The Honourable  Aurora Quezon
2nd First Lady of the Philippines
In office November 15, 1935 – August 1, 1944
Preceded by	Hilaria Aguinaldo
Succeeded by	Pacencia Laurel
Born	February 19, 1888(1888-02-19) Baler, Tayabas, Philippines
Died	April 28, 1949 (aged 61) Bongabon, Nueva Ecija, Philippines
Resting place	Quezon Memorial Circle 14°39′2″N 121°2′54″E / 14.65056, 121.04833
Birth name	Aurora Aragon
Spouse	Manuel Quezon
Religion	Roman Catholic

Aurora Antonia Aragón de Quezon (February 19, 1888 – April 28, 1949) was the wife of Philippine President Manuel Luis Quezon and the First Lady of the Philippines from 1935 to 1944. The prefix The Honourable or The Honorable (abbreviated to " The Hon First Lady of the Philippines or First Gentleman of the Philippines is the unofficial title of the hostess/host of the Malacañang Palace, the nation's residence of Events 655 - Battle of Winwaed: Penda of Mercia is defeated by Oswiu of Northumbria. Year 1935 ( MCMXXXV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 30 BC - Octavian (later known as Augustus enters Alexandria, Egypt, bringing it under the control of the Roman Year 1944 ( MCMXLIV) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Hilaria del Rosario de Aguinaldo ( 1877 - March 6, 1921) was the first wife of General Emilio Aguinaldo, the first President of the Philippines Pacencia Hidalgo de Laurel (born Pacencia Hidalgo y Valencia, 1889-1960 was the wife of Philippine President José P Events 197 - Roman Emperor Septimius Severus defeats usurper Clodius Albinus in the Battle of Lugdunum Year 1888 ( MDCCCLXXXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (click on link for calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Baler is a 3rd class municipality in the province of Aurora, Philippines. The Philippines ( Filipino: Pilipinas, officially known as the Republic of the Philippines (fil ''Republika ng Pilipinas'' RP Events 1192 - Assassination of Conrad of Montferrat (Conrad I King of Jerusalem, in Tyre, two days after his title Year 1949 ( MCMXLIX) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Bongabon is a 3rd class municipality in the province of Nueva Ecija, Philippines. The Philippines ( Filipino: Pilipinas, officially known as the Republic of the Philippines (fil ''Republika ng Pilipinas'' RP The Quezon Memorial Circle is a national park and shrine located in Quezon City, former capital of the Philippines (1948-1976 Manuel Luis Quezon y Molina (b August 19, 1878 in Baler Aurora, Philippines - d Events 197 - Roman Emperor Septimius Severus defeats usurper Clodius Albinus in the Battle of Lugdunum Year 1888 ( MDCCCLXXXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (click on link for calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Events 1192 - Assassination of Conrad of Montferrat (Conrad I King of Jerusalem, in Tyre, two days after his title Year 1949 ( MCMXLIX) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The President of the Philippines is the head of state and government of the Republic of the Philippines. Manuel Luis Quezon y Molina (b August 19, 1878 in Baler Aurora, Philippines - d First Lady of the Philippines or First Gentleman of the Philippines is the unofficial title of the hostess/host of the Malacañang Palace, the nation's residence of Though she is recognized as the second First Lady of the Philippines, she was actually the first spouse of a Philippine president to be called as such, the honorific being unknown during the presidency of Emilio Aguinaldo, and thus not applied at that time to his wife Hilaria. First Lady of the Philippines or First Gentleman of the Philippines is the unofficial title of the hostess/host of the Malacañang Palace, the nation's residence of For the municipality see Gen Emilio Aguinaldo Cavite General Emilio Aguinaldo y Famy ( March 22, 1869 &ndash February 6 Hilaria del Rosario de Aguinaldo ( 1877 - March 6, 1921) was the first wife of General Emilio Aguinaldo, the first President of the Philippines Much beloved by Filipinos, Quezon was known for involvement with humanitarian activities and served as the first Chairperson of the Philippine National Red Cross. Officially begun in 1947 the Philippine National Red Cross (PNRC is member of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.

Five years after her husband's death, Quezon and her daughter Baby were assassinated while they were en route to inaugurate a hospital dedicated to the late President. AssassiNation is the sixth album by Krisiun, released in 2006 on Century Media. The province of Aurora was named in her memory. Aurora is a province of the Philippines located in the Central Luzon region.

