Emilio Aguinaldo
Who was Emilio Aguinaldo?
First president of the Philippines (1899-1901) who led the Philippine Revolution against Spanish rule and declared the country's independence in 1898.
Biographical data adapted from Wikipedia’s article on Emilio Aguinaldo (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Biography
Emilio Aguinaldo y Famy was born on March 22, 1869, in Kawit, Cavite, in the Spanish colonial Philippines. He climbed from local politics to become a key figure in the Philippine Revolution, leading forces against Spanish rule starting in 1896. His early military wins in Cavite put him at the forefront among Filipino revolutionaries, and he was chosen as president of the Biak-na-Bato Republic in 1897. That year, he signed the Pact of Biak-na-Bato with Spanish officials and went into exile in Hong Kong for money and promised reforms.
When the Spanish-American War began in 1898, American naval commander George Dewey helped Aguinaldo return to the Philippines, urging him to restart the fight against Spain. On June 12, 1898, Aguinaldo declared Philippine independence at his home in Kawit, an event now celebrated as Philippine Independence Day. He oversaw the creation of the First Philippine Republic, also known as the Malolos Republic, and was sworn in as its president on January 23, 1899, becoming the first president of the Philippines and first president of an Asian constitutional republic.
Tensions between Aguinaldo and the United States grew quickly after the Treaty of Paris was signed in December 1898, in which Spain handed the Philippines to the US for twenty million dollars without consulting Filipino leaders. Fighting broke out in February 1899, starting the Philippine-American War. Aguinaldo led a long guerrilla struggle against American forces throughout the Philippines. His capture by American troops at Palanan, Isabela, in March 1901 marked the end of organized resistance, and he then pledged allegiance to the United States.
Aguinaldo's legacy is mixed due to several controversies. He was involved in the execution of Andres Bonifacio, the founder of the Katipunan revolutionary group, in 1897 after a disputed trial. He was also linked to the killing of General Antonio Luna, a top Filipino military leader, in 1899. During World War II, Aguinaldo worked with the Japanese occupation government and made radio broadcasts urging Filipino and American troops to surrender, which brought him much criticism.
After the war, Aguinaldo lived to see Philippine independence officially granted by the United States on July 4, 1946. He stayed in the public eye for years, unsuccessfully running for the Philippine presidency in 1935 against Manuel Quezon. He wrote memoirs and continued to attend public events, including the yearly Independence Day celebration in Kawit. Aguinaldo died on February 6, 1964, in Manila, at ninety-four, having outlived almost all his peers from the revolutionary period.
Before Fame
Emilio Aguinaldo was born into a family with Chinese, Filipino, and Spanish roots that held an important position in Kawit, Cavite. He went to school at the Colegio de San Juan de Letran in Manila, one of the oldest schools in the Philippines, but left before finishing his degree to return to Kawit after his father died. At twenty-three, he became the municipal captain, or gobernadorcillo, of Kawit, putting him at the heart of local government and community life.
He got involved in revolutionary activities through the Katipunan, a secret group founded by Andres Bonifacio aiming to end Spanish colonial rule. The late 1800s were a time of political unrest in the Philippines, driven by reformers known as ilustrados, widespread economic dissatisfaction, and the inspiring writings of Jose Rizal. The Cavite branch of the Katipunan, led by Aguinaldo, was one of the most effective military units in the early days of the revolution. His battlefield successes quickly boosted him from a local official to a national revolutionary leader.
Key Achievements
- Declared Philippine independence on June 12, 1898, in Kawit, Cavite, an event recognized as the founding moment of the Philippine nation.
- Served as the first president of the First Philippine Republic, also making him the first president of an Asian constitutional republic.
- Led the Philippine Revolution against Spain from 1896 to 1898, achieving significant early military victories in Cavite province.
- Directed the Philippine-American War resistance from 1899 to 1901, commanding a nationwide guerrilla campaign against the occupying American forces.
- Received the Philippine Legion of Honor in recognition of his role in the country's struggle for independence.
Did You Know?
- 01.Aguinaldo declared Philippine independence from the window of his family home in Kawit, Cavite, on June 12, 1898, and that house is preserved today as the Aguinaldo Shrine.
- 02.He lived to the age of ninety-four, making him one of the longest-lived heads of state in Asian history, and he outlived the First Philippine Republic by more than six decades.
- 03.During the 1935 Commonwealth presidential election, Aguinaldo ran against Manuel Quezon and received only approximately 17 percent of the vote, a substantial defeat for a man who had once commanded the loyalty of a nation.
- 04.Aguinaldo was captured in 1901 through a deception operation led by General Frederick Funston, who infiltrated Aguinaldo's mountain headquarters using Macabebe Scouts disguised as rebel prisoners.
- 05.He married Hilaria del Rosario, known as Hilaria Aguinaldo, who became a significant civic figure in her own right and died in 1921, decades before her husband.
Family & Personal Life
Awards & Honors
| Award | Year | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Philippine Legion of Honor | — | — |