Emilio Aguinaldo

Emilio Aguinaldo

1st President of the Philippines

In office March 22, 1897 April 1, 1901 Prime Minister Vice President Succeeded by Born Died Political party Spouse(s) Profession Religion Signature Apolinario Mabini (Jan 21 - May 7, 1899) Pedro Paterno (May 7 - Nov 13, 1899) Mariano Tras (1897) Manuel Quezon March 23, 1869[n 1] Cavite El Viejo, Philippines(now Kawit) February 6, 1964 (aged 94) Quezon City, Philippines Katipunan Hilaria del Rosario(18961921) Mara Agoncillo(18821963) Soldier, Manager, Teacher Revolutionary Roman Catholicism Emilio Aguinaldo's signature

Emilio Aguinaldo y Famy (March 22, 1869[ February 6, 1964) was a Filipino general, politician, and independence leader. He played an instrumental role during the Philippines' revolution against Spain, and the subsequent Philippine-American War that resistedAmerican occupation. Aguinaldo became the Philippines' first President. He was also the youngest (at age 29) to have become the country's president, and the longest-lived (having survived to age 94).

Early life
Family
The seventh of eight children of Carlos Aguinaldo y Jamir and Trinidad Famy y Valero (18201916), Emilio Aguinaldo was born on March 23, 1869 in Cavite El Viejo (now Kawit), Cavite province His father was gobernadorcillo (town head), and, as members of theChinese-Tagalog mestizo minority, they enjoyed relative wealth and power. As a young boy he received 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, which he quit on his third year to return home instead to help his widowed mother manage their farm. At the age of 28, Miong, as he was popularly called, was elected cabeza de barangay of Binakayan, the most progressive barrio of Cavite El Viejo. He held this position serving for his town-mates for eight years. He also engaged in inter-island shipping, travelling as far south as the Sulu Archipelago. In 1893, theMaura 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, Aguinaldo was elected town head, becoming the first person to hold the title of capitan municipal of Cavite El Viejo.

Personal life
His first marriage was in 1896 with Hilaria Del Rosario (18771921). They had five children (Miguel, Carmen, Emilio Jr., Mara and Cristina) Hilaria Aguinaldo died because of leprosy. His second wife was Mara Agoncillo (18821963).

Descendants
Several of Aguinaldo's descendants became prominent political figures in their own right:

Baldomero Aguinaldo, first cousin and leader of the Philippine Revolution. Cesar Virata, a grandnephew and served as Prime Minister of the Philippines from 1981 to

1986.

Ameurfina Melencio-Herrera, a granddaughter served as an Associate Justice of the Supreme

Court from 1979 to 1992.

Miguel Aguinaldo, eldest son and Councilor of Imus, Cavite. Consuelo Aguinaldo, Gen. Aguinaldo's granddaughter and Emilio Aguinaldo, Jr.'s daughter. Emilio Aguinaldo, Jr., Gen. Aguinaldo's son. Emilio Aguinaldo III, Gen. Aguinaldo's grandson. Emilio "Orange" Aguinaldo IV, great-grandson and served as Vice Mayor of Kawit, Cavite.

Emilio Aguinaldo V, Gen. Aguinaldo's great-great-grandson and grandson of Miguel

Aguinaldo. Served as municipal councilor in Imus, Cavite.

Lito Aguinaldo, father of Emilio Aguinaldo V and former councilor of Imus, Cavite. Reynaldo Aguinaldo, Mayor of Kawit, Cavite, Gen. Aguinaldo's grandson, son of Emilio

Aguinaldo, Jr. and uncle of Emilio Aguinaldo IV.

Federico Poblete, Gen. Aguinaldo's grandson and served as Mayor of Kawit, Cavite. Joseph Emilio Abaya, Gen. Aguinaldo's great grandson and Representative of 1st District

of Cavite.

Peter Abaya, Gen. Aguinaldo's great grandson and president of Alternative Fuels Corp., an

attached agency of the Philippine National Oil Corporation.

Sandra Aguinaldo, Gen. Aguinaldo's great-granddaughter and TV reporter. Angelo Aguinaldo, Gen. Aguinaldo's great-grandson and curator. Delfin Aguinaldo, Gen. Aguinaldo's son. Eduardo Dizon, Gen. Aguinaldo's great-grand-nephew, First Filipino Police Officer in Toronto,

Canada. His son, Eduardo Dizon, Jr., also went on to become a police officer in Toronto, Canada

Ryo Aguinaldo, Gen. Aguinaldo's great-grandson.

His Great Grandchildren are elusive to the public eye and continue to support Aguinaldo's traditions. Such as the awarding of the Philippine Military Academy Aguinaldo Saber Award. The youngest, Emiliana, currently continues to confer the award.

Philippine Revolution
Main article: Philippine Revolution

The flag of the K.K.K.

