Juan Nakpil

Juan F. Nakpil (1899 – 1986) was a Filipino architect, teacher and a community leader. In 1973, he was named one of the National Artists for architecture.

Among Nakpil's works are:

    * Geronimo de los Reyes Building

    * UP administration building and library

    * Quezon Institute

    * Social Security System

    * State and Ever Theaters

    * International Eucharistic Congress altar, 1937

    * Magsaysay Building

    * Rizal Theater

    * Capitol Theater

    * Captain Pepe Building

    * Manila Jockey Club

    * Avenue Hotel and Theater

    * Rufino Building

    * Philippine Village Hotel

    * Philippine Trust Building

Awards

    * Architect of the Year, 1939, 1940, 1946

    * GGold Medal from Institute of Architects, 1950

    * Most Outstanding Professional in Architecture, 1951 from Philippine Association of Board Examiners

    * Honorary correspondent member ng Societe de Architectes par le Gouvernement Francais, 1952

    * Chevalier de la legion d'Honneur, 1955

    * Presidential Medal of Merit from President Ramon Magsaysay noong 1955

    * correspondent member of Colegio de Arquitectos de Chile, 1956

    * Patnubay ng Sining at Kalinangan Award, 1968

    * Republic Cultural Heritage Award, 1971

    * Rizal Pro Patria Award, 1972

    * Pambansang Alagad ng Sining, 1973

Jose Torres Bugallon

Jose Torres Bugallon (b. August 28, 1873 – d. February 5, 1899) a revolutionary soldier, was officer in command of the Filipino army who fought the Spaniards in the Battle of La Loma in 1899. In 1896, he went to Toledo, Spain where he studied military organization and warfare. By December 10, 1898, after the Treaty of Paris, he worked as aide-de-camp of General Antonio Luna.

Jose's father was from Baliwag, Bulacan and his mother was from a well-known Gonzalez family of Pangasinan. He was in the guardian of Rufino Villacruz who was a well-known schoolmaster of San Isidro, Nueva Ecija. In 1888, he studied at Colegio de San Juan de Letran where he took up his secondary course, with excellent grades. He entered the Seminary of San Carlos but his real passion was to became a soldier, he took up a military entrance exam. After passing the validation, he was granted to study at the Military Academy of Toledo, Spain, 1892, where he studied for three years and concentrated in the study of military organization and warfare.


Upon his return, he was appointed second lieutenant by the Spanish army and served under the 70th Infantry regiment . After the batlle of Talisay, Batangas,May 30, 1897, he was promoted to captain and was awarded the highest medal of San Fernando. He was also awarded with Cross of Maria Cristina and the Red Cross for Military Honor (Cruz Roja Del Merito Militar). After the Treaty of Paris, he obtained clearance papers. When the Americans came to the Philippines on February 1899, he joined the the rebels. Gen. Antonio Luna needed instructors for his officers in the European art of warfare at Malolos,Bulacan. He was the aide-de-camp and the recruiter of the Spanish war veteran. His knowledge was very instrumental in the reorganization and dicipline of the Filipino soldiers at that time.


On February 5, 1899, he was in La Loma defending the fronline. The Americans under Gen. Douglas MacArthur were attacking their defences at that time. They were outflanked, thus exposing Bugallon to the advanced firepower of the enemies, he was hit by a bullet in the thighs. Col. Queri told Gen. Luna that Bugallon was wounded, The general ordered: " Bugallon wounded. Order forward. He must be saved at all cost. Bugallon is worth 500 Filipino soldiers . he is one of my hopes for future victory." After which, the general found him along side of the road. All that he could utter was "My..... don't expose yourself so much. Don't advance any further." He was withdrawn by Commander Hernando and Gen. Luna himself, he was taken to Kalookan medical station where he was given first aid by Dr. Jose Luna and Santiago Barcelona. Later was rushed by train to Malolos, Bulacan for hospitalization, somewhere after Lolomboy and nearing Bocaue, Bulacan, Bugallon asked "Have the reinforcement arrived?", But he was too weak to keep up and he was bleeding, he died in the greast of Gen. Antonio Luna.

Bugallon was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel after his display of gallantry in battle and heroism. The former town of Salasa in Pangasinan was renamed Bugallon in honor of Jose Torres Bugallon. This was law sponsored by Congressman Mauro Navarro of Pangasinan in 1921 to perpetute Bugallon's gallantry. His remains lies in Sampalok Church in Manila.

Don Mariano Ponce

Mariano Ponce (March 23, 1863-May 23, 1918) was a Filipino physician who was a leader of the Propaganda Movement that spurred the Philippine Revolution against Spanish in 1896.

He was born in Baliwag, Bulacan where he completed his primary education. He later enrolled at the Colegio de San Juan de Letran and took up medicine at the University of Santo Tomas. In 1881, he left for Europe to continue his medical studies at the Unversidad Central de Madrid.

While he was studying in Spain, he joined Marcelo del Pilar, Graciano Lopez Jaena and Jose Rizal in the Propaganda Movement which espoused Filipino representation in the Spanish Cortes and reforms in the Spanish colonial administration of the Philippines. He wrote in the propaganda publication La Solidaridad under several pseudonyms, including Naning, Kalipulako and Tikbalang.

He was briefly imprisoned when the revolution broke out in August 1896 but was later released. Fearing another arrest, he fled to France and later went to Hong Kong where he joined a group of Filipinos who served as the international front of the ongoing revolution.

In 1898, Emilio Aguinaldo chose him to represent the First Philippine Republic in Japan to seek aid and purchase arms. He went to Yokohama on June 29, 1898. During his stay, he met and befriended Sun Yat Sen, first president of the Republic of China (Sun Yat Sen also supported Philippine Independence by supplying him with arms) and even show sympathy to the Chinese. Mariano married a Japanese woman named Okiyo Udanwara.

With the help of a Filipino-Japanese named Jose Ramos Ishikawa he purchased weapons and munition for the revolution. But the shipment did not reach the country due to a typhoon off the coast of Formosa.

When he returned to the Philippines, he was made director of El Renacimiento in 1909. He also joined the Nacionalista Party and established El Ideal, the party's official organ. He later ran for a seat in the Philippine Assembly and was elected assemblyman for the second district of Bulacan. Ponce wrote his memoirs, Cartas Sobre La Revolucion, before he died in Hong Kong.

Federico I. Abaya

Federico Isabelo Abaya (b. 1854 – d. May 3, 1900) was a member of the Espiritu de Candon, a revolutionary group founded in Candon, Ilocos Sur. He led the Ikkis ti Kandon (in English: Cry of Candon) on March 25, 1898 which drove the Spaniards away and made him declare a free Republic of Candon.

The young Federico, studied at a public school in Candon, Ilocos Sur. He then enroll at Vigan Seminary, but later decided not to pursue his priesthood. An Uncle took him to Pangasinan, where he learned the art of fencing.

Upon his return to his hometown, Federico became a policeman and a cabeza de barangay. In 1898, he joined the Philippine Revolutionary Army, then under Col. Manuel Tinio. At the onset of the Filipino-American War, with his recruited Igorots (under the command of General Antonio Luna), he led the Battle of Caloocan in February, 1899. Later, he became a commander of forces of a guerrilla movement in southern Ilocos headed by Col. Juan Villamor. Federico Abaya was, likewise, responsible for the termination of the Spaniards in Ilocos Sur.