NATIONAL ARTIST

OF THE PHILIPPINES IN LITERATURE

Philippine literature is a rich group of literary works that has
developed along with the country’s history. Long before the arival
of western influences, Filipino already have stories to tell to the
younger generation. The Philippines has a rich collections of
fables, legends, and myths from different regions. The babaylan,
the early healers, used chants to please the supernatural beings
or spirit to bestow good health and good fortune in the home and
in the fields.
When the Spaniards came in the 16th century, they introduce
christianity to the islands and use literature to colonize the
country. During the times of American, English was introduced
and filipino have grown adept in the usage of the language.
Today, the temporary writers are expanding the horizon of reality
and imagination in their works to reflect Filipino spirit
NATIONAL ARTIST
FOR LITERATURE
FRANCISCO ARCELLANA
(1916 – 2002)

One of the most greatest Filipino poet of

his generation is Francisco Arcellana. He
studied in Tondo Intermediate School. He
took up his writing seriously and became a
staff member of The Torres Torch, the
school organ. While still a student at
Florentino Torres High School, he wrote his
first story, “The Man Who Would Be Poe”.
FRANCISCO ARCELLANA
(1916 – 2002)

Arcellana is considered as one of the

pioneers of modern Filipino short story in
English. His short stories are written in
lyrical prose-poetic form. Arcellana’s
exceptional works in fiction include “Death
in a Factory”, “A Clown Remembers”, and
“Divided By Two”. Some of his poems
include “The Other Woman”, “To Touch
You”, and “I Touch Her”.
N.V.M GONZALEZ
(1915 - 1999)
Nestor Vicente Madali Gonzalez was born
on September 8, 1915 in a beautiful
province of Romblon. In 1948, N.V.M.
Gonzalez received a Rockefeller Foundation
Fellowship, which allowed him to study in
Stanford University in Colombia University.
He is famed poet, short story writer,
essayist, professor, and recipient of
numerous recognition. Two years before
his death, he was proclaimed as National
Artist for literature.
N.V.M GONZALEZ
(1915 - 1999)

Some of his famous works are “The Wind

of April”(1941), “A Season of Grace”(1956),
and “The Bamboo Dancers”(1988). His
exemplary works have been published in
several languages including Filipino,
English, Chinese, German, Russian, and
Indonesian.
NICK JOAQUIN
(1917 – 2004)

His literary works are prolific and

unparalleled. He is considered by many as
the peoples writer because of his passion
for writing embraced the manifold being of
Filipinos. Nick Joaquin’s first short story
dealt with the vaudeville of Manila, “The
Sorrow of Vaudeville”, published in 1937 by
the Sunday Tribune Magazine. He work as
a journalist for most of his life, pioneering
literary journalism.
NICK JOAQUIN
(1917 – 2004)
He became National Artist in 1976. Some of
his renowned works are The Woman Who
Had Navels, A Portrait of the Artist as
Filipino: An Elegy in Three Scenes, Manila,
My Manila: A History for the Young, The
Ballad of the Five Battles, Rizal in Saga: A
Life for Student Fans, Almanac for
Manileños, and Cave and Shadows. Nick
Joaquin used the pen name Quijano de
Manila for some of his works.
FRANCISCO SIONIL JOSE
(1924 - 2022)

Francisco Sionil Jose is a prolific Filipino

writer whose works have been translated in
more than 20 languages. His literary works
represent the social underpinnings of class
struggles and colonialism in the society.
One of his popular novels, “The
Pretenders”, is the story of a man’s
separation from his poor background and
the dissipation of his wife’s prosperous
family.
FRANCISCO SIONIL JOSE
(1924 - 2022)

His most famous work is the Rosales Saga

that includes The Pretenders, My Brother,
My Executioner, Mass, and Po-on. The
Rosales Saga captures the sweep of
Philippine history while simultaneously
narrating the lives of generations of the
Samsons whose personal lives intertwine
with the social struggle of his nation.
JOSE GARCIA VILLA
(1908 – 1997)
In the 20th century, Jose Garcia Villa is
considered as a powerful literary influence
in the country. Many people think that his
personality and writing style are eccentric.
If you will study Villa’s work, you will notice
his use of comma in every word. Villa
described this style as similar to Seurat’s
architectonic and measured pointillism.
Pointillism is a painting technique in which
the artist uses small, distinct dots of pure
color to create an image.
JOSE GARCIA VILLA
(1908 – 1997)
Villa’s first collection of short stories was
published under the title Footnote to
Youth: Tales of the Philippines and Others
in 1933. His poetry collections include
Doveglion: Collected Poems, Poems 55,
and Poems in Praise of Love: The Best Love
Poems of Jose Garcia Villa. Doveglion is
Jose Garcia’s pseudonym.
EDITH L. TIEMPO
(1919 - 2011)

