By Gabriela Baron
The Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) mourned the death of novelist and multi-awarded writer Lualhati Bautista.
Bautista passed away on Feb. 12. She was 77.
“Pambihira ang nilikhang mga akda ni Lualhati Bautista bilang pangunahing manunulat sa ating panahon,” CCP said.
“Para sa kaniyang mga akdang may lakip na pahiwatig na gaano man kasama ang pinagdadaanan ng kaniyang mga tauhan sa lipunang mabangis at mapang-api, magtatagumpay pa rin ang kanilang pagkatao sa paglipas ng panahon,” it added.
For six decades, Bautista was known for her novels that marked in the consciousness of the Filipino readers, CCP wrote in its tribute.
Some of her works including “Dekada ’70” and “Bata, Bata, Pa’no ka Ginawa” were adapted into films.
Excerpts of her novels have been anthologized in “Tulikärpänen,” a book of short story collections written by Filipinas published in Finland.
Some of her novels were also translated into English and Japanese.
Bautista was a recipient of the 2020 Gawad CCP Para sa Sining. -ag