--A Thesis Review--

I wrote this thesis review in March 2007 to help validate the creative writing thesis of Bikolano poet and Kabulig-Bikol President, Estelito "Esting" B. Jacob. During his graduation, Esting was awarded Excellence in Oral Defense.



MGA NIRUKITDUKIT: ESTELITO B. JACOB’S POETICS & BIKOL POETRY AS ORIGINAL CONTRIBUTION TO PHILIPPINE LITERATURE
(A Thesis Review)

By Rizaldy M. Manrique

I. Who should engage in a Creative Writing Thesis?

I commend the Faculty of the Graduate School of the University of Nueva Caceres for their bold efforts to recognize and support the literary movement to resurrect and preserve Vernacular Literature, specifically Bikol Literature. In my view, by initially approving the thesis proposal of Estelito Jacob to submit a collection of Bikol poems (i.e., written in the Bikol language) accompanied by his poetics or personal narration of his evolution as Bikolano writer (to be written in the English language) and ultimately giving him the green light after his title defense, we are actually breaking new grounds. I believe that Estelito Jacob’s Thesis in MA in English Major in Literature entitled MGA NIRUKITDUKIT: Woven Words for Bikol (Forty Poems 1999-2006) will have a positive impact on the academic as well as literary community here in the Bikol Region.

But, having said this, I think it is equally important that we should be careful in laying out the rules and objectives in the making or production of such creative writing thesis. It is important that as early as now we establish the framework and objectives of an MA Thesis that deals with the production of contemporary Bikol Literature. Otherwise, we will open a Pandora’s box. Picture this: What if in the near or distant future, a UNC MA candidate, approaches a thesis adviser and announces that he also wants to make a collection of, let’s say, short stories in Bikol accompanied by his poetics written in the English language (50-75 pages) which will serve as introduction. Now, assuming that this particular MA candidate’s stories are NOT well-written, assuming that his fiction are NOT on par with the kind of contemporary literature being produced by modern Bikol writers, how could the thesis adviser justify that he is not qualified to engage in such thesis?

To ensure that an MA candidate is ready and qualified to tackle a creative writing thesis, I suggest that the MA candidate must first satisfy several (not all) of the following requirements:

1) Show proof that he has published his literary works in local, national or international publications
2) Must have attended at least one or two local or national writing workshop.
3) Must have won major awards in local and national writing literary contests
4) Must be an active member of a literary organization and show some basic knowledge of trends in contemporary Philippine Writing.
5) Must have attended local and national seminars on literature and writing.
6) Must show proof of works-in-progress or PARTIAL body of works before actual thesis proposal and writing (e.g., 20 or more poems, 4 or more stories, 3 or more one-act plays, 30 or more pages of a novel)

The literary quality of an MA candidate’s creative body of works is pivotal to the approval of his thesis topic.

Obviously, Estelito Jacob satisfies ALL requirements. I will not enumerate his achievements here. Let me just say that his track record as creative writer is impressive. He has innumerable published works, he attended local and national writing workshops, won in both local and national literary contests, popularized Bikol Literature through public poetry readings and he is currently the president of Kabulig-Bikol.

His passion for Bikol Writing and Literature is contagious. He is arguably one of the pillars of the renaissance of contemporary Bikol Writing. Estelito Jacob personifies the MA candidate who should be allowed or given the opportunity to engage in a creative writing thesis.

II. What Graduate Thesis is All About: The Significance of Esting Jacob’s Poetics

What is a Thesis? The distinguishing mark of graduate research or thesis is an original contribution to knowledge. It is a document whose purpose is to prove that you have made an original contribution to knowledge. Failure to prove that you have made such a contribution generally leads to failure. Hence, your thesis must show two important things: 1) you have identified a worthwhile problem or question which has not been previously answered 2) you have solved the problem or answered the question. Your contribution to knowledge generally lies in your solution or answer/explanation.

What is Poetics? Here are 3 dictionary definitions: 1. basic principles of poetry: the literary or philosophical study of the basic principles, forms, and techniques of poetry, or of imaginative writing in general (takes a singular verb) 2. or (plural po·et·ics) treatise on poetry: a treatise on the nature or principles of poetry 3. way of composing poem: the art or technique of writing poetry (takes a plural verb)

After reading Jacob’s 55-page Poetics or Autobiographical Essay (take note: it’s also a scholarly paper) I gathered that essentially, he is answering several questions, not necessarily in this order :

1) How do you write good poetry?
2) How do you write good Bikol poetry?
3) Why do I (Estelito Jacob) write Bikol poetry and promote Bikol Writing or Vernacular Literature?
4) What is my creative process?
5) How did I (Estelito Jacob) become a poet and evolve into the kind of poet that I am now?

To my mind, although not categorically stated in the thesis, these are the 5 questions that pervade his Poetics. Simple? Well, it looks easy, but, I assure you, the actual writing is no walk in the park. To understand his motivation for writing, to understand his own creative process and the craft of poetry, to travel back in time through memory and re-trace his growth as writer, I bet that Jacob spent many sleepless nights in order to give honest answers to these questions. Bottom-line, Jacob is confronted with the most fundamental and daunting question any serious writer must answer: Why do I write poetry and for whom do I write? A philosopher once said, “Know thyself”. This is probably one of the most difficult questions a human being must face.

