August 28, 1851 is the birth of Nazaria Lagos y Labrillaso in Dueñas, Iloilo. A "Great Woman of History", she was born in the barrio of Burongan, now called as Jaguimit, Dueñas, Iloilo.

Nazaria was married at the age of 12 to her second cousin Segondo Lagos, the Chief Sacristan of the Catholic Church with whom she had eight children.

Nazaria is one of Philippines' national heroines known as the "Florence Nightingale of Panay". She was one of the Filipinos who risk her life for the freedom of our country.

She's the pioneer leader of Red Cross in the Visayas Region and had numerous humanitarian activities. This includes nursing the revolutionaries, and became the Revolution's first nurse. She also became the director of the Hospital of the Revolutionary Army.

Nazaria helped build the hospital, donating her own hacienda, for the rebels and provided bamboo beds, chairs, tables, shelves, cabinets, and clothing materials for Revolutionary Army in 1898. She cared for the wounded civilians and sick Filipino soldiers even after she lost two of her children during a smallpox epidemic.

Nazaria sewed the Philippine flag that was raised in the Dueñas town square on June 12, 1899, the first anniversary of the proclamation of the country's independence in Kawit, Cavite by General Emilio Aguinaldo.

At the age of 93, she died on January 27, 1945. Nazaria Lagos, kept a legacy not in wealth but as a model mother, leader and a" great woman in history". Her life is a story of love, courage, and patriotism not only for her family but for her fellow Filipinos and country.

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photos/source/reference:
nhcp.gov.ph | nhcphistoricsites.blogspot.com | topicalphilippines.com
kahimyang.info | Philippines News Agency| thenewstoday.info