{{Short description|Filipino lawyer and politician (1883–1982)}} {{Philippine name|Tría|Fuentebella}} {{Use Philippine English|date=May 2023}} {{Use mdy dates|date=May 2023}} {{Infobox officeholder | honorific_prefix = The Honorable | name = José T. Fuentebella | image = José Fuentebella y Tría.jpg | caption = Photograph from ''The Commercial & Industrial Manual of the Philippines'', 1941 |office = Senator of the Philippines from the 6th district |term_start = 1928 |term_end = 1934 |alongside = José O. Vera |predecessor = Juan B. Alegre |successor = Domingo Imperial |term1 = 1916 | 1namedata1 = '''''Refused to take office'''''{{efn|He was elected as a Senator in 1916 but immediately went to private practice and look after his family's financial interests.<ref name="Official Gazette"/><ref name="Senate Profile">{{Cite web |title=Senators Profile - Jose Fuentebella |url=https://legacy.senate.gov.ph/senators/former_senators/jose_fuentebella.htm |access-date=2024-11-29 |website=legacy.senate.gov.ph}}</ref>}} <!-- |predecessor1 = ''Position established'' |successor1 = Leoncio Imperial --> | office2 = Member of the National Assembly from Camarines Sur's at-large district | term_start2 = September 25, 1943 | term_end2 = February 2, 1944 | alongside2 = Andres Hernandez |office3 = Member of the Philippine Assembly from Ambos Camarines's 3rd district |term_start3 = 1909 |term_end3 = 1916 |predecessor3 = Francisco Alvarez |successor3 = Sulpicio V. Cea |office4 = Governor of Ambos Camarines |term_start4 = 1916 |term_end4 = 1916 |predecessor4 = Mariano Fuentebella |successor4 = Manuel Crescini | office5 = Member of the House of Representatives of the Philippines from Camarines Sur's 2nd district | term_start5 = June 11, 1945 | term_end5 = May 25, 1946 | predecessor5 = Vacant | successor5 = Sebastián C. Moll Jr. | office6 = Member of the National Assembly from Camarines Sur's 2nd district | term_start6 = May 25, 1937 | term_end6 = December 30, 1941 | predecessor6 = Luis N. De Leon | successor6 = Vacant | office10 = Commissioner of the 5th Military District | president9 = José P. Laurel | term_start10 = September 1943 | term_end10 = December 1944 | office11 = Philippine Ambassador to Indonesia | term_start11 = 1955 | term_end11 = 1961 | president11 = Ramon Magsaysay | office12 = Presidential Adviser on Foreign Affairs | president12 = Ferdinand E. Marcos | birth_name = José Fuentebella y Tría | birth_date = {{birth date|1883|06|17}} | birth_place = Sagñay, Ambos Camarines, Captaincy General of the Philippines | death_date = {{death date and age|1982|07|25|1883|06|17}} | death_place = | party = Nacionalista (1909-1942; 1945-1982) | other_party = KALIBAPI (1942-1945) | relations = | children = | alma_mater = Colegio de San Buenaventura (Albay) <br> Ateneo de Manila <br> Escuela de Leyes | occupation = Politician (senator, congressman, commissioner, governor and ambassador)<ref>{{cite news |last1=Vergara |first1=Ricardo B. |title=Illustrious Men & Women Of Bicol |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vZ8VAAAAIBAJ&pg=PA14 |access-date=December 30, 2022 |publisher=Manila Standard |date=September 7, 1987 |language=en}}</ref> | profession = Lawyer | signature = | website = | footnotes = }} '''José Tría Fuentebella''' (June 17, 1883 – July 25, 1982), widely known as "'''Pepe'''", was a Filipino lawyer and politician. He is the first Fuentebella to foray into the national arena of politics.
==Early life and education== Fuentebella studied at Colegio de San Buenaventura in Albay. He finished his Bachelor of Arts in Ateneo de Manila in 1902, obtained his Bachelor of Laws from Escuela de Leyes in 1905 and passed the bar in 1906.<ref name="Senate Profile"/> José practiced law for three years before entering politics at the age of 26.
==Political career== thumb|175px|left|Fuentebella depicted in a publication of ''Philippine Education'', published April 1917 He was elected representative of Ambos Camarines's 3rd district for the Second Philippine Legislature in 1909. He also served in the Third Philippine Legislature until 1916.<ref name=" Senate Profile"/>
He convinced his father, Mariano Fuentebella, to run for governor of Ambos Camarines in 1912. Together they formed a powerful tandem and were able to obtain benefits for the province from the colonial government. When his father died, although he was in a higher office as a representative, José accepted the appointment as governor to finish his father's term and implement their joint projects.
