HOMING

The doctrine of posse comitatus appeals to our sense of roots and home. Almost no one is exempt as it is equated to labor of love—love of country that is. Although forced servitude is frowned upon by law as in the case of Delos Reyes v. Alojado, being called upon to fight for one’s motherland [...]

PAGSASATUBUANAN: POETIKANG BIKOLNON (NCCA, 2008) NOW AVAILABLE

I have launched my first book on Bikol poetics published through a grant from the National Commission for Culture and the Arts-National Committee on Literary Arts (NCCA-NCLA). I think this book is important because it is the first ouvre on Bikol poetic aesthetics written in the Bikol language. So that non-Bikols could understand its gist [...]

AS I WAS SAYING…

BURIED with work somewhere else. This is my alibi for not updating my blog. It is no joke being a college instructor. At times, I would like to attribute my sudden slight increase in blood pressure (aside from no-no foods and beer) to my attempt to play teacher in front of hormonal and emo-crazed youngsters. [...]

BICOL SWEEP

Call it literary ESP. I knew I would surely have a poem published in the November issue of HomeLife Magazine, so there I was buying two copies from St. Paul’s Bookshop. And indeed a work of mine was there, conveniently printed in the poetry page. As usual, I had a short chat with the Sisters [...]

PISTANG PANITIK

Although I write in English and Tagalog/Filipino, I consider myself a regional writer not only because I also write in Bikol-Naga and Iriganon, but because I am based in Bicol. Staying here was a choice I earlier made even if there are more opportunities in Metro-Manila, where the national government seems to center its developmental [...]

BIKOL WRITERS ANTHOLOGIZED IN ANI 33

The Literary Arts Division of the Cultural Center of the Philippines recently released the list of contributors for the 20th Anniversary issue of Ani, the CCP Literary Yearbook. Now on its 33rd issue, the volume once again explores Nature and Environment as metaphors of the human condition. Edited by prize-winning writer Herminio S.Beltran, it will [...]

GAWAD KOMISYON 2007 DEADLINE FOR BIKOL DIVISION EXTENDED

Whether it is regional or national literary landscape, the real problem is not really with the number of literary practitioners—it is with the number of readers. This was discussed in Cirilo F. Bautista’s latest column in the Philippine Panorama last Sunday, August 19, 2007. Because we cannot get more Filipinos to pick-up literary titles by [...]

THE PRESTIGE: THE TAONG-LIPOD REAPPEARS

The largest marketplace in Asia–so they say. The Naga City Public Market is just bordering a portion of the Bicol River. Giving us a trace of history when city-states used to thrive near bodies of water. The rationale was of course trade and barter. That is why the Market offers almost everything for the wise [...]