Jose Torres Bugallon
Encyclopedia
José Torres Bugallón y Gonzales (August 28, 1873 – February 4, 1899) was a Filipino
military officer who fought in the Philippine-American War
. He is known as the "Hero of the Battle of La Loma", where he was fatally wounded.
. His father, José Asas Bugallón, came from Baliuag, Bulacan
, while his mother was from the Gonzales family of Pangasinan
.
, where he studied under Don Rufino Villaruz. He finished his first and second years of secondary schooling in 1882. In 1886, he enrolled at the Colegio de San Juan de Letran
in Manila
, where he completed his secondary course and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1889, with high scholastic ratings.
After his graduation, Bugallón entered the Seminary of San Carlos with the intention of becoming a priest. However, he passed the validation examination given by the Spanish government
in 1892, and he was sent abroad as a pensionado of the government to the Academia Militar de Toledo
. As a result, Bugallon spent three years of his life studying military science and warfare.
with the rank of Second Lieutenant
. He was dispatched to the Philippines
where he joined the 70th Infantry Regiment. When Philippine Revolution
broke out, he and his regiment were posted in Cavite
and Batangas
. Bugallón exhibited exemplary valor at the Battle of Talisay, Batangas, on May 30, 1897; as a result, he was awarded the Cross of María Cristina and the Cruz Roja del Merito Militar (Red Cross for Military Honor).
was signed, ending the Spanish-American War
. Bugallón was able to obtain his clearance papers at this time.
During this period, relations between the First Philippine Republic
and the United States
began to sour, especially with the American occupation
of Manila. On January 23, 1899, Antonio Luna
was appointed as head of the Philippine Army
.
Realizing possible American hostility, he began to reorganize the Filipino revolutionary forces. Luna recruited many officers and soldiers of the former Spanish colonial army, one of which was Bugallón, who apparently already held the rank of Major
. As aide-de-camp to Luna, Bugallón was responsible for the recruitment of Spanish war veterans, and he was very instrumental in reorganizing the Philippine Army, particularly as a faculty member of the Academia Militar
established by Luna in Malolos, Bulacan in October 1898. As a result, Bugallon became an invaluable officer to Luna.
erupted. Bugallon rejoined Luna in the field immediately.
The next day, February 5, saw them in La Loma hill, the present day site of La Loma Cemetery
, between Manila and Caloocan City
. While holding the line, American troops under General Arthur MacArthur, Jr.
charged and outflanked them. As a result, Bugallon and his men were exposed to enemy fire, and he sustained a bullet in his thighs.
Upon learning from that Bugallón was wounded, Luna ordered:
Luna found Bugallón severely wounded and prostrate in a ditch along the road. "Don't expose yourself so much. Don't advance any farther," Bugallón said.
For his bravery, Luna immediately promoted Bugallón to Lieutenant Colonel
. The wounded hero was rushed by train to the medical station in Caloocan, hoping that he could be kept alive until he can be brought to the hospital in Malolos. However, it was too late; after inquiring if the Filipino reinforcements have arrived, and expired in Luna's arms. Allegedly, Luna unashamedly wept for Bugallón.
but it was decided later to inter the corpse at the Malolos cemetery. There a tomb with a modest stone slab marked his final resting place.
In 1921, to perpetuate his memory, Congressman Mauro Navarro of Pangasinan
sponsored a law that changed the municipality of Salasa, the hero's birthplace, to Bugallon.
His remains are now buried in the Sampaloc Church in Manila
.
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 ....
military officer who fought in the Philippine-American War
Philippine-American War
The Philippine–American War, also known as the Philippine War of Independence or the Philippine Insurrection , was an armed conflict between a group of Filipino revolutionaries and the United States which arose from the struggle of the First Philippine Republic to gain independence following...
. He is known as the "Hero of the Battle of La Loma", where he was fatally wounded.
Family background
Bugallón was born on August 28, 1873, in Salasa, PangasinanBugallon, Pangasinan
Bugallon is a 3rd class municipality in the province of Pangasinan, Philippines. According to the latest census, it has a population of 62,237 people in 10,614 households.-History:...
