Antonio Tagamolila

Tagamolila was born on January 17, 1950 in Iloilo City to Manuel Tagamolila and Casiana Sandoval. He had an older brother, Crispin, and three other siblings. He had his elementary education in La Paz Elementary School in Iloilo City, before moving to Quezon City to enroll at the University of the Philippines High School. He was from a poor family: his father did not have a stable job and he was only able to pursue higher education because of scholarships.

In college, he initially took a degree in Engineering at the University of the Philippines Diliman before shifting to economics, thinking that the course would be more relevant to the nation's needs. He graduated in 1971.[2]

Tagamolila's older brother, Crispin, was also a UP Diliman graduate. Crispin graduated in 1966 and joined the Philippine Military Academy, becoming a commissioned officer of the Armed Forces of the Philippines the next year. He would eventually grow disillusioned from the army and join the New People's Army, before being killed on April 16, 1972 in Echague, Isabela.[3]

In 1966, Tagamolila joined Kabataang Makabayan, and then, the Samahan ng Demokratikong Kabataan. He also became a writer for The Philippine Collegian, eventually becoming its editor-in-chief in 1971. He was also elected the National President of the College Editors' Guild of the Philippines, a nationwide alliance of student publications. During his time as CEGP President, Tagamolila pushed for the publication of more political and revolutionary articles in campus presses.[4] He also published documents of the recently reestablished Communist Party of the Philippines, as well as articles by its chairman Amado Guerrero, and other progressives in the Philippine Collegian. Creative works which reflected social reality and the discontent and revolutionary aspirations of the people also began to appear in the Collegian.[1]^:57

Tagamolila and the CEGP also cooperated with the Amado V. Hernandez foundation, headed by Antonio Zumel, in publishing the second edition of Guerrero's work, Struggle for National Democracy, in 1971.[1]^:57

After graduation, he married Victoria Segui in 1972. The two of them had a child together. He also worked a time at as a staff member at Romeo T. Capulong's office.

Ferdinand Marcos declared Martial law on September 21, 1972. In November 1972, Tagamolila decided to go underground and join the New People's Army, making his way to Panay.[2]

Tagamolila would meet his end in an encounter with military forces on February 18, 1974, in Libacao, Aklan province. Government troops attacked a hut that Tagamolila and his comrades, including Antonio Hilario and Rolando Luarca, were staying.[2]