NATIONAL ARTIST FOR VISUAL DESIGN
CESAR TORRENTE LEGASPI
- known in using palette knife for his artworks
- was a 20th century Filipino painter best known for his cubist-inspired works. He belonged to the
'Thirteen Moderns' and contributed to the emergence of modern art in the Philippines with his distinctive
style and risk-taking topics
- known for its advertising, cubist figurative, and abstract art
- National Artist in the year 1990
- Some famous works: Morning Dance - It is a "nudes" type of painting. The objects in the painting are:
a blanket, or a curtain used as a cover for some parts.
Planting Trees - The artwork shows five zombies representing those Filipinos
who survived the war
The Survivor – it is for the Filipino people and it talks about the humanity as a
whole. How Filipinos are struggling to have a country of
its own.
HERNANDO RUIZ OCAMPO
- best known for his abstract painting depicting the harsh reality of poverty and suffering
- started his career as a member of the Saturday Group along with Vicente Silva Manansala and Cesar
Legaspi
- National Artist in the year 1991
- Some famous works: Man and Carabao - Reminiscent of the Filipino expression "kayod kalabaw,"
Ocampo's work offers an image of labor or toil within
and beyond the field, including today's domestic, medical,
and improvised work spaces. The Carabao (water buffalo) is
a common farm animal in the Philippines and it
symbolizes hard work and patience.
Ina ng Balon - Consisted of bold and abstract shapes borrowed from nature.
Inspired by the country’s flora and fauna.
- Mother’s unconditional love for her child
Dancing Mutants
ARTURO R. LUZ
- known as printmaker, sculptor, designer and art administrator
- a founding member of the modern Neo-realist school in Philippine art
- best known for his minimalist, geometric, and abstract styles of art and his animated paintings of circus
performers and musicians as well as his revered cityscape series
- National Artist in the year 1997
- Some famous works: Candle Vendors - is a rare glimpse of Luz's earliest influences and his strong
sociopolitical sentiments within the compositions from
this period. Candle Vendors depicting a common scene from
everyday Philippine life: three women gossiping
while they sell candles in the marketplace
Bagong Taon - It depicts three cyclists on one bicycle, merry-making, and
tooting their paper horns who are celebrating the New
Year.
ANG KIUKOK
- known for his non-mainstream portrayals of the mother and child and the crucifixion of Christ.
- his artworks portray the anger that he saw in the world around him
- he was a Filipino painter who attained prominence for his distinct portrayal of cubist, surrealist and
expressionist concepts
- his works often consist of dynamic and disturbing subject matter
- most of his gruesome paintings were made during the martial law
- National Artist in the year 2001
- Some famous works: Angry figure - A painting that shows sorrow, madness, and rage. Represents an
existential cry, an assertion of defiance, a release from suffering
Fighting figure - This artwork shows suffering and torture that Ang witnessed
during the Marcos regime.
BENEDICTO CABRERA
- BenCab, as he is more popularly known
- pioneer of Philippine Art
- He is widely hailed as a master of Contemporary Philippine Art
- BenCab's paintings often depict figures wrapped in flowing fabrics in muted tones and earthy colour
palettes
- National Artist in the year 2006
- Some famous works: Sabel in Blue - Sabel was a symbol of dislocation, despair, and isolation — the
personification of human dignity threatened by circumstance.
Yellow Confetti - A dynamic and powerfully resonant work which describes the
civil resistance in the Philippines during the early to
mid-1980s. Perfectly pictured how the proletariats thronged
the metro and raised their fists as a sign of resistance.
ABDULMARI ASIA IMAO
- known for using the okir, sarimanok and the naga as motifs in his artworks and is credited for
popularizing the motifs to the Filipino national consciousness. Imao draws inspiration from Tausug and
Maranao art.
- he is the first Moro to receive the recognition for the National Artist Award
- National Artist in the year 2006
- famous work: Sarimanok - Credited with bringing the motifs into popular culture among Filipino. It is
the legendary bird that has become a ubiquitous symbol of Maranao art.
Depicted as a fowl with colorful wings and feathered tail. The
head is profusely decorated with scroll, leaf, and spiral motifs. It is said to
be a symbol of good fortune.
