Biography
Iñigo Corcuera Regalado was a Filipino poet, printer, journalist, editor, playwright, lyricist, and songwriter of Tagalog descent. He used the pen name Odalager or Odalaguer ("Regalado" spelt backwards with u added based on Spanish ortography), Igini, and Gaolerad, another pseudonym derived from the letters of Regalado's surname. According to J.C. Balmaceda in his Ang Tatlong Panahonng Tulang Tagalog ("The Three Periods of Tagalog Poetry", 1938), Regalado was "one of the later 19th century poets who broke from the traditional forms of the metrical romance and the church verse in order to to forge a new trail in Tagalog poetry."
Family
Regalado was born in Sampaloc, Manila. Regalado was the husband of Saturnina Reyes. Among their children were their namesakes, namely Iñigo Ed. Regalado and Saturnina Regalado. His son, Iñigo Ed. Regalado also became a respected poet, novelist, and politician. Her daughter Saturnina Regalado became the husband of Victor Villamil.
Career
Most of Regalado?s duplos were never published and have become forgotten. Among them were the love songs and ballads that he had written. In spite of this, his poem ?Ang Ganda Mo Neneng? was memorized by the youth of Sampaloc. Later on, his poems were featured in the almanacs and calendars of Pascual H. Poblete and Isabelo de los Reyes. These works were eventually lost as expected. It became a custom during that period for the literate class to send invitations for special occasions. The verses that Regalado wrote for these invitations reflected the customs and traditions of the times. Together with Gregorio Bautista, Regalado managed the press of the periodical La Opinion in 1887. However, the two were relieved of their responsibilities when the management of the paper and press passed into the hands of Juan Atayde. In January 1890, Regalado managed the Tagalog section of the bi-weekly La Lectura Popular along with other Tagalog writers, namely Gabriel Beato Francisco, Tomas Alup Remigio, and Eulogio Julian de Tandiana. According to his son, Iñigo Ed. Regalado, he wrote the Tagalog translation of the story ?Ang Cuintas ng Isang Jesuita? (The Necklace of a Jesuit) which appeared in the said periodical. Surprisingly, later in the same year, Atayde hired Regalado as head printer of his press Imprenta de Don Juan Atayde y Ca. Under his direction, the La Ilustracion Filipina was published in September 1890. He also did translations during his stint in the printing company. Regalado edited the Spanish-Tagalog periodical Ang Pliegong Tagalog which was first published on 3 May 1896. The said bi-weekly was later on used by the Katipunan to propagate revolutionary ideas. When the Philippine Revolution broke out in 1896, Regalado hid from the authorities. He contracted an illness and was almost unable to go back to his family. Julian C. Balmaseda mentioned Regalado in his work Ang Tatlong Panahon ng Tulang Tagalog which was published in 1938. The author cited Regalado as one of the later 19th century poets who departed from the metrical romances and religious poetry which were typical of the period. The other poets that were mentioned were Pascual H. Poblete, Modesto Santiago, Diego Moxica, Ireneo Cabañero, among others. ..
