Emilio Aguinaldo

Emilio Aguinaldo was a Filipino leader and revolutionary who played a key role in the country's fight for independence from Spanish colonial rule. Born in 1869, he became the first President of the Philippines and led the Filipino forces during the Philippine Revolution and the subsequent Philippine-American War. Aguinaldo declared independence from Spain in 1898, but the Philippines was later colonized by the United States. He is remembered as a national hero who fought for Filipino sovereignty and self-determination, shaping the country's early efforts at establishing a unified nation.