FEDERICO AGUILAR ALCUAZ
- also known as “Bon-Vivant
- known for his abstract and figurative paintings
- National artist in the year 2009
- Some famous works: Reveries of Love - Features two lovers depicted in a dreamlike and surreal
landscape. Reflects the artist's fascination with the
romantic themes of love and passion. The lovers are
depicted in a serene and mystical setting that creates a sense
of otherworldliness and escapism, inviting viewers to
immerse themselves in the romantic fantasy.
Tres Marias - Depicts three women wearing traditional Filipino dresses called
"terno" and standing against a background of geometric
shapes and bright colors. Refers to the three women in the
painting, and it is a reference to the biblical story of the
Three Marys who visited the tomb of Jesus Christ after his
crucifixion.
FRANCSCO V. COCHING
- unable to finish his studies in order to be an illustrator for Liwayway under the apprenticeship of Tony
Velasquez.
- one of the "Pillars of the Philippine Komiks Industry"
- King of Komiks
- Dean of the Philippine Comics
- Komikero ng Pambansang Alamat
- National Artist in the year 2014
- Some famous works: Da Adventure of Pedro Penduko - A Filipino comic book character styled as a folk
hero or superhero, created by National
Artist for Literature, Francisco Coching and
debuted on the magazine Liwayway.
Lapu-Lapu - action comic novel written and illustrated by Francisco Coching and
serialized in Filipino Comics from 1953 to 1954
NATIONAL ARTIST FOR SCULPTURE
GUILLERMO E. TOLENTINO
- considered as the "Father of Philippine Arts"
- National Artist in the year 1973
- Some famous works: Oblation - It is a concrete statue which serves as the iconic symbol of the
University of the Philippines. It depicts a man facing upward
with arms outstretched, symbolizing selfless offering of oneself to
his union.
Bonifacio Monument (in Caloocan City) - The monument with a 13.7 m (45ft) in
height with symbolic images and other features known as the
"Cry of Balintawak". It is acclaimed as one of the best monuments in the
world.
Bonifacio Monument (in Manila City Hall) - Also known as the Kartilya ng
Katipunan or Heroes Park. It is a public park and plaza
located in Ermita, Manila, in just north of the Manila City Hall
and south of Mehan Garden and Liwasang Bonifacio.
NAPOLEON V. ABUEVA
- "Father of Modern Philippine Sculpture"
- known as Billy
- National Artist in the year 1976
- Some famous works: Siyam na Diwata ng Sining (Nine Muses) - This reinforced concrete work
represents the nine muses of art: architecture,
dance, film, literature, music, painting, photography,
sculpture, and theater. The nude muses, spread
around a top ring like pedestal are rendered in
various stances.
Blood Compact Monument (Sandugo) - It was made to honor the first
international treaty between the Philippines and
Spain. It is where Miguel Lopez de Legaspi and Rajah
Sikatuna performed a blood compact on March
16, 1565. This signified peace and friendship.
NATIONAL ARTIST FOR THEATER
HONORATA “ATANG” DE LA RAMA HERNANDEZ
- known as Atang de la Rama
- fought for the dominance of the kundiman, a popular Philippine folk song, and the zarzuela, a musical
play about contemporary Filipino issues such as usury, cockfighting, and colonial mentality
- Formally honored as the Queen of Kundiman in 1979
- First actress in the very first locally produced Filipino film
- National Artist in the year 1973
- Some famous works: Dalagang Bukid – about a young flower vendor named Angelita, who is forced by
her parents to marry a wealthy old man, Don Silvestre,
despite her love for Cipriano, a law student.
Zarzuela and Kundiman - A musical play that focused on contemporary Filipino
issues such as usury, cockfighting, and colonial
mentality.
WILFRIDO MA. GUERRERO
- Founder and artistic director of the UP Mobile Theater
- A teacher and theater artist
- He wrote his first play at age 14, and his play in Spanish, "No Todo Es Risa" , was produced at the
Ateneo when he was 15
- pioneered the concept of theater campus tour and delivered no less than 2,500 performances in a span of
19 committed years of service
- National Artist in the year 1995
- Some famous works: Wanted: Tsaperon – has a comedy and satire genre. About two wealthy couples
that are struggling with their opposing family norms and
behavior. As parents they wanted a chaperon for
their children.
