filipino heroes in foreign countries

Graciano Lopez Jaena

Graciano Lopez Jaena was born in Jaro, Iloilo in December 18, 1856. His parents was Placido Lopez and Maria Jacobo. Graciano Lopez Jaena was known as the great orator and writer of his time. Maria Jacobo wanted him to be a priest, so at the age of 14 he entered the seminary of San Vicente Ferrer in 1870. He later went to Manila and entered the medical college in the University of Santo Tomas. He served in the barrios as an unlicensed doctor, and there he witnessed the abuses of spanish friars to the poor people of his town. At the age of 18, he wrote the satirical sketch "Fray Botod" were he described the friars as shameless, brute, and detestable person in the catholic church. That literary work made him notorious to the eyes of the friars. In 1880, he enrolled at the University of Valencia in Spain, and later moved to Madrid. He joined the Freemasonry under lodge Porvenir, and he also became a member of the Circulo Hispano-Filipino. After 8 years, he founded the filipino newspaper La Solidaridad or SOL in Spain. He also joined the radical party Partido Republicano Propagandista in Barcelona where it emphasized revolutionary ideas. Graciano Lopez Jaena was died of tubercolosis in Barcelona, Spain in January 20, 1896.

Other Propagandist and Important Personalities in Europe

Mariano Ponce Mariano Ponce was born in Baliuag, Bulacan in 1863 and finished his Medical degree in Madrid. He was known as Kalipulako and Naning in La Solidaridad or SOL. He was one of the founders and editors of the La Solidaridad; later in 1896, he left Spain for Hong Kong and worked for the revolution of the country. He died in Hong Kong in 1918 as a patriot of the country.

Pedro Serrano Laktaw He owned a school in Binondo, Manila and was suspected of being involved in the 1888 demonstration. He was known as D.A. Murgas in his letters in the La Solidaridad, and used the pen name Panday Pira in some of his articles. Laktaw was also responsible for the introduction and spread of Masonry in Manila and other parts of the country.

Salvador V. del Rosario He complete his medical studies in Universidad Central de Madrid and Joined the La Solidaridad in 1889 , in Madrid, and became Secretary of the Associacion Hispano-Filipino.

Dr. Maximo Viola He was a native of Bulacan, who finished his medical studies in Barcelona. Viola and Rizal traveled together in Germany. As a rich man, he funded the printing of the Noli Me Tangere of Rizal.

Valentin Ventura He arrived in Barcelona in 1881 and supported Rizal in the La solidaridad, and Funded half of Rizal's expenses in the printing of El Filibusterismo.

MASONRY OF FILIPINOS IN SPAIN It was the Masonic lodges in the Philippines and Spain that fueled the Propaganda Movement in Madrid and Barcelona, since it was responsible for the supply of funds, books, pamphlets and newspapers advocating reform for the Philippines. In 1889, another existing Filipino lodged was founded in Barcelona, Spain named "Rovolution", founded by Celso Mir Deas a spanish who married a Filipina. In Madrid, Marcelo H. Del Pilar revived and organized the lodge "Solidaridad" with Julio Llorente. The Gran Oriente Español through Morayta also recognized the lodge "Solidaridad" in 1890.

MASONRY IN THE PHILIPPINES With the influence of Morayta among Filipino propagandists in Spain, masonry shifted also to the Philippines. Upon the arrival of Pedro Serrano Laktaw in the Philippines from Europe in 1891, new lodges sprouted in Manila.