Pascual Poblete was a leading and hard-working journalist, poet, and translator and was active in the period of the Propaganda Movement until the American era.
He wrote in Spanish and in Tagalog and became a translator in the two languages.
Pascual Poblete was born on May 17, 1857, in Naic, Cavite. Francisco Hicaro and Maria Poblete were his parents but he used his mother’s surname.
After completing his studies at Liceo de Manila, he apprenticed as a journalist in La Ocenia Española. For 10 years, he published essays and columns.
In 1882, he accepted Marcelo H. del Pilar’s invitation to become editor of the Tagalog section of Diariong Tagalog. On September 1, 1888, he established and managed the Revista Popular de Filipinas.
He was also the editor and translator of Revista Catolica de Filipinas from 14 October 1888 besides creating “Patnubay ng Catolico”.
On 1 July 1890, he published El Resumen, a liberal newspaper, and discussed social and political reforms. It was followed by El Bello Sexo in January 1891. He became an assistant editor-in-chief of The Pliegong Tagalog in 1896. Because of such activities, he was arrested at the start of the 1896 Revolution and exiled to Spain and Africa.
On his return in 1899, he continued writing apart from his open political activities. He founded “El Grito del Pueblo” and “Ang Kapatid ng Bayan” which served as the publishing medium of the Nacionalista Party which existed from 1899 until 1907.
In 1909 he translated Noli me Tangere, the first novel of Jose Rizal, in Tagalog. He also translated Count of Monte Cristo and other works of Rizal. He also wrote the play “El Amor Patrio” which the Americans stopped.
Pascual Poblete, Isabelo de los Reyes and Gregorio Aglipay founded the “Iglesia Filipina Independiente” and wrote what is now called “Pasyong Poblete”.
Pascual H. Poblete died of a heart attack in Manila on February 5, 1921.
Isang pangunahin at napakasipag na peryodista, makata, at tagasalin si Pascual H. Poblete at aktibo mulang panahon ng Kilusang Propaganda hanggang panahon ng Americano. Nagsulat siya sa Español at sa Tagalog at naging tagasalin sa dalawang wika.
Siya ay tinaguriang ama ng pamahayagang pilipino rebolusyonaryo.
Ipinanganak si Pascual H. Pascual noong 17 Mayo1857 sa Naic, Cavite. Sina Francisco Hicaro at Maria Poblete ang kaniyang magulang ngunit ginamit niya ang apelyido ng kaniyang ina para maging apelyido niya. Nang matapos makapagaral sa Liceo de Manila, nagaprendis siyáng peryodista sa La Ocenia Española. Sampung taón siyáng naglalathala ng sanaysay at kolum sa naturang diyaryo. Noong 1882, tinanggap niya ang anyaya ni Marcelo H. del Pilar na maging patnugot ng seksiyong Tagalog ng Diariong Tagalog. Noong
1 Setyembre 1888, itinayô niya at pinamatnugutan ang Revista Popular de Filipinas. Naging editor at tagasalin din siyá ng Revista Catolica de Filipinas mulang 14 Oktubre 1888 bukod sa ipinundar ang Patnubay ng Catolico. Noong 1 Hulyo 1890, inilathala niya ang El Resumen, isang pahayagang liberal at tumalakay ng mga repormang panlipunan at pampolitika. Sinundan ito ng El Bello Sexo noong Enero1891. Naging katulong na editor siyá ng Ang Pliegong Tagalog noong 1896. Dahil sa naturang mga aktibidad, dinakip siyá
pagsiklab ng Himagsikang 1896 at idinestiyero sa España at sa Africa.Pagbalik noong 1899, ipinagpatuloy niya ang pagsusulat bukod sa hayagang gawaing pampolitika. Itinatag niya ang El Grito del Pueblo at ang Ang Kapatid ng Bayan, na naging pahayagan ng Partido Nacionalista at nabuhay noong1899 hanggang 1907. Noong 1909, isinalin niya ang Noli me tangere, ang unang salin ng nobela ni Rizal sa Tagalog. Isinalin din niya ang Conde ng Monte Cristo, at ang ibang mga akda ni Rizal. Sinulat din niya ang dulàng El Amor Patrio na ipinatigil ng mga Americano, ang nakatutuwang tulang pasalaysay na Ang Caguilaguilalas na Buhay ni Juan Soldado, at ang awit na ang Buhay ni San Vicente Ferrer. Kasáma sina Isabelo de los Reyes at Gregorio Aglipay,
itinatag nilá ang Iglesia Filipina Independiente at isinulat ang tinatawag ngayong Pasyong Poblete. Namatay siyá sa atake sa puso sa Maynila noong 5 Pebrero 1921.(philippineculturaleducation)
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