Pura Villanueva Kalaw facts for kids

Purificacion "Pura" Villanueva Kalaw (born August 27, 1886 – died March 21, 1954) was a very important Filipina woman. She was known as a beauty queen, a journalist, and a writer. Pura was also a strong supporter of women's rights, fighting for women to have the right to vote.

Early Life and First Queen Title

Pura Villanueva was born in a town called Arevalo in Iloilo. Her parents were Emilio Villanueva and Emilia Garcia. Her mother was from Palencia, Spain.

When Pura was 22 years old, she became the first "Queen of the Manila Carnival." This was a big event in the Philippines.

Fighting for Women's Rights

Pura Villanueva Kalaw was a pioneer in fighting for women's rights.

Starting a Suffrage Group

In 1906, Pura started a group called the Asociacion Feminista Ilongga. This group worked to give women the right to vote. This right is also known as "suffrage." Because of her hard work, the first bill to allow women to vote was presented in the Philippine Assembly in 1907.

Journalism and Writing

Pura was also a talented writer and journalist. She wrote a regular column for a weekly newspaper called El Tiempo. She also managed the women's section of this newspaper. Later, she edited the Spanish part of Woman's Outlook. This was a publication that supported women getting the right to vote. She also served as the president of the Women's Club of Manila.

Pura Villanueva Kalaw wrote several books. Some of her books include:

• Osmeña From Newspaperman to President (1946)
• How the Filipina Got the Vote
• Outstanding Filipino Women
• The Filipino Cookbook
• A Brief History of the Filipino Flag

Her booklet from 1918, Condimentos Indigenas, was one of the very first cookbooks published in the Philippines.

Presidential Recognition

In 1951, Pura Villanueva Kalaw received a special award. President Elpidio Quirino gave her a Presidential Medal. This award honored her important work for women's rights in the Philippines.

Family Life

In 1910, Pura Villanueva married Teodoro Maniguiat Kalaw. He was a lawyer and an editor.

Their children also became important figures:

• Maria Kalaw Katigbak became a senator.
• Purita Kalaw Ledesma became a famous art critic.

Their daughter-in-law, Eva Estrada Kalaw, also became a senator.

Pura Villanueva Kalaw became a widow in 1940 when her husband passed away. She died on March 21, 1954, at the age of 67.

Legacy and Remembrance

Pura's daughter, Maria Kalaw Katigbak, wrote a book about her mother's life. It was called Legacy: Pura Villanueva Kalaw: Her Times, Life, and Works 1886–1954 and was published in 1983.

In 2016, Pura V. Kalaw was honored in an exhibit. This exhibit at the Philippine Embassy in Washington D.C. featured her and other women who fought for suffrage. There is also a school in Quezon City named after Pura V. Kalaw.

See also

In Spanish: Pura Villanueva Kalaw para niños