Antonio Ledesma Jayme
Encyclopedia
Antonio Ledesma Jayme was a Filipino
lawyer, revolutionary, provincial governor
and assemblyman
.
. He was the eldest of seven children of Aguedo Gamboa Jayme and the former Sabina Lopez Ledesma.
Jayme's family migrated to Silay City
, Negros Occidental
when he was still young. This occurred during a time when the Chinese mestizo
s of Jaro and Molo
in Panay Island
were forced to search for better business opportunities aside from Iloilo's declining textile industry
, brought about by cheap imports from mainland China
. The promise of great reward afforded by the high price of world sugar constituted this preoccupation among Jaro's businessmen to settle in nearby Negros Island. Like the rest of the wave of immigrants, the Jaymes pursued sugar
-based agriculture
and transformed a tract of land into an hacienda
or plantation.
As was common among the principalia in Negros, Jayme enjoyed an early education by crossing the Guimaras Strait to attend the Seminario de Jaro, the Jaro Seminary. He was easily accommodated as his uncle on the paternal side, Fray Francisco Jayme (who tutored and raised Philippine patriot Graciano Lopez-Jaena), was its first rector. From 1869 to 1871, Jayme studied philosophy and letters at Jaro which was still the most populated, most industrious and most prosperous province in the Philippines at that time.
However, in a spirit of wanderlust and in search of better education, he left for Manila
to enroll at the Colegio de San Juan de Letran
in 1872. After completing his segunda ensenanza (Spanish
, "secondary education"), he entered the University of Santo Tomas
, where he earned his licenciado en jurisprudencia (equivalent to a Bachelor of Laws
) in October, 1881.
He was to become the first Ilonggo lawyer to practice law in Negros during the Spanish colonial period in the Philippines. He subsequently entered public service as justice of the peace and judge of the Court of First Instance in the province.
in 1898, Negros took up arms against Spain. Now known as the Cinco de Noviembre Movement or the November 5 Movement of the Negros Revolution
, this historical event saw Jayme witnessing the bloodless surrender of Spanish troops in Bacolod City. For the first time, a Philippine flag
fluttered triumphantly in the Spanish garrison of Bacolod, an event that saw the people of Negros break "more than three hundred years of Spanish rule without firing a shot."
Jayme was a signatory to the ratification of a constitution
for a new government in the wake of Spanish defeat. Upon the formation of the "Cantonal Republic of Negros" , renamed the Republic of Negros
on July 22, 1899, Jayme occupied the seat of Secretary of Justice under President Aniceto Lacson
and acted as general counselor of the provisional government despite internal divisions of leadership. Through tact and careful negotiation, he was able to prevent clashes erupting between one group who favored American sovereignty and another group who rallied against it.
After the Treaty of Paris
and the subsequent colonialization of the Philippines by the United States, he was elected as provincial governor in the general elections of 1904, defeating Esteban de la Rama, his strongest rival.
As governor, Jayme invested public funds to construct schools, encourage enrollment, and increase the literacy rate of his constituents. Aside from hastening the pacification of the province, he conducted campaigns against vagrancy, banditry, gambling and other vices. Political and social conditions in Negros Occidental further improved through his advocacy of law reform. The laws at the time were products of the Spanish legal system of the 19th century. A file prepared by the National Historical Institute of the Philippines said that "He sought remedies to problems by suggesting modifications in existing laws and the enactment of new ones."
His performance as governor led to his election as representative of the first district of Negros Occidental to the First Philippine Assembly
in 1907. It was the first time in history that Filipinos formed their own legislative body. He served as a member of the committees on provincial and municipal governments, the committee on the city of Manila, and the committee on the revision of laws. As chairman of the committee on police powers, he authored a bill which sought the abolition of capital punishment.
He returned to private law practice and the management of his haciendas after his career as assemblyman.
and Hiligaynon
which were published in periodicals like La Libertad (1900) and La Razon (1906). " P. Moral", "Farole", "Mansilingan", "Panagao", and "G.G." were some of his pseudonyms. He was also a founder and a professor of the Instituto Rizal, which was later renamed as the Negros Occidental High School
. He provided the first classrooms and dormitories of the school.
