The F. Sionil Jose Centennial Celebration commemorates the birth centenary of Philippine National Artist for Literature Dr. Francisco Sionil Jose (b. December 3, 1924). Dr. Jose is known for his masterwork, the Rosales Saga, which comprises five novels—Poon; Tree; My Brother, My Executioner; The Pretenders; and Mass. His writings also include novels such as Gagamba, Sin, Viajero, Ben Singkol, Ermita, and Two Filipino Women; short stories in collections such as The God Stealer and Other Stories, Waywaya, Olvidon, and Platinum; poems in Questions, and essays in Why We are Poor and This I Believe: Gleanings from a Life in Literature. Jose’s fictions, of intricate structure and intellectual magnitude, are meditations on humanity’s struggle for survival and honest exposés of the socio-political and economic disorders in the country. These stories act as testimonies to the wounds of Philippine history, from colonial subjugation to agrarian unrests, and repressive regimes and class conflicts to natural adversities.
This celebration includes the following events: The F. Sionil Jose Conference, The F. Sionil Jose Young Writers Award, the Philippine PEN Congress, and the F. Sionil Jose Photography Exhibition.
The F. Sionil Jose Centennial Celebration is organized by Solidaridad Enterprises, De La Salle University (DLSU), the Philippine Center of International PEN, and the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP). DLSU units include the College of Liberal Arts Office of the Assistant Dean for Research and Advanced Studies, the Department of Literature, the Bienvenido N. Santos Creative Writing Center, the DLSU Libraries, and the Office of the Vice President for Research and Innovation.
The DLSU Department of Literature will commemorate 60 years of literature education excellence in 2026.
The F. Sionil Jose Centennial Celebration 