VITO BELARMINO (1857-1933)
IN THE military campaigns of General Emilio Aguinaldo throughout the
Revolution, no general was more close to him that Vito Belarmino of Silang.
Belarmino was with Aguinaldo in many decisive battles—in Talisay Batangas; in
Binakayan, Kawit; in Pasong Santol, Dasmariñas; in Naik and Maragondon; and
finally in Mount Puray, Montalban. It was Aguinaldo who inducted Belarmino into
the Katipunan, along with other revolutionary leaders like the Riego de Dios
brothers (Emiliano, Vicente, and Mariano) of Maragondon, Marcelino Aure of
Mendez, Ambrosio Mojica of Indang, and Gregorio Jocson of Naik.
During the
Philippine-American War, Aguinaldo appointed Belarmino zone commander in the
Bicol region with the rank of major general. However, despite Belarmino’s able
leadership the Americans won in the end because of the superiority in men and
material. From the Bicol region Belarmino returned to Silang and resumed his
peaceful pursuit as a farmer. Not long afterwards his eyes began to fall, his
vision getting dimmer with the passage of time, until he became totally blind
in 1928.
With his sight
gone, his senses of touch and hearing became more developed, and he began
curing ordinary ailments by prescribing medicinal herbs. Soon many people from
far and near sought him for his medical expertise. He came to be known as the
“blind general and doctor” of Silang. Thus, in spite of his handicap Belarmino
was able to continue serving the people.
Born in Silang
on June 15, 1857 (another source says January), the son of Severino Belarmino,
a former gobernadorcillo, and Damiana Loyola, the young Vito leaned to
read and write under the guidance of his father. Later he was sent to the
Letran College in Manila, but he did not finish the Segunda enzenanza
because his father, worried by the recurrent cholera epidemic in Manila,
decided to recall his home. That was the end of Vito’s formal education.
Nevertheless, he continued developing his native talent through self-study, and
when he reached the age 19 he found employment in the local government. He then
held, successively, the post of teniente mayor, cabeza de barangay,
secretary of the local tribunal, and, finally, capitan municipal.
Belarmino represented Batanes in the Malolos Congress.
Endowed with a
deep compassion for his fellow men, Belarmino spent his money helping the
indigent widows and orphans of troops under his command. He died a poor man on
July 14, 1933, a victim of cerebral attack, leaving his six children to the
care of relatives.
[Sources: (1) Talambuhay
ng Magigiting na Lalaki ng Kabite, Jimenez Collection, Kawit; (2) National
Historical Commission, Eminent Filipinos, Manila, 1965; and (3) Prominent
Caviteños in Philippine History. Copyright by Esteban A. de Ocampo, 1941.]