Dalangin

huminto ang dyip sa kanto

saka nagbababaan ang tatlong pasahero.

muling umabante ang dyip.

muntik na nitong masagasaan

ang mag-inang pusang nasa gilid ng kalsada.

sinundan ng tingin ng inang pusa

ang matuling dyip, saka siya nagwika:

"makagat ka sana ng aso."

05/30/2013

5 alumni and 13 writing fellows to 20th Iligan Workshop

The MSU-Iligan Institute of Technology (MSU-IIT) and the National Commission for Culture and Arts (NCCA) announce the selection of 18 writing fellows out of 65 applicants to the 20th year of the Iligan National Writers Workshop (INWW). The workshop is on May 20-24, 2013 at the MSU-IIT.

The Iligan Workshop is one of five national writers workshops in the country but it is the only workshop that publishes its proceedings each year, and promotes the making of the literatures of the regions.

In celebration of its 20th year, the Iligan workshop invited five alumni for a discussion of their aesthetics or creative process along with their works-in-progress, at the same time they will help mentor beginning writers during the workshop.

The writing fellows are:
LUZON: Play: Dominique Beatrice T. La Victoria (English), Ateneo de Manila University/Quezon City; Fiction: Laurence F. Roxas (English) UPDiliman/Pasig City; Poetry: Ma. Amparo N. Warren (English),UPDiliman/Pasig City; Louise Vincent B. Amante (Filipino) UPDiliman/Quezon City.

INWW Alumni from Luzon: Fiction: Susan Claire Agbayani (Filipino), Maryknoll College/Manila.

VISAYAS: Fiction: Nikos H. Primavera (English), UP Visayas/Iloilo City; Poetry: Ma. Carmie Flor I. Ortego (Waray), Leyte Normal University/Calbayog City. Ortego is the 3rd Boy Abunda Writing Fellow.

INWW Alumni from the Visayas: Fiction: Hope Sabanpan Yu (Sebuano), University of San Carlos/Cebu City; Norman T. Darap (Kinaray-a), University of San Agustin/Iloilo City; Poetry: Cindy A. Velasquez (Sebuano), University of San Carlos/Cebu City.

MINDANAO: Fiction: Edgar R. Eslit (Sebuano), St. Michael’s College/Iligan City; Rolly Jude M. Ortega (English), Notre Dame of Marbel University/Isulan, Sultan Kudarat; Poetry: Amelia Catarata Bojo (Sebuano), Central Mindanao University/Musuan, Bukidnon; Marc Josiah Pranza (English), UP Mindanao/Surigao City; Shem S. Linohon (Higaunon), Central Mindanao University/ Valencia City. He is likewise the 5th Manuel E. Buenafe Writing Fellow; and Vera Mae F. Cabatana (English), MSU-IIT/Iligan City. Cabatana is the 5th Ricardo Jorge S. Caluen Writing Fellow.

INWW Alumni from Mindanao: Poetry: Ralph Semino Galan (English), MSU-IIT/Iligan City.

This year’s panelists include: Leoncio P. Deriada, John Iremil Teodoro, Merlie M. Alunan, Victorio N. Sugbo, Macario D. Tiu, Steven Patrick C. Fernandez, German V. Gervacio, Antonio R. Enriquez, Christine Godinez-Ortega (INWW Director) and the keynote speaker, Jose “Butch” Dalisay, Jr.

Dalisay, a multi-awarded fictionist and a columnist of the Philippine Star is a Coordinator for the National Capital Region of the NCCA Committee on Literary Arts. At present, he is a Professor of the UP College of Arts & Letters and is the Director of the UP Institute for Creative Writing and Literary Studies.

Highlights of this year’s Iligan workshop are the book launching of the 19th INWW Proceedings titled, Writing Memory Memory Writing (2013) edited by Godinez-Ortega and published by the OVCRE-MMIDU; the Jimmy Y. Balacuit Memorial Literary Awards; and, the Seminar on Literature, Translation & Pedagogy for tertiary language and literature teachers organized by the Department of English of the College of Arts & Social Sciences (CASS).

The seminar is on May 20, 2013 at the Mini-theatre. The lecturers are Tiu, Research Director, Philippine Women’s University; Teodoro, faculty of Miriam College; Sabanpan Yu, Director of the University of San Carlos’s Cebuano Studies Center, and Fatimah Joy S. Almarez, faculty, Department of English, CASS.

For reservations please call Honeylet Dumoran, Department of English, CASS, tel. (063) 2233806. (OC News Release)

*Salamat kay Sir German Gervacio ng MSU-IIT para sa unang pagbabahagi ng magandang balita. :-)

Isang gunita ng Biyernes Santo

Tahimik ang paligid

Kung kailan hitik ang misteryo

Ng daigdig sa panahong ito.

            “May namatay daw kaninang alas-tres.”

“Sino?”

            “Aba’y wala akong kinalaman diyan,”

sabad ng mamang bundat

sa serbesa ang tiyan.

