Geronima T. Pecson | |
|---|---|
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| Senator of the Philippines | |
| In office December 30, 1947 – December 30, 1953 | |
| Member of theUNESCO Executive Board | |
| In office 1947–1954 | |
| In office 1958–1962 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Geronima Josefa Palisoc Tomelden December 19, 1896 |
| Died | July 31, 1989(1989-07-31) (aged 92) Manila, Philippines |
| Political party | Liberal (from 1947) |
| Spouse | Potenciano Pecson |
| Alma mater | University of the Philippines Manila |
| Occupation | Politician |
| Profession | Educator social worker |
Geronima Josefa Tomelden Pecson (December 19, 1896 – July 31, 1989) was an educator, suffragette, and social worker who became the firstwoman senator of thePhilippines in 1947 and the first woman member of the Executive Board of theUnited Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 1950.[1][2]
Pecson was born in Barrio Libsong inLingayen,Pangasinan as the second child of Victor Tomelden, a census inspector, and Maria Paz Palisoc, a teacher.
She gained her elementary and secondary education from Lingayen's public schools and her college education from theUniversity of the Philippines Manila, where she graduated with degrees in Bachelor of Science and Master of Arts.
She began her career as a classroom teacher at theManila High School and Ermita Elementary School in 1919. After seven years, she became a teacher and later Principal of the Soler Intermediate School and the Santa Clara Primary School (later known as Gomez Elementary School). In 1934, she began teaching at Far Eastern College (nowFar Eastern University),Centro Escolar University and theUniversity of Manila. She eventually joined the faculty of the Zamboanga Normal School (nowWestern Mindanao State University) when her husband was assigned to teach there.
She married Potenciano Pecson, a teacher and lawyer, who was elected asrepresentative for theFirst District of Pangasinan from 1928 to 1935 and was later appointed an associate justice of theCourt of Appeals in 1953.[3]
Pecson also became active in women's groups. She became involved in social work as co-founder, board member, treasurer, and first vice-president of the National Federation of Women's Clubs of the Philippines (NFWCP) and as asuffragette who advocated for Filipino women's right to vote – which was granted on April 30, 1937, following aspecial plebiscite.
Before becoming a senator, Pecson served as the private secretary of PresidentJose P. Laurel and as Assistant Executive Secretary of PresidentManuel Roxas. In 1947, she was picked as a candidate by theLiberal Party and won the third spot in thesenatorial election.
During Pecson's tenure as a senator, she headed the Senate Committee on Education, the Senate Committee on Health and Public Welfare, and the Joint Congressional Committee on Education. Apart from being a member ofCommission on Appointments and of theSenate Electoral Tribunal, Pecson pioneered Philippines laws that included the 1953 Free and Compulsory Education Act, the Vocational Education Act, laws related to establishing training facilities for instructors of arts and trades in certain national schools, and laws that upgraded theSchool of Forestry of the University of the Philippines and thePhilippine Normal School into colleges.
She ran in the1953 Philippine Senate election for a second term but lost and placed ninth out of twenty candidates. At that time, only eight senators have to be elected.
In the 1950s to 1960s, Pecson chaired the UNESCO National Commission of the Philippines and became the first Filipina and woman member of UNESCO's Executive Board. She also served as chairperson of thePhilippine Red Cross.
Pecson was a member of the board of trustees of a number of schools and universities, among which were Centro Escolar University, the Philippine Normal College, and the Philippine College of Commerce (now theUniversity of the East); and a member of the Board of Regents of the University of the Philippines.
She also served as a board member of the Philippines Tuberculosis Society and the Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement. In her later years, she was a consultant of the Ministry of Education & Culture (now theDepartment of Education).
In 1996, PresidentFidel Ramos created a special committee for the commemoration of her centennial birth anniversary.
The main building of the Philippine Normal University in Manila was renamedGeronima T. Pecson Hall in 2005 to honor her.
:Philippine Legion of Honor, Legionnaire (LLH) – (April 9, 1958)[4]
:Civil Order of Alfonso X, the Wise, Grand Cross (1953)[3]| Chief Commander (Punong Komandante) |
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| Grand Commander (Marangal na Komandante) | |
| Grand Officer (Marangal na Pinuno) | |
| Commander (Komandante) | |
| Officer (Pinuno) | |
| Legionnaire (Lehiyonaryo) | |
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