La Panayana
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| Imprenta Panayana.jpg | |
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Native name | Libreria La Panayana / Imprenta La Panayana |
|---|---|
| Printing press, bookstore, and publishing | |
| ISIN | 🆔 |
| Industry | Publishing |
| Founded 📆 | |
| Founder 👔 | Mariano Perfecto |
Area served 🗺️ | Visayas (primarily Panay and Negros) |
| Products 📟 | Almanacs, novenas, secular literature, religious texts |
| Members | |
Number of employees | |
| 🌐 Website | [Lua error in Module:WikidataIB at line 665: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). ] |
| 📇 Address | |
| 📞 telephone | |
La Panayana (often referred to as Libreria La Panayana, Imprenta La Panayana, or Panayana Press) was a historic printing press and bookstore established in Iloilo, Philippines in 1877. Founded by Bicolano writer, businessman, and politician Mariano Perfecto, it is widely recognized as the first printing press in the Visayas region. The press played a pivotal role in the "literature engineering" of the Western Visayas by popularizing and standardizing the Hiligaynon language in print, paving the way for the golden age of Hiligaynon literature.[1][2]
History
In 1876, Mariano Perfecto traveled to Manila to print his handwritten translation of the life of San Eustaquio in Ilonggo. After encountering financial difficulties but eventually securing funds through a government lottery win, Perfecto returned to Iloilo and used the rest of his winnings to establish a small bookstore in Jaro.[1]
After six months, in early 1877, Perfecto relocated the store to Mandurriao, Iloilo on the ground floor of a house belonging to Valentino Aurelio, following his marriage to Juliana Millan, a local from the area. Initially called Libreria de Mandurriao, the shop sold caton, cartilla, novenas, and other reading materials approved by both the Spanish colonial government and the Catholic Church.[1] In 1882, the store's name was changed to Libreria Panayana (and later La Panayana) to reflect its expanding market across the provinces of Panay and Negros.[1]
Notable publications
Prior to the establishment of La Panayana, the few authors who wrote in the local language were Spanish friars and priests.[1] Perfecto pioneered the writing and translating of religious and secular works by a layman into the vernacular, to ensure a wider reach among the masses.
One of the most enduring legacies of La Panayana is the Almanaque Panayanhon (Panayan Almanac), which began publication in 1877 and continues to be printed today, holding the distinction of being the oldest existing almanac in the Philippines.[3] Aside from traditional calendar information, agricultural guides, tidal movements, and astrological charts, the almanac served as a crucial early medium for the literary creations of Ilonggo writers.[1]
The press also published corridos, novenas to popular saints, and Perfecto's own philosophical verses, such as Ang Apat Ca Caolehehan sang Tauo (The Four Ends of Man).[1]
Cultural impact
La Panayana heavily influenced the literary landscape of the Western Visayas. Pre-colonial West Visayan oral literature was primarily in Kinaray-a; however, the establishment of La Panayana led to a "Hiligaynon hegemony" in printed literature.[2] Only works in Hiligaynon (along with Spanish, and later English) were generally considered worthy of formal publication, an influence that guided future regional publishers like Rosendo Mejica's Makinaugalingon.[2]
Later years
In the early 1900s, Mariano Perfecto left Iloilo to return to his native Bicolandia, where he established the Imprenta de la Sagrada Familia and Libreria Mariana in Naga. On March 23, 1903, the management of La Panayana was assumed by Perfecto's nephew, Casimiro Perfecto, and his wife, Nicolasa Ponte, during the American colonial era.[1][4] The press remained a vital institution in Iloilo's print media for decades.
See also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 Sonza, Demy P. (1978). "The Bikolano Godfather of Ilonggo Literature" (PDF). Southeast Asia Journal. Central Philippine University: 1–9.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Deriada, Leoncio P. (2002). "Literature Engineering in West Visayas". Kritika Kultura. Ateneo de Manila University (1): 73–89.
- ↑ Cruz-Lucero, Rosario. "Ilonggo - Our Islands, Our People: The Histories and Cultures of the Filipino Nation". Retrieved July 5, 2026.
- ↑ Villareal, Corazón (2014). "Traducir Las mil y una noches o relatos que podría haberme contado mi abuela". TRANSMODERNITY: Journal of Peripheral Cultural Production of the Luso-Hispanic World. California Digital Library. 4.
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