And because Jacob, like any self-respecting author, is always in search of the truth, he does not flinch in answering such question. He reveals to us his secrets. He narrates to us his love for painting in high school which actually put him in trouble and nearly caused his expulsion from Ateneo de Naga High School. He confesses his dislike for English subjects during the early years of high school because he was not good at it. That it was initially out of fear of Mr. Abonal, the principal who gave him a chance to stay in Ateneo, that made him seriously study his English class. Later, however, he begins to enjoy the class of the inspiring Mr. Abonal. This appreciation for high school English Literature eventually encouraged him to pursue an Education degree Major in English…

The 55-page Poetics, is not your typical thesis format. The traditional format follows this generic pattern: 1. Introduction 2. Background Information (optional) 3. Review of Related Literature 4. Research Question or Problem Statement 5. Describing How You Solved the Problem or Answered the Question 6. Conclusions

For me, this posits no problem. I believe this is just a matter of style or format in thesis writing. I believe that the more important question the panel of advisers must ask is: Did Jacob show scholarship in his Poetics? After 2 or 3 years of finishing his rigorous academic training, was he able to display scholarship in his thesis? By scholarship I mean he must be able to show a certain degree of knowledge on Literary Theories, Philippine and World Literature, The Significance of Vernacular Writing and Literature, Contemporary Filipino, American and British Authors, The Elements of a good poem, story, novel, and of course, Proficiency in the English language.
We must remember the philosophy and objectives of the academic program MA in English Major in Literature. Our students in this program are generally high school and college English and Literature teachers. Our objective is to give them expertise in the teaching of English and Literature courses.

In my opinion, this is the rationale of the inclusion of Jacob’s Poetics in his thesis. I strongly suggest that a creative writing thesis must always be accompanied by a discussion of the Poetics of the writer. Naturally, because this is an MA Program in English, the Poetics must be written in the English language. The writing of the Poetics will show the extent of knowledge of the MA candidate’s chosen literary genre.

So, did Jacob show scholarship in his Poetics or Autobiographical Essay? My answer is in the affirmative. Apart from his own epiphanies about his own creative process, he quotes contemporary Filipino poets like Cirilo Bautista, Leoncio Deriada, Ricky De Ungria, Marne Kilates, Alice Sun-Cua, Rio Alma, Ben Santos and Edith Tiempo. Among Bikol scholars, he used as reference the works of Paz Verdades Santos, James O. Brien, Luis General Jr., Malcom Mintz and Jose Britanico. His friendship and conversations of Bikol writers like Frank Penones, Rudy Alano, Luis Cabalquinto, Honesto Pesimo, Jr., Kristian Cordero, Nino Manaog and others, serve as a sort of informal interview which give him insights into his own writing process. Among foreign authors he cited Donald Hall, Kim Addonizzio and Dorianne Laux, Scott Edelstein etc.
I am convinced he used relevant and updated sources. Jacob has done his assignment, he is in good company. The mere act of choosing who to include as reference in your thesis is already a reflection of the working knowledge of a thesis writer...


III. Nirukitdukit’s Relevance and Contribution to Philippine Literature

What is Philippine Literature? Simply put, it is literature written by Filipinos which employ either Spanish, English, Filipino and the Vernacular languages of the Republic of the Philippines.
According to Isagani Cruz (2000):

The rise of postcolonial literary theories and their variants: minority
discourse, multiculturalism, and the like, has occasioned a re-examination
of the role of oppression or hegemony (gahum in Philippine literary
critcism) among and within national literatures. Philippine literary
history, from the very beginning, has recognized the crucial influence
–admittedly sometimes beneficial but also undeniably often detrimental – of
foreign cultures brought into the country by political oppresors, particularly Spain and the United States of America. Only recently, however, has internal colonization, sometimes called “Manilacentrism” been identified as key negative factor in the development of a Filipino national literary tradition.

I believe it is in the same spirit that the Commission On Higher Education (CHED) issued MEMORANDUM ORDER No. 59, Series of 1996 titled “New General Education Curriculum (GEC)”. According to this guideline:

Literature One (or the first literature subject) must cover the “Literatures of
the Philippines” and should focus on the literatures of all regions of the
Philippines, whether written in native or foreign languages from the
beginning of Philippine History to the present. Care should be taken to
ensure adequate attention to literary texts and authors outside the National
Capital Region.

The CHED therefore has institutionalized the teaching and production of Vernacular Literature. In fact, it encourages scholars and writers from the various Philippine Regions to write, produce and update their body of works.

Apparently, Jacob’s Mga Nirukitdukit, will contribute a great deal to this progressive undertaking. As far as I know, several college Professors here in Bikol, have begun teaching Jacob’s Bikol poetry to their students.

