MANILA, Philippines - When Aguinaldo formed his first cabinet as President of the newly declared (but short-lived) Philippine Republic, one of the members of the cabinet was Gregorio Araneta as secretary (or minister) of justice. Decades later, when Magsaysay became President, his cabinet included three sons of Gregorio Araneta.

The three were Salvador for agriculture, Antonio for finance and Vicente as head of a development-related agency, ACCFA.

That is an interesting coincidence that illustrates two things: first, the prominence that the Araneta family had achieved, and second, the dedication to national and civic affairs that the Araneta have always shown.

A coffee-table type of book has just been published about the Araneta family (or part of it) written by a member of that family, Maria Lina Araneta Santiago, a daughter of Salvador and a granddaughter of Gregorio Araneta. We shall refer to it as the Santiago book.

The Aranetas trace their origin to a government functionary during the Spanish regime assigned to Zamboanga. He had two sons, hence the two branches of the family. One branch settled in Negros, a prominent member of whom was General Juan Araneta who played a leading role in the establishment of the short-lived independent Negros Republic. Gregorio belonged to the branch that settled in Molo, Iloilo and later lived on R. Hidalgo Street in Quiapo, Manila. At the age of eleven he was enrolled at the Ateneo de Manila where he obtained his Bachelor of Arts degree with high honors and then studied law at Santo Tomas. As a young lawyer he worked in one of the more prominent law firms. By the time of the Malolos Congress his legal skill must have been well known, hence his appointment to the cabinet with the justice portfolio. Disagreement with Mabini?s ideas led to the abolition of his cabinet position. Disillusioned over the intrigues of the Aguinaldo government, he decided that the people?s welfare lay not in revolution but in the acceptance of the American regime as an accomplished fact. In that government he served as solicitor general, later as attorney general and finally as the first Filipino member of the Philippine Commission that governed the country.

Gregorio and his wife, Carmen Zaragoza, had many children. It would have been helpful if the Santiago book had given a clearer and more complete enumeration of the entire family. As it is, several members are never mentioned and we are left guessing as to the number. In the case of the women, it would have helped to mention their husbands.

The oldest son was killed by the Japanese early in the Japanese Occupation of the Philippines. Salvador, like his father, became a lawyer, with the added advantage of an extra year?s study at the Harvard Law School. He became a prominent member of the Constitutional Convention that drafted the 1935 Constitution. As a member of Magsaysay?s cabinet, he was a strong advocate of economic development.

Not mentioned in the book was a well publicized debate regarding the policy that should receive top priority. Salvador Araneta advocated agricultural development; others advocated rapid industrialization. Not knowing which side to favor, Magsaysay called upon a Jesuit, Father Pacifico Ortiz, to decide the issue. That was an important issue and I wish it had received an extensive treatment in the book.

The Magsaysay cabinet soon lost the services of all three of the Aranetas, a loss to the country.

Not mentioned or at least not given prominence was Salvador Araneta?s later contribution to Philippine education. He founded the Araneta University, which specialized at first in agriculture and veterinary medicine. Unlike other secular private universities which were really business enterprises bringing much profit to the owners, the Araneta University was a foundation, or to use Don Salvador?s own term, an ?obra pia?. He did it in order to obtain the Papal Nuncio?s permission to reserve the Blessed Sacrament in the University chapel.

In this connection I might perhaps be permitted to mention a personal experience which gives an added insight into Dr. Salvador Araneta?s interest in promoting a better knowledge of Philippine culture. It had a humorous beginning. I got a telephone call from a lady who said that the Vice President wanted to talk to me. I said, ?The Vice President? You mean of the Republic?? She said, ?No, of Araneta University.? The Vice President asked if he could come to see me. I told him I would be delighted. (I was then living in the Jesuit residence attached to the Ateneo de Manila.)

He came, he said, to convey a message from Dr. Salvador Araneta, at that time residing in Canada. Dr. Araneta wished to establish at the Araneta University a chair in Philippine studies, and Dr. Araneta wanted to know if I would be willing to be the chair?s first occupant. I was of course grateful to be thus honored, but my commitments at the Ateneo prevented acceptance of an otherwise attractive offer.

It is understandable that in writing this book Ms. Lina Araneta Santiago would focus on those members of the family closest to herself, namely her grandparents, Don Gregorio and Doña Carmen and her parents, Dr. Salvador and Doña Victoria. She does not refer to them by these titles but by the family nicknames: Don Gregorio is always referred to as Lolo Goyo.

There is prominent mention in the book of Father Francisco Araneta, the youngest among Don Gregorio?s sons. Since I have written extensively of him elsewhere, let me just say here that Father Francisco Araneta was among the finest men I have known. If I were to describe him by one word, the word would be ?genuine.?

But there is much else about this important family that would merit mention. To cite one example: The collections of Philippine paintings and of Filipiniana books gathered by Luis Araneta would merit study. Much also could be said about the nationalistic activities of the younger generation, especially the sons of Don Gregorio?s daughters. I would also have liked to know more of the civic activities of Vicente and Antonio Araneta. Of the women, the daughters of Don Gregorio, I know very little. But my impression is that they belong to that admirable type of woman who keeps a low profile but whose work for society is considerable.

Mrs. Santiago?s book is entitled ?Araneta: A Love Affair with God and Country.? Their love affair with the country is obvious. They valued everything Philippine: Philippine culture, Philippine arts; Philippine history; Philippine languages.

Their love affair with God may be less obvious but was no less true. Don Gregorio was a staunch defender of the Church and of Christian principles at a time when there was a good deal of anticlericalism. We have mentioned Dr. Salvador?s making the Araneta University a pious foundation in order to obtain the privilege of reserving the Blessed Sacrament in the chapel. The Araneta farm near Novaliches was for many years the home of the Chinese Jesuits who had been expelled from Communist China. Many of the other members of the Araneta family were active supporters of various religious enterprises.

The Aranetas were among the many Filipinos who were disappointed that the worldwide Moral Rearmament Movement, which seemed to be a good instrument for the moral regeneration of the country and the government, did not receive the approval of the Cardinal Archbishop of Manila who (doubtless for valid reasons) strongly disapproved of it.

Ms. Santiago?s book, even with the limitations we have mentioned, is a welcome addition to our better knowledge and understanding of Philippine history and the place in it of this important family.