Graciano Lopez Jaena

Disyembre 18, 1856 - Enero 20, 1896

Si Graciano Lopez Jaena ay isang mamamahayag, mananalumpati, propagandista, at isang bayani na

nakilala dahil sa kanyang pahayagan na La Solidaridad.

Itinuturing ng mga istoryador na sina Lopez Jaena, kasama sina Marcelo H. del Pilar at Jose Rizal, bilang
triumvirate ng mga propagandistang Pilipino. Sa tatlong ilustrado na ito, si Lopez Jaena ang unang
nakarating sa Espanya at maaaring sinimulan ang Kilusang Propaganda na nagsulong sa reporma ng
Pilipinas na kolonyal ng Espanya at kalaunan ay humantong sa armadong himagsikan na nagsimula sa
Maynila noong 1896. Ang kilusang propaganda ay isang pangunahing hakbang patungo sa isang
pambansang pagkakakilanlan ng Pilipinas.

Si Graciano Lopez Jaena ay ipinanganak sa Jaro, Iloilo noong Disyembre 18, 1856. Ang kanyang mga
magulang ay sina Placido Lopez at Maria Jacoba Jaena. Dahil sa paniniwalang ang pagkasaserdote ay ang
pinaka-marangal na propesyon, ipinadala siya ng kanyang ina upang mag-aral sa St. Vincent Ferrer
Seminary sa Jaro. Habang naroon, nagsilbi siyang sekretarya ng kanyang tiyuhin na si Claudio Lopez, na
naging honorary vice consul ng Portugal sa Iloilo.

Sa kabila ng nais ng kanyang ina na maging pari, ang tunay na ambisyon ni Lopez Jaena ay maging isang
manggagamot. Matapos makumbinsi ang kanyang mga magulang, sinubukan niyang pumasok sa
Unibersidad ng Santo Tomas ngunit siya ay tinanggihan dahil sa kailangan ng Bachelor of Arts degree na
wala sa seminaryo ng Jaro. Sa halip, siya ay nakapasok sa San Juan de Dios Hospital bilang baguhan.
Kalaunan dahil sa problemang pinansyal, huminto siya ng pag-aaral at bumalik sa Iloilo upang magsanay
manggamot.

Sa edad na 18, isinulat niya ang kwentong Fray Botod na naglalarawan ng isang mataba at mahalay na
prayle. Ang laging bukambibig ni Botod ay ang Birheng Maria at Diyos kahit hindi makatarungan ang
kanyang mga gawain. Nagdulot ito ng galit sa mga prayle. Kahit hindi nailathala ang kwento, naikalat ang
kopya nito sa Iloilo ngunit hindi mapatunayan ng mga prayle na si Lopez Jaena ang may-akda nito.

Minsan ay nahirapan siya sa pagtanggi na magpatotoo na ang ilang mga bilanggo ay namatay sa natural
na dahilan, ngunit malinaw na namatay sila sa kamay ng alkalde ng Pototan. Si Lopez Jaena ay
nagpatuloy na kalugin ang hustisya at kalaunan ay nagtungo sa Espanya dahil sa mga banta sa kanyang
buhay. Si Lopez Jaena ay naglayag patungong Espanya noong 1880. Doon ay naging isang pangunahing
manunulat at tagapagsalita para sa reporma ng Pilipinas.

Ipinagpatuloy ni Lopez Jaena ang kanyang pag-aaral sa medisina sa Unibersidad ng Valencia ngunit hindi
ito natapos. Minsan ay sinisi ni Jose Rizal si Lopez Jaena kung bakit hindi niya tinapos ang kanyang pag-
aaral sa medisina. Tumugon si Lopez Jaena, "Sa mga balikat ng alipin ay hindi dapat manatili ang kapa ng
manggagamot." Kumontra si Rizal, "Ang mga balikat ay hindi pinupuri ang kapa ng mangagamot, ngunit
ang kapa ng mangagamot ay pinupuri ang mga balikat."

