Every start of the year, it has become a tradition among Filipinos to give away a kalendaryo (calendar). And among those that have been given away is Dimasalang: Kalendaryong Tagalog by Honorio Lopez, arguably the oldest publication in the Philippines (since 1897 or since the time of national hero Dr. Jose Rizal) that is still in circulation.
Apart from the usual days and months, what sets the 129-year-old calendar apart are additional information such as historical moments in history and the Bible on every day of the year; weather forecasts; inspirational messages and quotable quotes; feast days of saints and local festivals; harvest seasons; Zodiac signs and fortune-telling; astrological planetary movements; high tides forecasts for fishermen and seafarers; and general trivia or evangelism.
Written in pure Tagalog, the calendar was founded in 1897 by Lopez, who, became a Teknikong Katulong (technical aid) at the Malacañang Palace; Komandante Heneral (general commander) of Legion de Veteranos de la Revolucion (Association of Veterans of the Revolution), an association of former servicemen and soldiers of the Philippine Revolutionary Army who participated at the Philippine Revolution (from 1896 to 1898) and the Philippine–American War (1899).
Lopez took up Bachelor of Laws, Arts and Surveying, and served as a publicist and surveyor. He was also knowledgeable in farming. He served as colonel of the Hukbong Pilipino (Philippine Army) in 1899 before becoming councilor and chairman of the Circle of Law (Lupon ng Batas) of the city of Manila in 1916.
Today, his legacy of annually publishing the Kalendaryong Tagalog is being continued by Perla Lopez-Pulido and Maricar de Guia. The calendar is available in local online shops or via private orders for only P85 per copy.