‘I think being named National Artist is the greatest achievement in my career. In a sense, it is the highest recognition you can get as a writer in our country, and the best award that you can win as a Filipino citizen,” Dr. Cirilo F. Bautista said when he was named as National Artist for Literature in 2014.
A distinguished academician and poet of the Philippines, he became the 12th National Artist for Literature, putting him beside such literary giants as F. Sionil Jose, Edith Tiempo and Nick Joaquin. He has also devoted more than 30 years of his life to teaching in De La Salle University (DLSU) making him a professor emeritus of Literature.
Bautista was declared National Artist for Literature by President Aquino on June 20 by virtue of Proclamation No. 809. He is joined by other new National Artists Alice Reyes for Dance; Francisco V. Coching (posthumous) for Visual Arts; Francisco F. Feliciano and Ramon Santos for Music; and Jose Maria V. Zaragoza (posthumous) for Architecture.
Malacañang recognized the works and achievements of Bautista as a poet, fictionist and essayist, which have “greatly contributed to the development of the country’s literary arts and strengthened the Filipino’s sense of nationalism.”
The young valedictorian from V. Mapa High School went on to receive his AB Literature from the University of Sto. Tomas and MA Literature from St. Louis University-Baguio both as magna cum laude. He then earned his Doctor of Arts in Language and Literature at De La Salle University in 1990. He was an exchange professor and honorary fellow in various universities abroad. He received notable literary recognitions, including the first Hall of Fame Award of the Don Carlos Palanca Memorial Award for Literature, numerous National Book Awards and the grand prize in the Centennial Literary Contest.
Bautista was among nine Filipinos formally inducted into the Order of National Artists on April 14 by President Aquino at the Malacañan Palace, following his proclamation in 2014. The artists conferred with the award were Manuel Conde (Film and Broadcast Arts), Lazaro Francisco (Literature) and Federico Aguilar Alcuaz (Visual Arts) for 2009. Affirmed for 2014, together with Bautista were Reyes, Coching, Feliciano, Santos and Zaragoza.
The Order of National Artists is presided over by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP). Upon the recommendation of both the NCCA and CCP, the President of the Philippines confers the National Artist award on Filipinos “who have made distinct contributions in the field of arts and letters.”
Described as a Renaissance man, Bautista is a poet, fictionist, painter, literary critic and educator. At DLSU, he was honored as a member of the elite group of University Fellows. He spent 33 years teaching in the university, retiring in 2006.
Throughout his career that spans more than four decades, he has established a reputation for fine and profound artistry; his books, lectures, poetry readings and creative writing workshops continue to influence his peers and generations of young writers.
Bautista has been holding regular funded and unfunded workshops throughout the country as a way of bringing poetry and fiction closer to the people who otherwise would not have the opportunity to develop their creative talent. In his campus lecture circuits, Bautista has updated students and student-writers on literary developments and techniques.
Having published 18 books written in different forms of poetry, anthology, epic and fiction, Bautista displays mastery in his craft as he easily shifts from English and Tagalog in his writings. From his first book, The Cave and Other Poems, he continually churned out works worthy of recognition all over the world. Some of these include The Archipelago, The Trilogy of Saint Lazarus, and Galaw ng Asoge, among many others.
After decades of reading and writing from his heart, Bautista continues to create literary pieces even after his retirement in 2006. For him, his “love for writing” pushes him to do his best in every piece he pursues.
“I have developed rules for myself. I have set standards on what must be done. And my rule is to finish whatever I started. For me it’s a kind of personal commitment. I feel less of a man if I don’t see the end of each work,” he declared.
He would like to see more native stories from the regions developed and made available in the country. He has been calling for the government to give language and literature much-needed attention. He believes that the so-called “national language” is deteriorating, together with literary taste of Filipinos.
“The Filipino language needs attention from all sectors. They should start with prioritizing this in government planning—making language and literature a priority. This should include the improvement of the country’s literary situation, improvement of the book system, and the support and funding for talented writers,” he concluded.