7.8 /10 1 Votes
Country Philippines Publication date 1972 Pages 215 Page count 215 Cover artist Fidel Rillo, Jr. | 3.9/5 Goodreads Language Tagalog, English Media type Print Originally published 1972 Genre Drama Followed by Titser | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Publisher Ateneo de Manila University Press Novels Maganda pa ang Daigdig, Ang Tundo Man May Langit Din, Daluyong, Dekada '70, Pinaglahuan | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Canal de la Reina is a 1972 Tagalog-language novel written by Filipino novelist Liwayway A. Arceo. The novel exposes the social cancer in the high levels of contemporary Philippine society. The social cancer, based on the novel, is masked by the flamboyance and the pomposity of the affluent members of Filipino society.
Plot
Vicenta Marcial, also known as Nyora Tentay (the term senyora is the Filipino word for the Spanish term señora, meaning "Mrs."; nyora is the condensed term for senyora), is the matriarch of the wealthy Marcial family, and is labelled the "queen of Canal de la Reina". She is a money lender who charges high interest rates. She has a son, Victor, who is married to Gracia; Victor and Gracia have a son, Gerry. Salvador and Caridad De los Angeles are husband and wife; their children are Leni and Junior. Gerry Marcial and Leni de los Angeles are lovers.
Nyora Tentay buys a piece of land from the De los Angeles' former caretaker, Precioso or Osyong Santos. The land belongs to the De los Angeles family; Nyora uses bribery to assert her claim. A flood occurs at Canal de la Reina, which damages buildings and structures. Caridad finds documents belonging to Nyora Tentay, and returns them instead of using them against her. This gesture of goodwill causes Nyora to have a change of heart. Gerry Marcial and Leni de los Angeles marry.