FOREWORD

In the beginning, FIDEL A. REYES was only the name of an illustrious great-grandfather whose editorial AVES DE RAPIÑA (Birds of Prey) gave the American colonial official Dean Conant Worscester, D. Sc. cause to dismantle the revolutionary newspaper EL RENACIMIENTO for allegedly libeling him as an exploitative American using his position in the colonial administration to identify mining sites he could explore for his personal gain.

Documents of the past detailing the career of her great-grandfather were turned over to Mona by her grandmother. 

Thus began the process of discovery. Tracing the footsteps of Fidel A. Reyes, Mona found herself embroiled in the life and career of her ilustrado relative. In the process, Fidel A. Reyes ceased to exist as a mere name and began to assume the features of a person whose dedication to government service coupled with genuine care for his countrymen gave him stature as a genuine Filipino hero. 

BIENVENIDO LUMBRERA

National Artist for Literature