PREPARATIONS are now being undertaken by the Municipal Government of Guagua, Provincial Government of Pampanga and the National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) to commemorate the upcoming 150th birth anniversary of Kapampangan hero Aurelio Tolentino.
Commemoration is set on October 13 in front of the Municipal Hall.
Tolentino was born in Santo Cristo, Guagua, on October 13, 1867 and was the third and youngest child of Leonardo Tolentino and Patrona Valenzuela. Tolentino was a former Katipunero who joined Andres Bonifacio in locating secret headquarters in the mountains of Montalban and San Mateo, Rizal. They chose Pamitinan Cave as their quarter, until it was discovered by the Spaniards on April 12, 1895.
He was captured during the outbreak of the revolution and was imprisoned for nine months. Later, he founded the Junta de Amigos, an organization comprised of Katipuneros which aimed to expel the American colonizers.
After the Philippine revolution, Aurelio Tolentino concentrated on literature: becoming a playwright, novelist and orator in Spanish, Tagalog and Pampango.
Some of his contributions include the following: drama/play - "Kahapon, Ngayon at Bukas" (1902) and "Bagong Cristo" (1907); novel – "Maring" (1908) "Buhay" (1909) and "Buhok ni Ester" (1914).
He is the editor of "La Patria", "El Liberal", "El Pueblo", "El Imparcial", "Ing Balen" and "Ing Emangabisan". He founded the Filipinas, a cooperative organization, and El Parnaso Filipino, a research institute for Tagalog literature, poetry and oration.
He died on July 5, 1915 in Manila with his remains transferred to the foot of a monument in front of the Guagua town hall. The Little Theater of the Cultural Center of the Philippines was named after him.