Bonifacio Flores Arevalo
Encyclopedia
Don Bonifacio Flores Arevalo (14 May 1850 - 13 December 1920) was a Filipino
ilustrado
, dentist, sculptor, propagandist, and an ardent patron of music and theater. He was the treasurer of La Liga Filipina
and the founder of the Sociedad Dental de Filipinas, which is now known as the Philippine Dental Association.
in 1833), also known as "Capitan Cheng-Cheng" (a sculptor and a dentist) when his father Justo Arevalo (who was also a sculptor) died. Cheng-Cheng studied dentistry under a French dentist who was called Petri. Artistry seems to run in the family, as Capitan Cheng-Cheng's wife Eulalia Asuncion, was also a skilled woodcarver. He learned dentistry from his uncle. Later he trained at the San Juan De Dios Hospital(Philippines).
, an organization founded by Jose Rizal
, under the aim of supporting the Propaganda Movement
's publication, La Solidaridad
.
After Jose Rizal was deported to Dapitan, La Liga was disbanded and in August 1894 Arevalo joined a new association called the Cuerpo de Compromisarios, that chose to carry on the peaceful reforms rather than support a revolution or the radical organization (Katipunan
) of Andres Bonifacio
(former La Liga member) that wanted Philippine Revolution
separation from the Spanish Empire
. Nevertheless, they were still associated to the organization that when the arrests were made to capture the members and supporters of the Katipunan
, Arevalo was one of captives and was imprisoned for nine months.
After his release in 1898, he was appointed to the Asamblea Consultiva together with C. Arellano, Pedro Paterno
, and Isaac de Rios under the its aim of convincing the revolutionaries to support Spain's war against the Americans. He was designated colonel of the militia of the revolutionary army and detailed in Sampaloc, Manila
, by General Emilio Aguinaldo
. He had been serving as the intendente of the second zone of operations of the revolutionary army until the early part of the Philippine-American War
when he was jailed by the American forces.
When he was released he decided to lead a quiet life and dedicated himself to his dental practice and other concerns such as business. Aside from practicing dentistry, he also engaged in cultural activities as a sculptor and a patron of the arts. He tried to engage in business by establishing a number of small Sari-sari store
s or retail stores that would try to compete with the more established stores of Chinese merchants. This venture failed within a short time. Later, he intended to erect a textile factory patterned after the factories he saw in Japan. On September 27, 1909 Arevalo went to Japan to study the operation of a textile factory preparatory to the proposed acquisition of machinery for his planned establishment of a textile plant in the Philippines. The plan never materialized. In the same year he formed an organization of hatmakers and local weavers.
. In 1908, he founded the Sociedad Dental de Filipinas, now known as the Philippine Dental Association. He was one of the very few licensed dentists of Manila during that time.
in Malolos. It served as the official band of the Revolutionary Government in 1898. Arevalo also managed an Italian opera company during its tour in the country. As a patron of the theatre arts he organized an actor’s company and regularly staged productions of the then very popular moro-moro plays, like “Ibong Adarna
,” “Jason at Medea,” and “Juan Tiñoso.” Some of the actors he trained, and who were truly in need of a benefactor such as himself, were Julio Mariano, Ildefonsa Alianza, Felisa Cleofas, and Pantaleon Aldana.
Publications, 1955.
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 ....
ilustrado
Ilustrado
The Ilustrados constituted the Filipino educated class during the Spanish colonial period in the late 19th century....
, dentist, sculptor, propagandist, and an ardent patron of music and theater. He was the treasurer of La Liga Filipina
La Liga Filipina
La Liga Filipina was a progressive organization created by Dr. José Rizal in the Philippines in a house at Ilaya Street, Tondo, Manila in 1892.The organization derived from La Solidaridad and the Propaganda movement...
and the founder of the Sociedad Dental de Filipinas, which is now known as the Philippine Dental Association.
