Biography of a Prominent

People
Deodato Arellano (1844-1899)
•  Propagandist and first president of the Katipunan.
• Deodato Arellano was born to Juan de la Cruz and Mamerta de la Cruz
on July 26, 1844 in Bulacan, Bulacan.
• The family changed their name to Arellano in compliance with the
Claveria decree of 1849.
•  After taking a course in bookkeeping at the Ateneo Municipal, he
worked as an assistant clerk at the arsenal of the military’s artillery
corps.
• He married Marcelo H. del Pilar’s sister, Hilaria, on April 22, 1877,
after his first wife, Paula Rivera, died.
•  He joined La Propaganda, a movement that sought political reforms
in the country. 
• He was assigned to handle both the dissemination of the group’s
propaganda materials and the collection of funds for the members
who were based in Spain. 
• He also made reports on the group’s progress and activities, which he
sent to its leaders.  He was assisted in the dissemination work by Del
Pilar’s young nephew, Gregorio del Pilar.
• In a secret meeting called in October 1892, Arellano was declared the
first president of the association and of its first supreme council. 
•   Several months later, in February 1893, he was replaced by Roman
Basa as Katipunan head on the intervention of Bonifacio, who judged
him an ineffectual leader.