Alejandro Roces (July 13, 1924 – May 23, 2011): National Artist for Literature
You cannot be a great writer; first, you have to be a good person.”
Alejandro R. Roces is a short story and essay writer who is widely regarded as the best comic short story writer in the country.
He is well known for his extensively anthologized “My Brother’s Peculiar Chicken,” and his countless newspaper editorials have always highlighted the Filipino cultural heritage’s neglected aspects.
His work has been featured in several international publications and has won national and international accolades.
July 13 marks his 88th birth anniversary.
We commemorate his resolute love of country through his works that appeared in numerous magazines and have won national and international prizes, including several government decorations.
Alejandro R. Roces was an essayist, and the country’s best writer of comic short stories. He focused on the neglected aspects of Filipino cultural heritage. He brought to public attention the aesthetics of the country’s fiestas and helped popularize several local fiestas. He campaigned to change the country’s Independence Day to June 12, caused the change of language from English to Filipino in the country’ stamp, currency and passports, and recovered Jose Rizal’s manuscripts when they were stolen. He is known for his works ‘My Brother’s Peculiar Chicken’. His other works include ‘We Filipinos Are Mild Drinkers’, ‘Of Cocks and Kites’, ‘Fiesta’, and ‘Something to Crow About’.
Read more: https://ncca.gov.ph/about-culture-and-arts/culture-profile/national-artists-of-the-philippines/alejandro-roces/
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