ILOCOS REGION / REGION 1

NAME:
MARCOS

FERDINAND

DATE OF BIRTH: September 11, 1917

PLACE OF BIRTH: Sarrat, Ilocos Norte, Philippines
Died:

September 28, 1989 (aged 72)

Honolulu, Hawaii, U.S

INFORMATION:
Ferdinand Emmanuel Edralin Marcos, Sr. (September 11, 1917 September 28,
1989) was a Filipino lawyer and politician who served as President of the
Philippines from 1965 to 1986. Prior to assuming office, he served as a member of
the Philippine House of Representatives from 1949 to 1959, a member of the Philippine
Senate from 1959 to 1965. He was also Senate President from 1963 to 1965.
While in power he implemented wide-ranging programs of infrastructure development
and economic reform, but oversaw rampant public corruption and graft whilst
consolidating power under an increasingly authoritarian constitutional order intolerant of
dissent. In 1983, his government, by then widely considered a dictatorial regime, was
accused of being involved in the assassination of his primary political
opponent, Benigno Aquino, Jr. Public outrage over the assassination served as the
catalyst for the People Power Revolution in February 1986 that led to his removal from
power and eventual exile in Hawaii.

NAME: GABRIELA SILANG

DATE OF BIRTH: 19 March 1731
PLACE OF BIRTH: Santa, Ilocos Sur
Died: 20 September 1763 (aged 32)
Vigan, Ilocos Sur

INFORMATION:
Mara Josefa Gabriela Cario Silang (19 March 1731 20 September 1763) was the
wife of the Ilocano insurgent leader, Diego Silang. Following Diego's assassination in
1763, she led the group for four months before she was captured and executed by the
colonial government of the Spanish East Indies.

NAME: DIEGO SILANG

DATE OF BIRTH: December 16, 1730
PLACE OF BIRTH: Aringay, Pangasinan (now
Caba or Aringay, La Union)
Died:

May 28, 1763 (aged 32)

Bantay, Ilocos Sur

INFORMATION:
Diego Silang y Andaya (December 16, 1730 May 28, 1763) was a revolutionary
leader who conspired with British forces to overthrow Spanish rule in the
northern Philippines and establish an independent Ilocano nation. His revolt was fueled
by grievances stemming from Spanish taxation and abuses, and by his belief in selfgovernment, that the administration and leadership of the Roman Catholic Church and
government in the Ilocos be invested in trained Ilocano officials

NAME: VICTORIO C. EDADES

DATE OF BIRTH: December 13, 1895
PLACE OF BIRTH: Pangasinan
Died: March 7, 1985, Davao

INFORMATION:
Victorio C. Edades is a Filipino painter who was the leader of the revolutionary
Thirteen Moderns who engaged their classical compatriots in heated debate over the
nature and function of art. He was named a National Artist in 1976.

NAME: JUAN LUNA

DATE OF BIRTH: October 23, 1857.
PLAC OF BIRTH: Badoc, Ilocos, Norte
DIED: Hongkong on December 7, 1899

INFORMATION:
A genius of the brush and a patriot of the highest order. Creator of the world-famous
painting, SPOLARIUM, which was awarded the gold medal in the Exposicion Nacional
de Bellas Artes in Madrid in 1884. It is also known as the greatest painting of all times.
He was closely associated with the Reform Movement, together with Rizal, LopezJaena, Ponce, etc.

NAME: ISABELO DELOS REYES

DATE OF BIRTH: July 7, 1864
PLACE OF BIRTH: Vigan, Ilocos Sur
DIED: October 9, 1938.

INFORMATION:
Last of the propagandists. Gifted son of Leona Florentino, first poetess of the
Philippines. Born in Vigan, Ilocos Sur, on July 7, 1864. He aroused the hostility of the
friars and government officials when he openly criticized the evils of the Spanish rule
and he advocated reforms. He was the founder of the first Philippine labor union, as well
as the first independent Filipino Catholic church. Died on October 9, 1938.

NAME: GRACIANO LOPEZ JEANA

DATE OF BIRTH: December 18, 1856
PLACE OF BIRTH: Jaro, Iloilo
DIED: January 20, 1896, in Barcelona, Spain

INFORMATION:
Founder and first editor of the newspaper La Solidaridad, which became the vehicle of
expression for Filipino propaganda in Spain. Together wtih Jose Rizal and Marcelo H.
Del Pilar, he undertook propaganda campaigns in Spain. Born in Jaro, Iloilo, on
December 18, 1856. He died on January 20, 1896, in Barcelona, Spain.

