UST PUBLISHING HOUSE'S RECENT LAUNCHING OF SIX NEW TITLES
by Cristina Pantoja Hidalgo
The
UST Publishing House celebrated Christmas (its first under the new
management and streamlined structure) with fellow writers at the
traditional WRITERS' NIGHT held by the UP Institute of Creative Writing
at the Asian Center, UP Diliman, on December 10. Five of the new
books are by Fellows of the UPICW:
Pitong Bundok ng Haraya, literary criticism by National Artist Virgilio S. Almario, also known as Rio Alma; Imagination’s Way: Essays Critical and Personal by University Professor Emeritus Gémino H. Abad’s;
Gitnang Uring Fantasya at Material na Kahirapan sa Neoliberalismo:
Politikal na Kritisismo ng Kulturang Popular by the Dean of UP's
College of Mass Communications Rolando B. Tolentino; Charlson Ong’s
newest novel, Blue Angel, White Shadow , a hardboiled detective/murder
mystery set in the seedy underbelly of Manila; and Romulo P. Baquiran,
Jr.'s Sagad sa Buto: Hospital Diary at Iba pang Sanaysay . The sixth
book, Alinsunurang Awit is by a writing fellow of the UP National
Writers' Workshop, the prolific young poet Mésandel Virtusio Arguelles.
Writers'
Night was established in the early 90s as a fund-raiser for the ICW
(then the UP Creative Writing Center), and has been celebrated each
year as a reunion of the fellows of the UP National Writers' Workshop,
and a Christmas party for all Filipino writers and lovers of
Philippine literature. Some writers actually come from out of town just
to attend it, as did Baguio-based Frank Cimatu this year.
The
UST Publishing House now officially announces that six more new titles
will be launched under the sponsorship of The Varsitarian , UST'S
student paper, in February 2011, all by Thomasian writers, who are also
former Varsi staff members. Four of the titles have already been
released: The House of True Desire, essays by Cirilo Bautista;
Selected Poems by Rita Gadi; Insectisimo, poetry by Lourd de Veyra, and
At Sa Tahanan ng Alabok , poetry by Louie Sanchez. Forthcoming are:
Kayumanggi, poetry by Carmelo Vim Nadera, and Clairvoyance, poetry by Carlomar Daoana.
A seventh title, Everyday Things by Fidelito Cortes (who is
described by the Varsi's adviser, Lito B. Zulueta as an "adopted son"
of UP) is out, and will also be launched.
All are part of the "400 Years, 400 Books" Project, which is part of UST'S Quadricentennial Celebrations.
BEST FIRST BOOK FOR 2010 NAMED
Agaw
Dilim, Agaw Liwanag, a memoir by Lualhati M. Abreu, was named the
winner of the 2010 Madrigal-Gonzalez Best First Book Award (MGBFBA).
The announcement was made during the annual UP Writers Night held this
year at the GT Toyota Hall of Wisdom at the UP Asian Center on December
10.
The
memoir previously won in the Creative Nonfiction category of the Gawad
Likhaan: UP Centennial Literary Awards in 2008. It was published by the
UP Press in 2009.
In
their citation, this year’s board of judges comprised of College of
Mass Commmunications dean Rolando Tolentino, poet Genevieve Asenjo, and
Prof. Luna Sicat Cleto, praised Abreu’s “sharp and artful rendering of
life amidst crisis within the revolutionary movement.” The judges
likewise took note of the important contribution Abreu has made to the
development of the autobiographical narrative in Philippine literature.
Agaw
Dilim, Agaw Liwanag, bested this year’s other nominees namely Batbat Ni
Udan (The Story of Udan) by Telesforo Sungkit (Central Books),
Kantilaho by Joseph de Luna Saguid (UST), Sayod Kong Tatara-mon
(Tuwiran kong Sasabihin) by Carlos Arejola (NCCA) and Tugmaang
Matatabil: Mga Akdang Sinulat sa Libingan ng mga Buhay by Axel Pinpin
(Southern Voices).
Lualhati
M. Abreu does research work and writing for non-government
organizations in Metro Manila and Mindanao. She is currently taking up
History at UP Diliman.
The
MGBFBA is an annual award established by the U.P. Institute of Creative
Writing (ICW), through the initiative and generosity of the
Madrigal-Gonzalez family, to encourage writers who have published a
first book to continue in the literary arts by providing a degree of
relief from financial pressures so they might focus on their next
literary project.
