It was well worth the wait.

Francisco V. Coching’s masterpiece, El Indio, finally sees print after more than half a century of being out of circulation through the efforts of the Vibal Foundation. Coching’s work was lovingly brought back to life and digitally restored by Gerry Alanguilan and Zara Macandili.

I was fortunate enough to have been provided a copy by the people from Vibal.

El Indio features all new material like the expanded character list, never before seen silent art pages, including a foreword by Francisco’s widow, Filomena N. Coching.

The level of detail lovingly wrought by Coching draws the reader in. The deep Tagalog used in the narrative and dialogue made for some slow reading at the start not being used it myself but served as a device later on to immerse myself in the proper mindset for the period and setting.

Sort of like time travelling.

Gerry Alanguilan, after years of work in digital restoration hopes that this is the beginning of the “recovery of an art form that has too long been left by the wayside.”

El Indio was published with permission from the Francisco V. Coching Foundation. For more information about the book, you can get in touch with the Vibal Foundation at (02) 712-2722 or 712-9156.

The book is now available at leading bookstores.

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