TARLAC

AUTHOR > Jose Garcia Villa

(August 5, 1908 – February 7, 1997)

BIOGRAPHY - Notable author from Tarlac is Jose Garcia Villa. He was born in Manila but spent his
childhood in Tarlac. Villa was a poet, short story writer, and literary critic. He is considered one of the
most important Filipino writers of the 20th century and was awarded the National Artist of the
Philippines for Literature in 1973. He is known to have introduced the "reversed consonance rhyme
scheme" in writing poetry, as well as the extensive use of punctuation marks—especially commas, which
made him known as the Comma Poet. He used the pen name Doveglion (derived from "Dove, Eagle, Lion"),
based on the characters he derived from his own works. These animals were also explored by another
poet, E. E. Cummings, in "Doveglion, Adventures in Value", a poem dedicated to Villa.

WORK - Villa first published Philippine Short Stories: Best 25 Short Stories of 1928 in 1929, an
anthology of Filipino short stories written in English that were mostly published in the literary magazine
Philippine Free Press for that year. It is the second anthology to have been published in the Philippines,
after Philippine Love Stories by editor Paz Márquez-Benítez in 1927. His first collection of short stories
that he had written were published under the title Footnote to Youth: Tales of the Philippines and
Others in 1933; while in 1939, Villa published Many Voices, his first collection poems, followed by Poems
by Doveglion in 1941. Other collections of poems include Have Come, Am Here (1942) and Volume Two
(1949; the year he edited The Doveglion Book of Philippine Poetry in English from 1910). Three years
later, he released a follow-up for The Portable Villa entitled The Essential Villa. In 1958 he brought out
Selected Poems and New, in which he retained "only those poems that I can still care about" from Have
Come, Am Here and Volume Two. There was, in addition, a section of early poems, "comprising what I
deem to be the best of the work done in my early youth," published for the first time. With this volume
"Villa abandoned poetry" (Cowen).

AWARDS- Villa was granted a Guggenheim Fellowship in Creative Writing by American writer Conrad
Aiken, wherein he was also awarded a $1,000 prize for "outstanding work in American literature", as
well as a fellowship from Bollingen Foundation. He was also bestowed an Academy Award for Literature
from The American Academy of Arts and Letters in 1943.Villa also won first prize in the Poetry
Category of UP Golden Jubilee Literary Contests in 1958, as well as the Pro Patria Award for literature
in 1961, and the Heritage Award for poetry and short stories a year later. He was conferred with a
honoris causa doctorate degree for literature by Far Eastern University in Manila on 1959 (and later by
University of the Philippines), and the National Artist Award for Literature in 1973.He was one of three
Filipinos, along with novelist José Rizal and translator Nick Joaquin, included in World Poetry: An
Anthology of Verse from Antiquity to Our Time published in 2000, which featured over 1,600 poems
written by hundreds of poets in different languages and culture within a span of 40 centuries dating
from the development of early writing in ancient Sumer and Egypt.
PAMPANGA
AUTHOR > Bienvenido Santos
(March 22, 1911 – January 7, 1996)

BIOGRAPHY - Bienvenido Santos, who was born in Tondo,

Manila but spent much of his life in Lubao, Pampanga. Santos was a novelist, poet, and short story
writer who wrote about the experiences of Filipino immigrants in America. Santos received his Bachelor
of Arts degree from the University of the Philippines where he first studied creative writing under Paz
Marquez Benitez. In 1941, Santos was a government pensionado (scholar) to the United States at the
University of Illinois, Columbia University, and Harvard University. He had arrived in San Francisco on
October 12, 1941, aboard the Ruth Alexander leaving his wife and three daughters in the
Philippines.When war in the Pacific came to the Philippines on December 8 (December 7 Hawaii time) he
feared he would never see his family again—a reality that "not only interrupted his study of realism; it
was overwhelming it" leading to a transformation in his sense of national consciousness and identity. That
crisis changed the nature of his writing into a less carefree style to one mixing laughter and pain;
described by Florentino Valeros as "a man hiding tears in his laughter."During World War II, he served
with the Philippine government in exile under President Manuel L. Quezon in Washington, D.C., together
with the playwright Severino Montano and Philippine National Artist Jose Garcia Villa. Santos left for
home on January 17, 1946, aboard the Uruguay arriving in early February.In 1967, he returned to the
United States to become a teacher and university administrator. He received a Rockefeller fellowship at
the Writers Workshop of the University of Iowa where he later taught as a Fulbright exchange
professor. Santos has also received a Guggenheim Foundation fellowship, a Republic Cultural Heritage
Award in Literature as well as several Palanca Awards for his short stories. Scent of Apples won a 1980
American Book Award from the Before Columbus Foundation.