Family & Education
Bonifacio Flores Arevalo(I) first learned sculpting and then studied dentistry. He first learned sculpting at age seven when he was placed under the care of his uncle, Don Jose Arevalo (town captain of Biñan, LagunaBiñan, Laguna
The City of Biñan is a first class component city in the Republic of the Philippines. It is located in the Province of Laguna, in the island of Luzon, and also accessible from Metro Manila via the South Luzon Expressway, Biñan City has become both a suburban residential community of Metro Manila...
in 1833), also known as "Capitan Cheng-Cheng" (a sculptor and a dentist) when his father Justo Arevalo (who was also a sculptor) died. Cheng-Cheng studied dentistry under a French dentist who was called Petri. Artistry seems to run in the family, as Capitan Cheng-Cheng's wife Eulalia Asuncion, was also a skilled woodcarver. He learned dentistry from his uncle. Later he trained at the San Juan De Dios Hospital(Philippines).
- Bonifacio (I) had a son with Trinidad, named Juan Arevalo (interred at The Manila North Cemetery)Manila North CemeteryManila North CemeteryThe Manila North Cemetery , which measures 54 hectares, is considered the biggest and one of the oldest cemeteries in Metro Manila. Beside it are two other important cemeteries, namely the La Loma Cemetery and the Manila Chinese Cemetery...
, who later on became part of the Philippine revolutionary movement in Cavite. - Juan Arevalo had a son, with wife Maria Basa, named Bonifacio Basa Arevalo (II), who also became a dentist (interred at The Manila North Cemetery)Manila North CemeteryManila North CemeteryThe Manila North Cemetery , which measures 54 hectares, is considered the biggest and one of the oldest cemeteries in Metro Manila. Beside it are two other important cemeteries, namely the La Loma Cemetery and the Manila Chinese Cemetery...
. - Bonifacio had a son with Carmen Ordax, named Bonfiacio Ordax Arevalo (III) who was a chemist (interred at The Manila North Cemetery).
- When Bonifacio's wife Trinidad died, he married Benita Ocampo (There is no information available regarding their offspring.)
- Note: There seems to be a confusion as to which Bonifacio Arevalo was buried at The Manila North Cemetery. To clarify, it is Bonifacio Basa Arevalo (II) and Bonifacio Ordax Arevalo (III).
- The burial site of Bonifacio Flores Arevalo (I) is unknown.
- The Arevalo ancestral house in Quiapo, Manila (where Doctor Jose P. Rizal, in his testimony in a trial, dined with Bonifacio Arevalo) was transferred to the Herrera family, after Don Juan Arevalo died and Maria Basa married a Herrera (whose family mausoleum is also located at The Manila North Cemetery). Maria Basa Herrera (formerly Maria Basa Arevalo) had children with her new husband. One of those children was Judge Jose Herrera.
Significance in Philippine History and Culture
In July 1892 he became the treasurer of La Liga FilipinaLa Liga Filipina
La Liga Filipina was a progressive organization created by Dr. José Rizal in the Philippines in a house at Ilaya Street, Tondo, Manila in 1892.The organization derived from La Solidaridad and the Propaganda movement...
, an organization founded by Jose Rizal
José Rizal
José Protacio Rizal Mercado y Alonso Realonda , was a Filipino polymath, patriot and the most prominent advocate for reform in the Philippines during the Spanish colonial era. He is regarded as the foremost Filipino patriot and is listed as one of the national heroes of the Philippines by...
, under the aim of supporting the Propaganda Movement
Propaganda Movement
The Propaganda Movement was a literary and cultural organization formed in 1872 by Filipino émigrés who had settled in Europe. Composed of Filipino liberals exiled in 1872 and students attending Europe's universities, the organization aimed to increase Spanish awareness of the needs of its colony,...
's publication, La Solidaridad
La solidaridad
La Solidaridad was an organization created in Spain on December 13, 1888. Composed of Filipino liberals exiled in 1872 and students attending Europe's universities, the organization aimed to increase Spanish awareness of the needs of its colony, the Philippines, and to propagate a closer...
.
