Nelia Sancho (August 30, 1951 - September 1, 2022) was a Filipino women’s rights activist and beauty queen. She was one of the co-founders of the Gabriela Women's Party.[1][2]
Sancho grew up in Aklan. While studying at the University of the Philippines Diliman, Sancho joined Binibining Pilipinas 1969, finishing first runner-up, losing out to Gloria Diaz.[3] She then joined Queen of the Pacific 1971, where she won. She then co-founded Gabriela Women's Party after participating in the First Quarter Storm, a protest against president Ferdinand Marcos.[2] In 1973, Sancho was arrested by state forces; she was later released on humanitarian grounds.[4] A year later, Sancho was assigned to be the head of the finance committee of the Communist Party of the Philippines.[5] After Marcos was overthrown after the People Power Revolution, Sancho ran for senator in 1987 and lost.[6] During the late 1990s, Sancho led a group that advocated for the Filipina comfort women of World War II.[3]
Gabriela Women's Party and her daughter Anna Louise Sancho Liao announced Sancho's death in September 1, 2022.[2] She died of tuberculosis at her Quezon City home. Anna Louise children are Anna and Mark, while the latter's niece and nephew include Chloe, Fiona, Karen Valino, Karl Gambler and Wayne Tony Scott. Her remains are interned at Aeternitas Chapels and Columbarium.[7][8]