Carmen Nakpil, renowned writer, historian, dies at 96

MANILA, Philippines — Celebrated historian and writer Carmen “Chitang” Guerrero Nakpil has passed away early Monday. She was 96.

The National Historical Commission of the Philippines broke the news of Nakpil’s death on its Facebook page. Nakpil died at 1:30 a.m., according to her daughter beauty queen Gemma Cruz-Araneta.

Nakpil was the chairman of the NHCP from 1967 to 1971.

“Her works in Philippine history and culture, and her contributions to the development of the National Historical Commission of the Philippines, will live on and serve as a guide for succeeding generations of Filipinos,” NCHP said.

She also chaired the Cultural Committee of the Philippine Commission for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization from 1967 to 1980 and was elected to the executive board of UNESCO Paris in 1982.

She was a founding member of Writer’s Union of the Philippines, member of the National Commission on the Role of Filipino Women and International Association of Historians of Asia.

Nakpil, moreover, received the Rizal Pro Patria Medal for Journalism and several of National Press Club’s journalism awards including the Journalist of the Year award in 1957, among others.

Nakpil has published: “Woman Enough and other essays” (1963), “A Question of Identity” (1973), “The Philippines and the Filipinos” (1977), “The Philippines” (1989), “Rice and Conspiracy” (1990), “Centennial Reader” (1998), “Whatever” (2002), “Myself, Elsewhere” (2006), “Legends and Adventures” (2007) and “Exeunt” (2008).

“Myself, Elsewhere,” first in an autobiography trilogy by Nakpil, won the National Book Award in 2006.

She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree from St. Theresa’s College, Manila in 1942. — Philstar.com intern Ali Ian Marcelino Biong