Antonio Rivera Quirino Sr. (January 20, 1906 – January 3, 1992) was a Filipino judge, entrepreneur and politician. He was the youngest brother of President Elpidio Quirino. He helped develop Alto Broadcasting System (ABS) before it was absorbed by Chronicle Broadcasting Network (CBN) to form ABS-CBN Corporation from the merged two media companies.

Antonio R. Quirino Sr.
Chairman of Alto Broadcasting System (now ABS-CBN Corporation)
In office
1952 – September 24, 1956
Preceded byJames Lindenberg (Bolinao Electronics Corporation)
Succeeded byEugenio Lopez Sr. (Chronicle Broadcasting Network)
Personal details
Born
Antonio Rivera Quirino

(1906-01-20)January 20, 1906
Vigan, Ilocos Sur, Philippine Islands
DiedJanuary 3, 1992(1992-01-03) (aged 85)
Political partyLiberal (1951-1992)
SpouseAleli Aguilar De Guzman
ChildrenEduardo Maria G. Quirino (d. 1940)
Militza G. Quirino-Lagdameo
Antonio G. Quirino Jr.
Aleli G. Quirino
Norma G. Quirino-Palanca
Lourdes G. Quirino-Kohlbacher
Yolanda G. Quirino-Abad
ProfessionJudge

Early life and education edit

Quirino was born on January 20, 1906. He graduated from the University of the Philippines College of Law and was a member of the Upsilon Sigma Phi.[1]

Political career edit

Quirino ran for senate spot in 1951 under the Liberal banner, but lost and placed 13th (as then senate needs only top 8). He ran in 1957 under his own wing of the party, but also lost and placed 5th and he lost to Carlos P. Garcia and placed 5th in the canvassing.

1948 Hukbalahap amnesty edit

In 1948, Quirino convinced Hukbalahap leader Luis Taruc to present himself to President Elpidio Quirino. Taruc agreed and the Philippine government granted an amnesty to the Hukbalahap and the Pambansang Kaisahan ng mga Magbubukid (PKM).[2] The government agreed go the Hukbalahap's terms, giving the group a fifty-day amnesty to let them give up their weapons in exchange for certain provisions. Three hours after the amnesty period ended, government troops attacked Taruc's group, who accused the government of bad faith. One of the provisions was to forbid the United States to maintain military bases on Philippine soil, which the government did not accept.[3]

Philippine television edit

Quirino established the first television station in the Philippines primarily to support the reelection campaign of his brother, President Elpidio Quirino, for the 1953 election.[4] The station was DZAQ-TV of Alto Broadcasting System, a predecessor network company of ABS-CBN. The first telecast of DZAQ-TV was aired on October 23, 1953 and was that of a party of Antonio in which his brother, Elpídio, became the first Filipino president to appear on television,[5] though the broadcast did not end in an appeal by Antonio for the audience to vote to reelect his brother.[6]

Personal life edit

Quiríno was the youngest male in a brood of six children.[7] In 1938, he married Aleli Aguilar De Guzman. The couple had seven children.

References edit

  1. ^ "Upsilon Sigma Phi - History". Upsilon Sigma Phi. Retrieved 2020-07-16.
  2. ^ "Official Month in Review: June 1948". Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines. 1 June 1948. Retrieved 2 December 2017.
  3. ^ Woods, Damon (2006). "History and Geography". The Philippines: A Global Studies Handbook (illustrated ed.). ABC-CLIO. p. 64. ISBN 1851096752. Retrieved 2 December 2017.
  4. ^ Santos, Josefina (2003). "The Philippines: television and civil society". Television, Regulation and Civil Society in Asia. By Kitley, Philip. Routledge. p. 136. ISBN 1134431945. Retrieved 2 December 2017.
  5. ^ "A Half-century of Philippine Television". Library Link. Filipinas Heritage Library. 14 October 2003. Retrieved 2 December 2017.
  6. ^ Agatep, Charlie (29 September 2003). "Lights, camera & how Philippine TV began". The Philippine Star. Archived from the original on 3 December 2017. Retrieved 2 December 2017.
  7. ^ Pilapil, Jaime (17 April 2015). "Happy 125th birthday, President Quirino". Manila Times. Retrieved 2 December 2017.