Region 3 Authors
Region 3 Authors
Region 3 Authors
Angeles
1. Francisco Balagtas
Francisco Balagtas (born Francisco Baltazar y de la Cruz; April 2, 1788 – February 20, 62), also known as Francisco Baltazar, was a promi
nent Filipino poet, and is widely considered one of the greatest Filipino literary laureates for his impact on Filipino literature. The famous epi
c Florante at Laura is regarded as his defining work.
Ÿ Florante at Laura or Pinagdaanang Buhay ni Florante at Laura sa Kaharian ng Albanya, an awit (metrical narrative poem with do
decasyllabic quatrains [12 syllables per line, 4 lines per stanza]); Balagtas' masterpiece
2. Tomas F. Agulto
Born on 21 December 1953 in Hagonoy, Bulacan. He wrote poems at a young age and had them commented on by his family and neighbo
rs. He further honed his poetic skills as a member Galian as Arte at Tula , and went on to work on various jobs, especially in non-governm
ent sector, in pursuit of his own maturity. his poetry collections Lagi Na'y Kailangan Kong Gumising Nang Maaga at Iba Pang Pagdidilidili (A
lways I have To Wake Up Early and Other Redlections, 1981),Bakasyunista (Summer Folk, 1984) and Batanes at Iba Pang Pulo (Batanes a
nd Other Lands, 1989) all won prizes in the Don Carlos Palanca Awards for Literature. His essay “Ang Mga Badjaw sa Tungkalang” (The B
ajao of Tungkalang, 1988) also won in the Palanca Award. In 1987, the CCP Literary Contest awarded him a prize for his short story “Ang
Walang Lubay na Istasyon ng Pag-asa (The Unending Stations of Hope and Search). The following poems have won in the annual poetry c
ontest of the Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino (oe KWF, formerly the Surian ng Wikang Pambansa and later Linangan ng mga Wika sa Pilipina
s): “Kalatas kay Pinang” (Letter to Pinang) and “Umulan Man at Umaraw” (Rain or Shine); and “Malayo Na Ang Narating Ng Prusisyon” (Th
e Procession Has Covered a Lot of Ground). KWF has proclaimed him Poet of the Year three times, the first time in 1988 for his poem “Po
lusyon” (Pollution) and 2 nd Prize for the same award for a poem on the great plebeian Andres Bonifacio in 2009. His book Ang Magandan
g Babae sa Sta. Elena is an anthology poems, stories, and essays; while SA.BA.TRISa Masaganang Milenyo (2001) is a novel. His book of
poems and essays, Kuntra Krusada is forthcoming.
Emilio Mar Antonio was born on 11 December 1903 in Bambang, Bulacan. He died on 13 May 1967 in Quiapo, Manila. He was a poet and
a fictionist. In 1941, he married Andrea Teodoro and they had six children, one of whom is poet Teo Antonio. He was the administrator an
d mediator of the balagtasan on radio sponsored by Compania Elizalde and wrote for their newspaper, Taliba. He was a member of the edit
orial board of Liwayway from 1946- 1949 and editor of Bulaklak from 1950 -1965.
He wrote three novels in verse: Lakandupil, Nakaluping Dahon and Perlas sa Putikan. He wrote Magat, Ama ng Lahing Kayumanggi, a nov
el, in prose with Macario Pineda as co-atuhor. They were all published in Liwayway. His Birang na May Luha was published in 1949.
He became popular as a balagtasan poet, who engaged Florentino Collantes, Nemesio Caravana, and others in public debates in verse on
contemporary issues. His lyric poems Ang Nayon ko and Gagamba at Alitaptap have been anthologized in Walong Dekada ng Makabagong
Tulang Pilipino, 1981.
In 1937, Mar Antonio won a gold medal in the annual choice by the Kapisanang Ilaw ng Bayan in Bulacan for his poem, “Ang Nayon Ko.”
He was proclaimed poet laureate by the Kapisanang Diwang Ginto for his poem, “Ilaw.”, and by Liwayway in 1938. He also won in the first
balagtasan to be aired on radio besting opponents Fernando Monleon and Francisco Paño. The topic was Sino ang Higit na Dapat Mahalin:
Ina, Asawa o Anak?
