Florentino Suico (March 14, 1902 – 1981) was a
Filipino
Filipino may refer to:
* Something from or related to the Philippines
** Filipino language, standardized variety of 'Tagalog', the national language and one of the official languages of the Philippines.
** Filipinos, people who are citizens of th ...
Visayan
Visayans (Visayan: ''mga Bisaya''; ) or Visayan people are a Philippine ethnolinguistic group or metaethnicity native to the Visayas, the southernmost islands of Luzon and a significant portion of Mindanao. When taken as a single ethnic group, ...
public school teacher and prolific writer, fictionist, poet, and journalist from
Cebu
Cebu (; ceb, Sugbo), officially the Province of Cebu ( ceb, Lalawigan sa Sugbo; tl, Lalawigan ng Cebu; hil, Kapuroan sang Sugbo), is a province of the Philippines located in the Central Visayas region, and consists of a main island and 167 ...
, Philippines. He was known for his historical fiction written in
Cebuano language
Cebuano ([Cebuano]
on Merriam-Webster.com ), natively called by its generic term Bisaya or Binisaya (bot ...
.
Personal life
He was born in
Mandaue
Mandaue (), officially the City of Mandaue ( ceb, Dakbayan sa Mandaue; fil, Lungsod ng Mandaue), is a 1st class highly urbanized city in the Central Visayas region of the Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 364,116 ...
,
Cebu
Cebu (; ceb, Sugbo), officially the Province of Cebu ( ceb, Lalawigan sa Sugbo; tl, Lalawigan ng Cebu; hil, Kapuroan sang Sugbo), is a province of the Philippines located in the Central Visayas region, and consists of a main island and 167 ...
,
Philippines
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 ...
on March 14, 1902 and studied in Mandaue Elementary School, Cebu High School (now
Abellana National School
Abellana National School (ANS) is located in Cebu City, Philippines. It is a public high school established in the year 1902.
History
Abellana National School is situated at Osmeña Boulevard, Barangay Sambag II in Cebu City. It was formerly the ...
),
University of the East
The University of the East ( fil, Pamantasan ng Silangan), also known as UE, is a leading private university located in Manila, Philippines. Founded in 1946, business tycoon Lucio Tan acquired the university in 1990. UE was once labeled as the ...
and
University of Santo Tomas
The University of Santo Tomas (also known as UST and officially as the Pontifical and Royal University of Santo Tomas, Manila) is a private, Catholic research university in Manila, Philippines. Founded on April 28, 1611, by Spanish friar Miguel ...
for pre-law.
he was a public school teacher in
Consolacion
Consolacion, officially the Municipality of Consolacion ( ceb, Lungsod sa Consolacion; tgl, Bayan ng Consolacion), is a 1st class municipality in the province of Cebu, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 148,012 ...
,
Alcantara,
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 that typically can be read in one 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 oldest t ...
As an editor, he edited several prewar Cebuano periodicals including
Vicente Rama
Vicente Rama (June 6, 1887 – December 24, 1956) was a Filipino Visayan legislator, publisher, and writer from Cebu, Philippines. Recognized as the Father of Cebu City, he authored the bill for its cityhood which was approved into law by Octobe ...
'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 (born Vicente Sotto y Yap; April 18, 1877 – May 28, 1950) was a Filipino playwright, journalist, and politician who served as a Senator from 1946 to 1950. He also served in the House of Representatives from 1922 to 1925, 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, 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 the New Mexico Territory, politician, diplomat, and author from Indiana. Among his novels and biographies, Wallace is ...
's ''
Ben-Hur'' 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: , Spanish orthography: ''Lacandola'') was the title of the last ''lakan'' or paramount ruler of pre-colonial Tondo when the Spaniards first conquered the lands of the Pasig River delta in the Philippines in the 1570s.
The f ...
.
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
Filipino poets
Filipino editors
Cebuano language
Cebuano literature