CAGAYAN VALLEY / REGION 2

NAME: EDITH TIEMPO

DATE OF BIRTH: April 22, 1919
PLACE OF BIRTH: Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya
DIED: August 21, 2011, Dumaguete

INFORMATION:
Edith L. Tiempo, poet, fiction writer, teacher and literary critic was a Filipino writer in
the English language. Tiempo was born in Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya.
poet, fictionist, teacher and literary critic is one of the finest Filipino writers in English
whose works are characterized by a remarkable fusion of style and substance, of
craftsmanship and insight.
She is an influential tradition in Philippine literature in English. Together with her late
husband, Edilberto K. Tiempo, she founded and directed the Silliman National Writers
Workshop in Dumaguete City, which has produced some of the countrys best writers.

NAME: AMAN DANGAT

DATE OF BIRTH: Unknown
PLACE OF BIRTH: Batanes
DIED: late September 1731

INFORMATION:
Also known as Kenan, Aman Dangat was a datu of Malakdang in Sabtang Island who
led a revolt against Spaniards in 1791.
Aman Dangat was a staunch Ivatan leader who continued to govern his people in
accordance to indigenous custom laws even after the Spanish rule was established in
Batanes on June 26, 1783.
Aman Dangat was later executed by hanging in late September 1731. The people of
Sabtang, on the other hand, were exiled in the districts of San Felix and San Vicente in
Ivana for the next fifty years (1791-1841).

NAME: AMAN DANGAT

DATE OF BIRTH: October 5, 1946
PLACE OF BIRTH: Basco, Batanes
DIED: December 7, 2004

INFORMATION:
Pacita Abad is a world renowned painter and a certified pride of Batanes. Pacita
earned a BA degree in political science at the University of the Philippines, but was later

forced to leave for America in 1970 due to her political activism against the Marcos
dictatorship.
She studied law in San Francisco but she soon switched careers and started a prolific
thirty-year career as a painter. Her works are characterized by vibrant color, constant
change, experimentation, and development.
As an internationally recognized Asian-American artist, Pacita was able to create over
5,000 artworks, travel to more than 50 countries, worked on 6 continents, and even
paint a 55-meter long bridge in Singapore before she died of cancer in 2004.

NAME: FRANCISCO ROMAN

DATE
OF
BIRTH: October
PLACE OF BIRTH: Alacala, Cagayan

4,

1869

DIED: June 5, 1899

INFORMATION:
He joined the revolutionary movement during the Filipino-American War. He offered his
services for Gen. Antonio Luna who was then the Director of War in the revolutionary
government.
He became a member of the General Staff and aide-de-camp of Gen. Luna.
He was at the convent at Cabanatuan, Neuva Ecija when General Luna was
assassinated on June 5, 1899. When Gen. Luna was stabbed and shot by assassins,
Roman rushed to the aid of his dying chief. Roman was also stabbed and shot to death.

NAME: DIMAS GUZMAN

DATE
OF
PLACE OF BIRTH: Cabagan, Isabela

BIRTH: unrecorded

DIED: March 18, 1909

INFORMATION:
He was an Ibanag writer. He became the wealthiest person in Isabela after foundingCampania
Cagayan, a 7aintenanc of Campania General de Tabacos.When Aguinaldo appointed him
as provincial governor, he used his own money to meet administrative expenses, including the
maintenance of troops.

CENTRAL LUZON / REGION 3

NAME: GREGORIO DEL PILAR
DATE OF BIRTH: November 14, 1875,
PLACE OF BORTH: Bulacan, Bulacan
DIED: December 2, 1899, in the battle of Tirad Pass

INFORMATION:
Hero of Tirad Pass. Born on November 14, 1875, in Bulacan, Bulacan. Died on
December 2, 1899, in the battle of Tirad Pass, to enable Aguinaldo to escape from the
Americans. One of the youngest and bravest generals ever produced by the Philippines.
"Goyong", as he was casually known, studied at the Ateneo Municipal de Manila, where
he received his Bachelors degree in 1896, at the age of 20. When the Philippine
Revolution against Spanish rule broke out in August under the leadership ofAndres
Bonifacio, del Pilar joined the insurgency. He distinguished himself as a field
commander while fighting Spanish garrisons in Bulacan.

