Bulacan Standard Academy, Inc.

San Ignacio St., Brgy. Poblacion, City of San Jose del Monte

The HiLARRYous Larry Alcala

A biography and analysis

Performance task in Contemporary Philippine Arts from the Regions

Submitted by:

Shyleluck Kate A. Punzalan

12 STEM A

Submitted to:

Ms. Mutya Arsenio

Subject teacher
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION 3

NATIONAL ARTIST FOR VISUAL ARTS: LARRY ALCALA 3

THE LIFE OF LARRY ALCALA 4

ANALYSIS: SLICES OF LIFE 6

ANALYSIS: MANG AMBO 7

CONCLUSION 10

BIBLIOGRAPHY 11

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INTRODUCTION

The world of Philippine comics, or tagalized as komiks, began during the 1950s when
American troops started bringing political comic books to their military bases here in the
Philippines (Zimmerman, 2023 ctd. De Vera & Arong, 2018). This led to great affluence in the
country’s comic book productions, which created numerous personalities such as Francisco
Coching, Fred Carillo, Nestor Redondo, Alfredo Alcala, and Larry Alcala (Lent, 2004 ctd. De
Vera & Arong, 2018). While it is true that the Western influence inspired many Filipinos to
discover their creativity and find a way to express themselves, these events also led to several
questions regarding the originality of Filipino comics.

However, the history of komiks did not just begin during the American colonization.
According to Ambeth Ocampo (2016), it was Jose Rizal who was the first Filipino to create
comic strips entitled “The Monkey and The Turtle,” “The Baptism of R. Pfeiffer at Holy Cross
Steinach,” and “The Cure of the Bewitched.” The first of the three was drawn in Paz Pardo de
Tavera’s scrapbook in 35 panels with Spanish text written under each one.

It is evident nowadays that the culture of hand-drawn comics with bright colors
published in newspapers has been fading slowly with the advent of new technology. This does
not mean, however, that the mark that Filipino cartoonists made during the popularity of comics
has been forgotten. In fact, many people still look back to their works to reminisce about the
good old times.

This paper will talk about one of the most famous and loved Filipino cartoonists in
history, Larry Alcala.

National Artist for Visual Arts: Larry Alcala

Name: Lauro “Larry” Zarate Alcala, “Mang Larry”

Birthdate: August 18, 1926

Parents: Ernesto Alcala and Elpidia Zarate
Date of death: June 24, 2002

Conferment of National Artist Award: 2008, posthumous

Laura Zarate Alcala, better known as Larry Alcala,

was regarded as the “Dean of Filipino Cartoonists” for his
unwavering and committed efforts in enriching the art of
Photo courtesy: Philippine Board on Books for
cartooning in the country.
Young People (PBBY)

Perhaps one of
the simple illustrations depicting slices of the life of the normal Filipino society through his
famous works such as Mang
Ambo, Islaw Palitaw, and
Kalabog En Bosyo, to name a
Photo courtesy: Philipp
few.
Young People (PBBY)

Through his wit and

creativity, he also created
several commentaries on the
political systems in the
Philippines through his comic
strip collection “Congressman
Kalog” which was published a
few months before his death in
2002.

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 His works graced the entertainment section of several newspapers in the Philippines at
the peak of his career. It is undoubtedly true that regular readers of these newspapers would look
forward to his latest comic strips which contain funny but relatable skits.

However, due to the decreasing popularity of comics and newspapers, publishing

companies have since halted the mass production of his literary works. Larry Alcala’s works
have now become objects for collection for comic and manga enthusiasts.

The Life of Larry Alcala

Larry Alcala was born in Daraga, Albay on August 18, 1926 to. He was a student at the
University of the Philippines and was an active member of the Philippine Collegian as a staff
artist and as a representative of the board of management. He was considered to be a model
iskolar ng bayan who juggled his education while creating komiks. After his graduation, he
joined the UP College of Fine Arts faculty where he stayed for 30 years. As a result of his
determination and hard work, Visual Communication became an institutionalized field of study
in the UP College of Fine Arts which developed the creativity and mastery of visual arts to help
address local societal issues (PBBY, n.d.). He died at the age of 75 on June 24, 2002.

As a father, he was known to keep his children exposed to the arts by bringing them to
different museums, concerts, and fairs. He also instilled the value of imagination and keen
observation in his kids by telling them to observe people walking on the street and think about
what may be running through their minds at that moment. He also made sure that his kids
received proper education but allowed them to take breathers such as watching television in
between study sessions. He also humanized several things that hold great sentimental value to
him and his family by naming them like naming their Chevrolet “Choy” and their Toyota “Itoy”,
he also named their television set “Teban” (PBBY, n.d.).

