The Filipino Profiles

Benigno Aquino y Quiambao (September 3, 1894 – December 20, 1947), also known as Benigno Q. Aquino or Benigno Aquino, Sr., was a Filipino politician who served as Speaker of the Second Philippine Republic National Assembly from 1943 to 1944.

He was born in Murcia, now part of Concepcion, Tarlac to Servillano "Mianong" Aquino, a general in the Philippine Revolution who later served as a member of the Malolos Congress, and Guadalupe Quiambao. He had two siblings, namely Gonzalo (born 1893) and Amando (born 1896), and a half-brother, Herminio (born 1949). He studied at the Colegio de San Juan de Letran in Manila and later at the University of Santo Tomas where he learned his law degree in 1913 and was admitted to the bar the following year. In May 1916, he married Maria Urquico, the daughter of katipunero Antonio Urquico and Justa Valeriano. He had two sons and two daughters with Maria, namely, Antonio (born 1917), Servillano, Milagros, and Erlinda. After Maria died in March 1928, he married Aurora Aquino (maiden name), his third cousin and 16 years his junior, on December 6, 1930 with whom he had the following children — Maria Aurora (Maur), Benigno Servillano, Jr. (Ninoy), Maria Gerarda (Ditas), Maria Guadalupe (Lupita), Agapito (Butz), Paul, and Maria Teresa (Tessie).

Benigno "Igno" Aquino was first elected to the Philippine Legislature in 1919 representing the 2nd District of Tarlac. He was reelected to the same position in 1922 and 1925 before winning a Senate seat in 1928 representing the 3rd Senatorial District comprising the provinces of Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga and his home-province of Tarlac. He became part of the Philippine Independence Mission in 1931, which negotiated the terms of obtaining Philippine independence from the United States. During the elections for the Philippine Commonwealth government in 1935 he ran again in his district in Tarlac and won. In 1937, he was appointed by Commonwealth Pres. Manuel L. Quezon as Secretary of Agriculture.

Other Information

• Name : Benigno Aquino y Quiambao
• Also known as : Benigno Aquino Sr.
• Birthday :  September 3, 1894
• Birthplace : Mucia, Tarlac, Philippines (now Concepcion, Tarlac)
• Died : December 20, 1947 (aged 53), Rizal Memorial Coliseum, Manila, Philippines
• Residence : Mucia, Tarlac
• Nationality : Filipino
• Political party : Partido Nacionalista Consolidato, KALIBAPI
• Schools Attended :
• Law degree, University of Santo Tomas (1913)
• Colegio de San Juan de Letran, Manila
• Father :  Servillano "Mianong" Aquino
• Mother : Guadalupe Quiambao
• Siblings :
• Gonzalo
• Amando
• Herminio
• Spouses :
• Maria Urquico
• Aurora Aquino
• Children : 11
• Antonio
• Servillano
• Milagros
• Erlinda
• Maria Aurora (Maur)
• Benigno Servillano, Jr. (Ninoy)
• Maria Gerarda (Ditas)
• Maria Guadalupe (Lupita)
• Agapito (Butz)
• Paul
• Maria Teresa (Tessie)
• Profession : Lawyer, Civil Servant
• Religion : Roman Catholic

Career Highlights

• 6th Speaker of the Philippine House of Representatives (September 25, 1943 – February 2, 1944)
• Assemblyman, Tarlac (September 25, 1943 – February 2, 1944)
• Senator of the Philippines, (1928 – 1934)
• Assemblyman, 2nd District of Tarlac (December 30, 1935 – December 30, 1938)
• Secretary of Agriculture and Commerce (1938 – 1941)
• Senator of the Philippines (1919 – 1928)
• Representative, 2nd District of Province of Tarlac (1928 – 1934)

Notable Events

• Japanese occupation (1941)
• Arrest and collaboration charges (1944)