1. Estrella Alfron. the most respected Filipino woman fictionist in prewar days.

She started writing in high school, and then in

UP where she was invited to join the Writer’s Club. In 1940, her collection of short stories won a prize in the Commonwealth
Literary Contest. When she ventured in the drama, she bagged three of the major prizes of the Arena Theatre playwriting
contest. Seventeen of her short stories have been published in Magnifecence and other Stories(1960).
2. Carlos Angeles. He studied in the public schools and later attended the University of the Philippines where he wrote poetry
and met his mentor Francisco Arcellana. His poems were collected in The Knifed Horizon. His book a Stun of Jewels won both
the Republic Cultural Heritage Award for 1964 and the first Palance award for poetry.
3. Manuel Arguilla. Arguilla spent much of his childhood among the peasant folk whom he depicted in his stories. His collection
How My Brother Leon Brought Home a Wife and Other Stories won the first prize in the first Commonwealth Literary Contest in
1940. He is considered to be the foremost local colorist of the Philippines.

4. Tita Lacambra Ayala. A prolific writer of short stories, poems and “juveniles”. She has been columnist for the Weekly
Women’s Magazine and feature writer for the Sunday Times Magazine. She is well known for her poem “Sunflower” which
appeared in her collected volume entitled “Sunflower Poems
5. Cirilo Bautista. He has published many poems, essays and short stories in various periodicals. He has published about a
dozen books both English and Filipino. He belongs to the elite group of Palanca Hall of Fame. He has completed the trilogy of
St. Lazarus epics: The Archipelago (1970), Telex Moon (1981) and Sunlight on broken Stones(2000).
6. Francisco Benitez He write the essay “What is an Educated Filipino?” Benitez is considered to be one of the best educational
figures in the Philippines for he founded the National Federation of Filipino Teachers, the UP College of Education, and the
Philippine Journal of Education which he also edited.
7. Paz Marquez Benitez. Born in Tayabas, she was editor of the Woman’s Journal, the first feminine literary magazine. Some of
her famous stories include: “Dead Stars”, “Stepping Stones”, and “Half a Life” among stories.
8. Miguel A. Bernard. A Jesuit priest, he earned his M.A. Ph.D. degrees from the Yale University and a Licenciate in Sacred
Theology from Woodstock, Maryland. He has been professor of Literature at the Ateneo de Manila and he is a well known
literary critic. His book Bamboo and the Greenwood Tree(1961) is an important contribution to literary criticism in the
Philippines.
9. Gregorio Brillantes He graduated from the Ateneo de Manila where he edited college literary magazines and won top prize in
writing contest. His short stories “The Living and the Dead”, “A Wind over the Faith”, and “Distance to Andromeda” have won
first prize awards in the Philippine Free Press contests.
10. Carlos Bulosan. He is famous for his novel America is in the Heart which mirror Filipino disillusionment of the great
American dream. Bulosan was also a humorist and a satirist known for his story “The Laughter of My Father”
11. Gilda Cordero-Fernandez. Her short stories won two Palanca Awards and two Free Press Awards. “People in the War”, a
story that tests family devotion during the war, and “The Visitation of the Gods”, that shows the ill of the agrarian society from
the perspective of a school teacher, are both included in the collection The Butcher, The Baker and the Candle Maker.
12. Amador Daguio. A poet, novelist and a teacher, he won various college and national magazine awards for his poetry and
fiction. He organized the Tacloban Theater Guild and in 1951, he studied as a fellow at the Creative Writing Center at Stanford
University where he translated some Kalinga epic harvest songs for his M.A. thesis. He is famous for his story The Wedding
Dance.
13. Egmidio Alvarez Enriquez. A fictionist and playwright born in Zamboanga City, he has written two novels “The Devil
Flower”(1959) and “House of Images”(1983); three collection of plays, The Philippine Epic Plays(1983), Three Philippine Ethnic
Hero Plays(1991), and Two Liberation Plays(1991); and a collection of short stories, The White Horse of Alib and Other
Stories(1985)
14. Doreen Fernandez. She is Ph.D. in Literature from the Ateneo de Manila University where she chaired the Department of
Communication and taught literature, journalism and creative writing. She has done extensive research in drama and theater
history and food as culture. She wrote a column for PDI called “In Good Taste”. Her books include Palabas: Essays on Philippine
Theater (1996), Tikim: Essays on Philippine Food and Culture (1994), Sarap: Essays on Philippine Food (1988), and Writers and
their Miliu I and II (1984 & 1987), co-written with Edilberto Alegre
15. Leona Florentino. She wrote poetry in Spanish and Ilocano. Her works have been read in the libraries of London, Paris and
Madrid through the publication in Paris of Bibliotheque Internationale Des Oevres De Femme (1889). Her works were also
exhibited in the Exposition General de Pilipiunas held in Madrid 1987. She was considered as the “first feminist poet of the
Philippines”.
16. Aida Rivera Ford. She was educated in Siliman University and later obtained her M.A. degree I English at the University of
Michigan. In 1954, she won an Avery and Jule Hapwood Award for fiction with nher book of short stories entitled Now and at
the Hour.
17. Delfin Fresnosa. Born in Gubat, sorsogon, in 1916, he completed an M.A. degree in English at F.E.U. and taught at NTC and
UE, Fresnosa reflects the city as a place devoid of a soul and conscience. He considers the poor and lowly as the real people.
And many of his fifty short stories show his insight on Philippine life and customs.
18. Eric Gamalinda. He was born in Manila in 1956 and attended the UST and UP. His published works include Fire Poem/Rain
Poem (1976), Popular Dilusions (1983), and Planet Waves (1989). He won the Palanca Awards for one-act play, poetry, and
short fiction. His novel Empire of Memory (2000) Won the Centennial Literary Awards.

