Trinidad Tecson

Trinidad Perez Tecson
Historical marker, Santa Rita Bata, San Miguel, Bulacan
Born	November 18, 1848 San Miguel de Mayumo, Bulacan, Captaincy General of the Philippines
Died	January 28, 1928 (aged 79) Ermita, Manila, Philippine Islands
Resting place	Manila North Cemetery
Nationality	Filipino
Known for	Philippine Revolution founder of Philippine National Red Cross
Political party	Katipunan
Religion	Roman Catholicism

Trinidad Perez Tecson (November 18, 1848 – January 28, 1928), known as the "Mother of Biak-na-Bato" and "Mother of Mercy", fought to gain Philippines independence.

She was given the title "Mother of Biak-na-Bato" by Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo. She was also cited as the "Mother of the Philippine National Red Cross" for her service to her fellow Katipuneros.^[1]

Early life

Tecson was born in San Miguel de Mayumo, Bulacan, one of sixteen children of Rafael Tecson and Monica Perez.^[2] She learned to read and write from schoolmaster Quinto. She practiced fencing with Juan Zeto and was feared throughout the province, called "Tangkad" (tall) by her peers. Orphaned at a very young age, she stopped school and went with her siblings to live with relatives. She married at 19 and had two children, Sinforoso and Desiderio, who both died. Tecson and her husband were engaged in the purchase and sale of cattle, fish, oysters, and lobsters to be sold in Manila.

Revolutionary

Katipunan

At first she was a dedicated councilor of Logia de Adopcion, a masonic lodge founded in 1893 for Philippine women. In 1895 at the age of 47 she joined the Katipunan, signing her oath with her own blood, although women members were not required to do so. She helped the group by pilfering firearms from a courthouse in Caloocan and in San Isidro. She was working under General Mariano Llanera when the Revolution began. In a battle in San Miguel, she was almost captured while delivering food to the soldiers, but escaped by pretending to be dead. She took part in a battle led by General Francisco Macabulos of Nueva Ecija, General Llanera, Gen. Isidro Torres and Gen. Gregorio del Pilar of Bulacan. On the battlefield, she tended to the wounded Katipuneros. In the bloody battle of San Miguel and Zaragosa she was shot in her right thigh. Tecson and the others were forced to retreat to Biak-na-Bato, which became the revolutionary headquarters of Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo.

Philippine-American War

She joined the revolutionary forces led by Gen. Gregorio del Pilar and participated in the assault on the province of Bulacan and Calumpit. She also served in the Malolos Republic and was designated as the Commissary of War. During the American drive northward, she was in Cabanatuan. Bringing with her sick and wounded revolutionaries, Tecson crossed the Zambales mountains to Santa Cruz then to Iba.

Life after the war

After the war, her second husband died and she continued in business in Nueva Ecija, concentrating on selling meat in the towns of San Antonio and Talavera. She married her third husband, Doroteo Santiago, and after his death, married Francisco Empainado. On January 28, 1928, she died in Philippine General Hospital at age 79. Her remains lie in the Plot of the Veterans of the Revolution in Cementerio del Norte.

References