Filipino Women Revolutionaries
Across centuries of colonial rule and struggle, Filipino women have risen as visionaries, organizers, combatants, andurers, shaping the nation’s fight for freedom and leaving legacies that endure to this day.
Gabriela Silang (1731–1763)
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| Gabriela Silang leading her troops |
María Josefa Gabriela Cariño de Silang became the first Filipino woman to lead an armed revolt against Spanish colonial forces. Born in Caniogan, Ilocos Sur in 1731, she married Diego Silang in 1757 and served as his trusted advisor during his insurgency for Ilocano self-rule. After Diego’s assassination on May 28, 1763, Gabriela rallied remaining forces, conducted guerrilla operations, and led an attempted assault on Vigan before capture. She was publicly executed by hanging on September 20, 1763, at age 32, becoming the symbol of female resistance in Philippine history.
Melchora
“Tandang Sora” Aquino (1812–1919)
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| Melchora Aquino tending revolutionaries |
Born in Banlat (now Quezon City) on January 6, 1812, Melchora Aquino—affectionately known as Tandang Sora—earned the title “Mother of the Revolution” for her unwavering support of Katipunan fighters during the 1896 uprising. At age 84, she sheltered wounded revolutionaries in her home, provided food and medical care, and hosted secret meetings of the society. Despite Spanish interrogation, she refused to betray her comrades and was exiled to Guam before returning under American rule. She died at 107, her legacy commemorated in monuments and place names across Metro Manila.
Gregoria
“Oriang” de Jesús (1875–1943)
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| Gregoria de Jesús safeguarding Katipunan papers |
Gregoria de Jesús, born May 9, 1875 in Caloocan, served as Secretary and Custodian of Katipunan documents under the nom de guerre Lakambini. As wife of Andrés Bonifacio, she risked her life preserving seals and papers crucial to the revolutionary movement. After Bonifacio’s death, she continued advocacy for independence, later marrying General Julio Nakpil and witnessing the Philippines’ liberation in 1946. She died March 15, 1943, remembered for safeguarding the revolution’s heart and history.
Teresa
“Visayan Joan of Arc” Magbanua (1868–1947)
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| Teresa Magbanua in battle |
Teresa Magbanua y Ferraris, born October 13, 1868 in Pototan, Iloilo, transitioned from schoolteacher to Brigadier General in the Philippine Revolutionary Army. Dubbed the Visayan Joan of Arc, she led the Bolo Battalion in key battles against Spanish forces in Panay, then fought American troops during the Philippine–American War (1899–1900). One of the few Filipinos to resist Spain, America, and later assist guerrillas in World War II, her courage defied gender norms and inspired future generations.
Trinidad
“Mother of Biak-na-Bato” Tecson (1848–1928)
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| Trinidad Tecson tending to soldiers |
Trinidad Perez Tecson was born November 18, 1848 in San Miguel de Mayumo, Bulacan. At 47, she joined the Katipunan’s women’s chapter and earned the title “Mother of Biak-na-Bato” for her valor nursing wounded soldiers and seizing firearms from colonial garrisons. She fought alongside generals like Mariano Llanera and Gregorio del Pilar in at least 12 engagements across Bulacan, later serving as Commissary of War in the Malolos Republic. She died January 28, 1928, honored as a pioneer of the Philippine National Red Cross.
Lorenza Agoncillo (1898)
Lorenza Agoncillo sewing the first Philippine flag
At age twelve, Lorenza Agoncillo assisted her mother and Delfina Herbosa de Natividad in stitching the first official Philippine flag in Hong Kong, ensuring the emblem of independence was ready for Emilio Aguinaldo’s return in May 1898.
Marcela Mariño de Agoncillo (1898)
Marcela Agoncillo stitching flag in exile
Dubbed the “Mother of the Philippine Flag,” Marcela Agoncillo was the principal seamstress commissioned by Aguinaldo. She led the team that completed the flag within five days under exile conditions in Hong Kong, symbolizing the nation’s unity and aspirations.
Hilaria del Rosario de Aguinaldo (1896-1921)
Hilaria del Rosario aiding revolutionaries
As Emilio Aguinaldo’s first wife and founder of the Hijas de la Revolución (later the Philippine Red Cross Association), Hilaria organized fundraising, medicine collection, and care for wounded revolutionaries starting in 1899, institutionalizing wartime relief efforts.
Espiridiona "Nonay" Bonifacio-Distrito (1893-1896)
Espiridiona Bonifacio-Distrito smuggling arms
Among the first Katipuneras, Espiridiona smuggled arms concealed under her skirts, tended to the wounded, and safeguarded crucial Katipunan documents. Her husband, Teodoro Plata, was executed in 1896, yet she persevered in service to the cause.
Gliceria Marella de Villavicencio (1890s-1898)
Gliceria Marella de Villavicencio hosting revolutionaries
A wealthy Caviteña, Gliceria, covertly financed the revolution, donated arms, and hosted secret Katipunan meetings at her estate. Her posthumous recognition underscores her indispensable financial and logistical support of insurgent forces.
Marina Dizon (1893-1896)
Marina Dizon as a Katipunan courier
An early member and courier of the Katipunan, Marina organized its women’s chapter, relayed messages between cells, and bolstered morale among fighters in Manila, demonstrating the critical role of communication networks in revolutionary activities.
Agueda Esteban (1896-1902)
Agueda Esteban providing medical care
Serving as nurse and messenger in Cavite, Agueda Esteban provided frontline medical care and carried dispatches under fire during key engagements in 1896–1897, saving lives and ensuring coordination among revolutionary units.
Patrocinio Gamboa (1898)
Patrocinio Gamboa transporting flag
Known as
the “Heroine of Jaro,” Patrocinio clandestinely transported the new Philippine
flag from Iloilo to Aguinaldo’s headquarters in 1898, evading Spanish patrols.
She later contributed intelligence to revolutionary forces in Panay.
Agueda Kahabagan "Henerala Agueda" (1896-1902)
General Agueda Kahabagan in battle
The only woman formally commissioned as a general, she led rifle- and bolo-armed detachments under Generals Miguel Malvar and Artemio Ricarte in Laguna and Batangas from 1897 to 1902, engaging both Spanish and American troops.
Nazaria Lagos (1897-1899)
Nazaria Lagos training volunteer nurses
Dubbed the “Florence Nightingale of the Revolution,” Nazaria Lagos organized field hospitals in Bulacan and Pampanga, trained volunteer nurses, and established sanitary protocols, significantly reducing battlefield mortality.
Delfina Herbosa de Natividad (1892-1898)
Delfina Herbosa co-sewing Philippine flag
Niece of José Rizal, Delfina co-seamstressed the first flag with Marcela and Lorenza Agoncillo in Hong Kong. Under American occupation, she championed veterans’ widows and orphans, extending her service beyond the battlefield.
Alberta Uitangcoy-Santos (1888-1899)
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| Alberta Uitangcoy-Santos with Katipunan members |
Founder of the Katipunan chapter in Bulacan, Alberta recruited women, secured arms through family ties, and served as “secretary of munitions” for Magdalo forces in Malolos, exemplifying strategic leadership at the local level.
From
18th-century battlefields to clandestine meeting rooms, these Filipino women
revolutionaries transcended societal constraints, proving that patriotism knows no gender. Their
strategic brilliance, unbreakable resolve, and compassion for fellow Filipinos
laid foundational stones in the arch of national independence, legacies that
continue to empower women and men alike to strive for freedom and justice.
