THE Propaganda Movement, which is part of the longer reform movements during the Spanish colonization, is one of the most important and defining movements in the birth of the nation sans the revolutionary movement. Its writings reminded us of our distinct identity as a people which we used to tell the Spaniards to treat us as their equal, for them to implement reforms and even to dismantle the colonies. And it can be argued that the Propaganda Movement in Europe was formally launched as a literary movement by the controversial Pedro Alejandro Paterno.
Portrait of Pedro Alejandro Paterno and two original editions of his
poetry collection. COURTESY OF LEON GALLERY