early life and literary pursuits Severino Reyes y Rivera, known affectionately as Lola Basyang and formally Don Binoy, was a Filipino writer, playwright, and an artist whose contributions to Philippine culture remain largely unrecognized yet profoundly impactful. Born in Manila on February 11, 1861, he navigated a complex personal life alongside a prolific literary career that cemented his place as one of the nation’s foremost intellec…