Rizal’s friend to be recognized by Kalibo Museum
KALIBO, Aklan, Dec. 30 (PNA) — A friend of Dr. Jose Rizal will be recognized for the first time by the Kalibo Museum here on January 5, 2017.
In an interview Friday, Raymond Sucgang said that they are grateful for the said recognition on behalf of his great grandfather, Telesforo Sucgang.
The friendship of Telesforo, a native of Batan, Aklan, and Rizal was cited several times in the article of Ambeth Ocampo representing the National Historical Commission.
Telesforo, who was born on January 5, 1855, became Rizal’s friend because they were together in a painting class in Spain. Telesforo is said to have painted a real image of Rizal.
Telesforo also had several paintings, which won awards in Spain. These included Desembarco de Magallanes or The First Mass in the Philippines in 1888 and La Llegada de Legazpi y Urdaneta.
His other works during this period included Estamos Salvados and La Llegada del Correo Español en la Bahia de Manila in 1887. The latter was renamed Steamship Buenaventura during the Revolution against Spain.
“We considered Telesforo as a neglected hero. He was appointed captain and, later on, commandant of the military administration headed by Martin Teofilo Delgado in Sta. Barbara, Iloilo. He also wrote articles, which were published in El Comercio and the Visayan papers El Porvenir de Visayas, El Panay, El Ilonguillo and Revolucion in 1900,” he said.
Telesforo also founded the Instituto de Visayas in Jaro, Iloilo. Then in 1905, he built the Instituto Aklan in Kalibo and an another school in Capiz between 1907 and 1911. In 1912, the artist founded the Colegio de Minerva in Manila which lasted until his death in December 16, 1916. (PNA)
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