Loren Legarda

Loren Legarda
AKA Loren Bautista Legarda-Leviste

• 1st Filipina environmentalist to receive the Global Award of the Priyadashni Academy for outstanding contributions to Environment and Afforestation (2004)
• 1st Filipina to hold the post of Senate Majority Leader (2001)

QUOTE
"At the end of the day, after all is said and done, you're left with only you and your God. I am answerable only to God and country. Whatever you say, whatever you do, it's God and country above all else."

DATE OF BIRTH
January 28, 1960

BIRTHPLACE
Marikina, Rizal, Philippines

FATHER: Antonio Cabrera Legarda
MOTHER: Bessie Gella Bautista

HUSBAND: Jose Antonio Leviste
CHILDREN: Lorenzo Antonio (Lanz) and Leandro Antonio (Lean)

USEFUL LINKS

Senator's Profile: Loren Legarda Leviste
Personal Information: Legarda-Leviste, Loren Bautista
The 'Double L' Word: Ricky Lo's Conversation With Loren Legarda

Daisy Hontiveros-Avellana

Daisy Hontiveros-Avellana


Co-founder of the first Philippine theater group, the Barangay Theater Guild (1939)

Philippine National Artist in Theater (1999)

ALIAS
"First Lady of Philippine Theatre"


DATE OF BIRTH
January 26, 1917

BIRTHPLACE
Roxas City, Capiz, Philippines


HUSBAND: Lamberto Avellana

USEFUL LINKS

NCCA Culture Profile: Daisy H. Avellana
Hontiveros-Avellana directs ‘The Vigil’
The Filipina as National Artist

Corazon “Cory” Aquino

Corazon "Cory" Aquino
AKA María Corazón Sumulong Cojuangco Aquino

• 1st Filipina President and Asia's 1st Female President (1986)
• 1st Filipina President of the 5th Republic of the Philippines (1986)
• 1st Filipina and 1st Woman to receive the J. William Fullbright Prize for International Understanding (1996)
• 11th President of the Republic of the Philippines
  

QUOTE
"Democracy in the end, is the best system for ordinary people. It is the only one that exalts them and unites them in peace across all the countries of the world."

ALIAS
"Saint of Democracy"
"Mother of Democracy"
"Cory"


DATE OF BIRTH
January 25, 1933

BIRTHPLACE
Tarlac, Philippines

FATHER: Don Jose Cojuangco
MOTHER: Doña Demetria Sumulong

HUSBAND: Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino Jr.
CHILDREN: Benigno (Noynoy), Maria Elena, Aurora Corazon, Victoria Eliza, and Kristina Bernadette (Kris)

YEAR OF DEATH
August 1, 2009

USEFUL LINKS

Corazon C. Aquino
1986: Corazon Aquino is Philippines president
Biography of Corazon C. Aquino
Corazon Aquino Speaks to Fullbrighters
Corazon Aquino, Philippines president, dead at 76
World condoles on Aquino's death

Honorata Dela Rama

Honorata Dela Rama
AKA Honorata "Atang" Dela Rama

• 1st Filipina Film Actress in the 1st Tagalog movie Dalagang Bukid (1919)
• 1st Filipina Silent Film Actress
• Philippine National Artist in Theater and Music (1987)
• "Queen of Kundiman"
• "Queen of Zarzuela"

ALIAS
"Atang"



DATE OF BIRTH
January 11, 1905


HUSBAND: Amado Hernandez

YEAR OF DEATH
July 11, 1991

USEFUL LINKS

Culture Profile: Honorata "Atang" Dela Rama
The Filipina as National Artist

Agueda Kahabagan

Agueda Kahabagan
AKA Agueda Iniquinto Kahabagan

• 1st Filipina General in the Philippine Revolutionary Army

ALIAS
"Henerala Agueda" (General Agueda)
"Tagalog Joan of Arc"

USEFUL LINKS

PhilAmlink.com Filipina First
Philippine Heroines of the Revolution: Maria Clara they were not

Alicia Vergel

Alicia Vergel

• 1st Filipina Best Actress in the Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences (FAMAS, 1952)

DATE OF BIRTH
1927

HUSBAND: Cesar Ramirez
CHILDREN: Ace and Beverly


YEAR OF DEATH
1993

USEFUL LINKS

Pinay Actress Classic Pictures
Wikipedia Article on Alicia Vergel

Bella Ruth Baliguas

Bella Ruth Baliguas

• 1st Filipina Representative to Miss Teenage Intercontinental (1978)

USEFUL LINKS

Wikipedia Article on Miss Teenage Intercontinental
Miss Teenage Intercontinental 1978

Estefania Aldaba-Lim

Fanny Aldaba-Lim
AKA Estefania Aldaba-Lim

• 1st Filipina to become special ambassador to the United Nations, with the rank of assistant secretary general during the International Year of the Child (1979)
• 1st Filipina clinical psychologist (1948)
• Founding President of the Museo Pambata, the first children’s museum in the Philippines (1994)

QUOTE
“I am not confined to my own particular field -- say, Psychology -- but can range freely in any direction because I have made myself participate in the entire gamut of human endeavor and can say, I have proved competent in various areas.”


ALIAS
"Tita Fanny" (Aunt Fanny)


DATE OF BIRTH
January 6, 1917

BIRTHPLACE
Malolos, Bulacan, Philippines


HUSBAND: Luis Lim Sr.
Estefania and Luis had six children.

