ALEJANDRO G.

ABADILLA
 ALEJANDRO G.
ABADILLA
Alejandro G. Abadilla (March 10, 1906 – August 26, 1969),
commonly known as AGA, was a Filipino poet, essayist and fiction
writer. Critic Pedro Ricarte referred to Abadilla as the father of
modern Philippine poetry, and was known for challenging
established forms and literature's "excessive romanticism and
emphasis on rhyme and meter". Abadilla helped found the
Kapisanang Panitikan in 1935 and edited a magazine called
Panitikan. His Ako ang Daigdig collection of poems is one of his
better known works.

Early life
Abadilla was born to an average Filipino family on March 10, 1906,
in Salinas, Rosario, Cavite. He finished elementary school at Sapa
Barrio School, then continued for high school education in Cavite
City. After graduation, he went abroad and worked for a small
printing shop in Seattle, Washington. He edited several section of
the Philippine Digest, Philippines-American Review and established
Kapisanang Balagtas (Balagtas' Organization). In 1934, he returned
to the Philippines where he finished AB Philosophy at the University
of Santo Tomas. Until 1934, he became municipal councilor of
Salinas before shifting to an insurance selling job.
Major works
Aside from writing Ako ang Daigdig, Abadilla wrote several poems
and compilation of his works:Mga Kuwentong Ginto (Golden
Stories) – he co-edited with Clodualdo del Mundo.
 Mga Piling Katha: Ang Maikling Kathang Tagalog (Chosen
Works: An Anthology of Short Stories in Tagalog) – he co-
edited with F.B. Sebastian and A.D.G. Mariano.
 Maiikling Katha (Short Stories) – together with Commission on
Filipino Language head Ponciano B.P. Pineda.
 Mga Piling Sanaysay (Several Essays).Parnasong Tagalog:
Katipunan ng mga piling tula mula kina Huseng Sisiw at
Balagtas hanggang sa kasalukuyang panahon ng
pamumulaklak at pagkaunlad (Tagalog Works: Compilation of
Poems from Huseng Sisiw through Francisco Balagtas until
Present Times of Flourishing Philippine Poetry).
 Ako ang Daigdig at Iba pang mga Tula (I am the World and
Other Poems).
 Tanagabadilla, Una at Ikalawang Aklat (Tanagabadilla: First
and Second Books)- compilation of Abadilla's tanagas. In
Filipino poetry, a tanaga is a short poem of one stanza with 7-
7-7-7 syllabic verse, with an AAAA rhyme scheme. Usually, a
tanaga is embedded with symbols. Tanagabadilla is a coined
term consisting of tanaga and Abadilla.

Ako ang Daigdig

According to Pedro Ricarte, Abadilla's major breakthrough in
Philippine poetry was when he wrote the poem "Ako ang Daigdig"
("I Am the World") in 1955. Initially, poetry critics rejected the
poem since it does not follow the traditional poetry that uses rhyme
and meter. In the poem, the repetition of the words ako, daigdig
(world) and tula (poem) leaves an impression that the poet,
Abadilla, is not himself. The speaker of the poem says that he
himself, his world of poem and his poems are united as one.

Efren r. abueg
Efren r. abueg
Efren Reyes Abueg (born 3 March 1937 in Tanza, Cavite) is a well-
known and recognized Filipino-language creative writer, editor,
author, novelist, short story writer, essayist, fictionist, professor,
textbook writer, and anthologist in the Philippines. His works
appeared on magazines such as Liwayway, Bulaklak, Tagumpay,
Mod, and Homelife.

Personal life
He attended Naic Elementary School in Naic, Cavite in 1950.
In 1954, he finished high school at Arellano (Public) High
School in Batangas]. He graduated in 1957 from Imus
Institute Junior College in Imus, Cavite with an Associate In
Arts degree and graduated with the degree of Bachelor in
Science in Commerce, Major in Accounting in 1960 from
Manuel L. Quezon University in Quiapo, Manila. He got his
Masters in Arts in Language and Literature degree at De La
Salle University in 1987 and his PhD in Filipino and
Translation Studies at the University of the Philippines
Diliman in 2000.

Career
As anthologist:
Abueg was the author of three anthologies of stories and
essays. They are Bugso ("Impetus"), Tradisyon (Kasaysayan
ng Panitikan ng Pilipinas: Mula Alamat hanggang Edsa)
["Tradition (History of Literature of the Philippines: From
Legend to Edsa"), and Ang Mangingisda: Mga Kuwento kay
Jesus ["The Fisherman: Stories on Jesus").

As Novelist
Abueg authored the novels Dilim sa Umaga ("Darkness in the
Morning"), Habagat sa Lupa ("Monsoon on Land"), and Dugo
sa Kayumangging Lupa ("Blood on Brown Land"). of Merah
Tua, a novel cerealize in Liwayway magazine. He was one of
the resident writers at the Bienvenido N. Santos Creative
Writing Center.

As fictionist

From 1998 to 1999, Abueg was a National Fellow for Fiction

for the LIKHAAN: UP Creative Writing Center.

As editor
Among the books Abueg edited were Mga Piling Akda ng
KADIPAN ["Selected Works of KADIPAN"] (1964), Mga Agos
sa Disyerto ["Currents in the Desert"] (1965, 1974 and
1993), MANUNULAT: Mga Piling Akdang Pilipino ["WRITER:
Selected Filipino Works"] (1970), and Parnasong Tagalog ni
Abadilla (1973). He was the editor of Tulay na Buhangin at
iba pang mga akda ["Sand Bridge at other works"].

As professor
Abueg was a language and literature professor.From 1965 to
1972, Abueg taught at the Manuel L. Quezon University.
From 1971 to 1972, Abueg taught at the Philippine College
of Commerce. From 1974 to 1977, Abueg taught at the
Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila. From 1977 to 1978,
Abueg taught at the Ateneo de Manila University. He was
also a professor at the De La Salle University.

Works by Abueg:
Poems:

 Muling Pagsilang ng Isang Pangarap (1964)

 Dugo sa Kayumangging Lupa (1965)
 Alimpuyo (1967)
 Dilim sa Umaga (1968)
 Malamig na Ningas (1968)
 Agaw-dilim (1969)
  Mga Kaluluwa sa Kumunoy (1972)
 Mister Mo, Lover Boy Ko (1973)
 Maraming Lalaki sa Mundo (1984)
 Huwag Mong Sakyan ang Buhawi (1985)
 Mga Haliging Inaanay (1987)
 Aawitin Ko ang Pag-ibig Mo (1992)

Short Stories:
 Si Mark at ako
 Ang Bagong Paraiso (1963)
 Ang Kamatayan ni Tiyo Samuel
 Mapanglaw ang Mukha ng Buwan
 Saranggola*