Mariano Ponce

Today in Philippine History (Philatelic Edition):

MARCH 23, 1863

Mariano Ponce (March 23, 1863 - May 23, 1918) was born in Baliuag, Bulacan. 

A doctor and a writer, he joined Jose Rizal, Marcelo H. del Pilar, Graciano Lopez Jaena, and other Filipino patriots in the crusade for reforms. 

He co-founded La Solidaridad with Lopez Jaena in Barcelona on February 12, 1889. 

He wrote using the pseudonyms Naning, Kalipulako and Tigbalang. He was also one of the founders of Asociacion Hispano-Filipino.

(Design, concept, stamps and research: Richard Allan B. Uy) All rights reserved

Photo credit: wikipedia.org

Letters From Mariano Ponce

Today in Philippine History (Philatelic Edition): 

JUNE 8, 1899

While in Yokohama, Japan, Mariano Ponce wrote two letters to President Emilio Aguinaldo telling him that military officers from Japan, Mr. Hara, Mr. Inaromi, Mr. Nishiuchi, Mr. Nakamori and Mr. Miyai have offered their services to the Philippine Revolutionary Army. 

One of the officers, Mr. Hara was a well-decorated captain of the Japanese infantry in the Sino-Japanese War. 

In 1898, Aguinaldo delegated Ponce to purchase weapons and ammunitions in Japan for the revolutionaries but these did not arrive because of a storm off the Taiwan coast.

(Design, concept, stamps and research: Richard Allan Uy)