ON APRIL 11, while on my own self-imposed quarantine, and working on my 21stcentury literature textbook project, I began to think of ways to help other people survive the boredom of their own community lockdown. I know I have sufficient materials for my chapters on West Visayan regional literature. I have been helped by contributions from my writer-friends Felino Garcia Jr., Melecio Turao, Alex Delos Santos, Ritchie Pagunsan, Jonell Gregorio, and Celia Parcon.
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Felino from Bacolod City is a poet-fictionist-translator-literary critic, among many other things. Mel from Tigbauan, Iloilo is a poet-fictionist-blogger-literary scholar, among many other things. Alex from San Jose, Antique is a poet-fictionist-translator-blogger-literary scholar, among many other things. I mean, these people are multi-hyphenate award-winning writers, among many other things. They are also winners of the Peter’s Prize for Excellence in Literary Criticism (Garcia, 2014), and for Excellence in Literary Studies (Turao, 2017; and Delos Santos, 2019).
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New York-based Ritchie is a multiple Palanca, and two-time Writer’s Prize, winner. He is also the founder of the Dungug Kinaray-a. Aklan-based Jonell Gregorio is an educator and journalism coach, who just recently published a feature story with Rappler. Jonell’s article, he says, grew out of the Covid Literature Project I started on Facebook. Celia is based in Iloilo but her book “Nothing’s Lost” was just recently published in the USA. Celia is also the recipient of the 2020 Peter’s Prize for Excellence in Literary Translation.
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But more than just reading literary texts, I wanted to empower users of my textbook to write and make opinions. I’m committed to teach a little bit about literary criticism. I realized I should have already been covered by Felino, Mel, Alex; and even Jonell, who has reviewed one of my books. But I wanted to cast a wider net. So, I made a call on Facebook, and got a lot of teacher-volunteers, among other people.
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For propriety reasons, and so that they don’t have to run after the elusive author’s permissions, my first challenge was for them to just write a critical analysis of a text from my own personal canon. As of this writing, I received 13 essays. And I have advance word that two or three more essays are coming. Now, this is a real embarrassment of riches. These new authors/writers are a joy to read. Especially when most of them claim to have never written for publication before. It would be a shame to limit their work’s exposure in the textbook, especially if it’s scheduled to come out in 2022, at least.
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That’s why I have arranged to “premiere” the essays here in my column. So yeah, I yield my column space to these (mostly) new writers. But they’re totally worth it. You’ve already met Ramel (May 6), Adonis (May 8), and Manuel (May 11). * Ramel B. Paguia is with DepEd Iloilo. He teaches Oral Communication, Creative Writing, and Creative Nonfiction for senior high school at Culasi National High School in Culasi, Ajuy, Iloilo.* Adonis C. Gonzales is with DepEd Iloilo. He teaches Oral Communication for senior high school at Calinog National Comprehensive High School in Calinog, Iloilo. He was the second prize winner of the 2019 Peter’s Prize for Poetry.* Manuel J. Radislao is a teacher of World Literature, Literary Criticism, and World History at the high school and college departments of La Consolacion College in Bacolod City.
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Only two women are in the group I’m currently mentoring. But Janeth and Ferlie turned out amazing work.* Double doctorate Janeth Deza Demegillo is an educator and entrepreneur with a school and private consulting business in Koronadal City, South Cotabato. She is the recipient of the 2018 Special Peter’s Prize for Excellence in Cultural Dissemination, among many other awards. * Ferlie Joy M. Lanaria is with DepEd Passi City. A teacher of 21stCentury Literature from the Philippines and the World for senior high at Passi National High School, she is the grand winner of the 2019 Peter’s Prize for Excellence in Writing (Love Poems).
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I also found interesting new voices from outside Iloilo. * Rainier G. Factuar is with DepEd Palawan. He teaches communication, media, and research courses at New Ibajay National High School in El Nido.* Kabataan Sanaysay winner at the 2019 Palanca Awards and part-time radio reporter Adrian Pete Medina Pregonir from South Cotabato just graduated high school and hopes to pursue AB Wika at Panitikan in college. * Jay C. Blancaflor is with DepEd Roxas City. He teaches senior high school Creative Writing, Creative Nonfiction, Practical Research, General Mathematics, and Statistics and Probability at Bago National High School in Roxas City. * David S. Hinolan of Bacolod City is a registered pharmacist working as a research and development pharmacist at Aldrtz Corporation. He was editor-in-chief of his college campus publication. *Breen Baroa Dote is with DepEd South Cotabato. He teaches Philippine Politics and Governance for senior high school, and English for Grade 10 at Surallah National High School in Surallah, South Cotabato.
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And there are more Ilonggo revelations. * Alexander Blanco San Pedro is a training manager in a BPO specializing in employee training development programs, and assessment of training and development needs of the organization. He is also the chief city organizer of PechaKucha Night Iloilo since 2018. * Dan Luceño Escantilla is with DepEd Iloilo. He teaches English and Arts for elementary at Caninguan Central School, District of Lambunao West. He is also a Master of Education (English as a Second Language) student at U.P. in the Visayas. * John Rey P. Sumalapao is with DepEd Iloilo. He teaches Komunikasyon at Pananaliksik sa Wika at Kulturang Pilipino, and Pagbasa at Pagsusuri ng Iba’t Ibang Teksto Tungo sa Pananaliksik for senior high school at Cabatuan National Comprehensive High School in Cabatuan, Iloilo.
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Enjoy their works in a mini-series starting Wednesday. (500tinaga@gmail.com/PN)