He was a director of the Bacolod-Murcia Sugar Central which exists to this day.
On February 10, 1989, President Aquino, through Republic Act. No. 6709
, declared November 5 as a special non-working holiday
in Negros Occidental as a reminder of Illongo heroism during the Philippine Revolutions at the waning years of the 19th century. This was in commemoration of the Cinco de Noviembre Movement, where Antonio Ledesma Jayme played an important role as secretary of justice.
Filipino people
The Filipino people or Filipinos are an Austronesian ethnic group native to the islands of the Philippines. There are about 92 million Filipinos in the Philippines, and about 11 million living outside the Philippines ....
lawyer, revolutionary, provincial governor
Governor
A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
and assemblyman
Philippine Assembly
The Philippine Assembly was the lower house of the legislative body of the Philippines during the early part of American colonial period. It was created by the Philippine Organic Act, passed in 1902, which also established the Philippine Commission as the upper house of the Philippine Legislature,...
.
Early years and education
Antonio L. Jayme was born on July 24, 1854 in what is now the district of Jaro, Iloilo CityJaro, Iloilo City
Jaro is one of the six districts of Iloilo City, in the Philippine province of Iloilo, on the island of Panay, in the Western Visayas.It is the seat of the Catholic Archdiocese of Jaro, that covers the whole Western Visayan region. -History:...
. He was the eldest of seven children of Aguedo Gamboa Jayme and the former Sabina Lopez Ledesma.
Jayme's family migrated to Silay City
Silay City
Silay City is a 2nd class city in the province of Negros Occidental, Philippines. According to the August 1, 2007 census, it had a total population of 120,365 people...
, Negros Occidental
Negros Occidental
Negros Occidental is a province of the Philippines located in the Western Visayas region. Its capital is Bacolod City and it occupies the northwestern half of Negros Island; Negros Oriental is at the southeastern half...
when he was still young. This occurred during a time when the Chinese mestizo
Mestizo
Mestizo is a term traditionally used in Latin America, Philippines and Spain for people of mixed European and Native American heritage or descent...
s of Jaro and Molo
Molo, Iloilo City
Molo is one of the seven districts of Iloilo City. It was built by Spaniards and was formerly called the Parian due to its large number of Chinese residents and their business establishments in the area at the time....
in Panay Island
Panay Island
Panay is an island in the Philippines located in the western part of the Visayas. Politically, it is divided into five provinces: Aklan, Antique, Capiz, and Iloilo, all in the Western Visayas Region. It is located southeast of the island of Mindoro and northwest of Negros, separated by the...
were forced to search for better business opportunities aside from Iloilo's declining textile industry
Textile industry
The textile industry is primarily concerned with the production of yarn, and cloth and the subsequent design or manufacture of clothing and their distribution. The raw material may be natural, or synthetic using products of the chemical industry....
, brought about by cheap imports from mainland China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. The promise of great reward afforded by the high price of world sugar constituted this preoccupation among Jaro's businessmen to settle in nearby Negros Island. Like the rest of the wave of immigrants, the Jaymes pursued sugar
Sugar
Sugar is a class of edible crystalline carbohydrates, mainly sucrose, lactose, and fructose, characterized by a sweet flavor.Sucrose in its refined form primarily comes from sugar cane and sugar beet...
-based agriculture
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
and transformed a tract of land into an hacienda
Hacienda
Hacienda is a Spanish word for an estate. Some haciendas were plantations, mines, or even business factories. Many haciendas combined these productive activities...
or plantation.
As was common among the principalia in Negros, Jayme enjoyed an early education by crossing the Guimaras Strait to attend the Seminario de Jaro, the Jaro Seminary. He was easily accommodated as his uncle on the paternal side, Fray Francisco Jayme (who tutored and raised Philippine patriot Graciano Lopez-Jaena), was its first rector. From 1869 to 1871, Jayme studied philosophy and letters at Jaro which was still the most populated, most industrious and most prosperous province in the Philippines at that time.
