In celebration of #InternationalWomensDay & #WomensHistoryMonth , we once again honor all the women all throughout Philippine history. I am adding more snippet bios on this long thread on women's history in #PH from last yr. Truly the last man standing is a woman. THREAD.
Clemencia Lopez (1876-1963), travelled to the U.S. in 1902, amidst the Philippine-American War, exposing herself to the gender politics & racism of US empire to negotiate the release of her detained brothers, & broadcast to the American press the Filipino desire for independence.
Pura Villanueva-Kalaw (1886-1954), journalist & feminist, was the first Manila Carnival Queen in 1908. She used this platform for women's rights in society, primarily suffrage & women's welfare. She est. the Asociacion Feminista Ilonga, 1st feminist org in PH founded by women.
Encarnacion Alzona (1895-2001), Filipina historian & suffragette, was an achiever. As a pensionado scholar in the U.S., she was the 1st Filipina to earn a PhD, a history doctorate in @Columbia. She was conferred the title of National Scientist in 1985.
Edith Tiempo (1919-2011), National Artist for Lit, was acknowledged by Princeton Encyclopedia of Poets & Poetics as a major English writer in #PH. Aiming to hone the skill of Filipino writers, she est. @silliman_nww, the 1st writers workshop in Asia.
Magdalena Leones (1920-2016), the 1st & only Asian woman to receive the Silver Star Medal from US Army, was detained after the Fall of Bataan. Soon, she trained herself Nihonggo. At great risk to her life, she became spy for USAFIP-NL guerrillas. Her memory skills were legendary.
Geronima Pecson (1896-1989) broke the glass ceiling by becoming the first woman senator in #PH history. She was elected in 1947, garnering 3rd largest number of votes. Thanks to her advocacy on education, landmark laws on Free & Compulsory Ed & Vocational Ed were passed.
Corazon Aquino (1933-2009), 11th #PH President, was the 1st woman PH president, having been swept to power after the Marcos dictatorship was deposed. W/ 7 coup attempts during her term, she assured a peaceful transfer of power in 1992.
Let there be no doubt about it. Even as Filipino women defeat & break the double standards unfairly imposed on them, their great courage & quiet strength have often been the sustaining hope & energy of the Nation. In the age of misogyny, we shout in defiance & say: Let HER Lead🇵🇭
#TodayinHistory in 1986, Marines broke thru Camp Aguinaldo's east wall, but hesitated due to civilian buffer. Soon, PH Air Force's 15th Strike Wing hovered. Crowd expected an attack but the airmen joined the crowd. Marcos issued kill order but it was not obeyed. THREAD. #EDSA37
Radyo Veritas provided a blow-by-blow account of #EDSA even as its transmission tower was compromised by the PH Constabulary attack, limiting its airing to Luzon. However, a mysterious radio station appeared at 12mn calling itself "Radyo Bandido."
Listeners tuned in, as Radyo Bandido (@DZRJ810AM) station played the Mambo Magsaysay jingle, making people realize that it was really Radyo Veritas gone rogue. soundcloud.com/podcast-ph/cla…
I disagree that the return of “holiday economics” is “good.” Holidays of historical significance are important annual markers for everyone— the learned & those who aren’t. Moving the dates arbitrarily dilutes the full meaning of past events that happened in a specific pt in time.
It defeats the purpose of memorialization, especially when an event being commemorated involves a gruesome battle, atrocity, or martyrdom. Moving the commemoration dates are tantamount to disrespect.
It’s this very reason that the late president PNoy restored the national observances during his term, no matter how inconvenient the dates were “economically.”
#TodayinHistory in 1986, #Marcos Sr. sent 12 tanks to #EDSA led by Gen. Artemio Tadiar in an attempt to arrest the defectors & disperse the crowd. But the human barricades across the intersection of Ortigas & EDSA forced the marines to pull back. THREAD. #EDSA37#PH#history
The day prior, as news of Ramos and Enrile’s defection reached Cory Aquino, she was staying for the night in secret at the Carmelite monastery in Cebu. The sisters saw it their moral duty to protect her, w/ conviction that they’re protecting the legitimately elected president.
At dawn, via Radyo Veritas, Enrile & Ramos began calling again for Marcos' ouster. At 5:30am, PH Constabulary attacked Radyo Veritas limiting its airing to Luzon only. A few hours later, men began cutting down trees & used these as barricade on roads near Camps Crame & Aguinaldo.
#TodayinHistory in 1986, after a plot to assault Malacañang was foiled, Defense Minister Juan Ponce Enrile & AFP Vice Chief-of-Staff Fidel V. Ramos held a press con announcing defection from Ferdinand Marcos Sr.
Jaime Cardinal Sin urged people to protect them. #EDSA37#History
In 1985, to placate the growing concern of the int'l community on #PH under Marcos, Marcos agreed to a Snap Elections on 7 Feb 1986. Corazon Aquino & Salvador Laurel ran as opposition.
On election day, & days that followed for tally & canvassing of votes, int'l observers note widespread fraud & violence threatening the integrity of the elections. Upon announcement in Batasan that Marcos won, majority of people boycotted crony companies.
#TodayinHistory in 1890, poet, nationalist, political thinker, jurist, & statesman, Claro M. Recto, was born in Tiaong, Quezon Province. Recto reshaped modern #PH political thought, pushing for nationalist policies when the U.S. heavily influenced post-war PH affairs. THREAD.
Born to Don Claro Recto Sr. of Rosario Batangas & Doña Micaela Mayo of Lipa, among 5 other siblings, 3 of whom died, Claro lived in a generation of great awakening. In 6 years time after his birth, #PH Revolution vs. Spain broke out.
Recto studied Latin at Instituto de Rizal in Lipa, Batangas from 1900 to 1901 & pursued Bachelor og Arts in 1905 at @ateneodemanilau, achieving the highest grade—maxima cum laude. He pursued Law in 1909 at @UST1611official & wrote for several newspapers to support his education.
#TodayinHistory in 1986, the consequential Snap Elections began. The 2 contenders for the presidency were Ferdinand Marcos Sr. & Corazon C. Aquino. It is one of the landmark events that led to the EDSA People Power Revolution 3 weeks later. THREAD. #history#kasaysayan
After the assassination of Ninoy Aquino in 1983, int'l support on Marcos Sr. waned. It was in Nov 1985 that Marcos Sr. was interviewed in the David Brinkley's show & said: "... all these childish claims to popularity on both sides have to be settled, then I think...
"... we better settle it by calling an election... And we will invite the members of the American Congress to please come and see what is happening here. All this talk about fraud... that's sourgrapes."
Corazon Aquino, after much thought and consultation accepted the challenge.