YOU probably heard or watched stories of Joan of Arc. 

But what if I told you we have our own Joan of Arc, braver, more defiant, and yes, very Filipina!

History books are filled with the names of revolutionary heroes— almost all of them are men. 

Surely, you’ve heard of Andres Bonifacio, known as the Father of Katipunan— the revolutionary organization that led the armed revolution against the Spanish colonizers in the late 19th century. 

If you know Bonifacio, then you must also be familiar with his rival, Emilio Aguinaldo—the general who became the first president of the republic. His leadership extended beyond the revolution, bleeding into the Philippine-American War.

Or perhaps you’ve heard of Heneral Luna, a very interesting character immortalized in Jerrold Tarog’s 2015 film. His fiery temper, military genius, and brutal assassination have cemented his place in history.

But what about Agueda Kahabagan?

Unlike Bonifacio, Aguinaldo, and Luna, her name is rarely mentioned in textbooks or mainstream discussions. 

Yet she holds a distinction no other woman in Philippine history does— she was the first and only officially recognized Filipina general during the revolution. 

Who is Agueda Kahabagan? 

In my hometown of Santa Cruz, Laguna, a lone bronze statue stands in the town plaza—silent, steadfast, and largely unnoticed by the people who walk past it every day. 

Photo of Agueda Kahabagan statue in Santa Cruz, Laguna

A woman cast in metal, frozen in time. On one hand, a gun; on the other, a bolo—symbols of a warrior who once fought for freedom. Yet few stop to wonder who she was, what battles she fought, or why history has chosen to forget her. 

This is Agueda Kahabagan y Iniquinto, the only woman officially recognized as a general during the Philippine revolution. A quick search on the internet would yield sparse information from articles and archives about her. 

In some accounts, she is called the “Tagalog Joan of Arc”—a title that reflects our tendency to seek colonial equivalents rather than honor our own heroes for who they truly are. 

Long before the Katipunan’s existence became public in 1896, some accounts suggest that Agueda Kahabagan was already part of the movement. Her appointment as a general is believed to have come from either General Miguel Malvar—who took command of Philippine forces after Aguinaldo’s capture in 1901—or General Severino Taiño, a fellow revolutionary from Laguna known for working alongside Paciano Rizal.

By March 1899, Kahabagan was officially listed as a Brigadier General in the Reserve Corps, with records indicating that she had been appointed on January 4 of the same year. Around this time, she also gained formal recognition for her contributions to the revolution.

On April 6, 1899, General Pio del Pilar sent a letter to Secretary of War Baldomero Aguinaldo, recommending Kahabagan—whom he described as a native of Santa Cruz—for recognition as a general under the First Philippine Republic. In the letter, Del Pilar praised her unwavering dedication and acknowledged her service from the earliest days of the revolution.

Even before her official appointment, Kahabagan had already earned the admiration of her fellow revolutionaries, who referred to her with the title Henerala.

Several accounts depict Kahabagan on the battlefield—dressed in white, riding a horse, rifle in one hand and bolo in the other—leading her troops to charge fearlessly toward the enemies. 

Like Aguinaldo, Agueda’s stint as a general also happened during the period of transition from Spanish to American colonization. 

In 189, as the war bled from Cavite to Laguna and neighboring provinces, Kahabagan’s first recorded battle took place in San Pablo. Filipino troops bore the brunt of the enemy assault, yet Agueda’s leadership proved decisive. According to accounts, by the time reinforcements arrived, the battle was already won—a testament to her skill and command on the battlefield.

In other records, the battle happened in Calauan. There were those who claimed that it was the Spaniards this time who initiated the attack, but like before, Kahabagan and her troops stood their ground and made the Spaniards retreat to San Pablo. 

But war is never just a series of victories. The Pact of Biak-na-Bato was signed, attempting to put an end to hostilities, and a fragile stalemate followed. Battles waned, tensions simmered, and as 1899 unfolded, the name of the Henerala faded from reports.

The woman once seen charging into battle, draped in white and wielding steel, seemed to vanish into silence

When History Forgets Women

There were many assumptions about Kahabagan’s fate. Some said that she was killed during a battle. Others claimed that she was captured by the American forces. 

Still, Agueda Kahabagan vanished into obscurity, her story swallowed by time, her name drifting from history’s forefront to its forgotten margins— like so many women before her. Erased by a past that favored men, remembered only in fragments. 

She became yet another revolutionary whose legacy was overshadowed, not by a lack of valor, but by a lack of recognition. 

We have neither a sketch nor a photograph of Kahabagan. Like many Filipinas of her time, her existence was defined by the men who documented history. It is only through their records that she escapes complete oblivion—kept from fading into myth, lost in the footnotes of the nation’s most pivotal moments.

Sadly, this was the fate of many Filipinas during that era. Their struggle was twofold—not just for the freedom of their country, but for the recognition of their place in its history. Even as they fought alongside men, their names were often left unwritten, their stories overshadowed, their victories unclaimed.

How many of us have heard of Teresa Magbanua—a schoolteacher turned military leader—who, to my dismay, was also labeled the ‘Visayan Joan of Arc’, as if a Western figure were the only benchmark for women who took up arms?

Teresa Magbanua | Photo Courtesy: http://www.boracayinformer.com/trivia/today-philippine-history-27

How about Casiana Nacionales— the only recognized woman who fought in combat against the American forces in the Balangiga uprising? We never got a picture of her— just an imagined sketch of an artist. 

And Trinidad Tecson, the Mother of Biak-na-Bato and a woman who served as Commissary of War—why has history left her name in the shadows?

Kahabagan’s story is not an isolated one— it is a pattern, a reflection of how much our history is male-dominated. They fought just the same, they bled, and sacrificed more than their lives. 

But in the end, most of them weren’t even given a page of recognition in our grand narrative. 

History in Her Story

Perhaps, it is time we change that. 

For too long, history has been written by those in power—often men—who decided which stories were worth telling and which were left to fade. But women, time and again, have fought to reclaim their place in the narrative.

In recent years, significant strides have been made in advancing the rights of Filipino women. Part of this is the struggle to uncover the stories and the voices of the women in our history. 

One notable development is the establishment of Tandang Sora Museum in Quezon City, which opened its doors in March 2025— in time for the National Women’s Month. 

This museum— named after Melchora Aquino or Tandang Sora— was made as an effort to provide space and give recognition for the pivotal roles women have played in shaping the nation. It was the brainchild of Sandra Torrijos, an active Filipino feminist since the 1980s.

This project stands as a beacon of hope for those history has long overlooked. It is not just Torrijos’ triumph but a victory for the Quezon City community—proof that the fight for the oppressed to be heard can take root even in something as humble as a museum. 

The exhibits featured in Tandang Sora museum not only give a platform to women of history, but to the others who were marginalized and suppressed in their own respective fields like the arts, the sciences, the media, the law, and the literature. 

In this place, women like Agueda Kahabagan are no longer forgotten. Their names are reclaimed. Their stories, finally told. 

References

• Mosura, Alve O. “Amazing Filipino Women Heroes.” Philippine Veteran Affairs Office, https://pvao.gov.ph/pvao-gad-updates/agueda-kahabagan/?utm_source=chatgpt.com.

• Vergara, Paolo. “Agueda Kahabagan was our first woman general. But do you know her?” SCOUT, Scout Magazine, 2020 https://www.scoutmag.ph/44803/first-woman-general-agueda-kahabagan/.