Benito Legarda

Benito Legarda y Tuason (September 27, 1853 – August 27, 1915) was a Filipino legislator who was a member of the Philippine Commission of the American colonial Insular Government, the government's legislature, and later a Resident Commissioner from the Philippine Islands to the United States Congress.

Benito Legarda
Resident Commissioner of the Philippines
In office November 22, 1907 – March 3, 1912 Serving with Pablo Ocampo (1907–1909)
Appointed by	William Howard Taft
Succeeded by	Manuel Earnshaw
Personal details
Born	Benito Legarda y Tuason September 27, 1853 Manila, Captaincy General of the Philippines
Died	August 27, 1915 (aged 61) Évian-les-Bains, France
Alma mater	University of Santo Tomas

Early life and education

He was born in Manila, Philippines on September 27, 1853 to a Spanish-Filipino mestizo family.[1] He attended the Jesuits' College and the University of Santo Tomas of Manila.

Political life

He started his political life as a member of President Emilio Aguinaldo's cabinet at Malolos and vice president of the Filipino Congress. He later became a member of the Philippine Commission 1901 and was elected as a Resident Commissioner to the Sixtieth and to the two succeeding Congresses (November 22, 1907 - March 3, 1912). He was not a candidate for renomination to the Sixty-third Congress in 1912, in large part due to opposition to his candidacy from the Philippine Assembly.[1] He founded the Federalista Party during the early part of the 20th century.[2] He was an upper-class Filipino who cooperated with the United States.[2]

Death

Benito Legarda died on August 27, 1915, in Evian-les-Bains, France. He is buried at the Manila North Cemetery.

Legacy

The Legarda Elementary School and Legarda Street in Manila were named in Legarda's honor.

See also

• List of Asian Americans and Pacific Islands Americans in the United States Congress
• List of Hispanic Americans in the United States Congress

References

1. "Don Benito Legarda y Tuason (1853-1915)". Museo Santisima Trinidad. Retrieved 2017-02-09.
2. Karnow, Stanley (1989). "Benito Legarda". In Our Image: America's Empire in the Philippines. Random House. ISBN 978-0394549750., page 444.

• United States Congress. "Benito Legarda (id: L000218)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.