NAME: MARCELO H. DEL PILAR

DATE OF BIRTH: August 30, 1850
PLACE OF BORTH: Kupang, Bulacan, Bulacan
DIED: July 4, 1896

INFORMATION:
Political analyst of the Filipino colony in Spain. Born in Kupang, Bulacan, Bulacan, on
August 30, 1850. In 1882, he founded the nationalistic newspaper, Diariong Tagalog. In
December 1889, he became the editor of La Solidaridad and became the moving spirit
behind the propaganda movement. Died on July 4, 1896.

He is better known by his pen name Plaridel was a Filipinowriter, lawyer, and journalist.
He was the second and last editor of the La Solidaridad (Solidarity), the newspaper of
the Reform Movement in Spain.
NAME: MARIANO PONCE
DATE OF BIRTH: March 23, 1863
PLACE OF BORTH: Baliwag, Bulacan
DIED: HongKong on May 23, 1918

INFORMATION:
Researcher, historian, bibliographer, propagandist, diplomat, physician, folklorist, and an
outstanding reformist. Born in Baliwag, Bulacan, on March 23, 1863. While in Spain, he
joined the propaganda movement and became one of the initiators of La Solidaridad,
later becoming its managing editor. Died in HongKong on May 23, 1918.
Ponce was born in Baliwag, Bulacan where he completed his primary education. He
later enrolled at theColegio de San Juan de Letran and took up medicine at
the University of Santo Tomas. In 1881, he traveled to Spain to continue his medical
studies at the Unversidad Central de Madrid.

NAME: GENERAL FRANCISCO MAKABULOS

DATE OF BIRTH: September 17, 1871
PLACE OF BORTH: La Paz, Tarlac
DIED: La Paz, Tarlac, on April 30, 1922

INFORMATION:
Leader of the revolt in Tarlac. Born in La Paz, Tarlac, on September 17, 1871. He was
the first patriot in Tarlac, who joined the Katipunan. General Aguinaldo appointed him as
one of the brigadier generals of the Central Luzon area. He established the Central

Executive Committee, which had a constitution called the Constitution of Makabulos.

Died in La Paz, Tarlac, on April 30, 1922.

NAME: AMADO VERA HERNANDEZ

DATE OF BIRTH: September 13, 1903
PLACE OF BIRTH: Hagonoy, Bulacan
DIED: March 24, 1970

INFORMATION:
Amado Vera Hernandez, commonly known as Amado V. Hernandez was
a Filipino writer and labor leader who was known for his criticism of social injustices in
the Philippines and
was
later
imprisoned
for
his
involvement
in
the communist movement. He was the central figure in a landmark legal case that took
13 years to settle.
He was born in Hagonoy, Bulacan but grew up Tondo, Manila, where he studied at the
Manila High School and at the American Correspondence School.

CALABARZON / REGION 4-A

NAME: EMILLIO AGUINALDO

DATE OF BIRTH: March 22, 1869
PLACE OF BIRTH: Kawit, Cavite
DIED: February 6, 1964

INFORMATION:
He officially proclaimed the Philippine independence in Malolos, Bulacan, on January
23, 1899, with him as the first president. It was the first republic in Asia. Born in Kawit,
Cavite, on March 22, 1869. Died at the Veterans Memorial Hospital, Quezon City, on
February 6, 1964.
Officially recognized as the First President of the Philippines (1899-1901) and
led Philippine forces first against Spain in the latter part of the Philippine
Revolution (1896-1897), and then in the Spanish-American War (1898), and finally
against the United States during the Philippine-American War (1899-1901). He was
captured by American forces in 1901, which brought an end to his presidency.

NAME: JULIAN FELIPE

DATE OF BIRTH: January 28, 1861
PLACE OF BIRTH: Cavite City
DIED: Manila on October 2, 1941

INFORMATION:
Composer of the Philippine National Anthem. Born in Cavite City on January 28, 1861. A
dedicated music teacher and composer, he was appointed by Aguinaldo as Director of
the National Band of the Philippine Republic. Died in Manila on October 2, 1941.

