Philippine Heroines of the Revolution:

Maria Clara they were not

by Dr. Robert L. Yoder, FAPC
The place of women continues to evolve in our time. An
advertisement suggests, "You've come a long way, Baby!"
Where at one time, men considered a woman's place to be in
the home, her place today could be in the House of
Representatives or even as our President. President Corazon
Aquino was an example in the Philippines. Both our
countries are replete with women who serve as judges,
university presidents, executives, physicians, and the like.
While a "glass ceiling" exists for women in the business
world, it seems to be breaking apart with the challenges of
talented females.

It is even true in the American and Philippine armed forces.

It is possible today for a woman to be a General or an
Astronaut. However, the two armies do not assign women to
combat roles. Sadly, stories of sexual intimidation and
exploitation including the world's armies fill our papers.

As we mark the 1996 - 1998 centennial of the Philippine

revolution, it might be interesting to note that women played
a significant role in this quest. This responsibility came
despite the fact that the place of women at the turn of the
century was more ornamental than practical.

The "ideal" image, promoted by no less than Jose Rizal, is

that of Maria Clara, a demure, self-effacing beauty whose
place was on the pedestal of male honor. Rizal describes this
"ideal" of the Philippine woman with words such as these:
"an Oriental decoration," "her eyes. . . always downcast," "a
pure soul." (chapter 5, Noli Me Tangere). During the first
six years of American rule, the noted nationalist, Teodoro
Kalaw, deplored the impact of new ideas disseminated with
the advent of American education. As he witnessed their
reading books in English and "chattering in a strange
language" he feared that they were becoming "unconscious
victims of modernity." For him it was their degradation.
Lost was their "native simplicity." They now preferred to be
called "girls" instead of dalagas (maidens). Soon they would
abandon their duennas, "walking out alone. . . a handbag
under the arm, just like bold little American misses."

Spanish attitudes were not greatly different from those of

"Victorian" Americans (a term which paradoxically comes
from an English queen!). Filipinos of the era overlooked the
possible role model of an earlier Ilocono heroine, Maria
Josefa Gabriela Silang. Silang took up the cause of her
assassinated husband Diego Silang. She fought the Spanish
forces in a revolt that was a major precursor to the revolt
began under Bonifacio. Indeed, many of the early classic
Philippine histories do not do justice to the efforts of women
in the revolution.

Andres Bonifacio, great as he was, had a touch of "male

chauvinism." He founded the Katipunan, the first successful
revolutionary movement, as a society for men, only. The
wives of the Katipuneros, however, began to grow
suspicious regarding the late evening conclaves of their
husbands and objected to the loss of family revenue.
Because of these forceful familial objections, Bonifacio
began to bring women into the revolutionary fold.
Eventually the Katipunan's set of conduct (the Kartila)
declared the equality of men and women.

While the revolutionary movement might have idealized

women, their wives claimed a place of power which can be
traced to pre-Spanish days. Ancient Filipina priestesses were
looked upon as persons of power, knowledge, and prophecy.
She was consulted in spiritual affairs and often decided
upon the right time to plant or the necessity of war. Even at
the turn of the century outlying areas turned to women
spiritual leaders to provide the sacrament of extreme unction
to those at death's door.

To be a member, a woman had to be a wife, sister or

daughter of a Katipunero. There is a difference of opinion as
to whether there was a woman's organization separate from
the men's. Dr. Pio Valenzuela, a confidant of Bonifacio, and
a Katipunero, wrote, "There was no Supreme Council for
women members and consequently it cannot be mentioned
who was its first presidenta." On the other hand the majority
of scholarly opinion holds that there was, indeed, a separate
body, organized toward the middle of 1893, with the same
method of admission as those for men. Perhaps, Dr.
Valenzuela had a touch of chauvinistic "memory loss." The
women joined under the same initiation rites as their
husbands except that they did not have to sign the blood
compact. Early Katepuneros included Jose Rizal's sisters,
Josefa and Trinidad.

Bonifacio and his wife Gregoria married according to a

secrete ritual of the Katipunan. No doubt other
revolutionaries married with the same ceremony. At risk to
their lives, the women helped to guard the secret documents
of the society. In periods of danger, Gregoria, wife of the
Supremo, sought to hide important documents from the
soldiers. Sometimes she sought shelter in the homes of
friends. Knowing that this exposed them to danger she also
often rode in a carriage all day returning home only when
she felt it was safe. In her memoirs Gregoria related that she
learned marksmanship and riding horses. In the rebel camps
she learned the survival skills of guerrillas such as what wild
foods would be safe to eat and prepare and the
administration of first aid.

When the Katipunan was holding session, the women often

feigned a party like atmosphere with singing and dancing so
that the civil guards believed that only a harmless social
party was underway. Often women served as spies and they
helped in the recruitment of new members into the
organization.

