3 months ago
44
Upgrade to High-Speed Internet for only ₱1499/month!
Enjoy up to 100 Mbps fiber broadband, perfect for browsing, streaming, and gaming.
Visit Suniway.ph to learn
Pia Lee-Brago - The Philippine Star
December 30, 2025 | 12:00am
Images show the Italian editions of Jose Rizal’s Noli Me Tangere and Nick Joaquin’s Tropical Gothic, launched by the Philippine embassy in Rome.
STAR / File
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine embassy in Rome has launched the Italian editions of José Rizal’s Noli Me Tangere and Nick Joaquin’s Tropical Gothic.
The embassy’s translation is carried out in collaboration with the National Book Development Board (NBDB), with Landscape Books – a recipient of the Philippine government’s translation subsidy program – as publishing partner.
The launch was held in line with the Philippines’ landmark participation as guest of honor at this year’s Frankfurt Book Fair, the most prestigious and largest book event in the world. The Philippine curatorial theme, “The Imagination Peoples the Air,” was lifted from the Rizal novel.
Originally written in Spanish and published in 1887, Noli Me Tangere exposed the abuses and injustices of colonial rule, inspiring Filipino nationalism and shaping the Philippines’ history. Through its unforgettable characters and powerful themes of identity, reform and dignity, the novel became a cornerstone of Philippine literature.
Tropical Gothic by National Artist for Literature Joaquin, on the other hand, is a celebrated collection of short stories that weave history, myth and magical realism. The anthology captures the richness of Filipino identity – its memories, contradictions, faith and colonial heritage – through atmospheric storytelling and symbolic depth.
Both books were among the 200 titles translated into foreign languages and displayed at the Philippine pavilion at the Frankfurt Book Fair, representing the literary connection between Italy and the Philippines.
Ambassador Neal Imperial emphasized that “the translation of important Philippines books is vital for the dissemination and diffusion of ideas and the introduction of works of the imagination to other countries and cultures.”
He expressed gratitude to the NBDB and Landscape Books for supporting the embassy in bringing the best of Philippine fiction to an Italian audience and to a wider readership across Europe.
Kristian Cordero, co-head of the Frankfurter Buchmesse 2025 Translation Committee, also shared a video message congratulating the embassy and Landscape Books on the launch.
He said the event serves as a living expression of one of the key aspirations of the Philippines’ participation in the Frankfurt Book Fair: to open new spaces, foster new conversations and forge new relationships that carry Philippine literature into the ever-expanding constellation of global letters.
Guido del Duca, editorial director of Landscape Books, said their journey with Philippine literature began two and a half years ago upon discovering Rizal, whose biography and legacy inspired them to translate and publish Noli Me Tangere despite its complexity and cultural depth.
Encouraged by the positive reception from Italian readers and with support from the embassy, they later translated Tropical Gothic, offering a contemporary counterpoint that reveals a Philippines shaped by history, memory and myth – further underscoring the enduring relevance of Philippine literature.
The launch also featured readings from both the translated and original editions of the works. Excerpts from the Filipino translation of Noli Me Tangere were read by Father Albert Alejo, S.J., while its Italian edition was presented by translator Simone Camassa.
Tropical Gothic (Gotico Tropicale) was represented through a reading of the original English story “The Summer Solstice” by Consul LV de Guzman, and the Italian translation of “The Mass of St. Sylvester” (La Messa di San Silvestre), read by translator Isabella Talenti.
The launch was attended by representatives of Italian bookstores, members of the diplomatic corps, members of the Knights of Rizal and the Filipino community in Rome.
President Marcos will lead the commemoration of the 129th anniversary of Jose Rizal’s heroism and martyrdom on today. — Helen Flores
