Pío Valenzuela y Alejandrino (July 11, 1869 – April 6, 1956) was a
Filipino physician and revolutionary leader. At the age of 23, he joined the society of
Katipunan, a movement which sought the independence of the Philippines from
Spanish colonial rule and started the
Philippine Revolution. Together with
Andrés Bonifacio and
Emilio Jacinto
Emilio Jacinto y Dizon (; December 15, 1875 – April 16, 1899) was a Filipino general during the Philippine Revolution. He was one of the highest-ranking officers in the Philippine Revolution and was one of the highest-ranking officers of th ...
, they formed the secret chamber of the society called ''Camara Reina''. He took charge of the publication of ''
Ang Kalayaan'', Katipunan's first and only official publication.
He was the one who tried to convince the exiled
José Rizal to join the revolutionary movement.
When the Katipunan was discovered, he fled to Balintawak (now part of
Quezon City
Quezon City (, ; fil, Lungsod Quezon ), also known as the City of Quezon and Q.C. (read in Filipino as Kyusi), is the List of cities in the Philippines, most populous city in the Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a populatio ...
) on August 20, 1896, but he later availed of an amnesty that the Spanish colonial government offered and he surrendered on September 1, 1896. He was deported to
Spain
, image_flag = Bandera de España.svg
, image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg
, national_motto = '' Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond")
, national_anthem = (English: "Royal March")
, ...
where he was tried and imprisoned in
Madrid
Madrid ( , ) is the capital and most populous city of Spain. The city has almost 3.4 million inhabitants and a metropolitan area population of approximately 6.7 million. It is the second-largest city in the European Union (EU), and ...
. He was later transferred to
Málaga, and then to a Spanish outpost in Africa. He was incarcerated for about two years.
He returned to the Philippines in April 1899 and resumed his medical practice.
He was immediately arrested by the Americans in fear of inciting insurrection. While still in prison, Valenzuela was elected the municipal president in his hometown Polo which forced the Americans to release him. From 1921-1925, he served as the governor of the province of
Bulacan.
Early years
Pío Valenzuela was born in
Polo, Bulacan (now the City of Valenzuela) to Francisco Valenzuela and Lorenza Alejandrino, who both came from wealthy families. Pío was the third eldest sibling of the Valenzuela family: Agustina (born in 1861), Severo (born in 1865) and Tomás (born in 1871). His father came from a prominent family of
gobernadorcillos of Polo.
After he was tutored at home, he was brought to Manila to study at
Colegio de San Juan de Letran. In 1888, he enrolled at
University of Santo Tomas and finished his ''Licenciado en Medicina'' in 1895. He practiced his profession in Manila and Bulacan.
In July 1892, when he was a medical student and the Katipunan was barely a week old, he joined this secret organization. He became a close friend of its founder,
Andrés Bonifacio, and was godfather to the first child of Bonifacio and
Gregoria de Jesús. After their house burned down, Bonifacio and his family lived with Valenzuela.
The revolutionary life
He was elected fiscal of the secret society in December 1895. He was inducted together with the other elected officials at Bonifacio's home on New Year's Day in 1896. He used the ''nom de guerre'' ''"Dimas Ayaran"'' (untouchable) in the movement.
Shortly after his induction, Valenzuela moved to San Nicolas district in
Manila
Manila ( , ; fil, Maynila, ), officially the City of Manila ( fil, Lungsod ng Maynila, ), is the capital of the Philippines, and its second-most populous city. It is highly urbanized and, as of 2019, was the world's most densely populated ...
so he could supervise the publication of the secret society's official organ, where he also wrote articles using the ''nom de plume'' "Madlang-Away" (Public Conflict). Valenzuela claimed in his memoirs that he was supposed to be the editor of the publication but
Emilio Jacinto
Emilio Jacinto y Dizon (; December 15, 1875 – April 16, 1899) was a Filipino general during the Philippine Revolution. He was one of the highest-ranking officers in the Philippine Revolution and was one of the highest-ranking officers of th ...
would eventually be the one to supervise its printing.
Valenzuela said he was the one who suggested the name ''Kalayaan'' (Freedom) for the publication. To mislead the Spanish authorities, he also suggested that they place the name of
Marcelo H. del Pilar
Marcelo Hilario del Pilar y Gatmaitán (; ; August 30, 1850July 4, 1896), commonly known as Marcelo H. del Pilar and also known by his pen name Pláridel,.''Filipinos in History: Volume II'', National Historical Institute, 1990, p. 101 was a F ...
as editor and
Yokohama, Japan as the place of publication.
Kalayaan's first number, dated January 18, 1896, came out in March 1896 and consisted of a thousand copies which was distributed to Katipunan members all over the country. However, the publication only came out with one more issue because the Katipunan had already been uncovered by the Spanish authorities. He considered the publication of Kalayaan as the most important accomplishment of the ''secret chamber'' of the Katipunan, which he claimed consisted of himself, Bonifacio and Jacinto, and he leaves.
In a meeting of the secret chamber in July 1896, they decided to assassinate the Spanish
Augustinian friar who uncovered the Katipunan to the authorities, but they failed to accomplish the mission. Valenzuela also claimed that after the discovery of the Katipunan, he and Bonifacio distributed letters implicating wealthy Filipinos, who refused to extend financial assistance to the Katipunan.
