Nicomedes "Nick" Márquez Joaquín (May 4, 1917 – April 29,

2004) was a Filipino writer and journalist best known for his short stories and novels in the English
language. He also wrote using the pen name Quijano de Manila. Joaquín was conferred the rank and
title of National Artist of the Philippines for Literature. He has been considered one of the most
important Filipino writers, along with José Rizal and Claro M. Recto. Unlike Rizal and Recto, whose works
were written in Spanish, Joaquin's major works were written in English despite being a native Spanish
speaker.

Before becoming one of the leading practitioners of Philippine literature in English, he was a
seminarian in Hong Kong – who later realized that he could better serve God and humanity by being a
writer. This is reflected in the content and style of his works, as he emphasizes the need to restore
national consciousness through important elements in Catholic Spanish Heritage. In his self-confessed
mission as a writer, he is a sort of "cultural apostle", whose purpose is to revive interest in Philippine
national life through literature – and provide the necessary drive and inspiration for a fuller
comprehension of their cultural background. His awareness of the significance of the past to the present
is part of a concerted effort to preserve the spiritual tradition and the orthodox faith of the Catholic past
– which he perceives as the only solution to our modern ills

Early life & family

Joaquín was the fifth out of the ten children of Don Leocadio Joaquín and Salomé Márquez. Don
Leocadio fought in the Philippine Revolution by the side of his friend General Emilio Aguinaldo, and
reached the position of Colonel. He retired after he was wounded in action and moved on to a prolific
career as a lawyer in Manila and the southern province of Laguna. Salomé Márquez was a well-educated
woman who taught in a Manila public school. She was trained by Americans in English to teach at the
public schools when the United States colonized the Philippines.[3]

The Joaquín family lived in a two-story residential and commercial building, greatly uncommon
at that time, on Herran Street (now Pedro Gil Street) in Pacó, Manila.[4] Joaquín was said to have had an
extremely happy childhood. The Joaquín children were tutored in Spanish & piano, and the children
were encouraged to have an interest in the arts. The Joaquín home communicated in Spanish and heard
mass regularly. Joaquín is a notably devout Christian and continued being so his whole life.[3]

The Joaquíns had lived a handsome life until Don Leocadio lost the family fortune in a failed
investment on an oil exploration project in the late 1920s.[4] The family moved out of their Herran
home and into a rented house in Pasay. Don Leocadio passed not long after. The young Joaquín was only
twelve years old and this signalled a big change in their family.
Career beginning
Very early on, Joaquín was already exploring his literary voice. At age 17, he published his
first English poem about Don Quixote, in the literary section of the pre-World War II Tribune, where
he worked as a proofreader. It was accepted by the writer and editor Serafín Lanot. Joaquín had felt
a strong connection with the story of Don Quixote; he felt like he could identify with the character.
Later in life, he used a similar iteration of Quixote in his various pen names, Quijano de Pacó and
Quijano de Manila.
A little later, in 1937 he published his first short story in the Sunday Tribune Magazine, “The
Sorrows of Vaudeville” telling the story of the vaudevilles in Manila—a city he was endlessly
enamored by. [4] It was accepted by the writer and editor Serafín Lanot.
After Joaquín won a nationwide essay competition to honor La Naval de Manila, sponsored
by the Dominican Order, the University of Santo Tomas awarded him an honorary Associate in Arts
(A.A.) and a scholarship to St. Albert's Convent, the Dominican monastery in Hong Kong. There he
was once again close to his family's original goal for him to enter the seminary. Joaquín and his
family were devoutly Christian. He notably heard mass daily and was fond of praying the Holy
Rosary. He only stayed in Hong Kong for two years before returning to Manila.
Joaquín continued publishing stories and poems between 1934 and 1941 in the Herald Mid-
Week Magazine and the Sunday Tribune Magazine. The Commonwealth years were a particularly
vibrant era in Philippine literature. Later, the Japanese occupation closed down the Tribune and
other publications. The young Joaquín had to look for ways to support his family.
Throughout the occupation, Joaquín had continued writing. “The Woman Who Felt Like
Lazarus” and the essay “La Naval de Manila” were borne out of this war period Joaquín had
detested. His work had appeared in the Philippine Review, an English-language journal, in 1943. His
story, "It Was Later Than We Thought" and his translation of Rizal's Mi Ultimo Adios were also
published. He was beginning to spark an interest from readers. However, the reticent Joaquín shied
away from recognition. He had created this mysterious and distant author. 
Awards[edit]
 José García Villa's Honor Roll (1940)
 Philippines Free Press Short Story Contest (1949)
 Ten Most Outstanding Young Men of the Philippines (TOYM), Awardee for Literature (1955)
 Don Carlos Palanca Memorial Literary Awards (1957–1958; 1965; 1976)
 Harper Publishing Company (New York, U.S.) writing fellowship
 Stonehill Award for the Novel (1960)
 Republic Cultural Heritage Award (1961)
 Patnubay ng Sining at Kalinangan Award from the City of Manila (1964)
 National Artist Award (1976).
 S.E.A. Write Award (1980)
 Ramon Magsaysay Award for Literature (1996)
 Tanglaw ng Lahi Award from the Ateneo de Manila University (1997)
 Several ESSO Journalism awards, including the highly covetedJournalist of the Year Award.
 Several National Book Awards from the Manila Critics' Circle for The Aquinos of Tarlac: An
Essay in History as Three Generations; The Quartet of the Tiger Moon: Scenes from the People
Power Apocalypse; Culture and History: Occasional Notes on the Process of Philippine
Becoming; The World of Damian Domingo: 19th Century Manila (co-authored with Luciano P.R.
Santiago); and Jaime Ongpin: The Enigma: The Profile of a Filipino as Manager.
 His work “Three Generations” was awarded Best Short Story published in the Philippine
Review (March 1943-November 1944)
 Journalist of the Year in the 11th National Press Club-Esso Journalism Awards (1966)
 Won the Seato Literary Award Contest for his collection of short stories and poems (June 1,
1973)
 Won the nation's most prestigious awards carrying material emoluments besides honor and
privileges (March 27, 1976)
 National Artist for Literature by President and Mrs. Marcos cited having “opened a new vision
of Filipino Life” (1976)