ANDRES TRIA TIRONA
(1870-1937)
COMING from
the socially and politically prominent Tria Tirona family of Kawit, Andres Tria
Tirona was one of the eleven Caviteños appointed delegates to the Revolutionary
Congress in Tarlac, Tarlac. He represented the province of “Baras,” now an
obsolete name.
Moreover,
Andres was one of the five Tria Tironas who signed the Proclamation of
Philippine Independence in Kawit on June 12, 1898. The four other Tria Tironas
were Andres’ father, Claudio, his brother, Estanislao, his uncle, Daniel, and a
relative, Carlos.
Andres had
two eminent brothers, Emiliano, the former senator, judge, and cabinet
minister, and Estanislao, former superintendent of education. His other uncle,
General Candido Tria Tirona, was the “Hero of Binakayan”.
The other
brothers and sisters of Andres were Teodoro, Maria, Isidra, Tomas and Felisa.
Born in
Kawit on July 9, 1870, to a wealthy couple, Claudio Tria Tirona and Martina
Bautista Sta. Ana, Andres obtained his Bachelor of Arts degree from the Ateneo
Municipal. He joined the revolutionary army under General Emilio Aguinaldo with
the rank of lieutenant. Andres was 28 when he was appointed delegate to the
Revolutionary Congress in July 1899.
Andres was
married to Fermina Abueg of Rosario, Cavite, by whom he had eight children;
namely, Dominador, Rafael, Roberto, Rosario T. Jocson, Claudio, Pilar T.
Mangubat, Francisca T. Amoranto, and Virginia T. Sabater. The couple
established their residence in Imus, Cavite, the town where his mother grew up.
Like most
revolutionary leaders in Cavite, Andres remained a Catholic although he was
affiliated with the Pilar Masonic Lodge of Imus.
Under the
Municipal Code of 1901 establishing civilian rule during the American regime,
Andres was appointed first municipal treasurer of Imus, a position which he
held until 1924. A strict disciplinarian, he was able to send all his children
to college despite his meager salary as a municipal official. All his children
eventually became successful professionals. Consequently, his wife, Fermina
Abueg Tria Tirona, was chosen at one time the “Most Outstanding Mother of the
Year” of Imus.
[Sources:
(1) Biodata furnished by Mrs. Mary Grace Ampil Tria Tirona, professor of
history, Ateneo de Manila University, whose husband, Jesus G. Tirona, is the
president and chief executive officer of the First Metro Investment
Corporation, a subsidiary of the Metrobank, and son of Rafael Tria Tirona, one
of the eight children of Andres; (2) Emilio Aguinaldo, Mga Gunita ng
Himagsikan. Copyright by Mrs. Cristina Aguinaldo Suntay, 1964; and (3) John
R. M. Taylor, Philippine Insurrection Against the United States. 5 vols.
Pasay City, Eugenio Lopez Foundation, 1971. Vol. 3, Exh. 28, pp. 102-106.]