Biographical Notes
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Biographical Notes THE PHILIPPINES AGUINALDO, Emilio (1869-1964). Born Kawit, Cavite Province just south of Manila. Mother was a Chinese mestiza and father a pros· perous Tagalog farmer who served several times as mayor of his municipality. Forced to withdraw from San Juan de Letran College in his second year when his father died. Returned to Cavite to manage the family farm and was elected town mayor, 1895. Joined the nationalist secret society Katipunan and emerged as the revolu- tion's most capable general when fighting began in 1896. Exiled himself to Hong Kong in 1897, but returned to the Philippines the following year to become president of the Republic and command revolutionary forces until his capture in March 1901. Took the oath of loyalty to the United States and retired to his home in Cavite. Unsuccessful campaign for Commonwealth president, 1934. Strong supporter of the Japanese occupation and sought presidency of the wartime Republic, an overture the Japanese rejected. BONIFACIO, Andres (1863-97). Born in Tondo district of Manila. little formal education. Worked most of his life as a labourer and self-employed craftsman. Imbibed his anti-colonial nationalism from Jose Rizal's novels, various Propaganda Movement publications and European novels like Victor Hugo's Les Miserables. Leader of the revolutionary secret society Katipunan, 1892, and spent the next four years planning an armed revolution which began in August 1896. Leadership struggle with General Emilio Aguinaldo, and executed as a traitor on Aguinaldo's orders, May 1897. BURGOS, Jose (1837-72). Born in the city of Vigan, IIocos Sur. Father was a Spanish lieutenant in the colonial militia and mother a Spanish mestiza. Educated as a charity student in Manila. Graduated from San Juan de Letran College and ordained, 1866, after complet· ing degree in canon law at Santo Tomas University. Leader of tne native clergy's campaign to recover parishes transferred to Spanish missionaries, 1863. During the short-lived 'liberal period' (1869-72), 282 Asia - The Winning of Independence became one of the leading advocates of reforms. Convicted of sedition in 1872, he and two other native priests were executed in Manila's Luneta park. FELEO, Juan (I896-1946). Born in the central Luzon province of Nueva Ecija where his father was a relatively prosperous tenant farmer. Trained as a school teacher. Defended local tenants threat- ened with eviction by landlords, 1920s. A passionate and moving speaker, he was one of the founders of the National Society of Peasants (KPMP) in the mid-1920s, and a foundation Politbureau member of the Philippine Communist Party, 1930. Active in the wartime Huk guerrilla movement. Luzon's most influential peasant leader after the war. Abducted and murdered, 1946, while passing through estates belonging to the wife of President Manuel Roxas. OSMENA, Sergio (1878-1961). Born in Cebu City. lllegitimate child of influential Chinese mestizo family. Educated at Santo Tomas University in Manila. Began political career in 1900 as editor of a Spanish newspaperin Cebu. Passed the bar, 1903. Held various public offices, before election to the National Assembly, 1907. Chosen Speaker of the Assembly, 1907 and dominated Philippine politics until he lost the struggle for Nacionalista Party leadership to Manuel Quezon in 1922. Commonwealth vice-president until Quezon's death in 1944 when he succeeded to the presidency. Defeated by Manuel Roxas in 1946 presidential elections. DE TAVERA, Trinidad Pardo (1857-1925). Born in Manila to wealthy Spanish mestizo parents. Graduate in medicine from the Sorbonne University. Studied oriental languages in Paris and published a num- ber of academic studies of Philippine languages, customs, history and botany. Loyal to Spain during the revolution and served briefly as foreign secretary in General Aguinaldo's revolutionary government after Spain's defeat. Declared his loyalty to the United States and was one of main organisers of Federalista Party which favoured union with US. Member of Philippine Commission, 1901-9. There- after, devoted himself to writing. QUEZON, Manuel (1878-1944)_ Born in the small town of Baler on Luzon's Pacific coast. Parents were Spanish mestizo school teachers. Educated in Manila's San Juan de Letran College and Santo Tomas Biographical Notes 283 University. Two years in Philippine revolutionary army. Passed the bar in 1903 and began a career in government service. Elected to new National Assembly, 1907; majority floor leader. Leader of the Nacionalista Party in 1922. Commonwealth president from 1935 until his death in exile. RECTO, Claro (1890-1960). Born in Batangas Province. Son oflocal elite family. Educated in Manila at San Juan de Letran College and Santo Tomas University. Passed the bar and entered politics, winning seat in National Assembly, 1919. Known for his nationalist Spanish poetry, but also a skilled political bargainer. Soon emerged as leader of opposition Democrata Party. Elected senator in 1931 on an