Clodualdo del Mundo Sr. | |
---|---|
Born |
Santa Cruz, Manila, Philippine Islands |
11 September 1911
Died |
October 5, 1977 (aged 66) Manila, Philippines |
Occupation | writer, komiks |
Years active | 1936–1977 |
Clodualdo del Mundo Sr. (11 September 1911 in Santa Cruz, Manila, Philippines – 5 October 1977) was a Filipino novelist, playwright, essayist, short story writer, journalist, screenwriter, teacher, critic. Many comics fans know him as the prolific writer of komiks (Philippine comics) through Liwayway and Ace Publications.
He was also one of the most ardent supporters of the Filipino language (Pilipino), the national language of the Philippines and worked tirelessly for its promotion as a literary language.
Clodualdo del Mundo was born in Santa Cruz, Manila. His parents were Mariano del Mundo, a sculptor from Bocaue, Bulacan; and Remigia Legaspi of Sampaloc, Manila. A graduate of Mapa High School, del Mundo obtained a degree in Associate in Arts from Far Eastern College (now Far Eastern University), and a Bachelor of Science in Education degree from the National Teachers' College. Del Mundo spent a few years studying law at the Philippine Law School, and fine arts at the University of the Philippines.
Del Mundo was at the forefront of literary organizations. In 1936, he co-founded and became president of "Panitikan", an avant-garde group of college writers in Tagalog. He also became president of "Ilaw ng Bayan" in 1937, and a member of "Ilaw at Panitik" in 1938. He provided an active voice in the name of the national language when he became a member of "Taliba ng Inang Wika" (TANIW) in 1955, and its president from 1967 to 1972. His name was associated with various magazines as associate editor, managing editor or editor. Among these magazines were Alitaptap, Orient Digest, Nautilus, Halakhak, Mabuhay, Aliwan, Paru-Paro, Daigdig and Liwayway.
Del Mundo continued to write literary pieces. During his later years at Liwayway, he focused his work on the "tanaga", a form of Pilipino poem, with four verses and seven syllables for each verse. A small space in Liwayway was reserved for del Mundo's "Makabagong Tanaga", and he produced a total of 283 of these short poems. He was editorial director of Liwayway when he died on October 5, 1977.