Canal de la Reina

(novel)

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.[1][2]
Canal de la Reina

Author Liwayway A. Arceo

Cover artist Fidel Rillo

Country Philippines

Language Tagalog, English

Genre Drama

Publisher Ateneo de Manila

University Press
Publication date 1972

Media type Print

Pages 215
ISBN 971-550-201-6
Dewey Decimal 899.211'3

LC Class PL6058.4 1973

Title and Setting

The novel takes its name from the titular
Estero de la Reina (sometimes called the
Canal de la Reina) - one of the rivulets,
known as esteros, which delineated the
small islands which historically
constituted the City of Manila.[3] Estero de
la Reina is a manmade estro, which was
dug through the fishponds of Bindondo
during Spanish times, in order to facilitate
the passage of shipped goods.
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 lives with her maid, Dominga
Canlas (Ingga), whom she often mistreats,
making her starve, and not giving her the
right salary at the right time.
Nyora Tentay has a son, Victor, who is
married to Gracia. They have a son, Gerry.
Meanwhile, 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. She then uses
bribery to assert her claim over the De Los
Angeles family's land.

The De Los Angeles family's lawyer, Atty.

Agulto, finds out that Nyora Tentay's
papers documents to the land at Canal
dela Reina were falsified. That the family
had sold to land to Osyong, then Osyong
sold it to Nyora Tentay, even though it did
not happen.

A flood occurs at Canal de la Reina, which

damages buildings and structures. Nyora
Tentay and Ingga part ways after the flood.
Ingga is welcomed at the De Los Angeles'
home, through the help of Junior. Caridad
then finds Nyora Tentay's documents,
which Ingga was able to save and bring
with her. Despite her resistance, Ingga was
eventually convinced by Caridad to return
the documents to Nyora Tentay. Victor
meets Junior, who was requested by Ingga
to return the documents.

Caridad was able to meet with Osyong's

wife, Tisya, who explained what really
happened: Nyora Tentay threatened to
send her and Osyong to prison if he does
not sell the land to her, and that doing such
is the only way they could pay for their
debt to her.

Victor then convinces Nyora Tentay, who

ended up in the hospital, to return the land
at Canal dela Reina to its rightful owners,
the De Los Angeles family, but she shuns
him away in the middle of their
conversation and tells him she no longer
wants to talk.

Leni passes her licensure exam and

becomes a full-fledged doctor. She and
Gerry get married.

The De Los Angeles family members re-

visit the land at Canal dela Reina. Junior
tells his parents that he sees great things
in store for the whole Canal dela Reina.

See also
Ang Tundo Man May Langit Din

References
1. "Canal de la Reina by Liwayway A.
Arceo" . Kabayancentral.com. Retrieved
22 June 2011.
2. "Canal de la Reina by Liwayway A.
Arceo" . Ateneo de Manila University Press.
Archived from the original on 29
September 2011. Retrieved 22 June 2011.
3. "Physiognomy" . City of Manila Tourism.
Retrieved 18 July 2015.

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