WORKS – Poetry The Wounded Stag (1956,1992)

Distances: In Time (1983)
"March of Death"
Music for One
Come Home, Heroes

AWARDS - Rockefeller Foundation Fellowship at the University of Iowa

Guggenheim Fellowship
Republic Cultural Heritage Award
Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for short fiction (1956, 1961 and 1965)
Fulbright Program Exchange Professorship
American Book Award from Before Columbus Foundation
Honorary Doctorate in Humanities and Letters, University of the Philippines
Honorary Doctorate in Humanities and Letters, Bicol University (Legazpi City, Albay, Philippines)
Honorary Doctorate in Humane Letters, Wichita State University (Kansas, U.S.)
 BULACAN
AUTHOR > Jose Corazon de Jesus
(November 22, 1894 – May 26, 1932)

BIOGRAPHY - Jose Corazon de Jesus, also known as Huseng

Batute, was a poet and songwriter born in Santa Cruz, Manila on
November 22, 1896, but spent most of his life in Baliuag,
Bulacan. He is considered as the "King of Tagalog Poets" and his
works often tackled social issues and injustices during his time.
Some of his famous works include "Bayan Ko," "Ang mga Itinapon ng Kapalaran," and "Isang Dipang
Langit." He is best known for being the lyricist of the Filipino song Bayan Ko.

WORKS - José Corazón de Jesús's works appeared on several magazines and newspapers, notably Ang
Democracia, Taliba, Liwayway, ang buhay sa nddu and Sampagita. In addition, his works have appeared
in various anthologies and textbooks from grade school to college. Among his more popular works are:

Ang Manok Kong Bulik ("My White Rooster", 1911) - a poem about a country man's misfortune in
cockfighting
Barong Tagalog (1921) - poem written after the Filipino national costume
Ang Pagbabalik ("Homecoming", 1924)
Ang Pamana ("The Legacy", 1925)
Isang Punongkahoy ("A Tree", 1932)
Some of his poems were set into music; among these are:
Bayan Ko ("My Country", 1929) - music by Constancio de Guzman
Pakiusap ("A Request") - music by Francisco Santiago

KING OF BALAGTASAN - On March 28, 1924, de Jesús and other leading Tagalog writers met
at a women's school in Tondo, Manila, under the auspices of Filipino educator Rosa Sevilla, to discuss
how to celebrate the birth anniversary of Tagalog poet Francisco Balagtas on April 2. They decided to
hold a traditional duplo, or a dramatic debate in verse that was in its waning days in the 1920s. They
changed the format of the duplo and renamed it balagtasan in honor of Balagtas.

There were three pairs of poets who participated in the first balagtasan on April 6, 1924 at the
defunct Instituto de Mujeres (Women's Institute), founded by Sevilla, but the audience were most
impressed by de Jesús and another Filipino poet, Florentino Collantes.

The balagtasan was an instant hit, later becoming became a common feature in Manila's biggest and most
expensive theaters until the 1950s. De Jesús and Collantes were pitted against each other in a contrived
rivalry and a showdown was set for October 18, 1925 at the Olympic Stadium. De Jesús was acclaimed
winner of the showdown and was dubbed "Hari ng Balagtasan" (king of versified debate). He held the
title until his death in 1932.
Nueva Ecija
Author – Néstor Vicente Madali González
(8 September 1915 – 28 November 1999)

Biography - Born in Romblon, but raised in Nueva Ecija,

N.V.M. Gonzalez is considered as one of the most important
Filipino writers of the 20th century. He is known for his short
stories and novels that depict rural life in the Philippines,
particularly in Nueva Ecija. Some of his notable works include
"The Bamboo Dancers," "The Bread of Salt," and "A Season of Grace."

