Genoveva Matute: A Pillar of Philippine Literature
Image Courtesy: Google Doodle
Genoveva Matute (3 January 1915 – 21 March 2009) was a multilingual Filipino writer and academician.
Life and Career
Matute was born in Santa Cruz, Manila, on 3 January 1915. After completing her early education at the University of the Philippines, she earned a Bachelor of Education degree from the Philippine Normal College. In addition, she obtained her doctorate from the University of Santo Tomas in 1964 and began teaching at the elementary and high school levels before becoming a university professor.
As part of her academic career, she produced a number of historically based short stories that were included in a number of elementary and high school textbooks. She wrote in multiple languages, including her mother language, Tagalog, her second language, English, as well as Filipino when it became the national language.
The contributions she has made to Tagalog literature and Filipino cultural identity are widely praised. “Ang Kuwento ni Mabuti” (“The Story of Mabuti”) is widely considered to be her most famous work and is still read to Filipino schoolchildren of all ages. In 1980, she retired as Dean of the Filipino Department at Philippine Normal College (now Philippine Normal University). At the age of 94, she passed away while sleeping on 21 March 2009.
Award and Legacy
Genoveva Dizon Edroza-Matute was recognized with numerous awards and accolades throughout her career for her contributions to Philippine literature and education. Some of the awards she received include:
- Philippine National Book Award for Children’s Literature
- Patnubay ng Sining at Kalinangan Award
- Republic Cultural Heritage Award for Literature
- Philippine Association of Children’s Book Authors and Illustrators (PACBAI) Award for Children’s Literature
- Philippine Children’s Book Council (PCBC) Award for Children’s Literature
Edroza-Matute’s work has had a lasting impact on Philippine literature and education, and she is remembered as one of the country’s foremost authors of children’s literature. Her books have been widely read and appreciated by children and adults alike, and she has inspired many other writers to pursue careers in literature and education. On 3 January 2020, Google Doodle celebrated Genoveva Matute’s 105th Birthday.
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