Francisco

Jose Rizal's father was Francisco Rizal Mercado. He was born on May 11, 1818 in Binan, Laguna where he became a municipal mayor in 1783. He was so popular in the town where he was always being invited as special guess in fiestas, baptisms and weddings. Francisco has other 13 siblings whom he was the youngest. Francisco's father was Juan Mercado and his mother was Cirila Alejandro. He married Teodora Alonzo and had eleven children, our national hero is one of them.  Francisco died on January 5, 1898. 

Teodora

Rizal's mother was Teodora Morales Alonzo who did not originally from Laguna. She was a resident of Sta. Cruz, Manila. She was born on November 9, 1827. Tedoroa was Rizal's first teacher. She used to teach him the alphabet when Rizal was just 3 years old. Teodora's early intervention with his son's development lead to his wit and great knowledge. 

She married Franciso when she was 20 years old. The couple moved to Calamba and made agricultural business there. Because her good management of the business and its finances, the couple have it prosper. They were able to established other business as well. 

Rizal was the only child that became a doctor (opthalmology) and her mother was his first patient. 

She died on August 16, 1911. 

Francisco Balagtas 

Who Was He?

• Francisco Balagtas was a great Filipino poet
• The renowned literature, Florante at Laura is his famous work
• His other works are Mahomet at ConstanzaBayaseto at Dorsalica and Rodolfo at Rosamunda
• From his name, we derived the Balagtasan (or poetry duel)
• He lost his love, Celia. 

He was the forth and youngest child of Juan Balagtas and Juana de la Cruz. He was born on April 2, 1788 in Panginay, Bigaa, in the Province of Bulacan. 

Because of his wit and intellect, he was able to finish Theology and Philosophy in Colegio de San Jose. He learned to write poetry and his first teacher in writing is Dr. Mariano Pilapil and learned to write poetry from Jose dela Cruz (Huseng Sisw), one of the most prominent of Tonda at that time. 

In 1835, Balagtas moved to Pandacan, Manila where he met the love of his life, Leonora Rivera, who was referred to as “Celia” and “Mar” in his work, Florante at Laura. And it was her who gave Balagtas great inspiration to write. 

In was not easy for him to be with “Celia,” he was accused and imprisoned by his rival, prominent Mariano Kapule. While in prison, he got inspiration to write Florante at Laura. His work described his oppressed situation in society and failed romance. 

   

In 1838, he was released from prison, and settled in Balanga, Bataan in 1840, where he became associate to the Just of the Peace. He also held office as court translator. On July 22, 1842 he married Juana Tiambeng and had eleven children. 

 In 1856, he became Major Lieutenant. Because of another unfortunate event, he was accused that he order a housemaid’s head to be shaved, he was convicted and imprisoned in Bataan.  Upon serving several years in jail, he was again freed in 1860. He continued to write interesting poems and carried on his job as translator of Spanish documents. In February 20, 1862, he died. He was 74 years old. 

To immortalize Francisco Balagtas' legacy, landmarks were raised that includes:

• The Balagtas Elementary School was established to honor him. The school was located in Sta. Cruz, Manila. 
• In Pandacan, Manila, there’s also Plaza Balagtas to commemorate his contribution. 
• In Manila, there are a lots of streets named after characters of Florante at Laura. 
• His birthplace Bigaa was renamed to Balagtas to give honor to him. 
• Museums, monuments and many historical markers were buill to honor his name.

His literary works are:

Ang Orosman at Zafira, Mahomet at Constanza, Almanzor y Rosalina, Clara Belmori, Abdol yMiserena, Auredato y Astrone, Bayaseto at Dorsalica, Rodolfo at Rosamunda, Florante at Laura, Nudo Gordiano, La India Elegante y El Negrito Amante.

• as a Filipino nationalist, revolutionary leader, and the first president of the Philippine archipelago which he preferred naming Bansa ng Katagalugan or Tagalog Republic instead of Philippines due to its origin was derived from the Spaniards. 

