Monday, December 17, 2007

UP Press year-end blast

The University of the Philippines Press ends the year on a high note by staging Paglulunsad 2007: Ikatlong Yugto at Pasasalamat.

Everyone is invited to this grand book launch cum cocktail party happening on December 14, 2007 at the Balay Kalinaw in UP Diliman campus, Quezon City .The event will highlight six important factors in UP Press, as follows: launch of the third installment of book titles for 2007 introduction of UP Press' new Editorial Board announcement of the UP Centennial Books project the celebration of UP Press authors who won or became finalists of this year's National Book Awards by the Manila Critics Circle the five-year anniversary of UP Press bookstores launch of the new UP Press website The event will start at 6 p.m. Food, music and books will be abundant in this year-end celebration. It is also a way of thanking UP Press patrons and partners. Ikatlong Yugto will complete the 2007 roster of titles. Some of the titles in this third installment include the following:
Best Filipino Stories: The NVM Gonzalez Awards 2000-2005 edited by Gemino Abad and Gregorio Brillantes Cordillera in June by Ben Tapang,Defiant Daughters by Rina Corpuz
Forcing The Pace: The Partido Komunista ng Pilipinas: From Foundation to Armed Struggle by Ken Fuller Likhaan: The Journal of Contemporary Philippine Literature, Issue I edited by Jose Dalisay Jr. Mannahatta Mahal: Collected Expatriate Poems by Luis Cabalquinto
Mostly in Monsoon Weather by Marne Kilates,Sexuality and the Filipina by Lilia Quindoza-Santiago, Sawikaan 2006: Mga Salita ng Taon edited by Robert Anonuevo and Galileo Zafra,
Some of the authors will be present in the event. Balay Kalinaw is at the corner of Guerrero and Dagohoy streets, UP Diliman, Quezon City (near Ilang-Ilang Residence Hall). Dress code for the party is smart casual.
For confirmation of attendance or for more information, please contact: Ms. Libay Linsangan Cantor (UP Press Special Projects Assistant) 0918 249 5377; 920-6863; libay.cantor@gmail.com

Rica Bolipata-Santos wins Madrigal-Gonzalez Best First Book Award 2007


Rica Bolipata-Santos' Love, Desire, Children, Etc.: Reflections of a Young Wife won this year's Madrigal-Gonzalez Best First Book Award. Published in 2005 by Milflores Publishing, Inc., the book is a collection of essays which Dr. Neil Garcia praised for its “candor, grace and humor…”
At ceremonies held at the UP Diliman Bulwagang Rizal last December 8, Garcia announced the winner, who was congratulated by UP ICW Director Vim Nadera and Atty. Gizela Gonzalez-Montinola. Bolipata-Santos received a P50,000 check and certificate. She delivered a short acceptance speech as her children rejoiced at her success, her youngest son joining her onstage and bowing like a performer, further endearing them to the audience. She described herself as a “closet writer,” talked about the sheer joy of writing as her hand moves across the page, and described her delight when Antonio Hidalgo of Milflores said he was extremely interested in publishing Love …

The award is the only such prize that recognizes literary debuts of Filipino writers and was established in memory of Gonzalo Gonzalez. Previous winners are Elena Sicat, Luna Sicat-Cleto, F.H. Batacan, Sarg Lacuesta, Vince Groyon and Kristian Cordero. This year's panel of judges was composed of Garcia, Jaime An-Lim and previous winner Vince Groyon.

