Lualhati Bautista

Born Lualhati Torres Bautista

December 2, 1945 (age 73)

Tondo, Manila, Commonwealth of the Philippines

Nationality Filipino

Alma mater Lyceum of the Philippines University

Occupation Novelist, film and television screenwriter

Lualhati Torres Bautista (born December 2, 1945) is one of the foremost Filipino female novelists in the
history of contemporary Philippine literature. Her novels include Dekada '70, Bata, Bata, Pa'no Ka
Ginawa?, and ‘GAPÔ.

Contents

1 Biography

2 Works as novelist

3 Short stories

4 As screenwriter

5 Other honors

6 Translations of her novels

7 Works

7.1 Books

7.1.1 Novelettes

7.2 Screenplays

7.3 Teleplays

8 Awards

9 See also

10 References

11 External links

Biography
Bautista was born in Tondo, Manila, Philippines on December 2, 1945, to Esteban Bautista and Gloria
Torres. She graduated from Emilio Jacinto Elementary School in 1958, and from Torres High School in
1962. She was a journalism student at the Lyceum of the Philippines, but dropped out because she had
always wanted to be a writer and schoolwork was taking too much time.[citation needed] Her first short
story, "Katugon ng Damdamin,"[1] was published in Liwayway Magazine and thus started her writing
career.[2]

Despite a lack of formal training, Bautista as a writer became known for her honest realism, courageous
exploration of Philippine women's issues, and compelling female protagonists who confront difficult
situations at home and in the workplace with uncommon grit and strength.

Works as novelist

Bautista garnered several Palanca Awards (1980, 1983 and 1984) for her novels ‘GAPÔ, Dekada '70 and
Bata, Bata… Pa’no Ka Ginawa?, which exposed injustices and chronicled women's activism during the
Marcos era.

‘GAPÔ, the Palanca Awards 1980 grand prize winner, published in 1992, is the story of a man coming to
grips with life as an Amerasian. It is a multi-layered scrutiny of the politics behind US bases in the
Philippines, seen from the point of view of ordinary citizens living in Olongapo City.

Dekada '70 is the story of a family caught in the middle of the tumultuous decade of the 1970s. It details
how a middle-class family struggled and faced the changes that empowered Filipinos to rise against the
Marcos government. These events happened after the bombing of Plaza Miranda, the suspension of the
writ of habeas corpus, the proclamation of martial law and the random arrests of political prisoners. The
oppressive nature of the Marcos regime, which made the people become more radical, and the shaping
of the decade were all witnessed by the female protagonist, Amanda Bartolome, the mother of five
boys.

Bata, Bata… Pa'no Ka Ginawa?, literally, "Child, Child… How Were You Made?", narrates the life of Lea, a
working mother and a social activist, who has two children. In the end, all three, and especially Lea, have
to confront Philippine society’s view of single motherhood. The novel deals with the questions of how it
is to be a mother, and how a mother executes this role through modern-day concepts of parenthood.

Bautista's 2013 book In Sisterhood received the Filipino Readers' Choice Award Nominee for Fiction in
Filipino/Taglish in 2014, organized by the Filipino Book Bloggers Group.[3]
In 2015, Bautista launched the book Sixty in the City, about the life of friends Guia, Roda and Menang,
who are in their mid-60s and realize that there's a good life in being just a wife, mother and
homemaker.[4]

Short stories

Two of Bautista's short stories won the Palanca Awards, namely "Tatlong Kwento ng Buhay ni Juan
Candelabra" (Three Stories in the Life of Juan Candelabra), first prize, 1982; and "Buwan, Buwan,
Hulugan mo Ako ng Sundang" (Moon, Moon, Drop Me a dagger), third prize, 1983.