Early life

Quezon was born on February 19, 1888 to Pedro Aragón and Zeneida Molina, in the town of Baler in Tayabas province. Events 197 - Roman Emperor Septimius Severus defeats usurper Clodius Albinus in the Battle of Lugdunum Year 1888 ( MDCCCLXXXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (click on link for calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Baler is a 3rd class municipality in the province of Aurora, Philippines. Quezon is a province of the Philippines located in the CALABARZON region in Luzon. ^[1] During the Philippine Revolution, her father was imprisoned by the Spanish for being suspected as being a member of the Katipunan; he would die in captivity. This article is about a late 19th-century revolution For a late 20th-century event also referred to as Philippine Revolution see People Power Revolution. The Katipunan was a Philippine revolutionary organization founded by Filipino rebels in Manila, in 1892 which aimed to gain independence from Spain. ^[1] Among her tutors during her youth was her mother's sister, Maria Dolores Molina, who was the mother of her first cousin and future husband Manuel Luis Quezon. After her father's imprisonment, she was taken in by her aunt Maria Dolores and uncle Lucio, and she lived for a time under the same roof as her future spouse. ^[2] After Manuel's own parents had died, he would stay with the Aragon family whenever he was in Baler. ^[3]

After Pedro Aragon's death, his survivors, including daughter Aurora, had been cast into extreme poverty, surviving on subsistence farming. ^[4] This experience was said to have shaped young Aurora's lifelong attitude of according equal treatment to everybody, no matter their status in life. ^[4] The Aragon family later moved to Lucena where Manuel Luis Quezon was then serving as the provincial fiscal of Tayabas. The City of Lucena ( Filipino: Lungsod ng Lucena) is a first class highly urbanized medium sized city in ^[5] Aurora, who had wanted to become a school teacher, enrolled at the Philippine Normal College in Manila at the expense of her future husband^[5], but had to stop her studies after two years due to her poor health. Philippine Normal University or PNU is a University in Manila Philippines.

Marriage and family

In 1907, Manuel Quezon was elected to the Philippine Assembly. The Philippine Assembly was the legislative body of the Philippines during the earlier part U By 1916, he was elected to the Philippine Senate and as that chamber's President. The Senate of the Philippines ( Filipino: Senádo ng Pilipínas) is the upper chamber of the bicameral Legislature of the Philippines, the The President of the Senate of the Philippines is the presiding officer and the highest ranking-official of the Senate of the Philippines. Aurora often visited Manuel in Manila. ^[5] In December, 1918, they were married in Hong Kong. Year 1918 ( MCMXVIII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Hong Kong ( officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, is a territory located on China 's south coast on the Pearl River Delta, and borders They had four children: Maria Aurora or "Baby" (1919-1949); Maria Zeneida or "Nini" (b. 1921); Luisa Corazon Paz (1924-1924); and Manuel, Jr. or "Nonong" (1926-1998). Luisa would die in infancy.

The marriage lasted until President Quezon's death in 1944. It withstood despite Manuel's reputation as a libertine; the author Stanley Karnow described Mrs. Stanley Karnow (born 1925 in New York City) is a Pulitzer Prize -winning author who covered Asia from 1959 as chief correspondent for Time and Quezon as finding "solace in prayer and the Philippine law against divorce". ^[6] Still, Aurora has also been described as "a devoted wife and a strict but understanding mother". ^[7] Manuel Quezon himself publicly extolled his wife as "my friend, companion and partner". ^[8]

Political wife and First Lady

Aurora Quezon posing under a portrait of her husband, Manuel. Manuel Luis Quezon y Molina (b August 19, 1878 in Baler Aurora, Philippines - d

Within the first seventeen years of the marriage, Manuel Quezon emerged as a dominant figure in Philippine politics. His career reached its apex in 1935, when he was elected President of the Commonwealth of the Philippines. The Commonwealth of the Philippines was the political designation of the Philippines from 1935 to 1946 when the country was a commonwealth with the United During her husband's political life, Aurora Quezon stayed in the background, involving herself with women's organizations such as the National Federation of Women's Clubs, of which she was honorary chairman.

Time Magazine described Quezon as "dignified and portly". Time (trademarked in capitals as TIME) is a weekly American Newsmagazine, similar to Newsweek and ^[9] The Quezons were the first presidential spouses to reside in Malacañang Palace, but she spent as little time as possible there, preferring to stay in a nipa house in Malacañang Park or in her farm, Kaleidan, in Arayat, Pampanga. Malacañan Palace, colloquially the Malacañang Palace, is the Official residence of the President of the Philippines. This article refers to the Municipality of Arayat For the mountain of the same name see Mount Arayat. She nonetheless was an active First Lady. During her husband's presidency, Quezon engaged herself in the campaign to give Filipino women the right of suffrage (to vote), which was achieved in 1937. She was particularly involved in managing the family's Arayat farm to demonstrate how social justice could be applied to landlord-tenant relationships in an agrarian setting. Social justice, sometimes called civil justice, refers to the concept of a Society in which Justice is achieved in every aspect of society rather than Quezon was involved in the Girl Scouts of the Philippines and the Associacion de Damas Filipinas, a noted orphanage in Manila. The Girl Scouts of the Philippines (GSP is the national Guiding association for girls and young women of the Philippines. ^[7] She was also the honorary president of another orphanage, the White Cross, located in San Juan. For the capital city of Puerto Rico see San Juan Puerto Rico.

