SELDOM is Filipino talent recognized overseas, much less when it comes to literature, hence why it is such a notable feat to have one of the country’s very own making waves in the genre of science fiction.
This is all thanks to author Renato Tranquilino, a Filipino-Australian IT professional with a knack for writing science fiction novels set in the Philippines.
About Tranquilino
Tranquilino first started writing in 2019, and represented Philippine science fiction at the event as a grantee of the National Book Development Board (NBDB) as well as the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) for his books “The Merovingian”, “Fate of a Distant Future”, “Look to the South”, “Hong Kong Connection”, and “Rise of the Filipino Merovingian”.
In a monumental genre for Filipino science fiction, Tranquilino, alongside 8Letters Bookstore and Publishing, showed his works at the Frankfurt Book Festival in Germany, from October 16 to 20, showcasing its global appeal to audiences from far and wide.
Here, Tranquilino closed three translation deals for his works “Fate of a Distant Future” and “The Culling in Proxima”, which will be available in Arabic, Turkish, and German. He was also able to secure a German translation for the Filipino fantasy novel, “The Merovingian”, as well as its comic adaptation, “The Rise of the Filipino Merovingian”.
“Fate of a Distant Future”, for example, features different science fiction stories set in the futuristic Philippines, aptly titled, “Betrayal”, “Crankbait”, “Bait and Switch”, and “Family”. These stories look at different sectors in the Philippines, as well as different issues such as dealing with colonization, space piracy, and the like.
Aside from Tranquilino’s presence, there were many other big names in attendance at the festival, such as Rex Publishing, the Department of Foreign Affairs (Philippine Embassy in Berlin and Philippine Consulate General in Frankfurt), the NCAA, and the NBDB.
Other beloved Filipino authors such as Ambeth Ocampo (“Rizal Without the Overcoat”), Sarge Lacuesta (“White Elephants”), and Eliza Victoria (“Dwellers”) were also in attendance, moderating discussions during the event.
Tranquilino was also a guest speaker for the “Science and Fantasy in Asian Content” panel, which was one of the most viewed sessions in the entire lineup.
Filipino representation
The Philippine delegation in attendance was made up of grant awardees, the DFA, the NCCA, and NBDB leadership, and also included key figures like NBDB Chairman Dante Ang II, Executive Director Charisse Aquino-Tugade, Director Anthony John Balisi, and Philippine Ambassador to Germany Irene Susan Natividad.
All of these people were able to show the commitment of the Philippines to advancing its literary presence on a global scale, and rightfully so, given the unbridled talent that can be found in the Philippine literary scene no matter the genre.
These efforts are all in line with Senator Loren Legarda’s hopes of making the Philippines the Guest of Honor at the 2025 Frankfurt Book Festival, which can now be marked as a milestone for Philippine literature.
Given the reception thus far – with the success in the translation of Tranquilino’s novels as well as in the Filipino-led panels, the future for Philippine literature – particularly science fiction – is bright.
As stated by Tranquilino in a past interview: “The future of sci-fi lit will always be bright… This class of literature will just keep going due to human fascination with how we evolve as a species in the future.”
