MANILA, Philippines—Following the devastating news, the Cultural Center of the Philippines extends its deepest condolences on the passing of National Artist for Literature F. Sionil Jose. Tessie Jovellano, Jose’s wife shares that the 2001 National Artist awardee passed away at the age of 97 on January 6, 2022 at the Makati Medical Center where he was confined while waiting to undergo angioplasty.
The founder of the Philippine chapter of PEN, Jose was one of the most revered and read Filipino writers whose works have been published and translated into various languages.
Most known for his novels and literary works that talks national sovereignty and social justice, his notable works include the Rosales saga, a five-novel series consisting of The Pretenders, Tree, My Brother, My Executioner, Mass and Po-on. The novels narrate the stories of the Samsons across different generations, intertwining their personal lives with the social struggles of the nation.
Through his prolific writing since the 1960s using vernacular English, the late National Artist received various accolades including the CCP Centennial Honors for the Arts in 1998, the Outstanding Fulbrighters Award for Literature in 1988, the Ramon Magsaysay Award for Journalism, Literature, and Creative Communication Arts in 1980, as well as several Palanca Awards.