Larry Alcala touched many people’s hearts, even those who did not know him personally.
Through his kindness, the people who worked with him and the students he taught remember
him with respect as he inspired them to pursue their artistic expression. People who were not
able to know him personally, remember him through his works which they look forward to in
every newspaper issue or through his nostalgic artworks. In his 56 years of cartooning career, he
had made over 500 characters, 20 comic strips, six movies, two murals, and 15,000 published
pages. All with the Filipino hint of comedy and sarcasm.
sy:
Works of Larry
pinterest.ph/clarissadavid14/larry-alcala/ Alcala

Islaw Palitaw

Islaw Palitaw was Alcala’s first work which

was published in a weekly magazine called
Liwayway after World War 2 (PBBY, n.d.).

Kalabog En Bosyo

The comic’s title is a tagalized version of “Kalabog and

Bosyo” which follows the funny misadventures of two
detectives who speak a mixture of Tagalog and English. It is
one of Alcala’s longest-running comic strips and was first
published in Pinoy Komiks (PBBY, n.d.).

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Mang Ambo Photo courtesy:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6315032-th
best-of-mang-ambo
This comic book series is probably one of the most
steadfast works of Larry Alcala. The main character, Mang
Ambo, is said to be a caricature of the average Filipino – lazy,
overconfident, and resourceful. The different stories in the
comic books point out different national issues in the form of
little problems for the protagonist told lightheartedly with
Mang Ambo always finding solutions to his problems (Adolor,
2020).

Siopawman

This comic first featured in

Halakhak, follows the story of a Filipino
superhero with the physical features of a
siopao – chubby with a round face. His
hilarious heroic adventures often end with
a treat of siopao or a buffet of Filipino
desserts (PBBY, n.d.).
Photo courtesy: https://richric2014.blogspot.com/2013/10/siopawman.html

Asiong Aksaya

The comic’s name is the Filipino equivalent

of “Asiong the Wasteful” which tells the story of
Asiong known to waste his resources and then tries
to offset this in more absurd and reckless ways.
(PBBY, n.d.)

Photo courtesy: https://www.lambiek.net/artists/a/alcala_l.htm

Congressman Kalog

Through Alcala’s wit and creativity, he created

political commentaries in his works which became
significantly shown in his work Congressman Kalog.
Numerous forms of corruption such as bribery, vote-
buying, and kickbacks in the form of money are
personified through Congressman Kalog. (PBBY, n.d.)

Photo courtesy: https://www.geocities.ws/larryalcala/cc1.html

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Analysis: Slices of Life

Of all of Larry Alcala’s famous works, perhaps the most memorable to those who lived in
the same era as he were his works in his series “Slices of Life.” These illustrations feature events
that happen in Filipino day-to-day life such as fiestas and going to church. They also show the
most mundane activities such as old men sitting around sari-sari stores with children playing in
the background. The twist with these illustrations, though, is that his image is cleverly hidden
somewhere in all these drawings and his viewers have to find it.

A common feature in his works is a technique

that could be called “grouping” where he groups
similar elements of his idea into one section of the
illustration. As seen in photo A.1, characters with
similar features or similar “roles” are not scattered
throughout the page but are grouped into one set. This
is a skill in knowing where to put your characters as an
incorrect decision may lead to a cluttered and
unorganized illustration which strains the eye. This
feature is evident in all of his series and this creates an
illusion of a clustered and busy atmosphere in a city.
This application of this technique perfectly describes
the average Filipino neighborhood where houses are
built close to one another with scattered objects
everywhere and people crowding in different areas
depending on what is going on in that particular place.
A.1 Photo courtesy: @MiaMagdalena on Twitter
He also organizes his elements in a calculated
way. In photo A.1, his organizing guide was the road that
traverses the street of a neighborhood that he is depicting and all his other elements are arranged
according to the flow of the said road which also guides
our eyes to where we should look to grasp the story he is
trying to convey. The same is happening with photo A.2
with his elements following his main guide which is a
road. However, the perspective in this drawing is
different from the first one which now shows a part of
the road blocked from view by a house which could be a
touch of realism in his work.

Another feature in his works in this series is the

constant use of simple colors. As seen in the photos, he
does not seem to use a color or shade outside of his
decided color palette. He makes use of simple colors but
it does not make his creations boring or plain. This adds
to the cohesive
quality of his
work. Without A.2 Photo courtesy: @ceciledoc on Twitter
bright colors, the
visual aesthetic that he is trying to convey is showcased
clearly.

