news and events

February 19, 2008

Likhaan Journal 2008 call for submissions

After the launch of the first Likhaan Journal at the last Writers Night, the UP Institute of Creative Writing is again calling for submissions for this year’s volume. The journal is open to fiction, poetry, essay and graphic novel submissions in English and Filipino.

The first Likhaan Journal was edited by Dr. Jose Dalisay, with Drs. J . Neil Garcia and Lilia Quindoza Santiago as poetry and fiction editors, respectively. The volume featured fiction from Alwin Aguirre, Mayette Bayuga, Catherine Bucu, Amelia Lapena-Bonifacio, Charlson Ong and Socorro Villanueva; poetry from Raymond de Borja, Mikael de Lara Co, Francis Arias Montesena and Joel Toledo; essays by Gemino Abad, Exie Abola and Reuel Molina Aguila; a photo essay by Vim Nadera, drama from Rene O. Villanueva and an interview of National Artist Bienvenido Lumbera.

The Likhaan Journal is available for P250.00 at the UP ICW and at UP Press Bookstores.

The deadline for this year’s submissions is May 31.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

1. For its second issue, Likhaan will accept submissions in the following genres, in both English and Filipino:

• Short stories ranging from about 12 to 30 pages double-spaced (in 11-12 points Times Roman, New York, Palatino, Book Antique, Arial or some such standard font). A suite of short prose pieces will be considered.
• A suite of four to seven poems, out which the editors might choose three to five. Long poems will be considered in lieu of a suite.
• Essays (critical, scholarly, and/or creative nonfiction), subject to the same length limitations as short stories, above.
• Excerpts from graphic novels, or full short graphic stories, for reproduction in black and white on no more than 10 printed pages, 6” x 9”. Excerpts should be accompanied by a synopsis of the full narrative.

2. All submissions must be original, and unpublished anywhere else.

3. All submissions must be accompanied by a biographical sketch (no more than one or two short paragraphs) of the author, including contact information (address, telephone number, e-mail address).

4. Submissions may be e-mailed to likhaanjournal@gmail.com, or posted to The Editors, Likhaan Journal, UP Institute of Creative Writing, Rizal Hall, University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City, 1101.

5. All submissions should be received (whether by e-mail or post) no later than May 31, 2008.

6. All submissions will undergo a strict pre-screening and blind refereeing process by the editors and a panel of referees composed of eminent writers and critics from within and outside the University of the Philippines.

7. Writers whose work will be accepted for publication will receive a substantial cash payment and a copy of the published journal.

8. The editors reserve the right to edit any and all materials accepted for publication.

9. The editors may also solicit or commission special, non-refereed articles for publication outside of the aforementioned genres and categories to enhance the editorial content and balance of the journal.

10. Please direct any and all inquiries to the editors at likhaanjournal@gmail.com.

February 16, 2008

3,000,000 hits for Philippine literature
by Arvin Abejo Mangohig

February, the month of hearts, is also the month for Philippine Arts. For many years now and all month long, the National Commission for Culture and the Arts rolls out various programs across the country via its Philippine Arts Festival, formerly known as the National Arts Month.

Two years ago, www.panitikan.com.ph was launched at the Rizal Park . A joint project between the NCCA, the UP Institute of Creative Writing and the Likhaan Foundation, it sought to become the definitive portal which disseminated Philippine Literature in the Internet, catering to students, teachers and researchers. A few days before its first year of being online, panitikan.com.ph received its 1,000,000th hit. Now, a year after that, the website has received its 3,000,000 th hit.

The numbers, by no means a small feat, mean that it had doubled its daily hits over a one year period from 2,000 to a little over 4,000 hits. An interesting figure is how hits rise during weekdays and fall slightly during weekends. This could very well mean that students and teachers are accessing the site for research and information during those times.

Vim Nadera, UP ICW director and the man behind the website, was more than pleased with the figures. "What was initially a dream is now a reality; and not just a virtual one. We hope panitikan.com.ph will live up to everyone's expectations as the country's portal to Philippine literature." Eva Garcia-Cadiz, its former coordinator, would love to see more support for the site, seeing how important the site can be as an online resource.

Nadera and the website staff members are ecstatic about the 3,000,000 hits. The project has generated sustained interest all over the globe. Its success bodes well for Philippine Literature as it continues to augment and alter in the frontier of cyberspace.

February 16, 2008

Poetry reading and book launch for National Arts Month, Panagbenga festival in Baguio

The National Commission on Culture and the Arts (NCCA) spearheads the celebration of National Arts Month in February, which is also the month of Panagbenga, the annual flower festival in Baguio City . Baguio poets and creative writers will celebrate National Arts Month and Panagbenga with a poetry reading and book launch on February 20 at the Multi-Purpose Hall of the University of the Philippines Baguio. Among the readers slated to read their poems are Baguio Writers Group members Elizabeth Lolarga, Jimmy Agpalo, Francis Macansantos, Merci Dulawan, Elizabeth Calinawagan and Priscilla Supnet Macansantos.

