Senator Jose Cortes Altavas: An Aklanon

Senator Jose Cortes Altavas: An Aklanon

 by

Melchor F. Cichon
August 12, 2007

I visited the Ang Panublion, the Roxas City Museum, on August 11, 2007.
I was with Prof. Virgilio Almario or Rio Alma, a national artist for literature, Prof. John Barrios, and two other companions of Prof. Almario.

In one of the bulletin boards inside the museum, I happened to read a short profile of a supposedly son of Capiz: Jose Cortes Altavas.

But I noticed that Altavas was born in Balete, Aklan on September 11, 1877. His wife is Socorro Laserna, most probably of Kalibo, Aklan. He was a senator from 1916-1922.

But of course at that time, Balete was still a part of Capiz.

But not until Aklan regained her status as an independent province when Pres. Ramon Magsaysay signed the bill into a law making Aklan a independent province from Capiz.

Here is the profile of Atty. Jose Cortes Altavas as posted in that bulletin board.

Jose Cortes Altavas
1877-1952

"Jose Cortes Altavas , lawyer, writer, journalist, politician, was born in Balete, Capiz, now Aklan on September 11, 1877 to Don Jose Altavas Aguilar, a native of Valdeagrofia, Teruel City, Spain and Andrea Cortes Rafals of Balete, Capiz.

"Jose obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree (sobresaliente) from the Ateneo Municipal de Manila in 1894. His studies at the University of Sto. Tomas were interrupted by the revolution against Spain and the Filipino-American War. He was admitted to the bar in 1901 In 1903, married Socorro Laserna.

"Altavas was a writer, poet, and novelist and wrote for newspaper in Manila, Cebu, Iloilo and Negros Occidental. In politics, he started as town councilor , provincial board member; representative to the First Philippine Assembly, 1907, governor for 1910-1916; senator for the 7th senatorial district, representative to the Philippine legislature in 1925 and delegate to the Constitutional Convention in 1935.

"Dubbed as "Road and Bridge Builder of Capiz", he was credited with the road and bridge networking linking Capiz to the province of Panay.

"Altavas wrote his memoirs "Mr. Diario" in 236 volumes."