President Quezon was re-elected in November of 1941, but his presidency was immediately beset with crisis when Japan commenced its invasion of the Philippines the following month. Aurora accompanied her husband to Corregidor in December, 1941, where the President was sworn in by Chief Justice Jose Abad Santos for his second term on December 30, 1941. For the Spanish historical administrative position see Corregidor (position Corregidor is an island in the entrance of the Philippines Year 1941 ( MCMXLI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (the link will display 1941 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. For the municipality in the Philippines see Jose Abad Santos Davao del Sur. Events 1460 - Wars of the Roses: Battle of Wakefield. 1816 - The Treaty of St For the next two months, the Quezon family remained in Corregidor where, despite the difficult living conditions, Quezon was said to have maintained her poise and kept up with a daily mass. The Mass is the Eucharistic celebration in the Latin liturgical rites of the Roman Catholic Church. ^[10] In February of 1942, when they began their long journey to escape the Japanese, finally reaching the United States in June of 1942. Year 1942 ( MCMXLII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (the link will display the full 1942 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the

While in exile, Quezon devoted her time to the care of her declining husband, who died in New York from tuberculosis on August 1, 1944. New York ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous Events 30 BC - Octavian (later known as Augustus enters Alexandria, Egypt, bringing it under the control of the Roman Year 1944 ( MCMXLIV) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. She then moved to California to await their return to the Philippines. California ( is a US state on the West Coast of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean. She and her daughters volunteered as nurses in the Red Cross. The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is an International humanitarian movement with approximately 97 million volunteers worldwide who stated ^[7]

Postwar activity

When Mrs. Quezon returned to the Philippines she was voted a pension of 1,000 pesos a month by the Philippine Congress. The Congress of the Philippines ( Filipino: Kongréso ng Pilipínas) is the national Legislature of the Philippines. ^[7] She returned the check, explaining: "I feel that on account of . . . countless war widows and orphans . . . I should waive collection of a pension . . . I cannot, in good conscience, receive . . . Government assistance when so many of my less fortunate sisters and their children are not yet taken care of. . . I know [if I accepted] I would not be keeping faith with the memory of my beloved husband. . . . "^[11] This act, it was said, "demonstrated why thousands of Filipinos regard her as a combination queen-mother and patron saint". ^[11] Quezon was offered a slot in the Liberal Party senatorial slate for the 1946 elections, which she declined. The Liberal Party of the Philippines ( Filipino: Partido Liberal ng Pilipinas) is a liberal party in the Philippines, founded on November The Elections for the President Vice-President Members of the Senate Members of the House of Representatives and Local Positions held on April 23, 1946 (pursuant She however endorsed the presidential candidacy of Manuel Roxas^[12], who defeated her husband's vice-president and successor, Sergio Osmeña, to win the presidency. Manuel Acuña Roxas ( January 1, 1892 &ndash April 15, 1948) was the first president of the independent Sergio Osmeña ( September 9 1878 &ndash October 19 1961) was the fourth President of the Commonwealth of the Philippines

In 1947, with the active support of Quezon, the Philippine National Red Cross was established as an independent Red Cross organization. Year 1947 ( MCMXLVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1947 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Officially begun in 1947 the Philippine National Red Cross (PNRC is member of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is an International humanitarian movement with approximately 97 million volunteers worldwide who stated She became the first Chairperson of the Philippine National Red Cross, holding the position until her death. ^[7] She also was named as honorary vice-president of the Philippine Tuberculosis Society.

