Teodoro A. Agoncillo
Teodoro A. Agoncillo
AGONCILLO
(1912-1985)
Nationalist Historian
In 1934, he acquired his bachelor's degree in philosophy from the University of the
Philippines. In the following year, he obtained a master's degree in the arts from the same
University. From 1951 to 1956, he was a linguistic assistant at the Institute of National
Language. While teaching Tagalog language at the Far Eastern University and the Manuel L.
Quezon University, Agoncillo edited Tagalog literary magazines. In 1958, he was asked to teach
history at UP, his alma mater. He chaired its department of history from 1963-1969 and, from
1976 to 1977, held the Rafael Palma professorial chair in the Philippine history. He was one of a
handful who earned the title of university professor bestowed on him by the UP. He retired from
teaching on November 9, 1977.
Agoncillo, who was identified with the statesman Claro M. Recto and other pillars of the
nationalist movement, was a trailblazer in Philippine history. He gained eminence with the
publication of his seminal work, Revolt of the Masses: The Story of Bonifacio and the
Katipunan, in 1956. Aside from awards, however, the book also brought him controversy and
stirred the feelings of conservative historians because of its nationalist, and as some analysts
have cited, somewhat "Marxist" bent. Influenced by Jose Corazon de Jesus, he also published
poems of which the most popular is "Republikang Basahan," written in 1944, about the
meaninglessness of independence under Japan.
His books, which include Malolos: The Crisis of the Republic; The Fateful Years:
Japan's Misadventure in the Philippines, 1941-1945; History of the Filipino People; Filipino
Nationalism, 1971-1972, and The Burden of Proof: The Vargas-Laurel Collaboration, have all
become standard references. He was also a short story writer, writing as the same genre as Edgar
Allan Poe, O. Henry and Ernest Hemingway. He was also known as of the critics who formed
the triumvirate of criticism in the 1930's and 40's. (The other two were Clodualdo del Mundo Sr.
and Alejandro G. Abadilla).
Agoncillo was survived by his wife, Dr. Anacleta Villacorta, and their three children.
On November 9, 1985, ten months after his death, the National Historical Institute
installed a marker honoring Teodoro A. Agoncillo in his residence at 952 Quezon Blvd.
Extension in Quezon City.
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