NAME: MARCELA MARIO AGONCILLO

DATE OF BIRTH: June 24, 1859
PLACE OF BIRTH: Taal, Batangas
DIED: May 30, 1946 in Taal, Batangas

INFORMATION:
Maker of the first Philippine flag. Born in Taal, Batangas, on June 24, 1859. Married to
Felipe Agoncillo. She labored to make the Filipino flag in Hong Kong with the help of
Delfina Herbosa de Natividad, a niece of Rizal. Died on May 30, 1946 in Taal, Batangas.

NAME: FELIPE AGONCILLO

DATE OF BIRTH: May 26, 1859
PLACE OF BIRTH: Taal, Batangas
DIED: September 29, 1941, at the Manila Doctor's Hospital

INFORMATION:
Outstanding diplomat of the Philippine revolution. Born in Taal, Batangas, on May 26,
1859. Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo appointed him as Minister Plenipotentiary to the peace
conference in Washington and Paris. Died on September 29, 1941, at the Manila
Doctor's Hospital.

NAME: DR. JOSE RIZAL

DATE OF BIRTH: June 19, 1861
PLACE OF BIRTH: Calamba, Laguna
DIED: Bagumbayan, Manila, on December 30, 1896

INFORMATION:
The Philippines' national hero. Born in Calamba, Laguna, on June 19, 1861. Published
his masterpieceNoli Me Tangere in Berlin(Germany) in 1887 and his second novel El
Filibusterismo in Ghent(Belgium) in 1891. His two novels stirred the conscience of his
people. He contributed various literary works to La Solidaridad. For his leadership in the
reform movement and for his incendiary novels, Rizal was arrested and later killed by
musketry in Bagumbayan, Manila, on December 30, 1896. His execution was the last
straw for other Filipinos who called for a bloody revolution against Spain.

NAME: APOLINARIO MABINI

DATE OF BIRTH: June 22, 1864
PLACE OF BIRTH: Talaga, Tanauan, Batangas
DIED: Manila on May 13, 1903.

INFORMATION:
Sublime paralytic and the brain of the revolution. Born in Talaga, Tanauan, Batangas, on
June 22, 1864. He joined La Liga Filipina in 1892 and Aguinaldo's revolutionary
government from June 1898 to May 1899. He was captured by the American forces in
December 1899 and deported to Guam in January 1901. He died in Manila on May 13,
1903.

NAME: CARLOS BOTONG FRANCISCO

DATE OF BIRTH: November 4, 1912
PLACE OF BIRTH: Angono, Rizal.
DIED: March 31, 1969.

INFORMATION:
Francisco was a most distinguished practitioner of mural painting for many decades
and best known for his historical pieces. He was one of the
first Filipino modernists along with Galo Ocampo and Victorio C. Edades who broke
away from Fernando Amorsolo'sromanticism of Philippine scenes. According to restorer
Helmuth Josef Zotter, Francisco's art "is a prime example of linear painting where lines
and contours appear like cutouts.
He was also responsible for the discovery of the now famous Angono Petroglyphs in
1965. He was also involved in Costume Design in Philippine cinema.

NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION

NAME: ANDRES BOIFACIO
DATE OF BIRTH: November 30, 1863
PLACE OF BIRTH: Tondo, Manila
DIED: May 10, 1897, near Mount Buntis, Maragondon,
Cavite

INFORMATION:
He founded the secret society, Katipunan, on July 7, 1892, to fight Spain. He was also
president of the Tagalog republic from August 24, 1896 to May 10, 1897. Born in Tondo,
Manila, on November 30, 1863. He grew up in the slums and never knew the benefits of
a prosperous life. He married Gregoria de Jesus in 1892. He was killed on May 10,
1897, near Mount Buntis, Maragondon, Cavite.

NAME: EMILLIO JACINTO

DATE OF BIRTH: December 15, 1875
PLACE OF BIRTH: Trozo, Manila
DIED : April 16, 1899

INFORMATION:
Brain of the Katipunan. Born in Trozo, Manila, on December 15, 1875. He joined the
Katipunan in 1894 and became Bonifacio's trusted friend and advicer. He wrote the
Kartilya ng Katipunan, theprimer of the Katipunan which embodied the teachings of the
organization. He founded and edited the Katipunan newspaper; Kalayaan, whose first
issue came out in January 1896. Died on April 16, 1899. He was one of the heroic
figures in the Phillipine history.