I believe Jacob has written around 300 Bikol poems. His poetry has inspired me to craft my own Bikol poems. His dedication to preserve the Bikol language through his beautiful and lyrical poetry is inspiring. I submit that his MA Thesis MGA NIRUKITDUKIT: Woven Words for Bikol (Forty Poems 1999-2006) is original, relevant and groundbreaking.

--Zhella's blog--

Zhella, my wife, now blogs.

I’m glad she has found the time to create her own blog and explore the colorful world of photography. This new hobby will surely bring out the artistic dimension of her personality. Zhella and I were classmates in high school at the University of Nueva Caceres in Naga City and even back then, we already shared the passion for reading as well as collecting pictures and preserving happy milestones in our lives. In our house, in the small living room, one can easily spot photo albums which practically contain the history of our family and friends.

In our senior year in high school, I became the Editor of our school paper, and she was chosen as my Associate Editor. One day in September, many, many years back, I remember her accompanying me while I documented the Peñafrancia Military Parade during the week-long celebration of the feast day of Nuestra Señora de Peñafrancia, beloved Patroness of Bikolandia. We watched the parade and took pictures of the CAT I Military competitions for our school organ, The Trailblazer. That day, we consumed a roll of film, 36 shots of Kodak, some of the photos eventually made the cut and graced the frontpage of our campus paper.

A couple of days later, as the image of Ina was ferried across the Bikol river and many homes in Naga City opened their doors to guests and devotees who pilgrimaged from distant places, she invited me and some classmates to visit their house and celebrate fiesta with her family. I went to their house and once inside, in one of the rooms upstairs, I chanced upon a small bookcase filled with books, mostly Filipiniana. Over lunch, she told me that her mother owned the books, she was a teacher in one of the best public schools in Naga City. Before I left their house that day, I mustered the courage to borrow these books which she generously fished out of the shelves and handed to me. The titles of the books were: Philippine Harvest: An Anthology of Filipino Writing in English by Ramos and Valeros; Philippine Cross-Section:An Anthology of Short Stories in English by Ramos and Valeros; Dwell In the Wilderness (stories) by Bienvenido Santos; How My Brother Leon Brought Home A Wife (stories) by Manuel Arguilla. Upon my return to my hometown of Iriga City, I stayed in my room and devoured those books. It was around this time I was beginning to discover the subtle power and lyricism of Philippine Literature in English.

Several days later, after the Peñafrancia festivities came to its end and classes had resumed, Zhella and I saw each other in class and she inquired if I’d read the books and I told her yes and she went on to ask me what particular titles I had read. It turned out she had read most of the short stories in the anthologies and I was delightfully surprised by this revelation. We exchanged ideas about the stories we’ve read and I recall we talked about the tragic fate of the protagonist in the short story “The Long Vacation” by Manuel Arguilla. We both came to the conclusion that it was a beautifully written story, albeit, a melancholic and tragic one.

Our shared duties in the school paper and our common appreciation for reading and literature deepened our friendship. We started going out, we ate chicken mami and siopao in Naga Restaurant and Café Candice at centro Naga. Before our graduation in high school, in December of our senior year, our friendship which was essentially based on respect, mutual admiration and trust, blossomed into romantic love and since then we never looked back.

We finished high school, left the province and moved on together to enroll at the University of the Philippines-Diliman in Quezon City. At the UP, we strengthened and deepened our relationship as we revelled in our new-found academic freedom and intellectual pursuits. In her freshman year, she was initially enrolled in AB Philosophy. But her meeting with the young and legendary academic scholar, Professor Caroline Hau, her mentor in Communication Arts I, inspired her to shift course and the following year, she enrolled in the AB English Studies (Language) program of the College of Arts and Letters. As for me, I pursued what I wanted to be since high school, I enrolled in AB English Studies (Creative Writing) program of UP.

In college, I introduced her to the books of F. Sionil Jose, Charlson Ong, Butch Dalisay, Gregorio Brillantes, and Gabriel Garcia Marquez. Meanwhile, she introduced me to the works of Isabel Allende, Kahlil Gibran and Richard Bach. While I loved the minimalism and realism of the fiction of Ernest Hemingway and Raymond Carver, she enjoyed and was moved by the kilometric sentences, flight of imagination and labyrinthine worlds created by Gabriel Garcia Marquez and Isabel Allende.

Some days, I envy her, I envy how she can finish a book in two or three sittings and emerge gloriously from the experience like a person who had been entertained by a great orchestra or a master virtuoso. She reads a book for the sheer pleasure and knowledge one derives from it. I, on the other hand, had metamorphosed across the years into a slow and deliberate reader, carefully leafing through the pages of a paperback, deconstructing the language and creative process that went into the birthing of a novel or a story. This attitude, one may argue, simply takes away the fun out of reading.

