Josefa Llanes Escoda
Josefa Llanes Escoda | |
|---|---|
Escoda's U.S. passport application picture, 1922 | |
| Born | Josefa Llanes y Madamba September 20, 1898 |
| Died | January 6, 1945 (aged 46) |
| Resting place | Unmarked grave in either La Loma Cemetery or Manila Chinese Cemetery, Manila, Philippines |
| Known for | Founder of the Girl Scouts of the Philippines Filipino World War II hero |
| Spouse(s) |
Antonio Escoda, Sr. (m. 1927) |
Josefa Madamba Llanes Escoda (born Josefa Llanes y Madamba; 20 September 1898 – 6 January 1945) was a Filipino teacher and social worker known for her role in the establishment of the Girl Scouts of the Philippines and campaigns for women's suffrage.
After receiving a high school teacher's certificate from the University of the Philippines in 1922, she became a social worker for the American Red Cross in the Philippines and received a scholarship to study in the United States. She received her master's degree in 1925 and continued her social work in the Philippines the following year. She held various teaching positions in universities and social work positions related to healthcare.
She became the president of the National Federation of Women's Clubs from 1941 to 1944. During the Second World War, she led the provision of relief to POWs. However, she was arrested on 27 August 1944 and was imprisoned in Fort Santiago. She was last seen alive on 6 January 1945.
Together with José Abad Santos and Vicente Lim, she is depicted on the Philippine one thousand-peso banknote as Filipinos who died resisting the Japanese occupation of the Philippines. She is recognized as the "Florence Nightingale" of the Philippines for her social work, campaigns for women's suffrage, and role in forming the Girl Scouts of the Philippines.