1.
Complete Name:
Amado V. Hernandez
Birthplace:
Hagonoy, Bulacan
Hometown:
Hagonoy, Bulacan (but grew up in Tondo, Manila)
Date of Birth:
September 13, 1903
Date of Death:
March 24, 1970
Educational Background:
Studied at the Manila High School in Gagalangin,
Tondo, and completed a bachelor of arts degree at the
American Correspondence School.
Career or Profession:
poet, journalist, political and labor leader
Significant events in his life:
He started as a writer and editor before World War II.
After the war, he became a representative of the
Newspaper Guild of the Philippines in the leadership
of the Congress of Labor Organizations (CLO). He
became president of CLO in 1947 and was also elected
Consehal of Manila in 1945 and 1947. When the pag-
aalsang Huk broke out, he was one of the suspected
Communists and was arrested. It was an impressive
fact that he had written a lot of literary work while in
prison and being tried. He was found not guilty in
1964 and continued political participation until his
death on March 24, 1970.  ratings for the Magpakailanman (MPK) episode
Important and award-winning literary works:
Considered his most important book ang kalipunan ng
tulang Isang Dipang Langit (1961), the novels Luha ng
Buwaya at Ibong Mandaragit(1969), tulang pasalaysay
na Bayang Malaya (1969), and plays “Muntinglupa”
(1957), “Hagdan sa Bahag hari” (1958),“ Ang mga
Kagalang-galang ”(1959) at “Magkabilang Mukha ng
Isang Bagol” (1960). His favorite poems to perform
are “Kung Tuyo na Luha mo Aking Bayan,”“ Panata
sa Kalayaan,”“ Inang Wika,” at “Makalawang
Namatay.” Nagtamo ng karangalang banggit ang
kaniyang “Kayumanggi” sa Commonwealth Literary
Contest noong 1938, at nabigyan siya ng Republic
Cultural Heritage Award para sa Isang Dipang Langit
noong 1962. Kinilala rin siyang Makata ng Ilaw at
Panitik noong 1925, Patnubay ng Sining at Kalinangan
ng Lungsod Maynila noong 1964, at Tanglaw ng Lahi
ng Ateneo De Manila noong 1970.
2. Complete Name:
Rommel Nazareno Angara
Birthplace:
Baler, Aurora, Philippines
Hometown:
Baler, Aurora, Philippines
Date of Birth:
August 20, 1980
Educational Background:
He graduated as high school valedictorian in 1997 and
as a commended college student in 2013 with a
Bachelor of Secondary Education (BSEd) degree from
the Mount Carmel College of Baler (MCCB), the
oldest Catholic mission school in the province of
Aurora.
Career or Profession:
Poet
Significant events in his life:
He witnessed his father's occasional violence against
his mother, who eventually fled their home, from his
childhood to early adolescence. He also witnessed the
former's occasional intoxication and constant smoking
from childhood to early adulthood. He worked as an
office clerk, a tutor, and a housemate in his early
adulthood. He was diagnosed with Ménière disease in
late December 2015.
His life story was told in the film Maalaala Mo Kaya?
On May 21, 2016, ABS-CBN aired the episode "Pasa"
("Bruise") starring child actor Raikko Mateo and actor,
model, and video jockey Diego Loyzaga. According to
Kantar Media, the MMK episode received a 30.2%
nationwide rating, compared to 15.0% and 1.5%
(GMA 7) and Wattpad Presents episode (TV5),
respectively.
Important and award-winning literary works:
After experiencing a broken family in his early
adolescence, he turned to poetry for solace. His first
poem to be published was the children's poem "Why
Do They Cut Me, Lord?" which appeared in children's
magazines in 1998. He published several poems in the
2000s and 2002, as well as on TheWay from 2011 to
2012. "En Su Incansable Labor" ("In His Tireless
Labor"), one of the poems he wrote for The Dawn,
was added to the catalogue of the National Library of
the Philippines in 2012. He believes that "a hundred
ideas and hundred thoughts" can be expressed "even
through a line of poetry," and he contributed several
essays to The Modern Teacher between 2005 and
2016, as well as from 2016 to 2020. "Is It Time for
You to Say 'I Do'?—An Open Letter to a Young
Student in Love" ("Is It Time for You to Say 'Yes'?—
A Letter to a School Boy Who Loves") is one of the
essays she wrote for The Modern Teacher.
3. Emilio Mar Antonio
Complete Name:
Emilio Martinez Antonio
Birthplace:
Bambang, Taal, Batangas Buhay Kahapon o Buhay Ngayon? He defended
Hometown: Antonio and he was crowned as “King of Balagtasan”
by the Taliba ng Inang Wika or TANI
Date of Birth: W headed by Lope K. Santos.
December 10, 1903
Date of Death:
May 13, 1967
4. Complete Name:
Educational Background:
Rogelio R. Sicat
Birthplace & Hometown:
Career or Profession:
San Isidro, Nueva Ecija
Date of Birth:
Significant events in his life:
June 26 1940
Date of Death:
Important and award-winning literary works:
July 26, 1997
Emilio Mar Antonio was born on 11 December 1903
Educational Background:
in Bambang, Bulacan. He died on 13 May 1967 in
He earned a "B.Lit in Journalism" degree from the
Quiapo, Manila. He was a poet and
University of San Tomas. From 1991 to 1994, he
a fictionist. In 1941, he married Andrea Teodoro and
earned a "M A. in Filipino" from the University of the
they had six children, one of whom is poet Teo
Philippines in Diliman.