Below is the transcript from Garcia's presentation of the winner and other nominees:
The six finalists for this year's Madrigal-Gonzalez Best First Book Award are:
First, Salamanca , a novel by Dean Alfar. This is the only avowed book of fiction to make it to the short list in what has turned out to be the year of creative nonfiction. A verbal conjuration of the magical realist sort, Salamanca is a campy verbal adventure written in Alfar's trademark rambunctious and irreverent prose. In typical postmodernist fashion, this fabulation's impressively scintillant surface—its medium—is quite possibly already the innermost depth of its message. Second, Barbara-Ann Gamboa Lewis's Barefoot in Fire: A World War II Childhood . This charmingly illustrated, book-length memoir reads like a compelling little novel, whose narrative carefully imparts to the reader a sense of its precocious narrator's unfolding life—a life that is by turns impressionable and courageous, vulnerable and steadfast, reckless and prudent. Like other memorable books of the same genre, Lewis's Barefoot in Fire is an eloquent indictment of the utter evil of war, as well as a moving study of the indomitable human spirit.
Third, Science Solitaire: Essays on Science, Nature, and Becoming Human by Maria Isabel Garcia. This book, possibly the first of its kind in the history of Philippine literary publishing, is an interesting collection of nonfiction essays about science, written in a generous and accessible language. In essay after essay, the author strikes the reader as being at once a naturalist and a philosopher—a student of creation, who intimately participates in the very thing that she observes, and who seeks, in the world's tangible and mutable forms, the harmony and meaningfulness that affirm our deepest sense of being.

Fourth, Kapwa: the Self in the Other by Katrin De Guia. This beautifully produced and capaciously heavy book emerged out of the multi-talented author's dissertation in Filipino Psychology. A singular achievement in intelligent fellow-feeling and scholarly sympathy, De Guia's Kapwa is at once an academic inquiry into the Filipino concepts and rituals of the shared inner self, as well as an intricate interweaving of six, richly textured biographical essays on culture-bearing Filipino artists, whose complex worldviews and lifeways the author painstakingly and passionately brings to light.
Fifth, Helen T. Yap's From Inside the Berlin Wall. A series of letters to her family back in the Philippines, Yap's book traces a narrative arc that articulates the “Pinoy abroad” perspective in a way that is remarkably different from the garden variety travelogue, probably because the author actually resided rather than merely toured in the strange and estranging landscape of East Germany, right before the end of the Cold War. This experience afforded Yap the time to piece together her book's fragmentary but finally singular vision—that of a temporary Filipino exile's haunting and haunted inner world.

And finally, the sixth finalist and this year's winner of the coveted Madrigal-Gonzalez Best First Book Award is… Love, Desire, Children, Etc.: Reflections of a Young Wife by Rica Bolipata-Santos. Published in 2005 by Milflores Publishing, Inc., Bolipata-Santos's first book is a rewarding collection of thirteen thematically unified essays that addresses with uncommon candor, grace, and humor some of life's more mundane realities and mysteries: love and desire, marriage and children, family and friends, teaching and writing. The author treads the uneven terrain of the quotidian with an open compass, unafraid to confront and scrutinize even her own intimate fears and insecurities and confusions. Again and again, in these luminous little personal narratives, what triumphs is a clear-eyed self-understanding, which is utterly convincing because it is earned at the cost of so much soul-searching and inner struggle. In these provocative and well-shaped essays, Bolipata-Santos (following the words of Peter Walsh from Virginia Woolf's Mrs. Dalloway ) has taken hold of fragments of her public and private life and turned them round, slowly, in the light, to discover designs that are finally comprehensible, startling, consoling, and wise.

A deeply celebratory book worthy of the Madrigal-Gonzales Best First Book Award.
Congratulations to all author-finalists, and congratulations to our winner, Rica Bolipata-Santos.

UP ICW launches LIKHAAN Journal 2007



To commemorate the University of the Philippines Centennial, the UP Institute of Creative Writing has launched the LIKHAAN: The Journal of Philippine Contemporary Literature. Asserts editor Dr. Jose Dalisay Jr.: “(N)o Philippine university has produced as splendid, as significant, and as sustained a crop of literary work and talent as the University of the Philippines .”

The journal was launched at the Writers Night last December 8. UP Chancellor Sergio Cao, one of the individuals who made the journal possible, and National Artist Virgilio Almario were on hand to receive the first copies from Dr. Dalisay.

The volume, containing works in Filipino and English, features 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.

Who are the best young poets in the Philippines?



Philippine PEN recently launched At Home in Unhomeliness: An Anthology of Postcolonial Poetry in English . Edited by Dr. Neil Garcia and published by the UST Publishing House, the volume contains 82 poems by 29 of the Philippines best young poets writing in English.
Says Garcia in his Introduction : “(T)hese poems , like the rest of Philippine literature in English, will in fact be largely incomprehensible when decontextualized from the histories that engendered them- particularly, the violent histories of colonization that the Philippines , as a geopolitical and indeed national reality, has endured.”

