Teodoro Kalaw
Media
Part of Panorama
- Title
- Teodoro Kalaw
- Creator
- Surez, V. G.
- Language
- English
- Source
- Panorama Volume XVIII (No. 4) April 1966
- Year
- 1966
- Rights
-
- Abstract
- A brief sketch of the life of a Filipino intellectual
- Fulltext
- ■ Here is a brietf sketch of the life of a Filipino intellectual. TEODORO KALAW Students of contemporary history remember him as an intellectual leader who was in the forefront of the cam paign for Philippine inde pendence. As close adviser to presidents Quezon and Osmena, Kalaw was an active participant in the epoch, making events especially during the first two decades up to the Commonwealth period. Kalaw s intellectual leader ship can be traced to as far back as his student days. He attended the Escuela Pia, Escuela de Latinidad, Cole gio de San Juan de Letran, Instituto de Rizal and Liceo de 'Manila where he won honors in all academic sub jects and most medals for scholastic excellence. At 13, in Letran, Kalaw obtained “sobresaliente” in all courses. In all these schools Kalaw showed early promise of becoming a great writer and leader. After graduating with high honors from the Liceo, Kalaw took up law in the Escuela de Derecho, the first Filipino College of Law, where he was graduated at the age of 21. He became the college director later. At 23, Kalaw was offered the editorship of El Renacimiento, the most influential newspaper at the time. With him in the staff were such literary luminaries as Fidel Reyes, Claro M. Recto, Pedro Aunario, Jesus Balmori, Ma nuel Bernabe and others. At 26, as an elected repre sentative from the third dis trict of Batangas to the Phil ippine Assembly, his most important contributions were those creating the Commis sion on Independence and reorganizing the executive departments of the govern ment. The first measure was in preparation of the Philippines for self-rule, and the second was for creation of the positions of cabinet undersecretaries to serve as link and effect continuity of department functions often April 1966 31 disturbed by change of poli tical climate. At 33, Kalaw was appoint ed undersecretary and three years later succeeded Rafael Palma as secretary of the in terior. During the two-year period from 1923 to 1925, he was made executive secre tary and chief adviser of the Commission on Indepen dence. The years from 1929 to 1939 was his longest con tinuous service in one office, when he was appointed di rector of the National Libra ry. His predecessors were such eminent scholars as Epifanio de los Santos, Macario Adriatico and Dr. Pardo de Tavera. Long before this, in 1916, Kalaw had a short stint as the Library director for one year. Among his works were: Hacia la, Tierra del Czar; La Constitution de Malolos, El Devorcio en Filipinos; La Ideas Politicas de la Revo lution Filipina; Principios de Vida Social; Teorias Cons titutionales; Como se Puedo Mejorar Nuestra Legislation; El Plan Constitutional de la Revolution Filipina; El Ideario Politico de Mabini; Ma nuel de Ciencia Politico; La Masoneria Filipina; La Re volution Filipina; Court Martial of Andres Bonifacio; La Compafia del Coumintang, Dietario Espiritual; Gregorio del Pilar; Las Car tas Politicas de Mabini; El Espiritu de la Revolution, Cinco Reglas de Nuestra Mo ral Antigua, and Aide-deCamp to Freedom, his auto biography, translated from the Spanish by his daughter Senator Maria Kalaw Katigbak and published by the Teodoro M. Kalaw Society. Retana, that famous Rizal biographer, in praise of Ha cia La Tierra del Czar, a book written by Kalaw after and about his trip to Rus sia, said: “The chief char acteristic of Kalaw is his viri lity. . . his spirited ingenuity. Kalaw, as no other writer of his country, has that first re quisite, an artistic tempera ment. . — V. G. Suarez in Manila Bulletin. 32 PANORAMA
- pages
- 31+