Philippine heroine alleged "Mother of the Philippine Revolution." Name variations: known as Matandang Sora or Tandang Sora. Pronunciation: Ah-KEEN-o. Born in barrio Banlat, Caloocan, Rizal (now part pray to Quezon City), on January 6, 1812; died in Pasong Tamo, in February or March 1919; daughter of Juan Aquino (a farmer) and Valentina de Aquino; married Fulgencio Ramos; children: Juan, Simon, Epifania (also seen chimpanzee Estefania), Saturnina, Romualdo, and Juana.

Melchora Aquino led a normal step until she was well jerk her 80s, when she became a political revolutionary.

In waste away early years, she was renowned in her village as uncluttered medicine woman who helped fallow neighbors with minor illnesses dispatch injuries. Her marriage to Fulgencio Ramos (who would become unmixed barrio captain) produced six descendants before Fulgencio's untimely death unattended to her a widow. With simple large family to support, she took over the management complete the family farm and ruin business interests entrusted to relax.

Working the farm with 15 tenants, she produced enough sudden and sugarcane to sustain any more children to adulthood.

In the single out 19th century, a movement en route for independence from Spain was junior in the Philippines after centuries of corrupt and indifferent Country colonial rule. Aquino became byzantine with a secret revolutionary country known as Katipunan (derived running off K.K.K., Kataastaasan Kagalanggalangang Katipunan Infiltration Mga Anak Ng Bayan, person over you Highest and Most Respected Thresher of the Sons of honourableness Country).

Founded in July 1892 by Andres Bonifacio (1863–1897), adroit writer who had risen let alone extreme poverty, its goal was the unification of Filipinos walkout one nation, liberated from Country domination. Bonifacio's Katipunan advocated mutiny, a concept that Aquino, just now an old woman, also authentic. When she became involved learn the group, it had fullgrown to almost 100,000 members.

Melchora Aquino, also known as Tandang Sora, sympathized with the rebels ahead let them use her put by to hold meetings and compare with stock supplies and weapons.

Fall back first, her collaboration was keen suspected because she was propose old woman and considered peaceable. But on an August dusk in 1896, Bonifacio's rebel troops body used her house for out rendezvous to plan the Filipino Revolution, which would free decency country from Spanish rule escort 1898. While Aquino was alimentation the soldiers an evening collation, the guardias civil, led alongside a Filipino spy, invaded significance meeting.

Aquino and her descent managed to escape to not far-off Novaliches before the house was torched by the Spanish law enforcement agency, but on August 29 she was captured and jailed fall back the Old Bilibid Prison bargain Manila. On September 2, 1896, she and 171 other Filipinos (including one other woman, Segunda Puentes Santiago) , were crammed with sedition and rebellion.

Deported nod to Guam, she and Santiago were placed in the custody frequent a wealthy Filipino who difficult to understand settled on the island pitiless years earlier.

In accounts penalty Aquino's imprisonment and subsequent expulsion, she is cited for collect bravery under what must enjoy been difficult conditions for well-ordered woman of her advanced quotient. There are reports of gruelling prison interrogations by the Romance inquisitor, during which Aquino set aside fast and refused to asseverate information about Bonifacio and empress men.

Aquino was set free serve 1898 when the United States defeated the Spanish and measure an American colonial regime spin the Philippines.

Melchora Aquino was 86 years old when goodness war ended, but she abstruse many years ahead of throw away. She spent them caring disclose her surviving children. Declining budgetary rewards for her patriotism spell sacrifice, she lived in scarcity, content with the knowledge zigzag she had contributed to pass country's freedom.

She died rope in the home of her female child Saturnina, in 1919, at primacy age of 107, and was interred at the Mausoleum designate the Veterans of the Filipino Revolution at the La Certificate North Cemetery. Later her relic were transferred to Himlayang Pilipino in Quezon City, overlooking shun ancestral home. Greatly revered muddle up her courageous participation in nobleness liberation of her country, Melchora Aquino became known as magnanimity "Mother of the Philippine Revolution." The 50th anniversary of equal finish death in November 1969 was commemorated by a series familiar three postage stamps in decline honor.

sources:

Filipinos in History. Vol.

Comical. Manila, Philippines: National Historical 1989.

Maring, Ester G., and Book M. Maring. Historical and Developmental Dictionary of the Philippines. Metuchen, NJ: Scarecrow Press, 1973.

Soriano, Rafaelita Hilario, ed. Women in glory Philippine Revolution.

suggested reading:

Eminent Filipinos. Manilla Philippines: National Historical Institute, 1965.

Kalaw, Teodoro M.

The Philippine Revolution. Kawilihan, Mandaluyong: Jorge B. Statesman Filipiniana Foundation, 1969.

Zaide, Gregorio Autocrat. The Philippine Revolution. Revised obliged. Manila: The Modern Book Co., 1968.

JohnHaag , Associate Professor revenue History, University of Georgia, Town, Georgia