C U LT U R E A N D A RT S
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tirring the pen in motion to craft a magni�icent piece of writing for most people is gruelling. But try telling that to a woman with inclined literary brainpower who wrote 36 novels, 122 short stories, 231 short lyrics, eight narrative poems, seven novelettes, �ive corridos, and seven long plays in her lifetime. One does not need to look far to search for an answer to who this woman is for she is our very own Magdalena Jalandoni. The dawning of the journey of this incomparable literary craftswoman began on May 27, 1891 in Salog (now known as Jaro), Iloilo City.
her by her mother. Luis, Magdalena’s brother who also possessed the magic touch in handling the pen, was the intended recipient of such skill but died at an early age. Magdalena’s mother even advised her to stop writing and learn housework instead which she believed to be the suitable skills needed by a lady. Writing was considered by her mother as an endeavor of men. However, Magdalena did not put an end to her journey towards displaying her superiority in literature showing the world that women are not inferior to men in skills. It did not take long for her feminist leaning to crash with her mother’s
and manuscripts were submerged in the blazing smokes and �ires. Later, she had her remaining compositions donated to different universities including Central Philippine University, and University of the Philippines Diliman. In 1962, Pope John XXIII granted Magdalena the Pro Ecclesia Et Ponti�ice because of her immeasurable commitment to the Roman Catholic Church. It is the highest medal bestowed by the Papacy upon the laity. Due to the blinding luminosity of her career, she received the �irst Republic Cultural Heritage Award for Literature by then President Ferdinand E. Marcos on June 12, 1969.
by Alvin K. Tung
Her education began in a school owned by the Gonzagas where she learned Spanish. Her intellectual capabilities were further enriched in Colegio de San Jose. At the age of 10, her exceptional gifts yielded her �irst corrido “Padre Juan Kag Beata Maria.” There was no halt in her escalating fervor in writing. In 1906, she continued her studies at Iloilo High School but decided to stop the following year to dedicate her every breath to her undying vocation. At 16, her �irst novel, “Ang Mga Tunok Sang Isa Ka Bulak” saw the light of day and was printed in 2000 copies. Though her vast ideas and imaginations were over�lowing, writing was not premeditated for
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next objection. With Magdalena’s sense in feminism growing on her late 20’s, she joined the Women’s Suffrage Movement which aimed to be the voice of Filipino women. In her time, women did not have a prominent image in the eyes of the world. They were merely expected to cook, serve the family, and keep the house in order. Despite the tainted pictures and struggle of women, Magdalena sowed not seeds of hatred in her writings. Her passionate heart and mind produced works wherein almost all had a universal theme —love and goodness conquer and triumph over evil. By the time of the Japanese era in the Philippines, loads of her works
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LOILO'S NK
Being a phenomenal writer, it isn’t unlikely for her to dream of an ideal man of great brilliance —our national hero, Jose Rizal. Magdalena desired an embodiment of Rizal. She however died on September 14, 1978 a spinster - not being able to �ind a man to meet the standards of the Filipino icon. She faced the stage of old age, ever true to her calling, for she continued to create literature by dictating words to her niece. She had an un�inished novel “Ang Pulong Sang Monasterio” at the time of her death. Magdalena, being a woman of strength and literary acumen, has uplifted the status of women in society —not just being second, but being the best.