PERSONAL AND EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND

 

1890, August 24

Born in Bago City, Negros Occidental. He learned his first letters under the private tutorship of Eustaquio Torres in Bago

 

1902

Studied at the Bago Public School.

 

1903-1909

Studied at Rizal Institute, Bacolod (now Negros Occidental High School ) and graduated valedictorian of the first graduating class.

 

While a student at the University of the Philippines, in the Carnival Essay Contest in 1909, he won the prize consisting of W.E. Retana’s Vida y Escritos de Rizal.

 

1907, October

Student activist under the American regime. He led a student rally in Bacolod, Negros Occidental, to celebrate the opening of the First Philippine Assembly in Manila.

 

1909-1910

Member, Junior Philippine Assembly.

 

1909-1914

Continued his studies in Manila, he entered the University of the Philippines.

 

He qualified for the pensionado competitive examination but was not sent to the United States due to lack of funds.

 

1911

Managing Editor, College Folio (fist organ of the student body of the University of the Philippines)

 

1911, March 29

Received his A.B. degree

 

1914, April 2

Received his LL.B. degree with honors (valedictorian), University of the Philippines.

 

1914, September

He was admitted to the Philippine Bar. He practiced Law in Iloilo.

 

GOVERNMENT SERVICE

 

1915, January

He was appointed law clerk, Philippine Commission and private secretary to Commissioner Jaime C. De Veyra.

 

1916, January

Appointed private secretary to Secretary of Commerce and Police.

 

1916, September

Appointed private secretary to the Secretary of the Interior.

 

1917

Chief Clerk, Department of the Interior upon the reorganization of the Executive Departments.

               

1917, July 10

He was commissioned major, Judge Advocate General’s Department, Philippine National Guard.

 

1917, May-1918

Legislative secretary to Speaker Sergio Osmeña, House of Representatives.

 

1918-1919

Aide and secretary to President Manuel L. Quezon as chairman of mission and executive secretary, First Philippine Independence Mission, Washington, D.C.

 

1919

Secretary to the President of the Senate.

 

1919, April

Admitted to practice law before the U. S. Supreme Court.

 

1920, January

Secretary to President Manuel L. Quezon.

 

1920, April to 1922, January

Assistant Director, Bureau of Commerce and Industry.

 

1920, June to 1921, September

Acting Director, Bureau of Commerce and Industry.

 

1920, June

Member and Secretary, Militia Commission.

 

1920, April to May

Acting Director, Bureau of Posts.

 

1922

Secretary, Second Philippine Independence Mission to the U.S.

 

1922, February 1 to 1928, September 8

Director, Bureau of Lands

 

1923-1924

Director, Manila Railroad Company and Manila Hotel

 

1928, October 1 to 1935

Under-secretary of Agriculture and Natural Resources.

 

1935

Executive secretary, Inauguration Committee, Philippine Commonwealth.

 

1935-1941

Secretary to the President of the Philippines (executive secretary) with cabinet rank.

 

1936 January 21 to 1937 September

Domestic Sugar Administrator

 

1936-1940

Chairman of the Board of Directors, Philippine National Bank.

 

1941

Appointed Acting Secretary of National Defense.

 

1941 December 24 to 23 January 1942

First Mayor of the newly created City of Greater Manila

 

1943 October 23 to 17 August 1945

First Filipino Ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary to Japan.

 

1944

Appointed Acting Secretary of National Defense.

 

1943-1945

Chairman of the Philippine Executive Commission.

 

1946-1954

Chairman of the National Planning Commission.

 

1961-1965

Member of the Board of Regents, University of the Philippines.

 

BUSINESS, SPORTS, Etc.

 

Mr. Vargas’ business connections and interests are shown in the various positions he held in private corporations including the Jorge B. Vargas Filipiniana Foundation where he was the chairman of the Board of Trustees and president.

 

1915-1935

Director, Laong-Laon Tennis Club

 

1918-1928

Charter member, Philippine Amateur Athletic Federation and member of its executive committee.

