FRANCISCA
REYES-AQUINO
pioneer researcher on
traditional Philippine
folk dances and music
born in Lolomboy, Bocaue, Bulacan
mother of Philippine folk dancing
eldest of the three children of Felipe Reyes and Juliana
Santos
She had her early schooling at the Meisic Elementary
School, Tondo Intermediate School and Manila High
School in Tondo, Manila.
She obtained her High School Teacher's Certificate (HSTC)
in 1923, her Bachelor of Science in Education degree in
1924 at the University of the Philippines (UP) and her
Master of Arts degree in 1926 also at the UP.
In 1922, while still studying at the university, she worked
as student assistant at its department of physical
education.
After graduating, she served there as instructor of physical
education, then assistant physical director and, finally, as
director in charge of women.
In 1927, Dr. Jorge Bocobo; then UP president, sent
her to the provinces to research on folk songs and
dances.
As a result, the university was able to exhibit
Philippine dances at the Philippine Carnival
Auditorium.
In 1929, as a UP fellow, she took graduate
courses in physical education at the Sargent
College of Physical Education, Boston
University, where she received her certificate
in physical education in 1931.
She also attended the summer session at
Harvard University in 1930.
In 1934, Mrs. Aquino became a member of the UP
president's advisory committee on dances and songs.
Together with Antonio Buenaventura and Ramon
Tolentino, her first husband who died in 1939, Mrs. Aquino
was commissioned to collect and record the country's
songs, dances, music, costumes, musical instruments, and
customs.
In her researches, Aquino was able to gather about 50
basic steps and 200 folk dances of various modes and
colors.
She discovered that people living near the sea had
dances about fishing and rowing
those in the coconut regions performed dances using
coconut shells
those in rice-producing provinces had dances depicting
various stages of planting and harvesting rice
She also observed that the natives in economically self-
sufficient areas had gay and livelihood dances
while those in places where livelihood was hard, dances
were sad, slow and even mournful
When Bocobo was appointed Secretary Public
Instruction, he requested the transfer of Mrs. Aquino
to the Bureau of Education.
There, she became supervisor from 1940 until 1947,
when she was appointed superintendent of physical
education to the Department of Education.
She held this position up to her retirement in 1964.
While serving as supervisor at the Bureau of Education,
she had all the opportunity to actively promote the
revival of folk dances through the public schools.
She organized the Bureau of Education Folk Song and
Dance Club which was composed of public school
teachers and high school students serving as its adviser
with Serafin Aquino, who became her second husband in
1946.
For her great effort in researching and popularizing Philippine folk dances,
she received the following honors:
An honorary doctor of science in physical education degree from Boston
University in 1949;
The Republic of the Philippines award of merit "for outstanding
contribution toward the advancement of Filipino culture" in 1954;
An honorary doctor of humanities degree from Far Eastern University;
A certificate of award from the UNESCO National Commission;
A presidential citation for distinguished service to the 10th World Jamboree
from the Boy Scouts of the Philippines in 1959;
The Rizal Pro Patria Award in 1961;
Ramon Magsaysay Award for government service in 1962
Aquino organized the Philippine Folk Dance Society, a non-
profit cultural organization, and once served as consultant
to the world-famous Bayanihan Dance Company.
Aside from doing field researches, Aquino also wrote
books, 15 in all, and various articles on folk dances
In her mid 70’s, she received the highest honor any Filipino
artist could hope for – the National Artist Award, which was
conferred on her on June 12, 1973.
She was the first woman to be conferred this prestigious
award.
The last two honors she received were the Karangalang Plaridel,
given by the provincial government of Bulacan in 1974, and a
certificate of recognition from the YWCA of Brooklyn, New York.
Francisca Reyes-Aquino died on November 21, 1983.
She was given a state funeral and buried at the Libingan ng mga
Bayani.
She left behind a daughter, Mrs. Cecilia T. Martinez, an only child
by her first marriage.
In 1991, the Sentrong Pangkalinangan ng
Pilipinas celebrated the Francisca Reyes-
Aquino Commemorative Year and, in February
of that year, the CCP Rehearsal Hall was named
Bulwagang Francisca Reyes-Aquino.