In 1951, he was proclaimed “Prince of Balagtasan” by the Kapisanan ng mga Makata at Mambibigkas, along with Collantes as the “King of
Balagtasan” after a heated poetic joust on the topic: Dapat bang Pairalin ang Import Control sa Pilipinas?
After Collantes’ death in 1954, Antonio and Caravana fought over the coveted title in a poetic joust on the topic, Alin ang lalong Mahalaga:
Buhay Kahapon o Buhay Ngayon? He defended Antonio and he was crowned as “King of Balagtasan” by the Taliba ng Inang Wika or TANI
W headed by Lope K. Santos.
4.Virgilio V. Vitug
Virgilio V. Vitug. b. Lubao, Pampanga 17 September 1951. Poet, essayist, journalist, scriptwriter. He is married to essayist Marites Danguilan
with whom he has a son, Alab. He studied at the University of the East, and was a fellow in the writers’ workshops of the Ateneo de Mani
la, University of the Philippines, and Silliman University. He has worked as a reporter and/or columnist for the Times Journal, Tempo, Manila
Times, and Manila Chronicle; an associate editor inSagisag and Kaligiran magazines; and head writer of the children’s television program B
atibot. He has also served as director of the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism and the National Press Club; publisher of Agrisco
pe, and chair/president of World Media Groove. In 1990 he became executive producer of the TV program Mag-agri Tayo, a correspondent
of the Asian Reviewer, and associate editor of The Filipino, both London-based periodicals and contributor ofThe Entrepreneur. He was also
head writer of ABS-CBN’s “Pipol” and “Off the Record” and ANC’s “By Demand.”
He co-founded and was former chairperson of Galian sa Arte at Tula (GAT). Two of his poems are anthologized in Virgilio S. Almario’s Wal
ong Dekada ng Makabagong Tula (Eight Decades of Modern Poetry), “Isang Tanong sa Sarili” (A Question for Myself) and “Ako si Virgilio V
. Vitug” (I am Virgilio V. Vitug). his other works are found in Galian and New Poems in Pilipino. He wrote a Pampango passion play, Sinaku
lo ning Balen (Passion of the Town), and co-authored a book,Agribusiness Oppurtunities in the Philippines, 1988.
Vitug has won the following awards; honorable mention, “Simula ng Gabi sa Luba” (Evening Commences in Lubao), 1969, and “Isang Tanon
g sa Sarili,” 1976, in the Talaang Ginto of the Surian ng Wikang Pambansa, respectively; special award, Loyola Poetry Contest, 1972; and s
econd prize, National Zarzuela Writing Contest for “Hoy, Boyet” (Hey, Boyet). He has been a fellow at the Ateneo Writers’ Workshop, 1970;
UP Writers’ Workshop, 1971; and Silliman Writers’ Workshop, 1972.
5. Gregorio C. Brillantes
Gregorio C. Brillantes, a Palanca Award Hall of Famer and a multi-awarded fiction writer,[1] is one of the Philippines' most popular writers in
English.
Known for his sophisticated and elegant style, he has been compared to James Joyce.[citation needed] He often writes about individuals under thi
rty, adolescent or post adolescent ones who struggle with alienation from family, society and from themselves. His earlier collection of short
stories earned him the title of the "Catholic Writer". But elements of the fantastic also come in his works. In the 2006 Graphic/Fiction Award
s, the main local sponsor of the contest, specialty book shop Fully Booked, acknowledged Brillantes as one of the godfathers of fantastic lite
rature in English by naming the first category the Gregorio C. Brillantes Prize for Prose.
Brillantes is a native of Camiling, Tarlac. He obtained his Litt. B. degree in the Ateneo de Manila University. He has edited Sunburst, The M
anila Review, Focus, Asia-Philippines Leader and the Philippines Free Press. Among his published collections of short stories are: The Dista
nce to Andromeda and Other Stories,[2][3] The Apollo Centennial, Help,[4] and On a Clear Day in November Shortly Before the Millennium, St
ories for a Quarter Century.
He also has published collections of essays: Looking for Rizal in Madrid, Chronicles of Interesting Times, and The Cardinal's Sins, the Gene
ral's Cross, the Martyr's Testimony and other Affirmations.
He acted as one of the judges of the Philippine Graphic Novel Awards in 2007.[5] Lovely