This is the timeline on the life of General Paulino Santos, one of our country’s heroes.
1. 1890 June 22- Paulino was born in Camiling, Tarlac during the Spanish Era. 1898- American colonization
2. 1909 – 18 year-old Paulino enlists in the PH-American military
3. 1914- 3rd Lt. Paulino Santos tops the graduation class of the constabulary officers’ school. He was then transferred to Mindanao and Sulu.
4. 1917- The battle at Bayang, Lake Lanao. Suffering a near-fatal shot in the neck, Paulino Santos took a medical leave. Goes back to Bulacan to marry Elisa Angeles.
5. 1918, Oct 01- Rosa the eldest is born in Tamparan, Lanao. Other children followed: (Isabel, 1921; Lourdes, 1922; Paulino, Jr. 1923)
6. 1919-1924 – Capt. Santos provincial governor and commander of Dansalan, promoted to major.
7. 1930- Lt. Col. PS- assistant district commander of Southern Luzon
8. 1930-37 – National Director Bureau of Prisons (retired from the constabulary). Transfers Bilibid to Muntinglupa. Starts the Davao Penal Colony.
9. 1933- Col. Santos goes on a world-trip (Singapore, Bombay, Venice, Vienna, Berlin, Paris, London, New York, Washington)
10. 1935- Awarded the Medal of Valor by Gov. Gen. Frank Murphy and President Quezon
11. 1936 May 4 – Major General Santos rises to Chief of Staff of the Philippine Army
12. 1938 Dec 31 – Tour of duty ends. Gen. Santos retires from the military. Appointed manager
of the National Land Settlement Administration
13. 1939 Feb. 27- 1st batch of settlers on the “SS Basilian” lands in Dadiangas
14. 1939 June 23- Pres. Quezon visits Koronadal
15. 1940 June 28- Pres. Quezon’s 2nd visit with VP Sergio Osmena
16. 1942- Japanese occupation in Southern Mindanao
17. 1944 – Gen. Santos promoted by Pres. Laurel from Commissioner of Mindanao and Sulu to CHIEF OF THE BUREAU OF CONSTABULARY
– President Laurel sends his presidential plane to take Gen. Santos to Manila
– THE LAST FAREWELL
18. 1945 Aug 29- Gen. Santos dies as a POW in Bontoc, Mt. Province
19. 1946- Liberation of the Philippines
20. 1968- General Santos City chartered by Presidential Proclamation (Buoyan, Dadiangaas, Lagao)
21. 1992 – Aug 29- Gen. Santos and wife Elisa buried with full military honors in the GenSan City Plaza.
