Remembered as an anti-colonial publication, El Renacimiento fought for press freedom. This El Renacimiento Plaque marks a place of great historical relevance. We are standing where the newspaper El Renacimiento once stood.
El Renacimiento means “The Renaissance” in Spanish. It was a bilingual newspaper in Spanish and Tagalog. Spanish articles appeared under El Renacimiento. Tagalog articles were under Muling Pagsilang. It was printed here in Manila. The Guerrero de Ermita family members published it until the 1940s.
El Renacimiento was founded in 1901. This was a response to the Treaty of Paris. The treaty derailed the Philippines’ struggle for sovereignty. The paper criticized the United States’ governance. This included U.S. President William Howard Taft’s policies.
Martin Ocampo, the paper’s publisher, re-established it later. He created La Vanguardia and Taliba. These were Spanish and Filipino editions respectively. They launched in February 1910.
El Renacimiento faced many challenges during its time. One notable event was the “Aves de Rapiña” editorial. It translates to “Birds of Prey.” It was published on October 30, 1908. The editorial spoke about corruption in the colonial government.
Dean Conant Worcester, the interior secretary, sued the newspaper for libel. He felt the editorial alluded to him. The description included traits of a vulture, owl, and vampire. Worcester allegedly profited from the sale of diseased beef. He also allegedly overpriced hotel concessions.
Worcester’s lawsuit pushed El Renacimiento toward bankruptcy. The paper closed. Kalaw and Ocampo received prison sentences. Appeals led to the absolution of most editorial staff between 1910 and 1912. Governor-General Francis Burton Harrison pardoned Kalaw and Ocampo in 1914.
“Aves de Rapiña” is now required reading in Philippine colleges. It reminds us of the fight for press freedom. Several people contributed to El Renacimiento. Martin Ocampo was the founder and publisher. Rafael Palma was a founder and director. Fernando Ma. Guerrero also served as director. Teodoro M. Kalaw was another director. Lope K. Santos directed Muling Pagsilang. Fidel A. Reyes was the chief editor. Faustino Aguilar also served as chief editor. Other editors included Wenceslao Retana, Javier Gomez de la Serna, Dominador Gomez, Isabelo de los Reyes, and Felipe Calderon.
El Renacimiento stood for Filipino nationalism. It dared to challenge colonial rule. It exposed corruption. This plaque serves as a reminder of its legacy. The newspaper’s courage and commitment inspires journalists. It encourages citizens to speak truth to power.