Camilo Olaviano Osías Sr. (born Camilo Osías y Olaviano; March 23, 1889 – May 20, 1976), was a Filipino politician, twice for a short time

President of the Senate of the Philippines The president of the Senate of the Philippines ( or ), commonly referred to as the Senate president, is the presiding officer and the highest-ranking official of the Senate of the Philippines, and third highest and most powerful official in the ...

. Along with American Mary A. Lane, Osías translated into English the poem ''Filipinas'' that was set to the ''Marcha Nacional Filipina'', producing the ''Philippine Hymn'', now the national anthem ''

Lupang Hinirang "" ('Chosen Land'), originally titled in Spanish as "" ('Philippine National March'), and also commonly and informally known by its incipit "" ('Beloved Country'), is the national anthem of the Philippines. Its music was composed in 1898 by Jul ...

''.

Biography

Early life and education

Osías attended school in

Balaoan Balaoan, officially the Municipality of Balaoan (; ), is a coastal municipality in the province of La Union, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 40,339. Etymology The name "Balaoan" is derived from the Iloco words ...

Vigan Vigan, officially the City of Vigan (; ), is a Cities of the Philippines#Legal classification, component city and capital of the Provinces of the Philippines, province of Ilocos Sur, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a populatio ...

and

San Fernando San Fernando may refer to: People *Ferdinand III of Castile (c. 1200–1252), called ''San Fernando'' (Spanish) or ''Saint Ferdinand'', King of Castile, León, and Galicia Places Argentina *San Fernando de la Buena Vista, city of Greater Buenos ...

, and was selected a government scholar to the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

in 1905. He studied at the

University of Chicago The University of Chicago (UChicago, Chicago, or UChi) is a Private university, private research university in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Its main campus is in the Hyde Park, Chicago, Hyde Park neighborhood on Chicago's South Side, Chic ...

in 1906 and 1907. He graduated from the Western Illinois State Teachers College at

Macomb, Illinois Macomb () is a city in and the county seat of McDonough County, Illinois, United States. It is situated in western Illinois, about southwest of Peoria, Illinois, Peoria. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population of the c ...

in 1908, and from the

Teachers College Teachers College, Columbia University (TC) is the graduate school of education affiliated with Columbia University, a private research university in New York City. Founded in 1887, Teachers College has been a part of Columbia University since ...

Columbia University Columbia University in the City of New York, commonly referred to as Columbia University, is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Churc ...

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

in 1910.

Early career

On his return to the Philippines, he taught and later assumed various administrative positions, particularly in the field of education. He successively became the first Filipino Superintendent of Schools (1915 to 1916), Assistant Director of Education (1917 to 1921), a lecturer at the

University of the Philippines The University of the Philippines (UP; ) is a Higher education in the Philippines#State universities and colleges, state university system in the Philippines. It is the country's national university, as mandated by List of Philippine laws, Re ...

(1919 to 1921), and President of

National University A national university is mainly a university created or managed by a government, but which may also at the same time operate autonomously without direct control by the state. In the United States, the term "national university" connotes the highe ...

(1921–1936), a private institution.

Political career

Osías then entered national politics. He was a member of the first Philippine mission to the United States (1919 to 1920). He was elected to the Philippine Senate in 1925, and as a

Nacionalista The Nacionalista Party (Filipino language, Filipino and Spanish language in the Philippines, Spanish: ''Partido Nacionalista''; , NP) is a political party in the Philippines which is the oldest existing party in the country and in Southeast Asi ...

, was

Resident Commissioner Resident commissioner was or is an official title of several different types of commissioners, who were or are representatives of any level of government. Historically, they were appointed by the British Crown in overseas protectorates (such a ...

in the

United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the Bicameralism, bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Artic ...

in 1928, reelected in 1931 and served from March 4, 1929 until January 3, 1935, when his term expired in accordance with the new government of the

Philippine Commonwealth The Commonwealth of the Philippines (; ) was an unincorporated territory and commonwealth of the United States that existed from 1935 to 1946. It was established following the Tydings–McDuffie Act to replace the Insular Government of the Phi ...

. In 1934, he was an unsuccessful candidate for election to the Philippine Senate, but became a member of the Constitutional Convention in 1934, and a member of the first

National Assembly In politics, a national assembly is either a unicameral legislature, the lower house of a bicameral legislature, or both houses of a bicameral legislature together. In the English language it generally means "an assembly composed of the repr ...

in 1935. In 1939, he was a member of the Economic Mission to the United States, and chairman of the Educational Mission between 1938 and 1941. Senate President Camilo Osias

Back in the Philippines, Osías became chairman of the National Council of Education in 1941, Director of Publicity and Propaganda until January 1942, chairman of the National Cooperative Administration in 1941, later Assistant Commissioner of the Department of Education, Health, and Public Welfare, then Secretary of Education until 1945. He was also Chancellor of Osías Colleges. He was elected again to the Philippine Senate in 1947 for a term expiring in 1953. He was

twice for a short time in 1952 and in 1953. He was the Philippines' representative to the

Inter-Parliamentary Union The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU; , UIP) is an international organization of national parliaments. Its primary purpose is to promote democratic governance, accountability, and cooperation among its members; other initiatives include advancing g ...

