Legarda Commends F. Sionil Jose

Senator Loren Legarda honored the contribution of National Artist Francisco Sionil Jose to literature and journalism through a Resolution adopted by the Senate during its session on December 9, 2014.

Legarda authored Senate Resolution 1045 to recognize F. Sionil Jose’s contribution to literature and journalism.

“F. Sionil Jose has been an inspiration to several generations of writers and journalists through his essays, his role as a publisher, his lectures, his iconic bookshop Solidaridad and his founding of the Philippine chapter of the PEN, an international organization of poets, writers and novelists,” said Legarda.

“Cognizant of his artistic and literary genius and for his perseverance to instill national pride through the arts, it is but fitting that F. Sionil Jose, be recognized and honored,” she stressed.

F. Sionil Jose, who turned 90 years old last December 3, is considered as one of the prominent writers in the English language. His works have been translated to twenty-eight (28) languages, including Czech, Indonesian, French, Korean, Russian, Latvian and Dutch.

He has received numerous accolades, including the Ramon Magsaysay Award, the Pablo Neruda Centennial Award, Chevalier dans l’Ordre des Arts et Lettres, and the Carlos Palanca Memorial Award for Literature, among others.