Civic Leader

A social worker, educator, and organizer from Dingras, Ilocos Norte, Escoda organized the Girl Scouts of the Philippines in 1940. Her commitment to humanitarian causes brought her to Camp O'Donnell in Capas,Tarlac to attend to the needs of the prisoners in 1942. “Time and again,” wrote her biographer, “she turned down offers of lucrative positions, having decided to devote her time and efforts to underground work for the duration of the emergency.” She was arrested and imprisoned by the Japanese military who grew suspicious of her work in helping war prisoners. Her death was placed in January 1945.