LIFE

THE 1ST PHILIPPINE PRESIDENT

• Emilio Aguinaldo y Famy
• Born: March 23, 1869
• Place of Birth: Cavite El Viejo (now Kawit), Cavite province.
• Died: Febreuary 6, 1964 (age of 94)
• Place of Death: Quezon City, Manila
• Father: Carlos Aguinaldo y Jamir - gobernadorcillo (town head); member of the Chinese-Tagalog mestizo minority.
• Mother: Trinidad Famy y Valero
• The seventh of eight children.
• Filipino leader who fought first against Spain and later against the United States for the independence of the Philippines.
• He 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 or War of Philippine Independence that resisted American occupation.
• He was also the youngest (at age 29) to have become the country's president, the longest-lived president (having survived to age 94) and the only president to have outlived the most number of successors.
• Spouse: (1) Hilaria Del Rosario (1877–1921) ; died of leprosy. They had five children: Miguel, Carmen, Emilio Jr., María, and Cristina.
• (2) María Agoncillo (1882–1963)

EDUCATION
POLITICAL CAREER
LEGACY
PROGRAMS IMPLEMENTED
ISSUES

EDUCATION

He received education from his great-aunt and later attended the town's elementary school.

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.

Age of 28 he was called “Miong”

He completed his education at the University of Santo Tomas, Manila.

POLITICAL CAREER

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.

Administration and Cabinet

OFFICE	NAME	TERM
President	Emilio Aguinaldo	1897–1901
Vice-President	Mariano Trías	1897
Prime Minister	Apolinario Mabini	January 21 – May 7, 1899
	Pedro Paterno	May 7 – November 13, 1899
Minister of Finance	Mariano Trías	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	Máximo Paterno	1899
Minister of Agriculture, Industry and Commerce	León María Guerrero	May 7 – November 13, 1899

Dates and Details

• Age of 17 – became the cabeza de barangay of Binakayan, a chief barrio of Cavite del Viejo. Were he served his town-mates for eight years.
• Age of 26 – became the Cavite Viejo's first Capitan municipal.
• Age of 29 – became the Chief of State.
• Aguinaldo’s presidential term formally began in 1898 and ended on April 1, 1901, when he took an oath of allegiance to the United States a week after his capture in Palanan, Isabela.
• August 1896 – became the local leader of the Katipunan, a revolutionary society that fought bitterly and successfully against Spanish.
• December 1897 – he signed an agreement called the Pact of Biak-na-Bato with the Spanish governor-general.
• January 23, 1899 – the Malolos constitution by virtue of which the Philippines was a republic and which he had been approved by the assembly and by Aguinaldo was proclaimed president.
• 1935 – He ran for president but was decisively beaten.
• 1950 - Aguinaldo was arrested and together with the others accused of collaboration with the Japanese was held for several months in Bilibid Prison until released by presidential amnesty. As a token vindication of his honor, he was appointed by President Elpidio Quirino as a member of the Council of State.
• Latter years of his life - he devoted his major attention to veteran’s affairs, the promotion of nationalism and democracy in the Philippines and the improvement of relation between the Philippines and the United States.

LEGACY

President of the Tejeros Convention

President of the Biyak-na-Bato Republic

Dictator of the Dictatorial Government

President of the Revolutionary Government

President of the 1st Philippine Republic

• He was the leader of the revolution and the first President of the first republic, but he is criticized for ordering the execution of Andres Bonifacio and for his possible involvement in the murder of Antonio Luna, and also for accepting an indemnity payment and exile in Hong Kong. Some scholars view him as an example of the leading role taken by members of the landowning elite in the revolution.
• His term also featured the setting up of the Malolos Republic, which has its own Congress, Constitution, and national and local officialdom -- proving Filipinos also had the capacity to build.
• On 18 June, Aguinaldo issued a decree formally establishing his dictatorial government. On June 23, another decree signed by Aguinaldo was issued, replacing the Dictatorial Government with a Revolutionary Government, with himself as President.
• Aguinaldo is best remembered for the proclamation of Philippine Independence on June 12, 1898, in Kawit, Cavite.
• The Philippine National Anthem - Aguinaldo commissioned Julian Felipe, a composer from Cavite province was asked to write an an instrumental march for the proclamation of independence ceremony. The original title was "Marcha Filipina Magdalo". This was later changed to "Marcha Nacional Filipina". The lyrics was added in August 1899 based on the poem titled "Filipinas" by Jose Palma. The original lyrics was written in Spanish, then to English then later, was translated to Tagalog, which underwent another change of title to “Lupang Hinirang”, the Philippine National Anthem. Continue to Filipino-American Hostilities.

