Tireless Biographer

Unlike most of his friends in the Reform Movement in Madrid, Mariano Ponce chose to indulge in literary writing rather than in direct propaganda. Shy and retiring by nature he stayed in the background and let the others take the limelight. In fact he even wrote about them. He believed that he could serve the country by using his pen to inspire his fellow Filipinos to carry on the fight for freedom.

He came out with the biographies of Marcelo H. Del Pilar and Graciano Lopez-Jaena. In his Filipinos Celebres, he gave separate biographical accounts of Jose Panganiban, Juan Luna, and Antonio Luna. He likewise, wrote separate biographies of Panday Pira and Sun Yat Sen.

His works published in La Solidaridad and La Oceaña Española. He wrote under the names of "Narning" Tikbalng" and "Kalipulako". He also served as an efficient literary editor of La Solidaridad.

Ponce was also the author of Una Excursion, a travelogue on Spain; El Folklore Bulakeño (Folklore Bulacan); and Ang Pagpugot kay Longhino (The Beheading of Longiness). With the help of Jaime C. de Veyre, he wrote a series of articles dealing with the importants event in the Philippines under the title of Efemerides Filipinas. Finally, he came up with Cartas Sobre la Revolucion. These works form the greater part of the writings of Mariano Ponce. His works are very important as historical and biographical accounts of our heroes. His folklore and legends are the best written on the subject to this day.