Vicente Ilustre: Taal’s Illustrious Lawyer
Vicente Encarnacion Ilustre was among the Province of Batangas’ most illustrious sons, having been born in Taal, Batangas on September 6, 1869 to Ramon Ilustre and Ignacia Encarnacion1 — among the leading citizens of Taal. Growing up, he was an outstanding student and finished early and secondary schooling in Batangas. Then, moving to Manila, he earned a bachelor’s degree at the Ateneo Municipal de Manila2.
He proceeded to Spain and completed a doctorate in law at the Universidad Central de Madrid. In the Spanish capital, he joined reformist circles with some illustrious figures in Philippine History: Jose Rizal, Marcelo H. del Pilar, Mariano Ponce, and Galicano Apacible3.
He became a man of letters whose articles appeared in local and foreign newspapers4. He took part in the Propaganda Movement in Madrid, advocating reforms and assimilation with Spain through La Solidaridad5.
During the Philippine‑American War, Ilustre left Madrid for Paris and on January 8, 1900 proceeded to Hong Kong, where he was elected Director of Diplomacy in the Central Revolucionaria de Hongkong6. He accepted the Mabini cabinet’s offer to represent the Philippine Republic in the United States, then returned to the Philippines in 19037.
 |
| AI-generated image of Vicente Ilustre in front of a bahay-na-bato in Taal. |
In 1905 he argued before visiting American officials in Manila that the Philippines had high “political capacity” and was capable of “self‑government,” challenging colonial assumptions8. That same year he passed the bar examinations9.
He married Doña Rita Villavicencio of Taal, daughter of Eulalio and Doña Gliceria Marella de Villavicencio; but they would have no children10. Through this union, he was tied to one of Batangas’ most patriotic family, as Doña Gliceria was revered as the “godmother of the revolution11.”
Ilustre’s career matured under the American colonial government. He presided over the tribunal that examined aspiring lawyers and, in 1910, became president of the Colegio de Abogados de Filipinas12. In 1913 he joined the Philippine Commission, chaired the Committee for Mindanao and Sulu, and initiated policies that expanded local electoral rights, culminating in Act No. 240813.
With the Jones Law, he was elected Senator for the 5th District in the First Philippine Senate, serving from 1916 to 191914. He also sat on the Committee on Rules, Committee on Relations with the Sovereign Government, and the Committee on Justice15.
He resided in both Taal and Manila, maintaining a mansion in Quiapo that served as a political and social hub16. In Taal, he was remembered for helping install light and water, hence the affectionate “Luz Ilustre17.”
He died in Manila on September 27, 1928 at age 59, survived by his wife Doña Rita Villavicencio‑Ilustre18. Vicente Ilustre bridged revolution and governance—diplomat of a beleaguered Republic and statesman of a colonial legislature — an important Batangueño whose legacy endures in law, public utilities, and the civic memory marked by V. Ilustre Street19.
2 “The Revolt of the Masses,” by Teodoro Agoncillo, 1960, University of the Philippines Press, Quezon City.
3 “History of the Filipino People,” by Teodoro Agoncillo, 1990, Garotech Publishing, Quezon City.
4 Ibid.
5 “La Solidaridad,” online at brittanica.com.
6 “The Roots of the Filipino Nation,” by Onofre D. Corpuz, 1989, University of the Philippines Press, Quezon City.
7 Agoncillo, op. cit.
8 Corpuz, op. cit.
9 Atienza, op. cit.
10 Ibid.
11 “Philippine Political and Cultural History,” by Gregorio Zaide, 1999, National Book Store, Manila.
12 Ibid.
13 Corpuz, op. cit.
14 Ibid. 15 Zaide, op. cit
16 Atienza, op. cit.
17 “Vicente Ilustre Mansion in Quiapo,” Heritage Is People, March 13, 2015, online at heritageispeople.blogspot.com
18 “Vicente Ilustre,” Wikipedia.
19 Atienza, op. cit.