Helena Benitez

Helena Zoila Tirona Benitez[1] (June 27, 1914 – July 14, 2016) was a Filipina academic and administrator of the Philippine Women's University.

In this Philippine name, the middle name or maternal family name is Tirona and the surname or paternal family name is Benitez.
The Honorable
Helena Benitez
Member of the Batasang Pambansa from Cavite[1]
In office
July 23, 1984 – March 25, 1986
Serving with Renato Dragon and Cesar Virata
Member of the Interim Batasang Pambansa from Region IV-A[1]
In office
June 12, 1978 – June 5, 1984
Senator of the Philippines
In office
December 30, 1967 – September 23, 1972
Personal details
Born
Helena Zoila Tirona Benitez

(1914-06-27)June 27, 1914
Manila, Philippine Islands
DiedJuly 14, 2016(2016-07-14) (aged 102)
Manila, Philippines
NationalityFilipino
Political partyNacionalista (1967–1978)
KBL (1978–1986)
RelationsMarielle Javellana (niece)
Parent(s)Conrado Benitez (father)
Francisca Tirona (mother)
Alma materPhilippine Women's University
George Washington University
University of Chicago
Iowa State College
OccupationEducator
Politician

Biography

Benitez was born in Manila to Conrado Benitez, a pensionado to the United States and a member of the 1935 Constitutional Convention, and Francisca Tirona who was an educator and co-founder of Philippine Women's College in 1919.[1] She was highly educated. She graduated from Philippine Women's University and was a student at George Washington University (where she was Chair of the UN Commission on the Status of Women in 1969 and the first woman to serve as President of the UN Environment Program in 1975).[2] She also had post graduate training from the University of Chicago and Iowa State University.[3]

Mira-Nila House

She served in the Senate of the Philippines from 1967[4] until Congress was closed when martial law was declared in 1972, and at the Batasang Pambansa from 1978 until it was abolished in 1986. Benitez wrote several bills involving the promotion of Filipino national culture, including Republic Act 5871, which established commissions devoted to preserving cultural artifacts. These commissions tried to revive indigenous arts and crafts through training, facilitation workshops, and funding institutions.[3]

Benitez also founded the Bayanihan Dance Company.[5][6] Benitez was also the executive producer of the Bayanihan. Benitez was proud of the fact that the Bayanihan had highly authentic costumes and instruments from Filipino "tribal" peoples. She emphasized authenticity in the troupe's performance. She founded the troupe to be evidence of Philippine culture to the world. She negotiated a contract with Sol Hurok for the Bayanihan to perform on Broadway in New York City and got an exclusive endorsement from Philippine Presiden Carlos P. Garcia, designating the Bayanihan as the official representation of Filipino traditional dance to the Americas and Europe. This led to the Bayanihan's historic performance on October 13, 1959, at the Winter Garden Theater on Broadway, which paved the way for the Bayanian becoming the most prominent Filipino dance troupe of that time.[3]

Benitez died on July 14, 2016, aged 102.[7]

See also

References
  1. Bueza, Michael (27 June 2014). "Fast Facts: Helena Zoila Benitez is 100 years old". Rappler.com. Retrieved 21 August 2015.
  2. "HELENA BENITEZ". popdc.wordpress.com/. Philippines on the Potomac (POPDC). July 18, 2019. Retrieved January 20, 2021.
  3. Gonzalves, Theodore S. (2009). The Day the Dancers Stayed : Performing in the Filipino/American Diaspora. Temple University Press.
  4. Senators Profile - Helena Benitez. Senate of the Philippines; accessed 2015-08-21.
  5. Macairan, Evelyn (2016-06-29). "Helena Benitez at 100: Heart filled with gratitude". The Philippine Star. Retrieved 2016-01-29.
  6. Tejero, Constantino C. (27 June 2013). "A living treasure is still up and about with her advocacies". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved 21 August 2015.
  7. Antiporda, Jefferson (July 14, 2016). "Helena Benitez dies at 102". The Manila Times. Archived from the original on July 14, 2016. Retrieved July 14, 2016.


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