16 DECEMBER

1913 - Filipino revolutionary, patriot, and jurist Ramon Quiosay Avancena becomes Associate Justice of the colonial Supreme Court during the period of the imperialist American rule, at the close of the unsuccessful but valiant fight for freedom of the natives against the enemy United States forces during bloody and protracted Philippine American War (1899-1914); Avancena was part of the provisional revolutionary government established in Iloilo during the Philippine Revolution against Spain and would also play a part during the Japanese Occupation as vice-chairman of the Preparatory Commission for Philippine Independence; in his service as jurist, Avencena would be known for being gentle in manner but firm and independent in his decisions; in his honor, a public high school located in Quiapo, Manila would be named after him.

1958 - Outstanding Filipina educator and achiever Concepcion Andal Aguila  dies of cancer at age 52; a gifted  scholar and lawyer, she became the  dean of the graduate school of the  Centro Escolar University during the American colonial period and was later appointed first as National Council of  Education member and then as member of  the National Commission on  Educational, Scientific and Cultural  Matters before assuming important  positions in the United Nations,  including as conference chairman of  the UN Regional Conference for Non- Governmental Organizations on UN  Information in the early 1950s; in her honor, Tuberias Street near Malacanang Palace would be renamed 'Concepcion A. Aguila Street.'



Photo credits:

http://www.ireference.ca/search/Centro%20Escolar%20University/
http://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=276669534717&id=263207475703