Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No. 467 1

Introduced by HON. JOSEFINA B. TALLADO

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Jose Maria Panganiban, bom on February 1, 1863 in Mambulao (a town subsequently renamed
after him) in Camarines Norte, was an exceptional intellectual.

A biographical article on Panganiban gives us a bird eye view of how great the man is:

“Panganiban developed his interest in reading at an early age from reading the
cartilla, caton and catecismo taught by his mother. Once, his mother found him under a
tree, sleeping, obviously from reading Don Quixote, the book of Cervantes, found beside
him,

“Since his mother died when he was alittle boy, Panganiban grew up in the care
of his, father, the clerk of court in Daet, the capital town of the province. His father sent
him to the seminary of Nueva Caceres (now Naga) and became the protégé of the
seminary rector Fr. Santonja. He eamed the praises of his teachers because of his
aptitude to easily absorb his lessons.

*He was good at writing and was articulate in expressing his ideas. Because of
this, the Spanish Governor-General Domingo Moriones who happened to be visiting the
province and heard him speak during a school program commended him. In April 1878,
he wrote A Nuestro Obispo in honor of Bishop Francisco Gainza who was on a visit to
Mambulao.

“Father Santoja became instrumental for Panganiban’s studies in Manila. The
priest recommended him to the College of San Juan de Letran where he obtained his
degree of Bachelor of Arts in 1883. Wanting to become a medical practitioner, he took
up medical courses at the University of Santo Tomas and at the same time taking

* https: //josemariapanganiban. page.tl/Jose-maria-Panganiban.htm


Vocational courses in agriculture at Letran so that in 1885, he received the tile of
Agricultural Expert.

“Panganiban participated in literary scientific contests at the UST and eamed
prizes. The first was in 1885 when he won second place. In 1887, he won first prized for
each of his three papers on General Pathology, Therapeutics and Surgical Anatomy. Fr.
Gregorio Echevarria, the rector of the University, had his works printed and exhibited in
the Exposition of 1887 in Madrid.

“In May 1888, Panganiban sailed for Spain and continued his medical studies
at the University of Barcelona, where he met other Filipino students. Drawn to the
propaganda movement, Panganiban quit his dream of becoming a doctor. He joined
liberal organizations like the Asociacion Hispano-Filipino and the La Solidaridad that
both of which aimed for reforms in the Philippines. On April 25, 1889, Panganiban was
‘one of the signers of the petition to the Spanish Minister of Colonies, requesting for
Filipino representation in the Spanish Cortes. While in Spain, he leamed other
languages like German, Italian, and French, adding to the Spanish and Latin he leamed
during his student days in the seminary of Nueva Caceres. He was able to translate into
‘Spanish the book of German author Carl Julius Weber entitled: Die Religio und Die
Religionen (Religion and Other Religions).

“Using pseudo names like JMP or Jomapa, he wrote the following articles El
Pensamiento, La Universidad de Manila: Su Plan de Estudio, and Los Nuevos
Ayuntamientos de Filipinas came out in different editions of the propaganda newspaper
La Solidaridad. In El Pensamiento, he advocated freedom of the press while in La
Universidad, he criticized the educational system exercised by the Spanish authorities
in the Philippines. A versatile writer, he composed poems and wrote short stories.
‘Among his poems were: Ang Lupang Tinubuan, Noches en Mambulao, Sa Aking buhay,
Bahia de Mambulao, La Mejerde Oro, and Amor mio. His two short stories Clarita Perez
and Kandeng were published in the La Solidaridad after his death.

“Panganiban worked hard in the Propaganda Movement even after contracting
tuberculosis. With his meager allowance, he worked in the midst of hunger and sickness.
On July 5, 1899, he wrote to Jose Rizal urging the latter to carry on the work they started
saying: “Whatever we have already started should be pushed through even at the
Sacrifice of our lives, our honor, and fortunes.” He wished that he had the same strength
as before so that he could work with his compatriots to the end.

“On August 19, 1890, death came to him in his boarding house at No. 2 Rambla
de Canaletas, Barcelona. He was buried in grave No. 2043 of the Southwest Cemetery
of Barcelona. Dr. Domingo Abella, a historian, did a great service to the nation by
locating the remains of his province mate in Spain and in bringing them back to the
Philippines.

“The Filipino propagandists in Europe mourned Panganiban's death. Rizal
saluted him as an ‘excellent companion of labor and difficulty...endowed with
uncommon talent, with privileged intelligence, and with indefatigable industry, was one
of the sacred, legitimate hopes of his unfortunate country.”


Undoubtedly, Jose Ma. Panganiban is one of the greatest sons of Camarines Norte. He belongs
to the same class as his contemporaries which includes Jose P. Rizal, Marcelo H. Del Pilar, Graciano
Lopez Jaena, Mariano Ponce, Antonio Luna and Pedro Paterno.

He occupies such a special place in the history of the country and the province of Camarines
Norte which is why his birth place of Mambulao has been renamed after him.

While there is a law passed, Republic Act 9090 which declares every first day of February of
every year as Jose Maria C. Panganiban Day, the same is only a special working public holiday.

This representation believes that in order to properly celebrate and commemorate Jose
Panganiban’s Day, it must be made a non-working holiday.

Itis also significant to point out that the birth day of Wenceslao Q. Vinzons, Sr. another illustrious
son of Camarines Norte, is being commemorated every 28" day of September through a Special Non-
Working Holiday in Camarine Norte by virtue of Republic Act No. 6720, there is no reason why a similar
importance be given to Panganiban to commemorate his birth as one of the greatest sons of the province.

In view of the foregoing, the passage of this bill is urgently and eamestly sought.

HON. 2. B. TALLADO


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

4
House Bill No.

Introduced by HON. JOSEFINA B. TALLADO

AN ACT DECLARING FEBRUARY 1 OF EVERY YEAR A SPECIAL NON-WORKING HOLIDAY IN
THE PROVINCE OF CAMARINES NORTE REPEALING FOR THE PURPOSE REPUBLIC ACT NO.
9090 ENTITLED “AN ACT DECLARING FEBRUARY FIRST OF EVERY YEAR AS ‘JOSE MARIA C.
PANGANIBAN DAY’ AND A SPECIAL WORKING PUBLIC HOLIDAY IN THE PROVINCE OF
CAMARINES NORTE”

Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. February 1 of every year is hereby declared a special non-working holiday in the
Province of Camarines Niort, in recognition of Jose Maria C. Panganiban’s sacrifice and fight for reforms
for his beloved country, and in order to properly place him among the great men whose death or birth
anniversaries are given appropriate recognition and honor.

SECTION 2. Republic Act No. 9090 entitled: “An Act Declaring February 1 of Every Year as
‘Jose Maria C. Panganiban Day’ and a Special Working Public Holiday in the Province of Camarines
Norte”, and all laws, decrees, executive orders and regulations inconsistent with this Act are hereby
repealed, amended or modified accordingly.

SECTION 3. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the Official Gazette
cr in a newspaper of general circulation

Approved,