Unlike José Rizal and other Philippine heroes, many of whom were part of the principalia, far fewer works have focused on Graciano López Jaena, the Ilonggo writer, orator, and patriot. While some historians and writers have celebrated their preferred heroes, López Jaena has often been criticized and marginalized. José Alejandrino once described him as “slovenly,” recalling an incident where López Jaena ate sardines with his fingers and wiped them on his already dirty suit. National Artist Nick Joaquin called him “an outsider not only to the colony but also to our history,” claiming he had distanced himself from the Propaganda Movement.

National Artist Resil Mojares similarly portrayed him as “impecunious and ambitious,” dying “embittered and obscure” in Spain. The last biography on López Jaena was published in 1964 by the late Demy Sonza, underscoring the lack of recent scholarly attention on his legacy

The Graciano López Jaena Biography Project seeks to challenge these criticisms and reestablish López Jaena as a central figure in the Philippine independence movement, alongside José Rizal and Marcelo del Pilar, forming the original Philippine triumvirate.

Thus far, research has revealed that, unlike other *ilustrados*, López Jaena came from a relatively poor family that was unable to provide him with regular financial support during his time in Spain. Much of the criticism against him can be traced to this financial hardship, as he was often preoccupied with meeting his basic needs, in contrast to his wealthier peers. Additionally, it has been confirmed that López Jaena studied Medicine at the Universidad Central de Madrid after transferring from the Universidad Literaria de Valencia. It has also come to light that he later enrolled in the Law School at the same university.

These findings underscore López Jaena’s intellectual ambition and his desire to contribute to society not only as a writer but also as a professional. Furthermore, new research reveals that López Jaena did not die of tuberculosis in a hospital, as commonly believed, but rather of arteriosclerosis, alone in his apartment. This discovery significantly revises the accepted narrative of his final days and provides a more nuanced understanding of his legacy.

The project has gathered materials from various archives, including the National Library, National Archives, UP Diliman Library, Ateneo de Manila Library, and Filipinas Heritage Library. Unpublished documents from the Universidad de Valencia and the Archivo Histórico Nacional in Spain have also been retrieved.

An upcoming research trip to Spain aims to uncover additional primary sources, further illuminating López Jaena’s significant role in the fight for the Philippine nation and, eventually, independence.