Tomas del Rosario

Who was Tomas del Rosario?

Tomas Guillermo T. del Rosario is a Filipino judge and statesman who served as the first governor of the province of Bataan from 1903 to 1905. He is remembered for advocating the separation of church and state.

Del Rosario was born to Cipriano del Rosario and Severina Tongco in Binondo, Manila. He was a judge of the First Instance of Manila from 1888-96. He was deported to Ceuta, Africa from 1896-97 for alleged involvement in the revolution. Upon his return, he became a delegate of Surigao in the Malolos Congress in 1898 and delegate to the Philippine Assembly from 1909-12.

On 2007, the National Historical Institute and provincial government of Bataan unveiled the Gov. Tomas del Rosario marker at the compound in front of the provincial capitol in Balanga City.