Dona Gliceria Marella & Don Eulalio Villavicencio - 1100 Words

Dona Gliceria Marella & Don Eulalio Villavicencio (Essay Sample) Content: Dona Gliceria Marella Don Eulalio Villavicencio(Students name)History(Institutional affiliation)Dona Gliceria Marella Don Eulalio VillavicencioOn May 13, 1952, in Taal, Batangas, the third of Vicente Marellas and GertrudeLegaspis seven children was born, receiving the name Gliceria Marella. Hers was a wealthyIlustrado family, thus, at the age of twelve she commenced studying at the Santo Catalina collegein Intramuros. Not only did her parents die at an early age, but her older sister died as well,leaving Gliceria the responsibility of managing the familys estate. In October of 1871 GliceriaMarella married Eulalio Villavicencio, who belonged to another wealthy family in Taal.Eulalios parents were shipowners, involved in the business of commercial shipping.It was during the lifetime of this couple that tensions between the Spaniard colonists andthe Filipino people boiled, and came to a peak, as the Philippines experienced the Revolutionarywar, fighting for her indepen dence from the Spanish colonists at first, and then later from theAmericans. Gliceria and Eulalio were fiercely patriotic, and had strong feelings of loyalty to,and sympathy for the Filipino people and nation. The couple were actively involved in fighting,and securing freedom for the Philippines. Gliceria, along with her husband, were members ofthe Katipunan nationalist resistance movement, distributing propogandic literature, including LaSolidaridad, the fiery newsletter that stirred people to take action, and fight for their rights, andfor what they believed in.In January of 1892, Eulalio travelled to Hong Kong to personally hand overPHP18,000.00, a contribution on behalf of Gliceria and himself, to help finance the nationalistresistance war effort against Spain. Eulalio returned home, bringing back with him fresh batchesof propogandic pamphlets. Eulalio received an ivory dagger from Jose Rizal, to be given to hiswife, Gliceria, in recognition and appreciation of Glicerias and his own efforts and contributionstowards the cause.The Spanish soon became aware of the couples involvement with the Katipunan, leadingto frequent raids on their home, as the Spanish colonists searched for incriminating evidence tosupport their suspicions. Eulalio was declared a filibusterer by the colonists, and before longGlicerias husband was arrested by the Spanish. He was imprisoned in Manila, in the BilibidPrison. Gliceria worked tirelessly to secure her husbands release. The Spanish offered torelease Eulalio if Gliceria would reveal to them the secrets of the Katipunan. It was at this timethat Gliceria made the ultimate sacrifice, and stood fast in her decision and commitment,proclaiming what would soon become her famous quote, withstanding the passage of time.Proudly, and firmly she proclaimed, I love my husband very much as few wives do but I would consider it insanity to carry his surname if I should obtain his liberty by betraying him and his cause (Women Corner, 1999). Thus , Gliceria Marella Villavicencio became the trusted guardian of the secretsof the Katipunan.Eulalio was released at last in 1898, seemingly on his death bed; his health had beendestroyed by the terribly harsh conditions while imprisoned. Eulalio Villavicencio died threemonths after being released, as his captors had shattered his health beyond repair. After herhusbands death, Gliceria continued fully participating as a warrior for the Katipunan, supportingthe resistance efforts by offering supplies, as well as moral and financial support. She donatedher ship, the SS Bulusan, to general Emilio Aguinaldo. It was the first warship of the Katipunan,and was used to transport captive Spaniard soldiers, along with food, aid supplies, ammunition,weapons, and soldiers of the Katipunan movement. Gliceria is not only credited with foundingthe Batalion Malaya, she is also credited with sustaining the Batalion Malaya with both hermoral and financial support. Gliceria went as far as transforming her home into an armyheadquarters.When the Americans seized control of the Philippines, Gliceria continued her fightagainst the new colonists, the American conquerors, working alongside General Miguel Malavarto secure her nations freedom. The Americans seized her home and properties, forciblyrelocating her family in Manila. On June 12, 1898, on the same day that the Philippine Republicofficially proclaimed her nations independence, General Emilio Aguinaldo and therevolutionary government also proclaimed Dona Gliceria Marella De Villavicencio a nationalher...