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AUS 20 2010 OI

Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

Eighteenth Congress
First Regular Session

4058
HOUSE BILL NO.

Introduced by Representatives Ria Christina G. Farifias
and Rudys Caesar G. Farifias I

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This bill seeks to declare September 20 of every year as Josefa
Llanes-Escoda Day in the Province of Ilocos Norte.

Josefa Llanes-Escoda was the founder of the Girl Scouts of the
Philippines in 1940. She was known as the Florence Nightingale of the
Philippines, a leading advocate of women’s rights and World War II
heroine. As a prominent civic leader and social worker during her time,
she empowered girls and women to contribute to nation-building.

Josefa Llanes-Escoda was born on September 20, 1898 in Dingras,
Ilocos Norte to Mercedes Madamba and Gabriel Llanes. She graduated
valedictorian from Dingras Elementary School and salutatorian from
Laoag Provincial High School. In College, she obtained her teaching
degree from the Philippine Normal School (now Philippine Normal
University) in 1919 where she graduated with honors. She eventually
earned her high school teacher's certificate from the University of the
Philippines in 1922. She immediately dedicated her time and effort as a
social worker in the Philippine Charter of the American Red Cross. This
gave her the opportunity to obtain her master’s degree in Sociology from
the Columbia University through the generosity of Red Cross in granting
her a scholarship.

Before World War II in 1939, she took a program in the United
States wherein she underwent an intensified training in girl scouting
sponsored by the Boy Scouts of the Philippines. Upon her arrival in the

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Philippines in 1940, she started training young female teachers from both
public and private educational institutions to be girl scout leaders and
eventually organized girl scout troops, thus, leading to the birth of
Commonwealth Act No. 542, entitled “An Act To Create A Corporation
To be Known as the Girl Scouts of the Philippines, and to Define its
Powers and Purposes”.

On May 26, 1940, President Manuel L. Quezon signed the charter
of the Girl Scouts of the Philippines (Commonwealth Act No. 542), in
recognition of its role in leadership training of girls and women. Escoda
became the first National Executive of GSP. She served in this capacity
until she was captured by the Japanese occupation army.

She was married to Antonio Escoda, a reporter from the Philippine
Press Bureau, and they were blessed with two children, Maria Teresa and
Antonio Jr.

During the Japanese occupation, she and her husband helped
Filipino and American prisoners in several concentration camps. They
sent medicines, clothing, messages and food to both Filipino war
prisoners and American internees in concentration camps. In June 1944,
Escoda’s husband, Antonio was arrested and two months thereafter, on
August 27, 1944, Escoda was arrested and imprisoned in Fort Santiago.
Her husband was executed in 1944 and on January 6, 1945, Josefa
Llanes-Escoda was also executed.

In the province of Ilocos Norte, a road was dedicated to her as the
Dofia Josefa Llanes-Escoda National Highway. Nationwide, her face can
be seen smiling on the current 1000-peso bill as one of the martyrs during
the Japanese occupation. Further, the Girl Scouts of the Philippines
commemorates her achievements by organizing activities on September
20 of every year in her honor.

In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of this bill is
eamestly requested.

RU R G. FARINAS I RIA CHRISTINA G. FARINAS


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

Eighteenth Congress
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILLNO. _ 4058

Introduced by Representatives Ria Christina G. Farifias
and Rudys Caesar G. Farifias I

AN ACT
DECLARING SEPTEMBER 20 OF EVERY YEAR AS A SPECIAL
NON-WORKING HOLIDAY IN THE PROVINCE OF ILOCOS
NORTE TO BE KNOWN AS “JOSEFA LLANES-ESCODA DAY”

Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the
Philippines in Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. September 20 of every year is hereby declared to be a
special non-working public holiday in the Province of [locos Norte to be
known as “Josefa Llanes-Escoda day” in honor of Josefa Llanes-Escoda,
Filipina World War II heroine, champion of women’s rights and Girl
Scouts of the Philippines founder.

SEC. 2. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general

circulation.

Approved,