Fruit Tree Semi-Postals

#B6 and B7, 19 Aug 1952

Definitives

#1684 5 Nov 1984 and 1684A, 14 Feb 1986

Birth Centenary

#1969 and 1970, 7 Nov 1988

Aurora Quezon (born Aurora Aragon) was the wife of Philippine President Manuel Quezon and the First Lady of the Philippines from 1935 to 1944.

AURORA QUEZON

Aurora married Manuel Quezon in December 1918 (who was also her first cousin). Though she is recognized as the second First Lady of the Philippines, she was actually the first spouse of a Philippine president to be called as such.

During her husband's presidency, Quezon engaged herself in the campaign to give Filipino women the right to vote, which was achieved in 1937. Quezon was involved in the Girl Scouts of the Philippines and the Associacion de Damas Filipinas, a noted orphanage in Manila. She was also the honorary president of another orphanage, the White Cross, located in San Juan.

Her husband died died from tuberculosis whilst in exile in the United States during World War II in August 1944. In 1947, with the active support of Aurora Quezon, the Philippine National Red Cross was established as an independent Red Cross organization. She became the first Chairperson of the Philippine National Red Cross, holding the position until her death.

She also was named as honorary vice-president of the Philippine Tuberculosis Society.

On 28 April 1949, Quezon left her home to travel to her husband's hometown of Baler to open the Quezon Memorial Hospital. She had been cautioned about this trip beforehand due to the frequent insurgency activities in Central Luzon of the Hukbalahap, the military arm of the Communist Party of the Philippines. Their vehicle and military escort was ambushed and Mrs Quezon and her daughter were killed instantly. There was national and international condemnation of the massacre. While no Philippine President has ever been assassinated, Aurora Quezon is one of three presidential spouses who have been murdered.

19 February 1888

to 28 April 1949