León María Guerrero III
Encyclopedia
León María Ignacio Agapito Guerrero y Francisco (b.
March 24, 1915 , d.
June 24, 1982), better known simply as Leon Ma. Guerrero III, was a Filipino
diplomat and novelist, and was one of the foremost Filipino nationalists
of his era. A partner in the law practice of senator Claro M. Recto
, he became Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs during the Magsaysay administration
. His then controversial advocacy of 'Asia for the Asians' and espousal of a realistic re-examination of relations with the United States
are now commonly accepted as being ahead of their time.
, Manila
to one of the nation's most prominent families.
His father was the famed Dr.
Alfredo Leon Maria Guerrero, and his mother was Filomena Francisco, the first Filipino woman pharmacist.
His paternal grandfather, for whom he was named, was Leon María Guerrero, the distinguished botanist, Malolos Congress
delegate, and member of the first Philippine Assembly
. His sister, Carmen Guerrero Nakpil
would also be grow up to be a journalist and, later one of the pre-eminent figures of Philippine letters.
He held the rank of Knight Grand Cross of the Knights of Rizal. Among his many works are internationally acclaimed translations of José Rizal
's Noli Me Tangere
and El filibusterismo
. He also wrote the biography of Rizal: The First Filipino.
Birth
Birth is the act or process of bearing or bringing forth offspring. The offspring is brought forth from the mother. The time of human birth is defined as the time at which the fetus comes out of the mother's womb into the world...
March 24, 1915 , d.
Death
Death is the permanent termination of the biological functions that sustain a living organism. Phenomena which commonly bring about death include old age, predation, malnutrition, disease, and accidents or trauma resulting in terminal injury....
June 24, 1982), better known simply as Leon Ma. Guerrero III, was a Filipino
Filipino people
The Filipino people or Filipinos are an Austronesian ethnic group native to the islands of the Philippines. There are about 92 million Filipinos in the Philippines, and about 11 million living outside the Philippines ....
diplomat and novelist, and was one of the foremost Filipino nationalists
Filipino nationalism
Filipino nationalism is an upsurge of patriotic sentiments and nationalistic ideals in the 1800s Philippines that came consequently as a result of more than two centuries of Spanish rule and as an immediate outcome of the Filipino Propaganda Movement from 1872 to 1892...
of his era. A partner in the law practice of senator Claro M. Recto
Claro M. Recto
Claro Mayo Recto, Jr. , was a Filipino politician, jurist, poet and one of the foremost statesmen of his generation...
, he became Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs during the Magsaysay administration
Ramon Magsaysay
Ramón del Fierro Magsaysay was the third President of the Republic of the Philippines from December 30, 1953 until his death in a plane crash in 1957. He was elected President under the banner of the Nacionalista Party.-Early life:Ramon F...
. His then controversial advocacy of 'Asia for the Asians' and espousal of a realistic re-examination of relations with the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
are now commonly accepted as being ahead of their time.
Early life
"Leoni," as his family called him, was born on March 24, 1915 in ErmitaErmita
Ermita may refer to the following:*Ermita, Manila, a place in the Philippines.*Ermita: A Filipino Novel, a novel by F. Sionil José.*Ermita "Ermi" Rojo, the protagonist in F. Sionil José's novel Ermita: A Filipino Novel....
, Manila
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
to one of the nation's most prominent families.
His father was the famed Dr.
Doctor of Medicine
Doctor of Medicine is a doctoral degree for physicians. The degree is granted by medical schools...
Alfredo Leon Maria Guerrero, and his mother was Filomena Francisco, the first Filipino woman pharmacist.
His paternal grandfather, for whom he was named, was Leon María Guerrero, the distinguished botanist, Malolos Congress
Malolos Congress
-Further reading:*Philippine House of Representatives Congressional Library...
delegate, and member of the first Philippine Assembly
Philippine Assembly
The Philippine Assembly was the lower house of the legislative body of the Philippines during the early part of American colonial period. It was created by the Philippine Organic Act, passed in 1902, which also established the Philippine Commission as the upper house of the Philippine Legislature,...
. His sister, Carmen Guerrero Nakpil
Carmen Guerrero Nakpil
Carmen Guerrero Nakpil is a Filipino writer and historian.She came from a literary family, which includes her brother, the diplomat and novelist León María Guerrero III, uncles Fernando María Guerrero and Manuel Guerrero who were poets and essayists, and cousin Wilfrido María Guerrero, who was a...
would also be grow up to be a journalist and, later one of the pre-eminent figures of Philippine letters.
Later life
On retirement he was the country's senior career diplomat having served as Ambassador in London, Madrid, New Delhi, Mexico City and Belgrade. On June 19, 1982, only a fewdays before he died, he received the, Gawad Mabini, the highest award in the Philippine Foreign Service.He held the rank of Knight Grand Cross of the Knights of Rizal. Among his many works are internationally acclaimed translations of José Rizal
José Rizal
José Protacio Rizal Mercado y Alonso Realonda , was a Filipino polymath, patriot and the most prominent advocate for reform in the Philippines during the Spanish colonial era. He is regarded as the foremost Filipino patriot and is listed as one of the national heroes of the Philippines by...
's Noli Me Tangere
Noli Me Tangere (novel)
Noli Me Tangere is a novel by Filipino polymath José Rizal and first published in 1887 in Berlin, Germany. Early English translations used titles like An Eagle Flight and The Social Cancer, but more recent translations have been published using the original Latin title.Though originally written in...
and El filibusterismo
El filibusterismo
El filibusterismo , also known by its English alternate title The Reign of Greed, is the second novel written by Philippine national hero José Rizal. It is the sequel to Noli Me Tangere and like the first book, was written in Spanish. It was first published in 1891 in Ghent, Belgium...
. He also wrote the biography of Rizal: The First Filipino.
Works
- Twilight in Tokyo 1946
- Passion and Death of the USAFFE 1947
- Report from Europe 1951
- Alternatives for Asians 1957
- An Asian on Asia 1958
- The First Filipino 1962 (Awarded first prize in the Rizal Biography Contest under the auspices of the José Rizal National Centennial Commission.)
- El Si y El No. 1963. (Winner of the Premio Zobel)
- Las Dos Muertes de General Aguinaldo (1964)
- Two Friars in Exodus (A Contribution to Studies in Philippine Church History) 1969
- The Philippine Revolution by Apolinario Mabini 1969
- Today Began Yesterday 1975
- We Filipinos (Posthumous anthology of his writings) 1984