In addition, it is also notable how he commonly

uses straight lines for buildings which some people say
signifies his early inclination for engineering. This
creates a cleaner look but emphasizes the detail of the
architecture in his works. He also creates simple side
characters as seen in photos A.1 to A.3 with simple
features which changes according to their “role” in the
drawing or season.
A.3 Photo courtesy: @artfairph on Twitter

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 Albeit simple in drawing, one can attest that Alcala pays attention to every little story that
happens within the big picture of his drawing. If one observes photo A.3, closely, one could
decipher several mini-stories going on such as a toy military tank destroying a part of a wall, a
kid climbing the Christmas tree centerpiece and his mother scolding him to come down, an
obviously nervous shoplifter, and many more. This attention to detail requires a lot of
imagination as it would be difficult to create fictional stories through a small drawing alone. This
must have been easy for Alcala, however, as he was known to tell his children to observe
passersby and guess their thoughts. This could prove his wide imagination as an artist which he
creatively expresses and utilizes in his works.

Alcala’s attention to micro-stories in his works highlights the beautiful complexity of

human life. We are constantly faced with the plain and monotonous physical features of life but
we could never really appreciate life in all its beauty without appreciating all the tiny realities
within it. Whenever we walk on our way to school or work, do we ever wonder what is going on
with that street vendor and their customer? Are they haggling or did they discover they were
related? Do we ever think about the two men standing inside a waiting shed we just walked past?
Did they stare into nothingness or did they start talking and become friends afterward? This
immense imagination that Alcala had enabled him to create his works and now, he is sharing this
value of thinking ‘beyond the boring’ for us to appreciate the place that we live in.

The catch with his works is that he cleverly hides his image within the drawing. This
could show his quirky and creative quality as he asynchronously interacts with his viewers. This
also signifies that he knows what impact he had made on the general public and he also knows
how to keep them hooked to his works. On the other hand, this could be his way to instill
observation in his works. Illustrators are known to pour their hearts into their works and when
people recognize a small detail in their drawing, they could feel very validated. This goes the
same for Alcala who wishes that his viewers observe his works closely and realize the intricately
carved meaning in his simple, hand-drawn figures.

Analysis: Mang Ambo

One of Larry Alcala’s well-known works is Mang Ambo. Mang Ambo is said to be an
impression of a normal Filipino citizen. In the stories, Mang Ambo deals with his problems
lightheartedly and confronts them with his resourcefulness and wit. The other characters add to
the already unique presentation of Mang Ambo with their unique personalities and speech. There
are a lot of features in the story which make it very significant to the literature of the country.

The illustrations are clear and cohesive enough that one could understand the story even
urtesy: The Best of Mang Ambo Book 2, p.66
without the text. As seen in photo A.4, Alcala did not use
any form of dialogue or speech in any panel but it is clear
enough that one could understand the events that transpired
in the story and still have a good laugh. Similar to his
concept in his “Slice of Life” works, he utilized a huge
amount of his imagination in creating a story without
dialogue. This is an important skill that an illustrator like
him should possess – the ability to tell a story without
words. In everyday life, it is quite hard to understand a
conversation if one only uses hand gestures without words,
however, with drawings, it is easy to grasp the content of a
story with just simple images especially if it is clear.

Just like in all his works, he utilizes simple lines in

his illustrations to divert people from sophisticated stories
to the storyline that he intends to convey. In Mang Ambo,
however, it is notable just how much he gives huge noses to
every character which is a way to emphasize the noses as he draws them from quite a distant

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 perspective. Noses complete the face of his illustrations and drawing such a small part of the
body could be a tricky part to do and he found a way to emphasize and show it without
exaggerating the characters.

Furthermore, the humor in his stories is

also on point – enough to give readers a few
giggles. One could say that the twists in his stories
oto courtesy: The Best of Mang Ambo 2, p.4
are unexpected and witty. An example is in photo
A.5, where one would think that the side character
being talked about will get lured into buying the
product but that character would turn out to
misunderstand the whole point of the advertisement.
This shows the simple humor that is always constant
in his stories.

This is one of the reasons why Larry Alcala

was able to click with the public. He humorously
tells the average Filipino a relatable story which
makes newspaper patrons keep looking forward to
his new comics. It is also proof of his immense
creativity in presentation and drama as good humor
has to be told with passion and wit.
A.6 Photo courtesy: The Best of Mang Ambo 2, p5
With his funny way of telling stories, he was
able to present numerous caricatures of Philippine
society and its citizens. An example would be photo
A.6 which presents the culture of padulas or the
payment to government officials which will speed up
the issuance of government documents. This culture
of corruption is very evident nowadays but has been
very difficult to remove as it has its roots in poverty
which has been a very steadfast societal problem in
the country. In the story, the payment that the
protagonist gave the government employee was meant
to be a deposit by his wife. This skit shows how much
the padulas culture does not benefit the poor citizens
of the country and only makes the already rich
officials richer. Another skit that he used to create a
caricature of the Filipinos is shown in photo A.7 which presents the way in which rich people
courtesy: The Best of Mang Ambo 2, p14
will do everything to climb the social ladder but make
every effort to avoid paying their taxes. This shows how
much disparity there is between the rich and the poor. If
one observes the panels closely, the people behind the
rich man are dressed in their regular clothes and seem to
earn only enough to provide for their families.
However, the man with a lot to buy his expensive
clothes also has the same tax to pay as the regular
people behind him.

