128th Birth Anniversary of the ‘Pillar of Philippine Literature’ Lope K. Santos

"Poet, writer, novelist, journalist, scholar, labor leader, and exemplary public servant, Lope K. Santos was a major contributor to the advancement of our country’s pride and identity.

Strongly influenced by the libertarian ideals of the Philippine Revolution, Mang Openg, as Lope K. Santos was popularly called, devoted his life and talents to the realization of these ideals. He used the pen to advance the Filipino people’s unity through the promotion of a national language. The successes of the Philippine Revolution inspired him to advance the cause of Philippine literature, especially his love for the Tagalog language.

Born in Pasig, Rizal, on September 25, 1879, Mang Openg became editor of several Tagalog publications beginning in 1900. His prodigious writings in Tagalog prose and poetry brought him the exalted title of "Paham ng Wika." His "Balarila ng Wikang Pambansa" was chosen as the basis for the grammar of the Filipino language while his sociopolitical novel "Banaag at Sikat" blazed a trail for Filipino writers to espouse the cause of the Filipino workingman. These two works gave him the title of "Pillar of Philippine Literature."

Mang Openg also went into publishing and newspaper writing. He was the first editor of Muling Pagsilang, the Tagalog edition of "El Renacimiento," the first nationalistic Filipino newspaper during the American rule. He was the founder of Sampaguita, the first Filipino national weekly. Because of his efforts to propagate the Tagalog language, President Manuel L. Quezon appointed him Director of the Surian ng Wikang Pambansa, the government agency created to study the country’s various languages in line with the efforts to develop a national language for the Filipino people.

Politics also attracted Mang Openg. He served as governor of Rizal (1910-1913) and Nueva Ecija (1918-1920) and senator of the 12th District (1921- 1922).

He authored a law establishing Bonifacio Day celebrating the birth anniversary of the hero on November 30 and a law providing for the erection of the Bonifacio monument in Caloocan. Lope K. Santos was a man who would die for his convictions and valued personal honor above all else. We need men like Lope K. Santos today."

As published in The Manila Bulletin Online, Tuesday, September 25, 2007
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