LITERARY PORTFOLIO

ABOUT PHILIPPINES
People who love reading
 LIFE STORY
GINA LOURDES DELGADO APOSTOL
Gina Lourdes Delgado Apostol was born in
Manila the second child of her mother, Virginia.
She grew up in Tacloban, Leyte, where she
studied at Divine World College. Afterwards,
she earned a bachelor's degree from the
University of the Philippines, Diliman, and a
master's degree in creative writing from Johns
Hopkins University.
In 1998, Apostol's husband, Arne Tangherlini, died. In 2013,
Apostol was diagnosed with breast cancer. She
subsequently underwent a bilateral mastectomy and
chemotherapy.
 CONTRIBUTION IN LITERATURE
NOVELS
Bibliolepsy (1997), republished
2022
The Revolution According to
Raymundo Mata (2010),
republished 2021
Gun Dealers' Daughter (2013)
Insurrecto (2018)
SHORT STORIES
"The Mistress" published in Babaylan
(2000)
"Fredo Avila" published in Bold Worlds
(2001)
"Cunanan's Wake" published in Charlie
Chan is Dead 2 (2004)
"The Unintended" published in Manila
Noir (2013)
 CONTRIBUTIONS IN LITERATURE

NON-FICTION
"In the Philippines, Haunted by History." The New York Times. April 28, 2012.
"Borges, Politics, and the Postcolonial." Los Angeles Review of Books. August 18,
2013.
"Surrender, Oblivion, Survival." The New York Times. November 14, 2013.
"Transparency: Relieving the Body Despair." ABS-CBN. January 17, 2014.
"Why Benedict Anderson Counts." Los Angeles Review of Books. March 4, 2014.
"Imperialism 2.0." Foreign Policy. April 29, 2014.
"Rodrigo Duterte: Strongman, jokerman." CNN Philippines. May 9, 2016.
"President Duterte and our revolutionary history." CNN Philippines. October 14,
2016.
"Speaker in Fascism's Tongues." The New York Times. May 19, 2017.
"Who Hits Golf Balls Into the Sea?" The New York Times. January 12, 2018.
"Francine Prose's Problem." Los Angeles Review of Books. January 17, 2018.
 LIFE STORY

JOSE Y. DALISAY JR.

