As a member of PEN International, it joins a global network of writers and advocates committed to freedom of speech and expression
The 2023 PEN Philippines Annual Congress, themed “Ang Manunulat sa Mundo” or “The Writer in the World,” will take place on October 25, 2023, at the Cultural Center of the Philippines’ (CCP) Black Box Theater.
This in-person event is co-sponsored by the CCP.
This year’s Congress theme challenges the boundaries and explores the limitless possibilities for Filipino writers in the present and the future.
Two panel discussions are featured: one on Filipino writers and their opportunities in global publishing, and the second on artificial intelligence and the implications of its use within the creative community.
A highlight of the event is the prestigious Rizal Lecture, which will be presented by Karina Africa Bolasco, a former PEN Philippines Board Member.
She brings to the table four decades of experience in Philippine publishing and shaping the careers of many Filipino writers.
The first Rizal Lecture was held in December 1958, PEN Philippines’ founding year, and given by Sen. Claro M. Recto, writer and statesman, at a conference of the country’s writers.
The 2023 Congress will conclude with “Free the Word!” – a series of readings and performances by both Filipino and international poets and artists associated with PEN Philippines and other PEN Centers across Asia.
A book sale featuring some of the country’s top publishers will also be held during the event.
All PEN Philippines members, including new ones, are strongly encouraged to participate in the Congress.
Additionally, all Filipino writers are welcome to apply for PEN membership here: https://thephilippinepen.wordpress.com/membership/
Donation drive
In addition, PEN Philippines and Gantala Press are launching a donation drive at the event to collect books (fiction, poetry, and other literary works), writing materials (pens, notebooks, pencils, and sketchpads), as well as medicines and hygiene products (sanitary napkins) for women political prisoners. Contributions can be made at the registration table during the event.
Previous PEN Congresses
The last physical PEN Philippines Congress was one for the history books, when the group hosted the 2019 PEN International Congress in Manila from September 30 to October 3, attended by writers and PEN members from 65 PEN Centers worldwide.
This was the first time in PEN International’s history that the Congress took place in Southeast Asia.
The next Congress it held, under a new slate of officers, was its first hybrid event held at the CCP Main Theater Lobby on Sept. 20, 2022. Its theme was “Truth in the Telling: Power and the Pen.”
PEN Philippines members had the option of attending onsite or online. At the event, the newly elected officers (myself among them) were introduced to the members and poetry readings were held live and virtually.
Other recent events
In January 2021, PEN Philippines published In Certain Seasons, an e-book anthology of mothers’ writings during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to its popularity, it was released in book form last year.
Last Feb. 10, it held a Writers’ Rights Forum at De La Salle University in coordination with UMPIL (Unyon ng mga Manunulat sa Pilipinas), the first time both organizations collaborated on the joint project.
Writers, publishers, and copyright advocates came together to discuss issues relating to literary and professional writers’ intellectual property rights in physical and digital publishing.
Founding of PEN Philippines
PEN Philippines’ founding was marked by a national writers’ conference in Baguio City.
This gathering, attended by some 100 notable literary figures and intellectuals, was organized by F. Sionil Jose, who established PEN Philippines.
The event was attended by prominent writers including Francisco Arcellana, N.V.M. Gonzalez, Bienvenido Lumbera, Alejandro Roces, and Edith Tiempo, who, along with Jose, all became National Artists for Literature.
Over its 66 years of existence, PEN Philippines has organized literary events, workshops, author meetings, seminars, and conferences across the country.
The organization has hosted renowned international writers, including Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka, Richard Kim, Lin Yutang, Khushwant Singh, Hirabayashi Taiko, Hayako Sono, Norman Mailer, Gunter Grass, Mario Vargas Llosa, Mochtar Lubis, Edwin Thumboo, Juan Gelman, and many others.
PEN International history
PEN International, founded in 1921, is the world’s foremost association of writers.
For over 100 years, it has been celebrating and promoting literature and protecting freedom of expression.
“All other rights flow from freedom of expression, so we defend it when it is under risk,” the group says on its website.
Today PEN has 147 Centers in over 100 countries “supporting the unhampered transmission of thought within each nation and between all nations.”
Continuing relevance of PEN Philippines
PEN Philippines provides a platform for Filipino writers to share their voices and stories with the world.
Through its various initiatives, including annual congresses, literary readings, workshops, and seminars, the organization fosters an environment where writers can freely exchange ideas.
Beyond literary development, PEN Philippines advocates for freedom of speech and expression, in a country where political and social issues often intertwine with artistic expression.
As a member of PEN International, it joins a global network of writers and advocates committed to freedom of speech and expression.
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