In 1991 Bautista with Cacho Publishing House, published a compilation of short stories entitled Buwan,
Buwan, Hulugan Mo Ako ng Sundang: Dalawang Dekada ng Maiikling Kuwento.[5]

As screenwriter

Bautista's venture as a screenwriter produced several critically acclaimed works. Her first screenplay was
Sakada (Seasonal Sugarcane Workers), 1976, which exposed the plight of Filipino peasants. Her second
film was Kung Mahawi Man ang Ulap in 1984, which was nominated for awards in the Film Academy of
the Philippines. Also written during the same year was Bulaklak ng City Jail, based on her novel about
imprisoned women, which won almost all awards for that year from various awards guilds including Star
Awards and Metro Manila Film Festival. In 1998 her work was used for Chito Rono's film adaptation of
Bata Bata Paano Ka Ginawa, starring Vilma Santos. In 2000 she wrote Gusto Ko Nang Lumigaya, the
screenplay for Maryo J Delos Reyes' political drama thriller.

Other honors

Bautista became a national fellow for fiction of the University of the Philippines Creative Writing Center
in 1986. She also served as vice-president of the Screenwriters Guild of the Philippines and as chair of
the Kapisanan ng mga Manunulat ng Nobelang Popular.

She was the only Filipino included in a book on foremost international women writers published in Japan
in 1991.

Bautista was honored by the Ateneo Library of Women's Writings on March 10, 2004 during the 8th
Annual Lecture on Vernacular Literature by Women. In 2005, the Feminist Centennial Film Festival
presented her with a recognition award for her outstanding achievement in screenplay writing. In 2006,
she was given the Diwata Award for best writer by the 16th International Women's Film Festival of the
UP Film Center.[6][7]
Translations of her novels

Excerpts of Bautista's novels have been anthologized in Tulikärpänen, a book of short stories written by
Filipino women published in Finland by The Finnish-Philippine Society (FPS), a non-governmental
organization founded in 1988. Tulikärpänen was edited and translated by Riitta Vartti, et al. In Firefly:
Writings by Various Authors, the English version of the Finnish collection, the excerpt from the Filipino
novel Gapô was given the title "The Night in Olongapo", while the excerpt from Bata, Bata, Pa'no Ka
Ginawa? was titled "Children's Party".[8][9][10][11]

A full translation of Bautista's best works could better represent the characteristics of Filipino writing in
international publishing. Dekada '70 has been translated to the Japanese language and was published by
Mekong Publishing House in the early 1990s. Tatlong Kuwento ng Buhay ni Julian Candelabra (1st prize,
Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature, 1983) was translated in English and published by The Lifted
Brow in Australia.[citation needed]

Works

Books

Bulaklak sa City Jail

Dekada '70

Bata, Bata… Pa’no Ka Ginawa?

‘GAPÔ

Sixty in the City

In Sisterhood

Sonata

Hinugot sa Tadyang (non-fiction)

Buwan, Buwan, Hulugan Mo Ako ng Sundang: Dalawang Dekada ng Maiikling Kuwento

Desaparesidos

Novelettes

Sila At Ang Gabi: Isang Buong Laot at Kalahati ng Daigdig (1994) ISBN 9712703290

Ang Babae sa Basag na Salamin (1994) ISBN 9716850328

Araw ng mga Puso ISBN 971685014X

Apat Na screenplay ISBN 9712704475

Ang Kabilang Panig ng Bakod

Hugot sa Sinapupunan

Desisyon

Sumakay tayo sa buwan

Screenplays

Sakada (co-writer)

Kung Mahawi Man ang Ulap

Bulaklak sa City Jail

Kadenang Bulaklak

The Maricris Sioson Story

Nena

Bata, Bata...Pa'no Ka Ginawa?: The Screenplay

Dekada '70

Gusto Ko Nang Lumigaya (screenplay)

Sex Object

Isang Kabanata sa Libro ng Buhay ni Leilani Cruzaldo (television drama)

Teleplays

Dear Teacher (co-writer)

Daga sa Timba ng Tubig

Mama

Pira-pirasong Pangarap

Balintataw (Episode title: "Labinlimang Taon"; 1987)[12]

Desaparesidos (1998)

Awards