• He is often called "the Father of the Philippine Revolution and Filipino Nation". He was a founder and later Supremo ("supreme leader") of the Kataas-taasan, Kagalang-galangang Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan or simply and more popularly called Katipunan, a movement which sought the independence of the Philippines from Spanish colonial rule and started the Philippine Revolution.

• He is considered a de facto national hero of the Philippines,[4] and is also considered by some Filipino historians to be the first President of the Philippines (through the revolutionary government he established), but officially he is not recognized as such.

Gomburza 

The martyrdom of Fathers Mariano Gomez, Jose Burgos and Jacinto Zamora - collectively known as GOMBURZA culminated in February 17, 1872.

Champions of the secularization movement, the priest was the common denominator in the lives of Gomez, Burgos and Zamora. Burgos wrote the Manifesto a la Noble Nacion Espanol (Manifest to the Noble Country of Spain) which attacked the friars who attempted to downgrade the Filipino clergy. Gomez organized a large number of Filipino priests in his archdiocese to raise funds to defend the cause of secularization. Zamora, on one occasion, celebrated with two other Filipino Priests, a high mass scheduled to be said by Franciscan friars. Such an acts was condemned since Filipino Priests often serve as assistants to Spanish friars. Except for Gomez who was in Cavite, Burgos and Zamora were arrested in Manila on the night of January 21 while the mutiny at Fort San Felipe was still ranging. Obviously, it was not on the basis of evidence of their participation in the mutiny that they were arrested. Their active espousal of the rights of the Filipino clergy was the real reason for their arrest and eventual execution.

Rafael Izquierdo, who ordered the arrest of the priests, wanted to humiliate them. First he requested Archbishop Meliton Martinez to unfrock the priests. The Archbishop refused, believing the priests were innocent of the charges of treason. Instead, he ordered the toiling of the bells as one last salute to the martyred clerics.

Izquierdo made the execution a public spectacle to strike terror in the minds of the restive populace. On February 17, the day of execution, Filipinos from all parts of Manila as well as the neighboring provinces gathered at Bagumbayan (now part of Rizal Park) where the priests would be garroted. Most of them believed the priests were not guilty. So, as they passed them, they fell on their knees and bared their heads as a sign of their reverence and respect.

Their hideous garrote may have snuffed out the lives of the three but it did not kill-in fact, it nurtured the flames of the fight for freedom from the Spanish colonizers.

Ramon Magsaysay

Ramon Magsaysay was born on August 31, 1907 in Iba, Zambales. His parents were Perfecta del Fierro and Exequiel Magsaysay. Magsaysay studied elementary in Castillejos and his high school at the Zambales Academy, where he graduated salutatorian. He tool up mechanical engineering at the Unviersity of the Philippines. He never finished the course. He transferred to Jose Rizal College and finished Bachelor of Commerce in 1932.

When the Pacific War broke out, Ramon Maysaysay enlisted as a soldier. When the Filipino-American Forces surrendered in 1943, he joined the guerrilla group headed by Colonel Merill. He was appointed as Supply Officer. Being a hard worker, he was promoted to Major. He later became guerrilla leader.

When General MacArthur went to Zambales in 1945, Magsaysay was assigned to guard him. General MacArthur was impressed by his work attitude that he appointed him Military Governor of Zambales.

When the Commonwealth government was reinstated, Maysaysay ran as Congressman of Zambales. He easily won as he was already popular in Zambales.

He was appointed by President Roxas as representative for the Rogers Veteran Bill that directed the US government to take care of the hospitalization and supply of medicine to Filipino Veterans of World War II. He helped in the passage of the bill. This law paved the way for the establishment of the Veterans Memorial Hospital to cater primarily to Filipino Veterans. 

From 1948 to 1951, Ramon Magsaysay was in the list of the Ten Most Outstanding Legislators. 

He was appointed Secretary of Defense in 1950.

He held dialogues with the rebels and listened to their problems. He promised them a new life. The rebel leaders surrendered and one of them was Luis Taruc who, together with his rebel force in Central Luzon, surrendered to the government with the help of Benigno (Ninoy) Aquino Jr. on May 17, 1959.

