| Mariano Trías | |
|---|---|
| 1st Vice President of the Philippines | |
| In office March 22, 1897 – November 2, 1897[1] |
|
| President | Emilio Aguinaldo |
| Succeeded by | Abolished[2] Title next held by Sergio Osmeña |
| Minister of Finance | |
| In office July 15, 1898 – May 7, 1899 |
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| Preceded by | Baldomero Aguinaldo |
| Succeeded by | Hugo Ilagan |
| Minister of War | |
| In office May 7, 1899 – November 13, 1899 |
|
| Preceded by | Baldomero Aguinaldo |
| Succeeded by | Teofilo Sison |
| Civil Governor of Cavite | |
| In office 1901–1901 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born | October 12, 1868 San Francisco de Malabon, Cavite |
| Died | February 22, 1914 (aged 45) Manila |
| Nationality | Filipino |
| Political party | Independent |
| Spouse(s) | María Concepción Ferrer |
Mariano Trías y Closas (October 12, 1868 – February 22, 1914) is considered to be the first de facto Philippine Vice President of that revolutionary government established at the Tejeros Convention - an assembly of Philippine revolutionary leaders that elected officials of the revolutionary movement against the colonial government of Spain. When that assembly broke into factions, a truce known as the Pact of Biak na Bato was signed by the group and also recognized the elected officials and Trias as the vice president of Emilio Aguinaldo, who is also considered to be the first President of the Philippines. With the promulgation of the Malolos Constitution by the Malolos Convention, the First Philippine Republic was born. Under this Aguinaldo administration, Trias served in the cabinet as the Minister of War and Finance.
He was married to María Concepción Ferrer with whom he had eight children.
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Mariano was the fifth of the nine children of Don Balbino Trias, a cabeza de barangay and justice of the peace during the Spanish regime who, after his term of office, become a landowner-farmer. His mother was Gabriela Closas.
He had primary schooling under the tutorship of Eusebio Chaves and Cipriano Gonzales, both local school teachers. Later, he was sent to Manila and enrolled at Colegio de San Juan de Letran for his Bachelor of Arts, then to University of Santo Tomas for his course in Medicine, which he was able to finish as he returned home to help his relatives manage the farm holdings.
Before the revolution in August 1896, he joined the Katipunan and became an active propagandist of the society in the towns of Silang and Kawit. In the election of the Katipunan popular council, which was organized by the Sangguniang Balangay of Mapagtiis, he was named fiscal.
When two councils of the Katipunan revolutionist came into existence (namely, the Sangguniang Bayang Magdiwang and the Sangguniang Bayang Magdalo), both factions set up their respective councils of leaders. Trias became the Minister of Justice and hope of the Magdiwang group.
Assuming the nom-de-guerre Labong (which means "bamboo shoots"), he recruited troops and solicited contributions from rich Filipinos in Indang and Alfonso, Cavite, to help finance the effect.[3]
After he was criticized by the Magsaya council for establishing a public army, he joined the Magdalo.
On March 22, 1897, a second assembly of Katipunan leaders from both factions was held, this time at Tejeros, near the coast, in the heart of the Magdiwang territory. This happened while Aguinaldo and the Magdalo factions were desperately trying to stop the advancing of the Lachambre soldiers. After a stormy debate, it was agreed to set up a new government, replacing that of the Katipunan. Nine positions were to be filled. By secret ballot, Emilio Aguinaldo who was absent, defending Imus against the forthcoming attack by Governor Lachambre was elected president and Mariano Trías as vice president. Bonifacio was defeated for both positions.
At the revolutionary assembly convoked by Aguinaldo in Naic, Cavite after Easter Sunday of 1897, Trías was again chosen as vice president of the new government.He led several attacks in Cavite and Laguna against Spanish forces.[4] On November 1, 1897, the Biac-na-Bato Republic was established. Emilio Aguinaldo was president and Trías was vice-president. However, Trias is not considered to be a vice-president of the Philippines as the Biak-na-Bato pact did not proclaim a sovereign state.
After the abolition of the dictatorial government and the establishment of the revolutionary government, Mariano Trias was appointed on July 15, 1898 as Secretary of Finance and continued in this office after the transfer of seat of the government to Malolos. In the Paterno Cabinet, which succeeded the Mabini Cabinet, he held the position of secretary of war. After the revolutionary government forces were practically dispersed in Central Luzon, he was named commanding general of Southern Luzon. He directed guerrilla offensive moves in Cavite.
He figured in a series of furious skirmishes with the troops of General Wheaton in January 1900 when he held the defense of Cavite until his men where finally dispersed.
Trías set free all the Spanish prisoners under his command in May 1900.
Nine days after the capture of Aguinaldo, Trías, accompanied by Severino de las Alas, former Secretary of the Interior, Ladislao Diwa, ex-governor of Cavite, two colonels, two lieutenant colonels and a number of majors, captains, and lieutenants, and some hundreds of soldiers with guns, voluntarily surrendered in Santa Cruz de Malabon, Cavite to General Baldwin on May 13, 1901.
With the establishment of the civil government by the Americans, Civil Governor William Howard Taft appointed him the first Civil Governor of Cavite on June 11, 1901 in accordance with Act No. 139.
Trías was the founder of the Nacionalista Party chapter in Cavite. He supported the candidacy of Rafael Palma as assemblyman, representing the lone district of Cavite in 1907. In the general elections of 1912, Trías was responsible for the election of Antero S. Soriano and Florentino Joya as Governor and Representative, respectively, of Cavite.[5]
He sailed to the United States as member of the honorary board of Filipino commissioners to the Louisiana Purchase Exposition in 1904. After his term of office, he engaged in agricultural activities, but this was a brief respite from politics. He was the acting governor of Cavite when he died of appendecitis at the Philippine General Hospital on February 22, 1914. He was buried in Manila. His remains were transferred to his hometown in 1923.
In his honor, the town of San Francisco de Malabon was renamed after him by virtue of Act No. 2880.
Mariano Trias had two brothers, Pedro Trias and Maximino Trias.
He married María Concepción Ferrer with whom he had eight children:
Jasmine Trias, a Filipino-Hawaiian singer who contested at American Idol in 2004, is his descendant.[6]
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| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| New office | Vice President of the Philippines March 22, 1897 – November 2, 1897 |
Vacant
Office abolished; Restored in the Philippine Commonwealth
Title next held by
Sergio Osmeña |
| Preceded by Baldomero Aguinaldo |
Minister of Finance 1898–1899 |
Succeeded by Hugo Ilagan |
| Preceded by Baldomero Aguinaldo |
Minister for War 1899 |
Vacant
Office abolished; Restored as Secretary of National Defense
Title next held by
Teofilo Sison |