He was a member of the committee that was tasked to smuggle arms for the Katipunan from Japan. He was also with Bonifacio, Jacinto and
Procopio Bonifacio when they organized the Katipunan council in Cavite.
At the secret general meeting called by Bonifacio on the night of May 1, 1896 at Barrio Ugong in Pasig, Valenzuela presented to the body a proposal to solicit contributions to buy arms and munitions from Japan. The proposal was approved on condition that it first be approved by
José Rizal, who was in exile in
Dapitan in
Mindanao.
Valenzuela was tasked to discuss the matter with Rizal and he left for Dapitan on June 15, 1896. However, Rizal told him that the revolution should not be started until sufficient arms had been secured and the support of the wealthy Filipinos had been won over.
When the Katipunan was discovered, he fled to Balintawak on August 20, 1896, but he later availed of an amnesty that the Spanish colonial government offered and he surrendered on September 1, 1896.
He was deported to Spain where he was tried and imprisoned in
Madrid
Madrid ( , ) is the capital and most populous city of Spain. The city has almost 3.4 million inhabitants and a metropolitan area population of approximately 6.7 million. It is the second-largest city in the European Union (EU), and ...
. He was later transferred to
Málaga,
Barcelona and then to a Spanish outpost in Africa. He was incarcerated for about two years.
Under the Americans
He returned to the Philippines in April 1899. In Manila, he was denounced to the American Military authorities as a radical propagandist and once more imprisoned up to September of the same year.
To suppress aggressive leadership upon his release, he was made municipal president of Polo. From 1902 to 1919, he served as president of the military division of his district. From 1919 to 1925, he served the people of Bulacan for two terms as provincial executive. As governor, he was uncompromising against graft and corruption in the government.
After he retired from politics, he wrote his memoirs on the revolutionary days. He also practiced his medical profession, but only for philanthropic purposes. He was married to Marciana Castro by whom he had seven children. Early in the morning of April 6, 1956, he died in his hometown, and was buried at the local cemetery.
In popular culture
Valenzuela was portrayed in various films which featured or centered on the Revolution. He was portrayed by the following actors in these films:
* 1997 - Nonie Buencamino in ''
Rizal sa Dapitan''.
* 1998 -
Marco Sison in the
biopic ''
Jose Rizal.''
* 2012 - Sonny Alcantara in ''
El Presidente''.
* 2013 - Yuwin Cruz in the TV series, ''
Katipunan''.
* 2013 - Zieg Tercias in the Musical 1863
He was also portrayed by the following actors in the theater production
Nom de Plume: Madlang Away' of the Valenzuela City Center for the Performing Arts:
* 2006
Arnold Reyesan
Joel Molina held at the
Valenzuela City Convention Center
* 2013 - Marxs Escondo and Dariel Bagual, held at the
Valenzuela City Convention Center.
* 2015
Joel Molinaand Dariel Bagual, held at the
Valenzuela People's Park
The Valenzuela People's Park, officially the Valenzuela City People's Park and also known to local residents as simply People's Park or VCPP, is an urban community park located in the city of Valenzuela, Philippines. It is built beside the Valenz ...
.
Directed by Andre Tiangco, Music by Arnel de Pano and Jose Jeffrey Camañag, wit
Roeder Camañagas the Artistic Director.
Legacy
Valenzuela's old hometown of Polo was renamed to
Valenzuela in 1960. Other places named after Pío Valenzuela, aside from places named after the city ''Valenzuela'' are:
* Pio Valenzuela Elementary School (Polo, Valenzuela)
* Pio Valenzuela Street (in
University of the Philippines Diliman,
Quezon City
Quezon City (, ; fil, Lungsod Quezon ), also known as the City of Quezon and Q.C. (read in Filipino as Kyusi), is the List of cities in the Philippines, most populous city in the Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a populatio ...
)
* Pio Valenzuela Street and Pio Valenzuela Street Extension (Marulas, Valenzuela)
* Dr. Pio Valenzuela Street (Pariancillo Villa, Valenzuela).
The Dr. Pio Valenzuela Scholarship Program was enacted by the municipal government of Valenzuela in 1995 to grant educational assistance its deserving citizens.
Images
File:FvfValenzuela1767 04.JPG, Ancestral house, Pariancillo Villa, Valenzuela City
File:MuseoValenzuelajf 4336 05.JPG, Bust in the Museo
File:MuseoValenzuelajf 4336 01.JPG, Legacy in Museo Valenzuela
File:MuseoValenzuelajf4368 11.JPG, Pío Valenzuela
References
External links
Heroes day Museo Valenzuela
{{DEFAULTSORT:Valenzuela, Pio
Valenzuela, Pio
Valenzuela, Pio
Governors of Bulacan
Valenzuela, Pio
Valenzuela, Pio
People of the Philippine Revolution
Katipunan members
People from Valenzuela, Metro Manila
Mayors of Valenzuela, Metro Manila
People from San Nicolas, Manila
Filipino Methodists
20th-century Filipino medical doctors
19th-century Filipino medical doctors
Filipino Protestants