Angela Manalang Gloria (1907–1995) was a Filipina
poet
A poet is a person who studies and creates poetry. Poets may describe themselves as such or be described as such by others. A poet may simply be the creator ( thinker, songwriter, writer, or author) who creates (composes) poems (oral or writte ...
who wrote in English.
[The Major Collections Filipino Writers in English: Angela Manalang-Gloria, Ateneo Library of Women's Writings, date retrieved: 27 May 2007](_blank)
/ref>[Manlapaz, Edna Zapanta. ''Angela Manalang Gloria : a literary biography''. Quezon City : Ateneo de Manila University Press, c1993.][Manlapaz, Edna Zapanta. ''Filipino women writers in English : their story, 1905-2002''. Quezon City : Ateneo de Manila University Press, c2003.]
Early life
Angela Marie Legaspi Manalang was born on August 24, 1907, in Guagua
Guagua, officially the Municipality of Guagua ( pam, Balen ning Guagua; tl, Bayan ng Guagua), is a 1st class municipality of the Philippines, municipality in the Philippine Province, province of Pampanga, Philippines. According to the 2020 cens ...
, Pampanga
Pampanga, officially the Province of Pampanga ( pam, Lalawigan ning Pampanga; tl, Lalawigan ng Pampanga ), is a province in the Central Luzon region of the Philippines. Lying on the northern shore of Manila Bay, Pampanga is bordered by Tarlac ...
to parents, Felipe Dizon Manalang (born in Mexico, Pampanga) and Tomasa Legaspi. However, their family later settled in the Bicol Region
Bicol, known formally as the Bicol Region or colloquially as Bicolandia ( bcl, Rehiyon kan Bikol; Rinconada Bikol: ''Rehiyon ka Bikol''; Waray Sorsogon, Masbateño: ''Rehiyon san Bikol''; tl, Rehiyon ng Bikol), is an administrative region of ...
, particularly in Tabaco, Albay
Tabaco, officially the City of Tabaco ( bcl, Siyudad kan Tabaco; fil, Lungsod ng Tabaco), is a 4th class component city in the province of Albay, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 140,961 people.
It is one of ...
. She studied at St. Agnes Academy in Legaspi, where she graduated valedictorian in elementary. In her senior year, she moved to St. Scholastica's College in Malate, Manila
Malate is a district of Manila, Philippines. Together with the district of Ermita, it serves as Manila's center for commerce and tourism.
Etymology
The name ''Malate'' is believed to be derived from a corruption of the Tagalog word ''maalat'' ...
, where her writing started to get noticed.
Angela Manalang was among the first generation female students at the University of the Philippines
The University of the Philippines (UP; fil, Pamantasan ng Pilipinas Unibersidad ng Pilipinas) is a state university system in the Philippines. It is the country's national university, as mandated by Republic Act No. 9500 (UP Charter of 200 ...
. Angela initially enrolled in law, as suggested by her father. However, with the advice of her professor C.V. Wickers, who also became her mentor, she eventually transferred to literature.
Writing
It was also during her education at the University of the Philippines
The University of the Philippines (UP; fil, Pamantasan ng Pilipinas Unibersidad ng Pilipinas) is a state university system in the Philippines. It is the country's national university, as mandated by Republic Act No. 9500 (UP Charter of 200 ...
that she and poet, Jose Garcia Villa
Jose is the English transliteration of the Hebrew and Aramaic name ''Yose'', which is etymologically linked to ''Yosef'' or Joseph. The name was popular during the Mishnaic and Talmudic periods.
*Jose ben Abin
*Jose ben Akabya
*Jose the Galilean ...
developed a lifelong rivalry. Both poets vied for the position of literary editor of ''The Philippine Collegian'', which Manalang eventually held for two successive years. In her junior year, she was quietly engaged to Celedonio Gloria whom she married. She graduated summa cum laude with the degree of Ph.B. in March 1929.
After graduation, Manalang-Gloria worked briefly for the ''Philippine Herald Mid-Week Magazine''. However, this was cut short when she contracted tuberculosis.
Achievements
She was the author of ''Revolt from Hymen
The hymen is a thin piece of mucosal tissue that surrounds or partially covers the external vaginal opening. It forms part of the vulva, or external genitalia, and is similar in structure to the vagina.
In children, a common appearance of the h ...
'', a poem protesting against marital rape, which caused her denial by an all-male jury from winning the Philippine
The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no),
* bik, Republika kan Filipinas
* ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas
* cbk, República de Filipinas
* hil, Republ ...
's Commonwealth Literary
Literature is any collection of written work, but it is also used more narrowly for writings specifically considered to be an art form, especially prose fiction, drama, and poetry. In recent centuries, the definition has expanded to include ...
Awards in 1940. She was also the author of the poetry
Poetry (derived from the Greek ''poiesis'', "making"), also called verse, is a form of literature that uses aesthetic and often rhythmic qualities of language − such as phonaesthetics, sound symbolism, and metre − to evoke meanings i ...
collection, ''Poems'', first published in 1940 (and revised in 1950). The collection contained the best of her early work as well as unpublished poems written between 1934 and 1938. Her last poem, ''Old Maid Walking on a City Street'' can also be found in the collection. This book was her entry to the Commonwealth Literary Awards, losing to Rafael Zulueta y da Costa's verse ''Like the Molave''.
Personal life
On March 11, 1945, her husband Celedonio and her son Ruben were attacked by a Japanese patrol in Alitagtag, Batangas
Alitagtag, officially the Municipality of Alitagtag ( tgl, Bayan ng Alitagtag), is a 4th class municipality in the province of Batangas, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 26,819 people.
Geography
According to ...
. Though her husband died, Ruben was able to survive, yet his trauma had been so severe that he could not bring himself to recount the attack. This event left Manalang-Gloria a young widow with three children to support, which forced her to abandon writing and enter the abaca business, which she successfully managed.
See also
* Maria Rosa Luna Henson
* Ninotchka Rosca
Ninotchka Rosca (born December 17, 1946, in the Philippines) is a Filipina feminist, author, journalist, and human rights activist. best known for her 1988 novel '' State of War'' and for her activism, especially during the Martial Law dictatorsh ...
*Paz Márquez-Benítez
Paz Márquez-Benítez (March 3, 1894 – November 10, 1983) was a Filipino short-story writer, educator and editor.[< ...](_blank)
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Manalang-Gloria, Angela
Kapampangan people
Writers from Pampanga
People from Legazpi, Albay
Filipino writers
1907 births
1995 deaths
20th-century Filipino women writers
20th-century Filipino writers
University of the Philippines alumni
People from Guagua
Bikolano writers