Works - Gonzalez on a 2015 stamp of the Philippines

The works of Gonzalez have been published in Filipino, English, Chinese, German, Russian and Indonesian.

Novels/poetry
The Winds of April (1941)
A Season of Grace (1956)
The Bamboo Dancers (1988)
The Land and the Rain
The Happiest Boy in The World
Bread of Salt

Awards - from A Jokarts company (1997–1998)

Regents Professor at the University of California at Los Angeles, 1998–1999
Philippines Centennial Award for Literature, 1998
National Artist Award for Literature, 1997
Oriental Mindoro Sangguniang Panlalawigan Resolution "extending due recognition to Nestor V. M.
González... the commendation he well deserves..." 1996
City of Manila Diwa ng Lahi award "for his service and contribution to Philippine national Literature,"
1996
City of Los Angeles resolution declaring 11 October 1996 "N.V.M. González Day, 1996
The Asian Catholic Publishers Award, 1993
The Filipino Community of California Proclamation "honoring N.V.M. González for seventy-eight years of
achievements," 1993
Ninoy Aquino Movement for Social and Economic Reconstruction through Volunteer Service award, 1991
City and County of San Francisco proclamation of 7 March 1990 "Professor N.V.M. González Day in San
Francisco," 1990
Cultural Center of the Philippines award, Gawad Para sa Sining, 1990
Writers Union of the Philippines award, Gawad Pambansang Alagad ni Balagtás, 1989
University of the Philippines International Writer-in-Residence, 1988
Doctor of Humane Letters (Honoris Causa) from the University of the Philippines, 1987 etc.
 BATAAN
Author > Nicomedes Joaquin
(born May 4, 1917,—died April 29, 2004),

Biography - Joaquin was a journalist, novelist, and

playwright who is considered one of the most important Filipino writers of the 20th century. He was born
in Manila but spent much of his childhood in Bataan and often wrote about his experiences there.
Nicomedes “Nick” Joaquin y Marquez, fondly called “Onching” by close family and friends was born on
May 4, 1917, in Paco, Manila.[3] There are varying accounts on the date of his birth, some cite it as
September 15, 1917. This could stem from how Joaquin himself refrained from revealing his date of
birth because he disliked the fuss of people coming over and celebrating his birthday.Joaquin was the
fifth out of the ten children of Don Leocadio Joaquin and Salomé Marquez. Don Leocadio fought in the
Philippine Revolution by the side of his friend General Emilio Aguinaldo, and reached the position of
Colonel. He retired after he was wounded in action and moved on to a prolific career as a lawyer in
Manila and the southern province of Laguna. Salomé Marquez was a well-educated woman who taught in a
Manila public school. She was trained by Americans in English to teach at the public schools when the
United States colonized the Philippines.

Works - Literary prominence, as measured by different English critics, is said to rest upon one of
Nick Joaquin's published books entitled “Prose and Poems” which was published in 1952. Published in this
book are the poems “Three Generations”, “May Day Eve”, “After the Picnic”, “The Legend of the Dying
Wanton”, “The Legend of the Virgin Jewel;”, “It Was Later than we Thought”. Among these, the first
of the mentioned written works were deliberated by editors Seymour Laurence and Jose Garcia Villa as a
“short story masterpiece” (1953). The poem was also chosen as the best short story published in the
Philippine Press between March 1943 and November 1944.Nick Joaquin, as a member of the Philippine
Free Press staff, submits weekly articles which are published under his pen name Quijano de Manila.
Additionally, he was chosen journalist of the year in the 11th National Press Club-Esso Journalism
awards in 1996. He was nominated by Free Press Editor Teodoro Locsin who mentions that the
journalistic work of Nick Joaquin has raised the journalism to the level of literature.The literary ability
of Nick Joaquin allowed him to earn multiple distinction and honors in the field of Philippine literature.
On June 1, 1973, he won in the Seato Literary Award Contest for his submitted collection of short
stories and poem. While on May 27, 1976, he was a recipient of one of the nation's most prestigious
awards which carried material emoluments besides honors and privileges. He was conferred the title of
“National Artist for Literature” by the former president and Mrs. Marcos during the special rites at the
Cultural Center of the Philippines in 1976, on the condition that the Regime release Pete Lacaba, the
author of the poem "Prometheus Unbound" from detention.

