José Rizal (1861-1896) is regarded as one of the most important figures in Philippine history.

He was a multifaceted
intellectual and political activist
best known for his political writings that inspired the Philippine revolution and eventually led to his execution by
Spanish colonizers. José Rizal quickly rose to prominence as the leading propagandist. His novel, Noli me Tángere
(1886; The Social Cancer, 1912) exposed the corruption of Manila Spanish society and fueled the independence
movement. By August 1896, when the Spaniards discovered its existence, membership had grown to an estimated
100,000.

Andres Bonifacio(1863-1897) is known as the "Father of the Philippine Revolution." He is also renowned as the
Founder of the Katipunan, a secret revolutionary society that he created in 1892 with the purpose of achieving
Philippine independence from Spain through revolution. Many Filipinos were motivated by the Bonifacio-led
Katipuneros to undertake a statewide effort to overthrow the conquerors.

Emilio Jacinto (1875-1899) was a brilliant and courageous young man who served as the soul and brain of Andres
Bonifacio's revolutionary organization, the Katipunan. Jacinto wrote for the official Katipunan newspaper, the
Kalayaan. He also penned the official handbook of the movement, called the Kartilya ng Katipunan. Despite his
young age of just 21, Jacinto became a general in the group's guerrilla army, taking an active role in the fight against
the Spanish near Manila. Jacinto aided in the war for Filipino independence from Spain during his brief life. He
outlined the principles for the new government envisioned by Bonifacio, but neither man lived to see the Spanish
overthrown.

Isabelo de los Reyes was born in Vigan, Ilocos Sur, on July 7, 1864, to Elias de los Reyes and Leona Florentino, a
well-known Filipino poetess. His first essay, published in the Diario de Manila in November 1882, was about the
“Invasion of Limahong.” Then he launched El Ilocano, the first vernacular newspaper. He edited books and leaflets,
contributed articles to various Spanish periodicals, wrote articles criticizing Spanish maladministration in the
Philippines, and openly attacked religious and Spanish writers. He also edited books and leaflets, contributed articles
to various Spanish periodicals, and wrote articles criticizing Spanish maladministration in the Philippines.

Renato Constantino (1919-1999) was a Filipino historian and scholar who taught us to reexamine, correct, and learn
from our colonial history. He was a member of the leftist tradition of Philippine historiography. He wanted Filipinos
to have a useful memory of the past so that they could advance in their quest for true nationhood. He wrote around
30 books, as well as numerous pamphlets and monographs. A Past Revisited and The Continuing Past are two of
Constantino’s best-known works. He also wrote Claro M. Recto: A Biography, The Essential Taada (On Statesman
and Senator Lorenzo M. Recto), and The Making of a Filipino (a biography of Claro M. Recto).