Hermenegildo Villanueva

Hermenegildo Teves Villanueva (September 25, 1876 – December 17, 1941), fondly called Bindoy,[1] was a Filipino politician. He served as Secretary of Labor for Manuel L. Quezon from December 1938 until his resignation in April 1939.[2]

Hermenegildo Villanueva
Secretary of Labor
In office
December 1938 – April 1939
PresidentManuel Quezon
Preceded byJose Avelino
Succeeded bySotero Baluyut
2nd Governor of Negros Oriental
In office
1931–1937
Preceded byAtilano T. Villegas
Succeeded byJulian L. Teves
In office
1907–1909
Preceded byDemetrio Larena
Succeeded byJuan Montenegro
Senator of the Philippines from the 8th Senatorial District
In office
1919 – 1931
Served with:
Espiridion Guanco (1919-1925)
Mariano Yulo (1925-1929)
Francisco Zulueta (1929-1931)
Preceded byManuel Lopez
Succeeded byGil Montilla
Member of the Philippine Assembly from Negros Oriental's 1st District
In office
1909–1916
Preceded byLeopoldo Rovira
Succeeded byRestituto Villegas
Personal details
Born(1876-09-25)September 25, 1876
Bais, Negros Oriental, Captaincy General of the Philippines
Died(1941-12-17)December 17, 1941
Manila Bay
NationalityFilipino
Political partyNacionalista Party
Spouse(s)Asuncion Larena y de la Peña
ChildrenJesus Pablo Villanueva

Personal life

Villanueva was born on the 25th of September, 1876 in Bais, Negros Oriental, one of the 11 children of Hermenegildo Regis Villanueva and Anselma Pinili Teves. He was privately tutored for primary education and finished secondary and tertiary education in Cebu. Upon finishing his studies, the Spanish–American War erupted and he became one of the leaders in the Negros Revolution.

He was married to Asuncion Larena, daughter of Don Demetrio Larena and Maria Luisa de la Peña of Zamboanguita. They had one son, Jesus Pablo Villanueva. He also partnered with Nemecia Diputado and had 5 children.

As a sugar planter and progressive agriculturist, he was a long-time member of the board of directors of Central Azucarera de Bais y Tanjay founded by Tabacalera. He was also instrumental in the creation of the Sugar Central Board, forerunner of the present Sugar Regulatory Administration.[3]

Political career

After the Spanish–American War, he was appointed as justice of the peace in Bais. In 1902, he became municipal vice-president (vice mayor) and subsequently elected as municipal president (mayor) in 1903. He was reelected for another term in 1905.

In 1907, he succeeded Demetrio Larena as governor of Negros Oriental. In 1909, while serving an unexpired term as governor, he ran for a seat in the Philippine Assembly and won. He represented the first district of Negros Oriental for two consecutive terms from 1909 to 1912 and from 1912 to 1916.

Villanueva then served as senator from the eighth senatorial district for two terms from 1919 to 1925 and from 1925 to 1931. Afterwards, he returned as governor of Negros Oriental for another two terms from 1931 to 1934 and from 1934 to 1937. During his incumbency as governor, he was elected as delegate to the 1934 Constitutional Convention that drafted the 1935 Philippine Constitution and was chairman of the Committees on National Defense, Special Provinces, and Sponsorship.[4][5]

Prior to his appointment to the Quezon cabinet, he was appointed Chairman of the Board on Pension for Veterans in 1938.

Death and legacy

Villanueva was aboard SS Corregidor when it sank in the early hours of December 17, 1941 upon striking a mine off Manila Bay. His son Jesus Pablo Villanueva also died as a result of the tragedy.[6][7][8]

In 1949, as decreed by President Elpidio Quirino, the barrio of Payabon was separated from the town of Manjuyod, Negros Oriental and created as the town of Bindoy, named after Villanueva.

References
  1. http://www.tanjaycity.org/familytrees/VillanuevaTree-Ver7-10Apr2014.pdf
  2. "Biography of Hermenegildo Villanueva". Official Website of the Senate of the Philippines. Senate of the Philippines. Retrieved 2009-06-30.
  3. Aguilar, Filomeno V. (1998). Clash of Spirits: The History of Power and Sugar Planter Hegemony on a Visayan Island. Hawaii: University of Hawai'i Press. pp. 200. ISBN 0-8248-1992-6.
  4. "Roster of Philippine Senators | GOVPH". Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines. Retrieved 2019-03-20.
  5. "The 8th Senatorial District | The Freeman". philstar.com. Retrieved 2019-03-20.
  6. "Revisiting the Sinking of the SS Corregidor – The Maritime Review". maritimereview.ph. Retrieved 2019-03-20.
  7. admin (2011-07-07). "Panay Guerilla Vignettes: The sinking of SS Corregidor". The Daily Guardian. Retrieved 2019-03-20.
  8. "The Sinking of the SS Corregidor Dec. 17 1941. 900-1,200 Lives Were Lost". The Pacific Wars. 2014-12-15. Retrieved 2019-03-20.
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