200 years ago today, Melchora “Tandang Sora” Aquino de Ramos was born. She gained fame as the Mother of the Katipunan and the Mother of Balintawak. She was implicated in the revolution because she harbored and nursed wounded Katipuneros in her home in Balintawak, Bulacan. Because of her participation in the Katipunan, she was exiled to Guam at the age of 84.
When the Americans took control of the Philippines, she came back from exile and lived peacefully until she died March 19, 1917 at age 107.
In tribute to her, a district in Quezon City where she was born is named after her. She became the first Filipina to be on a Philippine 5 centavo coin until 1967 - 1992 and the Philippine 100 pesos backnote from 1955-1966. A street in San Francisco, CA is also named after her.
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