Women who made our nation proud

Strengthened by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo’s Presidential Proclamation 622, declaring the year 2005 as the Centennial of the Feminist Movement in the Philippines, a feminist centennial night at the Gota de Leche headquarters was held to celebrate the past and inspire the women of the future. Women in NGOs, women in government, and individual volunteers celebrated the contributions of Filipino women to nationhood, their struggles of over a 100 years for the rights and welfare of Filipino women and girls. That night, we recognized the collective and individual achievements of women as role models.

At Gota de Leche, the home of the feeding program in Manila since 1906, Ana Lea Sarabia, Lily C. Malasa, Sinag de Leon and Christopher Fernando spent nights researching on women leaders of the 19th century. Ida F. Vargas the director of the program, Ma. Eva "Chingbee" Kalaw of ways & means/descendants committee and the awards committee composed of Prof. Fe Mangahas, Dr. Josefina D. Pineda, Rina Jimenez-David, Erlin Tagle and Dr. Mina Roces conceived in a month what we tried to do the past 180 days. Bravo!

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Awards were given to champions and defenders of women’s rights. One of the first awardees were Clemencia Lopez, who in 1902 appealed for Philippine Independence in the United States. Involved with the resistance movement during the Philippine American War, she continued to work during the US colonial rule with her brother Sixto, to form close ties with the Anti-Imperialist League in Boston, Massachusetts. She was Lola Memeng to great-grandnieces Diana Jean, Marybeth, Vicky Lopez and myself.

The champion of the feminist movement awardee was Librada Avelino. Born in 1883, she became the directress of Centro Escolar University. At 16, she passed the government examination for elementary school teachers, and went on to be the first Filipina to become a public school principal during the American regime. In recognition of her contribution to Philippine education and progress, she was conferred as master of pedagogy, honoris causa, by the University of the Philippines in 1929, the first woman to receive such an honor. To receive the award on her behalf was Ms. Lourdes Linao Liwanag.

The next awardee was Constancia Poblete, extremely politicized and editor of Filipinas, the first local magazine devoted entirely to the interest of women. She urged women to speak out and support their favorite political candidates, championing the rights of women to side with any political party according to their conviction.

Dr. Encarnacion Alzona was born in 1895 and regarded as an eminent historian as professor of history at the University of the Philippines. Her historical writings have become classics, particularly A History of Education in the Philippines. Dr. Alzona has the distinction of being the first woman with a PhD in the Philippines. To receive the champion of the feminist movement award for Encarnacion Alzona was Ms. Elenita Alzona.

Our next awardee was Natividad Almeda Lopez. The so-called Dean of Women Judges was born in 1892. She obtained her bachelor of laws degree at Escuela de Derecho de Manila, and her master of laws of doctorate in civil law at UST. She served as Bureau of Justice special attorney in 1919, Manila municipal judge from 1936-51, Manila Municipal Courts executive judge from 1952-56, presiding judge of the Juvenile and Domestic Relations court in 1956, and was the first woman associate justice of the Court of Appeals.

Another feminist was Rose Sevilla Alvero. Born in 1879, she obtained a degree of maestra superior with honors in Assumption College, then a BSE, MA and PhD from the University of Santo Tomas. She established the Instituto de Mujeres in 1900 and served as its directress for 45 years, admonishing women to empower themselves though education. After enrolling at University of Santo Tomas at the age of 49, she became its first dean of women. She was also appointed to the Supreme National Council and to the Women’s Council where she aided war victims.

The next recipient of our award was Maria Paz Mendoza Guanzon, the first president and founding member of the Philippine Association of University Women in 1928. Among her other firsts include first Filipino woman doctor, first woman graduate of the University of the Philippines College of Medicine, and the first woman regent of UP in 1924. She also served as resident physician at the PGH, instructor at the UP College of Medicine in 1914, Dean of Women, College of Medicine, Pharmacy and Dentistry in 1916, and Director of Women for UP in 1917. The Presidential Merit Award was bestowed on her in 1966. Receiving the award for her was Ms. Pacita Sandoval.

Josefa Llanes Escoda guided the organization of the Girl Scouts of the Philippines, and taught sociology at University of the Philippines and University of Santo Tomas while working at the Red Cross. As one of the leaders of the National Federation of Women’s Club, she helped launch a more coordinated suffrage campaign. She also cared for military interns during the Death March.

Pilar Hidalgo-Lim, as president of the Federation of Women’s Clubs, spearheaded the suffragist movement in 1937. Her group created a General Council of Women, which set forth an intensive campaign to win the ballot. They clamored that once the quote of 300,000 affirmative votes was filled, the suffrage law for women should take effect at once. It did.

Josefa Martinez, our next defender of the feminist movement awardee, was regarded as the first Filipino social worker. She graduated from the Philippine Normal School and the Columbia University in New York and organized the YWCA in Manila and became its president in 1930. Ms. Cristy Jalasco received her award.

Born in 1876, Sofia Reyes de Veyra helped establish a school of nursing in Bacolod. In 1907, she co-organized the Feminist Association and became its first secretary and initiated the foundation of La Proteccion de la Infancia for undernourished babies, and remained a member of the board of directors of St. Paul’s Hospital for many years. She organized the Manila Women’s Club where she was elected president and served in the governing body of the Philippine Red Cross. Receiving the award on her behalf was Ms. Lourdes de Veyra Sevilla, my teacher at the Assumption Convent.

Trinidad Fernandez Legarda traveled through the provinces assisting women set up local clubs that were merged in 1912 and because the National Federation of Women’s Clubs for which she became president in 1946. In 1953, she was awarded by the Red Feather organization as Civic Leader of the Year and the Presidential Merit Award as Civic Leader in 1966 and 1967. Her grandchild Elena Isabel Trinidad wore her lola’s terno to receive the award.

Born in 1903, Paz Policarpio Mendez, Popsy Aquino’s mommy, garnered over 40 awards in her lifetime, including Outstanding Young Woman in Education in 1940, Most Outstanding Alumna of the University of the Philippines in 1975, and Outstanding Senior Citizen Achiever of the Philippines by the Rotary Club of San Miguel in 1992. Together with the Philippine Association of University Women, she worked for Paraphernal Property Law, which empowered the wife to alienate, encumber, or mortgage her paraphernal property without her husband’s consent.

Maria C. Manzano, most active in the General Council for Women, represented Pangasinan in the suffrage movement. The women recruited new members to the suffrage cause through press, radio, posters, student rallies, house-to-house appeals, speaking tours and distribution of sample ballots.

The daughter of Sultan Jamal ul Kiram II, Princess Tarhata Kiram became a charity worker and then acted as go-between for the government and the Muslims with her mix of Asian and Western education. Former Senator Eva Estrada Kalaw received Tarhata Kiram’s award.

Born in 1896, Geronima Pecson became the first woman senator of the Philippines. She earned her bachelor of science and master of arts degrees from the University of the Philippines. Better known as a silent achiever in the suffragist movement, her outstanding accomplishments were substantiated by the numerous awards she received from civic, religious, and educational institutions. She once said, "I would rather project my work than myself."

Minerva Laudico attended the public hearings of the Committee on Suffrage of the Constitutional Convention of 1934. Right after her master of arts degree in social work, the young Minerva Guysako Laudico worked with the National Federation of Women’s Clubs, which was spearheaded the suffragist movement.

All courageous and brilliant women of a challenging era. Patriotic heroines who made a difference in the national life of a young country. Distinguished ladies who made our nation proud during trying times for an identity. Allow me to salute all descendants of great women.