UP Manila’s HerStory of Honor and Excellence
By The Features Team
In the past years, women from different fields have shown a significant contribution and impact to our society. A society where they have been constantly belittled, underestimated, and deprived of fair treatment due to the social norms that are undeniably favorable to the masculine system. Despite this, women have persevered, shattering the notion that a woman’s place in society is bound by the four walls of the home.
Before Women’s Month ends, it should also be remembered that our very own university houses women of excellence.
Rosario R. Rubite, Ph.D.
Shakespeare once said, “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” However, to Dr. Rosario Rubite, botanist, professor at the University of the Philippines (UP) Manila, and resident expert of the Begonia species, names hold greater weight than they may seem. From Batanes to Basilan, she has scoured the country in search of Begonia endemic to the Philippines, discovering and naming 25 new species of the flower. One species, Begonia rubiteae, was named in her honor.
Of course, this discovery was not only an individual accomplishment. To Dr. Rubite, it is wholly important to share these findings with the communities living near these ornamental flowers as a way to give back and initiate conversations about endangered species protection and conservation, especially against poachers.
Having been a researcher in the field for many years, she recounts the changes from past to present, especially for women. Back then, you could count the number of Filipino botanists by hand, and even fewer were women. “Mayroong women scientist [na] may mga pangalan silang lalaki pero hindi sila lalaki, para lang hindi sila ma-discriminate. May mga ganun na cases dati,” Dr. Rubite said.
In 2020, a study by Casad and others revealed that women in STEM often experience disparities in the form of gender stereotypes, harassment, underrepresentation, and lack of support networks. Although the number of women in the scientific community has increased over the years, consistent and supportive changes in schools and the workplace are necessary to maintain this positive trend.
Currently, Dr. Rubite is writing a book about her beloved flowers, with the hopes that research on Begonia will continue to flourish through the next generation. She hopes that more women are empowered to pursue the field of biology. To her, a woman’s place is everywhere: hiking the mountains of Palawan in search of a flower by the waterfall, in the classroom planting the seeds of the future, and in conferences around the world. It is then a challenge to institutions of science and education, that these places are not obstructed by hurdles such as funding and gender discrimination. Because, yes, though a rose may smell so sweet, there is no better name to mark your life than your own.
Dr. Raquel Del Rosario-Fortun, F.P.S.P.
Hailed as the first Filipina forensic pathologist, the “Doctor for the Dead,” Dr. Raquel Del Rosario-Fortun conquered the odds along the way to attain the level of knowledge and training she possesses today. Coming from a clan of lawyers, she was a deviant who chose the path of medicine. She found the law “too abstract, the opposite of medicine’s tangible and concrete.” Hence, forensic pathology provided her with a platform to apply medicine to law, “the tangible applied to the abstract.”
As the chairwoman of the Department of Pathology of the UP College of Medicine, Dr. Fortun ensures that the university will not be the graveyard of her expertise. She listens to the whimpers of deceased victims, exposes the flaws of the country’s criminal justice system, and challenges the tide of political interference. Among her notable cases are the Ozone Disco Fire, the Maguindanao Massacre, the deaths of Benigno Aquino Jr. and Ka Randy Echanis, and she has recently autopsied the remains of more than 90 bodies of drug war victims.
Fighting for the truth amid the male-dominated field of the country’s death investigation system, she has garnered enemies ranging from colleagues in forensic medicine and uniformed personnel to Rodrigo Duterte himself, who led the war on drugs. Despite escalating death threats from these male adversaries, she firmly stood her ground.
“Walang mandatory forensic autopsy [sa Pilipinas] . . . Kasi [sa] forensic science, lalabas talaga ‘yung katotohanan,” Dr. Fortun revealed in Howie Severino’s podcast. Improving the state of forensic pathology in the Philippines is one step toward improving the country’s justice system. How many verdicts were founded on poor autopsies, burying truths alongside the bodies? What is the future of the Philippine legal system without credible evidence?
Dr. Fortun has paved the way for the much-needed reform in forensic science within the country, addressing issues from the mishandling of crime scenes to inadequate investigative procedures. Through this dawn, we could only hope that the murderers would never get away again.