However, in a spirit of wanderlust and in search of better education, he left for Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
to enroll at the Colegio de San Juan de Letran
Colegio de San Juan de Letran
The Colegio de San Juan de Letran, Letran College, or simply Letran is a private Roman Catholic institution of learning located in Intramuros, Manila, in the Philippines. The college was founded in 1620. Colegio de San Juan de Letran has the distinction of being the oldest college in the...
in 1872. After completing his segunda ensenanza (Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
, "secondary education"), he entered the University of Santo Tomas
University of Santo Tomas
The Pontifical and Royal University of Santo Tomas, The Catholic University of the Philippines , is a private Roman Catholic university run by the Order of Preachers in Manila. Founded on April 28, 1611 by archbishop of Manila Miguel de Benavides, it has the oldest extant university charter in the...
, where he earned his licenciado en jurisprudencia (equivalent to a Bachelor of Laws
Bachelor of Laws
The Bachelor of Laws is an undergraduate, or bachelor, degree in law originating in England and offered in most common law countries as the primary law degree...
) in October, 1881.
He was to become the first Ilonggo lawyer to practice law in Negros during the Spanish colonial period in the Philippines. He subsequently entered public service as justice of the peace and judge of the Court of First Instance in the province.
The Philippine Revolution and its aftermath
During the second stage of the Philippine RevolutionPhilippine Revolution
The Philippine Revolution , called the "Tagalog War" by the Spanish, was an armed military conflict between the people of the Philippines and the Spanish colonial authorities which resulted in the secession of the Philippine Islands from the Spanish Empire.The Philippine Revolution began in August...
in 1898, Negros took up arms against Spain. Now known as the Cinco de Noviembre Movement or the November 5 Movement of the Negros Revolution
Negros Revolution
The Negros Revolution, now commemorated and popularly known as Al Cinco de Noviembre or Negros Day, was a political movement that in 1898 created a government in Negros Island in the Philippines, informally ending Spanish control of the island and resulting in a government run by the Negrense...
, this historical event saw Jayme witnessing the bloodless surrender of Spanish troops in Bacolod City. For the first time, a Philippine flag
Flag of the Philippines
The national flag of the Philippines is a horizontal flag bicolor with equal bands of royal blue and scarlet red, and with a white equilateral triangle at the hoist; in the center of the triangle is a golden yellow sun with eight primary rays, each containing three individual rays, which represent...
fluttered triumphantly in the Spanish garrison of Bacolod, an event that saw the people of Negros break "more than three hundred years of Spanish rule without firing a shot."
Jayme was a signatory to the ratification of a constitution
Constitution
A constitution is a set of fundamental principles or established precedents according to which a state or other organization is governed. These rules together make up, i.e. constitute, what the entity is...
for a new government in the wake of Spanish defeat. Upon the formation of the "Cantonal Republic of Negros" , renamed the Republic of Negros
Republic of Negros
The Republic of Negros was a short-lived revolutionary republic, and later, administrative division, which existed while the Philippines was under Spanish and American sovereignty. It took its name from Negros Island.-History:...
on July 22, 1899, Jayme occupied the seat of Secretary of Justice under President Aniceto Lacson
Aniceto Lacson
Aniceto Lacson y Ledesma was a sugar farmer, revolutionary general and businessman in the Philippines. He was the fifth son of seven children of Lucio Lacson y Petronila and Clara Ledesma of Iloilo, Philippines who migrated to Negros when Aniceto was still young...
and acted as general counselor of the provisional government despite internal divisions of leadership. Through tact and careful negotiation, he was able to prevent clashes erupting between one group who favored American sovereignty and another group who rallied against it.
After the Treaty of Paris
Treaty of Paris (1898)
The Treaty of Paris of 1898 was signed on December 10, 1898, at the end of the Spanish-American War, and came into effect on April 11, 1899, when the ratifications were exchanged....
and the subsequent colonialization of the Philippines by the United States, he was elected as provincial governor in the general elections of 1904, defeating Esteban de la Rama, his strongest rival.
As governor, Jayme invested public funds to construct schools, encourage enrollment, and increase the literacy rate of his constituents. Aside from hastening the pacification of the province, he conducted campaigns against vagrancy, banditry, gambling and other vices. Political and social conditions in Negros Occidental further improved through his advocacy of law reform. The laws at the time were products of the Spanish legal system of the 19th century. A file prepared by the National Historical Institute of the Philippines said that "He sought remedies to problems by suggesting modifications in existing laws and the enactment of new ones."
