National Artist for Literature

N.V.M. Gonzalez

N. V. M. Gonzalez (Nestor Vicenti Madali Gonzalez) b. Romblon, Romblon 8 Sept 1915. Fictionist, poet, essayist. He was the son of Vicente Gonzalez, a school supervisor, and Pastora Madali, a teacher. He was married to Narita Manuel with whom he had four children. When he was four, his family migrated to Mindoro and settled in barrio of Wasig. Gonzalez had his early schooling in Romblon and later attended Mindoro High School. In 1930 he took the entrance examination to the University of the Philippines but failed.

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Virgilio S. Almario

Better known in literary circles by his pseudonym Rio Alma, Virgilio S. Almario is a foremost poet and critic in Filipino aside from being an outstanding translator, editor, teacher, and cultural manager.

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Nick Joaquin

Nick Joaquin (Nicomedes Marquez Joaquin) aka Quijano de Manila b. Paco, Manila 4 May 1917. National Artist in Literature. Born to Leocadio Joaquin and Salome Marquez, he attended the public elementary school and Mapa High School in Intramuros, Manila, but dropped out after three years of secondary education. In 1935, at the age of 17, he published his first poem in the Tribune , the WWII Manila Times .

Jose Garcia Villa

Jose Garcia Villa aka Doveglion b. Singalong, Manila 5 Aug 1908. National Artist in Literature. He is the son of Simeon Villa, Emilio Aguinaldo's physician, and Guia Garcia. He graduated from the University of the Philippines (UP) High School. In 1925 he enrolled at the UP College of Medicine, and became fast friends with Arturo Rotor, who was also studying to be a doctor. The two sat in on Paz Marquez Benitez's English class, together with S.P.

F. Sionil Jose

Francisco Sionil Jose (b. Rosales, Pangasinan; 3 Dec 1924.) He is the son of Antonio Jose, an Aglipayan minister, and Sofia Sionil. He is married to Maria Teresa Jovellanos with whom he has seven children. He had to help support his family at a young age raising hogs and working as a farm laborer. He studied at the Rosales Elementary School, Far Eastern University High School, and the University of Santo Tomas (UST). After WWII he took pre-medicine courses at the Manila College of Pharmacy and Dentistry, then at the UST, shifting to liberal arts later on.

Francisco Arcellana

Francisco Arcellana (Zacarias Eugene Francisco Quino Arcellana) aka Frank V. Sta. Cruz, Manila 6 Sept 16 1916. National Artist Literature. He is the fourth of 18 children of Jose Arcellana y Cabaneiro and Epifanio Quino. He is married to Emerenciana Yuvienco with whom he has six children, one of whom, Juaniyo is an essayist, poet and fictionist. He received his first schooling in Tondo.

Edith L. Tiempo

Edith L. Tiempo (Edith Lopez Tiempo) b. Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya 22 Apr 1919; d. 21 August 2011. Poet, fictionist. She is the daughter of Salvador T. Lopez and Teresa Cutaran. Her childhood was spent in various Philippine provinces where her father was assigned as a government auditor. She graduated from high school in Bayombong, then took pre-law at the University of the Philippines (UP) where she met and married fictionist Edilberto K. Tiempo. They have two children, one of whom, Rowena Tiempo-Torrevillas, is a noted fictionist and poet.

Carlos P. Romulo

Carlos P. Romulo (Carlos Peña Romulo) b. Camiling, Tarlac 14 Jan 1899 d. 15 Dec 1985. National Artist in Literature. He is the son of former governor Gregorio Romulo and Maria Peña. He was married twice: first, to Virginia Llamas, and then, to Beth Day. He studied at the Manila High School, and obtained his bachelor of arts from the University of the Philippines (UP) in 1918, and his master of arts from Columbia University in 1921. He taught English briefly at UP and held several positions in newspapers like the Philippine Herald and Manila Tribune.

Bienvenido L. Lumbera

 

Bienvenido L. Lumbera was born on April 11, 1932. He spent most of his youth in Batangas until he entered the University of Santo Tomas in 1950 to pursue a degree in journalism. He completed his M.A. and then his Ph.D. in Comparative Literature at Indiana University in 1967. Lumbera writes in English and Filipino, and has produced works in both languages.

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Amado V. Herndandez

Amado V . Hernandez (Amado Vera Hernandez) aka Amante Hernani, Herminia dela Riva, Julio Abril. b. Tondo, Manila 13 Sept 1903 d. Manila 24 March 1970. National Artist in Literature. He is the son of Juan Hernandez and Clara Vera. He married sarswela actor and kundiman queen Atang dela Rama. He studied in Gagalangin, Tondo, the Manila High School, and the American Correspondence School where he finished a bachelor of arts degree.

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