Event date: October 29, 1866

Displays: 5508

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Birth of Antonio Luna

He was born in Urbiztondo Street, Binondo, Manila on October 29, 1866 to Don Joaquin Luna and Doña Laureana Novicio, both from prominent families of Badoc, Ilocos Norte. He entered the Ateneo de Manila where he bagan to take interest in literature and chemistry. He obtained his Bachelor of Arts in 1881. At the University of Santo Tomas, he won first prize for his composition “Dos Cuerpos Fundamentales de Quimica,” on the occasion of the elevation of Fr. Ceferino Gonzales to the Cardinalate. At the invitation of his brother, Juan, he left for Europe. He got a Licentiate in Pharmacy at the University of Barcelona. The Central University of Madrid conferred him his Doctor of Pharmacy in 1890. In Spain he wrote El Hematozoario Paludismo, acclaimed by leading bacteriologist in Europe as thorough and exhaustive scientific work. Using the pen name Taga Ilog, he published in the La Solidaridad “Impresiones” a satirical observation of Spanish customs and idiosyncracies. After completing his studies, he toured Europe and came in contact with prominent bacteriologists. In 1894, he returned to the Philippines where he wrote less but was more vocal in advocating that the Philippines be made a province of Spain with the Filipinos enjoying the rights and privileges of Spanish citizens. He was not sympathetic to the Katipunan but advocated liberalism which caused his imprisonment in Madrid. After his release, he left for Belgium where he studied the art of military strategy under General Leman. In 1898, he surveyed the Manila-Dagupan terrain for possible defense perimeter against the American troops. In 1899, he was appointed Chief of War Operations with the rank of Brigadier General.