Tomas Pinpin – “Prince of Filipino Printers” or the “Patriarch of Filipino Printing.” He was a printer, writer and publisher from Abucay, a municipality in the province of Bataan, Philippines, who was the first Filipino printer and is sometimes referred as the "Prince of the Filipino Printers."
He is thought to have first come into contact with the printing world around 1608 or 1609, learning from the work of other Christian Chinese printers such as Juan de Vera, Pedro de Vera, and Luis Beltran who had already printed several books for Spanish missionaries.
He learned the art of printing about the end of 1608 in the Dominican-owned printing press in Abucay. In Abucay, Father Blancas employed in 1609 young Pinpin as an apprentice at the printing shop and taught him the art of printing. In just one year he had developed enough skills to be promoted to printing manager.
The following year, 1610, he printed the famous book of Father Blancas de San Jose, Arte y Reglas de la Lengua Tagals (Art and Rules of the Tagalog Languages). Also in Abucay, Bataan, he printed his book entitled Librong Pagaaralan nang mga Tagalog nang Wicang Castila. He wrote this in order to help people learn the Spanish language easily.
The last book he printed was Father Perez de Nuero’s book, Relacion de la Vida y Martirio del Jusuita P. Mastrilli; (Report on the Life and Martyrdom of the Jesuit Father Mastrilli).
“Vocabulario de al Lengua Tagala.” The first Tagalog dictionary written by Father Pedro de San Buenaventura, a Franciscan friar, in the town of Pila, Laguna, in 1613. For the next three decades, he printed at least 14 books.
About Tomas Pinpin He was born in Barrio Mabatang, Abucay, Bataan, between 1580 and 1585.
The Dominican-owned printing press was originally established in Binondo, Manila, in 1602, and was transferred to Abucay in 1608 by Francisco Blancas de San Jose (founder of the press).
Accordingly, he was called Demosthenes of Tagalog Language. Aside from being a printer and an author, he was a skilled engraver. He engraved beautifully the book he printed.
His Works
The Librong Pagaaralan – the first Pilipino-written book to appear in print. It contained 119 pages divided into five parts. It was written in the old Tagalog orthography, as shown by the following terms: wica (wika – language); caya (kaya-therefore); and canina (kanina – a while ago). The author’s name was printed Thomas Pin-pin.
The book was printed by Diego Talaghay (probably his assistant). Pinpin, having mastered the technique and operation of the printing, was soon appointed shop manager. Thus, the prologue of his book: “ | Let us therefore study, my country men, for although the art of learning is somewhat difficult, yet if we are persevering, we shall soon improve our knowledge.Other Tagalogs like us did not take a year to learn the Spanish language when using my book. This good result has given me satisfaction and encouraged me to print my work, so that all may derive some profit from it. | ” |
The first book by Fray Juan de Plasencia's Doctrina Cristiana, was the first book that had been printed in Tagalog, in both Latin script and the commonly used Baybayin script of the natives of the time, in the year 1593.
Building in Pila where the Franciscans put up the printing press that was supervised by Tomas Pinpin.

Building in Pila where the Franciscans put up the printing press that was supervised by Tomas Pinpin.

In 1612 Pinpin supervised the set-up of a printing press owned by the Franciscans in Pila, Laguna, where he printed "Vocabulario de Lengua Tagala", by Fray Pedro de San Buenaventura, the first dictionary of a language of the Philippine islands ever printed.
In 1637 he published and printed what is thought to be the first newspaper in the Philippines, the 14-page "Sucesos Felices", that reported mainly on Spanish military victories.
It is estimated that all throughout his career, from 1609 to 1639, Tomas Pinpin printed at least fourteen different publications.
There are no other records of Tomas Pinpin after 1648, so both the date of his death and the place are unaccounted for.
Books printed * "Arte y Reglas de Lengua Tagala", 1610, by Padre Blancas. * "Librong Pagaaralan nang manga Tagalog nang Uicang Castilla", 1610. * "Vocabulario de Lengua Tagala", 1612, by Pedro de San Buenaventura. * "Relacion de Martirio", 1625. * "Triunfo", by Carreras, 1626. * "Arte Ilocano", by Lopez, 1627. * "Vocabulario de Japon", 1630. * "Confesionario", by Herreras, 1636. * "Sucesos Felices", Newspaper, 1637. * "Relacion de la Vida y Martirio del Jesuita P. Mastrillo".

Books printed * "Arte y Reglas de Lengua Tagala", 1610, by Padre Blancas. * "Librong Pagaaralan nang manga Tagalog nang Uicang Castilla", 1610. * "Vocabulario de Lengua Tagala", 1612, by Pedro de San Buenaventura. * "Relacion de Martirio", 1625. * "Triunfo", by Carreras, 1626. * "Arte Ilocano", by Lopez, 1627. * "Vocabulario de Japon", 1630. * "Confesionario", by Herreras, 1636. * "Sucesos Felices", Newspaper, 1637. * "Relacion de la Vida y Martirio del Jesuita P. Mastrillo".