St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1900-11-14
A Woman General In the. Filipino
ARMY,

Gen. Ageja of Bungungbung Laguna is
the only woman general in the insurgent
army. Since the American occupation
she has given up the revolutionary cause
and is now general of an army OF indus
trials whom she commands as rlgloly as
her gallant Filipino soldiers that she led
so successfully against the Spaniards.
Bungungbung is small pueblo across
the lake from Santa Cruz 1t consists of
about one hundred nipa houses and not
more than two hundred Filipinos live
there and in all the barrios near by. The
surrounding country is wild and noun.
famous. There is little cultivation and
the entire population live by cutting
down the extensive forests and manu-
featuring 6rewood for the Manila mar
ket. 1t was in the midst Of those rough,
rugged scenes that Gen Agtja was born
and reared. From her early childhood
she showed great strength OF mind and
capacity for business Her father was a
sort of chief at that neck OF the woods
and when her father passed in his checks
Ageja continued to act as Prsedente and
control the output of wood that went
yearly from the district. When the Fill
pinos rebeled in 1896, Aguinaldo appre-
ciatjng the prestige of this wonderful wo-
man, gave her a commission as general
in the revolutionary army, and she soon
organized all the diff rent barrios into a
perfect military organization of wood
choppers, apparently bolomen, when
there was a chance to do up a detach-
ment of Spanish soldiers. In this man
ner she extended her jurisdiction beyond
the confines of Bungung chung and has
held the prestige she gained in those days
ever since. Today she controls the labor
OF 1000 natives who live far into the
mountains, but who have a wonderful
respect for the General AgeJa. In the
field she showed herself the m stress OF
the art OF war, and Gid great damage to
the Spanish troops stationed at different
points in Laguna province Since Amer
lean occupation she claims to have de
voted herself to industrial pursuits, and
her 1000 followers are kept busy cutting
wood and delivering it to the different
contractors who supply the city. Your
correspondent had the pleasure of an in
terview with this enterprisiug and inter
esting Filipino lady at her home in Bung
ungbung. She welcomed him with the
warmth Characterization the Filipino char
acter. The little woman did not lool
big enough to sway the brigade of bolo
men, but there was about her an air o
command that struck her visitor torcibly
All her servants seemed to work lik'
clock. work, and her power to sway TIT
big bolomen was well illustrated during
the visit. She talked freely OF the situa
ton and showed disposition for peace
and throughout the conversation she hat
always seemed to have an eye open TO
business and was open for contract TO
wood. She explained the method EN-
ployed in dealing with the natives. Sh
handles all the wood and collects tn
money from the contractors. The ma
tives are paid their share and the Genera
is widely known as most honest in he
dealings with both contractors and ma
tives, and possibly it has something t,
do with the wonderful influence sh
Yields over her brigade OF boomen, TO
they all carry great big bolo strapped
to them. The interview was broken int,
by the arrival of one of the lieutenants
who told her that he had them, and tn
them" he referred to afterward prove,
to be party Of natives who had stole
large quantity of wood from a case
that she had loaded the night before
Manila Freedom.