Women's Month: Filipina novelists in translation

Last October, someone from Canada emailed to ask if I have updated figures (gender statistics) to a 2016 blog post Women in Translation Month: Novels from the Philippines.

Yes, I have.

Here are the updated numbers:

• Between 1900 and 2024, a total of 50 novels from the Philippines were translated and published into English. In the past century (1900-1994), only seven of these novels (14%) appeared in English translation for the first time. The first English translations of the rest (43 novels) were published in the last 20 years (2006-2024). Note that "novel" is loosely defined in my list.
• Out of the 50 translated novels, 13 were written by female novelists (26%). The percentage is expected to go down as 11 novels by male novelists are forthcoming in translation. 
• Four languages were represented: 30 were translated from Tagalog/Filipino; 10 from Spanish; six from Cebuano, and four from Hiligaynon.
• The most prolific translator (11 novels) was Soledad S. Reyes.
  
• The 50 novels were written by just 39 writers: 31 male and 8 female novelists.
• The eight female novelists, arranged by number of novels translated, were:  
  1. Rosario de Guzman Lingat (3 books)
  2. Austregelina Espina-Moore (3 books)
  3. Magdalena Gonzaga Jalandoni (2 books)
  4. Luna Sicat Cleto (1 book)
  5. Lualhati Bautista (1 book)
  6. Liwayway Arceo (1 book)
  7. Fe Esperanza Trampe (1 book)
  8. Jonaxx (1 book)

The information came from a database I maintain online: Bibliography of Philippine Novels in English Translation.

The most controversial book in the list, after Noli and Fili, was probably La Loba Negra (The Black She-wolf). The translated book (1958) was published under the name of José A. Burgos, a Catholic priest. Although the original Spanish novel was attributed to Burgos, historians later proved it to be one of the forgeries or hoaxes by Jose E. Marco. The hoax novel was adapted into an opera in 1984.