The program will include readings by young writers belonging to the group Ubbug, a group of young Cordillera Writers. The Ubbug writers include Junley Lazaga and Janice Bagawi, also of UP Baguio The writers will read their own works in Filipino, English and Iloko. Francis Macansantos' book, Womb of Water, Breasts of Earth, will also be launched during the February 20 program. The book is Macansantos' 2003 NCCA Writers' Prize output for the epic poetry category.

The reading starts at 4 p.m. and is free and open to the public. Co-sponsoring with NCCA is the UP Baguio Committee on Culture and the Arts. The poetry reading and book launch are included in the line-up of activities for Panagbenga and National Arts Month.

February 16, 2008

Omaw sa Oragon

The tribute to Jun Balde was a program of the Aquinas Universtity of Legazpi in January 29 & 30, 2008. It was part of the University's week-long celebration of its 60th Foundation Year.

The January 29 tribute included music, song and dance interpretations of the poems and stories of Jun Balde. This was followed by the Supay Poetry Reading Night. The January 30 Literary Brew was a lecture by Jun Balde on Pagsurat Bikolnon (Bikol Literature) and the lecture of Marne Kilates on Poetry Writing.

After Dan Pinto's audio/video presentation of Jun Balde's transformations, an Omaw sa Oragon Trophy was presented to the deserving writer.

February 16, 2008

DFPP 2008 creative writing workshop

The U.P. Department of Filipino will hold the 2008 DFPP Creative Writing Workshop on May 15-18, 2008 in Angono, Rizal.

It is open to college level, beginning writers in Filipino who write in one or more of the following genre: poetry, short story, story for children, play, or creative non-fiction (essay).

Applicants are required to submit five copies of the manuscript in 12 point-sized font, double-spaced, 8½ x 11 bond sized paper, along with the digital file. The manuscript may consist of at least one of the following: five (5) poems, two (2) short stories of at least 10 pages each, two (2) stories for children of at least 5-7 pages each, one (1) short play, and one (1) creative non-fiction of at least ten pages. Also, a short essay about the author and photo must be submitted along with the manuscripts.

Application forms are available at the Department of Filipino and Philippine Literature, College of Arts and Letters, UP Diliman. Deadline of submission is on March 31, 2008. For further details, please get in touch with Prof. Jimmuel Naval or Prof. Vlad Gonzales at 9244899. Or email at palihanan2008@yahoo.com .

February 16, 2008

Cordero launches new book of poetry

In a simple ceremony held in Ateneo de Naga University last January 31, 2008, Bikol poet Kristian Sendon Cordero launched his third collection of poems entitled Pusuanon: Mga Bersong Bikol published by Goldprint Publishing House, a local publishing house in Naga City .

In attendance where students, faculty members, booklovers and writer-friends of Cordero who at the young age of 24 has garnered local and national awards including the Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature, Homelife Poetry Contest, Premio Tomas Arejola Para Sa Literaturang Bikolnon, Sawikaan: Salita ng Taon and the Madrigal Gonzales Best First Book Award in 2006 for his debut collection, Mga Tulang Tulalang: Piling Tula sa Filipino, Bikol at Rinconada published in 2004. He was also the recipient of Melchor Villanueva Centennial Awards for Bikol Literature.

Luis Cabalquinto, a Bikol writer now based in New York described Cordero as one of the bright lights of the recent Bikolnon writing renaissance. He described Cordero's poems as intimate sketches and portraits of the people and land of his birth and the poet does this with a confident hand, cool detachment and, very often, with tongue-in-cheek humor. Fully in command of his material, Cordero's poetic diction deftly fuses real and surreal elements to elicit from the thoughtful reader not only high amusement but also deep understanding.

Mature for his age, Cordero surprises us with his poetic invention, his audacious use of the Bikol language in this new volume of Bikol poems. Pusuanon carries the English translations of Marne L. Kilates and H. Francisco V. Peñones Jr. For more information and book orders please text 09175012287 or leave a message to www.santigwar.blogspot.com.

February 16, 2008

Applications for the Sertipiko sa Malikhaing Pagsulat sa Filipino in UPD now open

Applications are now open for the Sertipiko ng Malikhaing Pagsulat at the Departamento ng Filipino at Panitikan ng Pilipinas at UP Diliman.

