DIONISIO A. JAKOSALEM (1878-1931) – A writer and a lawyer, Dionisio Jakosalem was born on May 8, 1878 in Dumanjug, Cebu to Alfonso Jakosalem and Apolonia Abella, who both belonged to hardworking families. After finishing his primera enseñanza at the town school, he went to Cebu where he enrolled in the College of San Carlos – he was a classmate of Sergio Osmeña – there to complete his segunda enseñanza.
He continued his studies at the University of Santo Tomas, where he received his bachiller en artes and licenciado en jurisprudencia. He was admitted to the Philippine bar in 1907.
His public career started in 1900, when he was appointed municipal secretary of his hometown. In 1903, he was appointed justice of the peace of Cebu. He resigned this post when he was elected to the municipal council of Cebu in 1904. In 1906, he was elected to the
provincial board. When the provincial governor, Sergio Osmeña was elected to the Philippine Assembly, he was appointed to the position. Serving the unexpired term. In November 1907, he himself was elected governor. He ran under the Nacionalista banner. He was re-elected as such in November 1909. In the convention of provincial governors held in 1910, he was chosen president.
The construction of roads and public buildings marked his administration as governor of Cebu. He is credited with having linked the southern and northern parts of the province with roads.
He rested for a while after the expiration of his term in October 1912. On February 1, 1913, he was appointed acting provincial fiscal, a position he filled until the end of the year.
In 1917, his achievements as a public servant were given due recognition. On January 18 of that year, he was made a member of the first cabinet under the regime of the Jones Law with his appointment as secretary of commerce and communications by Gov. Gen. Francis Burton Harrison. He was the first Filipino to serve in that capacity. In 1919, he was named member of the first Philippine independence mission to the United States.
He resigned as secretary on October 3, 1922, although the then governor-general, Leonard Wood, wanted to retain him in the cabinet. He was succeeded momentarily by his undersecretary, C.E. Unson. Later, he was offered another cabinet portfolio by Gov. Gen. Stimson, but he declined. He preferred to give others a chance to prove their worth and serve the people.
During his stint in the cabinet, Jakosalem was able to avert a crisis in the supply of rice, precipitated by World War I, by dealing firmly with profiteers. As secretary, he advocated the adoption of a definite national water policy and a general road construction program, as well as the creation of an insurance fund for the benefit of employees and laborers in times of illness, accidents and old age. He also endorsed the passage of a law regulating strikes and lockouts, the creation of a board of conciliation and arbitration, and the fixing of the working hours in all business and industrial establishments. Jakosalem did not look with favor on the introduction of large foreign capital into the country. He believed that foreign investments should be reasonable enough to develop its natural resources without, however, endangering the national interest.
After retiring from public service, he practiced law in Cebu, served as administrator of the Hospicio de San Jose de Barili, which was founded by Benita and Pedro Cui – he discharged this function faithfully until his death – and joined the faculty of the Visayan Institute, where he
later became dean of the college of law.
Jakosalem was married to the former Generosa Teves. They had four children – Salud, Silvano, Maria and Epifania. He was a member of the Rosicrucian Order of America, a theosophist, a good chess player, a marksman, billiard aficionado, a violinist who could execute compositions of Grier.
He died of blood poisoning from pyorrhea on July 1, 1931 at the age of 53.
References:
Baba, Ma. Gloria Amasa . Historical Landmark in Cebu City: Their Educational Values (a
thesis), presented to the Graduate School of Cebu Normal University, Cebu City, 1998.
Manuel, E. Arsenio .Dictionary of Philippine Biography Volume 1. Quezon City: Filipiniana
Publications, 1955.