Maria Natividad Castro, M.D.
From being a public health practitioner to being a human rights defender, Dr. Maria Natividad “Naty” Castro is truly an exemplar of a ‘scientist with nationalist fervor.’ This is after the UP College of Medicine’s (UPCM) pursuit of molding six-star physicians who are not just competent in the field of medicine but also in conversing with Filipino communities about how healthcare services can be made accessible.
Doc Naty was a graduate of UPCM Class 1995. Bringing with her the mandate of UP’s public service, she wholeheartedly opted to provide health services in far-flung areas of Agusan and other parts of Mindanao. However, in contrast to her genuine desire to serve the underserved, Doc Naty became the victim of the State’s blatant red-tagging. How did the reputation she built for years begin to crumble right in front of her eyes just because she chose to struggle for the rights of her fellow Filipinos?
With persisting attacks against community workers, the state has evidently thrown around words such as “terrorist” too loosely. This blatantly disregards the incomparable work of community volunteers, particularly of medical practitioners who only aim to reach remote areas with inadequate access to health services. However, this government’s baseless defense only led Doc Naty to build and strengthen the walls around her belief in serving the people.
The Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police forcefully arrested Doc Naty on February 18, 2022, with a false accusation of kidnapping and serious illegal detention. After 40 days, Doc Naty was released due to a lack of probable cause for the charges made against her. However, in June of the same year, she was ordered to be rearrested. This hasty change of mind of the state has also led the Anti-Terrorism Council to tag her as a terrorist in January 2023.
The Latin word ‘castro’ means castle. Throughout the years, Doc Naty Castro built her castle of dreams with every hope of betterment for the lives of every Filipino. Hundreds of thousands of bricks of baseless accusations may be thrown at her by the government, but it only strengthens her castle’s foundation of serving the people.
Carla Paras-Sison, MBA
A campus journalist must lend a voice to the students that it represents and amplify the voices of the masses, which often get lost and unheard in mainstream media. As the first Editor-In-Chief (EIC) of The Manila Collegian, Carla Paras-Sison vowed to deliver bi-monthly news that stays true to the distinct voices of UP Manila’s students and the masses. “We had to give our fellow students a voice, if the paper were to truly represent the realities in UP Manila and the nation,” she elaborated in a feature article from the publication’s October 2017 issue.
Paras-Sison saw the importance of catering to the interest of the masses, even beyond campus journalism. “There are, after all, other ways to serve, some of them requiring the same resourcefulness, creativity, and audacity that those in the campus press possess,” she remarked. True enough, the spirit of moving forward — to persevere amid difficulty — and the steadfastness to advocate for those often unheard remained, even long after her term as the EIC. She continues to write, albeit with an advocacy that is more specific and much more personal to her.
In September 2004, Paras-Sison began her chemotherapy treatment at the Philippine General Hospital after getting diagnosed with breast cancer in that same year. From then on, she has chronicled her journey in battling breast cancer on Blogspot, a testament to her perseverance in life. She has also gone on to volunteer for the ICANSERVE Foundation, an organization led by cancer survivors that aims to spread breast cancer awareness.
Carla Paras-Sison’s grit and tenacity in the midst of uncertainty is truly a testament to her roots in campus journalism. From the legacy she has left as pioneering EIC of The Manila Collegian, to volunteering and writing about breast cancer awareness, she continues to live, inspire, and advocate.
Even with the metastasization of cancer cells and having been diagnosed with stage 4 cancer, she persevered — she was not going to allow a 16% chance of survival stop her from living: “Ayoko [nang] huminto ang buhay. Gusto kong ipakita sa mga anak ko na kahit wala sa kamay ko ang oras ng aking pagpanaw, nasa kamay ko ang bawat sandali habang ako’y nabubuhay… hangga’t may pagkakataon, lagi kong pinipiling mabuhay,” she said.
Josephine Anne Lapira (1995–2017)
“Abante babae, palaban, militante!” Josephine Anne Lapira, former Deputy Secretary General of Gabriela Youth Manila, would shout in her speeches. With her hope for the voiceless to be heard, Lapira fought with the masses and laid down her life for it.
