GRACIANO LOPEZ y JAENA(1856-1896)

Great Orator and Propagandist&

Prince of Filipino Orators

He was born in Jaro, Iloilo on December 18, 1856

Placido Lopez and Maria Jacob Jaena

Colegio Provincial and in the Seminario de San Vicente Ferrer in Jaro in 1869 to study Theology.

had no desire of becoming a priest; he wanted to become a physician

He returned to Iloilo and practiced medicine in outlying communities with such knowledge as he had.

. At the age of 18 he had the audacity to write the story " Fray Botod”

It was not a published copy but it enrage the Spanish authorities

To evade arrest, Graciano transferred to Silay, Negros Occidental where he wrote La Oceania Española that was published in Manila.

Madrid where he became known for his speeches and writings in defense of the Filipinos.

He contributed write-ups advocating liberal measures for the Philippines to several newspapers like the following:

El Liberal, El Progreso, Bandera Social de Madrid, La Publicidad, El Pueblo Soberano, and El Deluvio of Barcelona, España en Filipinas, Revista del Circulo Hispano Filipino, and Revista Economica de la Camara de

Comercio de España en Londres.

Graciano’s propaganda became a professional entity after Jose Rizal and Marcelo H. del Pilar joined him.

In 1889, they launched the propaganda newspaper La Solidaridad with Graciano Lopez Jaena as editor.

His membership in the freemasonry in 1882 under the symbolic name “Bolivar”

On February 15, 1889, the first issue of the La Solidaridad was published through the financial support of Pablo Rianzares Bautista

He started using his mother’s surname Jaena after the Lopez to distinguish him as Filipino and different from the Lopezes in Spain as this was a popular surname.

In 1891, he returned to the Philippines under the name Diego Laura in order to solicit more support from other Filipinos.

When Spanish authorities discovered his presence in Manila, the Filipino patriots smuggled him to the boat Don Juan that brought him to Hong Kong

On July 22,1891, Jaena sailed back to Barcelona and founded the newspaper El Latigo Nacional.

He persevered with the difficulty of keeping the Propaganda alive until his Tuberculosis took him on January 20, 1896 in Barcelona at the age 0f 40

Famous works

Fray - 'friar'

'botod' is an ilonggo word for either a big stomach or gas in the stomach.

He wrote at the age of 18

Circulated at 1874

satirical story "Fray Botod" which depicted a fat and lecherous priest

Although it was not published a copy circulated in the region but the Friars could not prove that López Jaena was the author.

Fray Botod( Big Bellied Friar)

It introduces the stereotypical Spanish friar who uses religion as a tool for oppressing others in order to satiate his appetite for food, money and women.

told through a dialog between a Filipino and his liberal Spanish friend

The sketches in Fray Botod  , illustrate the vile character of the friar through various

situations:

having immoral relationships with young girls called canding-canding

threatening and punishing some students from the University of Manila,

neglecting his duties as a parish priest in favor of gambling

An all-Filipino organization

established by the illustrados of Barcelona on 13 December 1888,

To create Filipino representation in the Spanish Cortes. It was also the name of the official publication of the organization.

La solidaridad

Galicano Apacible was the first president of the La Solidaridad.

Graciano López-Jaena as vice-president,

Mariano Ponce as treasurer

José Rizal, who was then in London, as Honorary President.

February 5 1889, through Jaena, the La Solidaridad newspaper was created.

It served as the principal organ of the Propaganda Movement for over five years,

its last issue was released on 15 November 1895.

The Publication

LA HIJA DEL FRAILE

EVERYTING IS HAMBUG

SA MGA PILIPINO

AMOR A ESPAÑA O A LAS JOVENES DE MALOLOS

Other works