1934-1949• Born Romulo Gamez Olazo on July 21 to Vivencio Gatpandan Olazo (†October 7, 1939 ) of Balayan, Batangas and Simeona Bahia Gamez (†November 24, 2000 ) of Calatagan, Batangas. Simeona was left to raise her five children: Godofredo, Romulo, Pacifico, Yolanda, and Angeles.
• Spends childhood in Balayan, Batangas. Elementary and secondary education at Immaculate Conception Colleges, Balayan, Batangas. 1959• Moves to Manila. Works as clerk typist for Aquitaña-Frontera law office. A working student, studies fine arts at the University of Santo Tomas under Victorio Edades, Diosdado Lorenzo. Meets Ong Bungian, Ting Ping Lay, Elizabeth Cheng, Anastacia Mamuyac. Did not graduate as he was unable to complete the academic subjects offered in daytime only.
• Illustrates for Oriental Komiks and Tagalog Klasiks of Ace Publications in the mid-1950s. Meets and works with other comic illustrators such as Tony Velasquez (creator of Kenkoy), Tony de Zuñiga, Salvador Cabrera, Nestor Redondo, Fred Carillo, Tenny Henson, and Jesse F. Santos. • Designs for outdoor advertising outfits: Modern Advertising, Monserrat Advertising, and Acme Neon Lights. Drawing a gigantic star on the exterior wall of a tall building in Escolta was one of Olazo’s memorable outdoor projects. Felix Bunag recruits Olazo to join Philippine Advertising Counselors. • Ric de Villa, a fellow artist in PAC, introduces Olazo to printmaking. Olazo’s first prints are woodcuts: Pat Sleeping, The Harvest, Sarimanok, Eclipse, and Labyrinth; linocuts: Kalinga and Borak, the latter as one of Olazo’s entry to the second annual competition of the Philippine Association of Printmakers. Familiarizes himself with the etching process using discarded zinc cuts from PAC’s production department. |