In 1894, Aguinaldo joined the Katipunan or the K.K.K., a secret organization led by Andrs Bonifacio, dedicated to the expulsion of the Spanish and independence of the Philippines through armed force. Aguinaldo used the nom de guerre Magdalo, in honor of Mary Magdalene. His local chapter of the Katipunan, headed by his cousin Baldomero Aguinaldo, was also called Magdalo. The Katipunan revolt against the Spanish began in the last week of August 1896, in San Juan del Monte (now part of Metro Manila). However, Aguinaldo and other Cavite rebels initially refused to join in the offensive due to lack of arms. Their absence contributed to Bonifacio's defeat. While Bonifacio and other rebels were forced to resort to guerrilla warfare, Aguinaldo and the Cavite rebels won major victories in set-piece battles, temporarily driving the Spanish out of their area. Conflict between the Magdalo and another Cavite Katipunan faction, the Magdiwang, led to Bonifacio's intervention in the province. The Cavite rebels then made overtures about establishing a revolutionary government in place of the Katipunan. ]Though Bonifacio already considered the Katipunan to be a government, he acquiesced and presided over elections held during the Tejeros Convention in Tejeros, Cavite on March 22, 1897. Away from his power base, Bonifacio 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 Morong (present-day Rizal).

Bonifacio refused to recognize the revolutionary government headed by Aguinaldo and attempted to reassert his authority, accusing the Aguinaldo faction of treason and by issuing orders contravening orders issued by the Aguinaldo faction.] At Aguinaldo's orders, Bonifacio and his brothers were arrested and, in a mock trial which lasted one day, convicted of treason, and sentenced to death. After some vacillation, Aguinaldo commuted the death sentence, but cancelled his commutation order after being convinced by Generial Manuel Noriel, President of the Council of War the death sentence, and others prominent in his government that the sentence must stand. Andres and Procopio Bonifacio were executed by firing squad on May 10, 1897 at Mount Hulog, about four kilometers west of Maragondon, Cavite.

Biak-na-Bato
Main article: Pact of Biak-na-Bato Spanish pressure intensified, eventually forcing Aguinaldo's forces to retreat to the mountains. Emilio Aguinaldo signed the Pact of Biak-na-Bato. Under the pact, Aguinaldo effectively agreed to end hostilities and dissolve his government in exchange for amnesty and "$800,000 (Mexican)" (Aguinaldo's description of the amount) as an indemnity. The documents were signed on December 14 and 15, 1887. On December 23, Aguinaldo and other Katipunan officials departed for Hong Kong to enter voluntary exile. $400,000, representing the first installment of the indemnity, was deposited into Hong Kong banks. While in exile, Aguinaldo reorganized his revolutionary government into the "Supreme Council of the Nation". One revolutionary general who remained in the Philippines, Francisco Makabulos, established a Central Executive Committee to serve as a provisional revolutionary government "until a general government of the Republic in these islands shall again be established." Meanwhile, Spanish officials continued to arrest and imprison Filipinos suspected of having been involved in the rebellion. The consequence of this disregard of the pact by both sides was the resurgence of the revolution. In April 1898, war broke out between Spain and the United States. In the Battle of Manila Bay on May 1, 1898, the American Asiatic Squadron under Commodore George Deweyengaged and destroyed the Spanish Pacific Squadron, and blockaded Manila.] Dewey provided transport to return Aguinaldo to the Philippines. Aguinaldo promptly resumed command of revolutionary forces and besieged Manila.

Presidency
Main article: First Philippine Republic The insurgent First Philippine Republic was formally established with the proclamation of the Malolos Constitution on January 21, 1899 in Malolos, Bulacan and endured until the capture of Emilio Aguinaldo by the American forces on March 23, 1901 in Palanan, Isabela, which effectively dissolved the First Republic. Aguinaldo appointed two premiers in his tenure. These were Apolinario Mabini and Pedro Paterno.

Administration and Cabinet

President Aguinaldo had two cabinets in the year 1899. Thereafter, the war situation resulted in his ruling by decree.

OFFICE President Vice-President Prime Minister

NAME Emilio Aguinaldo Mariano Trias Apolinario Mabini Pedro Paterno

TERM 18971901 1897 January 21 - May 7, 1899 May 7 - November 13, 1899 January 21 - May 7, 1899 May 7 - November 13, 1899 January 21 - May 7, 1899 May 7 - November 13, 1899 January 21 - May 7, 1899 May 7 - November 13, 1899 January 21 - May 7, 1899 January 21 - May 7, 1899 May 7 - November 13, 1899 1899 1899 May 7 - November 13, 1899

Minister of Finance

Mariano Trias Hugo Ilagan Minister of the Interior Teodoro Sandico Severino de las Alas Minister of War Baldomero Aguinaldo Mariano Trias Minister of Welfare Gracio Gonzaga Minister of Foreign Affairs Apolinario Mabini Felipe Buencamino Minister of Public Instruction Aguedo Velarde Minister of Public Works and Communications Maximo Paterno Minister of Agriculture, Industry and Commerce Len Mara Guerrero

Domestic Programs

Opening of the Malolos Congress at the Barasoain Church, Malolos, Bulacan on September 15, 1898.