The poets featured are: Michael Balili, Ronald Baytan, Catherine Candano, Jose Wendell Capili, Jennifer Carino, Mark Cayanan, Mikael de Lara Co, Conchitina Cruz, Carlomar Arcangel Daona, Raymond John de Borja, Cecille La Verne de la Cruz, Lourd Ernest de Veyra, Israfel Fagela, Marc Gaba, Ralph Semino Galan, Ramil Digal Gulle, Sid Gomez Hildawa, Joy Icayan, Mookie Katigbak, Kris Lacaba, Paolo Manalo, Arvin Abejo Mangohig, Allan Pastrana, Dinah Romah-Sianturi, Rafael San Diego, Michelle Sarile, Angelo Suarez, Joel Toledo and Lawrence Lacambra Ypil.

Call for submissions for Coming Soon


Coming Soon, an anthology of erotic poetry, fiction and creative non-fiction on the loss of virginity. The piece must specifically address a first (human, as opposed to something like bestial) sexual experience.
What we are looking for are pieces that depict an initiation into the sexual act, therefore we will not consider works that try to be coy: for instance, please don't send a piece on how some character/persona discovers there is such a thing as fornication, yet doesn't engage in it. We'd consider that a cop-out. Neither are we looking for pieces on, er, giving one's self sexual pleasure. No, no, no. Works submitted should involve at least two conscious people (no corpses, please!), with an exchange of bodily fluids or whatnot. (If there is no exchange of bodily fluids, the work should address the question: But why the heck not?)Open to Philippine writers in English and Filipino. Past published works are welcome as long as they have not yet appeared in an anthology.
Deadline: 31 January 2008.
Editors: Conchitina Cruz, Edgar Samar and Katrina Tuvera.
Please send submissions as MSWord documents to comingsoonantho@gmail.com. On the subject line of your e-mail, please indicate your genre (poetry, fiction, creative non-fiction) and language (English/Filipino).
Multiple submissions are welcome, but each entry must be sent seperately. Inquiries should be sent to the same e-mail address.

Call for submissions for CFP: The Commons


The editors of Currents in Electronic Literacy (an MLA-indexed, peer-reviewed, e-journal) seek manuscripts that address the role or the relevance of the cultural commons for those working, teaching, or living in a mediated age. The term itself has received attention from those on the far left, such as Michael Hardt and Antonio Negri, to those defending free-market economics, such as Lawrence Lessig. As new media enable us to collaborate, share information, disseminate texts, and pull from the collective and creative resources that the humanities have traditionally celebrated, we face new challenges on a variety of fronts. What are the legal implications of sharing copyrighted (or copylefted texts)? What constitutes "fair use" in an age when most cultural artifacts can quickly be scanned and posted for public consumption? (How) are we ethically and scholastically obligated to evaluate or cite sources that have been read and reviewed by a worldwide community of arguably critical and invested readers? (How) do profit (or exploitation) work when users determine content willfully and energetically?
We encourage submission of scholarly articles and review essays (including reviews of books, software, websites, and conferences) that relate any of the above questions or others not mentioned to the task of teaching and studying literacy.
Submissions for reviews should be approximately 1500 words for individual reviews and 2500 for omnibus reviews of multiple texts or applications and 5000 words for scholarly articles. Submission deadline is December 15, 2007. For questions or to submit reviews email ejournal@lists.cwrl.utexas.edu.
Currents in Electronic Literacy is an online publication of the Computer Writing and Research Laboratory at the University of Texas, Austin. Currents strives to provide a forum for the scholarly discussion of issues pertaining to electronic literacy, widely construed. In general, Currents publishes work addressing the use of electronic texts and technologies for reading, writing, teaching, and learning in fields including but not restricted to the following: literature (in English and in other languages), rhetoric and composition, languages (English, foreign, and ESL), communications, media studies, and education.
Currents in Electronic Literacy (ISSN 1524-6493) is indexed in the MLA International Bibliography and EBSCO.

