JoséAniceto Clarín y Butalid (December 12,1879 –June 2,1935) [1] was a Filipino politician who served as the 3rd president pro tempore of the Senate of the Philippines from 1934 until his death in 1935. He also served as acting Senate President of the Philippines briefly in 1932 when Senate President Manuel Quezon went on leave. [2] : 260
He was elected in the 1934 Philippine Constitutional Convention election as a delegate from Bohol,Philippines. [3] [2] : 260 He died while on office as Senate President pro tempore in June 2,1935 after he succumbed to lung cancer,a disease he had been suffering two months prior. [1]
Clarín was born on December 12,1879 in Tagbilaran,Bohol, [2] : 260 to Don Aniceto Velez Clarín,first civil governor of the province of Bohol. Clarín was educated at the University of San Carlos in Cebu primary education and then in Escuela de Derecho de Manila for his law degree earned in 1904. After his studies,he settled in Cebu and worked for his profession. One of the cases he handled as a lawyer were the kidnappings committed by the captain of a large American frigate in Cebu. [4] : 51
Clarin would also serve the Philippine Legislature in 1907. [4] : 51 As a legislator under the Philippine Assembly,he,along with Carlos Ledesma,advocated for the law on absolute divorce. Aside from that,Clarin also authored the Resolution no. 17. This resolution requested for the American government to admit young Filipinos to the Naval Academy in Annapolis. [4] : 52
Assembly Bill 39,introduced by Clarin on 12 November 1907,aimed to relocate poor Filipinos to Mindoro and Palawan for land settlement. Eligible applicants,aged at least sixteen and in economic hardship,were to receive support like food and medical services,with a proposed budget of 100,000 pesos. The Commission rejected the bill,which Clarin proposed to reduce the number of Filipinos emigrating to Hawaii and promote economic growth in underpopulated areas. [5] : 279
A year-and-a-half later,Clarin introduced Assembly Bill 394 of 1909,which was almost the same as Assembly Bill 39. This time the bill was aimed to relocate poor Filipinos to the island of Mindoro and three provinces of Mindanao,particurly in Misamis,Surigao,and Agusan. This bill was rejected by the Philippine Commission for several reasons. According to the Commission,Palawan should have been included,not all provinces supported out-migration,the four provinces that did were too far apart for effective management,there was little chance for individuals to repay their debts,and the responsibilities of the assigned place were unclear. The Commission noted technical problems and suggested that further consideration be given in the next session. Clarin then authored Assembly Bill 209 on 26 November 1912,with the same title as bill 394. Although it passed in the Assembly,it was also rejected by the Commission. [5] : 279-280
As a senator,the bills he sponsored introduced regulations for the admission of foreigners to Philippine citizenship. [4] : 53 In 1917,he served under the Senate Committee on Finance and was chairperson for the Senate Committee on Relations with the Sovereign Country. [6] Since 1932,Clarin also served as acting senate president when Senate President Manuel Quezon was on leave. [2] : 260
In 1934,he became a delegate to the Constitutional Convention from the second district of Bohol and a member of the committee on sponsorship. [3] [2] : 260 He was Senate President pro tempore for the 10th Philippine Legislature from 1934 to 1935. [7] [1] He remained as a member of the Philippine Senate until his sudden death in 1935. [3]
He died on June 1935 due to lung cancer,over which he suffered two months prior to his death. [1]
Carlos P. Garcia,who was then Governor of Bohol,dubbed Clarin as the "idol of the 11th senatorial district". [2] : 260 The town of Clarin in Misamis Occidental is named in his honor. [8]
In 1910,there were protests made within the Philippine Assembly against the membership of Clarin representing Bohol. However,these protests were dismissed. [9]
During his time in the Assembly,there were numerous attempts to unseat him. [2] : 260
Clarin was never married and died a bachelor. [3]
His younger brother,Olegario Clarin,also served as a Senator and representative of Bohol.[ citation needed ]