- Jose Rizal's testimony on a trial:
- On November 20, 1896, there appeared before the Honorable Court and his Secretary, the accused, and after he had been admonished to tell the truth, declared:
- Jose Rizal Mercado y Alonso, of age, single, a physician, resident of Calamba, province of Laguna, had never before been indicted.
- Q: Do you know Bonifacio Arevalo?
- A: Yes, because one Sunday I ate dinner in his home, but since then, I did not see him again.
After Jose Rizal was deported to Dapitan, La Liga was disbanded and in August 1894 Arevalo joined a new association called the Cuerpo de Compromisarios, that chose to carry on the peaceful reforms rather than support a revolution or the radical organization (Katipunan
Katipunan
The Katipunan was a Philippine revolutionary society founded by anti-Spanish Filipinos in Manila in 1892, whose primary aim was to gain independence from Spain through revolution. The society was initiated by Filipino patriots Andrés Bonifacio, Teodoro Plata, Ladislao Diwa, and others on the night...
) of Andres Bonifacio
Andres Bonifacio
Andrés Bonifacio y de Castro was a Filipino nationalist and revolutionary. He was a founder and later Supremo of the Katipunan movement which sought the independence of the Philippines from Spanish colonial rule and started the Philippine Revolution...
(former La Liga member) that wanted 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...
separation from the Spanish Empire
Spanish Empire
The Spanish Empire comprised territories and colonies administered directly by Spain in Europe, in America, Africa, Asia and Oceania. It originated during the Age of Exploration and was therefore one of the first global empires. At the time of Habsburgs, Spain reached the peak of its world power....
. Nevertheless, they were still associated to the organization that when the arrests were made to capture the members and supporters of the Katipunan
Katipunan
The Katipunan was a Philippine revolutionary society founded by anti-Spanish Filipinos in Manila in 1892, whose primary aim was to gain independence from Spain through revolution. The society was initiated by Filipino patriots Andrés Bonifacio, Teodoro Plata, Ladislao Diwa, and others on the night...
, Arevalo was one of captives and was imprisoned for nine months.
After his release in 1898, he was appointed to the Asamblea Consultiva together with C. Arellano, Pedro Paterno
Pedro Paterno
Pedro Alejandro Paterno y de Vera-Ignacio, also spelled Pedro Alejandro Paterno y Debera Ignacio was a Filipino politician, as well as a poet and novelist.His intervention on behalf of the Spanish led to the signing of the Pact of...
, and Isaac de Rios under the its aim of convincing the revolutionaries to support Spain's war against the Americans. He was designated colonel of the militia of the revolutionary army and detailed in Sampaloc, Manila
Sampaloc, Manila
Sampaloc is a district of Manila which is primarily a residential and educational center. Part of the Malacañang Palace is located in Sampaloc. The University of Santo Tomas, University of the East Manila are part of the University Belt to name a few, the famous Dangwa flower market at Dimasalang...
, by General Emilio Aguinaldo
Emilio Aguinaldo
Emilio Aguinaldo y Famy was a Filipino general, politician, and independence leader. He played an instrumental role during the Philippines' revolution against Spain, and the subsequent Philippine-American War or War of Philippine Independence that resisted American occupation...
. He had been serving as the intendente of the second zone of operations of the revolutionary army until the early part of 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...
when he was jailed by the American forces.
When he was released he decided to lead a quiet life and dedicated himself to his dental practice and other concerns such as business. Aside from practicing dentistry, he also engaged in cultural activities as a sculptor and a patron of the arts. He tried to engage in business by establishing a number of small Sari-sari store
Sari-sari store
A sari-sari store is a convenience store found in the Philippines. The word sari-sari is Tagalog meaning "variety". Such stores form an important economic and social location in a Filipino community. It is present in almost all neighborhoods, sometimes even in every street. Most sari-sari stores...
s or retail stores that would try to compete with the more established stores of Chinese merchants. This venture failed within a short time. Later, he intended to erect a textile factory patterned after the factories he saw in Japan. On September 27, 1909 Arevalo went to Japan to study the operation of a textile factory preparatory to the proposed acquisition of machinery for his planned establishment of a textile plant in the Philippines. The plan never materialized. In the same year he formed an organization of hatmakers and local weavers.