Dalisay was born in Romblon in 1954. He completed his
primary education at La Salle Green Hills, Philippines in 1966
and his secondary education at the Philippine Science High
School in 1970. He dropped out of college to work as a
newspaper reporter. He also wrote scripts mostly for Lino
Brocka, the National Artist of the Philippines for Theater and
Film. Dalisay returned to school and earned his B.A. English
(Imaginative Writing) degree, cum laude from the University
of the Philippines in 1984. He later received an M.F.A. from
the University of Michigan in 1988 and a PhD in English from
the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee in 1991 as a Fulbright
scholar.
 LITERARY CAREER
Dalisay has authored more than 30 books since 1984.
Six of those books have garnered National Book
Awards from the Manila Critics Circle. In 1998,
Dalisay made it to the Cultural Center of the
Philippines (CCP) Centennial Honors List as one of
the 100 most accomplished Filipino artists of the past
century.
Dalisay has also worked extensively as a professional
editor. He served as Executive Editor of the ten-volume
Kasaysayan: The Story of the Filipino People (Manila: Asia
Publishing/Reader's Digest Asia [1], 1998). His clients have
included the Asian Development Bank, the Ayala
Foundation, SGV & Co., the National Economic and
Development Authority, the Office of the (Philippine)
President, the Department of Environment and Natural
Resources, Philippine Airlines, and the Ramon Magsaysay
Awards Foundation, among others.
 CONTRIBUTION IN LITERATURE
NOVELS
Killing Time in a Warm Place, 1992
Soledad's Sister, 2008
"Soledad: Rocambolesco Romanzo
Filippino" (Italian edition), 2009
"In Flight: Two Novels of the
Philippines" (a combined US
edition), 2011
La Soeur de Soledad," (French
edition), 2013
PLAYS
Madilim ang Gabi sa Laot at Iba
Pang Mga Dula ng Ligaw na Pag-
Ibig, 1993
Pagsabog ng Liwanag/Aninag,
Anino, 1996
Ang Butihing Babae ng Timog/Mac
Malicsi, TNT, 1997
 CONTRIBUTION IN LITERATURE
BOOKS WRITTEN SCREENPLAYS
"Oldtimer and Other Stories" (Quezon City: Asphodel Books, 1984) Miguelito, 1985
"Sarcophagus and Other Stories" (Quezon City: University of the Tayong Dalawa, 1994
Philippines Press, 1992) Saranggola, 1999
"Killing Time in a Warm Place" (Pasig: Anvil Publishing, 1992)
"Penmanship and Other Stories" (Pasig: Cacho Publishing, 1995)
"The Island" (Makati: Ayala Foundation, 1996). With Jaime Zobel and
Francisco Doplon.
"Selected Stories" (QC: UP Press, 2005)
"Soledad’s Sister" (Pasig: Anvil Publishing, 2008)
"Soledad: Rocambolesco Romanzo Filippino" (Milano: Isbn Edizioni,
2009). Translated by Clara Nubile.
 CONTRIBUTION IN LITERATURE
ESSAY
"The Best of Barfly" (Pasig: Anvil
Publishing, 1997)
"Man Overboard" (QC: Milflores, 2005)
"The Knowing Is in the Writing: Notes on
the Practice of Fiction" (QC: UP Press, 2006)
"Why Words Matter" (QC:Center for Art,
New Ventures & Sustainable Development,
2019). With illustrations by Marcel Antonio.
"A Richness of Embarrassments and Other
Easy Essays" (Quezon City: UP Press, 2020)
They reflect.
NONFICTION
"The Lavas: A Filipino Family" (Pasig: Anvil
Publishing, 1999)
"Bandera: The Filipino Flag" (Makati:
Inquirer Publications, 2004)
"Journeys with Light: The Vision of Jaime
Zobel" (Makati: Ayala Foundation, 2005)
"Power from the Deep: The Malampaya
Story" (Makati: Shell Philippines, 2005)
"Unleashing the Power of Steam: The
PNOC-EDC Story" (Makati: PNOC-EDC,
2006)
 CONTRIBUTION IN LITERATURE
DRAMA
"Madilim ang Gabi sa Laot at Iba
Pang mga Dula ng Ligaw na Pag-
Ibig" (Quezon City: UP Press, 1993)
"Pagsabog ng Liwanag / Aninag,
Anino" (QC: UP Press, 1996)
"Ang Butihing Babae ng Timog /
Mac Malicsi, TNT" (QC: UP Press,
1997)
They reflect.
BOOKS EDITED
"Kasaysayan: The Story of the Filipino People, 10
volumes" (Manila: Asia Publishing, 1998). Written by
various authors.
"The Likhaan Book of Poetry and Fiction" (Quezon
City: UP Press, 1999). With Ricardo de Ungria,
written by various authors.
"From Earth to Sky: The Life and Times of Hans
Menzi" (Manila: Menzi Trust Fund, 2001). Written by
Alya Honasan.
"A Promise to Keep: From Athens to Afghanistan"
(Xlibris, 2003). Written by Arthur and Julie Hill.
 LIFE STORY
LAKAMBINI A. SITOY
Born 1969 is a Filipino author, journalist and teacher. Her
novel Sweet Haven was published in French translation
by Albin Michel as Les filles de Sweethaven in October
2011, in the original English by the New York Review of
Books in 2014, and by Anvil Publishing Inc. in 2015. She
received the David T.K. Wong fellowship from the
University of East Anglia, Norwich, United Kingdom, in
2003.
She was born in the Philippines in 1969 and
earned a degree in Biology from Silliman
University. She has an MA from Roskilde
University, Denmark, in the fields of English
Studies and Cultural Encounters, both under
the Department of Culture and Identity.
 CONTRIBUTION IN LITERATURE

SHORT STORIES NOVELS

"The blue way"|
"Between the volcano and the sea
"The woman who clean fish"
"The wedding"
"The woman who had two navels"
"Sweet haven"
"Dreaming of a mail-order
husband"
"The boy with the painted face"
Oranges and lemons"
 LIFE STORY

LUALHATI BAUTISTA
Bautista was born in Tondo, Manila, Philippines on December 2, 1945,
to Esteban Bautista and Gloria Torres. She graduated from Emilio
Jacinto Elementary School in 1958, and from Florentino Torres High
School in 1962. She was a journalism student at the Lyceum of the
Philippines, but dropped out because she had always wanted to be a
writer and schoolwork was taking too much time.[citation needed] Her
first short story, "Katugon ng Damdamin,"[1] was published in
Liwayway magazine and thus started her writing career.[2]
Despite a lack of formal training, Bautista as a writer became known for
her honest realism, courageous exploration of Philippine women's
issues, and compelling female protagonists who confront difficult
situations at home and in the workplace with uncommon grit and
strength. She died febuary 12 2023.
 CONTRIBUTION IN LITERATURE
BOOKS
Sila At Ang Gabi: Isang Buong Laot at Kalahati
ng Daigdig (1994) ISBN 9712703290
Ang Babae sa Basag na Salamin (1994) ISBN
9716850328
Araw ng mga Puso ISBN 971685014X
Apat Na screenplay ISBN 9712704475
Ang Kabilang Panig ng Bakod
Hugot sa Sinapupunan
Desisyon
Sumakay tayo sa buwan
NOVELS
Sila At Ang Gabi: Isang Buong Laot at Kalahati ng
Daigdig (1994) ISBN 9712703290
Ang Babae sa Basag na Salamin (1994) ISBN
9716850328
Araw ng mga Puso ISBN 971685014X
Apat Na screenplay ISBN 9712704475
Ang Kabilang Panig ng Bakod
Hugot sa Sinapupunan
Desisyon
Sumakay tayo sa buwan
 CONTRIBUTION IN LITERATURE