19. Gloria, Angela Manalang. She was an important lyric poet during the Commonwealth period, in 1940 she
published Poems, a book of verses which she reissued in 1950. Like most of her contemporaries, her poems bear
romantic themes. Hers, however, concentrated on image making and on revealing her own feeling in her poetry.
20. Gonzales, NVM. Born in Romblon in 1915. He distinguished himself as a poet, essayist, fictionist, journalist,
editor and teacher of creative writing. N.V.M. Gonzalez is known for the prize-winning novel The Winds of April
(1940); collection of Mindoro Tales-Seven Hills Away (1947); collection of short stories – Children of the Ash-
Covered Loam and Other Stories (1954) and Look Strangers on This Island Now (1954); and novels – A Season of
Grace (1956) and The Bamboo Dancers and Other Stories (1967)
21. Guerrero, Amadis Ma. He began writing in his late teen and used biographical materials as background. In his
“Children of City”, Amadis shows a departure from his usual style, that won him a Palanca award in 1971.
22. Hagedorn, Jessica. Her works included two novels, Dog Eaters (1990) and Gangster of Love (1996), and the
poetry anthology Danger and Beauty; Poetry and Prose. She also edited Charlie Chan Is Dead; an Anthology of
Contemporary Asian American Fiction. She lives in New York City where she is well-known performance artist, poet
and playwright.
23. Igloria, Mari Luisa Aguilar. She is a poet, fictionist and essayist, who has published five books under the name
Maria Luisa A. Cariño: Cordillera Tale (1990), Cartography (1992), Encanto (1994), In the Garden of Three Islands
(1995) and Blood Sacrifice (1997). Having won five first prizes from the Palanca, she belongs to the Carlos Palanca
Hall of Fame. She is now teaching in the US.
24. Jalandoni, Magdalena. A prolific writer who started peddling her corridos at the public market when she was
barely 10 years old. Jalandoni has 70 volumes of corridos, poems, translations, short fiction, novels,
autobiographies, and folk history. Written in Hiligaynon, her 24 novels included Juanita Cruz, Ang Dalaga sa
tindahan, Ang Mga Tunok Sang Isa ka BUlak, etc..
25. Jose Francisco Sionil. A famous fictionist, Jose stands out as one of the representatives of his generation who
cultivated a consistently political outlook on realities of Philippine Society (Lumera, 1997). He is famous for his
Rosales Tetralogy; The Pretenders (1962), My Brother My Executioner (1973), Tree (1978) and Poon (1985). He was
bestowed National Artist for Literature not long ago...
26. Nick Joaquin. He wrote articles under the Pseudonym Quijano de Manila. His novel; The Woman Who Had Two
Navels (1961) won for him the first Stonehill Annual Fellowship for Filipino Novel in English. He won the much-
coveted Magsaysay Award for Literature in 1997. He is also a National Artist for Literature.
27. Paz Latorena. She began her writing career under the tutelage of Paz Marquez Benitez who encouraged her by
publishing her work in the Herald Mid-Week Magazine. Latorena is famous for her stories “The Small Key”,
“Myrrh”, “The Star”, “If”, and “Sunset”.
28. Salvador Lopez. His essay Literature and Society (1940) won first prize in the essay in the first Commonwealth
Literary Contest. Aside from being a well-known critic, essayist and columnist, he was also political adviser to
General Carlos P. Romulo at the Philippine Mission to the UNO.
29. Buenvenido Lumbera. He had taught at ADMU, UP and DLSU. A multi-awarded author and literary scholar ,
Lumbera has published Revaluation (1985), Tagalog Poetry 1570-1898 (1985), Abot-Tanaw (1987), Likhang Dila,
Likhang Diwa (1993) and the Ramon Magsaysay Award in Journalism, Literature and Creative Communication Arts
(1993).
30. Carmen Guerrero Nakpil. She was born in Manila in 1922, she was twice widowed. She wrote the column “My
Humble Opinion” for the Manila Chronicle for many years. Her essays were collected in Woman Enough and Other
