Florentino Suico (March 14, 1902 – 1981) was a Filipino Visayan public school teacher and prolific writer, fictionist, poet, and journalist from Cebu, Philippines. He was known for his historical fiction written in Cebuano language.
Florentino Suico | |
|---|---|
| Born | March 14, 1902 Mandaue, Cebu |
| Died | 1981 |
| Occupation |
|
| Language | Cebuano |
| Nationality | Filipino |
Personal life
editHe was born in Mandaue, Cebu, Philippines on March 14, 1902[1] and studied in Mandaue Elementary School, Cebu High School (now Abellana National School), University of the East and University of Santo Tomas for pre-law.[2] he was a public school teacher in Consolacion, Alcantara, Badian, Mambaling, and Mabolo. He also served as secretary to congressman Ramon Durano and technical assistant to Congress secretary Inocencio B. Pareja.[3] He died in 1981.[4]
Writing
editHe began writing at age 21 and throughout his life, he had written 30 poems and 40 short stories[3][5] As an editor, he edited several prewar Cebuano periodicals including Vicente Rama's Bag-ong Kusog (1928), was the first editor of Bag-ong Suga (1963–1968) that was a revival of Vicente Sotto's Ang Suga,[6] was a staff member of Tabunon (1939–1941)[2] that was founded by Natalio Bacalso and published by Mariano Jesus Cuenco, founded the Cebuano newspaper Balita[7] in 1948,[8] and published the first weekly periodical Ang Panahon (The Times) after World War II in 1946.[9] He wrote an adaptation of Lew Wallace's Ben-Hur translated into Cebuano.[8]
Novels
editAs a Cebuano novelist,[10][11] Suico wrote three novels, all of which were historical fiction:[3] Batan-on Pa ang Sugbo (Cebu in the Early Days), Sa Nagmando Pa ang mga Hari (When Kings Still Ruled), and the unfinished Puthaw ug Dugo (Iron and Blood). Batan-on Pa ang Sugbo was published in Bag-ong Kusog in installment from 1928 to 1929 and its story was about long-lost siblings set in pre-Spanish period. Literary critic Erlinda Alburo wrote, "Batan-on expresses nostalgia for the simpler world of the ancestors and their courage and self-reliance."
Sa Nagmando Pa ang mga Hari (When Kings Still Ruled) was printed in Bag-ong Kusog from September 6, 1929, until May 16, 1930, and its plot explored the life in the court of Cebu royal families during the time of King Lakandula.[8]
Further reading
edit- Alburo, Erlinda, History and Prewar Cebuano Novel, Ateneo de Manila University (2007)
- Mojares, Resil, Cebuano Literature: A Survey and Bio-bibliography with finding list, University of San Carlos (1975)
External links
editReferences
edit- ^ Mojares, Resil. "Today in the History of Cebu" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on May 24, 2019. Retrieved May 4, 2019.
- ^ a b Mabolokon, Maria (July 7, 2011). "Florentino Suico". Cebuano Studies Center. Retrieved May 4, 2019.
- ^ a b c CSC Admin (April 9, 2015). "Florentino Suico". Cebuano Studies Center. Retrieved May 4, 2019.
- ^ "Florentino Suico Sr". Northern Illinois University Digital Library. Retrieved May 4, 2019.
- ^ "Short Story" (PDF). National Library of the Philippines. Retrieved May 4, 2019.
- ^ Oaminal, Clarence Paul (September 26, 2017). "Florentino Suico: The teacher-writer of Mandaue | The Freeman". The Philippine Star. Retrieved May 4, 2019.
- ^ "Florentino Suico | Southeast Asia Digital Library". sea.lib.niu.edu. Retrieved May 4, 2019.
- ^ a b c Alburo, Erlinda K. (2007). "History and the Prewar Cebuano Novel" (PDF). Philippine Studies. 55, #4: 479–55.
- ^ "Media Museum". commmedia.aijc.com.ph. Retrieved May 4, 2019.
- ^ "Novel" (PDF). National Library of the Philippines. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 28, 2017. Retrieved May 4, 2019.
- ^ "Cebuano" comes from the root word "Cebu" (PDF). National Library of the Philippines. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 15, 2019. Retrieved May 4, 2019.