author
Modesto de Castro
1819–1864
Remembered as the “Father of Tagalog Prose,” this 19th-century Filipino priest used clear, lively writing to teach manners, faith, and everyday values. His best-known work, Urbana at Felisa, remained widely read long after his lifetime.
1 Audiobook
Pag Susulatan nang Dalauang Binibini na si Urbana at ni Feliza
by Modesto de Castro
About the author
Born in Biñan, Laguna on June 15, 1819, Modesto de Castro studied theology at the University of Santo Tomas and went on to serve in the Catholic clergy during the Spanish colonial period. Historical accounts describe him as parish priest of Paombong, Bulacan, later rector of Manila Cathedral, and then parish priest of Naic, Cavite, where he served until his death in 1864.
He is best known for Pagsusulatan ng Dalawang Binibini na si Urbana at ni Felisa, often called Urbana at Felisa. Written as letters between two sisters, the book offered advice on conduct, family life, religion, and social behavior, and became one of the most familiar moral and literary texts in Tagalog.
De Castro is often honored as the “Father of Tagalog Prose” because of the influence of his style and the reach of his writings. Alongside Urbana at Felisa, sources also credit him with devotional and religious works such as Pláticas Doctrinales and several novenas, showing how closely his literary work was tied to his vocation as a priest and teacher.