Felipe Agoncillo was born on May 26, 1859 in Taal, Batangas. He was a man of rare intelligence and admirable patriotism who went about his tasks with zeal and dedication. Felipe is best remembered as a revolutionary hero and statesman, and the first Philippine diplomat. Exiled to Hong Kong by the Spanish government in Manila, he organized a revolutionary junta and was appointed by General Emilio Aguinaldo as representative of the Philippine Republic to the United States and to the peace conference of 1898.

His remarkable efforts did not meet with success with the Americans. When Agoncillo returned to the Philippines from Hong Kong, he was a poor man - having spent his fortune for his country. In 1905, he took the bar examination and established a precedent with a rating of 100%, a feat un-duplicated to this day. His examination papers were preserved (to this date) at the Filipiñana division of the National Library and Museum.