Pura Santillan-Castrence
Encyclopedia
Pura Santillan-Castrence (March 24, 1905 — January 15, 2007) was a Filipino writer
and diplomat
. Of Filipino women writers, she was among the first to gain prominence writing in the English language. She was named a Chevalier de Légion d'honneur
by the French government.
in March 1905. She studied pharmacy
and chemistry
at the University of the Philippines
, where she taught after her graduation in 1927. She pursued further studies in the University of Michigan
on a Barbour scholarship.
, and contributed essays and articles in many other national publications. She explored feminist themes in works such as The Women Characters in Rizal’s Novels, a study on the female characters in Noli Me Tangere
and El Filibusterismo
.
Fluent in at least six languages, Santillan-Castrence also gained renown as a translator of French and German texts that were useful to students of Filipino history, such as The Philippines, History, Geography, Customs, Agriculture, Industry and Commerce of the Spanish Colonies in Oceania, an 1846 French-language book written by a French explorer.
during the Japanese occupation of the Philippines. After the war, she held various positions within the Department of Foreign Affairs. In 1959, she was designated to the Philippine embassy at Bonn
, then the capital of West Germany
.
In 1964, Santillan-Castrence was appointed the DFA Assistant Secretary for Cultural Affairs, with rank of Ambassador, by President
Diosdado Macapagal
. She remained in that post through the first term of President Ferdinand Marcos
, and until her retirement.
, Australia
. At age 94, she was contracted to write a regular column for the Bayanihan News and the Manila Mail, publications which catered to Filipino expatriates. By then legally blind, she dictated her columns, which proved to be popular. She wrote critically against the Iraq War and on the ties between the United States of America and President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
. At age 100, she published a compilation of these articles in a book entitled As I See It: Filipinos and the Philippines.
Santillan-Castrence died aged 101 in January 2007, just one month before she was slated to receive a lifetime achievement award from the National Commission on Culture and the Arts. She was one of few Filipino centenarians to have become famous in her own right.
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
and diplomat
Diplomat
A diplomat is a person appointed by a state to conduct diplomacy with another state or international organization. The main functions of diplomats revolve around the representation and protection of the interests and nationals of the sending state, as well as the promotion of information and...
. Of Filipino women writers, she was among the first to gain prominence writing in the English language. She was named a Chevalier de Légion d'honneur
Légion d'honneur
The Legion of Honour, or in full the National Order of the Legion of Honour is a French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the Consulat which succeeded to the First Republic, on 19 May 1802...
by the French government.
Early life
She was born in ManilaManila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
in March 1905. She studied pharmacy
Pharmacy
Pharmacy is the health profession that links the health sciences with the chemical sciences and it is charged with ensuring the safe and effective use of pharmaceutical drugs...
and chemistry
Chemistry
Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....
at the University of the Philippines
University of the Philippines
The ' is the national university of the Philippines. Founded in 1908 through Act No...
, where she taught after her graduation in 1927. She pursued further studies in the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
on a Barbour scholarship.
Literary career
Santillan-Castrence's literary career began in the 1920s, and she soon was recognized as among the leading Filipino essayists of the 20th century. Many of her essays were featured in Philippine Prose and Poetry a widely studied high-school textbook which she had authored. She became a columnist with the Manila Daily BulletinManila Bulletin
The Manila Bulletin , is the Philippines' largest broadsheet newspaper by circulation, followed by the Philippine Daily Inquirer. It bills itself as "The Nation's Leading Newspaper", which is its official slogan...
, and contributed essays and articles in many other national publications. She explored feminist themes in works such as The Women Characters in Rizal’s Novels, a study on the female characters in Noli Me Tangere
Noli Me Tangere (novel)
Noli Me Tangere is a novel by Filipino polymath José Rizal and first published in 1887 in Berlin, Germany. Early English translations used titles like An Eagle Flight and The Social Cancer, but more recent translations have been published using the original Latin title.Though originally written in...
and El Filibusterismo
El filibusterismo
El filibusterismo , also known by its English alternate title The Reign of Greed, is the second novel written by Philippine national hero José Rizal. It is the sequel to Noli Me Tangere and like the first book, was written in Spanish. It was first published in 1891 in Ghent, Belgium...
.
Fluent in at least six languages, Santillan-Castrence also gained renown as a translator of French and German texts that were useful to students of Filipino history, such as The Philippines, History, Geography, Customs, Agriculture, Industry and Commerce of the Spanish Colonies in Oceania, an 1846 French-language book written by a French explorer.
Diplomat
Santillan-Castrence first joined the foreign service as the Chief of the Translation Section of the Ministry of Foreign AffairsDepartment of Foreign Affairs (Philippines)
The Philippines' Department of Foreign Affairs is the executive department of the Philippine government tasked to contribute to the enhancement of national security and the protection of the territorial integrity and national sovereignty, to participate in the national endeavor of sustaining...
during the Japanese occupation of the Philippines. After the war, she held various positions within the Department of Foreign Affairs. In 1959, she was designated to the Philippine embassy at Bonn
Bonn
Bonn is the 19th largest city in Germany. Located in the Cologne/Bonn Region, about 25 kilometres south of Cologne on the river Rhine in the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, it was the capital of West Germany from 1949 to 1990 and the official seat of government of united Germany from 1990 to 1999....
, then the capital of West Germany
West Germany
West Germany is the common English, but not official, name for the Federal Republic of Germany or FRG in the period between its creation in May 1949 to German reunification on 3 October 1990....
.
In 1964, Santillan-Castrence was appointed the DFA Assistant Secretary for Cultural Affairs, with rank of Ambassador, by President
President of the Philippines
The President of the Philippines is the head of state and head of government of the Philippines. The president leads the executive branch of the Philippine government and is the commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines...
Diosdado Macapagal
Diosdado Macapagal
Diosdado Pangan Macapagal was the ninth President of the Philippines, serving from 1961 to 1965, and the sixth Vice President, serving from 1957 to 1961. He also served as a member of the House of Representatives, and headed the Constitutional Convention of 1970...
. She remained in that post through the first term of President Ferdinand Marcos
Ferdinand Marcos
Ferdinand Emmanuel Edralin Marcos, Sr. was a Filipino leader and an authoritarian President of the Philippines from 1965 to 1986. He was a lawyer, member of the Philippine House of Representatives and a member of the Philippine Senate...
, and until her retirement.
Later years
Late in life, Santillan-Castrence moved to MelbourneMelbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. At age 94, she was contracted to write a regular column for the Bayanihan News and the Manila Mail, publications which catered to Filipino expatriates. By then legally blind, she dictated her columns, which proved to be popular. She wrote critically against the Iraq War and on the ties between the United States of America and President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is a Filipino politician who served as the 14th President of the Philippines from 2001 to 2010, as the 12th Vice President of the Philippines from 1998 to 2001, and is currently a member of the House of Representatives representing the 2nd District of Pampanga...
. At age 100, she published a compilation of these articles in a book entitled As I See It: Filipinos and the Philippines.
Santillan-Castrence died aged 101 in January 2007, just one month before she was slated to receive a lifetime achievement award from the National Commission on Culture and the Arts. She was one of few Filipino centenarians to have become famous in her own right.