The
award alternates from year to year between books in English and in
Filipino. Previous winners of the MGBFBA were Angelo Lacuesta, Ellen
Sicat, Ma. Felisa Batacan, Luna Sicat-Cleto, Vicente Groyon, Kristian
Cordero, Rica Bolipata-Santos, Zosimo Quibilan, Jr., and Adam David.
Book launches at UP Writers Night
After
the MGBFBA awarding cere-mony, a number of new books were launched
including the fourth edition of the Likhaan: The Journal of
Contemporary Philippine Literature.
Likhaan
is the country’s leading literary peer-reviewed journal is published
annually, with funding from the Office of the UP Diliman Chancellor. UP
ICW fellows and associates take turns serving as editor of the journal
which is published annually. For the fourth edition, award-winning
fictionist Prof. Pedro “Jun” Cruz Reyes served as general editor, while
poets Prof. Romulo Baquiran, Jr. and Prof. Conchitina Cruz served as
associate editors for Filipino and English, respectively.
Six
new books were also launched by the University of Santo Tomas
Publishing House during Writers Night. Five of the new titles were all
written by fellows of the ICW: Pitong Bundok ng Haraya by National
Artist for Literature Virgilio Almario, Imagination’s Way: Essays
Critical and Personal by University Professor Emeritus Gémino H. Abad,
Gitnang Uring Fantasya at Material na Kahirapan sa Neoliberalismo:
Politikal na Kritisismo ng Kulturang Popular by Prof. Rolando B.
Tolentino, Blue Angel, White Shadow by Charlson Ong, and Sagad sa Buto:
Hospital Diary at Iba pang Sanaysay by Prof. Romulo P. Baquiran, Jr.
Alinsunurang
Awit by Mésandel Virtusio Arguelles, a writing fellow of the UP
National Writers Workshop, was also launched by the UST Publishing
House.
Up Newsletter
THE 2010 MADRIGAL-GONZALEZ FIRST BOOK AWARD
by Joey Baquiran
Book
launchings make a mild stir in countries that love reading. People line
up in the dead of winter to get hold of the latest obra maestra by a
favorite author. In the Philippines, books especially the literary
ones, hardly get noticed by the public that prefer to surf the internet
or cable television.
Sometimes
books with controversial topics can attract thousands of readers in
buying copies, e.g. Marites Vitug’s take on the alleged corruption in
the Supreme Court. All the while in bookstores, the regular best
sellers are cook books and travel guides or entrepreneural series.
Yet
writers and publishers of poetry, stories, and essays are unfazed by
the low interest on these literary titles. Every year, dozens of
collections roll out of university presses, independent groups, and
writers’ cooperatives. Aficionados snap up copies in bar events and
book sales. These books are printed in limited numbers to suit the
limited number of buyers.
While
veteran writers are somehow assured of market share from school-based
readers, authors of first books have a harder time in attracting
buyers' attention.
The
intrepid act of producing first books is what the Madrigal-Gonzalez
Best First Book Award want to recognize and honor this time of the
year. The U.P. Institute of Creative Writing had been administering the
project for a decade now. Nine authors, five in English and four in
Filipino, have received the award. This year’s winner, or the fifth in
Filipino or the tenth in the series, will take home a plaque and the
cash prize of P50,000.
What
began as Atty. Gizela Gonzalez Montinola's casual suggestion for her
Madrigal-Gonzalez family to sponsor the award has become a much awaited
event among first authors and their publishers, and of course readers.
In
2001, the very first Madrigal-Gonzalez Best First Book Award (MGBFBA)
went to Angelo Rodriguez Lacuesta's Life After X & Other
Stories (UP Press). The 2002 winner was Ellen Liwag Sicat's Paghuhunos
(UP Press), a novel. Her daughter Luna Sicat-Cleto won the title in
2004 with the biographical novel Makinilyang Altar (UP Press). The
other winners were Ma. Felisa H. Batacan’s Smaller and Smaller Circles
(UP Press 2003), Vicente G. Groyon III’s The Sky Over Dimas (DLSU
Press, 2005), Kristian S. Cordero’s Mga Tulang Tulala (Goldprint
Publishing House, 2006), Rica Bolipata Santos’ Love, Desire, Children
(Milflores Publishing, 2007), Zosimo Quibilan’s Pagluwas (UP Press ,
2008), and Adam David’s El Bimbo Variations (Beauty Brigade, 2009).
