Renowned poet and fictionist Merlie Alunan took center stage alongside a cadre of literary luminaries, guiding budding writers at this year's Ibabao Writers’ Workshop at Catarman, Northern Samar.
Spanning five days from June 7 to 11, the Ibabao Writers’ Workshop stands as the sole government-funded creative writing program.
Spearheaded by the Northern Samar provincial government, the initiative forms a cornerstone of the month-long Ibabao Festival celebration.
Out of a vast pool of applicants spanning the province, eleven writers earned coveted spots in the annual fellowship program, underscoring the region's rich literary tapestry.
Alunan emphasized the pivotal role of nurturing local talent, urging aspiring writers to actively shape the landscape of literature across languages.
“It’s crucial to nurture our local talent and encourage them to actively contribute to the growth of our literature in various languages,” she remarked.
“We’re witnessing a nationwide literary revival,” Alunan also noted, highlighting the emergence of a new generation of writers crafting bilingual or even trilingual works, imbuing richness in literature across languages.
Alunan, a distinguished University of the Philippines retiree with over two decades of academic service, remains a prolific force in literature, consistently garnering acclaim for her literary prowess.
Her accolades include multiple Palanca Awards, with notable wins such as the first-place honor in 1988 for her poetry collection “Poems for Amina,” followed by a second-place recognition in 1991 for “Poems of a Season.”
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