Fuentebella ran for senator and was later proclaimed Senator-elect in 1916 for the 6th senatorial district.<ref name="Official Gazette">{{Cite book |last=Philippines |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=eKcrAQAAMAAJ&dq=jose+fuentebella+senate+books&pg=PA13 |title=Official Gazette |date=1916 |language=en}}</ref> However, he declined to sit as he immediately went to private practice and look after his family's financial interests instead.<ref name="part2">{{cite web|title=The Imperials in Bicol History (Part II)|url=https://biklish.com/2009/01/06/20090106-part-ii/|accessdate=June 14, 2025|work=Biklish|date= January 6, 2009 }}</ref> But in 1931, he made his return to the Senate as a 6th district senator in 1928 and served two terms (1928-1931 and 1931–1934).<ref name="Senate Profile"/>
The Senate was abolished in 1935. In the legislative polls later that year, Fuentebella won a seat in the unicameral National Assembly and served two terms until 1941.
Although the Senate was restored in 1941, Fuentebella ran for a seat in the Lower House in the November polls. However, the 1st Congress of the Commonwealth of the Philippines did not seat until 1945 as World War II came to the Philippines.
During the Japanese occupation, from September 1943 to December 1944, Fuentebella was appointed Commissioner of the 5th Military District comprising the entire Bicol Region. After consulting guerilla leaders, he accepted the appointment from the Laurel government reluctantly and only to prevent more Japanese atrocities. He was also elected as an assemblyman to National Assembly in 1943.
After the war, he finished his term as representative and successfully defended himself from accusations that he had collaborated with the Japanese.
Fuentebella was appointed Philippine Ambassador to Indonesia by then Philippine President Ramon Magsaysay on March 31, 1955.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Escandor, Jr. |first1=Juan |title=Villafuerte-Fuentebella rivalry restaged |url=https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/784659/villafuerte-fuentebella-rivalry-restaged |access-date=December 30, 2022 |work=INQUIRER.net |date=May 10, 2016 |language=en}}</ref><ref name="Senate Profile"/> He exercised deft democracy from 1955 to 1961, a crucial time in Philippine and Indonesian relations. Subsequently, Philippine President Ferdinand E. Marcos appointed him Presidential Adviser on Foreign Affairs.
Fuentebella was an ardent nationalist and founder of the Nacionalista Party in Bicol. He became president of the party in Camarines Sur from 1909 to 1955.<ref name="Senate Profile"/> He is one who espoused the "Filipino First" policy of then Philippine President Carlos Garcia. One of his greatest achievements as a politician was the extension of the Philippine National Railways to Bicol, establishing Camarines Sur Polytechnic Colleges in Naga City, and being the author of the "Flag Law".
==Death== He died on July 25, 1982.
==Legacy== The Governor Jose T. Fuentebella National Highway was named after him through Republic Act No. 7786 on August 8, 1994.<ref>{{cite PH act|chamber=RA|number=7786|title=An Act Naming the National Highway Beginning From Barangay Anayan, Municipality of Pili Up to the Municipality of Lagonoy, Province of Camarines Sur, as the Governor Jose T. Fuentebella National Highway|date=August 8, 1994 |website= Supreme Court E-Library |url=https://elibrary.judiciary.gov.ph/thebookshelf/showdocs/2/2465 |access-date=December 30, 2022}}</ref>
==Notes== {{notelist}}
==References== {{reflist}} * Building Institutions: The Fuentebella Legacy by Coylee Gamboa
{{DEFAULTSORT:Fuentebella, Jose}} Category:1883 births Category:1982 deaths Category:Governors of Camarines Sur Category:Members of the House of Representatives of the Philippines from Camarines Sur Category:Senators of the 9th Philippine Legislature Category:Ambassadors of the Philippines to Indonesia Category:Nacionalista Party politicians Category:KALIBAPI politicians Category:People from Camarines Sur Category:Advisers to the president of the Philippines Category:Ferdinand Marcos administration personnel Jose Category:Ateneo de Manila University alumni Category:Members of the Philippine Legislature Category:Members of the National Assembly of the Philippines Category:Members of the National Assembly (Second Philippine Republic) Category:Senators of the 8th Philippine Legislature Category:Members of the Senate of the Philippines from the 6th district Category:Members of the House of Representatives of the Philippines from Ambos Camarines