The
2010 MGFBA finalists include Lualhati Abreu’s Agaw-dilim, Agaw-Liwanag
(UP Press), Carlos A. Arejola’s Sayod Kong Tataramon (NCCA), Telesforo
Sungkit Jr.’s Batbat hi Udan (Central Books), Axel Pinpin’s Tugmaang
Matatabil (Southern Voices), and Joseph de Luna Saguid’s Kantilaho (UST
Publishing House).
Prose,
poetry and drama are represented in the choices made by this year’s
judges Rolando B. Tolentino, Luna Sicat-Cleto, and Genevieve Asenjo.
They are academics as well as prolific writers and keen observers of
the literary scene.
Batbat
hi Udan is a bagani or warrior’s adventure and search for individual
and communal identity, an epical tale set in Mindanao and written in
straight forward yet forceful Filipino.
A
collection of plays in Bikol with Filipino translation, Sayod Kong
Tataramon unflinchingly examines the reimagined local histories of the
region. What come out are intriguing conflicts of religiosity and
carnal passion, embodied by men and women who either perpetuate the
repressive tradition or welcome the possibility of genuine free
will.
A
political prisoner’s long incarceration is the impetus to the writing
of Tugmaang Matatabil. It is an eloquent and inventive work of an
an activist's unflagging commitment to freedom and democracy, aptly
expressed in poetic lines that are both energetic and new.
Kantilaho
is a thin volume of verse yet decidedly precious because of its searing
portrayal of a mind/persona that perceives the cosmic and the covert
meanings of human experience, as found in the ordinary and more so in
the ineffable flashes of insights.
Agaw-dilim
is the most gripping piece among the finalists. A testimonial document
about the deadly purgings of the national democratic movement in
Southern Tagalog in the late 1980s, it confronts the party’s serious
errors through the eyes of a suffering victim/witness who hopes the
lessons learned will lead to a full and just rectification. The
first-person account is a pioneering creative non-fiction work in
Filipino.
On
December 10 at 5:00 pm, the winner of the 10th Madrigal-Gonzalez Best
First Book Award will be announced as part of the Writers Night program
of the U.P. Institute of Creative Writing to be held at the Toyota
Auditorium, Asian Center, UP Diliman, Quezon City.
***
Lualhati Abreu won the 2010 MGBFBA. Click here to order the book. The UP ICW and the UP Press congratulate the newest winner of the prestigious award.
LIRA'S SILVER JUBILEE CULMINATES IN BOOK LAUNCH AND AWARDS NIGHT
The
year-long celebration of the 25th anniversary of the renowned Filipino
literary group Linangan sa Imahen, Retorika, at Anyo (LIRA) climaxed in
the “Lirang Pilak” Culminating Night last December 4, 2010 in Crossroad
77, Quezon City.
Aside
from serving as a reunion for some of country’s notable poets, writers,
and educators who had been borne of LIRA’s yearly and intensive “poetry
clinic,” the night witnessed the launching of a commemorative poetry
anthology, the awarding ceremony for a poetry contest, a tribute to
organizations who have helped foster the growth of Filipino literature,
and a homage to the spirit of volunteerism that marks the poets of
LIRA, among others.
National
Artist for Literature Virgilio S. Almario (also known as Rio Alma),
LIRA founder and adviser graced the event. LIRA President Phillip Kimpo
Jr. opened the night with a short welcome message before dinner was
served.
An
audio-visual presentation reviewing the LIRA-organized events and
projects for 2010 was shown next. These include the “Writers and
Artists’ Penitence for the Nation,” a rally and symbolic “clean-up” for
Philippine arts and culture held on April 2 (Good Friday and Balagtas
Day) at Pandacan, Manila;
The
“Sining ng Tugma at Sukat” (Art of Rhyme and Meter), the second edition
of LIRA and the NCCA’s literary education outreach program that visited
and taught to almost 500 teachers and students from nine towns across
Luzon, from March to December;
The
LIRA Poetry Clinic 2010, a five-month-long series of lectures and
poetry workshops held by some of the country’s eminent writers and
attended by more or less forty beginning poets;
And
the National Conference for Poetry in Filipino, a two-day seminar on
November 25-26 in UP Diliman and highlighted by lectures by two
National Artists.