People change, people grow. Every individual is unique, every individual is given a chance to become the person he or she was meant to be. After 18 years of being together (11 years of happy marriage and one smart-and-sweet little boy named Kyle) I’m really proud of our relationship and how it has evolved through the years. Like any relationship, ours had been put to test many times, but I’m proud to say that each time we encounter a storm in our lives, we always weather it and by the grace and act of mercy of God, we always emerge from it unscathed. We continue to respect each others privacy and individuality; we continue to celebrate both our differences and similarities. Anyone familiar with the significance and meaning of Astrology can easily tell the huge, clashing personalities of a woman born under the sign of Aries and a man born under the sign of Capricorn. But I think it’s true what they say about opposite poles, they do attract, and my take on this is simple: we do compliment each other. I seek out in Zhella what I don’t have in me and I’d like to believe she feels the same way toward me. I guess in this respect, we complete each other.

Every time I finish writing a poem or story, she’s the first to read and give honest critique. I’ll never forget the light in her eyes that splendid Sunday morning when I went to Molave Residence Hall, her dormitory in UP, and gently presented to her a copy of the latest February issue of Philippines Free Press which I picked up in one of the magazine stalls on Katipunan Avenue. The magazine had bought and published my short story “Brotherhood”, it was my first published fiction.

Married to a slow and less prolific writer like me who “bleeds” and “suffers” every time I craft a poem or fiction, she is well aware of the downside of being married to a wordsmith. Yup, I have my own share of quirkiness as an individual and my wife has definitely seen bad and boring days when I simply don't want to leave the house and I can't hold a decent conversation because I'm preoccupied with images and words that I wish to arrest to articulate the thoughts in my head.

Nowadays, when she's done attending to her regular job as Fiscal in the province of Camarines Sur; after she has made sure that our son's basic needs and well-being have been given proper care and attention, she tinkers with her Sony Cybershot camera and uploads her pictures in her one-week old blog. She’s also continued corresponding with our common best friend M.V. who is now based in Canada and who, like her, has taken a keen interest in photography and had shared with her pictures from a snow-covered country.

As she brings along her camera and shoots pictures of places and people she encounters, I know she will grow into an artist and somehow, it makes me happy. After years of discipline, determination and sacrifice to reach her ambition of becoming a lawyer, after a decade of standing in front of a Judge in a court of law and attending to the rights of women and children who have been mistreated, abused or raped, she now has the luxury of time to pursue a hobby that will not only bring out the creative aspect of her personality but something that will also keep her mind and soul, alive, bright, cheerful and optimistic.

Now, both of us in our mid-career, when gray hairs have begun to appear in our head, reminding us of our own mortality, we have learned to recognize the importance of slowing down and taking the time out to enjoy life and explore new areas of interest. What I like about her new interest in photography is that it encourages me to go outside, to enjoy the life outdoors and meet new people and see new places. As we both transition to midlife, we shall always bear in mind an old proverb that declares, "Midlife is the old age of youth, and the youth of old age." Hence, carpe diem!

I must confess that there is that introspective part of me that just wants to stay indoor and be with my books and laptop. When I hear my mentors, say, Butch Dalisay talk about the writing life, that essentially it means “Many more years of solitary confinement and hard labor” and that "You can drink and talk all you want, you can bask in the afterglow of Rilke and Plath and Neruda and whoever moves you, and quote them till the cows come home; but when it comes to your own work, it’ll still be just you and the blinking cursor, and maybe a tepid cup of coffee or a half-finished cigarette. No nodding readers, no owl-eyed critics, no triumphal bouquets, no one to say, “That’s good, can’t wait for the next chapter”...When I hear words of wisdom like this, my adrenaline pumps up and I am reminded of my mortality and I wish to rush inside the house, shut the door behind me, turn on my laptop and just write, write and write...

But I'm really glad Zhella is there to coax me to leave the room and stay outdoors and relish the magnificence of sunrise; to seize the opportunity to breathe fresh air and smell the fragrance of flowers in the garden; to walk barefoot on a beach and feel the cold and salty rush of wind against the face as the afternoon sun dips on the horizon; to smile, sing and to share laughter with family and close friends who gather in a circle amid the crackling sound of bonfire beneath a vast, summer night sky dotted with stars.

As she had accompanied and supported me all these 18 years in my journey as an aspiring writer, so will I accompany her and take care of her as she explores the landscapes and seascapes of the Bikol Region and the panoramic, exotic lands that lie far, far away beyond it. I look forward to seeing her photographs, the self-expression, individuality, art and sense of history that will emerge from her lens. Already, she is talking about saving money and buying her first SLR or EOS Camera. Soon, I know she'll be attending workshops to enhance her technical knowledge about cameras. I'm really excited to see her growth as a photographer…

Ah, there are so many wonderful things I want to say about her, but, my sense of privacy and modesty restrains me from doing so. Let me just say that I love her because she really takes care of me and our son Kyle and that all these years she has given me joy, inspiration and peace.

I shall now let Zhella's blog speak for herself…

-- Please come and watch: KANTARAMON 2: Pagpamidbid, Pagpatalubo asin Pagpadangat--

Dear Friends,

We are inviting you to please come and watch KANTARAMON 2: Pagpamidbid, Pagpatalubo asin Pagpadangat (sarong banggi nin mga awit, rawit-dawit, kaogmahan asin iba pa...) which will be held on April 17, 2008, 6PM, at Plaza Quezon, Naga City.