Josephine, or Jo as her friends would call her, was a UP Manila student. Dreaming of becoming a doctor, Jo Lapira shifted from BA Development Studies to BS Biochemistry, with the hope of helping her family. Lapira was also an active student leader. She served as the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) Representative to the UP Manila University Student Council (UPM USC), a Deputy Secretary General of Gabriela Youth UP Manila, and a member of the ASAP-Katipunan, a progressive political party alliance during her time.
Despite having these commitments, Lapira was still able to juggle her academics and was supposed to graduate in 2017 — the year in which she also decided to be a full-time activist, amplifying the grievance of the masses.
On November 28, 2017, gunshots broke out in Nasugbu, Batangas as Filipino activists came eye-to-eye with the government’s inhumanity. According to Major General Rhoderick Parayno, commander of the Philippine Army’s 2nd Infantry Division, Jo was hit with one of the bullets as the Philippine Air Force and the police skirmished with the suspected members of the New People’s Army. However, as evident in Jo’s legacy in student leadership and activism, she aimed not to harm but to only serve the people, especially the marginalized.
There is no doubt that the passion she had for her advocacies and the courage to stand with the masses was unmeasurable. She died in the hospital, where she dreamed of serving the Filipino people. “A figure of activism in UP Manila,” as her friend would describe her following the news of her death. Just like what she said in one of her speeches, “violence against women does not choose its victim.” That night, five among the 15 deaths were unfortunate women.
Jo Lapira will always be remembered as the student martyr from UP Manila who sacrificed her life in pursuit of serving the masses — truly an iskolar ng bayan.
Maria Sheena Trinidad (1984–2012)
Exactly on International Working Women’s Day, the life of a student leader and revolutionary, Sheena Trinidad, was put to an end by state forces in Nueva Ecija on March 8, 2012. In contrast to what this day celebrates, Trinidad was a victim of the state’s persistent red-tagging and blatant neglect of women’s rights. It has been more than a decade, but her significant contributions, from university politics to societal change, must be remembered.
Embodying the true spirit of an iskolar ng bayan, Trinidad did not just cage herself within the borders of the university as a student of BA Behavioral Sciences at UP Manila. Rather, she took her blinders off to see the realities of the masses. For those who witnessed her lived nationalism, Trinidad genuinely understood the plight of Filipinos — especially those in rural and remote areas — as she actively joined the struggle of the marginalized.
Sheena Trinidad was a member of Anakbayan UPM and the Student Christian Movement of the Philippines. She lived out the spirit of collectivism by mobilizing students. As her friends would recall, Trinidad knew the importance of educational room-to-room discussions in making the students aware of the issues within and outside the university. Like Jo Lapira, Sheena was also a member of the progressive political party, ASAP-Katipunan.
She also served as the Chairperson of the UPM CASSC. During her term, the council firmly fought for pro-student policies, including the provision of free and quality education for all, given that at the time, UPM students were still required to pay their tuition and miscellaneous fees. They also asserted student and academic spaces — an issue that persistently affects the campus experience of the students even at the present.
For Kyla Benedicto, Acting Vice Chairperson of UPM USC, Sheena Trinidad is an exemplar of a true student leader who knew the weight of serving the people. Kyla asserted the further need for student leaders, like Trinidad, who has the heart to serve the students more than their own interests. “Mas mabigat pa ito kaysa sa ating sariling interes,” said Kyla.
Sheena Trinidad’s story is a history of the university. Her experience in student leadership is a manifestation of an active and genuine student representation back then. Now that the university suffers ‘dead’ student politics, it is a challenge for the system to revive the militant soul of the scholars. Nevertheless, Trinidad proved that revolution can also be a place for women.
These stories are proof of how women prevail amid the oppression against them. However, these stories also shed light on the persistent discrimination that women confront. Despite decades of struggle for gender equality, prejudices remain entrenched, perpetuating systemic biases. And so, the battle continues — in the academe, in the workplace, and in the streets. Women refuse to be confined again.
This article is written by Patricia Grace Junio, Maria Carmilla Ereño, Andreana Flores, Julia Emelene Mendoza, Jean Margareth Baguion, and Gerra Mae Reyes.