. His father, José Asas Bugallón, came from Baliuag, Bulacan
Baliuag, Bulacan
Baliuag or Baliwag is a 1st Class Urban municipality in the province of Bulacan, Philippines. According to the latest census, it has a population of 136,982 inhabitants in 25,050 households....
, while his mother was from the Gonzales family of Pangasinan
Pangasinan
Pangasinan is a province of the Republic of the Philippines. The provincial capital is Lingayen. Pangasinan is located on the west central and peripheral area of the island of Luzon along the Lingayen Gulf, with the total land area being 5,368.82 square kilometers . According to the latest census,...
.
Education
After elementary schooling in Salasa, Bugallón went to San Isidro, Nueva EcijaSan Isidro, Nueva Ecija
San Isidro is a 2nd class municipality in the province of Nueva Ecija, Philippines. According to the latest Philippine census, it has a population of 44,687 people in 8,340 households....
, where he studied under Don Rufino Villaruz. He finished his first and second years of secondary schooling in 1882. In 1886, he enrolled 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 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,...
, where he completed his secondary course and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1889, with high scholastic ratings.
After his graduation, Bugallón entered the Seminary of San Carlos with the intention of becoming a priest. However, he passed the validation examination given by the Spanish government
Spanish East Indies
Spanish East Indies was a term used to describe Spanish territories in Asia-Pacific which lasted for three centuries . With the seat of government in Manila, the territory encompassed the Philippine Islands, Guam and the Mariana Islands, the Caroline Islands, and for a period of time, parts of...
in 1892, and he was sent abroad as a pensionado of the government to the Academia Militar de Toledo
Toledo, Spain
Toledo's Alcázar became renowned in the 19th and 20th centuries as a military academy. At the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War in 1936 its garrison was famously besieged by Republican forces.-Economy:...
. As a result, Bugallon spent three years of his life studying military science and warfare.
Philippine Revolution
In 1896, Bugallón graduated from the Academia and was commissioned in the Spanish ArmySpanish Army
The Spanish Army is the terrestrial army of the Spanish Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is one of the oldest active armies - dating back to the 15th century.-Introduction:...
with the rank of Second Lieutenant
Second Lieutenant
Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces.- United Kingdom and Commonwealth :The rank second lieutenant was introduced throughout the British Army in 1871 to replace the rank of ensign , although it had long been used in the Royal Artillery, Royal...
. He was dispatched to the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
where he joined the 70th Infantry Regiment. When Philippine Revolution
Philippine 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...
broke out, he and his regiment were posted in Cavite
Cavite
Cavite is a province of the Philippines located on the southern shores of Manila Bay in the CALABARZON region in Luzon, just 30 kilometers south of Manila. Cavite is surrounded by Laguna to the east, Metro Manila to the northeast, and Batangas to the south...
and Batangas
Batangas
Batangas is a first class province of the Philippines located on the southwestern part of Luzon in the CALABARZON region. Its capital is Batangas City and it is bordered by the provinces of Cavite and Laguna to the north and Quezon to the east. Across the Verde Island Passages to the south is the...
. Bugallón exhibited exemplary valor at the Battle of Talisay, Batangas, on May 30, 1897; as a result, he was awarded the Cross of María Cristina and the Cruz Roja del Merito Militar (Red Cross for Military Honor).
Treaty of Paris
On December 10, 1898, the Treaty of ParisTreaty 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....
was signed, ending the Spanish-American War
Spanish-American War
The Spanish–American War was a conflict in 1898 between Spain and the United States, effectively the result of American intervention in the ongoing Cuban War of Independence...
. Bugallón was able to obtain his clearance papers at this time.
