2 APRIL

Great poet Francisco "Balagtas" Baltazar

1788 - Francisco Baltazar, future "Prince of Tagalog Poets," is born in Bo. Panginay, Bigaa, Bulacan during the Spanish colonial rule of the Philippines; Balagtas will produce the   allegorical awit masterpiece, 'Florante at Laura,' a love story set in Albania but marked with underlying nationalistic tones and severe criticism of the social evils of the period that will escape the eyes of the Spanish censorship, permitting it to be shown in theaters and plays; similar to his future teacher, Jose de la Cruz who is regarded as first or foremost Tagalog poet, Balagtas will write many plays meant to be staged during town fiestas; he will also write the political comedia (stage play) Mahomet at Constanza, which used the then-obtaining Greek War of Independence that had begun in 1820, as theme to project his idea of Philippine independence; also known as "Balagtas," Baltazar will also write the comedies "Orosmán at Zafira, Don Nuño at Selinda, Auredato at Astrome, Clara Belmore," "Abdol at Misereanan," "Bayaceto at Dorslica," and "Alamansor at Rosalinda"; "La India elegante y el negrito amante," "Nudo gordeano", and "Rodolfo at Rosemonda"; in the 1900s during the early part of the colonial rule of the imperialist United States, Baltazar would come to be a symbol and infinite source of native traditions, motifs and themes that all good writers must constantly return to courageously battle Americanization, among others.


Photo credit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francisco_Balagtas