Antonio. He was the administrator an
Career or Profession:
d mediator of the balagtasan on radio sponsored by
Novelist, writer, educator
Compania Elizalde and wrote for their newspaper,
Significant events in his life:
Taliba. He was a member of the edit
Isinilang noong 1940, Rogelio R. "Sikat" Sicat iniwan
orialboardofLiwaywayfrom1946-19
niya ang San Isidro, NuevaEcija noong 1950's para
49andeditorofBulaklakfrom1950-1
magtrabaho sa University of Santo Tomas.
965.
Pagkataposmaging campus writer at literary editor ng
He wrote three novels in verse: Lakandupil,
The Varsitarian , tinuloy niyahanggang maging isa
Nakaluping Dahon and Perlas sa Putikan. He wrote
siya sa mga sikat na pioneers ng Philippine literature
Magat, Ama ng Lahing Kayumanggi, a nov
sapamamagitan ng pagpili ng Filipino bilang
el, in prose with Macario Pineda as co-atuhor. They
lenggwahe ng kanyang pagsusulat, atsa pamamagitan
were all published in Liwayway. His Birang na May
nag pagtalikod sa mga pag-alala at pakikipagtagpo sa
Luha was published in 1949.
mga"Western writers".Ang mga gawa ni Sicat, na
He became popular as a balagtasan poet, who engaged
nagpabangon sa nakagawiang literature natin
Florentino Collantes, Nemesio Caravana, and others in
atnagpamulat sa atin sa kalagayan ng ating lipunan,
public debates in verse on
unang nakita sa magasin naLiwayway. Nakakuha siya
contemporary issues. His lyric poems Ang Nayon ko
ng parangal sa Palanca awards noong 1962, at
and Gagamba at Alitaptap have been anthologized in
noong1965 lumabas bilang antolohiya, Mga Agos sa
Walong Dekada ng Makabagong
Disyerto , sumunod sa mgamagagaling na manunulat.
Tulang Pilipino, 1981.
Sumulat siya ng ilang dekada, at nakilala siya
In 1937, Mar Antonio won a gold medal in the annual
saliterary history bilang fictionist, playwright at
choice by the Kapisanang Ilaw ng Bayan in Bulacan
professor, at ang pagiging dean saUniversity of the
for his poem, “Ang Nayon Ko.”
Philippines Diliman."Impeng Negro" at "Tata Selo",
He was proclaimed poet laureate by the Kapisanang
parehong gawa ni Sicat na isinadula sa isangpelikula,
Diwang Ginto for his poem, “Ilaw.”, and by
ay ilan lamang sa mga ginawa ni Sicat. Ang iba pa
Liwayway in 1938. He also won in the first
niyang mga gawa ay:Dugo sa Bukang-Liwayway ,
balagtasan to be aired on radio besting opponents
Pagsalunga: Piniling Kuwento at Sanaysay , at
Fernando Monleon and Francisco Paño. The topic was
angdula "Moses, Moses". Namatay si Sicat noong
Sino ang Higit na Dapat Mahalin:
1997, pero pinarangalan sa hulingpagkakataon sa
Ina, Asawa o Anak?
pamamagitan ng National Book Award noong
In 1951, he was proclaimed “Prince of Balagtasan” by
sumunod na taonpara sa kanyang pagsasalin sa ginawa
the Kapisanan ng mga Makata at Mambibigkas, along
ni William J. Pomeroy na pinamagatang:"Ang Gubat:
with Collantes as the “King of
Isang Personal na Rekord ng Pakikilabang Gerilya ng
Balagtasan” after a heated poetic joust on the topic:
mga Huk saPilipinas."
Dapat bang Pairalin ang Import Control sa Pilipinas?
Important and award-winning literary works:
After Collantes’ death in 1954, Antonio and Caravana
Rogelio Sikat has received many literary prizes. He is
fought over the coveted title in a poetic joust on the
famous for "Moses, Moses", his play that won the
topic, Alin ang lalong Mahalaga:
Palanca prize in 1962 in Filipino (English). Many of
his stories first appeared in Liway, a popular literary
magazine in English. Sikat's appreciation for her work
is presented in "Living and Dying as a Writer" written
by Lilia Quindoza-Santiago. The article appeared in
Pen & Ink III.
Rogelio Sikat was professor and dekano of the College
of Arts and Titiks at the University of the Philippines
in Diliman from 1991 to 1994. Angelito Tiongson, a
professor at the College of Mass Communication in
the U.P. made a feature film titled "Little Land" based
on Sikat's "Tata Selo," another rewarded story. The
film and theater director Aureaus Solito created a short
film in 1999 based on Sikat's "Impeng Negro." In
1998, though Sikat was nominated, he was honored by
the Manila Critics Circle with a National Book Award
for translation.