Elena Patron
Elena M. Patron-de los Angeles, commonly known by her maiden name Elena Patron, was a Filipina scriptwriter, novelist, poet, dramatist, essayist, and magazine columnist. Patron was one of the few women in the Philippines who ventured and succeeded in writing for Philippine comics, a field that was dominated by Filipino male writers.
Career
Patron was a writer for the women’s pages and movies sections of Liwayway magazine. During her tenure as a writer-interviewer of showbusiness personalities, Patron was able to interview American actor Jeffrey Hunter, American singer Paul Anka, and some beauty queens, among others. Her magazine columns included Buhay May-asawa, Psychopathic, Munting-lupa, and Alta-Sosyedad. She became interested in scriptwriting and writing novels for the field of Philippine comics after her Mga Payo ni Ate Mameng column in the pages of Liwayway magazine was converted into comic book format. Her first comic book novel was Kapatid Ko ang Aking Ina, a novel that was adapted into a film that gave her a Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences Award for best story. Among her other novels were Isinilang Ko ang Anak ng Ibang Babae, Dalawa ang Nagdalantao sa Akin, Ako si Emma, Babae, Padre, si Eba, Bago N’yo Ako Sumpain, Lord, Give Me a Lover, Ang Mukha ni Aniana, Eladia, Sa Lilim ng Ilang-Ilang, Cara, Bibo, and Sleeping Beauty. Her Sleeping Beauty was a prominent novel in Aliwan Komiks. During the 1990s, upon the decline of Philippine comics readership, Patron moved into writing novels for Tagalog-language paperbacks, locally known as Tagalog pocketbooks.Film adaptation
Among Patron’s novels that had been adapted into films included Lord, Give Me a Lover, Adult Kid, Ako si Emma, Babae, Isinilang Ko ang Anak ng Ibang Babae, Pompa, Dalawa ang Nagdalantao sa Akin, Padre, si Eba, Bago N’yo Ako Sumpain, Ligaw-Tingin, Halik-Hangin, and Kape’t Gatas.Personal life and death
Patron was married to insurance consultant Angel T. de los Angeles, whom she wed until his death on January 14, 2004. She is the mother of one offspring, Angelo Ardee.Patron died on 14 January 2021, at the age of 84. Her remains were cremated three days later, on 17 January, at the Loyola Crematorium Sucat in Parañaque.