Heroines
Meet the Ilonggas who made a mark in history
HAYDEE COLOSO
In the word of Washington Irving, "There is in every true woman's heart, a spark of heavenly fire, which lies dormant in the broad daylight of prosperity, but which kindles up and beams and blazes in the dark hour of adversity." Self-trust is the essence of heroism. Make the most of yourself, for that is all there is of you.
Here are our Ilongga Heroes.
HAYDEE COLOSO
Haydee became the queen of woman swimmers in Asia, after receiving two gold medals in 1954 Second Asian Games. She is the fastest woman swimmer in 1950s. She had three national records: 100-meter free style, 400-meter free style, and 100-meter backstroke style. Not only that, she harvested 103 medals during her swimming stint with 60 of them are gold. Haydee was chosen a woman of the year for three consecutive years, year 1953, 1954 and 1955 by the Philippine Sports Writes Association.
DONA MAGDALENA G. JALANDO
DONA MAGDALENA G. JALANDO
Dona, began to write at the age of 10, continuing to the ripe age of 87. She had written 66 volumes of assorted Hiligaynon Literary Works. She also had her first novel written when she was 10 years old, the "Padre Juan kag Maria Beata. Dona had her first novel written at the age of 16, "Ang Tunok Sang Isa ka Bulak". She is a recipient of Ang Talupangdun nga Ilonggo, 1967 First Republic Cultural heritage award in Literature from President Ferdinand E. Marcos in 1969.
JOVITA FUENTES
JOVITA FUENTES
Jovita made thousand of Filipinos cry out of her sad soul stirring song. She learned to sing at the age of five and began piano lessons under the town organist College de Santa Isabel, Manila. Then she is a national artist and instructor in music to Milan Italy. She is the Chairperson of the Voice Department, University of the Philippines and College of the Holy Spirit. Founded the Asociacion Musical de Filipinas; the BACH Society of the Philippines, and the Artist Guild of the Philippines. Chairman MPFP board of trustees, became president of the Artist Guild and the headed the voice department of the UP Conservatory of Music. Jovita, awarded Voice Teacher of the year by the Manila Music Lover's Society. She also received the Leadership in Music Award from the UP, Presidential Medal of Merit in Music, Jose Rizal National Centennial Commission Certificate of Appreciation, Ten Outstanding Filipino Women award from the Federation International de Abogadas and the Patnubay ng Sining at Kalingan award. She was also proclaimed National Artist in Music in 1976.
NAZARIA LAGOS
NAZARIA LAGOS
Nazaria was married at the age of 12 to her second cousin Segondo Lagos, the Chief Sacristan of the Catholic Church with whom she had eight children. She was known as the Florence Nightingale of Iloilo. She organized a field hospital, which donating her own hacienda building for the Revolutionary Army in 1898 and risked her life to minister sick and wounded soldiers. She sewed the first Philippine Flag to fly over the skies of Dueñas.
GENERAL TERESA MAGBANUA
General Teresa was the daughter of Judge Juan Magbanua and Doña Alejandra Ferraris Magbanua of Pototan, Iloilo. She is the Lady General of the Philippine Revolution. An expert horse rider and riffle marksman. Her fireghting ability was tested when she won against superior forces at the battle of the Yating in Pilar.
ROSITA JARA MESA
ROSITA JARA MESA
She studied at La Paz Elementary School, Iloilo High School and finish her Pharmacy at the University of the Philippines. She married to Pharmacist Leon Mesa with whom she had three children. She was the President Iloilo Pharmaceutical Association, Iloilo Girl Scout Council and Iloilo YWCA Philippines Association of University of Women (Iloilo) and Regional of Puericulture center of Western Visayas. She was the outstanding lady civic leader of Iloilo as the lyricist of the very popular Hiligaynon song "Tingug ni Nanay."
INOCENSIA SOLIS
INOCENSIA SOLIS
Inoncensia was crowned as the fastest woman runner in Asia during the Third Asian Games in Tokyo, Japan on May 1958. She set a national record in 200-meter dash.
She was a PRISAA national champion in Pampanga and also a champion in the 1953 National Open. She also participated in the Second Asean Games in Tokyo (1956) and Fourth Asian Games in Jakarta, Indonesia (1952) garnering gold in the process.