NAME: GEN. ANTONIO LUNA

DATE OF BIRTH: October 29, 1866
PLACE OF BIRTH: Binon, Manila
DIED: Cabanatuan City, on June 5, 1899

INFORMATION:
The greates general of the revolution. Younger brother of juan Luna, the famous painter.
Editor o La Independencia, whose first issue came out on September 3, 1898. Born in
Binon, Manila, on October 29, 1866. He was one of the propagandists in Spain who
were working for piliticalreforms in the Philippines. He contributed articles to La
Solidaridad. He assassinated in Cabanatuan City, on June 5, 1899.

NAME: FERNANDO MA. GUERRERO

DATE OF BIRTH: May 30, 1873
PLACE OF BIRTH: Ermita, Manila
DIED: Manila June 12, 1929.

INFORMATION:
Musician, journalist, politician, and lawyer. Considered the greatest lyric poet in
Spanish. Born in Ermita, Manila, on May 30, 1873. When the revolution broke out,
General Antonio Luna invited him to join the editorial staff of La Independencia, the
organ of the revolution. Thus, he fought for the Filipino cause with his pen. Died in
Manila June 12, 1929.

NAME: FERNANDO AMORSOLO

DATE OF BIRTH: May 30, 1892
PLACE OF BIRTH: Paco, Manila
DIED: April 24, 1972

INFORMATION:
Fernando Cueto Amorsolo is one of the most important artists in the history of painting
in the Philippines. Amorsolo was a portraitist and painter of rural Philippine landscapes.
He is popularly known for his craftsmanship and mastery in the use of light. Born
in Paco, Manila, he earned a degree from the Liceo de Manila Art School in 1909.

NAME: RAFAEL PALMA

DATE OF BIRTH: October 24, 1874
PLACE OF BIRTH: Tondo, Manila
DIED: Manila on May 24, 1939

INFORMATION:
Orator, statesman, scholar, educator, and writer. Born in Tondo, Manila, on October 24,
1874. He was involved in the propaganda campaign against the Spaniards. He
cofounded with Gen. Antonio Luna the revolutionary newspaper, La Independencia.
Later, he also founded El Nuevo Dia, Cebu's first daily. Died in Manila on May 24, 1939.

MIMAROPA / REGION 4-B

NAME: NESTOR VICENTE MADALI GONZALEZ
DATE OF BIRTH: September 8, 1915
PLACE OF BIRTH: Romblon, Romblon
DIED: November 28, 1999

INFORMATION:

Nstor Vicente Madali Gonzlez was a Filipino writer.

He was born on 8 September 1915 in Romblon, Philippines. Gonzlez, however, was
raised in Mansalay, a southern town of the Philippine province of Oriental Mindoro.
Gonzlez was a son of a school supervisor and a teacher. As a teenager, he helped his
father by delivering meat door-to-door across provincial villages and municipalities.
Gonzlez was also a musician. He played the violin and even made four guitars by
hand. He earned his first peso by playing the violin during a Chinese funeral
in Romblon. Gonzlez attended Mindoro High School (now Jose J. Leido Jr. Memorial
National High School) from 1927 to 1930. Gonzlez attended college at National
University (Manila) but he was unable to finish his undergraduate degree. While
in Manila, Gonzlez wrote for thePhilippine Graphic and later edited for the Evening
News Magazine and Manila Chronicle. His first published essay appeared in
thePhilippine Graphic and his first poem in Poetry in 1934. Gonzlez made his mark in
the Philippine writing community as a member of the Board of Advisers of Likhaan: the
University of the Philippines Creative Writing Center, founding editor of The Diliman
Review and as the first president of the Philippine Writers' Association. Gonzlez
attended creative writing classes under Wallace Stegner andKatherine Anne
Porter at Stanford University. In 1950, Gonzlez returned to the Philippines and taught
at the University of Santo Tomas, the Philippine Women's University and the University
of the Philippines (U.P.). At U.P., Gonzlez was only one of two faculty members
accepted to teach in the university without holding a degree. On the basis of his literary

publications and distinctions, Gonzlez later taught at the University of California, Santa
Barbara, California State University, Hayward, the University of Washington,
the University of California, Los Angeles, and the University of California, Berkeley.
N.V.M. Gonzlez was proclaimed National Artist of the Philippines in 1997. He died on
28 November 1999 in Quezon City, Philippines at the age of 84. As a National Artist,
Gonzalez was honored with a state funeral at the Libingan ng mga Bayani.

