TOP 10 MOST

INFLUENTIAL and/or
BESTSELLING
FILIPINO WRITERS

Prepared by: Neilfren P. Villas

https://pinoypanitikan.files.wordpress.com/2010/07/ent1
 TOP 10 MOST
INFLUENTIAL and/or
BESTSELLING
FILIPINO WRITERS

10. CARLO J. CAPARAS

Carlo J. Caparas is a comic strip creator, writer, director and
producer who became sensational known for his created local
superheroes and comic book characters that are still popular to
Filipinos until now. Some of his creations turned Filipino icons such
as “Panday” (a Blacksmith hero) and many others. As a producer
and director, Carlo J. Caparas produced box-office movies based on
comics and true-to-life stories and crimes. In 2009 he received
National Artist Award granted by the President of the Philippines.
 TOP 10 MOST
INFLUENTIAL and/or
BESTSELLING
FILIPINO WRITERS

9. MARS RAVELO
Mars Ravelo is also a comic strip creator and writer who became
phenomenal in the Philippines for his created superheroes such as
“Darna” (a Filipino version of Wonder Woman), Dyesebel (name of the
Filipino mermaid/heroine), and many others. During his time, the
“Golden Age of Comics” flourished. Like Carlo J. Caparas, Mars
Ravelo’s creations and writings were turned into films and became box-
office hit during 1960’s to 1980’s. Ravelo was also the highest paid
comic writer during his time. Until now, his creations is still influential to
Philippine contemporary literature.
 TOP 10 MOST
INFLUENTIAL and/or
BESTSELLING
FILIPINO WRITERS

8. LOUIE MAR GANGCUANCO

The youngest among the list, Louie Mar Gangcuanco published his debut novel entitled
“Orosa-Nakpil, Malate” at the age of 18. The novel illustrates the pink culture in the streets
of Orosa and Nakpil, which is known as the haven of gay Filipino culture. The novel became
an instant hit, becoming a bestseller months after it was released. His work was featured in
the top-rating TV show, Sharon, in June of the same year. In August 2006, Louie Mar was
awarded the Y Idol Award (Youth Idol Award) by Studio 23’s Y Speak. Later that
month, the Sentro ng Wikang Filipino conferred a Sertipiko ng Pagpapahalaga for Orosa-
Nakpil, Malate. His phenomenal novel is endorsed by prominent people and institutions
including the multi-awarded director, Jose Javier “Joey” Reyes, Dr. Jaime Galvez Tan (former
DOH secretary) and Dr. Raul Destura of the National Institutes of Health Philippines. After one
year of circulation, Orosa-Nakpil, Malate made it to the Best Sellers List released by National
Book Store in April 2007
 TOP 10 MOST
INFLUENTIAL and/or
BESTSELLING
FILIPINO WRITERS

7. GILDA OLVIDADO
Gilda Olvidado is a popular Filipino novelist and writer, known for her
extraordinary love stories. She became famous during the 1970’s with
her remarkable novels “Sinasamba Kita (I Worship You)”,
“Babangon ako’t Dudurugin Kita (Sweet Revenge)”. She also
wrote screenplays that later turned into blockbuster such as “Saan
Nagtatago ang Pag-ibig? (Where is Love Hiding?)” who made her rise
into popularity after the Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences
recognized it as the best story. Today, Gilda Olvidado’s fans are still
counting, waiting the release for her next novel.
 TOP 10 MOST
INFLUENTIAL and/or
BESTSELLING
FILIPINO WRITERS

6. NICK JOAQUIN
Joaquín deeply admired José Rizal, the national hero of the Philippines. Joaquín paid tribute to
Rizal by way of books such as Culture and History, The Storyteller’s New Medium – Rizal
in Saga, The Complete Poems and Plays of Jose Rizal, and A Question of Heroes:
Essays in Criticism on Ten Key Figures of Philippine History. He also translated the
hero’s valedictory poem, in the original Spanish “Mi Ultimo Adios,” as “Land That I Love,
Farewell!”
Joaquín served as a member of Motion Pictures under President Diosdado Macapagal and
President Ferdinand E. Marcos. Joaquin’s first move as National Artist was to secure the
release of imprisoned writer José F. Lacaba. Later, at a ceremony on Mount Makiling attended
by First Lady Imelda Marcos, Joaquín delivered an invocation to Mariang Makiling, the
mountain’s mythical maiden. Joaquín touched on the importance of freedom and the artist.
 TOP 10 MOST
INFLUENTIAL and/or
BESTSELLING
FILIPINO WRITERS

