man.

Esther Galicia was born in Bacarra, Ilocos Norte, Philippines in 1924, where she worked as a teacher. Through a sponsorship from her aunt, Paula Galicia, she immigrated to Salinas to attend Hartnell College. Esther attended Hartnell College until she married Benny and moved to Watsonville. The details of their meeting and marriage are unknown.

Together, Benny and Esther had four kids: Ruth (b. 1951), Francis (b. 1952), Darlene (b. 1959), and Jerry (b. 1960). The Tabancay family was active in the Filipino American community in Watsonville. Esther was involved in the Filipino Women’s Club of Watsonville and the children participated in Filipino folk dance classes. Esther worked at the Green Giant cannery in Watsonville for twenty-five years.

Benny passed away in 1961. After his passing, Ruth helped Esther by taking care of her siblings. Through her second marriage Esther had a fifth child, Linda (b. 1963), who was later adopted. Esther remarried a third time to Emilio (Last Name Unknown), who was a father figure after Benny’s passing. Ruth went on to go to medical school and art school. Ruth is a Bay Area based textile and fiber artist. Francis went on to attend Cabrillo College and San Jose State University, and she still lives in Watsonville.

The Tabancay Family Collection was donated to Watsonville is in the Heart in 2023. It contains one oral history interview with Ruth Tabancay.

Ruth Tabancay