Miguel Syjuco (b. November 17, 1976) is a Filipino writer from Manila and the grand prize winner of the 2008 Man Asian Literary Prize for his first novel Ilustrado. Read full biography of Miguel Syjuco →
I want to write a book that makes people debate, and makes people think, interact with each other and exchange ideas... I write because I'm... →
The Philippines, it has a politics of patronage. Family and favors, in addition to the old cliche of guns, goons and gold, really do still hold a lot... →
With 'Ilustrado,' I set out to change the way we read literature, and I think I failed spectacularly. In fact, I know I failed. In reaching... →
I love my homeland, but it's an absurd country. Politics in the Philippines is like spectator sports!
I look at western literature and especially North American literature, and I feel like it gets bogged down so much with all of that, with domestic... →
I read a blog about this young filmmaker in the Philippines who made a short film, and one of the characters in the film reads my novel and then... →
What I do know is that writing is the thing I am best at, and I don't have the stomach, the ability, the strength or the courage to enter the... →
I grew up with a very privileged background. My father served as one of the cabinet ministers in Arroyo's government, and he's been a... →
I have no illusions that my work can rouse the masses to create change, because literature simply doesn't have that power anymore in my country... →
If I were to go back to the Philippines, I would probably end up teaching creative writing at a university. I wouldn't be able to write, for I... →
There is that potential of the expats coming back to the Philippines. But sadly they are no opportunities, no incentive for them to come back home.... →
Touching on universality is an important part of effective storytelling, but the problem with cliches is that they are tired and dull. And that's... →
Miguel Syjuco (b. November 17, 1976) is a Filipino writer from Manila and the grand prize winner of the 2008 Man Asian Literary Prize for his first novel Ilustrado.