February 3, 2026
(from left) Aniceta upon graduation; in 1970; in later years
Every day, thousands of students come to the Henry Luce III Library at Central Philippine University (CPU) to access a collection of more than 200,000 books aligned with the university’s commitment to exemplary Christian education for life.
Beginning this year, these students have benefited from the addition of hundreds of rare-to-the-region English-language books from the personal collection of the late Aniceta Gaton-Tigtig, a proud alumna of the school.
The donation, facilitated by the United Board, provides a fitting legacy to the life of Aniceta, mother of two daughters and a “pistol” of a woman who always spoke her mind and fought to make the world better through her support of the arts, education, and activism.
Much of who Aniceta became originated from growing up in poverty during the second World War. Her earliest memories were of hiding in the jungle, her parents warning her to stay quiet to avoid catching the attention of occupying Japanese soldiers. As the oldest of six children, she spent her childhood helping to look after her siblings, working the farm, and selling vegetables to put them all through school.
A "pistol" of a woman
Perhaps as a result of her experiences living in occupied territory, Aniceta grew up wanting to become a lawyer so she could bring people to justice. Ultimately, though, her duty to family led her to find a career that would enable her to work overseas and earn money to send home. She went to CPU to pursue a nursing degree, a decision that would have a profound impact on her for decades to come.
“Maybe it wasn't what she would have chosen for herself as a young woman, but she knew she had a responsibility,” says her older daughter, Anissa. “And CPU became hugely meaningful to her. She was incredibly loyal to the school and to her batch mates. They stayed in touch over the years through letters, phone calls, and reunions worldwide that she'd almost always go to.”
(clockwise from left top) Aniceta reunites with CPU alumni in 1986, in 1993, and in 1996
Her travels started with a nursing assignment in Philadelphia, where she was captivated by access to an arts scene far beyond what she could have imagined back home. She followed that up with assignments in Montreal, Cincinnati, and Seattle, giving birth to and raising daughters Anissa and Royale along the way.
“Mom was very tender and loving and always expressed that she loved us, verbally and in letters and in actions,” says Royale. “Of course, she could also express it when she was angry. Boy, she could have so much rage in that little body.”
Aniceta still had a passion for fighting against injustice, so that anger was often directed towards speaking out when she saw people’s political rights being threatened. On a return to the Philippines, her outspokenness against the Marcos regime led to an attempt to frame her for a bombing, which she only escaped by seeking refuge with her cousin, a police chief. Back in the US, she would support the democratic process by volunteering to drive housebound people to vote. Late into life, she remained active in local politics and involved with causes she believed in, like advocating for local Native American tribes.
“She had an integrity about her, a moral compass,” Royale says. “She wanted to help people. Maybe it came from being raised Catholic. She just felt like it was part of her duty and her culture to help if she could.”
Anissa (middle) and Royale (right) meet Ms. Trudy Loo, United Board Director of Development
An activist and a bibliophile
On the rare occasions Aniceta would relax, it would most often be with a book.
“Mom always had a book with her in her purse. She loved to read and learn about a new way of life,” Anissa says. “She would go down to the beach and bring a book with her; it was kind of meditative. And after she was done, she would still do her thing by picking up other people's garbage on the beach.”
After a long and rich life, Aniceta passed away at the age of 82 in 2023. Even in passing, she continued to surprise her daughters with her generosity and empathy.
“After Mom died, I found letters and photographs from people in the Philippines who weren’t related to us but who said she funded their education,” Royale says. “She never bragged about doing these things for people. She just felt like it was like the right thing to do to help people get their education.”
And then there was her book collection. Hundreds of them, filling the master bedroom and covering genres from poetry to civil rights to politics to history. In memory of her cherished time at CPU, Aniceta wanted the collection to be donated to her alma mater.
A fond tribute to an extraordinary life
“Mom had been contributing to the United Board and to CPU for years, but I don't know when she made the arrangement for her personal library to go over there,” says Anissa. “Dealing with the bureaucracy of the donation was not easy and we absolutely could not have done it without the United Board. They were fantastic in putting us in touch with the right people.”
Working with the United Board and CPU to make the donation and pack the books to ship overseas, knowing they were helping to build a lasting tribute to their mother, helped to provide comfort to the sisters as they were still grieving.
Henry Luce III Library, Central Philippine University
Aniceta (right) with Trudy Loo in February 2023
"We couldn't go to the Philippines and build them an actual library, but this was the next best thing in a lot of ways," says Royale. "It helped a little knowing we were doing something good with something that she loved a lot"