WOMEN POWER: ROCKING THE CRADLE

TO FREEDOM
Not too many people knew who Marcela Marcelo was. Yet dramatic accounts picture her as
brandishing a bolo alongside Filipino soldiers in battle, her hair falling on her shoulders, and a
bullet from a Spanish soldier snuffing out her life forever.
She was a native of Malibay (then part of Paranaque until 1898, now a part of Pasay City), born
in 1869 of unknown parents and believed to have been married to Quirico Lugo of Aguho,
Pateros, whom she had a son.
When the Revolution broke out in August 1896, the whole townsfolk of Malibay moved en
masse (alsang balutan), carrying with them guns and weaponry of the tribunal (town hall) to
Cavite to participate in the national struggle for liberation. Marcela must have been part of the
exodus. At the time, Paranaque was the site of the military headquarters of Governor Camilo G.
de Polavieja whose mission was to reconquer Cavite from the hands of the Filipino revolutionist
under Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo.
She must have been a ferocious warrior, for people to call her Selang Bagsik, Taga-Malibay,
and “Henerala”. Carlos V. Ronquillo, a private secretary of General Aguinaldo, wrote: “One of
the companies of our soldiers was led by a middle-aged woman who was full of courage; a
woman with a husband and child, who migrated to Pasay (according to information) and whose
sole companion in battles was just a bolo. She died heroically when the Spaniards captured the
trench at Pasong Santol (8 March 1897).”
The 1928 account of Martin F. Venago noted that she was “hit by a bullet on her forehead by
the enemy. She was standing then with her loose thick hair falling on her shoulders on top of the
defences (trenches) while shooting and ordering all the soldiers she was leading.”
There are different versions on when she died. Roman Abad Magtanggol, a Katipunero, entered
her death in his diary as March 21, 1897 in Pasong Santol, Imus. Ronquillo wrote that she died
March 8, 1897.
Conflicting though the dates are, 65 years after her death, on July 1, 1962, Marcela’s bust was
unveiled by the Kapisanang Diwa ng Malibay, Pasay City. An annex of the Timoteo Paz
Elementary School in the same barrio was renamed Marcela Marcelo Elementary School.
Excerpt from:
Torrevillas, D. (1998). Women Power: Rocking the Cradle to Freedom. Cavite: Glorious
Chronicle of the Century. Iglesias, R. (Ed). Cavite, Philippines: Cavite Centennial Committee. p.
75.
Marcela Marcelo dies in the battle of Pasong
Santol
ON MARCH 21, 1897, Marcela Marcelo, the Woman General of the revolution died in the Battle
of Pasong Santol (Dasmariñas), Cavite. Marcelo also known as “Selang Bagsik” (Ferocious
Sela) and “Henerala Sela” (General Sela), hailed from Malibay, formerly a part of Palanyag
(now of Pasay City). Born in 1869, she married Quirico Lugo of Aguho, Pateros and bore him a
son.
Marcelo was a member of an upper class family with a betel nut farm (Pasay was famous for its
betel nuts).
She was reported to be a very brave fighter, one who would not flinch in the face of the Spanish
onslaught. Her husband was said to have been captured by the Civil Guards. She did not utter a
word nor took any action while her husband was being led away. It was also believed that she
entrusted her son to the care of her sister, then headed a group of Filipino rebels that raided
enemy trenches. Because of her bravery, the enemy feared her.
It was her picture- a woman with flowing hair that was drawn in the certificates of members of
the “Veteranos de la Revolucion”, kept in a small notebook by Ramon Abad (code name
“Magtanggol”) a Katipunero from Imus. In it was found written “March 21, 1897, in Pasong
Santol the woman, Marcela Marcelo was killed”.
In Malibay, Pasay City, an elementary school was named after her. Also, in the plaza of Malibay
is a bust of Marcelo fronting the C. Jose Street, the principal road in that place.
Research showed that there is an alley in Sta. Cruz, Manila, which was declared as early as
October 13, 1916 to be known as “Taga Malibay” (from Malibay) in memory of a certain
“Generala”, which turned out to be Marcela Marcelo. Unfortunately, this particular alley has long
been renamed.
According to Carlos V. Ronquillo, private secretary of General Emilio Aguinaldo, in his book,
Some Minutes of the Revolution of 1896 – 97, page 176:
“One of our platoons was led by a woman of great courage: a middle aged married woman who
had a child, a woman from Pasay (if we were not mistaken), who was always in the heat of the
battle, with no weapons but a bolo. She died a heroine when the Spanish trenches were taken
in Pasong Santol. This action so frightened the Spaniards that they ran and was driven by the
infantry and Tagalog volunteers …”.
Page 122 further mentions the death of Marcelo in the Battle of the Batteries in Pasong Santol:
“No wounded on the first day of battle except for the 12 to 15 dead, including the woman hero,
the one from Pasay who led the platoon to rush the center”.
Excerpt from: Punto! Editor. (2019, March 21). Marcela Marcelo dies in the battle of Pasong
Santol. Retrieved from: https://punto.com.ph/marcela-marcelo-dies-in-the-battle-of-pasong-
santol/.