Rafael V. Palma

Rafael Palma y Velasquez, born in Tondo, Manila, on October 24, 1874, served as the 4th President of the University of the Philippines, from 1925 to 1933. Before his term as President, he had served in the Philippine Assembly when it was established in 1907. Following this, he was appointed member of the Philippine Commission in 1907, serving until 1913. In 1916, he was elected as senator, and was appointed as Secretary of Interior in the following year, and served until 1920. In the following years from 1921 to 1925, he focused on practicing private law. During these years, he had joined the academe in 1923, and was appointed acting president of the University of the Philippines, and was officially inaugurated in 1925, and served until 1933, resigning due to conflict between him and Manuel L. Quezon which threatened the University itself. He passed away on May 24, 1939, in Manila.