Florentino Suico (March 14, 1902 – 1981) was a
Filipino Visayan
Visayans ( Cebuano: ''mga Bisayà'' ) are a Philippine ethnolinguistic family group or metaethnicity native to the Visayas, to the southernmost islands south of Luzon, and to a significant portion of Mindanao. They are composed of numerous di ...
public school teacher and prolific writer, fictionist, poet, and journalist from
Cebu
Cebu ( ; ), officially the Province of Cebu (; ), is a province of the Philippines located in the Central Visayas region, and consists of a main island and 167 surrounding islands and islets. The coastal zone of Cebu is identified as a ...
, Philippines. He was known for his historical fiction written in
Cebuano language
Cebuano ( )[Cebuano]
on Merriam-Webster.com is an Austronesian languages, Austronesian language spoken i ...
.
Personal life
He was born in
Mandaue
Mandaue (), officially the City of Mandaue (; ), is a Cities of the Philippines#Legal classification, highly urbanized city in the Central Visayas region of the Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 364,116 people.
...
,
Cebu
Cebu ( ; ), officially the Province of Cebu (; ), is a province of the Philippines located in the Central Visayas region, and consists of a main island and 167 surrounding islands and islets. The coastal zone of Cebu is identified as a ...
,
Philippines
The Philippines, officially the Republic of the Philippines, is an Archipelagic state, archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. Located in the western Pacific Ocean, it consists of List of islands of the Philippines, 7,641 islands, with a tot ...
on March 14, 1902 and studied in Mandaue Elementary School, Cebu High School (now
Abellana National School),
University of the East
The University of the East (), also known as UE, is a private university located in Manila, Philippines. Founded in 1946, business tycoon Lucio Tan acquired the university in 1990. UE was once labeled as the "largest university in Asia" when i ...
and
University of Santo Tomas
The University of Santo Tomas (UST; ), officially the Pontifical and Royal University of Santo Tomas, The Catholic University of the Philippines or colloquially as ''Ustê'' (), is a Private university, private Catholic school, Catholic researc ...
for pre-law.
he was a public school teacher in
Consolacion
Consolacion, officially the Municipality of Consolacion (; ), is a municipality of the Philippines, municipality in the Philippine Province, province of Cebu, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 148,012 people. ...
,
Alcantara
Alcantara, Alcântara ( Portuguese), Alcántara (Spanish), Alcàntara, Alcàntera, El-Qantarah and (El) Kantara are all transliterations of the Arabic word ''al-qantara'' (القنطرة), meaning "the bridge".
Alcantara may refer to:
People
* ...
,
Badian, Mambaling, and Mabolo. He also served as secretary to congressman Ramon Durano and technical assistant to Congress secretary Inocencio B. Pareja.
He died in 1981.
Writing
He began writing at age 21 and throughout his life, he had written 30 poems and 40
short stories
A short story is a piece of prose fiction. It can typically be read in a single sitting and focuses on a self-contained incident or series of linked incidents, with the intent of evoking a single effect or mood. The short story is one of the old ...
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
Vicente Yap Sotto, Sr. (; April 18, 1877 – May 28, 1950) was a Filipino playwright, journalist, and politician who served as a Senate of the Philippines, senator from 1946 to 1950. He also served in the 6th Philippine Legislature, House of Rep ...
's ''Ang Suga'', was a staff member of ''Tabunon'' (1939–1941)
that was founded by
Natalio Bacalso
Natalio Bacus Bacalso (December 1, 1908 – March 30, 1984) was a Filipino writer, newspaperman, radio broadcaster, filmmaker, Constitutional Convention delegate in 1971 representing Cebu's 2nd district, and opposition assemblyman to the Inter ...
and published by
Mariano Jesus Cuenco
Mariano is a masculine name from the Romance languages, corresponding to the feminine Mariana.
It is an Italian, Spanish and Portuguese variant of the Roman Marianus which derived from Marius, and Marius derived from the Roman god Mars (see als ...
, founded the Cebuano newspaper ''Balita'' in 1948,
and published the first weekly periodical ''Ang Panahon (The Times)'' after World War II in 1946. He wrote an adaptation of
Lew Wallace
Lewis Wallace (April 10, 1827February 15, 1905) was an American lawyer, Union general in the American Civil War, governor of New Mexico Territory, politician, diplomat, artist, and author from Indiana. Among his novels and biographies, Walla ...
's ''
Ben-Hur Ben-Hur or Ben Hur may refer to:
Fiction
*'' Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ'', an 1880 novel by American general and author Lew Wallace
** ''Ben-Hur'' (play), a play that debuted on Broadway in 1899
** ''Ben Hur'' (1907 film), a one-reel silent ...
'' translated into Cebuano.
Novels
As a Cebuano novelist,
Suico wrote three novels, all of which were historical fiction:
''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
Lakandula (Baybayin: , Filipino orthography, Spanish orthography: ''Lacandola'') was the title of the last ''lakan'' or paramount ruler of History of the Philippines (900–1521), pre-colonial Tondo (historical polity), Tondo when the Spain, Sp ...
.
Further reading
* 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
Cebuano Studies Center: Florentino SuicoHistorical Photograph of Florentino Suico , Southeast Asia Digital Library
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Suico, Florentino
1902 births
1981 deaths
Visayan people
Cebuano writers
20th-century Filipino writers
Writers from Cebu
People from Cebu
Filipino novelists
20th-century Filipino poets
Filipino magazine editors
Cebuano language
Cebuano literature