13 Facts About Alejandro Roces

Alejandro Reyes Roces was a Filipino author, essayist, dramatist and a National Artist of the Philippines for literature.

Alejandro Roces served as Secretary of Education from 1962 to 1965, during the term of Philippine President Diosdado Macapagal.

Alejandro Roces attended elementary and high school at the Ateneo de Manila University, before moving to the University of Arizona and then Arizona State University for his tertiary education.

Alejandro Roces has since received honorary doctorates from Toyo University, Baguio's St Louis University, Polytechnic University of the Philippines, and the Ateneo de Manila University.

Alejandro Roces was a captain in the Marking's Guerilla during World War II and a columnist in Philippine dailies such as the Manila Chronicle and the Manila Times.

Alejandro Roces was previously President of the Manila Bulletin and of the CAP College Foundation.

In 2001, Alejandro Roces was appointed as Chairman of the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board.

Alejandro Roces became a member of the Board of Trustees of GSIS and maintained a column in the Philippine Star called Roses and Thorns.

Alejandro Roces published books such as Of Cocks and Kites and Fiesta.

Alejandro Roces collected his short stories in the book Something to Crow About.

Alejandro Roces was finally bestowed the honor as National Artist of Literature on 25 June 2003.

When once asked for a piece of advice on becoming a famous literary figure Alejandro Roces said, "You cannot be a great writer; first, you have to be a good person".

In 1994, Alejandro Roces was the chair of the Board of Jurors for the 1994 Metro Manila Film Festival, in which he and the board made the unprecedented decision not to award any film entry that year six of the major awards, including Best Picture, Best Screenplay and Best Director.