Her literary works are often described as a

remarkable fusion of style and substance.
This brilliant writer received several awards
during her lifetime. She received the
greatest honor as a National Artist for
literature in 1999 and a recipient of the
Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for
Literature for the short story “The Black
Monkey” in 1951.
EDITH L. TIEMPO
(1919 - 2011)

Her works include the following novels: A

Blade of Firm (1978), The Native Cost
(1979), and The Alien Corn (1992). Her
poetry collections include The Tracks of
Babylon and Other Poems (1966) and The
Charmer’s Box and The Other Poems
(1993).
CARLOS L. QUIRINO
(1910 – 1999)
Carlos L. Quirino is one of the most
talented biographers of his time. He was
the first Filipino to be recognized as the
National Artist in Historical Literature in
1997. Quirino obtained his journalism
degree from the University of Wisconsin at
Madison in 1931. He wrote Man of Destiny
(1935), a biography about the second
president of the Philippines. His book is
valuable addition to Philippine Literature.
CARLOS L. QUIRINO
(1910 – 1999)
Quirino then spent some of his years
working as an assistant to President Elpidio
Quirino, who help him study law until he
passed the bar in 1940. Most of Quirino’s
topics covered about war, politics, art,
business, and agriculture.
ALEJANDRO R. ROCES
(1924 - 2011)

Alejandro was an exceptional writer of

comic short story. One of his finest literary
works is “My Brother’s Peculiar Chicken”. It
is a short story that reveals how much
people perceive things around them. This
particular story won an award in University
of Arizona and was listed Martha Foley’s
Best American Short Story. Roces also
wrote several new paper columns. He was
always focused on the derelict aspects of
the country’s cultural heritage.
ALEJANDRO R. ROCES
(1924 - 2011)

His work has been published in a variety of

international publications. Alejandro R.
Roces is also a multi-awarded writer,
receiving honors and recognitions including
the Rizal Pro Patria Award and Gawad CCP
para sa Sining.
LAZARO FRANCISCO
(1898 – 1980)
Lazaro Francisco is considered to be an
icon in Tagalog writing through his national
list and social criticism. In 1958, he
founded the Kapatiran ng mga Alagad ng
Wikang Filipino (KAWIKA). His works
include the novel Binhi at Bunga, Cesar,
Ama, Bayang Nagpatiwakal, Sa Paanan ng
Krus, Ang Pamana ng Pulubi, and Bago
Lumubog ang Araw.
LAZARO FRANCISCO
(1898 – 1980)
He also wrote short stories including “Deo”,
“Ang Bitirano”, “Ang Idolo”, and
“Kapulungan ng mga Pinagpala”. In 1979,
the Ateneo de Manila University awarded
Lazardo Francisco the Tanglaw ng Lahi
Award for his work.
BIENVENIDO LUMBERA
(1932 - 2021)

Bienvenido is an award-winning poet,

librettist, and a scholar. He has published
numerous literary and creative works
including Likhang Dila, Likhang Diwa
(1993); Balaybay: Mga Tulang Lunot at
Manibalang (2002) Sa Sariling Bayan: Apat
na Dulang May Musika (2004); and
“Agunyas sa Hacienda Luisita”, Pakikiramay
(2004).
BIENVENIDO LUMBERA
(1932 - 2021)

His scholarly work in the field of literary

history and criticism are foundational texts
in the Philippine colleges and universities:
Tagalog Poetry, 1570-1898: Tradition and
influences and it’s Development; Philippine
Literature; A History and Anthology;
Revaluation; Essay on Philippine Literature;
and Writing The Nation/Pag-akda sa Bansa.
CIRILO F. BAUTISTA
(1941 – 2018)
Cirilo Bautista is a highly praised poet,
fictionist, and essayist. He is also a Palanca
Hall of Famer, winning countless awards
and honors, including the national book
award, Gawad Jose Corazon de Jesus, and
the Gawad CCP para sa Sining. In 1998,
Bautista named winner of the Philippine
Centennial Price for Epic Poetry.
CIRILO F. BAUTISTA
(1941 – 2018)
His works include the Trilogy of Saint
Lazarus (2001); Believed and Betray: New
and Collected Poems (2006); Galaw ng
Asoge (2004); The House of True Desire:
Essays about Life and Literature, (2011);
and Things Happen: Poems 2012 (2014).
Bautista is also an academician and a
scholar, and has taught for more than 30
years.