Edilberto Evangelista

Edilberto Evangelista (February 24, 1862 – February 17, 1897) was a Filipino civil engineer and a revolutionary.

Early life and career He was born in Sta. Cruz, Manila, on February 24, 1862. Evangelista finished his Bachelor of Arts at the Colegio de San Juan de Letran in 1878. He was awarded a medal of excellence in Mathematics. Poor health made him to drop his idea of studying medicine. After this, he became a teacher, a cattle dealer, a tobacco merchant between Cebu and Manila, and later a contractor of public works. He soon went to Madrid in 1890. It was during this time that he befriended many Filipino patriots, including José Rizal, who advised him to study engineering in Belgium. He therefore enrolled at the University of Ghent, one of the world's top engineering schools, and finished civil engineering and architecture with highest honors. He then received profitable offers of employment from several institutions in Europe but he declined because of his zeal to serve his country.

Philippine Revolution He returned to the Philippines in September 1896, shortly after the start of the Philippine Revolution. He was arrested and imprisoned, since the Spanish authorities suspected many people of the revolution and he had in his possession Jose Rizal's Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo, but he escaped. He joined General Emilio Aguinaldo's command on October 22, 1896. One Spanish general commented that the fortifications were the "fortifications of the future."

Evangelista was calm but fatalistic, a characteristic misinterpreted as bravery. He was drawing trenches on the ground with a stick while the enemy fired cannons at their forces. One time, a shell dropped very near him yet he did not flinch nor run, instead he brushed the dust off his coat and continued to draw. Camp Edilberto Evangelista is the largest military camp in Mindanao with an area of 129 hectares. It houses the 4th Infantry Division of the Philippine Army.

There are two major streets named after Evangelista: one in Quiapo, Manila and the other in Bangkal, Makati. The streets that bear his name are now famous for its thrift and second-hand shops. Gen. Evangelista Street, a main thoroughfare from Zapote to Mabolo in Bacoor, was also named after him. The Monument of Edilberto Evangelista Erected Beside the Zapote Bridge. House Bill No. 5659, passed on December 18, 2008, by seven lawmakers, sought to rename the Alabang–Zapote Road in Las Piñas to General Edilberto Evangelista Avenue for the latter's fearless exploits during the Philippine Revolution.

In popular culture Portrayed by Alireza Libre in the 2012 film, El Presidente.