Emilio Aguinaldo
From WikiPilipinas: The Hip 'n Free Philippine Encyclopedia
| |
| 1st President of the Philippines President of the Tejeros Convention[1] President of the Biyak-na-Bato Republic[2] Dictator of the Dictatorial Government[3] President of the Revolutionary Government President of the 1st Philippine Republic | |
| In office | |
| 1898 - April 1, 1901
| |
| Born | March 22, 1869 Cavite El Viejo (Kawit), Cavite |
|---|---|
| Died | February 6, 1964 Quezon City, Metro Manila |
| Spouse | (1) Hilaria del Rosario-died (2) Maria Agoncillo |
Emilio Aguinaldo y Famy (March 22, 1869 – February 6, 1964) was a Filipino general, politician, and independence leader. He played an instrumental role in Philippines' struggle for independence, essentially in the Philippine Revolution against Spain, as well as in the Philippine-American War that resisted American occupation.
Aguinaldo is considered to be the country's first and the youngest Philippine President, and though the Philippine government failed to obtain any foreign recognition during that time, it is now considered Southeast Asia's first republic.
Contents |
[edit] Early life and career
The seventh of eight children of Carlos Aguinaldo and Trinidad Famy, Emilio was born into a Chinese-mestizo family on March 22, 1869 in Cavite Viejo (now Kawit), Cavite province. Aside from his father being gobernadorcillo (municipal mayor) of the town, his family, as members of the Chinese-mestizo minority, enjoyed a rather comfortable life.
As a young boy, Miniong received basic education from his great-aunt and later attended the town's elementary school. In 1880, he took up his secondary course education at the Colegio de San Juan de Letran. Following the death of his father on his third year, Aguinaldo quit school and retured home to help his widowed mother with their farm.
At the age of 17, Emilio was elected cabeza de barangay (village headman) of Binakayan, the most progressive barrio of Cavite El Viejo. He held this position for eight years. While at that, he also engaged himself in inter-island shipping, travelling to as far south as the Sulu Archipelago.
In 1893, the Maura Law was passed to reorganize town governments with the aim of making them more effective and autonomous, changing the designation of town head from gobernadorcillo to capitan municipal effective 1895. On January 1, 1895, 26-year-old Aguinaldo was elected town head, becoming the first person to hold the title of capitan municipal of Cavite Viejo.
In 1896, Aguinaldo fell in love and married Hilaria Del Rosario of Imus, Cavite. They had five children (Miguel, Carmen, Emilio Jr., Maria and Cristina). In 1930, nine years after his wife's death, Aguinaldo married his second wife Maria Agoncillo, niece of Don Felipe Agoncillo, a pioneer Filipino diplomat.
[edit] Philippine Revolution
In 1895, Aguinaldo joined the Katipunan brotherhood, a secret organization then led by Andrés Bonifacio dedicated to the expulsion of the Spanish for independence of the Philippines. He joined as a lieutenant under Gen. Baldomero Aguinaldo and rose to the rank of general in a few months. With the Katipunan, he helped the Philippines erupt in revolt against the Spaniards in 1896. He won major victories in Cavite Province, temporarily driving the Spanish out of the area. However, renewed Spanish military pressure compelled the rebels to restructure their forces in a more cohesive manner. The insulated fragmentation that had aided the Katipunan's secrecy had outlived its usefulness. In open war, unified leadership was required.
Bonifacio presided over the Tejeros Convention in Tejeros, Cavite (deep in Aguinaldo territory) to elect a revolutionary government in replace of the Katipunan on March 22, 1897. Away from his power base, Bonifacio unexpectedly lost the leadership to Aguinaldo, and was elected instead to the office of Secretary of the Interior. Even this was questioned by an Aguinaldo supporter, claiming Bonifacio had not the necessary schooling for the job. Insulted, Bonifacio declared the Convention null and void, and sought to return to his power base in Rizal. Bonifacio was charged, tried and found guilty of treason (in absentia) by a Cavite military tribunal. Bonifacio was sentenced to death. He and his party were intercepted by Aguinaldo's men, with violence that left Bonifacio mortally wounded. Aguinaldo confirmed the death sentence, and the dying Bonifacio was hauled to the mountains of Maragondon in Cavite, and was executed on May 10, 1897, as Aguinaldo and his forces were retreating in the face of Spanish assault.
[edit] Presidency of the First Republic of the Philippines
[edit] Aguinaldo cabinet
President Aguinaldo had two cabinets in the year 1899. Thereafter, the war situation resulted in his ruling by decree.
| OFFICE | NAME | TERM |
| President | Emilio Aguinaldo | 1899–1901 |
| Prime Minister | Apolinario Mabini | January 21 - May 7, 1899 |
| Pedro Paterno | May 7 - November 13, 1899 | |
| Minister of Finance | Mariano Trias | January 21 - May 7, 1899 |
| Hugo Ilagan | May 7 - November 13, 1899 | |
| Minister of the Interior | Teodoro Sandico | January 21 - May 7, 1899 |
| Severino de las Alas | May 7 - November 13, 1899 | |
| Minister of War | Baldomero Aguinaldo | January 21 - May 7, 1899 |
| Mariano Trias | May 7 - November 13, 1899 | |
| Minister of Welfare | Gracio Gonzaga | January 21 - May 7, 1899 |
| Minister of Foreign Affairs | Apolinario Mabini | January 21 - May 7, 1899 |
| Felipe Buencamino | May 7 - November 13, 1899 | |
| Minister of Public Instruction | Aguedo Velarde | 1899 |
| Minister of Public Works and Communications | Maximo Paterno | 1899 |
| Minister of Agriculture, Industry and Commerce | Leon Ma. Guerrero | May 7 - November 13, 1899 |
[edit] U.S. Occupation
During the United States occupation, Aguinaldo organized the Asociación de los Veteranos de la Revolución (Association of Veterans of the Revolution), which worked to secure pensions for its members and made arrangements for them to buy land on installment from the government.
