User talk:Mborromeo/sandbox

Gardeopatra Gador Quijano
File:Gardeopatra G Quijano.jpg

Dr. Gardeopatra G. Quijano, was called “Tita Gardz" by her nieces & nephews and "Mama Gardz” by her grandnieces & grandnephews. She was born on April 27, 1918. She remained single throughout her life and was the family's extended mom. She was the eldest of nine children. Her sister Lourdes died during her teens. Her father, Bishop Juan P. Quijano, was a great influence in her life that inspired her to stay with her faith and active part of the Philippine Independent Church as president Women of the Philippine Independent Church (WOPIC) from 1975-1977.

As a young woman, she was inspired to be independent and not shy from every opportunity that women sparsely had at the time. Gardeopatra took an active role in women’s struggles and although she was busy with her studies to become a dentist, she had always managed to find time writing stories and different articles in several national magazines. Among these, she wrote "Lourdes", one of the first literatures in the Philippines, written in Cebuano dialect. She later wrote "Bag-ong Kusog", which means “New Force”, which became a popular pre-war periodical. Her literature works totaled over 20 stories and 2,081 poems, of which some lost and stolen after the WWII .

After completing her studies, she became a dentist and practiced for a few years of which she stopped when her younger brother Dr. Gedeon G. Quijano sought a political career. While her brother looked at becoming a mayor, he was instead appointed by President Manuel Roxas as Provincial Governor of Misamis Occidental. She helped Gedeon in his political endeavors, and continued to do so in the succeeding elections as campaign manager.

She lived in Oroquieta City, next door to her brother in a modest traditional two story house constructed in Mahogany, where she stayed in close contact to help with Gedeon and church Philippine Independent Church, just across her home. She did not go back to writing after her brother ended his political servitude of five terms. Gardeopatra instead moved into her brother's home, when Gedeon moved to the U.S. Gedeon having served in the U.S. Army, when he was recruited as a physician during the war earned him citizenship. Gardeopatra opened her clinic at Gedeon’s home where she practiced as a dentist. She later became an instructor at Southern Capital Colleges and continued her devotion to her faith, and created the Bishop Juan P. Quijano Theological Education Fund, which donors included President Ferdinand Marcos, former member of the Philippine Independent Church.

She later moved to Cagayan de Oro City to live the rest of her life with her sister Catalina Quijano de la Torre, where she was able to see her nephew become a priest, Rev. Father Dwight Q. de la Torre. Gardeopatra was returned to her home, Oroquieta City, after her death, May 3, 2003. Her home was torn down and land sold where a 3-story building now sit in its place. A reminder of her brother’s home still stands.

Family

Gedeon G. Quijano +
Gumamela Quijano Arano +
Himaya Quijano Bas +
Eugenio G. Quijano +
Catalina Quijano de la Torre
Acaudalado G. Quijano
Juanito G. Quijano

Literature

Novel
Lourdes 1939

Published Essays
Ang Babaye Larawan sa Kalumo ug Katam-is
Ang Inahan Labaw sa Asawa

Newspaper Contributions
The Freeman
Nasod
Babaye
Bag-ong Kusog

Awards

Gawad ng Sining of the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) for Regional Writing - 1993

See also

• Literature of the Philippines
• Erlinda Alburo
• Philippine Independent Church

External links

• sunstar.com.ph
• Rev. Father Dwight Q. de la Torre
• Bishop Juan P. Quijano Theological Scholarship Fund

[[Category:Articles created via the Article Wizard]] {{DEFAULTSORT:Quijano, Gardeopatra G.}} [[Category:1918 births]] [[Category:2003 death]] [[Category:Filipino writers]]