Requirements are:

(1) Photocopy of high school report card, GWA 80 (1st - 3rd year High School and 1st - 3rd quarter 4th year; the student must have an average of 85 in Filipino and English),

(2) collection of creative works (any of the following: 5-10 poems, 3-5 short stories, 1 novel or novelette, 1 play, 3-5 stories for children, 1 teleplay or screenplay, 3-5 essays; all works should be in Filipino),

(3) Recommendation from a former teacher in literature, Filipino and/or creative writing. Application period is from February 18 up to March 18. Applicants will be oriented on February 22, 5:00 pm. The qualifying exam will be held on March 24. For more information contact Jayson Petras and Elyrah Salanga at 924899.

February 16, 2008

New rock musical at the CCP

EJ: Ang Pinagdaanang Buhay nina Evelio Javier at Edgar Jopson is a rock musical presented by Tanghalang Pilipino Cultural Center of the Philippines . The playdates will be:

Feb 15, 16, 22, 23, 29, March 01, 07, 08, 2008 8:00 PM
Feb 16, 17, 23, 24, March 01, 02, 08, 09, 2008 3:00 PM

This will be at the Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino (CCP Little Theater)

This unique rock spectacle is written by Ed Maranan and directed by Chris Millado. Legendary OPM Band The Dawn will perform the music.

EJ: Ang Pinagdaanang Buhay nina Evelio Javier at Edgar Jopson is both eulogy and exaltation, an exhortation to never forget, a celebration of two human beings who enriched our country's history, and whose ideas and beliefs will surely stand the test of time.

Ed Maranan writes plays, poems, essays, short fiction, and children's stories. His play Ang Panahon ni Cristy was written when he was a political detainee in Camp Bagong Diwa during the martial law era. It won the Carlos Palanca first prize for full-length drama in 1978. He also wrote a 'drama historico,' Tolentino, about the life and times of the Katipunan's revolutionary playwright Aurelio Tolentino, staged at the CCP's Bulwagang Gantimpala under the direction of Tony Espejo.

His other plays include Ang Unang Pagtatanghal ng Dulaang Pugadsisiw Bilang Pagdiriwang sa Pandaigdigang Taon ng mga Bata, Ang Alamat ng May-I and Ang Tagapagligtas among many others. His play EJ: Ang Pinagdaanang Buhay nina Evelio Javier at Edgar Jopson, was commissioned by Tanghalang Pilipino, Cultural Center of the Philippines .

February 6, 2008

The NBDB Book Club reads The Kite of Stars

The NBDB Book Club invites you to its first book club meeting for the year on
February 15, 2pm here at our new office at the 2nd floor of the NPO Bldg., EDSA
cor. NIA Northside Road in Diliman. Kicking off our 2008 list of must-reads is Dean Francis Alfar's highly-praised debut collection The Kite of Stars and Other Stories published by Anvil.

The Kite of Stars is a wondrous collection of 16 stories of fantasy, science fiction, horror, and things in between from the same author who brought us the award-winning novel Salamanca.

Dr. Cristina Pantoja-Hidalgo says of Alfar, "Surely one of the most unusual
writers to burst on the literary scene in the last decade or so is Dean Francis
Alfar, who may have introduced the term 'speculative fiction' to Filipinos. This
first collection of short stories is so obviously from the same hand that
wrought the funny, magical Salamanca, the hand of a warlock dreaming dreams of
unnamed stars. Readers would do well to step into the dreams."

Mr. Dean Alfar himself will be coming over to join our discussion. The book club will be moderated by another award-winning writer Tara FT Sering.

The Kite of Stars and Other Stories is available at all Powerbooks and
National Bookstore branches for P280.

To confirm your attendance, pls. call the NBDB Secretariat at 926-8238. Look for Dianne Mendoza or Grace Santos.

Tag: EVENTS

February 6, 2008

Malate Folio launch

Everyone is invited to Malate Literary Folio's Second Issue Book Launch, a night of art, performances, poetry, and music. This will be on Feb. 1, 2008 (Friday), 7:30pm at Big Sky Mind, 66 Dona J. Rodriguez St. cor. E. Rodriguez Ave, QC

The launch will feature performances, bands, readings, and an open mic session. Free admission and free beer awaits so bring friends.

Tag: BOOK LAUNCH

February 6, 2008

Alitaptap storytelling workshop slated

Let children enjoy your stories. Animate your storytelling style. Put emotions in your face. Use a more enthusiastic voice. Show some comic touches in some scenes. Be an effective storyteller.

JoinActing and Reading Techniques In StoryTelling (ARTIST) Workshop on
March 1-2, 2008, 8:30 am to 5:00 pm at the Executive Lounge, 6th Floor, National Library of the Philippines, T. M. Kalaw Ave., Ermita, Manila , Philippines

The workshop fee is Php 500.

For confirmation and more details, please contact 0917.539.2630 or (02) 535.4689. Email us at alitaptap_storytellers@yahoo. com

Log on to www.storytellersphilippines.com

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