Women nowadays are very important to nation-building.
They made significant contributions across all aspects of society and were
agents of change for the community's betterment. Magaleño women are well known
for their beauty and simplicity, and they are endearingly called malagu
or malagung before their first names, symbolizing their beauty and
intelligence, likened to a beautiful flower. In local history, Magaleño women
have shown greater sympathy, care, and intelligence. When the revolution broke out
between the Filipinos and the Americans, the local chapter of Cruz de Roja,
or Red Cross, was formed by prominent Magaleña women on March 4, 1899. The organization's task was to solicit funds
for the war effort, nurse the sick and wounded soldiers, and feed the families
and children of soldiers active on the battlefield. The groups’ directora
is Sra. Florencia Dizon and her committee were composed of Sra. Manuela
Feliciano, sub-directora, Sra. Felipa Gantioqui, secretaria, Sra.
Maria Lacson, tersorera, and Sra. Candida Ordoñez as contadora. The
vocales were composed of Sras. Mercedes Tayag, Fidela Lacson, Bernardina
Magdangal, Marcela Dizon, Marciana Feliciano, Ceferina Luciano, Clotilde
Lising, Lucia Gantioqui, Andrea Lacson, Carmen Dayrit, Filomena Javier, and Paz
Sanchez. Due to their direct contact with the military officers, some of its
members developed an affection towards them. One of them is Andrea Lacson, who
probably met Colonel Lorenzo Camaya during the war. After Colonel Camaya was
granted a pardon, he and Andrea eloped and lived in Paniqui, Tarlac. They
eventually returned to Magalang, where they finally married in 1917. On the
other hand, some other members are also acquainted with their fellow members'
siblings or relatives. One example is Clotilde Lising, who married Victor
Lising, the brother of her fellow member Carmen, who in turn married Alejandro
Tayag, the nephew of her fellow member Mercedes.
Men still held most important positions
and occupations at the time, while women were confined to the home, doing
household chores and caring for their children. However, in terms of education,
both genders were allowed to enroll and study, especially in public schools. When
the social elite group Mountain Side Club was organized in 1928, elite Magaleña
women became more active in social affairs. They gained recognition for their
beauty and intelligence, on par with Manila-based socialites. After the 1937
plebiscite in favor of women's suffrage in the Philippines, some Magaleñas took
important positions, especially in the presidencias; notably, Nunilon
Ayuyao was appointed the first woman municipal treasurer of Magalang. When the
Japanese occupied Magalang, some Magaleña women were brave enough to undertake
the most dangerous tasks, gathering and delivering sensitive information to the
Hukbalahaps by disguising themselves as milk peddlers. After the war, some Magalang
elites won several elective municipal positions in the town, notably Nicolasa
Quizon de Luciano, a public-school teacher, who was elected the first woman municipal
councilor of Magalang. Some of Nicolasa’s fellow teachers were also among the first
in school administration, notably Loreto Pinto, who was the first woman principal
of Magalang Elementary School. In the 1960s, she was succeeded by Gloria P.
Meneses. In the 1969 elections, the former town’s first lady, Tita Madlambayan
Tiglao, was the first woman to run as mayor of Magalang. In terms of higher
education, Dr. Fredeswinda R. Serrano was the first woman appointed as
officer-in-charge of the Pampanga Agricultural College in 1983. Three decades
later, Dr. Anita G. David was appointed as the first woman university president
of the present Pampanga State Agricultural University. Lastly, the political landscape
of Magalang took a major shift when Maria Lourdes P. Lacson was elected as its
first woman mayor in 2016.
Magaleñas nowadays excel in various fields
and have contributed to the progress of Magalang and the entire country. They
are not only known as malagu but also for their resilience, patience,
and love for family and the community as a whole.
Photo Credits:
Manuel L. Quezon supports Women Suffrage, Gota de Leche, https://www.gotadeleche.ph/cool_timeline/womens-suffrage/ Retrieved: March 31, 2026.
Sources:
Bartolo, L.A.L. (2016) The Magalang Book The Historical Life and Culture of a Kapampangan Town (1605-2015), National Commission for Culture and the Arts, Manila.
La Junta Filantoprica de Magalang, Republica Filipina, March 7, 1899.