NAME: LUISITO M. REYES

DATE OF BIRTH: October 11, 1930
PLACE OF BIRTH: Boac, Marinduque
DIED: Unrecorded

INFORMATION:
Luisito M. Reyes is the former Governor of the province of Marinduque,Philippines.He
is the brother of former Immigration Commissioner Edmundo M. Reyes and the brotherin-law of incumbent Governor Carmencita Reyes. Luisito Reyes graduated from
University of Sto. Tomas with a degree in Mechanical and Electrical Engineering and
ranked 3rd on the mechanical engineering board exams and ranked 7th in the electrical
engineering board exams. He was the president of the Professional Society of
Mechanical Engineering for a long time.
Reyes was first elected Governor in 1988. As Governor, Reyes initiated many projects.
The Boac Covered Court and the Jica Building in Marinduque National High School are
just two of his projects in the province. During the term of Luisito Reyes, Marinduque
was removed from the poorest Philippine Provinces. He was known to be the best
governor Marinduque ever had.

WESTERN VISAYAS / REGION 6

NAME: DAISY AVELLANA
DATE OF BIRTH: January 26, 1917
PLACE OF BIRTH: Roxas City, Capiz.
DIED: May 12, 2013

INFORMATION:
Daisy Avellana was a Filipino stage actress and theater director. Avellana was honored
as a National Artist of the Philippines for Theater and Film in 1999.
Avellana was born Daisy Hontiveros on January 26, 1917, in Roxas City, Capiz. Her
husband was Lamberto Avellana, a film and stage director who was also named a
National Artist in 1976. Daisy and Lamberto Avellana co-founded the Barangay Theater
Guild (BTG), together with forty-eight colleagues, in 1939. Avellana died on May 12,
2013, at the age of 96.

NAME: TERESA MAGBANUA

DATE OF BIRTH: November 4, 1871
PLACE OF BIRTH: Pototan, Iloilo
DIED: August 1947

INFORMATION:
The first woman in Panay to fight in the Philippine revolution. Known as the Visayan
Joan of Arc. Born in Pototan, Iloilo, on November 4, 1871. Died in August 1947.
Dubbed the "Visayan Joan of Arc" (c. 1863 - August 1947), from Pototan,
Iloilo, Philippines, was aschoolteacher and military leader. She retired from education
and became a housewife shortly after her marriage to Alejandro Balderas, a wealthy
landowner from Sara, Iloilo.

BICOL REGION / REGION 5

NAME: JOSE MA. PANGANIBAN

DATE OF BIRTH: February 1, 1863
PLACE OF BIRTH: Mambulao, Camarines Norte
DIED: Barcelona, Spain, on August 19, 1890
INFORMATION:
Avenger of Filipino honor. Born in Mambulao, Camarines Norte, on February 1, 1863. A
good friend and co-worker of Rizal. He was Bicolandia's greatest contribution to the
historic campaign for reforms, more popularly called the Propaganda Movement. He
wrote articles for La Solidaridad, under the pen names Jomapa and J.M.P. Died in
Barcelona, Spain, on August 19, 1890.

NAME: MANUEL CONDE

DATE OF BIRTH: October 15, 1915
PLACE OF BIRTH: Daet, Camarines Norte
DIED: August 11, 1985
INFORMATION:
Manuel Conde (born Manuel Urbano; October 15, 1915 in Daet, Camarines Norte August 11, 1985) was a Filipino actor, director and producer. As an actor, he also used
the screen name Juan Urbano during the 1930s aside from his more popular screen
name. His first film was "Mahiwagang Biyolin" in 1935. He made almost three dozen
films under LVN Pictures as a contract star. He later put up his own movie company,
Manuel Conde Pictures, in 1947 which produced classic films, notably the Juan Tamad
series (Si Juan Tamad (1947).
Manuel Conde died in 1985. He was honored posthumously in 2006 the Presidential
Medal of Merit (for Films) by President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo for his contribution to
culture and the arts. He was one of the recipients of that award together with visual
artists Federico Alcuas, Oscar Zalameda and Mauro Malang Santos. From the words of
Cecile Guidote-Alvarez, Executive Director the of National Commission on Culture and
the Arts, This is the Presidents gesture of giving rightful honor to various artists who
showcased Filipino excellence in the arts and cultural traditions in the international
scene, underscoring the wealth of talent and heritage in our country. In 2007, he was
awarded posthumously the Lamberto Avellana Memorial Award by the Film Academy of
the Philippines.

