Genoveva Dizon Edroza

January 3, 1915

Santa Cruz, Manila, Philippines

Genoveva Dizon Edroza-Matute, “Aling Bebang” (January 3, 1915 – March 21, 2009) was a Filipino author. In
1951, she was the recipient of the first ever Palanca Award for Short Story in Filipino, for "Kuwento ni Mabuti",
which has been cited as the most anthologized Tagalog language short story.

She was born in Manila on January 3, 1915 to Anastacio Edroza and Maria Magdalena Dizon. Matute is the
creator of the popular radio program and television series, "The Story of the Boys", in the 50s. She is married to
Epifanio Matute.

She studied at Manila North High School (now Arellano High School), Philippine Normal School (PNS), Philippine
Normal College (PNC now Philippine Normal University), and the University of Santo Tomas. She taught for 46
years at Cecilio Apostol Elementary School and Arellano High School, and served as chair of the Philippine
Department of PNC.

Some of her short stories are "Leave-taking" and "Land of the Bitter", published in the Manila Post Sunday
Magazine and in the monthly Manila Post. But she was most intrigued by her ideas examining the psychology
and experiences in teaching, such as "Eight Years," "Noche Buena," "The Story of the Good," and "Sailing the
Heart of a Child”. Her anthology published short stories and essays in "I Am a Voice" in 1952. Some of the
following collections are in Selected Short Stories 1939–1992; In the Shadow of EDSA and Other Stories, and the
Voice of Feelings. She also published with her husband in the Philippine Values in the Books: Stories, Essays,
Games in 1992.

Her writing and dedication to teaching were recognized in the Don Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards 1950s –
1960s; Outstanding PNS-PNC Alumna Award in 1966; Manila Arts and Culture Award in 1967; Balagtas National
Student Award of the Philippine Writers' Union in 1988; and the CCP Award for the Arts in 1992.

She died at the age of 94 on March 21, 2009 while sleeping. She was buried in the Manila North Cemetery.