Manuel Arguilla was Ilocano who wrote in English and best known for his short story “How My Brother Leon Brought Home a Wife” which received first place in the Commonwealth Literary Contest in 1940.

            Most of his stories depict scenes in Barrio Narebcan, Bauang, La Union, the place where he was born. He earned his Bachelor of Arts in Education in 1933 in the University of the Philippines. He became a member and later on the president of the UP Writers’ Club and editor of the Literary Apprentice of the said university. He got married to Lydia Villanueva, also a writer in English of Ermita, Manila.

            Arguilla became a teacher of creative writing in the University of Manila and worked in Bureau of Public Welfare as a managing editor of the Welfare Advocate until 1943; afterwards, he was elected in Board of Censors. He was secretly established the guerilla intelligence unit against the Japanese during the World War II.

            In August 1944, Manuel Arguilla was captured and executed at Fort William McKinley (now known as Fort Bonifacio).

            Some of his works as a writer are the following:

How My Brother Leon Brought Home A Wife

• Midsummer
• Morning in Nagrebcan
• Ato
• Heat
• A Son Is Born
• The Strongest Man
• How My Brother Leon Brought Home A Wife

The Long Vacation

• Mr. Alisangco
• Though Young He Is Married
• The Maid, the Man, and the Wife
• Elias
• Imperfect Farewell
• Felisa
• The Long Vacation

Caps and Lower Case

• Caps and Lower Case
• The Socialists
• Epilogue to Revolt
• Apes and Men
• Rice

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