Gerry Evangelista Sr.
Centennial Updates

IT IS exactly 281 days before the Baguio Centennial on September 1, 2009.

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Did you know that Justice George A. Malcolm, credited for authoring the Baguio City Charter, was only 28 years old when the document that gave birth to Baguio City took effect on September 1, 1909?

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In fact, he was only three years into the law profession, having graduated his LLB from the University of Michigan in 1906. Malcolm was born on November 5, 1881 in Concord, Michigan.

He graduated his AB from the same school in 1904, earned an honorary justice degree in 1921, and earned his Doctor of Laws (Hogaku Hakushi) from the Imperial University, Tokyo in 1922.

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When Justice Malcolm arrived in the Philippines in 1906, he had less than 10 dollars in his pocket and knew nobody. Yet he worked his way up from the position of a temporary voucher clerk to the Dean of the College of Law.

From his students came three Presidents of the Philippines, one Chief Justice and seven Associate Justices of the Supreme Court of the Philippines, and other influential people.

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He earned another Doctorate of Laws from the University of the Philippines in 1949 and a Doctorate in Literature from the National University of Manila in the same year. He founded the UP College of Law and worked as assistant attorney general of the Philippines in 1911.

In 1917, he was appointed associate justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines by President Woodrow Wilson.

For 28 years, Justice Malcolm served the Court until the Philippine Constitution required that all Justices be Filipino-born.

He later served as a staff member of the United States High Commissioner from 1936 to 1940, until he moved on to Puerto Rico to serve as attorney general and executive council member until 1942.

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Justice Malcolm has made about 12 world trips in his time, serving as Member of the American Bar Association (past vice-president for the Philippines), Past President of the Philippine Bar Association, Past President of the Philippine Society of Southern California, Past President and honorary member of the Rotary of Manila, First District Governor for the Philippines, and was a member of the Hollywood Rotary.

He also authored more than 18 books on law and social sciences.

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Malcolm, whose honor is named Baguio City's central plaza, married Lucille Wolfe on December 13, 1932, and had one daughter, Mary MacKenzie, died on May 16, 1956 in Los Angeles, California.

The "honorary pallbearers" who sent special messages include General Douglas McArthur, Luis Munoz Marin (governor of Puerto Rico), Ambassador Carlos P. Romulo, Ricardo Paras (Chief Justice of the Philippine Supreme Court), Carl P. Miller (president of Rotary International), Dr. Fred Stevens (Grand Master for the Grand Lodge of the Philippines), and noted author Paul Wellman.

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Justice Malcolm, along with 14 master Masons, formed an organization in 1904, which directly or indirectly contributed much to his success. He was honored with the 33rd degree by the Masonic Fraternity in Manila in 1961. Among the members of this fraternity co-founded by fellow Masons is US President and Philippine advocate William Howard Taft.

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The Centennial Pasadang Pambarangay, spearheaded by Commissioner Benny Carantes last Friday at the Engineers Hill covered court, was another success. Vice Mayor Danny Farinas with Barangay Affairs Officer Laurence Adube also joined in the medical, dental, and opto-ophthal mission.

The half day Pasada served more than 200 patients. In its initial Pasada last September, around 700 patient-beneficiaries were served.

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(For comments and suggestions to the Baguio Centennial Updates, please email adambaguio@yahoo.com.)