During this period, relations between the First Philippine Republic
First Philippine Republic
The Philippine Republic , more commonly known as the First Philippine Republic or the Malolos Republic was a short-lived insurgent revolutionary government in the Philippines...
and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
began to sour, especially with the American occupation
Battle of Manila (1898)
The Battle of Manila was a short land engagement between the United States and Spain at the end of the Spanish-American War, which occurred a couple of months after the pivotal American victory during the naval Battle of Manila Bay...
of Manila. On January 23, 1899, Antonio Luna
Antonio Luna
Antonio Luna y Novicio was a Filipino pharmacist and general who fought in the Philippine-American War. He was also the founder of the Philippines's first military academy.- Family background :...
was appointed as head of the Philippine Army
Philippine Army
The Philippine Army is the ground arm of the Armed Forces of the Philippines . Its official name in Tagalog is Hukbong Katihan ng Pilipinas. On July 23, 2010, President Benigno Aquino III appointed Maj. Gen...
.
Realizing possible American hostility, he began to reorganize the Filipino revolutionary forces. Luna recruited many officers and soldiers of the former Spanish colonial army, one of which was Bugallón, who apparently already held the rank of Major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
. As aide-de-camp to Luna, Bugallón was responsible for the recruitment of Spanish war veterans, and he was very instrumental in reorganizing the Philippine Army, particularly as a faculty member of the Academia Militar
Philippine Military Academy
The Philippine Military Academy or PMA, is the Philippine military school for the Armed Forces of the Philippines . PMA was established on December 21, 1936 by the virtue of Commonwealth Act No. 1 . PMA is located in Baguio, Benguet province...
established by Luna in Malolos, Bulacan in October 1898. As a result, Bugallon became an invaluable officer to Luna.
Philippine-American War and Death
On February 4, 1899, the Philippine-American WarPhilippine-American War
The Philippine–American War, also known as the Philippine War of Independence or the Philippine Insurrection , was an armed conflict between a group of Filipino revolutionaries and the United States which arose from the struggle of the First Philippine Republic to gain independence following...
erupted. Bugallon rejoined Luna in the field immediately.
The next day, February 5, saw them in La Loma hill, the present day site of La Loma Cemetery
La Loma Cemetery
The La Loma Catholic Cemetery was opened in 1884 and is located mostly in the city of Manila and the northwestern part to Caloocan.The La Loma Cemetery is the oldest cemetery in Manila with an area of slightly less than 54 hectares...
, between Manila and Caloocan City
Caloocan City
The City of Caloocan is one of the cities and municipalities that comprises the Metro Manila region in the Philippines. It is a major residential area inside Metro Manila...
. While holding the line, American troops under General Arthur MacArthur, Jr.
Arthur MacArthur, Jr.
Lieutenant General Arthur MacArthur, Jr. , was a United States Army General. He became the military Governor-General of the American-occupied Philippines in 1900 but his term ended a year later due to clashes with the civilian governor, future President William Howard Taft...
charged and outflanked them. As a result, Bugallon and his men were exposed to enemy fire, and he sustained a bullet in his thighs.
Upon learning from that Bugallón was wounded, Luna ordered:
Luna found Bugallón severely wounded and prostrate in a ditch along the road. "Don't expose yourself so much. Don't advance any farther," Bugallón said.
For his bravery, Luna immediately promoted Bugallón to Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
. The wounded hero was rushed by train to the medical station in Caloocan, hoping that he could be kept alive until he can be brought to the hospital in Malolos. However, it was too late; after inquiring if the Filipino reinforcements have arrived, and expired in Luna's arms. Allegedly, Luna unashamedly wept for Bugallón.
Burial and Perpetuation of Memory
Arrangements were made to bury his remains in BigaaBalagtas, Bulacan
Balagtas is a 1st class urban municipality in the province of Bulacan, Philippines. According to the latest census, it has a population of 62,684 inhabitants in 11,834 households....
but it was decided later to inter the corpse at the Malolos cemetery. There a tomb with a modest stone slab marked his final resting place.
In 1921, to perpetuate his memory, Congressman Mauro Navarro of Pangasinan
Pangasinan
Pangasinan is a province of the Republic of the Philippines. The provincial capital is Lingayen. Pangasinan is located on the west central and peripheral area of the island of Luzon along the Lingayen Gulf, with the total land area being 5,368.82 square kilometers . According to the latest census,...
sponsored a law that changed the municipality of Salasa, the hero's birthplace, to Bugallon.
His remains are now buried in the Sampaloc Church in 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,...
.