The surrender of the rebels increased Ramon Maysaysay's popularity and was attributed as the primary reason for his winning the presidential elections of December 23, 1959.

Works and Contribution of Ramon Magsaysay

He immediately imposed discipline in the government. He even prohibited his relatives to enter government service. 

As President, he opened Malacañang Palace to the people. He institutionalized land reform in 1955, thus permitting poor farmers to own land being sold by the government at low prices. He supported the creation of cooperatives giving capital loans to the farmers. He established the Presidential Assistance and Community Development to help barrio workers.

He married Luz Banzon, who hails from Bataan, on July 10, 1933. They had three children.

Ramon Magsaysay died on March 17, 1957, when the airplane, Mt. Pinatubo, crashed into Mt. Manunggal in Cebu, killing all aboard, except one, Nestor Mata, a journalist. 

Alejandro Albert

Alejandro Albert was born on September 1, 1869 in Manila. His parents were Mariano Albert and Ruperta Moyoralgo. He finished Bachelor of Arts at the Ateneo Municipal in 1884 and Pharmacy at the University of Santo Tomas in 1890.

He was an officer in the Military Department of Health of the colonial government. later he established his own pharmacy. People who were against the colonial government used to meet here. Because of this, Albert was suspected of being anti-government. He was investigated but proven innocent. He was one of the founders of the Colegio de Farmaceuticos de Manila.

When the revolution erupted in 1896, he became a coronel in the revolutionary army. Later he was appointed delegate of the province of Zambales in the Malolos Congress of 1898. When the Universidad Literaria de Pilipinas was established in Malolos, Bulacan on October 19, 1898, Albert was appointed Dean of Pharmacy and teacher of Chemistry. 

During the American Era, Alejandro Albert joined the Federal Party, and became the editor of its paper, "La Democracia." He became a teacher occupying a high position at the Liceo de Manila. In 1903, he established the Manila College of Pharmacy. In 1904, he was the Philippine delegate to the Saint Louis Exposition. He was sent to the United States and other places in Asia.

As member of the Philippines Amateur Athletic Federation, he formed the Filipino baseball team which was sent to the United States and Japan in 1913. This was the first Filipino sports team that won in other countries. Albert's two sons were of the team.

He was the second director of the Department of Education in 1917. In 1918, he became the director of Census. When he was appointed second director of the Department of Public Education, he ordered the teaching of native songs and native cookery to Filipino students. He acted as president of the University of the Philippines from 1920 to 1921. He also served as Secretary of Public Education.

Alejandro Albert died on December 20, 1936.

Hermano Pule 

Hermano Pule  was born on July 22, 1815 in Lukban, Quezon. His parents were Pablo de la Cruz and Juana Andrea. He was also called Apolinario de la Cruz.

He worked in an orphanage of the San Juan de Dio Hospita in Manila, and sold perfumes to churches to people to make a living.

Hermano Pule was a religious man. He tried to join religious organizations but he was never accepted. When he returned to Lukban in 1840, he founded the Confradia de San Jose, a religious organization which encouraged members to freely worship God according to their own ways. Many from Quezon (Then called Tayabas), Laguna and Batangas joined the organization.

The priest of Lukban, Manuel Sancho was angered and accused Apolinario, now known as Hermano Pule, of heresy and filibusterism. The priest also wanted to disband the organization.

The government banned the group but its members went on meeting every 19th of each month. In September of 1841, the priest even broke up one meeting of the Confrodia in Majayjay, Laguna. Some of the members were arrested. Hermano Pule was in Manila then. He decided to hide in Bay, Laguna. Later he established a headquarters in Sariaya, Quezon.

In Sariaya, they were attacked by the troops of the government. Hermano Pule and his members decided to go up to mountainous place of Alitaw.

The initial battles were won by the group of Hermano Pule. In the end with no ammunition, their camp was finally overrun in October of 1841. Hermano Pule was captured and executed in November 1841. He was decapitated and his head was skewered by a bamboo pole and displayed at the outskirt of Majayjay to serve as a warning to would-be rebels. 

