Antonio G. Sempio

Article by Princess_D

Antonio_G._Sempio

Antonio G. Sempio (February 22, 1891 - 1943)

Si Antonio G. Sempio ay isang kilalang nobelista. Siya ay isinilang noong February 22, 1891, na anak nina Gng. Lucia Gonzales at G. Jacinto Sempio. Nag tapos siya ng sekundarya sa Bulacan High School noong 1910. Si Antonio Sempio ay naging guro sa Bulakan Central School sa Bulakan, Bulacan, at naging guro rin sa Eastern Tayabas Institute sa Lopez, Quezon. Sa kabila ng pagiging abogado, siya ay nakapag sulat ng mga nobela na yumabong at nag iwan ng mga papuri sa mata ng kaniyang mga mambabasa.

Dahil sa mga nobela ni Antonio Sempio siya ay naguwi ng mga papuri sa iba’t ibang aspekto ng panunulat dahil sa inilathala niyang mga libro. At ilan sa kaniyang mga nobela sa Filipino ay nagawan ng serye sa magasine o nasa diyaryo bago pa ito gawing libro. Dahil sa kaniyang galing siya ay kilala bilang isang mahusay na manunulat, nobelista, direktor, at isang abogado. Ang kanyang mga nobela ay Ilaw at Panitik (1919), Selia Makaraig (1929), Anak Dalita (1933), Dasalang Perlas (1936), at Bituing Naglaho (1937). Ang kanyang sinulat na Punyal na Ginto (1933) ay ginawang isang Pelikula at nakilala bilang isang “talkie” sa historya ng Pelikula. Ang Nayong Manggagawa (1939) ay nakakuha rin ng isang papuri sa Commonwealth Literary Contest. Bilang isang abogado, ginamit ni Sempio ang lakas ng panulat bilang sandata upang talakayin ang mahahalagang isyu sa lipunan at pulitika.

Si G. Antonio Sempio ay nagkaroon ng limang anak kay Sixta Villanueva: Alicia Sempio-Diy, Ernesto Sempio, Lucia Sempio, at Nelia de Castro, at ang kaniyang panganay na anak na namatay dahil sa isang gera. At noong 1943, ay namatay si Antonio G. Sempio, ngunit siya ay nag iwan ng mga nobelang tumatak sa puso at isipan ng kaniyang mambabasa at manonood.

From the CCP Encyclopedia of Philippine Art

Antonio G. Sempio (Antonio Gonzales Sempio) was a fictionist and playwright. He was born in Calumpit, Bulacan on 22 February 1891. He died on 11 July 1943. The eldest of six children of Jacinto Sempio and Lucia Gonzales, he married Sixta Villanueva, with whom he had five children. He attended public elementary and high schools. He taught at Bulacan Elementary School for a while, then studied law at the University of the Philippines while working as a clerk at the Bureau of Customs. After his father died, he dropped out of college and wrote for a living. He was a member of Ilaw at Panitik, Anino, and Espiritista Cristiana.

Sempio’s first novel, Ilaw at Panitik (Light and Letters), was published in 1919. It was followed by Pangarap Lamang (Only a Dream) in the same year, and then Dalagang Bukid (Country Maiden) and Ang mga Ulila (The Orphans). In 1921, he wrote Liwayway (Dawn), Ave Maria, the sequel to Ilaw at Panitik, Magandang Loleng (Beautiful Loleng), and a Tagalog translation of Vendetta titled Parusa ng Patay. To raise more money, he began to write plays. During the staging of one of his works, Rosa Birhen (Rose Virgin), he met Sixta Villanueva, then a stage actor, who became his wife. About this time he became a member of Ilaw at Panitik.

Because he could not earn enough by writing, Sempio worked as assistant principal teacher at Eastern Tayabas Institute in Lopez, Tayabas (now Quezon Province), in 1923-29. He wrote little during this period. Having saved some money, he returned to Manila and set up a printing press on Rizal Ave to publish his works. After publishing one novel, Selia Makaraig, 1929, he had to sell the printing press because he could not maintain it. He then wrote novels and short stories for Manila weeklies. He published the novels Anak-Dalita (Child of Woe), Ang Punyal na Ginto (The Golden Dagger), Luha ng Dalaga (A Maiden’s Tears), and Ana Maria, all in 1933; Rosa Birhen, 1934; Dasalang Perlas (Pearl Prayerbook), 1936; Bituing Naglaho (Vanished Star), 1937; Nayong Manggagawa (Workers’ Village), 1939; Malikmata ng Pag-ibig (Phantasm of Love) and Luha at Luwalhati (Tears and Glory), 1942; and Tinik ng Pagsisisi (Thorn of Repentance), 1946.

Sempio’s novels appeared in serial form in Alitaptap and other magazines. Later he became editor of Alitaptap. He became scriptwriter for the movies, with his Punyal na Ginto being directed by Jose Nepomuceno as the first talking picture in 1933. He also became casting director for the movie production firm Parlatone Hispano-Filipino. Among the other scripts he wrote were those for Sanggumay (Yellow Orchid), Pugad ng Agila (Eagle’s Nest), and Dasalang Perlas (Altar of Pearls), mostly based on his novels. Then he became film director of Del Monte Pictures and Silangang Movietone.

Among his works, “Nayong Manggagawa” received honorable mention at the 1940 Commonwealth Literary Contests.

Written by E. Arsenio Manuel

This article is from the CCP Encyclopedia of Philippine Art Digital Edition.

Title: Sempio, Antonio G.
Author/s: E. Arsenio Manuel
URL: https://epa.culturalcenter.gov.ph/9/80/5692/
Publication Date: November 18, 2020
Access Date: November 13, 2023

Copyright © 2020 by Cultural Center of the Philippines

References

• Walking down memory lane. (n.d.). My Big Drama Called Life — LiveJournal. https://aileenviray.livejournal.com/5829.html?fbclid=IwAR3U-Uwwsbl82_sNN8VuX3X2vTmGAdgZuUflCNqm6ZcHbOQzGT8lwRuqhIw

External Links

• Cyberbuddy, B. G. —. (2020, March 6). 'Let's talk story': A book review of 'The Golden Dagger' ABS-CBN News. https://news.abs-cbn.com/amp/opinions/03/06/20/lets-talk-story-a-book-review-of-the-golden-dagger?fbclid=IwAR2E11a5ntWdmUbz0Z9yn8mkAm15CbyIB_ecx7yT9UoaIbqxDm0WOn5ILLE
• Philippine eLib Project. (n.d.). Philippine eLib. https://www.elib.gov.ph/results.php?f=author&q=Sempio%2C+Antonio+G.
• Rosa Birhen. (n.d.). Google Books. https://books.google.com.ph/books/about/Rosa_Birhen.html?id=A2lMAAAAMAAJ&redir_esc=y