 

1921

Director-General, Philippine (Magallanes) Carnival

               

Director, Binalbagan Estate (Sugar Control)

 

1926

Member, Board of Directors, Philippine Motor Association

 

1927-1935

Director, Binalbagan Estate (Sugar Control)

 

1929

Acting director, Philippine Museum

 

1929-1935

Vice president of same.

 

1930

Head, Philippine delegation to the IXth Far Eastern Games in Tokyo.

 

Director, University of the Philippines Press.

 

Professional Lecturer on Land Registration and Mortgages, Philippine law school, National University.

 

1930-1934

               

First Vice-President, Far Eastern Athletic Association

 

Author, The Philippine Land Registration Law

 

1935

Publisher, Blue Book of the Inauguration of the Commonwealth of the Philippines

 

1935-1955

President of same.

 

1936

He was elected member and first Filipino to become a permanent member (lifetime) of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Elected in absentia in July 1936 during the 11th Olympics in Berlin

 

1938-1939

Member, Golden Gate International Exposition Committee

 

1948

Head of the Philippine delegation to the Games in London.

 

1950

A representative of the Philippines in the First Congress of Asian Games in New Delhi.

 

1952

Head of the Philippine delegation to the Games in Helsinki

 

1950 September 17

Member, Philippine Chamber of Industries, Inc.

               

1950-1954

President, Asian Games Federation

 

1954-1958

Member of the Executive Committee of same

 

1959-1980

Honorary president of the same for life of the same

 

1978 March 1

First Filipino to donate a multi-million-peso Filipiniana library, museum and art gallery to the University of the Philippines

 

MEMBERSHIP IN ASSOCIATIONS & ORGANIZATIONS

 

His membership in various organizations includes the following:

 

Amateur Athletic Association of the Orient

Vice President (1934-1939)

American Academy of Political and Social Sciences

American Numismatic Association

Art Association of the Philippines

Army and Navy Club of Manila

Asociacion Filatelica de Filipinas

Association of Civil Employees of the Philippines

President (1928-1930)

Baguio Country Club

Casino Español

Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines

Member (August 1, 1962)

Executive Suite, The, Inc.

Member (September 15, 1975)

Federation of Former Students to Japan

             Honorary member (January 17, 1977)

Free Mason

          37th-degree member [1917?] up to July 1934         

Holiday Hills Golf Club

International Committee of Museums

Kapwa Ko, Mahal Ko Foundation, Inc.

                Sustaining member (April 17, 1978)

Los Tamaraoes Polo Club

                Member (1937 January 1)

Manila Cosmos Club

                President (1928)

Manila Golf Club

Manila Overseas Press Club

Manila Polo Club

Manila Yacht Club

Charter member (1927)

Director (1928)

Moral Re-armament Foundation of the Philippines Inc.

Member (June 29, 1976)

National Geographic Society

Member (January 1, 1963)

National Research Council of the Philippines

Associate member (February 27, 1964)

Honorary member (February 23, 1968)

National Rifle and Pistol Association of the Philippines

Honorary member (1939 July 22)

Phi Kappa Phi

Charter member, Philippine chapter (1933)

Philippine Ambassador Association

Governor (January 12, 1977)

Philippine Bar Association

Director (1926-1927)

Philippine Booklovers Society

First President and Charter member (1954 January 1)

Philippine Chamber of Industries, Inc.

Member (1950 September 17)

Philippine Columbian Association

President (1928-1932)

Philippine Constitution Association

Member (September 9, 1965)

Philippine Foundation of the Crippled

Philippine Historical Association

Life member (June 19, 1973)

Philippine International Friendship Organization

Philippine-Japan Association

Honorary member (1974 January 29)

Philippine Motor Association

Member, Board of Director (1926)

First President (1931-1932)

Director (1933)

Philippine National (International Chamber of Commerce)

Philippine Rural Reconstruction Movement

Charter member (1957 September 30)

Philippine Sugar Association

Member (1933, August  8)

Rotary Club of Manila

Philippine Numismatic Antiquarian Society

Society of Medalists

Tokyo Tennis Club

United Nations Association of the Philippines

University of the Philippines Alumni Association

President (1931-19[39?])

Life member (1939 March 27)

Life member (1974 January 29)

Valley Golf and Country Club

Wack Wack Golf and Country Club

West Side Tennis Club (Forest Hills, N.Y.)

