BRIDGING THE GAP
Some great Ilonggo-Bisaya writers in history
The Ilonggo-Bisaya people are never short of writing talents and interests even in the past. What they wrote, of course, were in the context of their time, history and cultural millieu.
Among the early Ilonggo-Bisaya writers who shone in the literary-political arena was Graciano Lopez-Jaena. He had the honor of being chosen as the first editor of the La Soldaridad, the organ of the Filipino propagandists in Spain. Lopez-Jaena collaborated with Marcelo del Pilar and Jose Rizal, who were great writers themselves, in exposing the evils of Spanish colonialism in the Philippines.
Lopez-Jaena's most famous work was the novel, Fray Botod, which was a satire addressing the abuses and hypocrisy of the friars in the Philippines, particularly in his hometown, Jaro. His forte was really in public speaking. He was an orator par excellence. He is the only Ilonggo-Bisaya patriot belonging to the pantheon of national heroes.
Then, there was Flavio Zarragoza Cano of Cabatuan who wrote Spanish and Hiligaynon poetry. As a poet, he is considered to have no equal among his peers and one of the few Filipinos to be accredited and made a member of the respectable Spanish Royal Academy of Letters.
In the 1950s and beyond, there were many who wrote in Hiligaynon literature, either novel, short story or poetry. Among the well-known writers were Conrado Norada from Miag-ao, Ramon Muzones from Molo, Magdalena Jalandoni of Jaro, Angel Magahum Sr. of Molo, Jimeno Damaso, Serapion Torre from Mandurriao, Valente Cristobal, Agustin Sayno of Arevalo, Salvador Magno, and many more.
The foremost Ilonggo-Bisaya writer and novelist in English was Stevan Javellana. He had published abroad in several languages. His famous novel "Without Seeing the Dawn" is a classical and masterful drama of simple folks in the rural areas caught in the nightmare and chaos of war.Agustin Misola is another versatile writer and novelist in three languages -- Hiligaynon, English and Spanish.
There were also those who were noted as excellent essay writers in English. Rex Drilon, the first Filipino president of Central Philippine University in Jaro, Iloilo was an intellectual and a political scientist who wrote a number of essays. There was Alfredo Gonzales who wrote brilliant essays on philosophical thoughts whose two of his well-known works are "The Bamboo Flower" and "The Call of the Height". Other Ilonggo-Bisaya writers whohave written about history, culture, politics, literature and society are Rodolfo Claparols Sr., Jess Ramos, Luther Garcia, Exequiel Villalobos, Loreto Angayen, Doreen Fernandez, Demy Sonza, and many more.
The talent of the Filipinos as writers has been known since the Spanish times. These writers have proven themselves capable and have been recognized for their achievements. It is because of this that one can say that the Ilonggos perhaps are among the most talented and well-informed ethnic groups of people in the Philippines.