Rogelio Ordoñez

Rogelio Lunasco Ordoñez (born September 24, 1940) is a renowned Filipino writer, poet, playwright and columnist most famous for being one of the authors of the iconic Tagalog short story anthology "Mga Agos sa Disyerto" in the 60s. A former writer in the reputable but now-defunct Liwayway Magazine, he has written fictions and non-fiction articles that won distinction from different literary organizations.

Life

Ordoñez was born in Imus, Cavite. He studied in Manuel L. Quezon University and obtained a BS in Civil Engineering. Drawn to the Filipino literature that focused on the reality of life,especially about the workers and peasants and the downtrodden or the oppressed, Ordoñez concentrated in writing instead of practicing his degree. He wrote many fictions, most notably short stories, in Liwayway, Pilipino Free Press, Asia-Philippines Leader & literary journals. His first short story appeared in Liwayway when he was still in high school. Keen in teaching and molding new-generation writers, he took up his MA in Mass Communications from the Polytechnic University of the Philippines.

Affiliations

In the course of his writing career that has spanned for four decades, he became a member and former head of the Cavite Press Club, Philippine Writers Academy, Pambansang Unyon ng Manunulat (PANULAT), and the Pambansang Linangan at Ugnayan ng mga Manunulat (PLUMA), Ordoñez has worked as secretary-general of the PUP Creative Writing Center, lecturer, and columnist.

Awards

Ordoñez has garnered top prizes from Liwayway itself, the Jose Rizal Centennial Commission in 1961, the Kadipan (an inter-university association of Tagalog writers and instructors), the Balagtas memorial Awards for Journalism (held in honor of the poet-hero Francisco Balagtas; he was bestowed by UMPIL (Unyon ng mga Manunulat sa Pilipinas)the National Achievement Award for Literature. He has authored numerous fiction, articles and criticisms in ASIA-PHILIPPINES LEADER and Pilipino FREE PRESS, both of which he worked for as staff member.

Works

Writing fiction, articles and literary criticisms in Filipino, Ordoñez works were anthologized in the following: Readings in Bilingual Contemporary Philippine Literature (Ateneo University), PARNASONG TAGALOG (selected poems in Filipino), BANTAYOG (selected essays in Filipino, Philippine Normal University), NATIONALIST lITERATURE & LIKHAAN (University of the Philippines), SUBVERSO (ACT),KILATES (literary criticisms, UP), HIYAS (Vol.II & III, textbooks in public high schools) and the landmark Mga Agos sa Disyerto (1964). His novels include Apoy sa Madaling Araw (1964) and Limang Suwail (1963), co-authored with Efren Abueg, Rogelio Sicat, Edgardo M. Reyes and Eduardo Reyes. In 1989, the University of the Philippines published in book form some of his selected writings (SAAN PAPUNTA ANG MGA PUTOK?). In 1990, his short-story SI ANTO was translated to English and published in TENGGARA (Southeasr Asian Literary Journal) and later anthologized in STORIES FROM SOUTHEAST ASIA (Malaysia), the best short-stories in the said region for the past 30 years.

Ordoñez is currently the editor-in-chief of PINOY WEEKLY, a nationalist and progressive newspaper in Filipino with Japan, Hongkong and /Taiwan editions. He is also a professor in the Polytechnic University of the Philippines, teaching Creative Writing, Literature, History, Rizal and Contemporary Social Problems.

External links

* [http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Marathon/9112/ordonezR.htm Rogelio Ordoñez]
* [http://www.manilatimes.net/national/ 2007/feb/03/yehey/opinion/20070203opi2.html Protest Literature]
* [http://www.kabayancentral.com/book/up/mb5422039.html Saan Papunta ang mga Putok?]

ee also

*Lualhati Bautista
*Manuel Buising
*Edgardo M. Reyes
*Rogelio Sicat
*Ave Perez Jacob
*Dominador B. Mirasol