Celestino Rodriguez


Celestino Lazala Rodriguez was a Filipino lawyer and politician from Cebu, Philippines. He served as member and Deputy in the Philippine Assembly, as Senator, member of the 1st National Assembly, and 1st Congress of the Commonwealth in 1945.

Early life

Celestino Rodriguez born to parents Jose Rodriguez and Vicenta Lazala in Bogo, Cebu on May 11, 1872, coming from a wealthy Bogo family with extensive landholdings in the northern sugar-belt towns of the province. He married Ignacia La Sala and had four children. At Ateneo de Manila, he acquired a bachelor's degree in 1892 and a law degree from the La Universidad Central de Madrid in 1900.

Career

Passing the bar and becoming a lawyer in 1902, he practiced law as profession.
In 1904, he first became the municipal president of Cebu. In 1907, he was elected to the Philippine Assembly as member of the 1st Philippine Legislature representing Cebu's 1st district, then was reelected for the 2nd Philippine Legislature in 1910 until 1912, and would become Deputy. The Philippine Assembly was organized to pave the way for independence from the American rule. He became the first representative of the old First District of Cebu, which included the towns of Bogo, Borbon, Catmon, Danao, Pilar, Poro, San Francisco, SogodTabogon, and Tudela.
Later, he was elected Senator and served in the Fourth Legislature, Fifth Legislature, and Sixth Legislature from 1916 until 1925. In his time, the country was divided into 12 senatorial districts, each district voting 2 senators, and he represented the Cebu, which was 10th district.
He was voted member of the 1st National Assembly representing Cebu's First District from 1935 to 1938, and then he served in the 1st Congress of the Commonwealth after the war in 1945.

Historical commemoration