Panday Pira

Panday Pira (1488–1576) was a Muslim Pampango blacksmith who is acknowledged as "The First Filipino Cannon-maker". His name literally translates as "Blacksmith Pira", panday being the Filipino word for "blacksmith".

Panday Pira was a native of the southern islands of the Philippines. He migrated to Manila in 1508 and established a foundry on the northern bank of the Pasig River. Rajah Sulayman commissioned Panday Pira to cast the cannon that were mounted on the palisades surrounding his kingdom. In 1570, Spanish forces under the command of Martin de Goiti captured Manila and took these artillery pieces as war booty, presenting them to Miguel López de Legazpi, the first Spanish Governor-General of the Philippines.

Legazpi eventually established a permanent Spanish settlement in Manila on May 19, 1571 and on June 3 of the same year, Rajah Sulayman waged the Battle of Bankusay Channel to re-capture his kingdom from the Spaniards. Rajah Sulayman failed in this and perished in the battle. Panday Pira then fled to Pampanga where he attempted to begin a new life in sitio Capalangan in the town of Apalit, working as a blacksmith forging farm implements. He was, however, summoned by Legazpi back to Manila and put to work forging cannons for the Spaniards. He established his foundry in what is now Santa Ana. Santiago de Vera, the sixth Governor-General, commissioned him to cast cannon for the defenses of a fortress he built, the fortress of Nuestra Señora de Guia (Spanish, "Our Lady of Guidance"), now called Intramuros. To the Spaniards, Panday Pira was known as Pandapira, and they exempted him from paying tribute and forced labor.

In 1576, Panday Pira passed away at the age of 88. His passing marked a significant loss for the Spanish colonizers, prompting them to request a replacement blacksmith from the King of Spain. A new blacksmith, hailing from Mexico, was eventually sent to replace him in 1584.