Movie Artists – comedic drama that was written after his favorite aunt’s death
Basketball Fight
ROLANDO S. TINIO
- Playwright, thespian, poet, teacher, critic, and translator marked his career with prolific artistic
productions
- was known for translating Western classics, which includes the works of Sophocles, Shakespeare, Ibsen,
Chekhov, Puccini and Verdi, into Tagalog. He did these translations in order to advance the Filipino
language
- National artist in the year 1990
- Some famous works: Sitsit sa Kuliglig, Dunung-dunungan, Kristal sa Uniberso
DAISY H. AVELLANA
- First lady of the Philippine Theater
- a stage and film director, author, actor, and screenwriter
- National artist in the year 2006
- Some famous works: A portrait of Filipino as an artist - was produced by Nick Joaquin. It is set on the
Old Intramuros of Manila, Philippines in
October 1941 before the pre-World War II happened.
Sakay - was about the story of Macario Sakay, the President of the Tagalog
Republic. It took place during the early years of the American
colonial regime in Tondo, Manila, Philippines.
SEVERINO MONTANO
- A playwright, director, actor and theater organizer with an output of one novel, 150 poems and 50 plays
- is the forerunner in institutionalizing “legitimate theater” in the Philippines
- Montano organized the Arena Theater to bring drama to the masses
- Also established the Arena Theater Playwriting Contest
- National Artist in the year 2001
- Some famous works: The Love for Leonor Rivera – about the undying love of Leonor Rivera for Jose
Rizal
Sabina – begins and ends up with a chantlike prayer for the dead woman
Paalamanan sa Calamba
SALVARO FLORO BERNAL
- known as Badong
- Designed more than 300 productions distinguished for their originality
- Father of the Theater Design in the Philippines
- He created programs for the CCP Production Design Center which he himself conceptualized and
organized.
- Known for using inexpensive local materials such as bamboo and abaca
- National Artist in the year 2003
NATIONAL ARTIST FOR FILM AND BROADCAST
LAMBERTO VERA AVELLANA
- Called “The Boy Wonder of Philippine Movies” as early as 1939
- first awardee of National Artist for Film
- He was the first to use the motion picture camera to establish a point-of-view.
- Avellana directed more than 70 films in a career that spanned six decades
- National Artist in the year 1976
- Some famous works: Anak Dalita - A Philippine crime film about the slum-dwellers of Intramuros then
being ejected from their homes. It is set in the slums of Manila
during the aftermath of the Second World War
Lapu-Lapu - A tribal chief's son falls in love with the
niece of his arch-rival. The boy is willing to leave his tribe for his
love but the girl's father conspires to keep them apart.
Badjao – tells the story of s young Badjao girl who is torn between her
traditional way of life as a sea gypsy and her desire to receive an
education
GERARDO P. DE LEON
- Born as Gerardo Ilagan Nicknamed "Manong"
- de León is the most awarded film director in the history of the Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and
Sciences' FAMAS Awards
- National Artist in the year 1981
- Some famous works: Sawa sa Lumang Simboryo - This fantastic fantasy movie centers on a legendary
criminal who guards his treasure with a snake.
Lilet - The portrayal of the title character in Gerardo de Leon's "Lilet" as a lady
on the verge of going insane while frantically holding to the
small amount of sanity she still has is repeated. De Leon, a physician
before transitioning to directing, shows a deep awareness of mental
pain.
Hanggang sa Dulo ng Daigdig – a farmer’s son seeks revenge for the killing of
his father
CATALINO “LINO” ORTIZ BROCKA
- Adopt the term “freedom of expression” in the Philippine Constitution
- widely regarded as one of the most influential and significant filmmakers in the history of Philippine
cinema
- Brocka took his social activist spirit to the screen leaving behind 66 films which breathed life and hope
for the marginalized sectors of society
- He co-founded the organization Concerned Artists of the Philippines (CAP), dedicated to helping artists
address issues confronting the country, and the Free the Artist Movement.
- He was a member of the Coalition for the Restoration of Democracy
- National Artist in the year 1997
- Some famous works: Maynila sa mga kuko ng Liwanag - The summary of this film is it tells the story of
Júlio Madiaga, a young man from the province
of Marinduque who arrives in Manila for a mission
to find his lover Ligaya. While making plans for his
mission, he has to survive the conditions in the
capital city, contending with issues like
crime and prostitution.