Pasko ng Komiks in UP Diliman


As part of the U.P. College of Arts and Letters "Linggo ng KAL" event on December 6-14, the U.P. Likhaan: Institute of Creative Writing (UP-ICW) and Read or Die sponsor Pasko ng Komiks or PASKOM symposium on December 11 (Tues), 9am at the Pulungang Claro M. Recto, College of Arts and Letters, UP Diliman, Quezon City.
PASKOM will discuss the relevance of comics arts in contemporary Filipino life. Four related topics, which foreground new perpectives on a growing popular arts tradition, will be discussed, namely "Komiks in Philippine Culture and History," "The Study and Collection of Komiks," "Women in Komiks," and "Creating Komiks."
In the morning , Pablo Gomez, Patrick Flores, Gerry Alanguilan, Glady Gimena, Dennis Villegas, and Orvy Jundis will talk on the two first topics. Then in the afternoon, the women artists—Sherry Baet, Ofelia Concepcion, Vivian Limpin, Elizabeth Chionglo, Joannah Tinio-Catinglo, and Gilda Olvidado—will talk about how the feminine and comics arts intertwine toward a liberative cause.
Still later in the day, comics creators Carlo Vergara, Andrew Drilon, Andrew Villar, Carlo Pagulayan, Randy Valiente, Jonas Diego, Melvin Catinglo, Rey Tiempo, KC Cordero and Victor Balanon will unravel the energy and inspiration behind their works.
The day long discussion will be synthesized and commented upon by Bobby Yonzon (Mango Comics), Emil Flores, Joey Baquiran, and Lawrence Mijares.
Prior to the symposium, a comics exhibit, featuring the actual works of contemporary and past comics artists will be on show beginning December 8. It will be set at the Galleries 1 & 2 of Bulwagang Rizal, College of Arts and Letters, UP Diliman.
PASKOM is made possible through the support of National Books Development Board, Powerbooks, Mango Comics, WikiPilipinas, New Worlds Alliance, Read or Die, Komikera, Subway Productions, and the U.P. College of Arts and Letters.
Comics fans, students, and teachers are welcome to attend the symposium and see the exhibit which will run until December 14. For details, call Ms. Eva Cadiz at 9221830.

Writers Night set for December 8

Writers Night on December 8 at the Bulwagang Rizal in U.P. Diliman promises to be more than a chance to meet the idols of Philippine literature. If one stays on long enough, one will actually see many of them do poetry performances. Or sing. Yes, many writers are singers. And band members too. So expect this December affair to be a party experience that will be just as fun and memorable as the previous writers night.

The event starts off at 5:30 pm with the awarding ceremony of the Madrigal-Gonzalez Best First Book Award at the Teatro Hermogenes Ylagan. This award honors authors whose maiden publications merit an auspicious introduction to modern day readers. Among the sterling nominees are Dean Francis Alfar's Salamanca (novel); Barbara-Ann Gamboa Lewis's Barefoot in Fire (creative non-fiction); Maria Isabel Garcia's Science Solitaire: Essays on Science, Nature and Becoming Human (essays); Rica Bolipata-Santos's Love, Desire, Children, Etc (essay); Helen Yap's From Inside the Berlin Wall (essay); and Katrin De Guia's Kapwa: The Self In The Other (essay).

After the awards, partying begins with performances by invited guests Cesare Syjuco, Heber Bartolome, DJ Alvaro, dancer/choreographer Myra Beltran, zitar player Joey Valenciano, ventriloquist Ony Carcamo, experimental artist Jeena Marquez, Romancing Venus, and poets Marne Kilates and Teo Antonio.
Then, everyone will be in for a surprise as daring writers join a mock fashion show staged by campus groups UP Quill, UP Speca, UP Ugat and UP Writers Club. All in the spirit of carnivalesque play.

Friends and guests of writers, as well as readers and fans are welcome to attend the 2007 Writers Night. For details, call Ms. Eva Cadiz at U.P. ICW, 9221830.

