SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union – Famous Ilokano fictionist, essayist, poet, translator, and editor Juan S.P. Hidalgo Jr. died last Oct. 23 at their family house in Barangay Tomana, Rosales, Pangasinan. He was 84.
The veteran writer was suffering from old age complications for a long time, family sources said.
He left behind her wife Namnama Prado Hidalgo and three daughters Ma. Bituen, Patricia Amor, and Marie Sol.
Hidalgo was the founder in 1968 of GUMIL Filipinas (Gunglo dagiti Mannurat nga Ilokano iti Filipinas), the long-running national organization of Ilokano writers.
He served as its secretary-general from 1976 to 1982 and as director and adviser in separate terms in the succeeding years.
A former literary editor of Bannawag, a weekly Ilokano magazine, Hidalgo guided, encouraged, and trained young and old Ilokano writers to produce quality Ilokano literary works. He was a regular lecturer or panelist of the GUMIL annual literary seminars, including the Pasnaan, the literary workshop for young Ilokano writers.
He joined Bannawag Magazine in 1961 and retired as managing editor in 1998.
He received many prestigious awards, including thje Gawad Pambansang Alagad ni Balagtas from the Unyon ng mga Manunulat sa Pilipinas, the Gawad CCP Pambansang Alagad ng Sining sa Panitikan, and Pedro Bucaneg Awards for Ilokano Literature from GUMIL Filipinas.