Vicente Aldenese, 1st Filipino Insular Customs Collector

Vicente, the Sibonga born Cebuano who had the distinction of being the First Filipino to head of what is known today as the Bureau of Customs was born on May 22, 1883. Vicente was the son of Carlos Owen Aldenese, who was an Officer of the Spanish Army. Carlos was the son of a Spanish General named Isidoro who was assigned in Cuba while the mother of Vicente was Anna Owen who was from Wales. The parents of Vicente (Carlos Owen Aldenese and Carmen Figueroa Lasso de Vega) married on November 4, 1880.

Carlos (born on November 5, 1857) migrated from Cuba to Cebu and met his wife Carmen. The Aldanese couple had the following children: Isidoro (born in 1881) followed by Vicente (born in 1883), Teodoro (born in 1884), Ana (born in 1889), Antonio (born in 1892) and Enriquita (born in 1895).

Vicente married Luisa Rodriguez on June 12, 1908. They had a daughter named, Pilar fondly called as Paling, who was born on December 13, 1916, the other child was Carlos Juan who was born on October 20, 1922 who died on June 14, 1997. Carlos Juan married Pilar A. Gonzales who was born on August 11, 1923 and died on May 7, 2010. The couple was blessed with the following children: Ma. Pilar, Vicente, Ma. Luisa and Ma. Carmen.

Vicente was schooled in Hong Kong thus his proficiency in the English language (Hongkong was a colony of Great Britain as part of the Treaty of Nanking after China lost in the Opium War, it was returned to China in 1997 and then became a Special Administrative Region of the Peoples Republic of China). The other Cebuano who was schooled in Hong Kong and who became proficient in the English language was Don Jose Avila, who became Secretary to Governors Sergio Osmeña Sr., Dionisio Jakosalem, Manuel Roa and Arsenio Climaco.

When the Americans came to the Philippines in 1899, Vicente was appointed as clerk of the Customs House on April 4, 1899. At one time, he was also assigned in Zamboanga Port, and became a lieutenant of the American Governor, Carpenter of the Department of Mindanao and Sulu.

It was in 1918, that Vicente was appointed as the Insular Collector of Customs.

When the Philippines became a Commonwealth to pave way for independence with the Americans granting us the opportunity to elect our own Chief Executive in 1936, appointments of government officials were done by Filipinos.

President Manuel Luis Quezon who won the first Presidential Election with Don Sergio Suico Osmeña as his Vice President re-organized government structures and personalities. Vicente then submitted a letter of resignation to the Office of President dated January 10, 1937.

Vicente Aldenese's letter of resignation was accepted by President Quezon on January 31, 1937. Vicente after serving the government for almost four decades became General Manager of the Bank of Commonwealth in 1937 until 1941.

Vicente with his broad experience on the maritime industry was employed as Manager of the Madrigal Shipping Lines, this was from 1941 to 1944. It was not only Vicente Aldenese, a Visayan who was employed by the Madrigals, another Visayan became the legal counsel of Madrigal Shipping (owned by Senator Madrigal) his name was Jose Fortich Ozamiz, a lawyer from Misamis Occidental, who later was elected Senator.

Vicente then was assigned by the Madrigal's to manage another business enterprise, the Manila Jai Alai.

The brothers of Vicente became public servants. Vicente's younger brother, Teodoro became Municipal President of Sibonga, Cebu, while Isidoro, the eldest of the Aldanese brothers was elected Congressman of the old 4th District of Cebu. Isidoro was Representative of the District from 1919 to 1925. The old 4th district was composed of the towns of Sibonga, Argao, Dalaguete and Alcoy.

Vicente died in 1947, a man of honor, he was victorious in life and in death. In life he faced many cases that reached the Supreme Court because he upheld the law, fearless in imposing customs duties and fees. In death as he suffered injuries (he never recovered causing his death two years after) protecting his adopted grandchild (named Roberto, nicknamed Bobby) when a gunfire in the area of the Manila General Hospital in a stampede that trampled the two of them.