LUCBAN, QUEZON – Aiming to establish a culture of writing literature in and for the province of Quezon, 15 promising young writing fellows enlisted for a 2-day seminar-workshop to hone their talents based from the legacy of tradition and culture of the Quezonians.
Called Dinsulan: Quezon Writers Workshop or Palihang Kalilayan is the first writers workshop to have been made in Quezon and it kicked off on April 7 at SLSU Hotel here inside the main campus of the Southern Luzon State University in which its College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) has approved it as one of its extension activities in 2024.
The 15 writing fellows are Jerald Aman from Patnanungan, Clarence Cabile Ebuenga, Pagbilao; Jessa Mae Linhower and Necias ‘Nick’ Patauna, Tayabas city; Jean Alric Almira, Unisan; Kirt John Segui, Quezon; Kent Andrey Noscal, Lopez; Jhona Rose Joy Moreno, Tagkawayan; Mark Angelo Firme Abadilla and John Emmanuel ‘JE’ Inojosa, Lucena city; Jose Amado Correos Amorado, Sariaya; Jomar Saif Baudin, Panukulan; Giselle Pujeda, Dolores; John Rafael Alcantara, Catanauan; and Juan Antonio ‘AJ’ Luna, Pagbilao.
The 15 writing fellows underwent a series of lectures from such noted literary veterans as Dr. Reuel Aguila, a native of Plaridel, Quezon who has established his name as a playwright, poet, essayist, storyteller and radio-tv-movie scriptwriter; Dr. Elyrah Salanga-Torralba who teaches Creative Writing and Filipino Literature at the Dept. of Filipino in UP Diliman and a writer of children’s literature; Mikka Ann Cabangon, a native of Macalelon, Quezon who is an awardee of Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature in short story for children; Hermenegildo Mondigo, a professor at National University-Manila teaching Humanities and Philosophy; Dr. Rom Pena, a native of Catanauan in Bondoc Peninsula who has published essays, short stories, poetry and a novel titled ‘Isang One Dalawang Zero’; Prof. Schedar DT Jocson who teaches Communication and Media, Creative Writing, Theater Arts, Art Appreciation, Film and Foreign Language; and Dr. Vim Nadera, a performance poet who is a native of Tayabas city and teaches Filipino, Creative Writing, and Rizal course in UP Diliman.
Baudin, a young faculty member of SLSU here and teaching Psychology since 2013, said it is his first time as a writing fellow and he seeks to blend his knowledge in psychology to his writing so he is glad to have enlisted in this creative writing workshop.
Among those who attended on the first day was Maria Lourdes Abulencia, a native of Quezon who writes and paints and has published a Filipino novel and her own memoir, and this news writer who also dabbles in literary writing and has self-published a trilogy of ‘Tumbas Manipis’ book - essays and compilations of his news and feature stories, opinion columns in national and local newspapers and short literary fiction and poetry published in Liwayway, Sunday Times and Phil. Graphic magazines.
The idea of initiating the writers workshop in Quezon called Dinsulan: Palihang Kalilayan – Kalilayan was the ancient name of Quezon province during pre-Spanish times, while Dinsulan is an ink container said to be used by Filipino writers during the Spanish colonialism – came from 2 writing teachers Alvin Ursua and Norman Vincent Paderes who dreamed of starting a workshop in SLSU for creative writing as an extension project in CAS department. They would enlist the support of fellow teachers Prof. Joan Dizon and Prof. Julia Lea Radovan.
Ursua was a writing fellow at Palihang Rogelio Sicat and UP National Writers Workshop, Paderes who is from Sariaya, teaches Philosophy at SLSU-Main Campus, also a writing fellow of Palihang Rogelio Sicat and member of Kataga, association of Filipino writers while Dizon is a research grant fellow of Fulbright-CHED in Michigan State University, USA; and writing fellow of the 8th Kritika: National Workshop for Art and Cultural Criticism of De La Salle University.
The Quezon Writers Workshop has been launched through the assistance and support of the Quezon Governor’s Office particularly from Nesler Almagro and Jorge Walter Ladera of the Provincial Tourism Office; and from national government agencies and institutions such as National Commission for Culture and the Arts, Cultural Center of the Phil., National Book Development Board, among others.
(Report and photos by John Bello)
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