5. LUALHATI BAUTISTA
Lualhati Bautista is one of the foremost Filipino female novelists in the history of
contemporary Philippine Literature. Her novels include, “Dekada ’70 (Decade
’70)”, “Bata, Bata, Pa’no Ka Ginawa? (Child, Child… How were you
made?”, and “‘GAPÔ (short name for Olongapo, Philippines)”. In addition to
being a novelist, Lualhati Bautista is also a movie and television screenwriter and
a short story writer. Her award-winning screenplays include Bulaklak sa City
Jail (A Flower in City Jail) (1984), Kung Mahawi Man ang Ulap (If The
Clouds are Parted) (1984), Sex Object (1985). For screenplay writing, she
has received recognition from the Metro Manila Film Festival (best story-best
screenplay), Film Academy Awards (best story-best screenplay), Star Awards
(best screenplay), FAMAS (finalist for best screenplay), and URIAN awards.
 TOP 10 MOST
INFLUENTIAL and/or
BESTSELLING
FILIPINO WRITERS

4. F. SIONIL JOSE
F. Sionil Jose is one of the most widely-read Filipino writers in the English
language. His novels and short stories depict the social underpinnings of class
struggles and colonialism in Filipino society. José’s works – written in
English – have been translated into 22 languages, including Korean, Indonesian,
Russian, Latvian, Ukrainian and Dutch. Jose Rizal’s life and writings profoundly
influenced José’s work. The five volume Rosales Saga, in particular, employs and
interrogates themes and characters from Rizal’s work.
Throughout his career, Sionil José’s writings espouse social justice and change to
better the lives of average Filipino families. He is one of the most critically
acclaimed Filipino authors internationally, although much underrated in his own
country because of his authentic Filipino English and his anti-elite views.
In 1980, Sionil Jose received Ramon Magsaysay Award (Asia’s Nobel Prize) for
Literature.
 TOP 10 MOST
INFLUENTIAL and/or
BESTSELLING
FILIPINO WRITERS

3. FRANCISCO BALAGTAS
Francisco Baltazar, known much more widely through his nom-de-plume Francisco
Balagtas, was a prominent Filipino poet, and is widely considered as the Tagalog
equivalent of William Shakespeare for his impact on Filipino literature. The famous
epic, Florante at Laura, is regarded as his defining work.
Balagtas learned to write poetry from José de la Cruz (Huseng Sisiw), one of the
most famous poets of Tondo. It was de la Cruz himself who personally challenged
Balagtas to improve his writing. (source: Talambuhay ng mga Bayani, for Grade 5
textbook) Balagtas published Florante at Laura upon his release in 1838. He
moved to Balanga, Bataan in 1840 where he served as the assistant to the Justice
of peace and later, in 1856, as the Major Lieutenant. He was also appointed as the
translator of the court.
Balagtas is so greatly revered in the Philippines that the term for Filipino debate in
extemporaneous verse is named for him: balagtasan.
 TOP 10 MOST
INFLUENTIAL and/or
BESTSELLING
FILIPINO WRITERS

2. BOB ONG
Bob Ong, is the pseudonym of an anonymous Filipino contemporary author known
for using conversational Filipino to create humorous and reflective depictions of
life as a Filipino.
A Filipino Literary critic once commented:
” Filipinos really patronize Bob Ong’s works because, while most of his books may
have an element of comedy in them, this is presented in a manner that
replicates Filipino culture and traditions. This is likely the reason why his first
book – and those that followed it, can be considered true Pinoy classics.”
The six books he has published thus far have surpassed a quarter of a million
copies. His words of wisdom were applied by some of the Filipinos to their daily
lives.
 TOP 10 MOST
INFLUENTIAL and/or
BESTSELLING
FILIPINO WRITERS

1. JOSE RIZAL
For obvious reasons, he is the most influential and the most bestselling
author/writer until now.
Jose Rizal was a prolific poet, essayist, diarist, correspondent, and novelist whose
most famous works were his two novels, “Noli me Tangere (Touch Me Not)” and
El filibusterismo “The Filibuster”). These are social commentaries on the
Philippines that formed the nucleus of literature that inspired dissent among
peaceful reformists and spurred the militancy of armed revolutionaries against the
Spanish colonial authorities.
His books are still cracking the bestselling list.