Carmen Lim Planas (March 23, 1914 – August 25, 1964) was the first woman to be elected to any public office in the Philippines when she was elected
councilor of Manila by
general suffrage
Universal suffrage (also called universal franchise, general suffrage, and common suffrage of the common man) gives the right to vote to all adult citizens, regardless of wealth, income, gender, social status, race, ethnicity, or political stanc ...
in 1934. She would later serve as the capital city's First (1st) Female Vice Mayor from 1940 to 1941 and again from 1944 to 1951.
Formative years
Carmen Planas was born on March 23, 1914, in
Tondo, Manila
Tondo is a district located in Manila, Philippines. It is the largest in terms of area and population of Manila's sixteen districts, with a Census-estimated 631,313 people in 2015 and consists of two congressional districts. It is also the seco ...
, to Illuminado Planas and Concepcion Lim. Her siblings include attorney Charito Lim Planas (a former vice mayor of
Quezon City
Quezon City (, ; fil, Lungsod Quezon ), also known as the City of Quezon and Q.C. (read in Filipino as Kyusi), is the List of cities in the Philippines, most populous city in the Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a populatio ...
), socialite Adela Planas-Paterno (former Miss Visayas), and businessman Severino L. Planas. She was a consistent class
valedictorian
Valedictorian is an academic title for the highest-performing student of a graduating class of an academic institution.
The valedictorian is commonly determined by a numerical formula, generally an academic institution's grade point average (GPA ...
from grade school through college.
At Zaragosa Elementary School, she was top pupil in her fourth grade. In the seventh grade, she transferred to
Collegia de Sta. Rosa where she was also a top student. She attended high school at the
Holy Ghost College (now known as the Holy Spirit College).
She enrolled in the
prelaw
In the United States, pre-law refers to any course of study taken by an undergraduate in preparation for study at a law school.
The American Bar Association requires law schools to admit only students with an accredited Bachelor's Degree or its ...
course at the
University of the Philippines
The University of the Philippines (UP; fil, Pamantasan ng Pilipinas Unibersidad ng Pilipinas) is a state university system in the Philippines. It is the country's national university, as mandated by Republic Act No. 9500 (UP Charter of 200 ...
, where she became a scholar. Her oratical and debating ability and zeal earned her gold medals in the
U.P. College of Law.
Once her debating ability was tested on the issue of women suffrage. She was assigned to take the affirmative side, and advocated it brilliantly. Then she was assigned to argue the negative side on the same issue, she defended it with even more convincing eloquence. This display of rare talent earned her two medals. She also won the Spanish declamation contest.
Political career
During the height of the Cuervo-Barredo case, Planas made an eloquent and impassioned speech in front of a youth rally, criticizing Commonwealth President
Manuel Quezon
Manuel Luis Quezon y Molina, (; 19 August 1878 – 1 August 1944), also known by his initials MLQ, was a Filipino lawyer, statesman, soldier and politician who served as president of the Commonwealth of the Philippines from 1935 until his dea ...
's interference in the judiciary. The following day she appeared on the front pages of the metropolitan papers with the headline "U.P. COED ATTACKS QUEZON." She was summoned by
Malacañang and asked why she lambasted the president. She replied that she was only criticizing what the president had done.
After the incident,
Wenceslao Vinzons
Wenceslao "Bintao" Quinito Vinzons (born Wenceslao Quinito Vinson; September 28, 1910 – July 15, 1942) was a Filipino patriot and leader of the Philippine armed resistance against the Japanese invasion in World War II. He was the youngest d ...
, who was the leader of the Young Philippines Party, nominated her to be their party candidate for the city council of Manila. Later, she became the first woman elected to the city council.
Planas was nicknamed "Manila's Darling" and "Manila's Sweetheart" by her constituents. This was due to an incident when she was hurrying out of the office to an appointment, bypassing a reporter who had been hoping to interview her. The reporter jokingly asked if she was on her way to a date. Without missing a beat, she replied that her date was with the City of Manila.
Social works
When
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
came to the Philippines, Planas did not stop serving her fellows. She did some undercover work, rendered exemplary service to the guerillas. She was always seen bringing food and other forms of aid to hospitals and to the homes of the injured ex-servicemen. After the war, she served in various positions in the government. She became the governor and secretary of the
Philippine National Red Cross
The Philippine Red Cross (PRC; fil, Krus na Pula ng Pilipinas) is a non-profit humanitarian organization and a member of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement.
The PRC was established in 1947, with roots in the Philippine Rev ...
, legal adviser to the Philippine Association of Women Doctors, the Filipino Youth Symphony Organization, and the
Women's International League
The Women's International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) is a non-profit non-governmental organization working "to bring together women of different political views and philosophical and religious backgrounds determined to study and make kno ...
.
In recognition of her excellent work, she was sent by the Philippine National Red Cross as the lone delegate to the convention of
Red Cross
The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement is a Humanitarianism, humanitarian movement with approximately 97 million Volunteering, volunteers, members and staff worldwide. It was founded to protect human life and health, to ensure re ...
governors in
Oslo, Norway
Oslo ( , , or ; sma, Oslove) is the capital and most populous city of Norway. It constitutes both a county and a municipality. The municipality of Oslo had a population of in 2022, while the city's greater urban area had a population of i ...
. She was also the Philippines Lawyers Association delegate to the Lawyers International Conference in
Monte Carlo, Monaco
Monte Carlo (; ; french: Monte-Carlo , or colloquially ''Monte-Carl'' ; lij, Munte Carlu ; ) is officially an administrative area of the Principality of Monaco, specifically the ward of Monte Carlo/Spélugues, where the Monte Carlo Casino is ...
.
Death and legacy
She died at the Grant Hospital in
Chicago
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
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,
Illinois
Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolita ...
, on August 25, 1964, at the age of 50. Planas had devoted her life to public service, and was never married. She had a simple philosophy in life:
"I just do the best I can in any given problem. The results I leave to God who must have a reason for everything that happens."
A street in
Tondo, Manila
Tondo is a district located in Manila, Philippines. It is the largest in terms of area and population of Manila's sixteen districts, with a Census-estimated 631,313 people in 2015 and consists of two congressional districts. It is also the seco ...
, was renamed after her.
References
, -
{{DEFAULTSORT:Planas, Carmen
1914 births
1964 deaths
Manila City Council members
People from Manila
University of the Philippines alumni
Filipino women lawyers
20th-century Filipino lawyers
Burials at the Manila North Cemetery
20th-century Filipino women politicians
20th-century Filipino politicians
Filipino beauty pageant winners
20th-century women lawyers