Francisca Prandayani’s death is a cause of great sadness to the Filipinos. Born in Cavite, Philippines, she was one of eight children and grew up in what was then British Honduras. She became a committed religious as an adult and even studied for over a decade in the U.S. as a nun. Her work as a nun was very long and dedicated as she never mused about marrying a foreigner or having any children of her own.
The sad truth, however, is that Francisca Prandayani was not given a marriage visa despite the fact that both she and her husband were under UK law at the time and should have been eligible to get a divorce upon the death of their marriage two years before. The truth is that the couple had gotten along just fine prior to their separation and that it was the British government which caused all the hullabaloo by insisting that they divorced when they should not have. Even though the British government has since changed their laws, the British public apparently still has not forgiven Francisca and still hates her. For the past several years, the British tabloids have made fun of her and called her “Baby Francisca”. It is not uncommon for Filipina ladies to be called “baby frizzy” when married.
In the United States, however, the fuss about Francisca Prandayani is merely rooted in jealousy. After all, the former nun is well-known to be a strong character and strong in helping the poor. Many in the Philippine hierarchy believe that her devotion to the Filipino people and disregard of western culture is what brought her death. Some also believe that she was murdered due to a personal grudge that she held against the Spaniards. Whatever the reason, the reality is that Francisca Prandayani did play an important role in the Philippine struggle for its independence. Her contribution cannot be overlooked and will go down in history as the greatest sacrifice for the Filipino nation and for the Philippine people.