Cirilo Bautista facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Cirilo Bautista
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Bautista in 2016
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| Born | July 9, 1941 Manila, Commonwealth of the Philippines |
| Died | May 6, 2018 (aged 76) Manila, Philippines |
| Resting place | Libingan ng mga Bayani |
| Education | University of Santo Tomas St. Louis University De La Salle University-Manila |
| Notable awards |  Order of National Artists of the Philippines |
Cirilo F. Bautista (born July 9, 1941 – died May 6, 2018) was a famous Filipino poet, critic, and writer. He was given the highest honor for artists in the Philippines, the National Artist of the Philippines award, in 2014. This award recognizes people who have made amazing contributions to Filipino arts.
Contents
A Young Writer's Journey
Cirilo Bautista was born in Manila on July 9, 1941. He grew up in a place called Balic-Balic in Sampaloc.
School Days and Achievements
He went to Legarda Elementary School and was the first honorable mention when he finished in 1954. Later, he was the top student (valedictorian) at Victorino Mapa High School in 1959.
He loved to learn and earned several degrees:
- A Bachelor of Arts in Literature from the University of Santo Tomas in 1963, where he graduated with magna cum laude honors (meaning "with great honor").
- A Master of Arts in Literature from St. Louis University in Baguio in 1968, also with magna cum laude honors.
- A Doctor of Arts in Language and Literature from De La Salle University-Manila in 1990.
He even got a special chance to study writing in the University of Iowa in the United States from 1968 to 1969.
Cirilo Bautista's Career
Cirilo Bautista was not just a writer; he was also a dedicated teacher and a literary leader.
Teaching and Literary Work
He taught creative writing and literature at St. Louis University and the University of Santo Tomas. In 1970, he started teaching at De La Salle University-Manila, where he became a respected Professor Emeritus (a title for a retired professor who keeps their rank).
He helped start the Philippine Literary Arts Council (PLAC) and was a member of other important groups like the Manila Critics Circle. These groups help support and review literature in the Philippines.
Major Works and Recognition
Bautista wrote many books, including:
- Boneyard Breaking
- Sugat ng Salita
- The Archipelago
- Telex Moon
- Summer Suns
- Charts
- The Cave and Other Poems
- Kirot ng Kataga
- Bullets and Roses: The Poetry of Amado V. Hernandez
His novel, Galaw ng Asoge, was published in 2004. One of his most famous works is The Trilogy of Saint Lazarus, a long epic poem about Philippine history. The last part of this trilogy, Sunlight on Broken Stones, won a major prize in 1998 during the Philippine Centennial (100th anniversary of independence).
His poems were published in many literary magazines and books not just in the Philippines, but also in the United States, Japan, China, and other countries.
Besides teaching and writing, he was also a columnist and literary editor for the Philippine Panorama, a Sunday newspaper supplement.
Awards and Honors
Cirilo Bautista received many awards throughout his life for his amazing contributions to Philippine literature.
Key Literary Prizes
- National Artist of the Philippines (2014): This is the highest honor given by the Philippine government to artists who have greatly shaped Filipino culture.
- Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature: He won this prestigious award nine times for his poetry, fiction, and essays in both English and Filipino. Winning five first prizes in this contest earned him a spot in the Palanca Awards Hall of Fame in 1995.
- National Book Award: The Manila Critics Circle gave him this award five times for books like The Archipelago, Sugat ng Salita, and Sunlight on Broken Stones.
- Centennial Prize for the Epic (1998): He won this top prize for Sunlight on Broken Stones, the final part of his epic trilogy, The Trilogy of Saint Lazarus. This award celebrated his work that explored Philippine history.
- Makata ng Taon (Poet of the Year) (1993): The Komisyon ng mga Wika ng Pilipinas (Commission on the Filipino Language) recognized him as the Poet of the Year.
Other Recognitions
- Gawad Balagtas (1997): This award from the Unyon ng mga Manunulat ng Pilipinas recognized his overall achievements as a poet, fiction writer, and critic.
- Diwa ng Lahi, Gawad Antonio Villegas at Patnubay ng Sining at Kalinangan (2001): The City of Manila honored him for his outstanding contributions to arts and culture.
- Knight Commander of Rizal (1998): The Order of the Knights of Rizal gave him this title because his writings, especially The Trilogy of Saint Lazarus, helped spread the ideas of the national hero, José Rizal.
- Adopted Son of Iligan City (1997): He was given this honor for helping develop creative writing in Mindanao and for promoting Iligan City as a center for literary arts. He helped start the Iligan Writers Workshop.
- He was also an Honorary Fellow in Creative Writing at the University of Iowa in 1969 and the first Filipino writer to receive a British Council fellowship at Trinity College, Cambridge in 1987.
Personal Life
Cirilo Bautista was married to Rosemarie Bautista, and they had three children.
His Final Years
Cirilo Bautista passed away on May 6, 2018. He was laid to rest with a state funeral at the Libingan ng mga Bayani, which is the National Heroes' Cemetery in the Philippines.
Works
Poetry
- Summer suns (with Albert Casuga, 1963)
- The Cave and Other Poems (1968)
- The Archipelago (1970)
- Charts (1973)
- Telex (1981)
- Sugat ng Salita (1985)
- Kirot Ng Kataga (1995)
- Sunlight On Broken Stones (2000)
- Tinik Sa Dila: Isang Katipunan Ng Mga Tula (2003)
- The Trilogy Of Saint Lazarus (2001)
- Believe and Betray: New and Collected Poems (2007)
- Third World Geography
- Pedagogic (2008)
- Villanelle For Old Men
Fiction
- Stories (1990)
- Galaw ng Asoge (2004)
Literary Theory and Cultural Studies
- Breaking Signs (1990)
- Words And Battlefields: A Theoria On The Poem (1998)
- The Estrella D. Alfon Anthology Vol. I – Short Stories (2000)
- Bullets And Roses: The Poetry Of Amado V. Hernandez / A Bilingual Edition (translated Into English And With A Critical Introduction) (2002)
