ILOILO City – Be inspired by Ilonggo hero Graciano Lopez Jaena.
“In our lives, there are many opportunities to exhibit greatness and heroism – by simply being a responsible citizen, by cleaning our plaza, by making sure it’s not dirty. We can be great by extending a helping hand to a needy neighbor. We can be heroes,” said Mayor Jerry Treñas.
The city’s chief executive led yesterday’s commemoration of the 166th birth anniversary of Lopez Jaena at Jaro Plaza together with National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) director Carminda R. Arevalo and other local officials.
Lopez Jaena was considered the “first Filipino propagandist” in the struggle for freedom from Spain. Historians regard him, along with Dr. Jose Rizal and Marcelo H. del Pilar, as the triumvirate of propagandists that challenged Spanish rule in the Philippines.
“I hope we will all be inspired by his passion and dedication. He used his talent and his youth for the greater good,” said.
Lopez Jaena wrote the satirical story “Fray Botod” which depicted a fat and lecherous priest. Botod’s false piety “always had the Virgin and God on his lips no matter how unjust and underhanded his acts are.” He reaped the friars’ fury and thus left Jaro for Spain in 1879.
“In our veins flow the greatness and heroism of Graciano Lopez Jaena. Let us prove to the world that the modern Ilonggos can do great things,” said Treñas.
For her part, Arevalo said the NHCP recognizes the contributions of Lopez Jaena to the Filipinos’ campaign for self-determination.
In Spain, Lopez Jaena founded and edited La Solidaridad, a newspaper that aimed to galvanize Filipinos to into demanding independence. He also gave fiery, nationalistic speeches. There he met Rizal and del Pilar.
Believing that “the pen is mightier than the sword,” Lopez Jaena personally conveyed his demand for freedom in a speech before Spanish officials in Madrid, Spain on April 27, 1883.
According to Arevalo, in 2023 the country will celebrate the 125th anniversary of Philippine independence.
“It becomes doubly important to ground ourselves in the lessons of our past to ensure that we move forward with the conviction and integrity of our heroic ancestors,” she said.
“We are secured in the knowledge that here in Iloilo, the memories of your great sons and daughters live on,” she added.
Lopez Jaena died of tuberculosis at age 39 on Jan. 20, 1896 in Barcelona, Spain and was buried by the Sisters of Charity in an unmarked grave at the Cementerio Sud-Oeste./PN
