Background
"Leoni," as his family called him, was born on March 24, 1915 in Ermita, Manila to one of the nation"s most prominent families.
"Leoni," as his family called him, was born on March 24, 1915 in Ermita, Manila to one of the nation"s most prominent families.
His then controversial advocacy of "Asia for the Asians" and espousal of a realistic re-examination of relations with the United States are now commonly accepted as being ahead of their time. His father was the famed Doctor Alfredo Leon Maria Guerrero, and his mother was Filomena Francisco, the first Filipino woman pharmacist. On retirement he was the country"s senior career diplomat having served as Ambassador in London, Madrid, New Delhi, Mexico City and Belgrade.
Among his many works are internationally acclaimed translations of José Rizal"s Noli Maine Tangere and El filibusterismo.
He also wrote the biography of Rizal: The First Filipino.