DOMINADOR GOMEZ - National Historical Commission of the ...

DOMINADOR GOMEZ
(1868-1929)
Physician, Propagandist, Labor Leader and Legislator
Born in Manila in 1868, Dominador Gomez studied medicine at the University of
Santo Tomas but finished the course in Madrid.
While a medical student in Madrid, he joined the group of young and patriotic
middle-class Filipinos of intelligence, courage, and prominence that had organized the
Propaganda Movement to work in Spain for political and social reforms in the
Philippines. Dr. Jose Rizal and Marcelo H. del Pilar led the group.
An essayist and a brilliant orator, he supported the movement with both his pen
and his tongue. He wrote under the pseudonym, “Ramiro Franco,” for its organ, La
Solidaridad. He helped finance the publication of this periodical from 1889 to 1895.
Upon his return to the Philippines, Gomez took over from Isabelo de los Reyes
the leadership of the newly reorganized Union Obrero Democratica de Filipinas, the
first labor union in the Philippines, and became its president. As an ilustrado-labor
leader, he was tapped by the Americans to talk with Macario Sakay. He was instrumental
in convincing Sakay to come down from the mountains. The cessation of hostilities
would mean the grating of the certificate of peace by the Philippine Commission, which
was a prerequisite for the holding of election for the Philippine Assembly. The Assembly,
Gomez told Sakay, was a step nearer to full independence. He agitated for the
observance of Labor Day in the Philippines on May 1 of each year (In 1913, the Philippine
Legislature declared this date officially as Labor Day). Although he was arrested and
sentenced to hard labor for his militant union activities, he considered himself
vindicated with his election as a delegate to the first Philippine Assembly in 1907.
Ever loyal to his racial heritage and patriotic spirit, Gomez attempted with Pedro
A. Paterno and Pascual H. Poblete to organize in 1900, and again in 1901, the
Nacionalista Party, which was in favor of securing outright independence for the
Philippines, rather than autonomy or annexation to the United States, the stand of the
opposing party. In later years, however, he identified himself with the Federo-Tercerista
group, also known as the Democratic Progresistas, in opposition to the powerful
Nacionalistas.
Gomez’s controversial involvement in politics started with his election to the
Philippine Assembly, from which he was later ejected. He blamed his expulsion on both
Speaker Osmeña and Assemblyman Manuel L. Quezon, whom he accused of having
“availed themselves of all means and opportunities against him for fear that he might
take hold of the gavel and with it the speakership.”
He and Quezon were bitter political foes. They even had a date to fight a duel
sometime in 1915, but close friends of the two protagonists prevailed upon them to desist
from it. Their mutual hatred stemmed from Quezon’s allegations against Gomez’s
character which were aired on the floor of the US Senate, when Quezon was the resident
commissioner of the Philippines to Washington, D.C..

In 1916, Gomez became president of the municipal board of Manila, to which he
had earlier been elected a member. He proved to be a crusading alderman. His first
official act was to call the attention of his colleagues to their responsibilities to their
constituents.
While the Philippines was still a colony of Spain, Gomez served as a volunteer in
the Spanish army in the war in Cuba, and was decorated by Queen Maria Cristina for his
bravery.
References:
He died in 1929.
Gwekoh, Sol. “D. Gomez: Crusading labor chief,” The Manila Times, 1965.
Roces, Alfredo ed. Filipino Heritage Volume 9. Lahing Pilipino Publishing Inc.,
Philippines, 1978.
Zaide, Gregorio F. and Sonia Zaide, Documentary Sources of Philippine History,
National Bookstore, Inc., Manila, 1990.