oppo- sition ticket. Allied himself with Nacionalista Party leader Manuel Quezon and later rewarded with appointments as President of the Constitutional Convention, 1934, and justice of the Supreme Court. Served as foreign secretary under the Japanese. Granted amnesty on the charges of collaboration after the war. Elected to Senate, 1949, and served there until his death. RICARTE, Artemio (1866-1945). Born in Hocos Norte Province to local elite family. Educated at Manila's San Juan de Letran College and Escuela Normal. Primary school teacher, 1888, and accepted a position in Cavite Province. Joined Katipunan, 1893, and served with Aguinaldo throughout the revolutionary period. Alone among revolutionary generals, Ricarte refused to accept defeat and spent the remainder of his life trying to organise a revolt against American rule. Exiled to Hong Kong until 1915. Organised a number of abor- tive conspiracies culminating in the failed uprising in Manila on Christmas eve 1914. Lived in Yokohama, Japan, 1915-41. Returned to the Philippines with Japan's invasion forces in 1942. Served as a propagandist for the occupation government and died during the Japanese retreat from Manila. RIZAL, Jose (1861-96). Born in Laguna Province southeast of Manila where his family were prosperous farmers who leased substantial sugar lands on Dominican estates. Brilliant student. Quit Santo Tomas University in his second year and travelled to Spain where he enrolled in the medical faculty at Madrid University. During his decade in Europe, Rizal became the most influential leader of the reformist Propaganda Movement and published a number of anti- 284 Asia - The Winning of Independence colonial writings, most importantly his anti-friar novel Noli Me Tangere (I887). Shortly after his return to the Philippines in 1892, he was banished to a small town in northern Mindanao. After the revolution began in August 1896, Rizal was tried for sedition and died a martyr's death by firing squad in Manila's Luneta park. ROXAS, Manuel (1892-1948). Born in the Western Visayas province of Capiz of local elite family. Graduated as valedictorian in his law class at the University of the Philippines and married into the wealthy De Leon family of central Luzon. After a term as municipal councillor and governor of Capiz, elected to National Assembly, 1922, and won the Speakership as a protege of Nacionalista Party's Manuel Quezon. Career suffered brief setback when he joined Sergio Osmena in an unsuccessful challenge to Quezon's leadership, early 1930s. Held several key posts in Japanese-sponsored governments. First president of the Philippine Republic, 1946. Conservative national leader known for his strongly pro~American foreign policy and uncompromising opposition to the Huk peasant movement in central Luzon. TARue, Luis (b. 1913). Born in the central Luzon province of Pampanga where his family were tenant farmers. Forced to abandon his law studies for lack of funds. Returned to central Luzon where he became a tailor and joined the Socialist Party. Became known as a strike organiser in the late 1930s and influential peasant leader after the merger of the Communist and Socialist parties in 1938. During the Second World War, military commander of the anti- Japanese Huk guerrillas. After the war, leader of the left-liberal coalition, Democratic Alliance. Elected to Congress, 1946. Denied his seat by the government's majority. Withdrew into the country- side and assumed command of the communist-led revolt. Surrendered to the government in 1954. After several years in prison, granted amnesty and active supporter of President Marcos' land reform pro- gramme after declaration of Martial Law, 1972. INDIA AZAD, Maulana Abul Kalam (1888-1958). Born in Arabia oflndian Muslim father. Family resettled in Calcutta when Azad was very young. Traditional education from father, but learned English Biographical Notes 285 secretly. Travelled in Middle East, 1908. Began Al Hilal (The Crescent), Urdu weekly, 1912; banned 1914 for pro-Turkish line. Interned, 1916-19. President All-India Khilafat Committee, 1920; president INC, 1923, 1940-6. Member Congress Parliamentary Board, 1937. Education minister, Govt of India, 1947-58. Im- prisoned, 1921-2, 1930, 1932-3, 1940-1, 1942-5. Author, India Wins Freedom, 1959 (posthumous). BOSE, Subhash Chandra (1897-1945). Kayastha. Born Cuttack, Orissa. Father a lawyer. Educated Calcutta. Passed ICS examination 1920, but resigned in probationary year to take part in non-co-opera- tion movement. Imprisoned 1924-7 for alleged terrorist connections; also during civil disobedience 1930-3. To Europe mid-1930s. Presi- dent INC 1938,1939, but Gandhi forced him to resign, 1939. Arres- ted July 1940 for opposing war. Escaped from India early 1941 and reached Germany. linked up with Japanese 1943 and founded Indian National Army from Indian prisoners of war; proclaimed provisional government of India in Malaya. Killed in plane crash, Taiwan', Aug. 1945. Author, The Indian Struggle, 1920-42, 1934. GANDHI, Mohandas Karamchand (1869-1948). Mod Baniya. Born in Gujarat.