She continued to be involved in civic work, such as the efforts to rebuild the Antipolo Church. She received honorary doctorates from the University of Santo Tomas, and from the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor. Not to be confused with University of St Thomas. The Pontifical and Royal University of Santo Tomas The Catholic University of the Philippines The University of Michigan Ann Arbor ( U of M, U-M, UM or simply Michigan) is a top-ranked Coeducational public research Ann Arbor is a city in the US state of Michigan and the county seat of Washtenaw County. She was likewise bestowed the Ozanam Award from the Ateneo de Manila University, and the Pro Ecclessia et Pontifice Cross from Pope Pius XII. The Ateneo de Manila University (also called " Ateneo de Manila " or simply "the Ateneo " is a private University run Pope

Assassination

In the morning of April 28, 1949, Quezon left her home to travel to her husband's hometown of Baler to inaugurate the Quezon Memorial Hospital. Events 1192 - Assassination of Conrad of Montferrat (Conrad I King of Jerusalem, in Tyre, two days after his title Year 1949 ( MCMXLIX) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. She had been cautioned about the trip due to the frequent insurgency activities in Central Luzon of the Hukbalahap, the military arm of the Communist Party of the Philippines. Central Luzon (or " Gitnang Luzon " in Filipino), also known as Region III (or Region 3) is an administrative division The Hukbalahap was the military arm of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP formed in 1942 to fight the Japanese Empire 's occupation of the Philippines The original Partido Komunista ng Pilipinas ( Filipino for 'Communist Party of the Philippines' was established on November 7 1930, and it is now often She laughed off the threat, remarking on the morning of the trip, "[Hukbalahap Supremo] Taruc knows my white hair and he will not hurt me. Luis Taruc ( June 21, 1913 - May 4, 2005) was a Philippine Political figure and Communist revolutionary "^[13] Nonetheless, a convoy of thirteen vehicles, including two military jeeps full of armed soldiers, accompanied Quezon. ^[14] Together with Quezon in her Buick sedan was her daughter Baby, then a law student at the UST, her son-in-law Felipe "Philip" Buencamino, Quezon City mayor Ponciano Bernardo, and retired Armed Forces Chief of Staff Major General Rafael Jalandoni. Buick (ˈbjuːɪk is a Marque of automobile sold in the United States, Canada, China, Taiwan, Qatar, and Not to be confused with University of St Thomas. The Pontifical and Royal University of Santo Tomas The Catholic University of the Philippines Quezon City ( Filipino: Lungsod Quezon) is the former capital ( 1948 - 1976) and the most populous Ponciano Bernardo ( December 2, 1905 — April 28, 1949) was a Filipino engineer and politician who served as mayor of Quezon The Armed Forces of the Philippines ( AFP) ( Filipino: Sandatahang Lakas ng Pilipinas) is composed of the Philippine Army, Philippine

They traveled along the Baler-Bongabon Road connecting Baler with Nueva Ecija, which Quezon herself inaugurated in 1940. Nueva Ecija is a landlocked province of the Philippines located in the Central Luzon region ^[15] At Quezon's request, her vehicle led the caravan, and it soon sped away from the military jeep immediately behind it. ^[14] As Quezon's vehicle traversed the mountain road, it was blocked a group of armed men. ^[16] The men ignored the protestations from General Jalandoni and Mayor Bernardo that Quezon was in the vehicle, and machine-gunfire erupted from the side of the road and from the mountain slopes. ^[16][17] It was later estimated that between 100 to 200 armed men had participated in the attack. ^[13] Quezon, her daughter and Mayor Bernardo were killed instantly, while her son-in-law was mortally wounded. ^[16] The soldiers in the convoy were able to immediately arrive at the scene and exchange fire with the assailants,^[16] who were able to seize the valuables of the victims before fleeing the scene. ^[17] In all, twelve members of the Quezon party and ten of the assailants were killed. ^[16]

Aurora Quezon is buried a few meters away from her husband inside the Quezon Memorial in Quezon City. The Quezon Memorial Circle is a national park and shrine located in Quezon City, former capital of the Philippines (1948-1976 Quezon City ( Filipino: Lungsod Quezon) is the former capital ( 1948 - 1976) and the most populous

There was national and international condemnation of the massacre. United States President Harry Truman was shocked and simply declared, "It was awful. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The President of the United States is the Head of state and Head of government of the United States and is the highest political official in United States by "^[4] A nine-day national mourning period was declared, and President Elpidio Quirino openly wept during the funeral. Elpidio Rivera Quirino ( November 16, 1890 &ndash February 29, 1956) was the sixth President of the Philippines. ^[17] Quezon was buried at Manila North Cemetery. The Manila North Cemetery (or Cementerio del Norte which measures 54 hectares is considered the biggest and one of the oldest cemeteries in Metro Manila The mourners included her two surviving children, Manuel, Jr. , and Nini, who herself was widowed by the massacre. While no Philippine President has ever been assassinated, Aurora Quezon is one of three presidential spouses who have been murdered. The other two were Alicia Syquia-Quirino and Senator Benigno Aquino, Jr.