The
presentation was followed by the oath-taking of four newly minted “full
members” the organization, which screens and chooses its members from
the ranks of its clinic graduates. Acceptance is based on the poet’s
skill in the art and his or her willingness to pursue projects in
service to the nation, often without remuneration—the embodiment of the
“poet-volunteer” that LIRA espouses, especially by its current
president.
The
twin launch of the “Lirang Pilak” book and “Aninaw” chapbook was the
feature of the night. Edited by National Artist for Literature Virgilio
S. Almario with Romulo P. Baquiran Jr. and Phillip Kimpo Jr. as
associate editors, “Lirang Pilak” features works from forty LIRA
members, award-winning veterans and emerging talents alike.
The
chapbook, on the other hand, was the final installment in a series of
four mini-anthologies each featuring twenty five poems. “Aninaw” was
edited by Ronaldo Carcamo and was preceded by “Lámang” (Edgar Calabia
Samar), “Iláng” (Jerry Gracio), and “Rurok” (Enrico C. Torralba).
The
book and chapbooks were published by Vibal Foundation, the
socio-cultural development arm of Vibal Publishing House, Inc., and
Aklat LIRA, the organization’s publishing imprint.
The
night was by no means an all-LIRA celebration, as the winners of the
“Timpalak Tulaan sa Facebook” were awarded in a simple ceremony. The
contest, which attracted over 700 entries and offered a total prize of
Php 10,000 was won by Allan Lenard Ocampo, Lidie Zubiri, and Francisco
Monteseña.
On
the other hand, no winners merited the prizes for LIRA’s other contest
for the year, the “Premyong Bulawan: Php 50,000 Timpalak sa Tula at
Kritisismo” as announced by the contest sponsor, National Artist
Almario. Instead, the contest will be extended to 2011 and will be
complemented by the Philippines Graphic’s “Gawad Rio Alma,” held in
cooperation with LIRA.
LIRA
also paid tribute to nine institutions that have helped the group’s
activities and Filipino literature as a whole. These are the Vibal
Foundation, UP College of Arts and Letters, LIKHAAN: UP Institute of
Creative Writing, Unyon ng mga Manunulat sa Pilipinas, Adarna House,
Ortigas Foundation, Anvil Publishing, Book Development Association of
the Philippines, and the Philippines Graphic.
Prof.
Vim Nadera, one of LIRA’s founding members led a reminiscing of the
group’s early days. Teo T. Antonio, acclaimed as the country’s “Prince
of Balagtasan” gave a toast to the organization’s past, present, and
future.
Almario
then delivered his founder’s message, thanking the people who have
poured their energies into the year and for LIRA’s quarter-century
existence, and enjoining every young poet in the hall to continue the
zeal to become better in the craft and become a better servant to
Philippine literature and society.
LIRA
President Kimpo closed the program and the year-long celebration by
honoring the young poet-volunteers who led and managed the parade of
LIRA events and projects: Giancarlo Lauro C. Abrahan V, LIRA Public
Relations Officer Mariane A.R.T. Abuan, Mel G. Boquiren, Mikael
Gallego, LIRA Secretary Vivian N. Limpin, Deborah Rosalind D. Nieto,
Carla Payongayong, Louie Jon A. Sanchez, Michael Jude C. Tumamac, and
LIRA Treasurer Enrique Villasis.
The
celebration continued into the wee hours of the morning in a party held
in nearby Sizzlers’ Blends at Victoria Towers Condominium.
“Lirang
Pilak”: LIRA & Vibal Foundation to Launch New Poetry Anthology Along with
“Aninaw” chapbook
The celebrated Filipino poetry group
Linangan sa Imahen, Retorika, at Anyo (LIRA) will launch a new poetry book in
celebration of its 25th anniversary during its Silver Jubilee Culminating Night
on December 4, 2010.
Titled “Lirang Pilak” and edited by
National Artist for Literature Virgilio S. Almario, the book features works
from forty LIRA members, award-winning veterans and emerging talents alike,
namely, Giancarlo Lauro C. Abrahan V, Mariane A.R.T. Abuan, Rebecca T.