Dentistry
His skill in dentistry was passed to him by his foster parent, his uncle Don Jose Arevalo. In 1876, Bonifacio opened a dental clinic in Quiapo, ManilaQuiapo, Manila
Quiapo is a district and city square of Manila. Referred as the "Old Downtown", Quiapo in known for where cheap buys or goods are being sold at rock-bottom prices and was the home of the Quiapo Church, where the feast for the Black Nazarene is held, with over millions of people attending...
. In 1908, he founded the Sociedad Dental de Filipinas, now known as the Philippine Dental Association. He was one of the very few licensed dentists of Manila during that time.
Sculpture
As a sculptor, his works mainly fall into one of three categories: those with religious subjects or motifs; tipos del pais (country genre) on pieces depicting local customs, scenes, and occupations; and portraits. He mostly worked with wood. His favorite medium was the santol wood. He trained Mariano Madriñan of Paete, who gained fame through his participation in the Amsterdam Exposition in 1882 where his Mater Dolorosa won raves. Bonifacio Arevalo won the Gold Medal from the 1895 Exposición Regional de Filipinas, and in 1902 the Hanoi Exhibition Awards.Music & Theater
As a patron of music and theater. In 1890 his lucrative practice of dentistry allowed him to save the Pasig Bandfrom being dissolved. He reorganized the group, bought new instruments, and hired Marcelino Asuncion, the former director of a Spanish military band, to lead it. It was later known as the "Banda Arevalo". It was one of the bands that performed for the Revolutionary Government of the First Philippine RepublicFirst 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...
in Malolos. It served as the official band of the Revolutionary Government in 1898. Arevalo also managed an Italian opera company during its tour in the country. As a patron of the theatre arts he organized an actor’s company and regularly staged productions of the then very popular moro-moro plays, like “Ibong Adarna
Ibong Adarna
Ibong Adarna is an anonymous Filipino epic on the eponymous magical bird. The title's longer form during the Spanish Era was "Corrido at Buhay na Pinagdaanan nang Tatlóng Prinsipeng anak nang Haring Fernando at nang Reina Valeriana sa Cahariang Berbania" Ibong Adarna is an anonymous Filipino epic...
,” “Jason at Medea,” and “Juan Tiñoso.” Some of the actors he trained, and who were truly in need of a benefactor such as himself, were Julio Mariano, Ildefonsa Alianza, Felisa Cleofas, and Pantaleon Aldana.
Notable achievements
- Founding President of the Sociedad Dental de Filipinas
- 1902 - Hanoi Exhibition Awards
- 1895 - Gold Medal, Exposición Regional de Filipinas
Works
- La Purisima Concepcion (The Immaculate Conception)
- San Rafael (St. Raphael)
- Cristo de Velasquez (Christ of Velasquez)
- Ecce Homo (Behold the Man)
- Calvario (Calvary)
- Bayad (Payment)
- Magmamais (Corn Vendor)
- Zapatero (The Cobbler)
- Mga Pulubi (Beggars)
- Bust of Governor General Ramon Blanco
- Bust of Cayetano Arellano
Reference
- Manuel, E.A. "Altar". In CCP Encyclopedia of Philippine Art, 1st ed., Vol. 4, 311-312. Philippines: CCP Publications Office, 1994.
- Gwekoh, Sol H. “Art-industries pioneer,” The Manila Times, May 18, 1966.
- Manuel, E. Arsenio. Dictionary of Philippine Biography Volume 1. Quezon City: Filipiniana
Publications, 1955.
- Quirino, Carlos. Who’s who Philippine History: Tahanan Books, 1995.
- http://andalltheangelsandsaints.blogspot.com/2010/05/8-carving-niche-in-history-early.html
- http://www.elaput.org/liga.htm
- http://www.txtmania.com/trivia/first.php
- http://www.msc.edu.ph/centennial/liga.html