Lumipat si Lopez Jaena sa larangan ng pamamahayag. Nawalan siya ng interes sa politika at

akademikong buhay, kalaunan ay inaliw ang mamuhay sa Barcelona at Madrid. Gayunpaman, pinatawad
siya ng kanyang mga kaibigan dahil sa kanyang talento sa mga salita. Si Mariano Ponce na isa sa mga
propagandista sa Espanya ay siniyasat, "...isang nakakabinging papuri kasunod ng pagsasara ng
peremonya, ang mga kababaihan ay ikinaway ang kanilang mga panyo, at ang mga kalalakihan ay
nagpalakpakan nang tumayo sila mula sa kanilang mga upuan upang yakapin ang tagapagsalita."
Nabanggit din ni Rizal, "Ang dakilang pag-ibig niya ay politika at panitikan. Hindi ko sigurado kung mahal
niya ang politika upang makapaghatid ng mga talumpati o mahilig siya sa panitikan upang maging isang
politiko."

Bilang karagdagan siya ay inaalala ng sambayanan dahil sa kanyang kontribusyon sa panitikan sa kilusang
propaganda. Itinatag ni Lopez Jaena ang kada-kinsenas na pahayagang La Solidaridad. Nang lumipat ang
tanggapan ng publikasyon mula Barcelona patungong Madrid, ang editorship ay naipasa kay Marcelo H.
del Pilar. Ang kanyang talento ay makikita sa publikasyon "Discursos y Articulos Varios" o Mga Talumpati
at Iba't ibang Artikulo.

Si Lopez Jaena ay namatay sa sakit na tuberkulosis noong Enero 20, 1896 sa Barcelona. Nang sumunod
na araw, siya ay inilibing sa isang libingang bayan sa Montjuïc Cemetery sa Barcelona at ang kanyang
mga labi ay hindi naibalik sa Pilipinas.
Graciano Lopez-Jaena’s sense of nationalism found expression in his literary writing and impeccable
oratory. His creative genius proved beneficial to the Propaganda Movement, as he chose to render his
talents in the service of his country. But it was also through the Propaganda Movement that Lopez-
Jaena’s intellectual development was honed. This symbiotic relationship was manifested through the
evolution of his nationalist orientation. From being a reformist, he transformed, towards the end of his
life to being a revolutionary. The change that accompanied his full intellectual flowering was reflective of
the social conditions of his time. Fully conscious of the fact that Spain would not grant reforms, he
advocated for revolution—referring to it as the last resort of a people who were enslaved for centuries
under the oppressive structure of authoritative colonialism. This radical change of heart and mind was
facilitated by his experiences of frustration within the Reform Movement. Lopez-Jaena was the first
among his compatriots to articulate a separatist agenda. While Rizal and the others were at best
ambiguous, Lopez-Jaena was clear in his conviction that only a revolution would redeem the Filipinos
from their sufferings. It is this that we should remember about this brave man from Iloilo. Though not as
celebrated as Rizal or Bonifacio, Graciano Lopez-Jaena proved to be a true nationalist

Filipino writer, revolutionary, and national hero from Iloilo province, best known for his newspaper, “La
Solidaridad”.

I considered Graciano Lopez Jaena to have the status of a national hero. He is a writer, revolutionary and
a hero, best known for his newspaper “Lasolaridad and the Greatest Filipino Orator of the Propaganda
Movement. But before that he was a man who came from very humble beginnings. He came from a
poor family, his father worked as repairman and his mother worked as a seamstress.

Graciano's parents thought that the course he would take was a priesthood. But Graciano wanted to be
a doctor. Due to lack of money, he was forced to become an apprentice at San Juan De Dios Hospital. As
he helped doctors, he learned how to treat simple ailments. When he returned to his province, even
though it was forbidden, he treated various diseases of his countrymen.

In treating and associating with the poor countrymen, he noticed that many were unjustly punished by
the Spaniards. Of the many physical ailments suffered by his countrymen, he found that the hardships of
the people around him were doubled.

It was here that Jaena began to comment. He always explained to each patient the injustice of the
Spaniards.

In 1874 many discussed Graciano's writing entitled "Fray Botod" describing the bad behavior of the
Spanish friars. Such articles are the reason why the authorities sought him to imprison. To mislead the
military, he immediately left the Philippines and went to Spain.
In Madrid Graciano became a major critic. He wrote opinions against the Spanish government in the
Philippines and the Spanish friars who held the Catholic Church in the country.  There he became a
leading writer and speaker for Philippine reform

Gracianong also tried to write economic articles in the newspapers Espana En Filipinas, Revista del
Circulo Hispano Filipino and Revista de la Camara de Comercio de Espana.

He also became an active member of the Circulo Hispano Filipino which is an organization of Filipinos
with Spaniards who sympathize with what the propagandists are fighting for.