Meritage Press holds annual poetry tilt


Meritage Press is calling on all Filipino poets to join their annual holiday poetry contest. Poet and novelist Eric Gamalinda, author of My Sad Republic and Zero Gravity, is this year's judge.
Interested parties may submit by e-mail, 1 to 2 unpublished poems (you may, however, submit poems that you have featured on your own web sites oror blogs, or that have been published in limited edition chapbooks of no more than 250 copies) with your full name and contact information to MeritagePress@aol.com (please present poems within the body of the email as the organizers will not open attachments).
There are no limitations to poetry styles or content.
Deadline of entries is on December 31, 2007.
The winning poem/s will be published in the February 2008 edition of “Babaylan Speaks” at http://meritagepress.com/babaylan/. The winners will also recieve a selection of book published by Meritage Press.

Call for Submissions: Growing Up Filipino II


This is a call for submissions of short stories for an anthology tentatively titled, Growing Up Filipino II - Stories for Young Adults. The book will be edited by Cecilia Manguerra Brainard and will be published by both Anvil and PALH. Contributors will receive copies of the book as compensation for the use of their work.The manuscript should be approximately 8-10 pages long, typed, double-spaced (approximately 1,800-2,300 words). This should be emailed to CBrainard@aol.com. You may also send it by air mail to:Cecilia Brainardc/o PALHPO Box 5099Santa Monica, CA 90409USA.This book project is a follow-up of an earlier short story collection entitled Growing Up Filipino: Stories for Young Adults (published by PALH 2002, and Anvil). The following review describes the 2002 collection: From School Library Journal
Grade 9 Up-These 29 short stories offer a highly textured portrait of Filipino youth and an excellent sampling of creative writing. Thematically arranged, most of the pieces have been written since the turn of the 21st century. Each story is introduced by a thumbnail sketch of the author and a paragraph or two about some element of Filipino culture or history that is relevant to the story. Authors include those born and continuing to live in the Philippines, emigres, and American-born Filipinos. Tough but relevant topics addressed include a gay youth's affection for his supportive mother, the role of religious didacticism in the formation of a childhood perception, consumer culture as it is experienced by modern teens in Manila, and coping with bullies of all ages and stations in life. … The high caliber and broad but wholly accessible range of this collection, however, makes this title a solid purchase for multiple reasons.
The 29 stories in the 2002 edition of Growing Up Filipino were written before 9/11 (September 11, 2001). The editor would now like to collect a second volume that continues to address the young adult audience. The stories in the collection will still be about the Filipino experience in the Philippines or any part of the world. But in this second volume, the editor is seeing contemporary stories, or post 9/11 stories. The editor is seeking the best stories about growing up Filipino. The editor is not looking for stories written by young adults, but about Filipino young adults. The editor envisions the stories dealing with relationships, family, falling in love perhaps, and other issues that the young adults deal with. Character-driven stories are encouraged. Those interested in submitting are encouraged to read the first volume of Growing Up Filipino: Stories for Young Adults, to get an idea of the kind of stories the editor is looking for. Deadline for submission has been extended. Please send your bio (approx. 150 words) in people-friendly narrative form. Make sure your contact information is included with the story.ABOUT THE EDITOR: Cecilia Manguerra Brainard is the author/editor of over a dozen books. She has a website at http://www.ceciliabrainard.com/ and a blog at cbrainard.blogspot.com

Tanghalang Ateneo Stages The Death of Memory

Tanghalang Ateneo goes contemporary Filipino in The Death of Memory, the second production of the company’s 29th season. Written by Glenn Mas, it is a Palanca-prize winning play and an awarded thesis production of the Catholic University of America. Tangahalang Ateneo’s Staging would be the play’s Philippine opremiere production.

In the play, four people are trapped in a nowhere land where time has topped, and with no memory how they got there, and no ides on how to get out. Eah one carries a painful and violent memory- sexual abuse, abandonment, murder- that assaults them at unpredictable moments and ties them to this purgatorial prison.

Ralph Quiblat and Brian Sy alternate as the newcomer Juan, while Rachel Quong and Margarita Paje play the Keeper, the ethereal guardian of the nowhere land. The rest of the faculty cast is Randy Solis, Dianne Laserna, Miguel Lizada and Angela Serrano. In turn, the rest of the student cast is composed of BJ Crisostomo, Regina Francisco, Nicolo Magno and Gianna Villavicencio.
Director Ricardo Abad and porduction designer Salvador Bernal depart from their Asian motifs to create an abstract world that is replete with surreal and violent images. Joining them are choreographer Matthew santamaria, lighting designer Jonjon Villareal, and sounds and graphic designer Reamur David. Kastski Flores, finalist in Cinemalaya 2007, incorporates film images of the character’s memories.

