Leonila Garcia

Leonila "Inday" de la Serna Dimataga Garcia (July 17, 1906 – May 17, 1994) was a Filipino pharmacist who was the eighth First Lady of the Philippines. She was the wife of Philippine President Carlos P. Garcia. She assumed the title on March 18, 1957, upon the accession of her husband, who was then-Vice President, shortly after the death of President Ramon Magsaysay.

This article is about the former First Lady of the Philippines. For the Mexican entomologist, see Leonila Vázquez García.

In this Philippine name for married women, the birth middle name or maternal family name is de la Serna, the birth surname or paternal family name is Dimataga, and the marital name is Garcia.

Leonila Garcia
8th First Lady of the Philippines
In role March 18, 1957 – December 30, 1961
President	Carlos P. Garcia
Preceded by	Luz Magsaysay
Succeeded by	Eva Macapagal
Preceded by	Maria Salvacion Javellana
Succeeded by	Eva Macapagal
Personal details
Born	Leonila de la Serna Dimataga (1906-07-17)July 17, 1906 Opon, Cebu, Philippine Islands
Died	May 17, 1994(1994-05-17) (aged 87) Quezon City, Philippines
Resting place	Libingan ng mga Bayani, Taguig
Political party	Nacionalista
Spouse	Carlos P. Garcia ​ ​ (m. 1933; died 1971)​
Children	Linda Garcia-Campos
Alma mater	University of Santo Tomas
Profession	Pharmacist

Garcia was born to a family of politicians. Her father, Bartolome Mangubat Dimataga, was a former mayor of Opon (now Lapu-Lapu City), Cebu, while her mother, Leoncia dela Serna, was a sister of another former mayor. Leonila's brother Mariano became the first mayor of Opon following its cityhood and renaming. Another sibling, Rosita was the sister-in-law of Senator Alejandro Almendras.^[1] Nicknamed "Inday", Leonila was a pharmacist graduate of the University of Santo Tomas. She met her future husband Carlos while working at a drug store in Tagbilaran, Bohol, that he had frequented.^[2] They married on May 24, 1933, and had a daughter together, Linda Garcia-Campos.^[3]

As First Lady, Garcia became active in cultural and social activities in line with her husband's Filipino First Policy.

Grave of Carlos P. and Leonila Garcia at the Libingan ng mga Bayani

She ran for a Senate seat in 1971, but lost.^[1] She died in 1994.^[4]