Y.M.C.A. of the Philippines

Zoological Society, Inc.

President (1937)

 

 

BOY SCOUTS OF THE PHILIPPINES

 

One of the founders of the Boy Scouts movement in the Philippines

Charter member and Incorporator (1937)

International Commissioner

Member of the Boy Scouts International Committee

Head of the Philippine Contingents of the Boys Scouts World Jamborees held in Switzerland, Canada, England, Japan, and the Philippines

President and Chief Scout of the Boys Scouts of the Philippines (1949-1961) (First Filipino to hold dual position)

President of the Xth World Jamboree in the Philippines

Member of the Executive Board, Boy Scouts of America

 

AWARDS AND DECORATIONS

 

One of the most decorated men, Mr. Vargas received the following:

 

Most Distinguished Alumnus of the University of the Philippines (March 3, 1937)

First Merit of the Meiji Decoration and Grand Cordon of the Rising Sun (Japan)

Colegial de Honor, Colegio de Guadalupe (Spain)

Silver Tamaraw (highest Boy Scouts of the Philippines medal)

Silver Ibex (Boys Scouts of Austria)

Silver Wolf (Boy Scouts of the British Empire), July 26, 1959

Silver Fox (Boy Scouts of Canada)

Presidential Award, 10th World Jamboree, Boy Scouts International Conference, Ottawa, Canada (July 26, 1959)

Golden Pheasant (Boy Scouts of Japan)

Bronze Wolf (highest Boy Scouts World Bureau award), August 1959, Boy Scouts International Conference, Ottawa, Canada

Mt. Makiling National Award (First to be awarded highest Boy Scouts of the Philippines award), Zamboanga City, May 11, 1961

Distinguished Alumnus Award by Negros Occidental, Bacolod City (March 27, 1960)

Philippine Legion of Honor (rank of Commander), one of the highest decorations of the Philippine Government (August 12, 1960)

U.P. Law Alumni Association Gloden Jubilee Award (September 18, 1960)

U.P. Alumni Award by U.P. Alumni Association (April 15, 1961)

Philippine Amateur Athletic Federation Special Award (December 3, 1961)

Red Feather Award. Community Chest of Greater Manila (1962)

Olympia-Medaille, Germany (December 6, 1965)

Knights Grand Cross of Rizal, [Grand Commander] Order of the Knights of Rizal (December 30, 1965)

Presidential Award for Meritorious Service (December 16, 1967)

Gold Medal and Diploma of Appreciation, University of the Philippines Alumni Association (April 10, 1970)

Elected to the Philippine Sports Hall of Fame by the Philippine Amateur Athletic Federation (June 15, 1974)

Ang Banwahon Award, Bacolod City (January 20, 1975)

Bago City Fourth Centennial Award (June 20, 1975)

Gawad ng Katangi-tanging Paglilingkod, Lyceum ng Pilipinas (March 7, 1977)

Most Outstanding Alumni Award, Negros Occidental General Comprehensive High School, Bacolod City (March 3, 1978)

Doctor of Laws Honoris Causa by the University of the Philippines (April 16, 1978)

 

FAMILY DATA

 

Married to Marina Ortiz Yulo on July 23, 1919 (b. Molo, Iloilo City, September 1901; d. March 14, 1955),

with whom he had eight children:

Jorge B. Jr. (b. April 28, 1920; d. June 12, 1948)

Angel Federico (b. July 18, 1921)

Gregorio Roberto (b. July 26, 1922)

Lourdes Filomena (b. September 25, 1923)

Eduardo Mariano (b. September 27, 1925)

Ramon Teodoro (b. May 16, 1927)

Teresita Carolina (b. November 4, 1928)

Maria Luisa (b. January 27, 1930)

 

Remarried on July 10 1956 to Adelaida Peña y Montilla (b. Isabela, Negros Occidental,  June 20, 1919)

 

He died on February 22, 1980, at Makati Medical Hospital, Makati City, Philippines.

 

                                                                                                                                            

                                                                                           (prepared and updated by M.Raynera, UPVM Librarian)