CENTRAL VISAYAS / REGION 7

NAME: ABUEVA NAPOLEON

DATE OF BIRTH: January 26, 1930
PLACE OF BIRTH: Tagbilaran, Bohol
DIED: Unrecorded
INFORMATION:
Napolen Isabelo Veloso Abueva , more popularly known as Napolen Abueva, is
a Filipino artist. He is a sculptor given the distinction as the Philippines' National Artist
for Sculpture. He is also entitled as the "Father of Modern Philippine Sculpture". He is
the only Boholano given the distinction as National Artist of the Philippines in the field of
Visual Arts.
Abueva has helped shape the local sculpture scene in the Philippines. Being adept in
both academic representational style and modern abstract, he has utilized almost all
kinds of materials from hard wood to adobe, metal, stainless steel, cement, marble,
bronze, iron, alabaster, coral and brass.
In 1976, he was proclaimed as National Artist of the Philippines for Visual Arts by then
President Ferdinand Marcos. He was the youngest recipient of the title at age 46.

NAME: CARLOS P. ROMULO

DATE OF BIRTH: January 14, 1898
PLACE OF BIRTH: Camiling, Tarlac,
DIED: December 15, 1985

INFORMATION:
Carlos Pea Rmulo, QSC, PLH was a Filipino diplomat, statesman, soldier, journalist
and author. He was a reporter at 16, a newspaper editor by the age of 20, and a
publisher at 32. He was a co-founder of the Boy Scouts of the Philippines, a general in
the US Army and the Philippine Army, university president, President of the UN General
Assembly, was eventually named one of the Philippines' National Artists in Literature,
and was the recipient of many other honors and honorary degrees.

NAME: FRANCISCO DAGOHOY

DATE OF BIRTH: 1724
PLACE OF BIRTH: Inabanga, Bohol
DIED: 1800, Talibon, Bohol

INFORMATION:
He led the longest revolt in Bohol against the Spaniards. The immediate cause of the
revolt was the refusal of a Jesuit priest to give a Christian burial to Dagohoy's brother.
The Spaniards needed 85 years before they were able to suppress the rebellion. It was
only in 1829 that they finally succeeded in bringing to end the revolt started by Dagohoy.

NAME: EDDIE ROMERO

DATE OF BIRTH: July 7, 1924
PLACE OF BIRTH: Negros Orriental, Dumaguete
City
DIED: May 28, 2013

INFORMATION:
Edgar
Sinco
Romero
was
an
influential Filipino film
director, film
producer and screenwriter, considered one of the finest in the Cinema of the
Philippines. Romero was named National Artist of the Philippines in 2003.
His career spans three generations of filmmakers. His 1976 film Ganito Kami Noon
Paano Kayo Ngayon?, set at the turn of the 20th century during the revolution against
the Spaniards and, later, the American colonizers, follows a nave peasant through his
leap of faith to become a member of an imagined community. Agila situates a familys
story against the backdrop of the countrys history.
Married to Carol Gonzalez, Romero was for a time the partner of actress Mila del Sol.
He died of a blood clot and prostate cancer on May 28, 2013. He is survived by three
children.

EASTERN VISAYAS / REGION 8

NAME: MANUEL ARTIGAS

DATE OF BIRTH: October 15, 1866
PLACE OF BIRTH: Tacloban, Leyte
DIED: April 2, 1925
INFORMATION:
He was a biographer, bibliographer, historian, and journalist. He wrote for Diario de
Manila. His first book,Manual de Empleado (Employee's Manual) was published in
1891.
His accounts about various aspects of Philippine history were contained in such books
as Historia Municipal de Filipinas and Diccionario Tecnico-Historico de la Administracion
de Filipinas.
Among his significant works are Historia de las Revoluciones Filipinas, El General
Antonio Luna Novicio-Manila, Historia de la Instruccion Publica en Filipinas, and
Resea Historia de la Provincia de Leyte-Manila.