The Death of Memory runs from Nov. 29 to Dec. 1, 4 to 8, and 11 to 15 at 7 p.m., with additional 2 p.m. shows on Dec. 1, 8, 15 at the Rizal Mini-Theater of the Ateneo de Manila University. For inquiries call Sheila Concina at 0915-5715665 or the Rizal Mini-Theater at 426-6001 local 5121. The play is for mature audiences only.


From The Philippine Star, November 19, 2007

Villafania's poetry book launched

The latest Pangasinan collection of poems by Santiago B. Villafania was launched at Urdaneta City on Friday, November 9.

Malagilion: Sonnets tan Villanelles is Villafania’s second collection of poems in Pangasinan language which was launched shortly after the 2-day Conference on “Revitalizing the Pangasinan Language and Cultural Heritage” held at the Urdaneta City Sports and Cultural Center last November 8-9, 2007.

The 390-page book includes some 300 sonnets and 50 villanelles, published through grants from the Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino (KWF) and Emilio Aguinaldo College (EAC) under the helm of Dr. Jose Paulo E. Campos.

KWF Chair Dr. Ricardo Ma. Duran Nolasco and UP Professor Dr. Ma. Crisanta Nelmida-Flores wrote the preface and the introduction to the book, respectively. Dr. Cirilo F. Bautista, Victor Emmanuel Carmelo D. Nadera Jr., Aurelio S. Agcaoili, Kristian S. Cordero, Jose Jason L. Chancoco, Christopher Q. Gozum, Jaime P. Lucas, Leonarda “Amor Cico” Carrera, Sergio A. Bumadilla and Melchor E. Orpilla contributed their respective blurbs.

Multi-award winning poet Cirilo F. Bautista says: “Villafania is the leading poet of his generation in Pangasinan today.” Villafania is currently a senior web developer/designer in Emilio Aguinaldo College – Manila. He lovingly maintains the site www.dalityapi.com.

UP ICW and Madrigal-Gonzalez Best First Book Awards announce 2007 shortlist

A brilliant debut for any artist goes a long way. The Madrigal-Gonzalez Best First Book Award is probably the only award that recognizes the first published works of Filipino writers. The exclusivity alone that the award confers is much coveted. What more then the weight of acknowledgement from the established writers on its panel of judges. The award is coordinated by the UP Institute of Creative Writing and was established by the family of Gonzalo Gonzalez, former UP President.

Dr. Jose Neil Garcia, Dr. Jaime An Lim and Prof. Vicente Groyon, himself a winner of the award, have come up with the shortlist for 2007 (only works in English were screened, as the award switches between languages every year). The shortlist follows: Salamanca by Dean Francis Alfar and Science Solitaire: Essays on Science, Nature and Becoming Human by Maria Isabel Garcia (ADMU Press), Barefoot in Fire by Barbara-Ann Gamboa Lewis (Tahanan Books), Love, Desire, Children etc by Rica Bolipata-Santos (Milflores), From Inside the Berlin Wall by Helen Yap (UP Press) and Kapwa: The Self in the Other by Katrin de Guia (Anvil).

This year's winner will be announced on Writers Night in UP Diliman. The annual gathering will be held at the Teatro Hermogenes Ylagan, Bulwagang Rizal on December 8, Saturday. The program will start on 6 p.m. Gizela Gonzalez-Montinola herself will be on hand to award the P50,000 check and certificate to the winner. UP ICW director Vim Nadera and the ICW associates will also be present to witness the winner's debut in the literary scene.

Dr. Jose Dalisay Shortlisted in 2007 Man Asian Literary Prize

Five authors made the shortlist for the award. Jose Dalisay Jr., Reeti Gadekar, Jiang Rong, Nu Nu Yi Inwa and Xu Xi are the five authors selected for the shortlist by the judging panel for the inaugural Man Asian Literary Prize, the first regional prize for a work unpublished in English. The winner of the prize will be announced on Saturday 10 November, 2007 at a ceremony in Hong Kong .