Añonuevo, Roberto T. Añonuevo, Lilia F. Antonio, Mesandel Virtusio Arguelles,
Gerardo I. Banzon, Romulo P. Baquiran Jr., Grace Bengco, Salvador Biglaen,
Ronaldo Carcamo, Teofilo Catanyag, Michael M. Coroza, Maureen Gaddi dela Cruz,
Faye Cura, Fer Edilo, Rogerick Fontanilla Fernandez, Noel Fortun, Mikael Rabara
Gallego, Reparado B. Galos III, Ezzard Gilbang, Jerry Gracio, Phillip Kimpo
Jr., Claire Madarang, Francisco Arias Monteseña, Victor Emmanuel Carmelo D.
Nadera Jr., Deborah Rosalind D. Nieto, Joselito Delos Reyes, Willester Robles,
Edgar Calabia Samar, Romel Samson, Louie Jon A. Sanchez, Lee Sepe, Beverly W.
Siy, Kathline Anne Sigua Tolosa, Enrico C. Torralba, Michael Jude C. Tumamac, Charles
Bonoan Tuvilla, Enrique Villasis, and Fr. Arnel S. Vitor. Baquiran and Kimpo
are also the book’s associate editors.
The anthology will be accompanied by the
launch of the fourth and final LIRA chapbook of the year. Titled “Aninaw” and
edited by Ronaldo Carcamo, the chapbook features twenty-five poems from
Giancarlo Lauro C. Abrahan V, Mariane A.R.T. Abuan, Mel G. Boquiren, Noel
Fortun, Mikael Rabara Gallego, Danilo Gonzales, Phillip Kimpo Jr., Erwin C.
Lareza, Claire Madarang, Francisco Arias Monteseña, Carla Payongayong, Louie
Jon A. Sanchez, Renato Santillan, Lee Sepe, Rem Tanauan, Michael Jude C.
Tumamac, and Enrique Villasis.
The main book anthology and the fourth
chapbook were preceded by the first chapbook, “Lámang” edited by Edgar Calabia
Samar, the second chapbook “Iláng” edited by Jerry Gracio, and the third
chapbook “Rurok” edited by Enrico C. Torralba.
The book and chapbooks were published by
Vibal Foundation, the socio-cultural development arm of Vibal Publishing House,
Inc., and Aklat LIRA, the publishing imprint of one of the country’s major
literary organizations and oldest active group of poets in Filipino.
The LIRA Silver Jubilee Culminating Night
on December 4 at Crossroad 77, Quezon City will also witness the awarding of
the winners of the Timpalak Tulaan sa Facebook and Premyong Bulawan: Php 50,000
Timpalak sa Tula at Kritisismo; the recognition of nine institutions who have
helped LIRA and Filipino poetry as a whole; and a recap of LIRA-organized
events this year, including the April 2 Good Friday “penitence-rally” by
artists and writers, the nine-town Sining ng Tugma at Sukat literary education
outreach program, the recent National Conference on Poetry in Filipino, and the
five-month-long LIRA Poetry Clinic. Attendance to the event is by invitation
only.
The book “Lirang Pilak” is available for
Php 300.00, while copies of the four chapbooks are available for free to public
libraries and educational institutions while supplies last. Interested parties
may contact the LIRA Chapbook Coordinators at folios@liraonline.org.
WRITERS NIGHT ALL SET ON DECEMBER 10
The annual UP Writers Night for writers and
literature enthusiasts organized by the Likhaan: UP Institute of Creative
Writing (UP ICW). This year’s celebration will be held on December 10, 2010,
from 5:00 to 10:00 p.m. at the UP Asian Center-GT Toyota Hall of Wisdom.
UP Writers Night Program Director and UP
ICW Fellow, Prof. Charlson Ong, says the event is all about literature and is
open to everyone. “It’s a celebration for the community of writers and readers
not just in UP but in the rest of the country as well.”
UP Writers Night’s activities for this year
include the forum and awarding ceremony of the Madrigal Gonzalez Award (MGA),
which is given in recognition of the best first books published within a given
period; the launching of Likhaan Journal 4; the launching of books by Likhaan
Fellows and Associates, a fellowship party for all writers and literature
lovers, and a book and craft bazaar.
UP Writers Night is open to the public and
admission free. For inquiries, contact the UP ICW Secretariat at (02) 9221830.
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