Essays (1963) and a Question of Identity (1973). She also wrote the novel “The Rice Conspiracy (1990) and a
history book “The Philippines: The Land and the People” (1978).
31. Kerima Polotan Tovera. Kerima is a very prolific writer. Some of her writings were published under the
pseudonym Particia S. Torres. In 1952, here story “The Virgin” won two first prizes – Free Press short story prize
and Palanca Memorial Awards. Her novel Hand of the Enemy (1962) won the Stonehill Award for the Filipno Novel
in English. Polotan-Tuvera is acknowledged as a superior prose stylist especially as she probes deeper into the
psychology of women.
32. Maximo Ramos. He studied under the folklore authority Stith Thompson, and under the poet Samuel Yellen.
He completed a Ph.D. dissertation at the UP on the Philippine demonological creatures published in 1971 as the
Creatures of Philippine Lower Mythology.
33. Arturo Rotor. A practicing physician and a former director of the UP Post – Graduate School of Medicine, Rutor
“wrote some of the fines love stories in Philippine Literature I English. “His collected stories, The Wound and the
Scar, were the first publication of the Philippine Book Guild (1937). His famous stories include: “Dahong Palay,”
“Zita,” “How They Brought The Convicts to Davao?” “Poisoned Claws,” and At Last This Fragrance.”
34. Bienvenido Santos. short story writer and a poet of distinctions. Much of his later writings depict the
loneliness and disillusionment of Filipinos in a strange and alien land. Some of his works include: novel – You Lovely
People (1955) ; poetry collection – The Wounded Stag and Other Poems (1956); Brother, My Borther (1960) and
The Volcano (1965). In 1965, he won the Republic Cultural Heritage Award.
35. Juan Crisostomo Santos. A prolific writer during the first quarter of this century, he wrote lyric poetry and
fiction. His Lydia, published in 1907, is considered the most popular Pampamgo novel in the style of modern
realism. Crissotan, a debate in verse was named in honor of him.
36. Edith Tiempo. Born in Bayombong, Nueva Viscaya in 1919.Her story The Black Monkey won third prize in the
Carlos Palanca Memorial Award for literature in 1952. She is also famous for her novel A Blade of Fern. She’s
National Artist for Literature (poetry).
37. Rolando Tinio. He emerged as a “new” poet in 1965 with he Bagay Movement that fucosed English and
Tagalog languages in writings as in Valediction sa Killcrest. He helped restore the balance between subjective and
objective reality; and between the past and the world outside. After his death, he was named National Artist for
Literature (poetry and theater arts).
38. Jose Garcia Villa. Won international fame as a short story writer and poet. His controversial poem “Man
Songs,” caused his suspension from UP in 1929. He finished his B.A. in 1932 at the University of New Mexico, and
he completed his M.A. at Colombia University. Villa was the recipient of the Gugenheim Fellowship and the
Bollingen nad Shelley Heritage Award for his 55 Poems nad Selected Stories in 1962, and the National Artist Award
in 1973.
39. Rafael Zalueta da Costa. He was born in Paco, Manila, on September 27, 1915 to a Spanish-Filipino father and a
Chinese-Portuguese mother. His collection of verse, Like a Molave and other Poems, won the Commonwealth
Literary Award for Poetry.
40. Levi Celerio is a prolific lyricist and composer for decades. He effortlessly translated/wrote anew the lyrics to
traditional melodies: "O Maliwanag Na Buwan" (lloko), "Ako ay May Singsing" (Pampango), "Alibangbang" (Visaya)
among others.
A great number of his songs have been written for the local movies, which earned for him the Lifetime
Achievement Award from the Film Academy of the Philippines. Levi Celerio, more importantly, has enriched the
Philippine music for no less than two generations with a treasury of more than 4,000 songs in an idiom that has
proven to appeal to all social classes.