The five shortlisted works were chosen from a long list of 23 are:
Jose Dalisay Jr., Soledad 's Sister
Reeti Gadekar, Families at Home
Nu Nu Yi Inwa, Smile As They Bow
Jiang Rong, Wolf Totem
Xu Xi, Habit of a Foreign Sky

Dr. Dalisay is an Associate of the UP Institute of Creative Writing and teaches at the UP Department of English and Comparative Literature.

Sunday, December 16, 2007

Dr. Anthony Tan Dominates the 2007 Pinoy Poet Award

Anthony Tan was born on 26 August 1947, Siasi [Muddas], Sulu. His degrees AB English, 1968, MA Creative Writing, 1975, and Ph.D. English Lit., 1982 were all obtained from the Silliman University where he edited Sands and Coral, 1976. For more than a decade, he was a member of the English faculty at SU and regular member of the panel of critics in the Silliman Writers
Workshop. He taught briefly at the DLSU and was Chair of the English Dept. at MSU-Iligan Institute of Technology where he continues to teach. A member of the Iligan Arts Council, he helps Jaime An Lim and Christine Godinez-Ortega run the Iligan Writers Workshop/Literature Teachers Conference. He also writes fiction and children's stories.

He has won a number of awards, among them, the Focus award for poetry, the Palanca 1 st prize for Poems for Muddas in 1993; also the Palanca for essay. Among his works are The Badjao Cemetery and Other Poems , 1985 and Poems for Muddas , Anvil, 1996.

Dr Anthony Tan is the 1st Grand Winner of the 2007 Pinoy Poet Award. For winning the 6 major awards in all category.

Saturday, December 15, 2007

The Winners Reveal!-2007 Pinoy Poet Award

The 2007 Pinoy Poet Award held at the Online Judging done at yahoo messenger forum. All Judges compose of Filipino Free Lance Writer or Poet; Founder of Poetry Group and Diffrent Respective Poet in the Philippines. The Scores of the Winners are based of Different percentage probably creativity,skills and knowledge. Its been quite difficult to our judges to choose among different poet to win, but they are all good in term of participation. but as they alsway said, to be nominate atleast one is considered as winner, better luck next time. But as we promise to you people of the Philippines we will help our brighter and talented poet to improve and to be competetive in field of poetry.

see the winners at the 2007 Pinoy Poet Award

Judges 1 2 3 4 5 =final

Best Skills by a Male Poet-Dr. Anthony 94 95 98 98 100= 97%
Best Skills by a Female Poet-Chi 89 84 90 89 94= 89.2%
Best Ode-Quils Poetic Craft by Nora Caldero 92 95 96 94 95 =94.4%
Best Classical-Crossing the River by Dr. Anthony Tan 98 98 98 99 99 =98.4%
Best Epic-Gutom na Makata by William Rodriquez 92 94 90 94 95= 93%
Best Rhyme-Back from what we've started by Jaemie Falcon 85 86 82 84 89 =85.2%
Best Line-Death is not an Option by Nora Caldero 95 95 95 95 95 =95%
Best Lyric-Crossing the river by Dr. Anthony 99 98 99 98 99 =98.6%
Best Poem-A cynic's New Millenium by Dr. Anthony Tan 90 89 90 85 90 =88.8%
Nation of Survivors by Nora Caldero 88 92 89 88 87 =88.8%
Best Haiku-Haiku Marshland by Vinci Bueza 85 88 89 92 89= 88.6%
Best Sonnet-Pinakahalaba ngunian an Banggi by Vinci 92 94 95 96 94= 94.2%
Best New Female Poet-Nora Caldero 95 96 95 96 93 =95%
Best New Male Poet-Vinci Bueza 92 93 96 95 94 =94%
Poet of the Year-Dr. Anthony Tan 98 97 99 98 99 =98.2%
Poem of the Year-Crossing the river by Dr. Anthony Tan 98 99 99 99 99= 98.8%

Entry /Total Votes

People's Choice Favorite New Male Poet-Argel Sanga 473 votes
People's Choice Favorite New Female Poet-Chi 345 votes
People's Choice Favorite Poem-Love is Soul by Argel Sanga 859 votes

All Right Reserved 2007