Manuel A. Roxas

Manuel A. Roxas was born in January 1, 1892 in Capiz (now Roxas City) province of Capiz. His parents are Rosario Acuña  and Gerardo Roxas. In 1910 Roxas started taking up law at Young Men's Christian Association. He later transferred to the College of Law at the University of the Philippines in 1911. He topped 1913 bar examinations with a degree of 92%.

Roxas returned to his hometown Capiz in 1917 to continue the term of his grandfather as a councilor. He was elected as governor of the province of Capiz after two years. He was also elected as the Presiding Officer of the Governor's Convention which added to his growing popularity.

In 1922, Roxas was elected as representative of Capiz to the National Assembly. Manuel L. Quezon helped him become the Speaker of the Lower House. Roxas held this position until 1933. Roxas was elected as the representative of Capiz in the Constitutional Convention in 1937. He was appointed by Quezon as Secretary of Finance. Roxas quit his job to run for senator in 1941. He won but did not serve as the war in the Pacific broke. Roxas serve in the Philippine Army. He was captured by the Japanese in 1942 after Corrigidor surrendered. He was sentenced to death for refusing to cooperate, but pardoned  by Gen. Masaharu Homma. He was returned to his home on November 22, 1942. He served as the head of the Economic Planning Board under the administration of President Laurel. In 1944, the Japanese took the leaders of the Philippine government including Roxas, to Baguio City. But he escaped. Roxas immediately called Gen. MacArthur, who declared him innocent of collaboration. He was again bestowed the rank of Brigadier General.

In the elections of April 23, 1946, Roxas won as the president of the Philippines as against Sergio Osmena, with Elpidio Quirino as his vice-president. Roxas was the president when the United States granted the Philippines its independence on July 4, 1946.

Manuel Roxas was immediately instituted livelihood programs and created the Rehabilitation Finance Corporation and closely cooperated with the United States. In rehabilitating the country's economy. He pardoned all Filipinos charged with collaboration, including former president Jose P. Laurel. Under his presidency however, the persecution of the Communists continued, such as the banning from office of winning representatives who were believed to be Communists, like Luis Taruc and Jesus Lava. The two went to the mountains and led the Hukbalahap rebellion (Hukbong Bayan Labas sa Hapon, a former guerrilla group).

Manuel A. Roxas Contributions to the country

One of Roxas' programs was the Bell Trade Law, which gave Americans right to own properties in the Philippines. He also supported the retention of the American Military bases. Roxas did not finish his term of office, he died of hear atack during his speech at Clark Air Base in Angeles City, Pampanga on April 15, 1948.

Manuel A. Roxas was married to Trinidad de Leon, a Carnival Queen in 1920 and daughter of Senator Ceferino de Leon of Bulacan. They had two children, Rosario and Gerardo who latter also went into politics.

Although he only served two years as president, his efforts to improve the economy will be remembered. He believed that the country's economy will benefit from close trade cooperation with America. He is also remembered for granting amnesty to Filipinos charged with collaboration with the Japanese. But his government is criticized for its tolerance in dealing with the Communists. 

Gloria Arroyo in a wheelchair attending his case hearing

Gloria Macapagal Arroyo

Gloria Macapagal Arroyo was the 10th president of the third Philippine Republic. She was sworn to the office by Chief Justice Hilario Davide Jr. in 2001 after the Supreme Court unanimously declared the position of President vacant. The second woman to be swept into the presidency by a peaceful People Revolution (EDSA II).

Arroyo was born on April 5, 1947. She is the daughter of the late President Diosdado Macapagal a descendant of Lakandula and fondly known as the "poor boy from Lubao", Pampanga and Dr. Evangeline Macaraeg of Binalonan, Pangasinan. 

Gloria upheld the high academic standards of her parents. Graduated valedictorian of her high school class in Assumption Convent. She graduated Magna cum Laude from Assumption College with a Bachelor of Science in Commerce. She later earned a Master of Arts in Economics degree from the Ateneo de Manila University, and a Ph.D in Economics from the University of the Philippines. She was consistently on the Dean's List during her two year in college stint at Georgetown University in Washington D.C. where former U.S President Bill Clinton became her classmate.

