The Anthem Philatelist

Natividad Almeda-Lopez (1892-1977) was the first Filipino women to practice law before the Tribunal of Justice. She devoted four decades of her life to serving the government in various capacities, retiring in 1962 as Associate Justice of the Court of Appeals. She served as Judge of the Municipal Court of Manila and was a member of National Federation of Women Club's of the Philippines in 1937. The UP College of Law has several scholarships supported by donations from alumni and friends which are administered, in cooperation with their respective donors, by the Dean and the Scholarship Committee of the College. The Justice Natividad Almeda Lopez Memorial Scholarship established by the family of the late Justice Natividad Almeda Lopez in honor of her memory, is one of these scholarships. A postage stamp was issued and a street (formerly called Concepcion) in Ermita, Manila was also named in her honor. The stamp above was issued on June 1,1992, Decade of Filipino Nationalism (Gre...

Francisco S. Santiago was a renowned pianist, composer and teacher. He earned his masters degree and doctorate in music from the Conservatory of Chicago in 1924. He became the Director of the University of the Philippines College of Music from 1930-1946. He was born in Santa Maria, Bulacan in January 29, 1889. Poverty didn’t stop him from pursuing his studies in piano, supporting him through school. In 1916, he became a piano instructor when the UP Conservatory of Music was established during the same year. The following year, his composition Kundiman, Anak Dalita , the first art song kundiman , was sung Royal Court of Spain upon the request of King Alfonso II. His masterpiece “ Concerto in B flat minor ” for pianoforte and orchestra was presented at the Chicago Music School, where he received his doctorate degree in 1924. Upon returning to the Philippines, he became director of the UP Conservatory of Music from 1930 to 1946. He also directed the music for such films as Manileña...

Antonio J. Molina was called the "Dean of Filipino Composers". He was a prominent violoncellist, conductor and teacher. He wrote 500 compositions in his lifetime.   He was the last of the musical triumvirate, two of whom were Nicanor Abelardo and Francisco Santiago , who elevated music beyond the realm of folk music. At an early age, he took to playing the violoncello and played it so well it did not take long before he was playing as orchestra soloist for the Manila Grand Opera House . Molina is credited for introducing such innovations as the whole tone scale, pentatonic scale, exuberance of dominant ninths and eleventh cords, and linear counterpoints. As a member of the faculty of the UP Conservatory, he had taught many of the country's leading musical personalities and educators like Lucresia Kasilag and Felipe de Leon .   Born into a musically inclined family, he raised his own family as music lovers as well, as three of his children pursued careers in music, ...

A composer, pianist and teacher, Nicanor Abelardo was best known for his compositions. His most popular works include the official song of the University of the Philippines,"U.P. Beloved","Mutya ng Pasig",and "Magbalik Ka Hirang". Born in San Miguel de Mayumo, Bulacan in February 7, 1893, Nicanor Sta. Ana Abelardo was introduced to music when he was five years old, when his father taught him the solfeggio and the banduria. At the age of 8, he was able to compose his first work, a waltz entitled "Ang Unang Buko," which was dedicated to his grandmother. At the age of 13, he was already playing at saloons and cabarets in Manila. At age 15, he was already teaching in barrio schools in San Ildefonso and San Miguel Bulacan. All of these happened even before young Abelardo finally took up courses under Guy F. Harrison and Robert Schofield at the UP Conservatory of Music in 1916. By 1924, following a teacher’s certificate in science and composition rec...

Jovita Fuentes was the founder of the Asociacion Musical de Filipinas, Bach Society of the Philippines and the Artists Guild of the Philippines. She received numerous awards for her talents as vocalist and dedication as a leader. She was named National Artist in Music 1976. Jovita Fuentes was born in Capiz on February 15, 1895. At the age of 5, she already learned how to sing the habanseras and the danzas. She took formal lessons from Italian singer Salvina Fornari, who was the residing in Manila. For 5 years until 1924, she taught voice culture at the UP Conservatory of Music. She furthered her skills in opera and acting abroad in Italy under the guidance of Arturo Cadore, Luigi Kucenti, and Maestro Villani. Her performance as Cio Cio San in Puccini's Madame Butterfly in the spring of 1925 in Italy, earned for her international recognition. After that, she traveled to North America, the Philippines, Europe to perform such plum roles as Mimi in La Boheme; Liu Yu in Turandot; P...

Roman Ozaeta was a former Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines (June 24, 1941 - May 16, 1950). Justice Ozaeta was born on February 28, 1891 in San Jose, Batangas to Julian and Florencia Ozaeta. Prior to his appointment by Manuel L. Quezon as Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines (June 24, 1941 – May 28, 1946, and from September 19, 1948, to February 28, 1950), he was in the Court of First Instance of Nueva Ecija .    He was appointed Solicitor General in the Bureau of Justice on August 17, 1938 and served his term until 1940. He also became a Secretary of Justice on May 29, 1946 but later returned to the Supreme Court in 1948. He resigned his position in October of 1950 to head the law office of Ozaeta, Gibbs, and Ozaeta.   Roman Ozaeta received his elementary education from the public schools of Batangas. He ventured to Manila and worked his way through high school and graduated salutatorian of the Manila High School cl...

Osias was an educator and a statesman. He was the first President of the National University and was appointed Philippine Resident Commissioner to Washington D.C. in 1929. He authored the Philippine Readers Series ised in public schools for Grades 1 to 7, popularly called the Osias Readers. He translated both Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo and wrote many books and essays on Rizal. Camilo Osias (March 23, 1889 Balaoan, La Union - May 20, 1976 Manila) was a Filipino politician, twice for a short time President of the Senate of the Philippines. He attended school in Balaoan, Vigan and San Fernando, and was appointed government student to the United States in 1905. He studied at the University of Chicago in 1906 and 1907. He graduated from the Western Illinois State Teachers College at Macomb, Illinois in 1908, and from the Teachers College of Columbia University in New York City in 1910. He returned to the Philippine Islands and taught school. Here he entered education politic...