Marriage and Family
Agoncillo was married to Don Felipe, a rich Filipino revolutionist and the first Filipino diplomat. They were both thirty and Don Felipe was already a judge when they finally wed. Agoncillo moved from Taal to Manila where they lived together in a two-story house on M.H. del Pillar St., Malate, near the Malate church.
Six daughters were born to them: Lorenza ("Enchang"), Gregoria ("Goring"), Eugenia ("Nene"), Marcela ("Celing", named after her mother because they thought she would be their last child), Adela (who died at the age of three) and the youngest, Maria ("Maring", who was their last surviving child and died on July 6, 1995). Most of her daughters became teachers. Gregoria was the first Filipina to graduate from Oxford University. After the graduation of the three elder daughters, they were offered teaching positions. Lorenza was given an appointment to teach in Malate Catholic School. They so immersed themselves in their respective teaching careers that not one of them chose to be married. Marcella Agoncillo cared for all of her daughters until they reached maturity. One of her favorite pieces of advice to them was to "live honestly and well, and to work hard and not depend on family property".
Besides the legal services rendered by Don Felipe to the impoverished, Agoncillo and her daughters observed every Thursday as a day of charity, when a queue of needy people seeking alms would form in the Agoncillo driveway. No one ever left their house empty-handed. Agoncillo would hand them a bag of rice in addition to the money she gave them. This practice lasted until the couple retired.
Read more about this topic: Marcela Agoncillo
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