Tinimbang Ka ngunit Kulang - is a movie about marginal people in the society
and how they are easily judged. They are found
not able to live up to the standards of society that's why
people alienate them.
Bayan Ko – an apolitical worker in a printing press who works as a scab during a
company strike belatedly realizes that everyone is affected by the
evils of society
ISHMAEL BERNAL
- Filmmaker of the first order and one of the very few who can be truly called a maestro
- Critics have hailed him as “The Genius of Philippine Cinema”
- Noted for his melodramas, particularly with feminist and moral issues, he directed many landmark
Filipino films
- National artist in the year 2001
- Some famous works: Himala - is the story of Elsa, a barrio lass whose supposed visions of the Virgin
Mary change her life, turning her into an overnight sensation and
causing mass hysteria in a poor, isolated northern Philippine village
suffering from a drought. The film is centered on the issues of
religious faith and faithlessness, morality, and truth.
Manila by Midnight - film uncovers the other face of Manila by depicting the
ugly aspects of life in the city: unemployment,
prostitution, drug addiction, and a lack of decent housing.
EDGAR “EDDIE” CINCO ROMERO
- known as Eddie Romero
- Romero co-produced one of the earliest Filipino horror films
- Romero later called his American-financed "cult" films – including the "Blood Island" series – "the
worst things I ever did"
- National Artist in the year 2003
- Some famous works: Manila, Open City – about the Battle of Manila in World War II. In the final days
of World War II, Allied forces approach Manila. The
occupying Japanese army turns on the locals.”
Ganito Kami Noon, Paano Kayo Ngayon? – narrates the adventures and
disadventures of a naïve peasant boy, Kulas, who
wanders through the Philippine Revolution of 1896
FERNANDO POE JR.
- was a cultural icon of tremendous audience impact and cinema artist and craftsman–as actor, director,
writer and producer
- his long and successful career as an action star earned him the nickname "Da King" (i.e. the "King of
Philippine movies")
- National Artist in the year 2006
- Some famous works: Ang Probinsyano – Ador is killed in a drug bust operation after he was betrayed by
his fellow cop
Isang Bala Ka Lang - story of a cop who was imprisoned after avenging and
killing his wife’s murderer.
Pilipinas Kong Mahal - A love story set in World War 2, FPJ played the role of
a Filipino soldier who left his lady love Susan Roces and
his hometown to defend the Philippines against the Japanese
invaders.
Agila ng Maynila - it revolves around an ex-policeman, a vigilante, that is
hunting down the criminal elements in Manila.
NATIONAL ARTIST FOR LITERATURE
AMADO VERA HERNANDEZ
- commonly known as Amado V. Hernandez
- he was proclaimed “Makata ng Ilaw at Panitik” (Poet of Ilaw and Panitik).
- was a Filipino writer and labor leader who was known for his criticism of social injustices in the
Philippines
- became the president of the defunct Philippine Newspaper Guild in coordination with its editor-in-chief,
Narjeey Larasa
- became president of the CLO and led another massive demonstration on May 1, 1948
- National Artist in the year 1973
- Some famous works: Isang Dipang Langit (A Stretch of Heaven) - reflects the hope of human life. There
is hope when you have life. Don't underestimate any of
the difficulties we will face and most of all do not face the
problems that we face or face because every time we are
alive, we also have the hope of eventually coming and this is
the victory
Luha ng Buwaya (Crocodile’s Tears) – allegorical representation of the
sociopolitical crisis of the country from the 1930s up to the 1950s.
Mga Ibong Mandaraggit (Birds of Prey) – focuses on the neocolonial dependence
and revolt in the Philippines. The novel reflects Hernandez's experience as a
guerrilla intelligence officer
Pili ang Pinili (Chosen form the Selected)
FRANCSICO SIONIL JOSE
- his novels and short stories depict the social underpinnings of class struggles and colonialism in Filipino
society
- was a Filipino writer who was one of the most widely read in the English language
- he established the Philippine arm of PEN (Poets, Essayists, and Novelists), an international organization
of writers
- National Artist in the year 2001
- Some famous works: My brother, My executioner, Po-on
Gagamba - The novel is about a Filipino male cripple nicknamed “Gagamba”, a
vendor of sweepstakes tickets in Ermita, Manila.
