Marcelino de Santos

Marcelino Rafael – De Santos, also known as “Minong” or “Noque”, was born on April 26, 1847, in Tondo, Manila. He is the son of Manuel De Santos and Braulia Rafael. There are very few writings about the life of Marcelino. His parents were able to provide him a good education and let him study at the University of Santo Tomas where he finished Bachiller en Leyes (Bachelor of Laws) in 1871. Marcelino worked as Procurador or attorney at Real Audiencia de Manila. The Real Audiencia de Manila was the highest tribunal within the territories of Captaincy General of the Philippines during their time. Marcelino married Irene Soriano – Ongsiaco. Irene is the daughter of Lorenzo Ongsiaco and Gabriela Soriano. The Ongsiaco’s were prominent Chinese Mestizos. The union produced five children, namely; Pacita “Paz” De Santos – Moreno, Isidoro De Santos, Jose Mariano De Santos, Felipe De Santos, and the youngest, Consuelo De Santos – Barcelona. Irene died in 1881 at the age of 28 because of complications from giving birth to a stillborn child. Marcelino became a widower at age of 34, never to remarry again. He instead took the responsibility of taking care of his motherless children.

Before 1886, Marcelino De Santos acquired the Hacienda Esperanza together with Francisco Gonzales. The 40,000-hectare land was the largest privately owned landholding in Philippine history. The land encompasses the provinces of Pangasinan, Tarlac, and Nueva Ecija. Marcelino received the northeastern part of the hacienda which is located at the province of Nueva Ecija, centering in Cuyapo, Nueva Ecija which covered over 13,000 hectares.

During the Filipino Propaganda Movement and Philippine Revolution, he stood as an adviser and a financier. Marcelino De Santos was a member of La Solidaridad where he is a guarantor and stood as La Liga Filipina’s managing director. He supported Jose Rizal during the most enduring times in advocating social reforms. On September 16, 1896, Marcelino was among the twenty-two prominent persons of Manila who were imprisoned at Fort Santiago because of allegedly supporting the revolutionary movement. Santiago Barcelona gives testimony in his favor in order to be released. Upon his release, he went to exile at Straights Settlement of Singapore with his family. In 1898, Emilio Aguinaldo
briefly stayed at the De Santos’ residence in Singapore. He was appointed to represent the province of Catanduanes in Malolos Congress. There are some claims that Marcelino was a major financier of the Philippine revolution as he was allegedly ready to distribute money to whoever was willing to continue to fight in Pangasinan. Because of Marcelino’s wealth, some believed that Marcelino is the treasurer of the Republic during Aguinaldo’s chaotic retreat, the actual treasurer was Aguinaldo’s physician, Santiago Barcelona.

Marcelino died on November 23, 1927, at the age of 80 years old. He was interred in the De Santos Family Mausoleum at Manila North Cemetery. In memory of his undying dedication to the country, Aceiteros street was renamed Marcelino De Santos Street in Manila.

Baptismal certificate

Death certificate