Lazaro Francisco

Lazaro Francisco (February 22, 1898 - 17 June 1980) was the fourth son of Eulogio Francisco and Clara Angeles. He was born in Orani, Bataan but go and eventually settled in Nueva Ecija.

He is considered one of the strong pillars of Filipino literature. Some of his novels are written the Wedding Rings, Basque Suicide, The Foot of the Cross, Northern Lights, Seeds and Fruit, Cesar, Wound, Memorial Day, Father Yet Beautiful World, and his latest novel, The Surf . Except the Basque suicide, all of his novel was published in Dawn.

Reflected in his novel that he enriched the literature of the country and tried to beautify the world in Filipino by his extraordinary language skills and involvement in the welfare and aspirations of the Filipino people.

He would later be recognized by literary critics and scholars as an icon in Tagalog literature, a visionary nationalist and social critic, for having written five highly acclaimed novels that are still relevant today and required readings in colleges and universities all over the country.

Although many influential literary scholars were more than convinced that he should be declared a National Artist for literature, it did not happen during his lifetime. We, his children, were under strict orders from him never to lobby for such honors. And as fate would have it, he did not live long enough to savor the honor of being a National Artist. It was a long, long wait before he was finally proclaimed National Artist for Literature in 2009. And, of course, that was a glorious vindication for him