PROGRAMS IMPLEMENTED

ECONOMY  (Fiscal Reform) 

• 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.

POLITICAL (Local Government Reorganization)

• Aguinaldo issued two decreed, dated 18th and 20th June, reorganizing the provincial and municipal governments.
• In these documents, Aguinaldo made it clear that although was circumstances had forced him to become a dictator, his constant desire was to surround himself with the most representative men of every province and who, by their conduct, should merit the confidence in their province-mates, in order that, knowing, through them, the needs of every one of these places, he might adopt the best measures to attend it them.
• The municipal government was established along these lines: all 21-year old residents were entitled to elect a Popular Council composed of a President, Vice-President, barrio chiefs, delegate of justice and civil registry, delegate of police and internal order and delegate of taxes and properties.
• Where: a Governor and three councilors, to compose, together with the municipal resident of the provincial capital, the Provincial Council. Also, provincial military commanders were provided for each to take charge of recruiting soldiers for the national army.
• Suspension of Article Five of the Malolos Constitution providing the separation of Church and State. In the mean time the municipalities that might need the spiritual ministry of a Filipino priest, were to provide funds for his necessary support.
• The proposal was accented on 23rd December and became Transitory Article No. 100 of the national constitution.

SOCIAL SERVICES (Education)

• Aguinaldo ordered schools open. Elementary education was made compulsory and free.
• The Filipino educator, Enrique Mendiola, founded the “Instituto de Burgos” and was appointed by the Director of Public Instruction. It offered courses in agriculture, surveying, and commerce, as well as a complete A.B course.
• October 1898 – a government decree fixed the opening date of the "Universidad Literia". While the courses offered were Medicine, Surgery, Pharmacy, and Notary Public.
• Professors were appointed by the President of the Philippines.

FOREIGN POLICIES

• Upon the inauguration of the First Philippine Republic, President Emilio Aguinaldo granted executive clemency to all Spanish civilians being held prisoners.
• He also granted permission for all foreigners, including Spaniards, to freely engage in business in the Philippines.

ISSUES

• Even during his younger years, Emilio Aguinaldo already expressed his unselfish interest to serve his country. When his father died he succeeded as the breadwinner and at a young age of just 17 he started serving as head of the barangay before he became a municipal captain (equivalent to mayor today) in Kawit, his hometown.

• After Andres Bonifacio appointed him, Aguinaldo was very instrumental in enticing the Katipuneros to join the revolutionary forces against the Spaniards. He led that revolution in 1896.

• The Tejeros convention was headed by Andres Bonifacio and it was agreed that the Katipunan be abolished and a new Revolutionary Government be established. An election for president followed. Aguinaldo was elected and Bonifacio became the External Affairs secretary.

• One of the members of the Revolutionary forces, Daniel Tirona, expressed his dissenting opinion against the election of Bonifacio as the External Affairs secretary because of questions regarding his qualifications as Bonifacio was not a lawyer. Bonifacio was hurt with the actuation of Tirona. Along with 25 members, they left the convention hall. This action of Bonifacio resulted to the weakening of the revolutionary forces and Emilio Aguinaldo ordered the killing of Bonifacio.

• The Spaniards made a peace pact with Aguinaldo at Biaknabato. On that agreement, war was to be ended. The Spaniards promised to recompense the revolutionary forces and Aguinaldo will be exiled to Hongkong. But when the Spaniards did not honor their commitment, Aguinaldo again led his forces to a new war.