Emilio Aguinaldo

Bio

A brief biography of Emilio Aguinaldo

Emilio Aguinaldo y Famy was born on March 22, 1869 in Kawit, Cavite, Philippines. He was the first president of the Philippines as well as the first president of a republic in Asia. Before his presidency, Aguinaldo was a revolutionist and a leader in the military. Before his death in 1964, he published his book titled, Mga Gunita ng Himagsikan (Memoirs of the Revolution).

He received his education at Colegio de San Juan de Letra, but unfortunately didn’t complete his degree due to an epidemic breakout of cholera—a deadly, infectious disease caused by consuming contaminated waters.

Emilio Aguinaldo is recognized as a national hero in the Philippines. During 1896 to 1901, Emilio led his military against strong forces—first with the Philippine Revolution against Spain, ending in 1896—followed by the Spanish-American war in 1898. He and his military also fought in the Philippine-American War against the United States, in which Aguinaldo was captured. The war was over when President Theodore Roosevelt granted general amnesty in 1902.

On October 5, 1962, Aguinaldo was transported to Veterans Memorial Medical Center, suffering from a coronary thrombosis—a blockage preventing blood flow to the heart. He remained there under the supervision of Dr. Juana Blanco Fernandez until he died on February 6, 1964. He is buried at the Aguinaldo Shrine Grounds in Cavite, Philippines.

Prior to his death, he bequeathed his home and land to the government, which now acts as a shrine in regard to the spirit of the revolution of 1896. In 1985, the central bank of the Philippines circulated five-peso bills with Emilio Aguinaldo’s picture on one side and, on the other, the bill marks the declaration of the Philippine independence.