Monday, March 10, 2008 Baguio's only lady mayor By Isagani Liporada
FERDINAND Marcos was first driven out of his wits when Imelda Romualdez conquered his heart, a story eventually overshadowed only by the tales of more than 3,000 pairs of shoes.
Marcos, the once most powerful Philippine despot, was exiled via the 1986 People Power Revolution, which supported his female rival -- Corazon Aquino, the 11th president of the Philippines.
But among the famous women who drew lines in Marcos' knockout column, it was one of Baguio's first female and probably youngest mayor who gave him "0-1" in his "win-loss" card almost 70 years ago. And it was in a match no known mortal has ever beaten the deposed President ever since -- public speaking.
Even before "Women's Month" was thought out, or the aphorism "girl power" was coined, Virginia "Gene" Oteyza-de Guia, was already ahead of her time, doing what was considered "unthinkable" for women during her younger days -- forming, joining, and excelling intellectual workout groups then dominated by males.
She related, "When there was anything, I joined. In fact, I was one who suggested an oratorical group be formed in the University of the Philippines (UP) College of Law."
Born on December 26, 1916, Gene was about 23 when she bested Marcos in a contest featuring the best of the best public speakers in UP Manila. Marcos graduated with a law degree in 1939; Gene, in 1940.
"When I recited my piece entitled 'I Accuse Myself," she recalled, "I made use of the word 'I' as a metaphor in describing the 26 million Filipinos' (a propos the socio-political) milieu back then."
Full of pride, her son, the artist Kidlat Tahimik (a.k.a. Eric De Guia), affirmed, "In 1962, I was the student council president of UP when Marcos, then Senate President, and I were introduced."
Aping Marcos's tenor that elicited a smile from her 91-year-old mama, he quoted the then Senate President as saying, "Young man, you're mom was the only person who ever defeated Marcos in a public speaking contest."
"During his speech before students of UP, he reiterated the same complement," Kidlat added." That was 23 years after the Marcos-de Guia encounter and apparently, "Ferdie" doesn't forget loss that easy -- especially to a woman.
Marcos graduated cum laude in the college of law. As a young law student he was indicted and convicted of the murder of Julio Nalundasan, the man who twice defeated his father for a National Assembly seat.
He continued studying while in detention and subsequently passed the bar with one of the highest scores in history. He appealed his conviction and the court unanimously acquitted him.
Beaming, Gene gamely related, "Marcos was a highly intelligent man, he was a friend... but sorry to say, I won...."
Gene had a lot of "firsts" even before her dark curly hair started turning silver and gold. Among others, she was the first Baguio lass ever to land a part in the silver screen opposite Rogelio de la Rosa.
As an actress in the UP Dramatics Club, she was written about as "Dramatics Find of the Year." She said: "My role was brief in that theater show was I was featured as 'the other woman' opposite Daisy Hontiveros Avellana."
Famous Filipino grammarian Jean Edades directed the UP Dramatics' shows. Avellana, on the other hand, was recently conferred "National Artist" honors at the Cultural Center of the Philippines.
"I sure did get a lot of press for that little part I played in the UP Dramatics' shows, which I surmise, landed me that part in the movie 'Nagkaisang Landas' with Rogelio."
She recalled: "I was scrubbing the floor of our house near UP Manila one day when somebody came up and asked where Gene Oteyza was. Before I knew it, I was part of the cast opposite Rogelio."
Despite her acumen in law, she never became a lawyer, which could have been another first for women in the City of Pines. She punned: "I can't remember exactly why I did not pursue the legal profession but I'm glad I never did."
Aided by her popularity as an excellent public speaker, a leader, and an actress, Gene decided to go back to Baguio after she earned her law degree to become the youngest and the first lady-councilor of Baguio on October 27, 1940.
"I was inspired by a friend, Carmen Planas," she said adding, "We were dear friends who campaigned really hard for the referendum on women suffrage in the late 1930s."
"I remember, we went around together in the mines, pushing for women suffrage in a time when it was unfashionable for women to join political gatherings. They just peeked beyond their windows. I can remember their facial reactions vividly as they pulled their curtains aside when they heard me delivering a speech about politics and women's rights."
"Carmen eventually became the earliest woman in public office so I thought, 'why not start a similar (women's revolution) in Baguio'?" said Planas, who became the first lady councilor in the country in 1937 now has a street named after her in Tondo, Manila.
In 1941, Gene ran against Ramon Mitra Sr. for a congressional seat and lost. "He was established," Gene recalled adding, "He was already a veteran congressman for a number of years and I was just an upstart with a zeal for change."
Gene was appointed councilor once again on August 23, 1945, eventually assuming a higher post as vice mayor on January 31, 1946, under the mayorship of Pedro Armena.
She recalled: "The Baguio mayoral seat then was a waiting station for guys who were bound for Cabinet positions in the national government."
To this Kidlat added, "Baguio was sort of like a stop in a 'musical chairs' game of Malacañang. Most of the earlier Filipino mayors of the city were not from Baguio at all."
A look into Baguio historical accounts revealed that until 1960, mayors were appointed by Malacañang. Thus, Gene was never an "acting mayor" as some erroneously published, but a bona fide appointee. On July 4, 1946, Independence Day, she was appointed as first and probably the youngest lady mayor Baguio at the age of 29.
As proof, Kidlat brought out a July 20, 1946 issue of the Philippine Free Press where Gene was "cover girl" and with her picture titled, "Her Honor, The Mayor." He pointed out pictures of Armena turning over the Philippine Flag to Gene, Gene being sworn in as mayor by then President Manuel Roxas, and Gene raising the flag as incoming mayor.
Gene took on the city's reins for only 14-days. She was succeeded by mayor Jose Carino on July 30, 1946, after which, she was relegated to vice mayor until March 1950. However, she served as an effective acting mayor when Carino's health was faltering. Her term as the city chief executive was longer than most appointed mayors and longer than some people now believe.
