HOORAY for this most laudable boost for Philippine literature—a major literary event featuring a writers’ workshop and public lectures on the relevance of writing in the present time.
What’s more, it will be held outside of Imperial Manila, which hopefully is a step further to holding more literary and artistic events in other parts of the country.
Here’s the announcement from University of the Philippines professor Joey Baquiran:
“Fifteen young writers in Filipino who are fellows to the 10th Palihang Rogelio Sicat (PRS 10) were given much needed inspiration by good-hearted showbiz personalities. The fellows are:
For Poetry: Gabriel Carlos T. Cribe (Mulanay, Quezon), Xeus dlC Foja (Romblon), Jeffrey B. Javier (Davao), Dave S. Rondina (Tacloban), Glenn Ford B. Tolentino (Taguig), Reyzeljan Josef de los Trinos (Baguio), Janielle dlR. Villamera (QC);
For Story: Wynclef H. Enerio (Taguig), Lance Isaac F. Espejo (Marikina), Meriam G. Lamberte (Leyte), John Patrick F. Solano (San Mateo, Rizal), Fe Esperanza Trampe (Cavite), Raymond A. Ybanez (Cagayan de Oro);
For Essay: Jedidiah J. Cortez (Tondo, Manila), Iza Maria T. Gonzalez (QC).
This year, the roving literary event will be held in Tacloban City. A roster of luminaries supports it, including Karla Estrada, TV/movie personality and actor Daniel Padilla’s mother; Boy Abunda, a Waray himself and a former NCCA cultural ambassador; scriptwriter Bibeth Orteza; and directors Carlitos Siguion-Reyna and Joel Lamangan who are all known to be generous to beginning writers.
Also most supportive is Ma. Cristina Gonzalez-Romualdez, a big star in the nineties, now the Tacloban City mayor. Eat Bulaga mainstays Vic Sotto and Wally Bayola are also among the PRS10 sponsors, as are Ai-Ai de las Alas, Monico Villonco, and Cris Villonco.
PRS10 will go on from May 23 to 29. A series of public lectures, mostly on the art of writing and its relevance to the present time, will be conducted throughout the workshop.
Eros Atalia, the novelist whose works are consistent best-sellers, will deliver the key address on the 24th; Richard Gappi, poet-journalist, will lecture on Panitikan sa Panahon ng Kalamidad (Literature in the Time of Calamity), Joey Baquiran about modern poetry, and critic-scholar Choi Pangilinan about popular literature and criticism on the 25th; then on the 26th well-known author from Leyte-Samar, Jerry Gracio, will talk about the relations between the local and national language with regards to creating literature.
This activity is open to the public and will be co-sponsored with UP Tacloban.
The writers workshop is led by dramatist Reuel Aguila and fictionist Jimmuel Naval. The teaching faculty are the mentioned lecturers, as well as writers Rommel Rodriguez and Ferdinand Pisigan Jarin.
PRS is a project of the UP Department of Filipino and Philippine Literature and the UP Sentro ng Wikang Filipino.
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We hope that like the showbiz personalities mentioned, there are more generous souls out there who would be moved to support Filipino writers in a similar fashion. For Philippine literature to develop and thrive, we need more workshops, literary festivals, books and poetry readings, and such events that celebrate stories and storytelling.
These events could be made possible through sponsorships, particularly recurring corporate sponsorships. At present there are very few companies out there supporting Philippine literature as part of their CSR (corporate social responsibility).
So it is all the more that we cherish and are grateful for individual sponsors, in particular those whose plucky backing made the PRS 10 event a reality.
Congratulations to the chosen few PRS 10 participants—enjoy your experience, and remember a workshop is always illuminating and sometimes transformative.
To the organizers and lecturers, bon courage and best wishes for a successful and fruitful event!
Dr. Ortuoste is a California-based writer. Follow her on Facebook: Jenny Ortuoste, Twitter: @jennyortuoste, Instagram: @jensdecember, @artuoste