YEAR OF DEATH
March 7, 2006

USEFUL LINKS

Fanny Aldaba-Lim
'Fantastic' role model, trailblazer, buried today
Resolution Honoring the Life and Legacy of Dr. Estefania Aldaba-Lim
Listen and read

Sharon Cuneta

Sharon Cuneta
AKA Sharon Gamboa Cuneta Pangilinan

• 1st Filipina celebrity millionaire on game shows Game Ka Na Ba and Who Wants to be a Millionaire (2002)
  
• 1st Filipina artist and 1st Asian to be included in the Hall of Fame of the MGM Grand Garden (1997)
  
• 1st Filipina artist and 1st Asian to be included in the Hall of Fame of the Los Angeles Shrine Auditorium (1990)
  
• 1st Filipina artist to sell out in a concert at the Los Angeles Shrine Auditorium (1988)
• 1st Filipina artist to have an enshrined poster in the Hall of Fame of the Los Angeles Shrine Auditorium
• Award-winning motion picture actress and singer to become the 1st Filipina "Movie Soundtrack Star" in the Philippines
• 1st and only Filipina actress to have been acclaimed the "Box Office Queen of Philippine Movies" for seven years
• 1st Filipina TV Show host to have a record of 49 percent viewership, the highest rating in Philippine TV history (Sharon Cuneta Show, 1986)

QUOTE
“The Philippines is our country. If we don't support it, who's going to?”

ALIAS
"Shawie"
"The Megastar" or "Mega"
"D.J.'s Pet"


DATE OF BIRTH
January 6, 1966

BIRTHPLACE
Pasay City, Philippines

FATHER: Pablo Cuneta
MOTHER: Elaine Gamboa

HUSBAND: Senator Francisco (Kiko) Pangilinan
CHILDREN: Simone Francesca Emmanuelle (Frankie) and Mariel Daniella Sophia (Miel)

1ST HUSBAND: Gabby Concepcion
CHILD: Maria Kristina Cassandra (KC)

USEFUL LINKS

SharonCuneta.com
Sharon Cuneta, up close and personal
Money - Sharon Cuneta
Sharon, Heiress, Megastar
Wikipedia Article on Sharon Cuneta

Nida Blanca

Nida Blanca
AKA Dorothy Acueza Jones

• 1st Filipina to win Best Supporting Actress in the Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences (FAMAS, 1952)
  

ALIAS
"Dory"

DATE OF BIRTH
January 6, 1936

BIRTHPLACE
Gapan, Nueva Ecija, Philippines

FATHER: John William Jones II
MOTHER: Inocencia Acueza

HUSBAND: Roger "Rod" Lawrence Strunk

1st HUSBAND: Victorino Torres
DAUGHTER: Katherine Jones Torres (Kaye)


YEAR OF DEATH
November 7, 2001

USEFUL LINKS

IMDb Biography for Nida Blanca
A Pictorial Tribute to Nida Blanca
For Nida Blanca killing, Strunk, Medel charged
DOJ names new Nida Blanca case prosecutor

Melchora Aquino

Melchora Aquino

• 1st Filipina octogenarian heroine during the Philippine Revolution

QUOTE

“I have no regrets and if I had nine lives I would have gladly given them all up for my country.”

ALIAS
"Tandang Sora"
"Mother of Katipunan"
"Mother of Balintawak"
"Mother of the Philippine Revolution"
"Grand Dame of the Revolution"


DATE OF BIRTH
January 6, 1812

BIRTHPLACE
Barrio Banlat, Balintawak, Quezon City, Philippines

FATHER: Juan Aquino
MOTHER: Valentina

HUSBAND: Fulgencio Ramos
Fulgencio Ramos and Melchora Aquino had seven children.

YEAR OF DEATH
March 2, 1919

USEFUL LINKS

Hero of the Philippine Revolution: Melchora Aquino
Melchora Aquino: Mother of Balintawak
193rd Anniversary of Melchora Aquino, Mother of the Philippine Revolution:

Kyla

Kyla
AKA Melanie Hernandez Calumpad

• 1st Filipina recipient of the Female R&B Artist of the Year Award by Empire Entertainment at the 1st Annual Philippine Hip-Hop Music Awards (2005)

QUOTE
"My ultimate dream is to be able to share my music not just (with the people) here in the Philippines but internationally as well."

ALIAS
"Kyla"
"R&B Princess of the Philippines"


DATE OF BIRTH
January 5, 1981

BIRTHPLACE
Tondo, Manila, Philippines

USEFUL LINKS

Kyla – Official Website
EMI Music Philippines: About Kyla
Kyla: Ordinary Girl Pulls Off Not-So Ordinary Act
MTV Pilipinas: Kyla, Unruffled By Success
Wikipedia Article on Kyla
Kyla: Now an international recording artist

Rica Arevalo

Rica Arevalo

• 1st Filipina filmmaker to win the 1st Best Direction award (full length film category) for her film ICU Bed #7 at the 1st Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival (2005)

QUOTE

“When writing a script, I just write what’s in my heart. I just let it flow. I write in a relax way, I get proper sleep and I always have to have a Coke Lite to give me energy.”

USEFUL LINKS

RICA AREVALO: Independent Woman
CCP features ICU Bed #7
On the road with Cinemalaya
Wanted: Venues for digital films

Teresita Sanchez

Teresita Sanchez
AKA Teresita Tirralba Sanchez

• 1st Filipina Representative to the 1st Miss Universe beauty pageant (1952)

USEFUL LINKS

Wikipedia Article on Binibining Pilipinas (Miss Philippines)
Filipina Beauty Queens from Past to Present
Beauty School's 1999 Swimsuit Edition