Here’s a list of Filipino authors and some of their famous works.
FILIPINO AUTHORS – Literature shapes the world in multifaceted ways and in the Philippines, these figures served much through their words.
For cultural identity and preservation, social change, shaping minds, fostering empathy and understanding, language and communication, and in many others – literature plays a huge part. Through the minds of authors translated into words in various forms, their pieces did not just serve as entertainment and escape from real life. Their works served as a force to shape ideas, preserve culture, and change society.
In the Philippines, here are some famous authors along with some of their famous works:
- Jose Rizal – The country’s regarded national hero is known to be one of the greatest writers. Through his writings, people learned the courage to fight and claim freedom against the Spaniards. He was the man behind the literary masterpieces such as Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo.
- Francisco Balagtas – He is also known as Francisco Baltazar and the term “Balagtasan” was coined after him. He is considered the country’s William Shakespeare and among his most famous works is Florante and Laura.
- Francisco Sionil Jose – He is a famous Filipino novelist and most of his works are written in the English language. His pieces tackle the social condition of the Filipino Society under colonialism. In 1980, Sionil Jose received a Ramon Magsaysay Award for Literature. His most famous literary contribution is The Rosales Saga which was about the history, politics, and social issues of the Philippines. This is composed of five books titled Po-on (1984), Tree (1991), My Brother, My Executioner (1973), Mass (1979), and Vibora (1980).
- Lualhati Bautista – She is phenomenal for her novels Dekada ’70, Bata, Bata, Pa‘no ka Ginawa?, and Gapo. Her writings delve into the lives of women and their struggles in the society. She wrote novels, short stories, and plays which often touched on social relevance and political themes.
- Nick Joaquin – He is one of the most renowned, well-respected, and highly admired writers in the country. He used the English language in his works and is famous for his pen name Quijano de Manila. In 1976, he received the National Artist of the Philippines for Literature. Some of his famous are The Woman Who Had Two Navels (1961), The Quiet Lovers (1959), Tales of the Tropical Gothic (1972), May Day Eve (1947), The Ballad of the Five Battles (1967), and A Portrait of the Artist as Filipino (1950).
- Jessica Hagedorn – She wrote the 1990 novel Dogeaters. This won the American Book Award and was declared a finalist for the National Book Award.
- Jose Dalisay Jr. – He wrote through the one name Butch Dalisay. Some of his writings are Killing Time in a Warm Place (his first novel) and Soledad’s Sister (his second novel). He won 16 Palanca awards.
- Luis Francia – He is a poet, author, and teacher and wrote Eye of the Fish: A Personal Archipelago which won the PEN Open Book Award and an Asian American Literary Award.