VIRGILIO S. ALMARIO
- known by his penname Rio Alma
- a Filipino artist, poet, critic, translator, editor, teacher, and cultural manager
- recognized for reviving and reinventing traditional Philippine poetic forms while championing
modernist poetics. His poetry ranges from the lyrical to the satirical to the epic, from the dramatic to the
incantatory
- currently serves as the chairman of the Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino (KWF) KOMISYON SA
WIKANG FILIPINO which is the government agency mandated to promote and standardize the use of
the Filipino language
- National Artist in the year 2003
- Some famous works: Buwan, Buwang, Bulawan, Palipad Hangin,
UP Diksyonaryong Pilipino - a popular resource for Filipino language students
and researchers
FRANCISCO ARCELLANA
- writer, poet, essayist, critic, journalist, and teacher is Francisco Arcellana who is an important
progenitor of the modern Filipino short story in English
- he pioneered the development of the short story as a lyrical prose-poetic form
- National Artist in the year 1990
- Some famous works: The Flowers of May - Depicts the shock that comes upon a grieving family
when they finally come to accept a beloved
member's death two months after her funeral.
It is about how life can be
turned into a charnel house, a great city into a dark
necropolis. This is a world class short story.
Poetry and Politics: The State of Original Writing in English in the
Philippines Today - Discusses why poets have to talk politics, and
examines the state of poetry writing in the
Philippines.
EDITH CUTARAN LOPEZ TIEMPO
- acknowledged by some as the Mother of Philippine Literature
- was a Filipino poet, fiction writer, teacher and literary critic in the English language
- her poems are intricate verbal transfigurations of significant experiences
- her language has been marked as "descriptive but unburdened by scrupulous detailing."
- founded (in 1962) and directed the Silliman National Writers Workshop in Dumaguete City,
which has produced some of the Philippines' best writers
- National Artist in the year 1999
- Some famous works: A Blade of Fern - sketches a panoramic vista of rural life and problems of survival
among miners prospecting for gold
Commend Contend - This indicates the substance of practically all the poems in
this collection displays the considering of both the
contrastive viewpoints of commending and disproving – an
artistic treatment that attempts a cohesion of a two-sided
view of the nature of truth.
The Builder - work which abounds with the clear surprises of inversion and
moral ambiguity, where the consummate artist meditates
on the human leaning for rootedness - as in life's rooms, the
seekers come and go, ripening into wisdom and discovering that
time is the one firmament building the house of conviction and
faith, slaking our thirst for truth.
NESTOR VICENTE MADALI GONZALEZ
- known as N.V.M Gonzales
- He was a Filipino novelist, short story writer, essayist and, poet
- Founding Editor of The Diliman Review
- First President of Philippine Writers Association
- National Artist in the year 1997
- Sone famous works: A season of Grace,
The winds of April - Winds of April starts with the narrator recounting his early
years in Mindoro and Romblon. Acquainted with two
languages and cultures, Tagalog and Visayan, it is the
water that separates these two places that is closest to his
heart. His numerous travels, however, bridges the distance.
CARLOS QUIRINO
- A biographer, has the distinction of having written one of the earliest biographies of Jose Rizal titled
The Great Malayan
- also wrote several works in relation with the Philippine history and biographies of President
Manuel Quezon and the painter Damian Domingo
- first Filipino correspondent for the United Press Institute
- National Artist in the year 1997
- Some famous works: Man of destiny, The Great Malayan - is a sweeping and majestic life story of the
Philippine national patriot, José Rizal.
Epic in scope, brimming with drama and
insight, the novel is a masterful study of
Rizal's brief but brilliant life, from Kalamba to
Bagumbayan.