The Malolos Congress continued its sessions and accomplished certain positive tasks. The Spanish fiscal system was provisionally retained. The same was done with the existing taxes, save those upon cockfighting and other amusements. War taxes were levied and voluntary contributions were solicited. Customs duties were established. A national loan was launched. President Aguinaldo ordered schools open.Elementary education was made compulsory and free. The Filipino educator, Enrique Mendiola, founded the "Instituto de Burgos" and were appointed by the Director of Public Instruction. It offered courses in agriculture, surveying, and commerce, as well as a complete A.B course.

On October 1898, a government decree fixed the opening date of the "Universidad Literia". Couses offered were Medicine, Surgery,Pharmacy, and Notary Public. The President of the Philippines appointed the professors thereof. They, in turn, chose the University rector. The first to occupy this position was Joaqun Gonzales. Later, he was succeeded by Len Mara Guererro.

Philippine American War

Main article: Philippine-American War

Aguinaldo boarding USS Vicksburgfollowing his capture in 1901.

On the night of February 4, 1899, a Filipino was shot by an American sentry. This incident is considered the beginning of the Philippine-American War, and open fighting soon broke out between American troops and pro-independence Filipinos. Superior American firepower drove Filipino troops away from the city, and the Malolos government had to move from one place to another. Aguinaldo led resistance to the Americans, then retreated to northern Luzon with the Americans on his trail. On June 2, 1899, a telegram from Aguinaldo was received by Gen. Antonio Luna, a disciplinarian and brilliant general and looming rival in the military hierarchy, asking him to proceed to Cabanatuan, Nueva Ecija for a meeting at the Cabanatuan Church Convent. However, treachery was afoot. Three days later (June 5), when Luna arrived, he learned Aguinaldo was not at the appointed place. As Luna was about to depart, he was shot, then stabbed to death by Aguinaldo's men. Luna was later buried in the churchyard; no investigation was made, and Luna's assassins were never punished. After Luna's assassination, Aguinaldo assumed command of the Filipino forces. Without Luna's military expertise, Filipino forces encountered disaster everywhere. In November 1899, Aguinaldo and his staff fled northwards from the advancing Americans, to Palanan, Isabela, where he established a new headquarters. A picked force of 60 men under General Gregorio del Pilar fought a heroic battle at Tirad Pass against a much larger American force to delay the American advance to ensure Emilio Aguinaldo's escape. Del Pilar was killed in the battle along with 52 others of the defending force. Less than two years later, on March 23, 1901, Aguinaldo was captured at his headquarters in Paanan by U.S. General Frederick Funston, with the help of Macabebe trackers. The American task force

gained access to Aguinaldo's camp by pretending to be captured prisoners. Aguinaldo was confined at Malacanang Palace in what is today's State Dining Room. On April 19, 1901, Aguinaldo took an oath of allegiance to the United States, formally ending the First Republic and recognizing the sovereignty of the United States over the Philippines. After Aguinaldo's surrender, some Filipino commanders continued the revolution. On July 30, 1901, General Miguel Malvar issued a manifesto saying, "Forward, without ever turning back. ... All wars of independence have been obliged to suffer terrible tests]" General Malvar surrendered to U.S forces in Lipa, Batangas on April 16, 1902. The war was formally ended by a unilateral proclamation of general amnesty by U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt.

Post-Presidency
U.S. Territorial Period
Main article: History of the Philippines (1898-1946)

Aguinaldo and Quezon during Flag Day, 1935.

During the American occupation, Aguinaldo organized the Asociacin de los Veteranos de la Revolucin (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.

The display of the Philippine flag was declared illegal by the Sedition Act of 1907. This law was repealed on October 30, 1919. Following this, Aguinaldo transformed his home in Kawit into a monument to the flag, the revolution and the declaration of Independence. As of 2010, 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 in the Philippine presidential election, 1935, but lost by a landslide to fiery Spanish mestizoManuel 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. During the Japanese occupation, he cooperated with the Japanese, making speeches, issuing articles and infamous radio addresses in support of the Japaneseincluding a radio appeal to Gen. Douglas MacArthur onCorregidor 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, and briefly jailed. He was released by presidential amnesty. Aguinaldo was 77 when the United States Government fully recognized Philippine independence in the Treaty of Manila, in accordance with the Tydings-McDuffie Act of 1934.

Post-American era
See also: History of the Philippines (1946-1965), History of the Philippines (1965-1986), and History of the Philippines (1986-present)

Emilio Aguinaldo is depicted on the front of the5-peso bill (phased out but still considered legal tender).

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." He was made an honorary Doctor of Laws, Honoris Causa, by the University of the Philippines in 1953.

In 1962, 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.

Death
Aguinaldo died of coronary thrombosis at age 94 on February 6, 1964, at the Veterans Memorial Hospital in Quezon City. A year before his death, he had donated his lot and his mansion to the government. This property now serves as a shrine to "perpetuate the spirit of the Revolution of 1896." In 1985, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas made a new 5-peso bill depicting a portrait of Aguinaldo on the front of the bill. The back of the bill features the declaration of the Philippine independence on June 12, 1898