SCREENPLAYS TELEPLAYS
Sakada (co-writer) Dear Teacher (co-writer)
Kung Mahawi Man ang Ulap Daga sa Timba ng Tubig
Bulaklak sa City Jail
Mama
Kadenang Bulaklak
The Maricris Sioson Story Pira-pirasong Pangarap
Nena Balintataw (Episode title:
Bata, Bata...Pa'no Ka Ginawa?: The "Labinlimang Taon"; 1987)[23]
Screenplay Desaparesidos (1998)
Dekada '70
Gusto Ko Nang Lumigaya (screenplay)
Sex Object
Isang Kabanata sa Libro ng Buhay ni Leilani
Cruzaldo (television drama)
 LIFE STORY
BOB ONG
is the pseudonym of a contemporary Filipino
author known for using conversational writing
technique to create humorous and reflective
depictions of Philippine life. The author's actual
name and identity are unknown.
Bob Ong pursued writing after dropping out of college.[3] His
pseudonym came about when the author was working as a web
developer and a teacher, and he put up the Bobong Pinoy website in his
spare time. The name roughly translates to "Dumb Filipino", used fondly
as a pejorative term.[4] "Although impressed", Bob Ong notes, "my boss
would've fired me had he known I was the one behind it." When
someone contacted him after mistaking him as an actual person named
Bob Ong, his famous pseudonym was born.[1] The site received a
People's Choice Philippine Web Award for Weird/Humor in 1998, but
was taken down after former President Joseph "Erap" Estrada was
ousted after the Second People Power Revolution.
 CONTRIBUTION IN LITERATURE

NON-FICTION
ABNKKBSNPLAko?! (2001)
Bakit Baliktad Magbasa ng Libro
ang mga Pilipino? (2002)
Ang Paboritong Libro ni Hudas
(2003)
Stainless Longganisa (2005)
56 (2018)
FICTION
Alamat ng Gubat (2003)
Macarthur (2007)
Kapitan Sino (2009)
Ang mga Kaibigan ni Mama Susan
(2010)
Lumayo Ka Nga Sa Akin (2011)
Si (2014)
 FIVE INTERESTING FACT
ABOUT PHILIPPINES
It’s the home of Asia’s first
Basketball League
Basketball is a national obsession in the Philippines. It’s thought that
the love affair began under American Colonial rule during the early
twentieth century, when it was first introduced into the public school
system as a women’s game. Today it’s everywhere, from makeshift
hoops on street corners to dedicated sports centres.
The Philippines professional league is Asia’s first and also one of the
oldest in the world — second only to the NBA.
 FIVE INTERESTING FACTS
ABOUT PHILIPPINES
Jeepneys are still the most
popular mode of transport
Jeepneys are synonymous with the Philippines. After World War II,
American troops left behind thousands of surplus Jeeps. Resourceful
Filipinos cobbled these together and converted them into transport vehicles
that can hold up to 20 people at one time. They’re easy to spot, usually
painted in vibrant colours with slogans emblazoned across them.
Jeepneys are slowly being phased out to ease congestion in the city, in
favour of more environmentally-friendly alternatives. But, there are still
plenty ploughing through the streets so you should have time to hop on an
iconic piece of history.
 FIVE INTERESTING FACTS
ABOUT PHILPPINES
It’s home to the world’s
longest underground river
Deep underneath the St Paul’s Mountain Range in the island of Palawan is
the Puerta Princesa Subterranean River National Park. It was created
millions of years ago, stretching 24km beneath the mountains. The longest
navigable underground river, it’s since become a UNESCO World
Heritage Site and is recognised as one of the Seven Wonders of Nature.
You can visit parts of the cave system by entering the cave from the point
where the river reaches the sea.
They reflect.
 FIVE INTERESTING FACTS
ABOUT PHILIPPINES

Let’s sing!
Karaoke is an important part of Filipino culture. Karaoke bars are a popular social
activity among Filipinos of all ages, but it’s also extremely common to see karaokes
grace homes throughout the country. Whether one knows how to sing or not, karaoke is
a well-loved activity that is also predominant among the rural and provincial areas.
Karaoke is so popular all throughout the Philippines that even families who live in nipa
or bamboo huts have karaoke equipment!
Another interesting tidbit about karaoke is that the very first karaoke machine in the
world was actually build by a Japanese musician and inventor named Daisuke Inoue,
although a Filipino inventor named Roberto del Rosario is responsible for patenting the
machine. Del Rosario came up with the Karaoke Sing-Along System back in 1975.
 FIVE INTERESTING FACTS
ABOUT PHILIPPINES
Fertilised duck embryo is
the national street snack
Known locally as ‘balut’, this cheap street eat certainly won’t be for everyone!
Balut is a fertilised duck egg, incubated for 2-3 weeks before being steamed
and finally eaten. Although many westerners baulk at the idea of slurping
down partially developed duck, it is a very popular delicacy in Southeast Asia
and especially in the Philippines.
To eat balut like a local, you should first make a hole in the shell, season the
inside with salt and give it a swirl. Suck out the broth through the shell
before peeling it off to expose the meat. You can eat everything inside, from
the yolk to the chick. Although the white is edible, a lot of people don’t like it
because it is very tough.