41. Nestor Vicente Mandali Gonzalez. fictionist, essayist, poet, and teacher, articulated the Filipino spirit in rural,
urban landscapes. Among the many recognitions, he won the First Commonwealth Literary Contest in 1940,
received the Republic Cultural Heritage Award in 1960 and the Gawad CCP Para sa Sining in 1990. The awards
attest to his triumph in appropriating the English language to express, reflect and shape Philippine culture and
Philippine sensibility.
Major works of N.V.M Gonzalez include the following: The Winds of April, Seven Hills Away, Children of the Ash-
Covered Loam and Other Stories, The Bamboo. Dancers, Look Stranger, on this Island Now, Mindoro and Beyond:
Twenty-One Stories, The Bread of Salt and Other Stories, Work on the Mountain, The Novel of Justice: Selected
Essays 1968-1994, A Grammar of Dreams and Other Stories.
42. Virgilio S. Armalio is a poet, literary historian and critic, who has revived and reinvented traditional Filipino
forms, even as he championed modernist poetics. In 34 years, he has published 12 books of poetry, which include
the seminal Makinasyon and Peregrinasyon, and the landmark trilogy Doktrinang Anakpawis, Mga Retrato at
Rekwerdo and Muli, Sa Kandungan ng Lupa.
He has also redefined how the Filipino poetry is viewed and paved the way for the discussion of the same in his
10 books of criticisms and anthologies, among which are Ang Makata sa Panahon ng Makina, Balagtasismo versus
Modernismo, Walong Dekada ng Makabagong Tula Pilipino, Mutyang Dilim and Barlaan at Josaphat.
43. Amado Hernandez. poet, playwright, and novelist, is among the Filipino writers who practiced "committed
art". In his view, the function of the writer is to act as the conscience of society and to affirm the greatness of the
human spirit in the face of inequity and oppression.
His novel Mga Ibong Mandaragit, first written by Hernandez while in prison, is the first Filipino socio-political novel
that exposes the ills of the society as evident in the agrarian problems of the 50s.
Hernandez's other works include Bayang Malaya, Isang Dipang Langit, Luha ng Buwaya, Amado V. Hernandez:
Tudla at Tudling: Katipunan ng mga Nalathalang Tula 1921-1970, Langaw sa Isang Basong Gatas at Iba Pang
Kuwento ni Amado V. Hernandez, Magkabilang Mukha ng Isang Bagol at Iba Pang Akda ni Amado V. Hernandez.
44. Alejandro Roces. is a short story writer and essayist, and considered as the country's best writer of comic short
stories. He is known for his widely anthologized "My Brother's Peculiar Chicken."
Ever the champion of Filipino culture, Roces brought to public attention the aesthetics of the country's fiestas. He
was instrumental in popularizing several local fiestas, notably, Moriones and Ati-atihan. He personally led the
campaign to change the country's Independence Day from July 4 to June 12, and caused the change of language
from English to Filipino in the country's stamps, currency and passports, and recovered Jose Rizal's manuscripts
when they were stolen from the National Archives.
1. William Shakespeare was an English playwright, poet, and actor, widely regarded as one of the greatest writers
in the English language and world literature. His works, consisting of plays, sonnets, and poems, have had a
profound and enduring impact on literature and drama.
Shakespeare wrote a total of 39 plays, covering various genres such as tragedy, comedy, and history. Some of his
most famous works include "Romeo and Juliet," "Hamlet," "Othello," "Macbeth," and "Merchant of Venice”.
2. Jane Austen was an English novelist known for her keen observations of the British landed gentry at the end of
the 18th century. Her novels often explore the themes of love, marriage, and social class in the context of the
Regency era. Despite writing during a time when novels were often dismissed as mere entertainment, Austen's
works have endured and are celebrated for their wit, insight, and keen social commentary.
