Born of a Chinese immigrant from Fujian, Roman Ongpin, like many Filipino-Chinese, grew up being trained for business by his father. He would eventually become a successful businessman in his right when he opened up an arts supplies store named “El 82” on March 1, 1882 (thus the name El 82) along Rosario Street in Binondo. (which is now known today as Quintin Paredes Street) It would become the place to go for arts supplies over the years as prominent artists like Juan Luna, Fabian dela Rosa, and Fernando Amorsolo would frequent the store for their needs.
But apart from his success in business and the support for the arts that came with it, Roman Ongpin was an ardent nationalist and patriot. He was wont to wear the barong tagalog (said to be one of the first prominent individuals to wear it proudly) and through his arts store, he was secretly helping the Filipino revolutionaries during the Philippine Revolution by supplying them with arms and other needs that he smuggled.