Rafael Palma

Born in Tondo, Manila, on October 24, 1874, Rafael Palma was a Filipino writer, educator, and statesman whose career bridged the country’s late Spanish, revolutionary, and American colonial periods. He studied at Ateneo de Manila, worked in journalism, and became connected with the nationalist paper La Independencia, where he took on a larger role after Antonio Luna’s death.

Palma also became an important public servant. He served in the Philippine Assembly and later in the Senate, and he is widely known as the fourth president of the University of the Philippines. His work in public life and education made him one of the best-known Filipino intellectuals of his generation.

As an author, he wrote on history, politics, and national identity, including works on José Rizal and the long campaign for Philippine independence. He died on May 24, 1939, but his name remains closely tied to Philippine letters, higher education, and civic life.