The event is made possible through the cooperation of the Bikolano writers' organization KABULIG-BIKOL and the City Government of Naga City through its cultural program "Arts @ D Heart of Bikol".

Prolific, published and award-winning Bikolano writers will read their poems in the hope of entertaining and inspiring fellow Bikolanos to nourish and recognize the importance of Bikol language.

Let's have fun and enjoy the lyricism of Bikol language, see you there!

--Book Launch: In The Crucible of an Asymmetrical War in Camarines Sur: The Story of the Tancong Vaca Guerilla Unit by Jose V. Barrameda, Jr--

Photos by Rizaldy Manrique

The Book Launch was held yesterday afternoon, April 13, 2008, at the Holy Rosary Minor Seminary in Naga City. I'll share with you my thoughts about this book later. Meanwhile, read the article "Jo Bar does us a great service" by fellow Bikolano blogger Willy Prilles.

--Kabulig-Bikol's KANTARAMON: Kansyon, Rawit-Dawit asin Tigsik para sa Banwaan--

Photos by Zhella M. Manrique

--He discovers the beauty and freedom of running--

The world does speak to all of us. And if we listen carefully, it will inspire us and give us boundless joy. It is amazing to behold, how a three-year-old boy teaches his dad to let go, so that he may explore the world with his own eyes and identity. His rite of passage has begun...May the goodness and free spirit of his parents guide him in his own life-journey.

--Nag-eerok sa kinaban--

my column for this week's issue of The Bikol Reporter

Igwang mga aldaw na nawawaran kita nin pagtubod sa halaga kan pagsurat nin literatura. May darang kamunduan an buhay nin sarong parasurat. Minsan, sa katahawan nin banggi, mantang natuturog na an gabos, naghahapot kita: ano an nakukua ta sa pagsurat nin mga rawit-dawit asin osipon? Pwede daw ipambakal nin tinapay o gatas nin aki an bayad sato sa pagsurat nin rawit-dawit? Si isay an nagbabasa, si isay an nagdadangog? Sa mga bangging arog kaini na pano nin pagduda asin kawaran nin tiwala sa letra, kinukua ta an blangkong papel asin pigrurunot sa satuyang mga palad…bola ini nin kaanggutan na idinadaklag ta sa luwas kan bintana tanganing padagos na ining kakanon kan kinaban nin kadikloman.

Paano ta naibabalik an pagtubod sa literatura, paano kita otrong minalakaw pabalik sa lamesa tanganing atubangon otro an blangkong papel? An pagtubod ko minabalik man lang sa paagi kan pagbasa nin mga literatura na sinurat na kan mga naenot sato, sindang mga parasurat na dai nawaran nin tiwala sa misteryo asin kagayonan nin letra asin sa katuyohan na iselebrar an makolor na buhay nin tawo.

Ngonyan na hapon, pigbasa ko an tolong rawit-dawit na pigtransleyt o halaw ni Jose F. Lacaba. Hali an tolong tula sa libro niyang Edad Medya: Mga Tula sa Katanghaliang Gulang na pigpublikar kan 2000 kan Anvil Publishing House.


Siyudad ng San Salvador
Ni Tirso Canales

Sa lasing na lungsod
Ang pinakamagagandang diwa
Ay nagiging usok.
Sa maruruming kalye
Lumulutang ang mga tao.
Kinakalkal ng pulubi ang basura,
Naghahanap ng ikabubuhay.
Nag-iinat siya’t humahayo,
Maligaya na siya’y isinilang.


Sa gabi
Ni Robert Francis

Lampas hatinggabi, may narinig akong tili.
Gising ako noon. Hindi iyon panaginip.
Subalit kung iyon ay ibong mandaragit,
O dinagit ng ibon, ay hindi ko alam.
Hindi pa ako nakakarinig ng ganoon sa araw.



Naninirahan sa daigdig
Halaw kay William Stafford

Ang mga kimpal ng lupa na agad naging
hiyas, ang lumang bahay, ang tinambakang balon,
ang mga puno ng kamyas at abokado sa likod-bakuran,
ang kawayang nakatukod sa sampayan – hayaan ako
dito, mapagpakumbaba, namamangha sa pangkaraniwan.

Hayaang sumikat at lumubog ang araw nang walang
pagpapakitang-gilas. Turuan akong lumagay
sa tamang lugar, sapagkat ang mga kimpal ng lupa
ay kumikislap, ang lumang bahay ay umaawit
sa kalangitan, at ang tukod ng sampayan
ay maringal na tumitindig at pinagpupugayan ng araw.

Nauunawaan ko na ngayon kung bakit ang tao’y
sumasamba, nagsusuot ng mga anting-anting,
Nagpapamana ng pangarap sa kanilang mga anak.

Nagsasalita ang daigdig. Sinasabi nito ang lahat-lahat
sa atin. Ito ang tangi nating kaibigan.