Her novels include Sense and Sensibility (1811), Pride and Prejudice (1813) and Emma (1816).
3. Victor Hugo was a French poet, novelist, and dramatist who is regarded as one of the greatest and most
influential figures in French literature. He was also a prominent political figure, involved in French politics during a
period of significant social and political change.
Hugo's novels include Les Misérables, (1862) and Notre-Dame de Paris (1831)
4. Mark Twain. He was born in Florida, Missouri, and grew up along the Mississippi River, which served as the
backdrop for many of his works. Twain's writing is characterized by a keen wit, humor, and a deep understanding
of the human condition.
An American author and humorist best known for his novels "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer" and "Adventures of
Huckleberry Finn."
5. Virginia Woolf was an English writer and a key figure in the modernist literary movement during the early 20th
century. Known for her innovative narrative techniques and exploration of the interior lives of her characters,
Woolf made significant contributions to the development of the novel as an art form.
English modernist writer, a member of the Bloomsbury group. Famous novels include Mrs Dalloway (1925), To the
Lighthouse (1927) and Orlando (1928).
6. James Joyce was an Irish modernist writer renowned for his innovative and complex works that pushed the
boundaries of narrative structure and language. His writing is known for its experimental techniques, stream-of-
consciousness narration, and intricate wordplay. Joyce's works often explore themes of identity, consciousness,
and the human condition.
His novel Ulysses (1922), was ground-breaking for its stream of consciousness style. Other works include Dubliners
(1914) and Finnegans Wake (1939).
7. David Herbert Lawrence was an English novelist, poet, essayist, and literary critic. He is best known for his
novels, which explore themes of human relationships, sexuality, and the impact of modernity on individual lives.
Lawrence's works often display a vivid portrayal of nature and a deep interest in the complexities of human
emotions.
Best known works include Sons and Lovers, The Rainbow, Women in Love and Lady Chatterley's Lover (1928)
which was banned for many years.
8. F. Scott Fitzgerald was an American novelist and short story writer best known for his portrayal of the Jazz Age
in American literature. His works often explore the American Dream, the excesses of the Roaring Twenties, and the
social and cultural dynamics of the time. Fitzgerald's writing is celebrated for its elegant prose, keen social
observations, and depiction of the complexities of human relationships.
Notable works include The Great Gatsby (1925), and Tender Is the Night (1934) cautionary tales about the 'Jazz
decade and the American Dream based on pleasure and materialism.
9. Ernest Hemingway was an American novelist, short story writer, and journalist who became a prominent figure
in 20th-century American literature. He was known for his distinctive writing style, characterized by brevity,
simplicity, and a focus on understated dialogue and description. Hemingway's works often reflect his experiences
as an expatriate, his love of adventure, and his fascination with war and its impact on individuals.
Famous works included For Whom The Bell Tolls (1940) and A Farewell to Arms (1929).
10. J.K Rowling is a British author best known for creating the immensely popular and influential "Harry Potter"
series. Born on July 31, 1965, in Yate, Gloucestershire, England, Rowling's life underwent a significant
transformation when she conceived the idea for the magical world of Hogwarts and its young wizard protagonist,
Harry Potter.
Harry Potter Series - which has become the best selling book series of all time. Her first book was Harry Potter and
the Philosopher's Stone (1997). Rowling has also published adult fiction, such as The Casual Vacancy (2012) and
Fantastic Beasts Series.

