The Bikolano godfather of Ilonggo literature

Abstract

The Ilonggos are a proud and happy people. They are proud of their past and their culture. They take pride, for instance, in the fact that for a long time Iloilo, their home province, used to be the No. 1 Philippine province in population, economic production and income. Yet the Ilonggos are not chauvinistic. They are friendly, hospitable and open-minded. They welcome other people and new ideas, and are liberal and progressive in outlook.

Something in their history has made the Ilonggos what they are. For Iloilo became, rich, both materially and culturally, largely because of the pioneering contributions of many people from other places in the Philippines and even from other countries.