--Paaram 2007, Maogmang Bagong Taon Sa Gabos!--

my column for this week's issue of The Bikol Reporter

Magayon si laog kan taon 2007, an taga Naga City na si Honesto “Jun” Pesimo, Jr., nanggana sa 2006 Homelife Poetry Contest. An saiyang tulang “Bagyo sa Oktubre” natawan nin First Prize kan panel of judges. Kan Enero, nagpa-seminar sa pagsurat nin screenplay para sa pelikulang Animation an LGU kan Naga City sa paagi kan opisina kan Naga City Investment Board. Dakula si tabang kaini para ma-edukar an mga maestro asin estudyante na magsurat nin screenplay para sa Film Animation. An nagtao nin lecture iyo si Father Danilo Isidro, SJ, kan Department of Digital Arts and Computer Animation kan Ateneo de Naga.

Kan Pebrero pigpadrinuhan kan Universidad de Sta. Isabel an “Oliver Twist: The Musical”. Magayon si produksyon kan play; pig-direk ini ninda Mrs. Amelita Zaens asin Boboy Aguay. Piggibo man kan Pebrero 28 sa University of Nueva Caceres an poetry-reading na “Ratsada 2007: Sarong Hapon Nin Rawit-Dawit (2nd Edisyon).” An okasyon pigpadrinuhan kan College of Arts and Sciences sa pangengenot ni Ms. Divinagracia L. David , Dekano kan kolehiyo, asin man ni Mr. Estelito B. Jacob, propesor sa nasabing kolehiyo asin presidente kan KABULIG-Bikol.

Kan Marso, panahon nin graduation, natapos ni Estelito B. Jacob an saiyang MA Thesis na MGA NIRUKITDUKIT: Woven Words For Bikol, Forty Poems, 1999-2006. Kasabay niyang nagtapos nin MA in Englsh Major in Literature si Geraldine Cardano-Alvina na matibay na pigdepensahan an saiyang thesis na CONTEMPORARY BIKOL POETRY and the BASIC EDUCATION CURRICULUM'S Thrust On Lifelong Learning. Nakua kan duwa an Excellence in Oral Defense. Kan Marso pigpublikar man sa Naga College Foundation an libro manungod sa buhay ni Dr. Melchor T. Villanueva, founder kan Naga College Foundation (NCF). An libro, Paglalakbay: Ang Kasaysayan Ng Buhay ni Dr. Melchor T. Villanueva, pigsurat ni William M. Espejo, PhD. An paglansar kan libro pigsabay sa ika-100 na cumpleaño ni Lolo Mel asin kan 60th Foundation Anniversary kan NCF.

Kan Marso nadiskubre ko an blog ni MARNE KILATES. (http://marnek.blogspot.com/) Padaba ko an mga rawitdawit ni Marne sa Ingles asin Bikol. Dakula an saiyang magiging kontribusyon sa Bikol translation. Kan bulan na ini nagpuon naman mag-blog si Frank Peñones sa California USA kun sain nag-aadal siya nin MFA in Creative Writing sa tabang kan Ford Foundation. Nanggana siya nin James D. Phelan Literary Awards sa San Jose State University sa California huli sa saiyang duwang tula sa Ingles na “Manhattan Stories” asin “Cracking Coconuts”.

Kan Abril 2007, nanggana sinda Honesto M. Pesimo, Jr., Estelito B. Jacob, asin an taga Iriga City na si Jason Chancoco sa Gawad Surian sa Tula-Gantimpalang Collantes. Second prize si Honesto M. Pesimo Jr. para sa tulang Sa Pampang ng Aking Ilog; Honorable Mention sinda Jose Jason L. Chancoco para sa kanyang Hagbayon asin Estelito B. Jacob, Karitela ng Aking mga Kataga.

Kan bulan nin Mayo, nabaretaan ko na si Mia Tijam, taga Naga City asin nag-adal sa UP Diliman nag-atendir kan 46th National Writers Workshop in Dumaguete City bilang Writing Fellow sa Non-Fiction. Kan Hunyo pigpublikar asin piglansar an koleksyon nin mga sanaysay/kolum kan bantog asin matibay na parasurat sa Bicol Mail na si Levy Aureus. Dakol an nagbakal kan saying orihinal na librong “Sabi ni Levy”. Kan Hulyo an mag-agom na sinda Fer asin Sheila Basbas ipigpadagos an tradisyon kan Writers' Night (3rd Edition) poetry reading sa Lolo’s Bar. Kan Agosto 16, 2007, an sakuyang blog na my bKol X-press (http://mybikol.blogspot.com) nagselebrar kan saiyang ikaduwang cumpleaño. Kan Agosto, nanggana man an akademikong papel manungod sa tataramon/ salitang “Miskol” na pigpresentar kan taga Laganoy, Camarines Sur na si Adrian Remodo sa ginibong 2007 Sawikaan: Salita Ng Taon Conference na piggibo sa UP-Diliman. Si Adrian maestro sa Ateneo de Naga asin pigtatapos an saiyang MA sa Ateneo de Manila University. Nakua kan taga Iriga na si Kristian Cordero an runner-up prize sa paagi kan presentasyon niya manungod sa salitang “Roro”. Kan Agosto, nakua man kan Vox Bikol columnist na si Willy Prilles an consolation prize sa ginibong online writing contest manungod sa Buwan ng Wika. An saiyang sanaysay: “Ang paradigm shift at ang mga erehe ng KWF.” Kan Agosto nanggana an mga Bikolanong sinda si Alvin Yapan asin Marne Kilates sa National Book Awards. Nakua ni Alvin B. Yapan an Jaime C. Laya Award for Best Fiction Book in the Vernacular para sa saiyang “Ang Sandali ng mga Mata,” asin man si Marne Kilates na nakua an Best Translation Work para sa saiyang mga dakitaramon kan mga haiku sa libro ni Rogelio Mangahas na “Gagamba sa Uhay”. Nakua man ni Yapan para sa saiyang obrang “Rolyo” na sarong pelikulang Bikolnon an Best Film sa Short Feature category kan Cinemalaya 2007.