Awards - José Garcia Villa's Honor Roll (1940)

Philippines Free Press Short Story Contest (1949)
Ten Most Outstanding Young Men of the Philippines (TOYM), Awardee for Literature (1955)
ETC.
 ZAMBALES

Author > Jose Y. Dalisay Jr

(born January 15, 1954)

Biography - Jose Y. Dalisay Jr. He was born on January

15, 1954, in Romblon, Philippines, but grew up in Zambales. He is
a renowned writer, journalist, and professor who has won
numerous awards for his literary works. Dalisay was born in
Romblon in 1954. He completed his primary education at La Salle
Green Hills, Philippines in 1966 and his secondary education at the Philippine Science High School in
1970. He dropped out of college to work as a newspaper reporter. He also wrote scripts mostly for Lino
Brocka, the National Artist of the Philippines for Theater and Film. Dalisay returned to school and
earned his B.A. English (Imaginative Writing) degree, cum laude from the University of the Philippines in
1984. He later received an M.F.A. from the University of Michigan in 1988 and a PhD in English from
the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee in 1991 as a Fulbright scholar.

WORKS –
Novels
Killing Time in a Warm Place, 1992
Soledad's Sister, 2008
"Soledad: Rocambolesco Romanzo Filippino" (Italian edition), 2009
"In Flight: Two Novels of the Philippines" (a combined US edition), 2011
La Soeur de Soledad," (French edition), 2013

Poetry
"Pinoy Septych and Other Poems" (Manila: UST Publishing, 2011)

Awards - Civitella Ranieri Fellowship

David T.K. Wong Fellowship for Creative Writing, University of East Anglia
Chamberlain Award
Milwaukee Fiction Award
American Poets Prize
Fulbright- Hays Scholarship
Hawthornden Castle Fellowship, Scotland
British Council Fellow to Cambridge
Word Festival (Australia)
Asia 2000 (New Zealand)
Centennial Honors for the Arts, Cultural Center of the Philippines
AURORA
Author > Bienvenido L. Lumbera
(April 11, 1932 – September 28, 2021)

Biography - was a Filipino poet, critic and

dramatist.Lumbera is known for his nationalist writing and for
his leading role in the Filipinization movement in Philippine
literature in the 1960s, which resulted in his being one of the
many writers and academics jailed during Ferdinand Marcos' Martial Law regime.He received the Ramon
Magsaysay Award for Journalism, Literature and Creative Communications in 1993, and was proclaimed a
National Artist of the Philippines for literature in 2006.As an academic, he is recognized for his key
role in elevating the field of study which would become known as Philippine Studies.

Works
Poetry
Likhang Dila, Likhang Diwa (poetry collection, 1994)
"Ka Bel"
"The Yaya’s Lullaby"
"Servant" (2006)
"Sadness"
"Eulogy of Roaches"
"Jamborzkie Light"

Among numerous other literary awards he has won include the National Book Awards from the National
Book Foundation, and the Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards.

Awards -
National Artist, April 2006
Ramon Magsaysay Award for Journalism, Literature, and Creative Communication Arts, 1993
Pambansang Gawad Pambansang Alagad ni Balagtas, Unyon ng mga Manunulat ng Pilipinas (UMPIL)
National Book Awards from the Manila Critics' Circle
Carlos Palanca Memorial Award for Literature
Visiting Professorship, Osaka University of Foreign Studies
Professor Emeritus, University of the Philippines
Philippine Centennial Literary Prize for Drama
Cultural Center of the Philippines Centennial Honors for the Arts
1st Asian scholar-in-residence at the University of Hawaii at Manoa