Draft:Rafael Rivas Alunan Sr.

Sen. Rafael Rivas Alunan Sr.
Picture of Rafael Alunan at around 1920.
Secretary of the Interior of the Commonwealth of the Philippines
In office 1938 to August 29, 1941
Preceded by	Elpidio Quirino
Succeeded by	Francisco Zulueta
Secretary of Agriculture and Commerce
In office September 6, 1928 to January 1, 1933
Preceded by	Silverio Apostol
Succeeded by	Vicente Singson Encarnacion
In office August 28, 1941 to December 24, 1941
Preceded by	Benigno Aquino Sr.
Succeeded by	Vicente Singson Encarnacion
Secretary of Finance
In office January 1st 1933 to April 30 1933
Preceded by	Vincente Carmona
Succeeded by	Vicente Singson Encarnacion
Personal details
Born	December 16, 1885 Talisay City, Negros Occidental, Philippines
Died	May 18, 1947 Mount Makaturing, Lanao del Sur, Philippines
Cause of death	Plane Crash
Resting place	Manila, Philippines
Political party	Nacionalista
Alma mater	Polytechnic University of the Philippines Ateneo de Manila University

Rafael Rivas Alunan Sr. (December 16, 1885 to May 18, 1947) was a Filipino Politician and Lawyer. Alunan served as a senator in the Senate of the Philippines and influenced the Philippines' growth economically during the American Occupation years.

Early Life

Rafael Rivas Alunan was born on December 16th, 1885 in Talisay City, Negros Occidental to Raymundo Alunan and Josefa Rivas. He studied in the Polytechnic University in Bacolod, before studying in Ataneo University in Manila, where he studied business, and got his degree when he was 17 years old in the class of (1902) and later on, law as the class of 1910.

Political Career

In 1912, Alunan became a member of the Philippine Assembly until 1916, when he became the Floor Leader of the House of Representatives until 1922.

In 1928, Alunan was appointed the role of Secretary of Agriculture and Natural Resource,in succession to Silverio Apostol, and was part of the mission to grow the Philippines' economic and agricultural development. While in this position, he attended multiple meetings to the United States to discuss Filipino economic growth.

In 1933, Alunan was appointed the role of Secretary of Finance for 4 months as he refused re-appointment, due to the situation of the Philippine Sugar Company, which he headed. He was succeeded by Vicente Singson Encarnacion.

In 1938, Manuel L. Quezon appointed Alunan the role of Secretary of the Interior to succeed Elpidio Quirino. He assumed this position until 1941.

In 1941, Manuel L. Quezon re-appointed Alunan to become the Secretary of Agriculture due to the outbreak of the Pacific War. He only assumed the position until the end of 1941, when the Philippines was occupied by Japan.

Business

Alunan, while also being a politician, was also the head of Bacolod-Murcia Milling Co. and was the President of the Philippine Sugar Association. With the success of the Bacolod-Murcia Milling Company, Alunan was able to control most of the Philippines' Sugar in 1928, when he became president of the company.

Death

After a meeting in Cotabato, Mindanao, Alunan with the newly formed National Land Settlement Administration (Now the Department of Agrarian Reform) was on board the Lili Marlene bound for Dansalan, then to his home town of Bacolod, where he died at the age of 61 at Mount Makaturing in Lanao del Sur, among 17 other people on board, including Colonel Edwin Andrews, and his successor to the Secretary of the Interior, Francisco Zulueta.

Personal Life

Alunan was married to Asuncion de la Rama and had 7 children. His grandson, Rafael Alunan III was the Secretary of Tourism under Corazon Aquino and the Secretary of the Interior and Local Government under Fidel V. Ramos.