NAME: BANGKAW or BANCAO

DATE OF BIRTH: Unrecorded
PLACE OF BIRTH: Limasawa, Southern Leyte
DIED: 1622
INFORMATION:
He was a young chieftain of Limasawa at the time of Miguel Lopez de Legaspi's arrival
in Leyte. He was converted of the Catholic faith.
As an old datu, in 1622, he led a revolt against the the Spanish colonial government. He
protested against the payment of excessive tribute to the Spanish government.
When the resistance was over, the Spanish found the dead body of Bangkaw pierced
with a lance. They then cut off his head, impaled it on a stake, and publicly displayed it
as a warning to all would-be rebels.

NAME: JAIME D. DE VEYRA

DATE OF BIRTH: November 4, 1873
PLACE OF BIRTH: Tanauan, Leyte
DIED: MARCH 7, 1963

INFORMATION:
In 1900, he joined Sergio Osmea, Sr. and Rafael Palma in founding the nationalistic
newspaper El Nuevo Dia.
This newspaper actively advocated for independence from the United States.
He helped Palma edit another nationalistic newspaper, El Renacimentento. He became
the first director of the Institute of National Language (now the komisyon ng mga Wika
sa Pilipinas.)

ZAMBOANGA PENINSULA / REGION

9
NAME: CESAR CORTEZ CLIMACO
DATE OF BIRTH: February 28, 1916
PLACE OF BIRTH: Zamboanga City, Philippines
DIED: November 14, 1984
INFORMATION:
Cesar Cortez Climaco was a Filipino politician who served as mayor of Zamboanga
City for 11 years and three nonconsecutive terms. A prominent critic of the martial law
regime of Ferdinand Marcos, he was famed for his toughness in governance and
colorful personality. He was also famous for his refusal to cut his hair until democratic
rule was restored in the Philippines. He was assassinated by an unknown gunman in
1984.

NAME: SIMEON G. TORIBIO

DATE OF BIRTH: September 3, 1905
PLACE OF BIRTH: Zamboanga
DIED: June 5, 1969
INFORMATION:
Simeon G. Toribio was a Filipino athlete, who won the bronze medal in the high jump
at the1932 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, United States. He represented the
Philippines in three consecutive Summer Olympics, starting in 1928.
According to author Jorge Afable, Toribio could have won the gold medal, if not only for
the "call of nature". It was a grueling four-hour competition to jump over the bar raised at
6 feet and six inches high. Toribio, who once made the jump, failed to overcome it the
second time because he was distressed by call of nature. Before this, Toribio narrowly
missed the bronze in the 1928 Amsterdam Games.

Toribio, who studied at Silliman University, later became a lawyer. In 1941, he was
elected to the House of Representatives of the Philippines, representing the Second
District of Bohol, and serving until 1953.

DAVAO REGION / REGION 11

NAME: ANG KIUKOK (ANG HWA SHING)
DATE OF BIRTH: March 1, 1931
PLACE OF BIRTH: Davao, City
DIED: May 9, 2005

INFORMATION;
Ang Kiukok (Chinese: ); born Ang Hwa Shing (Chinese: ) was a

leading Filipino painter and a National Artist for Visual Arts.

He pursued Art Studies at the University of Santo Tomas, where he was taught
by Filipino art masters, most notably Vicente Manansala who was to become a lifelong
friend and mentor.
He first attained prominence in the Philippine arts scene in the 1960s with a distinct
style that fused influences from cubism, surrealism and expressionism. Some classified
his style as "figurative expressionism", others merely called it ugly. What could not be
doubted was the violence in his imagery, a factor that slighted the commercial viability of
his works until the 1980s. He favored such subjects as fighting cocks, rabid dogs, and
people enraptured by rage or bound in chains. He painted multiple depictions of the
crucified Christthat did not shirk from portraying the agonies normally associated with
the crucifixion. When asked why he was so angry, he replied, "Why not? Open your
eyes. Look around you. So much anger, sorrow, ugliness. And also madness." The
intensity of his works stood in contrast to his own personality, described as "placid and
affable".
It did not escape attention that many of Ang Kiukok's most violent or gruesome imagery
was painted during the martial law rule of Ferdinand Marcos, though he did not build a
reputation for himself as a prominent critic of the Marcos regime.
Kiukok was conferred the honor of being a National Artist for Visual Arts in 2001, by
virtue of Presidential Proclamation No. 32, s. 2001, which was signed on April 20, 2001.