Alcala’s political illustrations are vital to the

education and knowledge of the people who patronize
his works. He used his talents to call out the small but

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 rampant atrocities in our society and government in hopes that his readers could do something in
their own ways to combat these practices and be a better Filipino citizen.

However, it is not only Philippine politics that he makes commentaries on. He also
created numerous skits which aim to bare the questionable norms in our society. An example of
this is shown in his skit “Imported” which shows
o courtesy: The Best of Mang Ambo 2, p13
the dissonance in our society as we continue to
tell people that “It’s More Fun in the
Philippines” yet we continue to appreciate
foreign products more than local ones. It is also a
caricature of how colonial mentality is still
strong in the country despite the constant efforts
of organizations to divert Filipino consumers’
attention to local products.

Another example is the skit shown in

photo A.9 entitled “PTA Social”. This shows the
Filipino tradition of being pretentious in order to
gain the validation of other people. In the skit,
they created a brand-new pavilion where the
parent-
teacher

meeting could be held but they could not find a way to A.9 Photo courtesy: The Best of Mang Am
improve the structural integrity of the school itself.
This culture could be seen in barrio fiestas such as
when households are prepared to loan a ridiculous
amount of money to make food for their guests which
they would take months to pay along with the fact that
they could not even afford a decent meal for a normal
day. This culture is also seen whenever a delegate or
ambassador will be visiting the country. Government
officials would create band-aid solutions to create the
illusion of a clean and benevolent society to create
appeal to foreigners. They would relocate street
dwellers and take down roadside stores all of which
will return after the event. Instead of creating a
sustainable plan for these issues, they would rather not do anything about it and prioritize the
oto courtesy: The Best of Mang Ambo 2, p17 aesthetics of the country.

Lastly, the photo shown in A.10 entitled

“Holy Week in Baguio”, shows the toxic tourist
culture prevalent in Filipinos, especially during the
holidays. It paints Baguio in a realistic light, a
crowded place with no space to appreciate the place
because of the influx of people. This tradition often
inconveniences the locals of the place as they would
find it difficult to move about in their own area due
to the number of people. Furthermore, it also shows
just how Filipinos have forgotten that Holy Week is
a season for prayer and reflection and not for dilly-
dallying.

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Conclusion

Larry Alcala’s impact on the world of comics in the Philippines is undoubtedly

significant. He has been a huge inspiration for people who dream to be illustrators and have
mentored students during his time. He had shown his love for the art of drawing even during his
days as a student and has enriched and developed it throughout his career.

His storytelling skills have enabled him to lightheartedly and straightforwardly present
the serious topics in his comic strips in Mang Ambo and his wide imagination enabled him to tell
his stories to people from different walks of life. His skill also enabled him to fill the childhood
of people through his “Slice of Life” artworks and instilled in his readers the beauty in
observation and creativity.

The art of hand-drawn komiks is slowly dying nowadays due to the rise of technology and
new means of presenting it. As a result of his hard work and passion for the craft, new illustrators
are creating their own art every day through new means and conveying new messages. Larry
Alcala is indeed deserving of his National Artist Award not only because of his unwavering
commitment to illustrating comics but also because of the themes that he conveyed through his
artworks.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
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Alcala, L. (1992). The Best of Larry Alcala's Mang Ambo (2nd ed.). New Day Publishers.

Alcala, Larry. (2015). In V. Almario (Ed.),  Sagisag Kultura (Vol 1). Manila: National
Commission for Culture and the Arts. Retrieved
from https://philippineculturaleducation.com.ph/alcala-larry/

Defeo, R. (2002, July 1). Larry Alcala: A Filipino cartoonist. Philstar.com. Retrieved January
20, 2023, from https://www.philstar.com/lifestyle/arts-and-culture/2002/07/01/166658/
larry-alcala-filipino-cartoonist

De Vera, D. A., & Arong, M. R. (n.d.). Cracking the Filipino sequence: two factors that shaped
contemporary Philippine komiksDeni. Journal of Graphic Novels and Comics, 10(1), 106–
121. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1080/21504857.2017.1419981

Philippine Board on Books For Young People. (2022, October 8). Larry Alcala: Mastery in
simplicity, messages in images. PBBY. Retrieved January 20, 2023, from
https://www.pbby.org.ph/blog/larry-alcala-mastery-in-simplicity-messages-in-images

The Kahimyang Project. (2012, August 17). Larry Alcala was born in daraga, Albay August 18,
1926. The Kahimyang Project. Retrieved January 20, 2023, from
https://kahimyang.com/kauswagan/articles/1264/today-in-philippine-history-august-18-
1926-larry-alcala-was-born-in-daraga-albay

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