Google honors Filipina author Genoveva Edroza-Matute

MANILA, Philippines — Technology company Google on Friday paid tribute to Filipina author and academic Genoveva Edroza-Matute, best known for her short story “Ang Kuwento ni Mabuti.”

A doodle celebrating Matute’s 105th birth anniversary was featured on the Google homepage for users accessing the search engine in the Philippines.

Born in Manila in 1915, Matute was the first recipient of the Palanca Award for Short Story in Filipino in 1951 for “Ang Kuwento ni Mabuti,” considered as the most anthologized short story in the Tagalog language.

Matute also taught at the elementary, high school and university levels, retiring as the dean of the Filipino Department at Philippine Normal College (now Philippine Normal University) in 1980.

“Throughout her academic career, she wrote a number of historically based short stories that were included in many textbooks for elementary and high school. Matute wrote in multiple languages: her mother Filipino tongue of Tagalog, her second language English and also in Filipino when it became the national language,” said Google.

“Her writings are lauded for their contributions to Tagalog literature and Filipino cultural identity,” it added, noting that she has received a total of four Palanca awards, as well as other recognitions.

Matute died at the age of 94 in 2009.