Gloria Arroyo began her professional career as a teacher at Assumption College. She later became Assistant Professor at the Ateneo de Manila University and Senior Lecturer at the U.P School of Economics. She entered government service as an Assistant Secretary of the Department of Trade and Industry  during Aquino Adminstration. She became Executive Director  of the Garments and Textile Export Board steering the garments industry to become the top net dollar earner of the country. 

She was elected Senator during her first try in 1992 and re-elected in 1995 with nearly 16 million votes, the highest number of votes in Philippine history. In 1998 she was elected Vice President  with almost 13 million votes, the largest in the history of Vice Presidential elections.

Gloria Arroyo Contribution to the country

During her tenure in the Senate, she authored 55 laws on economic and social reform and was named outstanding Senator several times. When she was elected Vice-President, President Joseph Estrada appointed her as concurrent Secretary of Social Welfare and Development, a post she held until her resignation from the cabinet on October 12, 2000. She pioneered the AHON programs which are all aimed at improving the lives of the poor. 

President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo is married to lawyer businessman Jose Miguel Tuazon Arroyo of Binalbagan, Negros Occidental the grandson of the late Senator Jose Ma. Arroyo of Iloilo. They have three children, Mikey, Luli and Dato.

Francisco Balagtas

Francisco Balagtas (Abril 2, 1788—Pebrero 20, 1862) who is more famously called Francisco Baltazar. He is considered as one of the greatest Filipino poet. Florante at Laura is his masterpiece that inspired and touched the heart and soul of the reader. 

He was born in Panginay, a small town in Bigaa, Bulacan (now called Balagtas) on Abril 2, 1788. He was the youngest among the four children of Juan Baltazar and Juana dela Cruz. 

He was just eleven years years when he was brought to Tondo, Manila. Because of his nature of being hardworking, Balagtas became a helper of Donya Trining, a rich relative of his. Because of his dedication and dedication to his job, Donya Trining was very fond  of him. Donya Trining sent him to Colegio de San Juan de Letran at Colegio de San Jose to finish his study. In 1812  he finished his law degree, Canones, Gramatica Castilla, Gramatica Latin, Pisika, Doctrina Cristiana, Humanidades, Teologia at Pilosopia at the age 24. 

Francisco Baltazar was called as "Prinsipe ng mga Manunulang Pilipino" and considered as  "Filipino William Shakespeare."

He learned to write poems from Jose dela Cruz (Huseng Sisiw) who was the famous poet in Tondo, Manila. Jose dela Cruz was a great inspiration for Balagtas to write good poems and masterpices. And Balagtas later became well-known and celebrated poet in the field of literature.

Francisco Balagtas's Literature Works:

• Florante at Laura
• Alamansor at Rosalinda 
• La India elegante y el negrito amante
•  Nudo gordeano 
• Rodolfo at Rosemonda 
• Don Nuño at Selinda 
• Claus (translated into Tagalog from Latin) 
• Bayaceto at Dorslica 
• Clara Belmore 
• Abdol at Misereanan 
• Orosmán at Zafira 
• Auredato at Astrome 
• Mahomet at Constanza 

In 1835, he moved to Pandakan, and here he met Maria Asuncion Rivera. She was beautiful lady that became an inspiration for Balagtas. She was nicknamed "Selya" and MAR of Balagtas in his masterpice Florante at Laura.

Mariano Kapule is his rival of the love for Maria Asuncion Rivera. Nanong Capule used his influence and money to defeat Balagtas. Caoule brought Balagtas to prison and there he wrote Florante at Laura.

He imprisoned again because of the accusation of the lady, that Balagtas cut her hair. He was released in 1860. He continued to write comedy, songs at choirs. 

Francisco Balagtas lived and died with his wife, Juana Tiambing and eleven children  on February 20, 1862 at the age of 74.