Francisco Balagtas

Born on April 2, 1788, in Bigaa, Bulacan, Francisco Balagtas became one of the most celebrated poets in the Philippines. He is also widely known as Francisco Baltazar, and his work stands out for bringing literary prestige to Tagalog at a time when much formal writing was often done in Spanish.

His most famous work, Florante at Laura, was published in 1838 and remains a classic of Philippine literature. Written as an awit, it tells an adventurous and emotional story, but readers have long valued it for more than romance alone: it also reflects questions of injustice, suffering, and moral courage.

Balagtas is often remembered as the "Prince of Tagalog Poets" because of his lasting influence on later writers and students of literature. More than a century after his death on February 20, 1862, his writing is still read for its musical language, vivid storytelling, and its important place in the cultural history of the Philippines.