When the American government finally allowed the Philippine flag to be displayed in 1919, Aguinaldo transformed his home in Kawit into a monument to the flag, the revolution and the declaration of Independence. His home still stands, and is known as the Aguinaldo Shrine.
Aguinaldo retired from public life for many years. In 1935, when the Commonwealth of the Philippines was established in preparation for Philippine independence, he ran for president but lost by a landslide to fiery Spanish mestizo Manuel L. Quezon. The two men formally reconciled in 1941, when President Quezon moved Flag Day to June 12, to commemorate the proclamation of Philippine independence.
Aguinaldo again retired to private life, until the Japanese invasion of the Philippines in World War II. He cooperated with the Japanese, making speeches, issuing articles and infamous radio addresses in support of the Japanese — including a radio appeal to Gen. Douglas MacArthur on Corregidor to surrender in order to spare the innocence of the Filipino youth.
After the Americans retook the Philippines, Aguinaldo was arrested along with several others accused of collaboration with the Japanese. He was held in Bilibid prison for months until released by presidential amnesty. In his trial, it was eventually deemed that his collaboration with the Japanese was probably made under great duress, and he was released.
Aguinaldo lived to see independence granted to the Philippines July 4, 1946, when the United States Government marked the full restoration and recognition of Philippine sovereignty. During the independence parade at the Luneta, the 77-year old general carried the flag he raised in Kawit on June 12, 1898, the date he believed to be the true Independence Day.
[edit] Post-American era
In 1950, President Elpidio Quirino appointed Aguinaldo as a member of the Council of State, where he served a full term. He returned to retirement soon after, dedicating his time and attention to veteran soldiers' interests and welfare.
In 1962, when the United States rejected Philippine claims for the destruction wrought by American forces in World War II, president Diosdado Macapagal changed the celebration of Independence Day from July 4 to June 12. Aguinaldo rose from his sickbed to attend the celebration of independence 64 years after he declared it.
Aguinaldo died on February 6, 1964 of coronary thrombosis at the Veterans Memorial Hospital in Quezon City. He was 95 years old. His remains are buried at the Aguinaldo Shrine in Kawit, Cavite. When he died, he was the last surviving non-royal head of state to have served in the 19th century.
[edit] See also
- Tejeros Convention
- Philippines
- Flag of the Philippines (designed by Aguinaldo)
- History of the Philippines
- Philippine Revolution
- Katipunan
- Hilaria Aguinaldo
- Spanish-American War
- Philippine-American War
- President of the Philippines
- Aguinaldo Shrine
- Cesar Virata
[edit] External links
- The Philippine Presidency Project
- CAUTUSAN: Gobierno Revolucionario nang Filipinas A decree dated 2 January 1899 signed by Emilio Aguinaldo establishing a council of government. An online document published by Filipiniana.net
- Works of Emilio Aguinaldo - Filipiniana.net
- Filipinos in History - Emilio Aguinaldo
- General Emilio Aguinaldo’s “Confession”. Published in Filipiniana.net.
- To learn more about the Philippine Revolution (1898-1902), visit The Philippine Revolutionary Records at Filipiniana.net.
| Preceded by Newly Established Preceded by Governor General of the Philippines-Diego de los Ríos (Government in Iloilo) | President of the Philippines 1898–1901 | Succeeded by Abolished Governor General of the Philippines (American Occupation) U.S. Military Governor-General Wesley Merritt |
| Lists of Presidents and Vice Presidents of the Philippines | ||
| | ||
| Presidential lists of order | Order of service • Birth • Longevity • Post-presidency length • Term length | |
|---|---|---|
| Presidential personal life lists | Nicknames • College education • Province • Religious affiliation | |
| Presidential professional life lists | Inaugurations • Currency appearances | |
| | ||
| Vice President lists of order | Order of service • Birth • Death • Term length | |
| | ||
| Succession | Line of succession | |
| Elections | Election results | |
| Candidates | Tickets • Former presidents who ran again | |
| Spouses | First Ladies | |
[edit] References
- Aguinaldo, Emilio (1964). Mga Gunita ng Himagsikan. National Bookstore Printing Press.
- Zaide, Gregorio F. (1984). Philippine History and Government. National Bookstore Printing Press.
[edit] Original Source
| This page was adapted from the English Wikipedia. The original article was at Aguinaldo, Emilio. The list of authors can be seen in the page history. As with Wikipedia, WikiPilipinas also allows reuse of content made available under the GNU Free Documentation License. See full disclaimer. |
