Pio Valenzuela

Pio Valenzuela (b. July 11, 1869 - d. April 6, 1956) was a doctor who gave free service to his fellowmen.
He became a member of the Katipunan that lead the revolt against the Spanish regime. A city
in Manila was named in his honor (Valenzuela City).
Contents
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1 Early Life
2 Katipunero
3 American Regime
4 Reference
5 Citation

Early Life
He was born in Polo, Bulacan, to Francisco Valenzuela, the capitan mayor, and Lorenza Alejandrino. He
was taught by a tutor at home, and later went to Manila to study medicine at the San Juan de Letran
College. In his fourth year as a medical student he transferred to the University of Santo Tomas,1888. He
finished his Licenciado en Medicina in 1895 and practiced his medicine career in Manila and Bulacan. He
was married to Marciano Castry whom they had seven children.

Katipunero
In July 15, 1892, he joined the secret society called Katipunan while he was still a medical student. Where
he met Andres Bonifacio and became close friend with him, so close that Bonifacio even made him the
godfather of his first son to Gregoria de Jesus. When the enemies burned the house of the Bonifacio's,
they were invited by the latter to stay in their house. Along with Teodoro Plata and Luciano de
Guzman and Pio, they were the three legs of the Katipunan. Before he finished his medical degree, he
was the elected physician of the Katipunan in January 1895 and was the fiscal general in December. He
was given the task to create an official organ of the Katipunan. At first it was printed in his house at
Lavezares Street in San Nicholas because he believed that it would be convinient for him, later it was
transferred to the house of Andres Bonifacio.
Pio claimed that he was the editor of the publication and that Emilio Jacinto was his supervisor. He also
claimed that he gave the name kalayaan fot their official organ, which Andres and Jacinto approved the
suggestion. And in order to mislead the Sapnish authorities he put the name of Marcelo H. del Pilar as the
editor and printed Yokohama, Japan, as the place of publication. The first issue of the kalayaan were
supposed to came out on January 18, 1896 but was later distributed on mid-March.

He was given an order by Andres Bonifacio to visit Jose Rizal who was held in prison at Dapitan. He was
to ask the opinion of Rizal to the impending plans of revolt by the Katipunan. But Rizal was hesitant to the
plans of Andres, Rizal told him that an arms struggle should start only if there are sufficient arms for each
revolutionaries and support from the wealthy Filipinos should be won over. He returned to Manila and was
asked by fellow katipuneros about Rizal's reply, fearing that the society would be in jopardy, Bonifacio
asked him to keep away from the streets and hide from the other members. Another assignment was
given to him Bonifacio in preparation for the impending discovery of the Katipunan, he was to procure at
least 2,000 bolos for the members. When the Katipunan was discovered he was forced to moved and
hide to Balintawakand escape the authorities. Under decree of Governor General Ramon Blanco on
August 30, that all rebels should be granted amnesty. Pio surrendered on September 1, he was
imprisoned together with Juan Luanand 60 other rebels in Fort Santiago where they are facing a life
sentence. But later he was deported in Barcelona, Spain and Melilla, Africa. After the Treaty of Paris in
1898 he was set free.

American Regime
On April 1899, he returned to the Philippines, but in Manila he was pointed to the American Military
Authorities that he was a propagandist. He was arrested and imprisoned again in September of 1899.
After he was released, he came back to Polo, Bulacan where he was made municipal president, later was
elected governor of Bulacan in 1922 and serve the province for six years. In the morning of April 6, 1956,
he died in his hometown.