José Alejandrino

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Alejandrino and the second or maternal family name is Magdangal.

José Alejandrino
Alejandrino with his wife in c. 1901
Senator of the Philippines from the 12th senatorial district
In office November 13, 1923 – July 14, 1928
Appointed by	Leonard Wood
Preceded by	Teofisto Guingona Sr.
Succeeded by	Manuel Camus
3rd Governor of Pampanga
In office 1900–1901
Preceded by	Francisco Dizon
Succeeded by	Frederick Dent Grant
Minister of Agriculture, Industry and Commerce
In office June 23, 1898 – January 21, 1899
President	Emilio Aguinaldo
Preceded by	Position established
Succeeded by	Gracio Gonzaga (as Minister of Welfare)
Member of the Malolos Congress
In office September 15, 1898 – November 13, 1899
Constituency	Catanduanes
Personal details
Born	José Cándido Alejandrino y Magdangal (1870-12-01)December 1, 1870 Binondo, Manila, Captaincy General of the Philippines
Died	June 1, 1951(1951-06-01) (aged 80) Manila, Philippines
Political party	Popular Front (1941) Democrata (1923–1928) Independent (1898–1901)
Relations	Mamerto Natividad Sr. (brother-in-law) Mamerto Natividad (nephew) Jose Salvador Alejandrino Natividad (nephew) Benito Natividad (nephew)
Alma mater	Ateneo de Manila University University of Santo Tomas (BA) University of Ghent (MS)
Occupation	Politician
Profession	Engineer
Military service
Allegiance	First Philippine Republic
Years of service	1896–1901
Rank	Major General
Battles/wars	Philippine Revolution Philippine–American War

José Cándido Alejandrino y Magdangal (December 1, 1870 – June 1, 1951) was a Philippine Republican Army general during the Philippine Revolution and the Philippine–American War.

He was also a senator from the Twelfth Senatorial District of the Philippines.

Early life

Alejandrino was born to a wealthy family from Arayat, Pampanga, on December 1, 1870 in Manila. He initially studied at the Ateneo Municipal de Manila, and his contemporaries there included José Rizal, Juan Araneta, Cayetano Arellano, and Apolinario Mabini, among others. He acquired his Bachelor of Arts degree at the University of Santo Tomas, and pursued studies in Spain and at the University of Ghent, where he graduated with a degree in chemical engineering.

Propaganda Movement

While in Spain, he was one of the members of the Propaganda Movement which demanded equality, especially equal opportunities in the colonial administration, for Spaniards and Filipinos. He was also a contributor to La Solidaridad, an organization composed of Filipino liberals living abroad since 1872, mostly attending different universities across Europe. The group aimed to increase Spanish awareness of the needs of its colony, the Philippines, and to foster a closer relationship between the archipelago and Spain. Alejandrino helped José Rizal in correcting errors in the El filibusterismo, which was published in Ghent, Belgium. He also helped distribute copies of the said manuscript.

When Aguinaldo accepted the offer, Alejandrino proceeded to Hong Kong, where he helped organise the Consejo Revolucionario along with Felipe Agoncillo, José Maria Basa and Mariano Ponce. Later, he became part of the group in the Hong Kong Committee, which included Agoncillo and Galicano Apacible, who was the head of La solidaridad, which advocated Philippines independence, as opposed to the circle led by Basa and Doroteo Cortes, who were for annexation by the United States. In February 1897, Alejandrino went to Japan in hopes of acquiring more weapons for the revolutionaries. He was with Aguinaldo when the latter was exiled to Hong Kong in accordance to the Pact of Biak-na-Bato, which was signed on December 14, 1897.

Philippine–American War and postwar life

Group showing Brigadier General Manuel Tinio (seated, center), Brigadier General Benito Natividad (seated, 2nd from right), Lieutenant Colonel Jose Alejandrino (seated, 2nd from left), and their aides-de-camp.

In 1898, Alejandrino served in the Malolos Congress, becoming a member of the two committees that drafted the Malolos Constitution. On 26 September, he was given the post of Director of Agriculture, Industry and Commerce. Later, Aguinaldo designated Alejandrino chief of the engineers of the Army, and he directed the building of trenches in several areas, including Bulacan and Caloocan.

Alejandrino and his friend, General Antonio Luna, suggested to President Emilio Aguinaldo that they build a defensive line from Novaliches to Caloocan to delay the northward advance of American troops intent on capturing the railway. This was however not implemented, as General Luna was murdered by troops loyal to Aguinaldo. The president was later captured and unconditionally surrendered to General Frederick Funston on April 29, 1901. On April 12, 1901, Alejandrino married Adela Chuidian, daughter of the reformist Telesforo Chuidian. In August of the same year, Alejandrino accepted an offer to serve as the second city engineer of Manila. In 1925, Governor-General Leonard Wood made him senator of the Twelfth Senatorial District of the Philippines. He died on June 1, 1951.

Written works

• "Nuestra patria", anticolonial song composed during the Philippine–American War
• La senda del sacrificio (1949)

Media portrayals

• Portrayed by Alvin Anson in the film, Heneral Luna (2015), and its sequel, Goyo: Ang Batang Heneral (2018).