Who’s Who in Bataan – GUILLERMO SANTOS ARCENAS

GUILLERMO SANTOS ARCENAS (1912-1989) was the 23rd governor of Bataan. His term covered from January 1, 1968 up to December 30, 1971. He was also the provincial vice-governor from 1964-1967 or during the second term of then Governor Pedro R. Dizon. As per record, Arcenas was the second vice governor of the province, next to Atty. Faustino Vigo (1960-1963).

Arcenas was born in Barrio Sto. Cristo, Hermosa on February 12, 1912. After finishing a Commerce degree at the Jose Rizal College in Manila, the son of former Hermosa Mayor Agustin Arcenas and Maria Santos was initially employed as clerk-cash examiner at the Bataan Provincial Auditor’s Office. He was elected and served as Hermosa mayor starting in 1952. He served for three terms (1952-1955, 1956-1959 and, 1960-1963).

To raise the income of the town, he started charging 50 centavos for birth certificates, municipal licenses for poultry farm, sari-sari stores and even “bumbon” or fishpens in rivers. He also initiated the construction of the new Hermosa municipal building which was damaged during World War II. It was completed and inaugurated in May 1955. In 1957, he fixed the date of the fiesta of Hermosa on May 3 of each year.

After having served his term as vice governor (1964-l967), Guillermo Arcenas ran and defeated by two votes the incumbent Governor Pedro Dizon of Balanga. He was supposed to start his term on January 1, 1968 but his victory was contested by Dizon. He was only able to reign formally as governor on April 1, 1968. The event was highlighted by the mass resignation of the Capitol employees, mostly Dizon’s supporters.

As governor, Arcenas immediately proclaimed Limay, including Lamao, as industrial sites. This facilitated the establishment of the Bataan Thermal Plant and the DND Arsenal, an ammunition plant. He was also involved in the establishment of the Bataan Export Processing Zone which was initiated by then Congressman Pablo R. Roman and the late President Ferdinand E. Marcos.

He also recreated the Provincial Engineers Office and ordered the demolition of the Manila checkpoint outpost in Dinalupihan where two of his security men were shot and killed by Constabulary soldiers.

He also petitioned President Marcos to revoke the logging permits of the three saw mills in Pantingan and Panilao, Pilar whom he charged were responsible for the denudation of the Mount Samat forests. Marcos granted his request immediately. Before the end of his term in 1971, he approved the charter creating the Bataan Community College, now part of the Bataan Polytechnic State University.

Despite the honor of being named as one of the most outstanding governors in the country in 1969, he lost to Atty. Efren B. Pascual of Orani during the 1971 polls.

Arcenas was assigned as OIC municipal mayor of Hermosa for three months starting in March 1986 replacing ousted Mayor Jesus R. Vitug as a result of the EDSA Revolution. Arcenas passed away on November 4, 1989.

He was married to the former Encarnacion Magtanong of Samal and had a daughter, Aleli, a lawyer and wife of Engineer Benjamin M. Alonzo, former vice-governor of Bataan (2004-2007).

Ambush. On May 8, 1970 at about 11.30 pm, the patrol car of Governor Guillermo Arcenas was ambushed by Constabulary soldiers at a checkpoint located in Roosevelt, Dinalupihan. Soldiers from Camp Olivas, Pampanga, led by 1Lt. Benjamin Libarnes, manned the outpost without a mission order. For no apparent reason, the soldiers fired at the pick-up truck and killed two security men of the governor. Killed were Martin Santos and Celestino Flores. Ricardo Diwa, another security man, was wounded.The outpost, formerly used by US Naval Forces prior to the turnover of Roosevelt Park to the government was immediately demolished. The soldiers involved were dismissed from the service and charged in court.

Editor’s Note: The photos used in this article were generously provided by Ms. Jinkee Alonzo, the grandaughter of former Gov. Arcenas. His family observed his 104th birthday last Friday, February 12.