Philippine Cartography - In this landmark history of Philippine maps and their
cartographers, National Artist Carlos Quirino recounts
how the concept of the Philippines emerged in the late 16th
century as a nebulous speck in the Pacific Ocean and evolved
over four centuries into its current iconography
CIRILO F. BAUTISTA
- a famous Filipino historian and biographer at his time, receiving his journalism degree in 1931
from the University of Wisconsin at Madison
- not only known for his works on biographies and history but also on varied subjects such as the
old maps of the Philippines and also the culinary legacy of the country
- Multi awarded Filipino poet, fictionist, critic, and writer to nonfiction
- a co-founding member of the Philippine Literary Arts Council (PLAC) and a member of the
Manila Critics Circle, Philippine Center of International PEN and the Philippine Writers
Academy
- National Artist in the year 2014
- Some famous works: Boneyard Breaking, Sugat ng Salita, The Archipelago
ALEJANDRO R. ROCES
- Filipino author, essayist, dramatist
- he was known as Anding
- he is a Filipino short story writer, essayist, dramatist and a National Artist of the Philippines
- he is also considered to be country's best writer of comic short stories
- he personally led the campaign to change the date of the Philippines Independence Day from
July 4 to July 12 and 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
- He is also known for recovering the stolen original manuscripts of Noli Me Tangere, El
Filibusterismo and Mi último Adiós
- National Artist in the year 2003
- Some famous works: Something to Crow about - It is extraordinary in the way that it captures the
nuances and the spirit of ordinary Filipino life.
Dr. Roces has a gift for exploring the simple nature
and emblematic aspects of Philippine society.
Fiesta - tells the story of Madrid's patron saint, San Isidro Labrador. “San Isidro
is said to have worked only for a wealthy landowner named Juan
de Vargas all his life. San Isidro was always in church so his co-
workers complained that his piety was keeping him from his work.”
Of Cocks and Kites - story shows how "kites" or "sharpers" (people who prey on
others) operate their nefarious game on unsuspecting
victims.
JOSE GARCIA VILLA
- was a Filipino poet, literary critic, short story writer, and painter
- his pen name is Doveglion derived from dove, eagle, and lion.
- 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
- National Artist in the year 1973
- Some famous works: The Anchored Angel, The Emperor’s New Sonnet
Footnote to the Youth - The clear message of the story is the need for calm and
patience before making life-altering decisions. It
encourages the young to not let hormones and emotions get the
better of them and then rue the consequences.
Man-Songs – series of erotic-poems
CARLOS PEŇA ROMULO
- was a Filipino diplomat, statesman, soldier, journalist and author
- National Artist in the year 1982
- Some famous works: Last Man of Bataan,
I saw the fall of the Philippines - This is an eye-witness account of the Battle of the
Philippines, down through the author's thrilling escape
on the last plane from Bataan and again on the last plane
from Mindanao. His book is of particular significance because of
Col. Romulo's close association with the men who were
directing that campaign.
I walked with Heroes - Romulo describes his childhood, early life, school days, and
career in Manila during the Philippine War of Independence in I
Walked with Heroes. He recalls his parents and the first time he
encountered the Americans in Camiling, Tarlac, his hometown. He was a
morning student as well as an evening news reporter
DR. BIENVENIDO LUMBERA
- poet critic and dramatist from the Philippines
- 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
- National Artist in the year 2006
- Some famous works: Ka Bel, Taste of Munuvu
NICK JOAQUIN
- Nicomedes “Nick” Joaquin y Marquez, fondly called “Onching” by close family and friends
- one of the most important Filipino writers along with Jose Rizal and Claro M. Recto
- National Artist in the year 1976
- Some famous work: Manila, My Manila - This engaging page-turner speaks volumes of Manila’s story
century after century and decade after decade. It imagines
Manila as the continuously endangered seed of the nation, which
miraculously overcomes the multitude of threats thrown its
way. While the narrative glosses over the inherent diversity of the
nation, it also exposes an essentialist, teleological, and
metaphysical historical vision.
Cave and Shadows - The novel clashed different institutions of the societies,
together with their beliefs and traditions. Here, ups and
downs of males and females could be seen. No gender is
above the other. Both have their strengths and weaknesses.
Although it is a fact that the main protagonist is male, it is
also a fact that his story revolved around the life (and death) of
the female characters of the novel.
LAZARO FRANCISCO Y ANGELES
- the Master of The Tagalog Novel
- Being an assessor in an agricultural province, most of his writings were focused on small farmers and
their current conditions with foreign businessmen.
- National Artist in the year 2009
- Some famous works: Bayang Nagpatiwakal - It tells a story about two groups of wealthy, powerful
people who will do everything to advance their business
interests.
Maganda pa ang Daigdig - This novel challenged its readers to solve or alleviate
the festering wound of Philippine society: the
widespread feudalism in the countryside.