It was widely believed that the Hukbalahap was responsible for the killings. Elpidio Rivera Quirino ( November 16, 1890 &ndash February 29, 1956) was the sixth President of the Philippines. Benigno Servillano Aquino Jr ( November 27, 1932 – August 21 The Hukbalahap was the military arm of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP formed in 1942 to fight the Japanese Empire 's occupation of the Philippines ^{[17][10][15][18]} In preparation of the attack, the ambuscaders had blockaded the road and rounded up passengers from passing vehicles, and one of those passengers claimed seeing a former employee of his who had joined the Huk as among the armed men. ^[13] While General Jalandoni, who survived the attack, tagged the Huks as responsible, the Chief of the Philippine Constabulary laid blame instead on bandits. ^[19] President Quirino blamed the Huks and responded by calling for "a people's war on the dissidents". ^[20]

Luis Taruc, Supremo of the Hukbalahaps, denied that his group was responsible for the crime,^[19] though he also claimed that the Huk were conducting an investigation of their own if one of the group had breached ranks and participated in the killing. Luis Taruc ( June 21, 1913 - May 4, 2005) was a Philippine Political figure and Communist revolutionary ^[17] Nonetheless, after Taruc's surrender in 1954, he was formally charged for the murder of Quezon and her party, though these charges would be dropped before they could be heard on trial. Information is a formal criminal charge made without a Grand jury Indictment by a Prosecutor in a document called an information. ^[21] Throughout the 1950s, several other captured Huk members would be charged for participation in the assassination, with five of them being sentenced to death by a Cabanatuan City trial court. The City of Cabanatuan ( Ilokano: Ciudad ti Cabanatuan; Kapampangan: Lakanbalen ning Cabanatuan/Siudad ning Cabanatuan; ^[20]

On April 28, 2005, exactly fifty-six years after her death, the remains of Quezon were transferred from North Cemetery for interment in a black crypt beside her husband's sarcophagus at the Quezon Memorial in Quezon City. The Quezon Memorial Circle is a national park and shrine located in Quezon City, former capital of the Philippines (1948-1976 Quezon City ( Filipino: Lungsod Quezon) is the former capital ( 1948 - 1976) and the most populous ^[22] The re-interment rites were attended by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and the Quezons' sole surviving child, Zenaida Quezon-Avanceña. Maria Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (born Maria Gloria Macaraeg Macapagal on April 5 1947 is a Filipina Politician. ^[22]

Legacy

Aurora Boulevard in Quezon City was named in her honor in 1951, and in the same year, President Elpidio Quirino created the Aurora sub-province, comprising Baler and surrounding areas in the adjacent Quezon Province. Year 1951 ( MCMLI) was a Common year starting on Monday. Events of 1951 January Elpidio Rivera Quirino ( November 16, 1890 &ndash February 29, 1956) was the sixth President of the Philippines. Quezon is a province of the Philippines located in the CALABARZON region in Luzon. In 1978, Aurora became a separate province. Year 1978 ( MCMLXXVIII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link displays the 1978 Gregorian calendar) Aurora is a province of the Philippines located in the Central Luzon region. Manuel and Aurora Quezon are the only spouses to have respective provinces in the Philippines named after them. ^[23]

The Concerned Women of the Philippines have named the Aurora Aragon Quezon Peace Awards after Mrs. Quezon.

Notes

References

• (1990) Filipinos in History, Volume II. Ermita, Manila: National Historical Institute, 117-120. ISBN 971-538-003-4.  
• Manuel F. Martinez (2002). "Mission Possible:Assassinate Quezon — and Mrs. Quezon", Assassinations and Conspiracies: From Rajah Humabon to Imelda Marcos. Pasig City: Anvil Publishing, Inc. , 138-152. ISBN 971-27-1218-4.  

External links

• Wilkins, Ford (1949-04-29). MRS. QUEZON SLAIN WITH 12 OF PARTY IN FILIPINO AMBUSH; First President's Widow, Two of Kin, Others Are Shot, Apparently by 'Huks' ARMY HUNTS ATTACKERS Quirino, Who Had Shifted Plan to Be With Motorcade Victims, Discounts Reports of Plot (pay site). New York Times. Retrieved on 2008-01-08. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 871 - Battle of Ashdown - Ethelred of Wessex defeats a Danish invasion army
• Audio of Mrs. Aurora Quezon, Speaking during the 1948 Red Cross Fund Drive Appeal (MP3). Manuel L. Quezon III:The Daily Dose. Retrieved on 2008-05-04. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 1256 - The Augustinian monastic order is constituted at the Lecceto Monastery when Pope Alexander IV