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and to the International Trade Conference in

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in 1948. He ran for reelection in 1953, but lost and again in 1955. He was elected again, this time as a

Liberal Liberal or liberalism may refer to: Politics * Generally, a supporter of the political philosophy liberalism. Liberals may be politically left or right but tend to be centrist. * An adherent of a Liberal Party (See also Liberal parties by country ...

to the Philippine Senate (1961–1967), and served as president ''

pro tempore ''Pro tempore'' (), abbreviated ''pro tem'' or ''p.t.'', is a Latin phrase which best translates to 'for the time being' in English. This phrase is often used to describe a person who acts as a '' locum tenens'' ('placeholder'). The phrase is ...

''. He was a resident of

Mandaluyong Mandaluyong ( ; ), officially the City of Mandaluyong (, ), is a Cities of the Philippines#Legal classification, highly-urbanized city in the Metro Manila, National Capital Region of the Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a popula ...

Rizal Rizal most commonly refers to: * Rizal (province), a province of the Philippines * José Rizal, Filipino national hero whom the province is named after Rizal may also refer to: People * Akmal Rizal Ahmad Rakhli, Malaysian footballer * Atep Ri ...

(since incorporated into

Metro Manila Metropolitan Manila ( ), commonly shortened to Metro Manila and formally the National Capital Region (NCR; ), is the capital region and largest List of metropolitan areas in the Philippines, metropolitan area of the Philippines. Located ...

), until his death.

Presidential nomination

On April 12, 1953, Osias, being a prominent figure in the Nacionalista Party, lost the presidential nomination to

Ramon Magsaysay Ramon del Fierro Magsaysay Sr. (August 31, 1907 – March 17, 1957) was a Filipino statesman who served as the seventh President of the Philippines, from December 30, 1953, until his death in an 1957 Cebu Douglas C-47 crash, aircraft disast ...

at the Nacionalista Convention. Despite his experience and contributions to the party, Osias faced challenges due to his religious affiliation, being a

Protestant Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that emphasizes Justification (theology), justification of sinners Sola fide, through faith alone, the teaching that Salvation in Christianity, salvation comes by unmerited Grace in Christianity, divin ...

to a

Catholic The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...

-majority country, and the overwhelming popularity of Magsaysay. Feeling disrespected and defeated, Osias eventually switched to the

Liberal Party The Liberal Party is any of many political parties around the world. The meaning of ''liberal'' varies around the world, ranging from liberal conservatism on the right to social liberalism on the left. For example, while the political systems ...

Personal life

Osías was married to Ildefonsa Cuaresma, a former public school teacher from

Bacnotan Bacnotan, officially the Municipality of Bacnotan (; ), is a coastal municipality in the province of La Union, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 44,388 people. Etymology The name ''Bacnotan'' is derived from the ...

, near his hometown, in 1914. The couple raised seven children, Camilo Jr., Salvador, Victor, Apolinario, Rebecca, Benjamin and Rosita. After more than 20 years of marriage, Camilo divorced Ildefonsa and married Avelina Lorenzana in

Reno, Nevada Reno ( ) is a city in the northwest section of the U.S. state of Nevada, along the Nevada–California border. It is the county seat and most populous city of Washoe County, Nevada, Washoe County. Sitting in the High Eastern Sierra foothills, ...

. That marriage produced no children.

Bibliography

*Camilo Osías: ''The Story of a Long Career of Varied Tasks'' (Manlapaz Publishing Co., Quezon City, 1971) *Eduardo Bananal: ''Camilo Osías: Educator and Statesman'' (Manlapaz Publishing Co., Quezon City, 1974) *''Camilo Osia'' (sic) in ''Hispanic Americans in Congress, 1822-1995'', prepared under the direction of the Joint Committee on Printing by Carmen E. Enciso and Tracy North, Hispanic Division, Library of Congress (Government Printing Office, Washington, 1995)

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Osias, Camilo 1889 births 1976 deaths Filipino Methodists Ilocano people Filipino Protestants Converts to Protestantism from Roman Catholicism Laurel administration cabinet members Liberal Party (Philippines) politicians Members of the House of Representatives of the Philippines from La Union Members of the United States Congress of Filipino descent Members of the United States House of Representatives of Asian descent Nacionalista Party politicians People from La Union Filipino Freemasons Presidents of the Senate of the Philippines Quezon administration personnel Resident commissioners of the Philippines Secretaries of education of the Philippines Senators of the 1st Congress of the Philippines Senators of the 2nd Congress of the Philippines Senators of the 5th Congress of the Philippines Senators of the 6th Congress of the Philippines Senators of the 7th Philippine Legislature Senators of the 8th Philippine Legislature Teachers College, Columbia University alumni Western Illinois University alumni Members of the National Assembly of the Philippines KALIBAPI politicians Burials at the Loyola Memorial Park Filipino expatriates in the United States Members of the Senate of the Philippines from the 2nd district