A book highlighting the most memorable and distinguished Filipinos in history has landed on the bestseller’s list of an independent English-language bookstore chain in Hong Kong.
Titled “100 Filipinos: A Collection of Biographies of Remarkable Men and Women of the Philippines,” the book features biographies of Filipinos who lived through challenges, excelled in their respective fields and inspired a nation.
These include a peanut vendor-turned-visionary tycoon, the inventor of the video phone, the original international diva, the grand man old of Philippine art, the pioneer in Philippine fashion design and the father of Philippine retail, among others.
The 212-page full-color book is considered a “crash course on iconic countrymen” in the last 500 years who have made themselves unforgettable and cemented their names in history such as Jose Rizal, Lapu-Lapu, Gabriela Silang, Jose Diokno, John Gokongwei Jr. and Francisco Balagtas, Benigno Aquino, Jr., Fernando Amorsolo, among others.
President Rodrigo Duterte and his predecessors Emilio Aguinaldo, Manuel Quezon, Jose P. Laurel, Sergio Osmeña, Manuel Roxas, Elpidio Quirino, Ramon Magsaysay, Carlos Garcia, Diosdado Macapagal, Ferdinand Marcos Sr., Corazon Aquino, Joseph Estrada Fidel V. Ramos, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and Benigno Aquino III are also included in the lengthy roster.
Aside from the chief executives of the country, notable business tycoons and contemporary sports icon and personalities such as Manny Pacquiao, late Henry Sy Sr., Lea Salonga and Gina Lopez also made it to the list.
Each mini-biography is accompanied by a full-page illustration by Noel de Guzman, who also wrote and published the book.
De Guzman is an award-winning Hong Kong-based Filipino art director and illustrator who has worked with distinguished publications like South China Morning Post and Hong Kong Tatler.
The book has been featured on the weekly bestseller’s list of Bookazine‘s website for the past three weeks since the title was carried.
Bookazine is Hong Kong’s leading chain of independent English-language bookshops that operate in some of the most prestigious malls and office buildings, including Prince’s Building, Exchange Square and Pacific Place.
It considers itself as Hong Kong’s community bookshop that champions the local writing scene.
Hong Kong is one of the popular destinations of overseas Filipino workers, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority.
PSA noted that 7.5% of Filipinos work in the special administrative region as of last year.
The Philippines is one of the world’s biggest labor exporters, with more than 100 million Filipinos working in about 200 countries and different territories.