Most women played a supportive role. Melchora Aquino is

an exemplary model. At an advanced age, Melchora
volunteered to help the Katipunan. The Katipunan gave her
the code name, Tandang Sora (Tandang in Filipino is a term
of respect which refers to her aged condition). History
knows her primarily by this secret name. Her contributions
were largely material in nature. She provided temporary
shelter for the Katipuneros as well as food and other
material.

Eventually her collaboration became known to the Spanish

authorities. She attempted to flee to Novaliches but the civil
guard, who captured her, took her for questioning in Bilibid
Prison. Eventually, Spanish authorities exiled Melchora to
Guam even though she was eighty-four years old.

In 1903 she returned to the Philippines, now under the

American governance. She lived for the next sixteen years
in the small village of her childhood and died at her
daughter's home at 107 years of age.

Patrocinia Gamboa served in another way. Popularly

known as the "Heroine of Jaro," Patrocinia hailed from
Iloilo. Born to an ilustrado, or moneyed family, her heart
burned with a longing of freedom from Spain. She secretly
read the writings of Jose Rizal, Lopez Jaena (a province
mate), and other revolutionary propagandists. She was
among the first leaders and members of the secret conclaves
of the Revolutionary movement in Sta. Barbara.

Because of her gender and because of her tie to wealth,

Spaniards did not suspect her of revolutionary sympathies.
This proved to be an asset as she acted as an intelligence
agent and secretly raised funds for the revolution. When
hostilities broke out, she risked her life in battle as a Red
Cross nurse attending to the comfort of the wounded and
sick.

History mixes her story of heroism with comedy.

November 17, 1898, was the inauguration date for the
Revolutionary government of the Visayas. Naturally, such
an occasion called for a flag. The women of Jaro prepared a
replica of the flag made by Marcela Agoncillo in Hong
Kong. Now the problem lay in its delivery to the Santa
Barbara headquarters of General Martin Delgado. Between
the two towns were Spanish guards shooting anyone
suspected as being in league with the revolutionary forces.
They thoroughly inspected civilians passing along the roads.

Patrocinia and a young lieutenant volunteered for the task.

Patrocinia wrapped the national flag around her waist
concealing it with her other garments. The two took off as a
husband and wife delivering hay in a carriage. A saber, a
gift of General Aguinaldo to General Delgado, lay
concealed under that hay.
The carriage neared a roadblock and the two faced the
danger. How could they circumvent the attention of the
guards? Patrocinia came up with in ingenious idea. She
staged a husband and wife quarrel with herself as a
domineering wife berating an unfortunate, weak husband.
As she shouted and cursed the subdued man, she also
pinched, bit and boxed him. They acted their comic parts so
convincingly that the guards, overwhelmed with laughter,
let them pass by.

They delivered the flag on time for the inaugural

ceremonies. Near the pole stood Patrocinia, beaming with
pride that she could perform yet another service for the
country that struggled to come to be.

We can not enumerate adequately the emotional suffering

and physical deprivation of Philippine women during
Revolutionary times. We know principally about persons of
note or those married to the principles. Gregoria de Jesus,
wife of Bonifacio, struggled to bring about the Katipunan
only to see the organization her husband founded turn on
him, and secretly execute him after a unjust military trial.

Josephine Bracken, common law wife of Jose Rizal,

underwent the emotional upheavals of a Caucasian
foreigner, often misunderstood by Rizals' own family, who
thought she might be a spy for the Spanish. History does not
often recount her flight with bruised and blooded feet after
Rizal's death. The revolutionary movement brought her
through dense jungle growth to a safe area where she
boarded a boat to safety in Hong Kong.

We witness the toughness of a great woman in the life of

Hilaria (del Rosario) Aguinaldo. Not only is she the first of
the "first ladies" of the Philippines, but the founder of the
Philippine Red Cross. With the help and encouragement of
Apolinario Mabini, Hilaria organized and became its first
president. In its first five months it had thirteen chapters.
She and others helped to organize and distribute the needed
food and medicines to wounded Philippine soldiers.

On October 5, 1899, Mrs. Aguinaldo spoke to the soldiers

assembled in Tarlac:

... Were it not a shocking thing for us to wear trousers and to

carry rifles ... we [the women] members of the Philippine
Red Cross -- would aid you in the struggle and die by your
side, for what would our lives amount to if we should still
have to live in slavery? Though I am a weak woman, I can
assure you that my prayer is [for] all the Filipino people...

While it might be a "shocking thing" to participate actively

in warfare, some women took to the field of battle and their
lives are stories of tremendous courage.

Trinidad Tecson, "Mother of Biak-na-bato" is one such

heroine. Already active in the Masonic movement, Tecson
joined the Katipunan in 1895 at forty-seven years of age.
She did the "manly" thing in signing her name with her own
blood (something the women rarely did). On the battlefield
she wore the Katipunero outfit and fought side by side with
the men, enduring their hardships. Wounded at times, she
returned to do battle as soon as she recovered. mong her
exploits was the capture of munitions from the civil guard at
the Caloocan, Rizal courthouse. In another exploit she was
among the reconnoiters who captured firearms from the jail
in San Isidro. Soldiers captured her and interrogated her for
five days. They were, however, unable to discover where
she hid the guns. Among her greatest exploits of valor was
the defense to the entrance to the fort at Biak-na-bato. She,
her husband, Julian Alcantara, and two servants held a
superior force at bay and finally repelled the attack. Once,
while securing provisions, she evaded capture by pretending
death quietly crawling on the grass until she could hide in
the dense foliage.

