Paulino Santos
Encyclopedia
General Paulino Santos was an exceptional military officer who became the Commanding General of the Philippine Army
from May 6 to December 31, 1936. Upon his retirement, he served as a civilian administrator under President Manuel L. Quezon
.
to Remigio Santos and Rosa Torres. After his Spanish education from 1897 to 1900, he enrolled in an English school in 1901. In 1907, when he had finished the sixth grade, he was appointed as municipal teacher, a post which he held until the following year. In 1908, at age 18, he was an enlisted man in the Philippine Constabulary
and he had just completed his first enlistment when he was named civil service clerk at the PC headquarters in 1912. That same year, he enrolled in the Constabulary Officers' School wherein, two years later, he graduated valedictorian. Santos was appointed as Third Lieutenant of the PC in 1914, and as such, he worked hard and continued studying to be more effective in his assignment as a field officer.
Later, Santos was appointed as the assistant commander of Southern Luzon, and was given the rank of a Lieutenant Colonel
. In October 1930, he was designated as assistant chief of the Philippine Constabulary where he served for more than 20 years. After his retirement, Pres. Manuel Quezon persuaded him to become the director of prisons in 1936. Santos then established the Davao Penal Colony, and sped up its transfer to the New Bilibid Prison
in Muntinlupa. Although the jurisdiction Bureau of Prisons was transferred by law in 1937 to the Department of Justice
, Santos remained its director, as requested by Quezon, while simultaneously performing his army duties. He was also the first head of "Estado Mayor ng Hukbong Pilipino" and became the administrator of the Land Settlement Administration.
, thus, increasing Christian population in the region. Santos died in Kiangan, Ifugao
on August 29, 1945, and as a tribute to his legacy in the area, the municipality of Buayan (formerly Dadiangas) was renamed General Santos City
, which, by virtue of Republic Act No. 5412 signed on July 8, 1968, was declared a city.
Commanding General of the Philippine Army
The Commanding General of the Philippine Army is the overall commander and senior general of the Philippine Army, the ground arm of the Armed Forces of the Philippines.-Lineage of Commanding Generals:...
from May 6 to December 31, 1936. Upon his retirement, he served as a civilian administrator under President Manuel L. Quezon
Manuel L. Quezon
Manuel Luis Quezón y Molina served as president of the Commonwealth of the Philippines from 1935 to 1944. He was the first Filipino to head a government of the Philippines...
.
Early life
Gen. Santos was born in Camiling, TarlacTarlac
Tarlac is a landlocked province of the Philippines located in the Luzon Island. Its capital is Tarlac City. Tarlac borders Pampanga to the south, Nueva Ecija to the east, Pangasinan to the north, and Zambales to the west...
to Remigio Santos and Rosa Torres. After his Spanish education from 1897 to 1900, he enrolled in an English school in 1901. In 1907, when he had finished the sixth grade, he was appointed as municipal teacher, a post which he held until the following year. In 1908, at age 18, he was an enlisted man in the Philippine Constabulary
Philippine Constabulary
The Philippine Constabulary ' was the oldest of four service commands of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. It was a gendarmerie type para-military police force of the Philippines established in 1901 by the United States-appointed administrative authority replacing the Guardia Civil...
and he had just completed his first enlistment when he was named civil service clerk at the PC headquarters in 1912. That same year, he enrolled in the Constabulary Officers' School wherein, two years later, he graduated valedictorian. Santos was appointed as Third Lieutenant of the PC in 1914, and as such, he worked hard and continued studying to be more effective in his assignment as a field officer.
Personal life
General Santos was married to Elisa Angeles of Bulacan, with whom he had seven children.Army Officer and Public Servant
In 1917, Paulino Santos became the first provincial commander of Lanao and Sulu. As commandant and governor, improvements on agriculture, education and communication were achieved in the region. Serving as deputy governor up to 1924, he acted as the auxiliary justice of the peace in the municipal districts of both Lanao and Sulu at the same time.Later, Santos was appointed as the assistant commander of Southern Luzon, and was given the rank of a 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...
. In October 1930, he was designated as assistant chief of the Philippine Constabulary where he served for more than 20 years. After his retirement, Pres. Manuel Quezon persuaded him to become the director of prisons in 1936. Santos then established the Davao Penal Colony, and sped up its transfer to the New Bilibid Prison
New Bilibid Prison
The New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City, Philippines, is the main insular penitentiary designed to house the prison population of the Philippines. It is maintained by the Bureau of Corrections under the Philippine Department of Justice. As of October 2004, it has an inmate population of 16,747....
in Muntinlupa. Although the jurisdiction Bureau of Prisons was transferred by law in 1937 to the Department of Justice
United States Department of Justice
The United States Department of Justice , is the United States federal executive department responsible for the enforcement of the law and administration of justice, equivalent to the justice or interior ministries of other countries.The Department is led by the Attorney General, who is nominated...
, Santos remained its director, as requested by Quezon, while simultaneously performing his army duties. He was also the first head of "Estado Mayor ng Hukbong Pilipino" and became the administrator of the Land Settlement Administration.
Legacy
Paulino Santos' record as an officer was one of distinctive achievements. He led the government troops in neutralizing the Moro rebels in Mindanao – they stormed at the rebels' cotta, killing 30 of them. Under his term, he established six settlements in South CotabatoSouth Cotabato
South Cotabato is a province of the Philippines located in the SOCCSKSARGEN region in Mindanao. Its capital is Koronadal City, and it borders Sultan Kudarat to the north and west, Sarangani to the south and east, and Davao del Sur to the east...
, thus, increasing Christian population in the region. Santos died in Kiangan, Ifugao
Ifugao
Ifugao is a landlocked province of the Philippines in the Cordillera Administrative Region in Luzon. Covering a total land area of 262,820 hectares, the province of Ifugao is located in a mountainous region characterized by rugged terrain, river valleys, and massive forests...
on August 29, 1945, and as a tribute to his legacy in the area, the municipality of Buayan (formerly Dadiangas) was renamed General Santos City
General Santos City
The City of General Santos is the southernmost port city of the Philippines. Being a highly urbanized first class city, GenSan is one of the most populous urban centers in the country with a population of 679,588 as per census data of 2010...
, which, by virtue of Republic Act No. 5412 signed on July 8, 1968, was declared a city.