His performance as governor led to his election as representative of the first district of Negros Occidental to the First Philippine Assembly
1st Philippine Legislature
The First Philippine Legislature was the first representative legislature of the Philippines, then known as the Philippine Islands under the sovereign control of the United States.-Sessions:*First Regular Session: October 16, 1907– April 4, 1908...
in 1907. It was the first time in history that Filipinos formed their own legislative body. He served as a member of the committees on provincial and municipal governments, the committee on the city of Manila, and the committee on the revision of laws. As chairman of the committee on police powers, he authored a bill which sought the abolition of capital punishment.
He returned to private law practice and the management of his haciendas after his career as assemblyman.
Miscellaneous
As a young man, he was noted as an author of various articles written in SpanishSpanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
and Hiligaynon
Hiligaynon language
Hiligaynon, often referred to as Ilonggo, is an Austronesian language spoken in the Western Visayas region of the Philippines.Hiligaynon is concentrated in the provinces of Iloilo, Negros Occidental and Capiz but is also spoken in the other provinces of the Panay Island group, including Antique,...
which were published in periodicals like La Libertad (1900) and La Razon (1906). " P. Moral", "Farole", "Mansilingan", "Panagao", and "G.G." were some of his pseudonyms. He was also a founder and a professor of the Instituto Rizal, which was later renamed as the Negros Occidental High School
Negros Occidental High School
Negros Occidental High School is a public secondary educational institution in Bacolod City in the province of Negros Occidental, in the Philippines...
. He provided the first classrooms and dormitories of the school.
He was a director of the Bacolod-Murcia Sugar Central which exists to this day.
Death
Jayme died on October 9, 1937, leaving his wife and children. His eldest daughter, Angela, married the businessman and philanthropist Fernando Figueroa Gonzaga. Another descendant, Vicente R. Jayme, was appointed as president of Philippine National Bank, secretary of finance and secretary of public works and highways during the term of Philippine President Corazon C. Aquino.On February 10, 1989, President Aquino, through Republic Act. No. 6709
Republic Acts of the Philippines
This article contains a partial list of Philippine laws. Philippine laws have had various nomenclature designations at different periods in the history of the Philippines, as shown in the following table:...
, declared November 5 as a special non-working holiday
Holiday
A Holiday is a day designated as having special significance for which individuals, a government, or a religious group have deemed that observance is warranted. It is generally an official or unofficial observance of religious, national, or cultural significance, often accompanied by celebrations...
in Negros Occidental as a reminder of Illongo heroism during the Philippine Revolutions at the waning years of the 19th century. This was in commemoration of the Cinco de Noviembre Movement, where Antonio Ledesma Jayme played an important role as secretary of justice.
Further reading
- National Historical Institute, Republic of the Philippines
- Jurisprudence of the Supreme Court, Republic of the Philippines
- Quirino, Carlos. Who’s who in Philippine History. Manila: Tahanan Books, 1995.
- Sonza, Demetrio. Illustrious Ilonggos. Iloilo :Iloilo Provincial Historical Committee, 1972.
- The Tribune, December 22, 1936.
- Lopez, Oscar (ed.) The Lopez Family. Manila: Eugenio Lopez Foundation, 1982.
- Republic Act. No. 6709, Republic of the Philippines
- Don Antonio L. Jayme Elementary School
- Historical Directory of City Officials, Bacolod
- Jurisprudence of the Supreme Court, Republic of the Philippines
- Philippine Supreme Court Decisions On-line
- Yahoo Answers
- Filipino Heroes
- Gatuslao de Himamaylan http://gatuslaodehimamaylan.wordpress.com/
- Lutz vs. Araneta
- Cinco de Noviembre: Revolution or Hacienda? By Gil Alfredo Severino
- The remnants of the great Ilonggo nation By Sebastian Sta. Cruz Serag
- Historical Calendar http://historicalcalendar.blogspot.com/
- Rotary Club of Bacolod North
- Jayme as writer and journalist
- Jayme as a famous lawyer
- Jayme as a founder of Negros Occidental High School
- National Historical Institute
- The History of the First Philippine Assembly (1907–1916)