            Nagtawanan ang mga kainuman niya

            sa korni niyang hirit ukol sa kamatayan

            ng Hesukristo.

At sa kanilang harapan, nagdaraan ang Santo Entierro.

03/29/2013

Biyernes Santo

On the Sabah question, a personal note

As a Filipino, I side with the Philippines right to claim Sabah as part of our national territory. Enough said.

But the claim now resulted into violent clashes between the two sides, the followers of the Sultan of Sulu and the Malaysian military. Since last month, newspapers carry reports about the "takeover" of the land of Sabah by Filipino-Muslims loyal to the Sultan of Sulu. Other reports use the word "settlement" but the groups who arrived on Lahad Datu, Sabah carry arms and are "ready to die for their cause."

As of this writing, events continue to unfold about the claim.  But all I know since my elementary days, this Sabah question started during the presidency of Diosdado Macapagal. Malaysia, after gaining freedom and independence from the hands of its British colonial lords, included Sabah in its territory. A historic speech by the great Senator Jovito Salonga (thanks to the internet) delivered in the Senate 50 years ago still rings a vigilant and resolute stand on the Sabah question.

This problem was carried over by the next president, Ferdinand Marcos. Reports of a supposed takeover, called Operation Merdeka, were leaked by then Senator Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino Jr. included in his speech at the Senate. And in 1983, Ninoy allegedly talked to Malaysian authorities on dropping the Sabah claim.

The present Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III administration condemned the act of the Sultan of Sulu. He even said that the Sultan's forces should go home and be "tried" for their act is against the law. Filipinos were shocked by this statement coming from OUR president. He was bashed by comments coming from facebook comments and statuses on his "arrogant and mindless" principle on the Sabah question. Only a few minutes ago, the website of the President was hacked by Anonymous Philippines bearing their open letter to the President.

Screen shot of the hacked page of the President's website. Accessed March 14, 2013.

As a Filipino, I side with the Philippines right to claim Sabah as part of our national territory. And our government should represent that claim. Enough said.

500 views!

Sa pag-log ko ngayong 10:10 ng umaga, nakatutuwang umabot na sa 500 ang bumisita sa aking blog.

Maraming salamat sa lahat ng bumisita't nagbasa ng aking mga naipapahayag dito. :-) Hangga't may panahon akong makapagsulat at magbahagi ng aking mga naisasaisip, may mababasa pa rin kayo mula sa akin.

Muli, maraming salamat sa pagbisita't pagbasa.

Para sa malayang pagpapahayag.
Para sa sining at panitikan.
Para sa bayan.

Naging 501 views na. :-)

Why is February the month of "kulang-kulang"?

As the last day of the month is nearing its end, I am just wondering again why February only has 28 days.

Good thing during this time is the Internet. With just a click away, we can know the answer to any questions we dare ask ourselves. :-) I googled the word "February" and found many sites offering information about my query.

But years before, when voluminous encyclopedia still rule any modest household, I go to my friends' houses and ask permission to browse over their big books of knowledge. Without a set of encyclopedia in our house, it seems that the family that I belong to ain't that rich. :-(

I remember that my first serious reading of an encyclopedia volume is about the month of February. I was born on February 10. This year, I turned 31. :-) And there is this belief from the folks around town that whoever is born on February is called "kulang-kulang" (always lacking in something).  S/He may lack in height, beauty, know-how, or whatsoever.

But the encyclopedia says that two Roman emperors stole the two days of the said month and added these to their respective months. Julius Caesar added a day to his month, July; and Augustus Caesar did the same for his August. Why did they do that? Well, they were gods. Then.

As I got older and smarter (yeah!), I realized that people born on February are the usual suspects for fame and greatness (Wow!). Bob Marley and George Harrison are the artists that I share with the so-called Love Month. Here in the Philippines, it is also called the National Arts Month. And artists are always experimenting. They are not contented with the way things are. These people pushed their limits. And we now see how they've gone that far.

With regards to my personality, it's just that I am not that comfortable with routine. Change is what I want, from the personal/political to the political/personal.

If I am "kulang-kulang", who else will I be?

Lakambini

Nais ko’y putungan ka ng Eric Javits Rabbit Felt Hat,

Subalit ipinutong mo ito sa life-size Sto. Niño.

Nais ko’y bihisan ka ng sutlang Plains and Prints,

Subalit sinilid mo ito sa kabinet.

Nais ko’y pabanguhan ka ng Bulgari,

Subalit tinago mo ito at di ko mahanap.

Nais ko’y kabitan ang iyong pulso ng Anne Klein,

Subalit isinabit mo ito sa sungay ng piguring usa.

Nais ko’y ipanlakad mo ang high heels na Gucci,

Subalit hinimpil mo ito sa likod ng pinto.

Nais ko’y gawin kang balot na reyna,

Subalit ikaw ang nagwagi na maging lakambini.

02/14/2013