It’s been almost a month, and the hype and buzz about the Philippines’ first gold medal win (thank you, Hidilyn Diaz!) in the Olympics has started to die down. Filipinos all over the world were inspired, encouraged, and uplifted by her story, but this was not the first time Filipino trailblazers made their mark on the world’s stage.
This month, we’ll be celebrating a few more “firsts” launching the first of the #FirstFilipinos series! These #FirstFilipinos will put the spotlight on our countrymen who have taken the first step for the Philippines and for the Filipino people.
Chino Roque: First Filipino Astronaut Candidate
This Filipino De La Salle Manila alumnus was only 22 years old when he became the first Pinoy to join an astronaut crew for a flight to outer space.
Psychology major and fitness coach Chino Roque placed 5th among 28,000 applicants from the Philippines for the AXE Apollo Academy Space Camp in Florida. Fate was on his side when someone in the top 3 stepped down, opening a slot for Roque to eventually become the top 3 pick for the Philippines. He and his two competitors made their way to Florida again, competing with 107 other applicants from 60 different countries for a spot in the coveted 22-person crew of Team Discovery. He got in and would have been the first-ever Pinoy to fly to space had the space flight not been canceled in 2014.
When asked what he would’ve brought on board, Roque mentioned a rosary, a family picture, and the Philippine flag.
“As a child, being an astronaut filled my dreams day and night. Having full control of the equipment was something I really found cool—that’s on top of being to be [sic] in space and be [sic] surrounded by the great vastness of the universe and all its beauty.”
Chino Roque
Eugene Torre: First Filipino Chess Grandmaster
Although he came from a family of chess players, no one would have guessed that in 1974, Eugene Torre would be the first Filipino chess grandmaster—let alone the first male Asian to nab that title. The Grandmaster title is the highest title a chess player can receive—the equivalent of being knighted by the queen in the chess world.
Growing up, Torre did not have a trainer and relied on his father’s chess books and his older brothers to improve his game. He initially studied to be an engineer but eventually took up commerce because it mixed better with chess. To qualify for the Grandmaster title, he had to leave for Europe in his third year of college. Even with that sacrifice, he didn’t win a single norm in his first year of campaigning for his Grandmaster title. In an interview with Sagar Shah from ChessBase.com, he notes that after he came home from his year of discouragement in Europe, sponsors saw his potential and eventually sent him back with much more encouragement and resources.
He finally won a norm, then competed in the 1974 Chess Olympiad in France: the crucial stepping stone towards qualifying as a grandmaster.
Recently, he also became the first Filipino and Asian male to be inducted into the World Chess Hall of Fame by the World Chess Federation. He is now “semi-retired” and coaches the national men’s chess team. The Philippines has had a total of 16 chess grandmasters so far.
“The message I always like to give, not only to young players but everyone, is that we should use chess to become successful in life. We try to find the best moves in chess; we should try to do the same in life.”
Eugene Torre
Gloria Diaz: First Filipina to Win Ms. Universe
The world was starstruck by the beauty of the Filipina when Gloria Diaz claimed the title of Ms. Universe on July 19, 1969. At only 18 years old, Diaz brought home the title, the crown, and the prestige of being the first-ever Filipina Miss Universe.
Her beauty pageant journey started when she was scouted while studying at St. Scholastica’s College in Manila, with no pageant training whatsoever. Yet, she still went on to win the 1969 Binibining Pilipinas title and crown, favored especially for her wit and charm. For example, when the host asked her, “In the next day or so, a man will land on the moon. If a man from the moon landed in your hometown, what would you do to entertain him?” All she said was, “Oh, just the same things I do. I think if he has been in the moon for so long, I think when he comes over, he wants to change, I guess.” When asked to name her nine sisters and two brothers, she simply smiled and replied, “Oh yes, alphabetically, or according to rank?”
Diaz was the first out of four total Filipinas to have also won the crown over the years. The second, third, and fourth winners are Margie Moran-Floirendo, Pia Wurtzbach, and Catriona Gray, respectively. After her win and run as Ms. Universe, Diaz ventured into the show business with her breakthrough film “Ang Pinakamagandang Hayop sa Balat ng Lupa.” She has also won multiple awards as an actress and has recently been cast in Netflix’s Insatiable.
“Before you enter a contest, you must think that this is not the end. This is just a stepping stone; something different. If you win, good. If you lose, it’s okay, you made friends, you enjoyed.”
Gloria Diaz
Stay tuned for the next installment of #FirstFilipinos!
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