Kan Setyembre 19, pigselebrar an 4th Premio Tomas Arejola Para Sa Literaturang Bikolnon sa St. Paul Auditorium kan Holy Rosary Minor Seminary. Si Judith Balares-Salamat kan Pili, Camarines Sur, iyo an nanggana sa Salaysay category; si Jaime Jesus Borlagdan kan Tabaco City asin si Victor Dennis Nierva kan San Fernando, Camarines Sur nagbanga kan grand prize sa rawit-dawit category. Pigtawan nin Honorable Mention prize si Marissa Reorizo-Casillan para sa saiyang “Paradakop Kan Pangiturugan.” Pigtawan nin Lifetime Achievement Award para sa saindang mga ambag sa literaturang Bikolnon sinda Abdon Balde, Jr, taga Oas Albay, asin Leonor R. Dy-Liaco kan Naga City. Nakua ni Prof. Judith Balares-Salamat an award na “Parasurat Nin Taon”. Si Mayor Jess Robredo iyo an nagin Guest of Honor. Natawan nin Naga City Mayoral Recognition Award an Arejola Foundation for Social Responsibility para sa ambag sa Literatura.

Kan Oktubre an taga Iriga City na si Sonny Corpuz Sendon napili bilang saro sa mga Writing Fellows (Poetry in Filipino) sa 7th Ateneo de Manila National Writers' Workshop. Kan Oktubre piglansar an librong GOD'S GLOBAL HOUSEHOLD: A Theology of Mission in the Context of Globalization na pigsurat ni Fr. ANDREW G. RECEPCION. Si Father Recepcion namundag asin nagdakula sa Munisipyo kan Nabua, Camarines Sur, asin sa presente siya an Director kan Caceres Mission Office.

Kan Nobyembre, pigdominar kan mga Bikolano an 2007 Homelife Poetry Writing Contest: Filipino Category—1st Prize: “Isang Gabing Ganito” by Jose Jason L. Chancoco of Iriga City; 2nd Prize: “Sa Paglubog ng Araw” by Kristian S. Cordero of Iriga City; and 3rd Prize: “Sa Muling Pagputok ng Mayon” by Estelito B. Jacob of Camaligan, Camarines Sur. Sa English Category—1st Prize: “Quotidian” by Luis Cabalquinto of Magarao, Camarines. Kan Disyembre, na-elect si Carlo Arejola bilang official Representative for Southern Luzon sa ginibong NCLA Elections sa Cebu City. Natapos an taon sa pagpublikar asin paglansar kan libro ni Vic Nierva na ANTISIPASYON:Asin iba pang rawit-dawit sa Bikol asin Ingles. An Christmas party kan Kabulig-Bikol piggibo sa Baao, sa harong kan mabuot na si Jocelyn Bisuña. Nakaabot si Prof. Doods Santos asin si Manoy Gode Callega.

Lugod magin makolor asin maogma para sa gabos an taon 2008!

--Rene O. Villanueva, 1954-2007--

my column for this week's issue of The Bikol Reporter

An mahigos asin matibay na parasurat na si Rene O. Villanueva nagpaaram na kan Disyembre 5, 2007. Alas 2:07 nin hapon kan siya bawian nin buhay sa Philippine Heart Center sa Manila pagkatapos ma-comatose asin magsapo nin heart failure. 53 anyos siya kan magpaaram sa saiyang pamilya asin mga estudyante asin mga amigo.

Ipinangaki si Rene O. Villanueva kan 1954. Nagin Creative Direktor siya kan Philippine Children’s Television Foundation Inc. asin nagin Managing Editor kan Filmag. Kan 1993, nabisto siya asin natawan nin award na Outstanding Young Persons of the World (TOYP) para sa saiyang Cultural Achievement. Kaibahan man siya sa 1989 Ten Outstanding Young Men of the Philippines (TOYM) para sa Literatura. Natawan siya nin Palanca Hall of Fame kan 1995. Ganador siya sa mga patimpalak sa literatura arog kan CCP Playwrighting Contest, CCP Literary Grants asin Palihang Aurelio Tolentino Drama Competition.

