
National Artist for Literature F. Sionil Jose dies at 97
by DAWN DANIELLE SOLANO
National Artist for Literature and one of the most celebrated novelists in the Philippines, F. Sionil Jose, died on Thursday evening at the age of 97.
Jose was declared dead at 9:30 pm at the Makati Medical Center, the Philippine Center of International PEN (Poets, Playwrights, Essayists, Novelists), a literary group he founded, announced on Facebook.
He died in his sleep and was supposed to undergo angioplasty on Friday, Jan. 7, according to his wife Tessie Jovellana Jose.
“It is with sadness that I announce the death of Manong Frankie Sionil Jose,” University of Santo Tomas (UST) journalism professor Lito Zulueta also confirmed his death through a Twitter post.
Jose’s works had always been focused on social justice for the plight of underprivile...