Being a journalist was used by Graciano to expand the propaganda movement. February 15, 1889 when
he published La Solidaridad. The purpose of the said newspaper was to fight oppression, carry out social
and political reforms, embrace liberal and progressive ideas, spread democratic views and fight to win
justice and progress.

To increase the funds of the propagandists, Jose Rizal advised the Orador to return to the Philippines in
1890.

Graciano's meeting with members of La Junta de la Propaganda was detected by the Spaniards so he
immediately boarded the San Juan Ship to Hong Kong.

On Orador's return to Barcelona he suffered poverty. He faced it with great sacrifice for the sake of the
victory of freedom.

In distant Europe his body weakened. Graciano died of tuberculosis on January 20, 1896.

The many thoughts he formed in the speeches were always and always will be heard from nowhere. This
is just proof that there is a Filipino propagandist who stood up for the liberation of the people.

Graciano Lopez Jaena gave his totality. Let us be thankful for his greatness
Jaena was able to get a job as an apprentice at the San Juan de Dios Hospital, but he couldn't keep it
because his parents could no longer afford to send him to school. Jaena later return home to practice
medicine in the local communities.

During her medical practice, Jaena is very unhappy with the quality of life that many of his patients are
enduring. Jaena's dissatisfaction with the injustice that many of his patients faced in many ways was the
beginning of a new life for him.

He was born into a poor family with a mother that worked as a seamstress and a father that worked as a
repairman. His parents sent him away to study at a seminary where Jaena aspired to become a doctor.
Jaena would attempt to pursue medical studies at a local university but was unfortunately denied
admission because his current school did not offer a Bachelor’s degree.

He was born into a poor family, his mother worked as a seamstress and his father was a craftsman. His
parents sent him to the seminary where Jaena wanted to become a doctor. Jaena was supposed to try
to get a medical degree from a local university, but unfortunately he was denied admission because his
current school did not have a bachelor's degree.

He came from a poor family, his father worked as repairman and his mother worked as a seamstress.

Jaena was, however, able to obtain a position as an apprentice at the San Juan de Dios Hospital, but was
not able to keep it because his parents could no longer afford to send him to school. Jaena would later
return home to practice medicine in the local communities.

While practicing medicine, Jaena became very displeased with the quality of life that many of his
patients had to endure. Jaena’s displeasure with the injustices that many of his patients faced was the
beginning of a new life for him in many ways.

Graciano Lopez Jaena founded the newspaper La Solidaridad in 1889 and became its first editor. Aside
from being an editor he wrote articles critical of the exploitative Spanish government and friars. In this
newspaper Filipino propagandists wrote for reforms in the Philippines. One of the ones he wrote was
the essay “Fray Botod” which means fat friar.

Graciano Lopez Jaena is known as a triumvirate including Jose Rizal and Marcelo H del Pilar of the
Propaganda Movement. He was a leader of reformists, a writer, journalist and orator. Jaena was born on
December 18 1856 in Jaro Iloilo. His parents were Placido Lopez and Maria Jacobo Jaena. Jaena was one
of the leaders of La Solidaridad in 1889. She was the Editor of this newspaper.
He became a hero because he was a member of the propaganda movement whose goal was to make
the Philippines independent.

Because Jaena began to be interested in journalistic activity, she was also a friend. This is the reason for
the birth of the propaganda movement, which was also formed with José Rizal, Marcelo H. Del Pilar and
Mariano Ponce among others that also caused him to become a hero of our country.

Jaena died of tuberculosis on January 20, 1896. She was alone and struggling with her illness. After he
died, his remains were buried in a mass grave in Barcelona in Spain.

Graciano Lopez-Jaena is a Filipino writer, revolutionary, and national hero from Iloilo province, best
known for his newspaper, “La Solidaridad”.

He is also known for his work Fray Butod. It’s equivalent to the slang “tabatsoy”. Because he wrote this,
when he was only 18 years old, he was already heated by the friars.

. On February 15, 1889, they launched the newspaper "La Solidaridad" in Barcelona. This newspaper of
his became very popular. Many of his articles have been published in various newspapers. Lopez-Jaena
used her pen as a weapon to fight for the humanitarian and just rights of Filipinos under the Spanish
government.

urged reforms in both religion and government in the Philippines, and it served as the voice of what
became known as the Propaganda Movement.