Kan 1991, pigtawan nin honra kan Gawad CCP sa Telebisyon an saiyang mga kontribusyon sa children’s TV sa Pilipinas. Pigtawan siya ng Linangan ng Wikang Pambansa ng Gawad Pagkilala kan 1988 sa kontribusyon niya sa drama asin panitikang pambata. Pigsurat niya an dakol na children's books, kaibahan an popular na "Aklat Adarna" series, "Si Emang Engkantada at ang Tatlong Haragan," "Barumbadong Bus," "Umuulan," "Ang Pamilya Ng Ismid," "Nagsasabi Si Patpat," "Si Elephas at Estrogon" asin "Si Paula Oink Oink." Kaibahan siya sa nag produce kan compilation na "Sa Dako Roon," mga Filipino translations kan pamusong Brothers Grimm stories.

Bistado siya bilang head writer kan defunct children's program na "Batibot," an satuyang bersyon kan Sesame Street na nagtao saiya nin mga international awards arog kan Prix Juenesse sa Germany asin New York Film and TV Festivals. Natawan siya kan UP nin rekognisyon bilang Gawad Chanselor Awardee, "Pinakamahusay na Alagad ng Sining."


Kan 1993 pigtawan siya nin Gantimpalang Quezon sa Panitikan hali sa LGU kan Quezon City. Saro siya sa nag pundar kan TELON Playwrights Circle; dating siyang presidente kan Galian sa Arte at Tula (GAT); at tagapayo kan PETA Writer’s Bloc. Nagtukdo siya nin malikhaing pagsulat sa UP Diliman.

Sabi kan amigo niya, an Bikolanong si Marne Kilates:

Rene was one whose discipline and persuasion in writing was to stay close to the
people and the place he knew and loved (mainly the La Loma district in Quezon
City), and to derive his writing from there, as well as dedicate his talent and
knowledge to them. Up to the end, despite the sophistication and breadth of
imagination he had developed—in his teaching, mentoring in workshops, and his
travels—he always wrote for and about them. Although he confessed to envying
(and looking up to) in his younger days the writers in English their apparent
stylistic “superiority” in language, their “culture” that always found their way
to print, he later asked why this was so. "Mayaman sa kuwento ang mahihirap," he
wrote in his book Personal, "ang mga walang mataas na pinag-aralan, ang mga
kapos sa sopistikasyon at urbanidad." And so he wrote for and about them, and
their heroes in history who, apart from fighting for national independence,
sought their relief from poverty in its many forms, including the poverty of
human dignity.

Enot kong nahiling asin nadangog magtao nin lektyur si Rene Villanueva kan 1991, kan ako mag sit-in sa UP Writers Workshop na piggibo sa UP-Diliman. First year college ako kaidto asin giromdom ko an saro sa mga osipon niya bilang scriptwriter asin playwright. An sabi niya dakol siyang scrapbook, asin laog kaini an mga manlaen-laen na bagay sa buhay niya arog baga kan mga litrato, resibo, tiket, clippings, short notes, souvenirs, etc…na iyo kun minsan an nakakatabang saiya sa pagsurat asin paggibo nin mga istorya. “Kumbersasyon” asin “Huling Gabi Sa Maragondon” an mga enot niyang obra na nabasa ko. Nahiling ko sa entablado an saiyang full length play na “Sigwa”. Kan Abril 2002, nakaibahan ko siya sa UP Writers Workshop; panelist siya mantang fellow ako sa Bikol Poetry. Matibay siyang parasurat asin maestro.

Sa saimong kontribusyon sa Panitikang Pilipino, sa gabos na obra maestra mo, Dios Mabalos, Sir Rene Villanueva!

-Rene O. Villanueva, Sept. 2, 1954 - Dec. 5 2007-

Batibot Theme Song

PAGMULAT NG MATA,
LANGIT NAKATAWA
SA BATIBOT
SA BATIBOT

TAYO NANG MAGPUNTA
TUKLASIN SA BATIBOT
ANG TUWA, ANG SAYA

DOON SA BATIBOT TAYO NA,
TAYO NA
MGA BATA SA BATIBOT
MALIKSI, MASIGLA. (2X)

DALI, SUNDAN NATIN
ANG NGITI NG ARAW
DOON SA BATIBOT (2X)

TAYO NANG MAGPUNTA
TUKLASIN SA BATIBOT
ANG TUWA, ANG SAYA

DOON SA BATIBOT
TAYO NA, TAYO NA
MGA BATA SA BATIBOT
MALIKSI, MASIGLA. (2X)

Music by:LOUIE OCAMPO

Lyrics by: RENE O. VILLANUEVA

Arrangement by:MEL VILLENA

Ethnic Instrumentation:KONTEMPORARYONG GAMELANG PILIPINO(KONTRA-GAPI)

"Closing Billoard" theme song special arrangement by: Alamid

You can read about Rene Villanueva here, here, here, here and here.