Arsenio Cruz Herrera (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈkɾus eˈreɾa]; December 14, 1863 – April 8, 1917) was considered the first Filipino Mayor of Manila from 1901 to 1905. He was also the leader of the Progresista Party from 1907 to 1914.
Arsenio Cruz Herrera | |
|---|---|
 | |
| 1st Mayor of Manila | |
| In office August 7, 1901 – September 18, 1905 | |
| Vice Mayor | Ramón J. Fernández (1901-1904) |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Félix M. Roxas |
| Member of the Philippine Assembly from Rizal's 1st district | |
| In office October 16, 1912 – February 24, 1916 | |
| Preceded by | Jose Lino Luna |
| Succeeded by | Arcadio Santos |
| Assistant Secretary of Interior of the First Philippine Republic | |
| In office 1899–1901 | |
| President | Emilio Aguinaldo |
| Member of the Malolos Congress from Manila | |
| In office September 15, 1898 – November 13, 1899 Serving with Félix Ferrer Pascual, Teodoro Gonzales Leaño and Mariano Limjap | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | December 14, 1863 Tondo, Manila, Captaincy General of the Philippines |
| Died | April 8, 1917 (aged 53) |
| Political party | Democrata (1914-1916) |
| Other political affiliations | Progresista (1907-1914) |
| Spouses | Julita Alejandrino
(m. 1888; died 1912)Bernarda Sastre (m. 1912) |
| Children | 8 |
| Alma mater | Colegio de San Juan de Letran (AB, 1880) University of Santo Tomas (1889, 1892) |
| Profession | Lawyer, revolutionary |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  First Philippine Republic |
| Battles/wars | Philippine Revolution |
Early life
editArsenio was born on December 14, 1863, in Tondo, Manila. His parents were Tomás Cruz and Ambrosia Herrera. He studied in a school under Fortunato Jacinto, then at Colegio de San Juan de Letran where he received a degree of bachiller en artes (Bachelor of Arts) in 1880. He later enrolled at the University of Santo Tomas to attain a licentiate in canon law (1889) and jurisprudence (1892). At the University of Santo Tomas, he studied while working at the university library. He was able to start his own law office right after graduating, a firm where Juan Sumulong and Rafael Palma were later able to work as young lawyers. His law practice earned as much as eighty thousand pesos per year.
Career
editPhilippine Revolution
editLittle was known about his activities during the Philippine Revolution. According to Manuel Artigas, he advised General Maximo Hizon on the capture of Angeles, Pampanga. After the return of Emilio Aguinaldo in the Philippines, Cruz Herrera together with Ambrosio Rianzares Bautista and Felipe Buencamino.
First Philippine Republic
editCruz Herrera was offered the post as War Director of the new revolutionary government, a responsibility he refused to take. Antonio Luna was made War Director instead. Cruz Herrera rather chose to manage the official government newspaper, the El Heraldo de la Revolución. His efforts made the revolutionary government to establish the Universidad Cientifico-Literaria de Filipinas in 1899, where he taught law. During the Malolos Congress, he was elected as one of the four elected members from Manila. He was also part of the commission that drafted the Malolos Constitution, which was enacted on January 21, 1899. He later realized that the armed struggle for independence was vain, so he decided to cooperate with the Americans.
American period
editCruz Herrera was convinced on the peace plans of the Schurman Commission, and later joined a group that supported American autonomy in the Philippines. During the Taft Commission, he was appointed President of the Municipal Board of Manila. However, he did not enjoy any influence in the city legislation. He resigned on September 18, 1905. During the First Philippine Assembly elections and the Second Philippine Assembly elections, he led the Progresista Party and ran for Rizal's 1st district. He lost in both occasions, but he won the seat for Rizal's 1st District in the Third Philippine Assembly elections. His Progresista Party, however, never had the majority wrested from the Nacionalista Party from 1907 to 1912. On April 2, 1914, he moved to the Democrata Party.
Personal life
editCruz Herrera was first married on September 9, 1888, to married Julita Alejandrino, sister of the revolutionary general, José Alejandrino. They had eight children namely: José, Rosario, Miguel, Concepción, Augustín, Natividad, Augusto, and Emmanuela. On March 4, 1912, Julita died. Later, he married Bernarda Sastre. They did not have any children together. He had also brother Norberto Cruz Herrera, a former member of Malolos Congress.
Death
editCruz Herrera died on April 8, 1917, at the age of 53.
References
edit- "ARSENIO CRUZ-HERRERA". Liezl T. Desingano. Retrieved 2012-02-13.
- "ARSENIO CRUS-HERRERA". Retrieved 2012-02-13.