Gabriela Silang (1731-1763)

Gabriela Silang is perhaps the most well-known among all the

Filipino heroines, but she is almost always mentioned in tandem
with her husband, Diego. Since their achievements are usually
written about together, many forget that she had her own fair
share of heroic acts as “the first Filipina to lead an uprising
against a foreign power.” Silang was a fearless Ilocaña warrior
who assumed her husband’s role as commander of rebel troops
after his assassination in 1763. She rallied fighting forces
(including the native Itneg people) to carry on the war against
Spain in their home province of Ilocos, launching guerrilla attacks
against Spanish garrisons — attacks that caused Spanish
soldiers to fear her name. Gabriela Silang
Tandang Sora (1812-1919)

More than just a road in Quezon City, Tandang Sora, whose real
name is Melchora Aquino, was fondly called the Mother of the
Revolution. She was a single mother who managed the farm left
by her deceased husband while raising her six children. Tandang
Sora earned her nickname after taking care of Andres Bonifacio
and other Katipuneros in 1896, risking her life as she provided
them with food and nursed the wounded. Her bravery was best
displayed after she was arrested by Spanish authorities, who
subjected her to grueling interrogations in hopes that she would
reveal the location of the Katipunan hideout. She refused to give
in and was deported to Guam under the decree of Governor
General Ramon Blanco. Tandang Sora
Teresa Magbanua (1868-1947)

Known as the Visayan Joan of Arc, Teresa Magbanua was

originally a teacher who received a degree in education from a
school in Manila. She married a wealthy businessman who
owned large plots of land, which she helped cultivate. During this
time, she developed her skills in horseback riding and
marksmanship. Teresa Magbanua
Josefa Llanes Escoda (1898-1945)

Pictured as a smiling face clad in a Filipiniana outfit, Escoda is

one of the two women to appear on the current series of
Philippine peso notes. This honor does not go without merit, as
she was a certified social worker, suffragette, civic leader, and
war heroine. As the eldest of seven children, she had to help her
mother take care of her siblings after the death of her father in
1918, all while studying to obtain a high school teacher’s
certificate from the University of the Philippines. Josefa Llanes Escoda
Magdalena Leones (1921-2016)

Having passed away only last year, Cpl. Magdalena Leones

remains to be one of the lesser-known World War II veterans,
even though she is the only Asian woman to have been awarded
the Silver Star in World War II by the United States. Born in the
mountains of Kalinga, Leones was the daughter of an
evangelical missionary. Since she refused to surrender after the
Fall of Bataan, she was imprisoned for five months. During this
time, she taught herself how to speak Niponggo, a skill she
utilized to help save the lives of other Filipinos captured by the Magdalena Leones
Japanese.