Francisco Baltazar, better known by his pen name Balagtas, is the acknowledged “Prince of Tagalog
Poets.” His masterpiece is the popular Florante at Laura.
He was born in the barrio of Panginay, Bigaa, Bulacan on April 2, 1788 to Juan Balagtas and Juana
de la Cruz. He obtained his early education in a parochial school of Bigaa where he was drilled in
prayers and catechism. He moved to Manila to work as houseboy to the Trinidad family in Tondo.
He was enrolled by the master of the house at the Colegio de San Jose where he took up humanities,
theology, philosophy and canon law. However, he was more famous in Tondo as a poet and was a
contemporary of Jose de la Cruz (more commonly known as Huseng Sisiw). He continued to write
more awits, corridos and moro-moros.
He was imprisoned by a wealthy and influential rival. It was during this imprisonment when he wrote
the Florante at Laura. Upon his release, he went to Balanga, Bataan where he got married and
worked as an assistant to the justice of peace. He was later appointed lieutenant of the town and in
1856, he was appointed translator of the court.
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