Huseng Sisiw - Who Is This Famous Filipino Writer?

Answers To The Question: Who Is Huseng Sisiw?

HUSENG SISIW – In this article, we are going to learn about the life and literary works of one of the most popular writers of the Philippines – Jose de la Cruz.

Huseng Sisiw - Who Is This Famous Filipino Writer?

Jose de la Cruz was one of the greatest writers during the Spanish occupation of the Philippines. As such, hew as given the title of “Hari ng Makatang Tagalog” or “King of Tagalog Poetry”.

De la Cruz was born in Tondo, Manila on December 21, 1746. Sadly, his family was ill-fated, therefore, he could not afford to study. However, through sheer will power and eagerness for knowledge, he was able to learn Katon at Cartilla (Spanish Primers), Doctrina Christiana, Philosophy, Canon Law, and Theology.

At an early age, de la Cruz already excelled in being multi-lingual. Due to his fondness of reading, he was able to understand Spanish and could converse effectively in the language. When He was eight, he astonished two Jesuits because of his intelligence and proficiency in Spanish.

Afterward, during his teenage years, he had a broader understanding of the Tagalog language. Along with this, he started to think about bigger ideas and develop writing skills that awakened the heart and soul of the Filipino.

Aside from Spanish and Tagalog, he was also proficient in Latin and Greek. Additionally, he could write plays in a short time frame. During a town feast in Batangas, the priest told him to do one of his plays.

However, the priest of the event asked him to do a play based on historical events instead. This forced him to write a story and teach the play to the actors in one night. But, the play was still a success.

How did he get his nickname?

De la Cruz was such an incredible writer that people were constantly asking him to teach them how to rhyme words. At a time, he was also a freelance writer who mostly wrote about love. But, as a payment, he wanted live chicks instead, thus the name “Huseng Sisiw” (Jose of the Chicks).

Here are his works:

Songs and Ballads