Portrait of Magdalena Leones
We continue our Portrait Drop to celebrate Women’s Role in History Month by featuring paintings of women who contributed to our long struggle for independence and nationhood.
Today, we will be sharing a portrait of Magdalena Leones. Born in Lubuagan, Kalinga, Magdalena was training to be a deaconess of the United Evangelical Church when the War began. While she was detained by the Japanese, she learned Nihongo. After her release, she joined the United States Armed Forces in the Philippines-North Luzon (USAFIP-NL) as a spy. She passed on “important intelligence data, radio parts, and medical supplies.”
She escaped capture three times and on the fourth time evaded execution by bribing a guard. She then enlisted in the Philippine Army. In 1969, she moved to the United States where she died at the age of 95.
The NHCP commissioned this 2021 portrait by Derrick Macutay to help implement Memorandum Circular No. 25 (5 September 2017) which requires government offices to display the images of our heroes. This portrait is also being shared in anticipation of our commemoration of Araw ng Kagitingan next month.
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