Remembering Father Pops: The Filipino Children's Book that Found its Way Home

Janine Dimaranan

April 1, 2025

Arakan’s Father Pops

Il Coure è in Arakan at the Fontana di Trevi in Rome, Italy. Photo by the author.

Nasa Arakan ang Puso (El Cuore è in Arakan), carries a particularly profound weight. It tells the story of Father Fausto "Pops" Tentorio, an Italian Catholic missionary who arrived in the Philippines in 1978 and dedicated his life to the indigenous Lumad communities in Cotabato. His unwavering commitment to social justice, land rights, and environmental protection made him a beloved advocate for the marginalized.

But on October 17, 2011, Father Pops was tragically assassinated by an unidentified gunman outside his parish in Arakan, North Cotabato. Through this book, we remember and honor his life and legacy. Father Pops was a martyr for social justice, and his mission continues to inspire the fight for indigenous rights, environmental preservation, and peacebuilding in the Philippines.

From Mindanao to Italy

As Southern Voices Printing Press takes part in the Bologna Children's Book Fair, we are proud to bring powerful stories from the Philippines to the world stage. But beyond the fair itself, one book has made a particularly special journey—Nasa Arakan ang Puso has found its way to Italy as a homecoming.

Photo courtesy of National Book Development Board

Through independent efforts, we brought this deeply moving story to venues like ARCI Toscana and CESVOT Toscana. This is to pay tribute to Father Pops’ enduring connection with Italian civil society organizations that stood in solidarity with the Manobo children. This book’s return to Father Pop's motherland and the thought of it finding its place there, where Father Pops' journey first began and where he first dreamed of his mission, bring inspiration to us as cultural workers in the publishing industry.

This story is as much Filipino as it is Italian, and we wish that it may continue to inspire the next generation—both here and there—to remember, to fight, and to hope.

This book was part of a larger project called Mindanao Stories, which we launched at a time when Lumad schools were being shut down, one after another. It stands alongside another children's book adapted and edited for Southern Voices Printing Press, entitled Mahiwagang Tungkod ni Lolo Jose (2021) – another tribute to a priest who lived among the Lumad, joining them in their fight to protect their ancestral lands from mining and logging.

Remembrance and Legacy

Father Pops’ story is one that deserves to be told and retold—a testament to courage, compassion, and love beyond borders. Nasa Arakan ang Puso (El Cuore è in Arakan) is more than just a book; it is a tribute to his life and a call to continue his mission. By bringing this book into your home, you help keep his legacy alive and share his story with future generations.

Get your copy today from our e-store and be part of this journey of remembrance and solidarity.