11. George Orwell. George Orwell was the pen name of Eric Blair, a writer from the 20th century who was equally
at home with essays, literary criticism, and social commentary. Animal Farm - satirical novella published in 1945.

12. Jules Verne. French poet, playwright, and novelist who has been called the "father of science fiction" and has
had an incalculable influence on the development of science fiction writing.
Journey To The Centre Of The Earth - most notable fiction which follows a professor who discovers a document
written by a 16th-century explorer claiming to have found a path to the Earth's core.

13. AGATHA CHRISTIE. English playwright and detective novelist whose works have been translated into more than
100 languages and have sold more than 100 million copies.

And Then There Were None - mystery novel one of Christie's best-known works, was written during World War II.

14. LEO TOLSTOY. Russian novelist Count Lev Nikolayevich Tolstoy, commonly known as Leo Tolstoy in English, is
recognized as one of the greatest writers ever.
War and Peace and Anna Karenina - are often regarded as the pinnacle of realism literature.

15. CHARLES DICKENS. most renowned for his novels, which explore the struggles of everyday life and the idea
that you can change your life for the better.
Oliver Twist - probably his best-known literary work, is a somber tale of corruption, appalling living
circumstances, and the fear of arbitrary bloodshed.

16. LEWIS CARROLL. English author and poet known for his inventive wordplay, nonsensical logic, and imagination.

His most well-known works are the children’s books Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (1865) and its sequel,
Through the Looking-Glass (1871). Essentially, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland depicts the child’s struggle to
survive in the confusing adult world.

17. FRANZ KAFKA. Czech novelist who is widely recognized as one of the greatest authors of the 20th century. His
heroes are lone individuals caught in absurd (often weird) situations with unfathomable bureaucracies.
The Metamorphosis - the best-known work of Kafka.

18. FYODOR DOSTOYEVSKY. Russian novelist works examine psychology amid the turbulent political, social, and
spiritual settings of 19th-century Russia. Many literary critics regard him as one of the greatest writers in history.
Crime and Punishment -masterpiece

19. HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN. Danish storyteller and a a prolific writer of plays, travelogues, novels, and poetry.
Yet, his literary fairy tales are what people most often associate him with.
The Emperor's New Clothes - a fairy tale about a conceited emperor who is comically tricked due to his own
vanity and dishonesty, is one of his best known.
20. EMILY DICKINSON. was unknown as a poet during her lifetime, many now consider her to be one of the most
significant figures in American culture. Numerous writers, including the Brontes, have been influenced by her
poetry.
Hope is the Thing with Feathers - a poem about hope, might be her most famous work.

21. GEOFFREY CHAUCER. English novelist, poet, and philosopher, is occasionally called the "father of English
literature."
The Canterbury Tales - an incomplete frame narrative, is his most famous one. Chaucer's lengthy poem (over
17,000 lines) follows a group of 31 pilgrims, including Chaucer himself, who travel from the Tabard Inn in
Southwark to St. Thomas à Becket’s shrine at Canterbury. Cathedral.

22. DANTE ALIGHEIRI. The Italian poet's lengthy (14,233 lines) narrative poem is his most well-known and lauded
work.
The Divine Comedy tells the tale of the narrator's trip through hell and purgatory to heaven.

23. ALBERT CAMUS. a novelist with a strong philosophical bent but not much of a philosopher (as he denied
himself to be), is most known for his work and examination of what he calls "the feeling of the absurd."
One such work example is a literary classic of the 20th century "The Stranger".

24. JOHN ERNST STEINBECK JR. American author who is most known for penning the Pulitzer Prize winner The
Grapes of Wrath.
The novel portrays the horrors of the Great Depression and inquires into the essence of equality and justice in
America.

25. GUSTAVE FLAUBERT. was a French author best known for being the country's foremost proponent of literary
realism. He is well known for the novel Madame Bovary, which tells the tale of an unsatisfied housewife who
engages in two extramarital affairs but learns that adultery is almost as miserable as her marriage.

26. HERMANN HESSE. was a well-known and influential writer in the German-speaking world at the time. Yet
global stardom didn’t arrive until much later. The individual’s efforts to depart from the accepted forms of
civilization in search of a fundamental spirit and identity serve as the central focus of his work.
The novel Siddhartha, which explores the never-ending quest for enlightenment, is one of Hesse’s best and
unquestionably the best work to come out of his so-called psychoanalytic phase.

27. JEAN - PAUL SARTRE. A leading figure in French philosophy of the 20th century, Jean-Paul Sartre was a French
existentialist philosopher and pioneer as well as a dramatist, screenwriter, novelist, and critic. Without question,
one of the most influential philosophical works of the 20th century is his book Being And Nothingness. All prior
beliefs about how an individual interacts with the outside environment were challenged by its groundbreaking
approach.