Eventually Trinidad organized other women to nurse the

wounded and sick soldiers of the Filipino army. Her work
spread to the Ilocos region and the Southern provinces.
After the war, the American Red Cross recognized her for
her nursing work. She died at eighty in 1928.

Another military heroine was Valeriana Elises y Palma, the

wife of General Pantaleon Garcia. History notes her
participation by her husband's side on the battle field. She
demonstrated her courage under fire and her dedication to
the ideals of the revolution.

A third female military figure is "Generala" Agueda

Kahabagan. Dressed in white and armed with a rifle and
bolo, history records her bravery in frequent combat against
the Spanish and American forces. Apparently General
Miguel Malvar commissioned Agueda to lead a formidable
detachment of forces armed with rifles and machetes.

She was among the soldiers under the command of General

Artemio Ricarte. Of note is their attack on the Spanish San
Pablo garrison in October, 1897. Having survived the battles
against Spain, she joined again in battle against the
American Forces. Along with General Pio del Pilar, she
fought against the Americans in the Southern Tagalog
region. It was probably General del Pilar who recommended
that she be granted the title of "General." The March 1899,
roster of generals included Agueda as the only female
General in the armed forces of the Katipunan. Records show
her appointment as General on January 4, 1899. After the
war, her name seems lost in the memory of many Filipinos.
Let us remember her as a heroine, the "Tagalog Joan of
Arc."

Let us also recall a fourth figure. This heroine came from

the Visayas: Teresa Magbanua. In her childhood, Teresa
was what we would call a "tom boy." She enjoyed climbing
the trees, swimming in the Jaluar river, and riding horses
and water buffalo. When her brothers got into fights with
other children, she fought along with them. She preferred
the company of boys more than girls. This concerned her
parents who sent her off to a local finishing school and then
to two colleges in Manila. At one of these schools in Manila
she was the classmate of Dona Aurora Aragon, later the first
lady of President Manuel Quezon of the Commonwealth.

Returning home to her hometown of Pototan she began

teaching. She was firm but fair and acquired the respect of
her community. She then transferred to the town of Sara
where she met a wealthy landowner. After her marriage she
transferred her energy from the schoolhouse to the
plantation where she helped to manage the farm. She also
had more opportunity to ride horses and practice her
marksmanship.

When the Revolution began in Iloilo, Teresa's brothers,

Pascual and Elias, joined the Katipunan forces. Eventually
Elias became a Major in the revolutionary army, although he
was only a teenager. Pascual became a Brigadier General in
that army, a noted revolutionary in his own right. Although
her husband objected, Teresa's love of country and desire of
liberty led her to join in the revolution as well. She enlisted
under General Perfecto Poblador, an uncle. According to her
sister, Paz Magbanua Penaranda, the conversation went
something like this:

"General, I have come to offer my services for our cause."

"Aye, woman," replied General Poblador, "what can you
do?"

"I can fight."

"Fight? Why, you are a woman."
"What of it? Cannot a woman fight for her country just as
well as a man?"

"Maybe, but..."
"Now General, you know that I can ride and shoot better
than you. Give me men to command and I will show you
how a woman can fight for her country."

In battle, she commanded a group of men so patriotic as to

verge on the fanatical. Under her command they would
attack any enemy group, regardless of the odds, if she gave
the order. She also fought against American forces in Jaro in
1899. Her followers and local inhabitants called her
"General" even though there is no record of her being so
"officially" designated. Eventually it became obvious that
the fight against superior American forces was futile. She
disbanded her men and returned home.

Her greatest loss during these revolutionary times were the

deaths of her two brothers. It was made more tragic that they
were killed by other Filipinos. Elias died at 19 from the
bullet of a Filipino guide working with the American forces.
Even more tragic was the death of her brother Pascual.
Bandits murdered him. Some believe those bandits were in
league with personal enemies, jealous of his successes. They
threw his body into the river, never to be recovered.

When Japan attacked the Philippines, Teresa sold all her

property to help finance the guerrilla forces. She migrated to
Mindanao and died in 1947 in Zamboanga.

Either in a support role or on the field of battle, Philippine

revolutionary women responded with dedication and
conviction to the cause of patriotism and an independent
state. While we celebrate the role of women everywhere,
these centennial years are a cause to commemorate the role
women played which led to the founding of the Philippine
Republic.

The End.

See also by the same author:

"Graciano López Jaena" and "Mabini: Wounded Hero"

E-mail to the author: r.yoder@prodigy.net