Edith L. Tiempo (Edith Lopez Tiempo) b. Bayombong, Nueva Vizcaya 22 Apr 1919. Poet, fictionist. She is the daughter of Salvador T. Lopez and Teresa Cutaran. Her childhood was spent in various Philippine provinces where her father was assigned as a government auditor. She graduated from high school in Bayombong, then took pre-law at the University of the Philippines (UP) where she met and married fictionist Edilberto K. tiempo. They have two children, one of whom, Rowena Tiempo-Torrevillas, is a noted fictionist and poet. The couple moved to Silliman University in Dumaguete City, where she earned the degree of bachelor of science in education, major in English, magna cum laude, in 1947. She obtained her master of arts degree from the State University of Iowa, USA, in 1949. She was an international fellow at the State University of Iowa from 1947 to 1950, and was participant in a creative writing workshop under Paul Engle. She earned her doctorate degree in English from the University of Denver in Colorado, USA in 1958 under a grant from the United Board for Christian Higher Education in Asia. She taught at Wartburg College in Iowa, 1964- 1965, Western Michigan University, 1965- 1966, and Chinese University of Hong Kong and Hong Kong Baptist College, 1978- 1979. She co-founded in 1962 and co-directed with her husband the Silliman Writers Workshop in Dumaguete City. She chaired the English department of Silliman University, 1969- 1981, and was dean of graduate school, 1983- 1987, and director of Honors Program and faculty adviser of Silliman. She has co- authored some textbooks with her husband. They are credited with systematically introducing the literary theory of new criticisms to the Philippines in 1951. Tiempo's published works include the novel A Blade of Fern, 1978, The Native Coast, 1979, and the Alien Corn, 1992; the poetry collections, The Tracts of Babylon and Other Poems, 1966, and The Charmer's Box and Other Poems, 1993; and the short story collection Abide Joshua, and Other Stories, 1964. Tiempo has won several awards from the Don Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature: Tracts of Babylon and Other Poems, first prize, poetry in English, 1967; “The Black Monkey,” third prize, 1951, and “The Dam,” second prize, 1955, both in the short story in English category. Her novel, His Native Coast, won the grand prize in the CCP Literary Contest in 1978, while her short stories “Chamber of the Sea,” 1955, and “The Dimensions of Fear,” 1959, both won first prizes in the Philippine Free Press literary contest. She was a recipient of the Elizabeth Luce Moore Distinguished Asian Professor Award in 1978, L.T. Ruiz Professional Chair in English, 1981- 1989, and with her husband, the Gawad Pambansang Alagad ni Balagtas Award from the Unyon ng mga Ma00nunulat sa Pilipinas (UMPIL), 1988. She was conferred National Artist for Literature in 1999. – B.E. Dychangco |
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