Hagbayon

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 and they were egging me to contribute for
the Paulines Magazine. ‘Why not Sistah,’ I replied. 

I have written about
this before, my mild clairvoyance of anything literary. Like seeing
Hotel Veneracion in a dream before I actually got to attend the UST
National Writers Workshop; or having a sort of an ‘advance
proofreader’s copy’ of my work, seeing the page in a dream before it
reaches the stands. This time, I saw this plaque. Nothing else more,
just a plaque.

So when I texted Dulce Deriada saying ‘hi and ‘thanks’ to his father for using ‘Elehiya’ this month, HomeLife’s poetry editor, Dr. Leoncio Deriada
could only blurt out: ‘May ESP ka ano? You had an inkling that you
won?’ It turned out that my poem in Tagalog/Filipino ‘Isang Gabing
Ganito’, yes, that one with a typo when it got printed, won first place
in this year’s contest. I thought I was dreaming, like the clairvoyance
thing again, but this time I did not have to wake up.

Maybe five months of
isolation and concentrated literary thought when I was in Imus, Cavite
back in 2000 (just finishing off my ROTC) developed this ‘clairvoyance
thing’ in me. It was the time when I could sit the whole day just
thinking of my literary plans. I loved those moments as flavored by my
endless readings and writers’ dates. It was just me and God signing a
contract.

Now Home Life
Magazine’s poetry contest just like when it started in 1992, considers
as entries only those poems that got printed in its poetry page for the
year. Dr. Leoncio Deriada serves as its editor and at the same time
ex-officio judge during deliberations in November. Judges would come
from different parts of the country, and thankfully, I am in no way
connected to this year’s judges (except Dr. Deriada who was a panelist
during the Iyas and 12^th Iligan National Writers Workshop). This makes a clear-cut win, methinks, considering that my co-winners are good company (Kristian Cordero of Iriga City-2^nd and Estelito Jacob of Camaligan-3^rd prize). Also, New York-based poet Luis Cabalquinto of Magarao won first place for the English Division.

But not without heavy
competition. According to Dr. Deriada, it was the Filipino Division
that gave the judges a hard time. Poets from the NCR, Central and
Northern Luzon also contended for the top spot against their Bikolnon
opponents. But not much luck this time, for even the fourth place was
occupied by another Bikol poet, Carlo Arejola, almost displacing Esting Jacob by an inch. A Bicol sweep indeed.

  Being a lone voice does not make one weak, but rather, it makes one destined to be echoed. This is what fuels Santiago B. Villafania
as Pangasinan’s poet of the first water. And Book after book, he
pummels on the chests of the Pangasinense poet-warriors of
old—resurrecting them. It is not enough for him that he edits the
country’s premiere literary E-zine at present, the Dalityapi.Com,
he would also turn it into a portal of sorts for anything literary;
news from around the world about workshops, publications, awards,
conferences, festivals, about writers in general. He would also come up
with a monthly poetry Webpage, the Makata, where voices by poets from various places would reverberate in its URL.

Though he never attended any of the national writers’ workshops
(which could make one enmeshed in the country’s UAAP literary
politics), he is well-respected by a new generation of poetry
practitioners ensconced in the E-group system and the blogosphere.
Needless to say it is his tireless zeal and abilities and not his
connections that propel him up in the literary ladder. Silently
publishing the Makata every month and targeting the literary pages of
national magazines; he soon began to come up with his own books, one of
which was sponsored by the NCCA, and his latest the ‘Malagilion’, published by the Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino through Central Books.

The book was launched during the recent literary conference
in Pangasinan and is due for re-launch next month (December 3) in
UP-Diliman. Lovers of regional literature ought to attend this event.

I took this picture
as my family hit the campaign trail during the recent Baranggay
Elections in San Francisco, Iriga City. I saw something in that little
girl’s shy temperament. Poverty might just take-over it, and how would
the baranggay be of help to her?

So we did not just
vote, we had a candidate, my father. We thought his credentials and
experience would qualify him for grassroots legislation. He is a
college professor and finished the undergrad and master’s for business
administration, and being an LLB, he also served for the Baranggay San
Francisco Lupon. My father does not drink or smoke and has no vice
except UFC and
boxing. Like me, he likes war films but it is me who is into different
kinds of swords and firearms. So peace-loving, he’s never been in a
fistfight. 

We figured that the
baranggay is of utmost importance to the country. For one, it is the
government’s frontline, acting as executive, legislative and judicial
body. Nothing beats proximity in effecting significant projects and
laws. If governance is honest, credible and efficient at the baranggay
level, we have a fighting chance for national progress.

However, I observed
that ability and credibility are not enough for a candidate to win a
seat as a baranggay councilor. He must have a campaign strategy for the
following kinds of voters:

1. Apathetic Voters. They
   don’t vote. They think the baranggay is so insignificant to national
   progress. The candidate needs to visit the residence of this voter and
   convince him/her to vote. It would be better if the candidate would do
   some homework and provide him/her the precinct number. Some candidates
   would leave a letter with platform of government, sample ballot (and
   cash).
2. Just for      Kicks Voters.
   They go to the precinct unprepared. They don’t know the candidates and
   rely on the pamphlets given by supporters near the precinct. It would
   be better if the candidate would be at the roadside to flash ‘pogi’
   smiles for these voters.
3. Partisan Voters. They
   will give solid votes for their neighbor, family member,
   classmate/batchmate, drinking buddy or barkada regardless of ability
   and qualifications. They smirk at other candidates and would ignore
   their campaigns. But most of them would still accept cash.
4. Voters for Sale. They      always expect dole-outs from a candidate in cash or in kind. And they      would really vote for the candidate.
5. Transcendental      Voters.
   They look forward to the electoral process as if it’s going to the
   Sunday Mass. They do research on the candidates and keep a list ready
   come election day. They look into the candidate’s track record and
   ability. There is a chance that they would accept cash but only to
   punish the candidate because they certainly will not vote for him/her.
   They may even keep the cash as evidence (among others) if ever they
   decide to file a complaint. A good candidate does not even have to
   spend much on a campaign if there is a high number of ‘transcendental
   voters’ in the population.

Also, a candidate must have the following in order to win a slot:

1. Balwarte. The
   candidate’s zone must give him/her a solid vote. Meaning, they have to
   leave the six more slots blank. This is for the partisan vote.
2. Funds. The Baranggay
   Elections ought to be non-partisan but some political parties would
   meddle anyway. It would usually come from the mayor, perhaps ensuring
   that he/she has control over the baranggays. This would be a great help
   if the mayor would like to seek reelection for the same or higher
   office. A rich candidate would appeal to the ‘for sale’ and ‘apathetic
   voters’.
3.  Lots of      Relatives. With this, a candidate can expect solid votes from      partisan voters.
4.  Credentials      and Excellent Track Record.
   You will never know how many transcendental voters there are. Besides,
   it is hard to be a councilor if you can’t read.
5.  Doable and      Significant Platform of Government. Again, for the transcendental      voters, for the baranggay—and the country. Without this, please don’t run.

So far, this is what
I have observed with regard our baranggay politics. And it is not so
unlike Philippine politics in general. This is because even though we
have different cultures, the baranggay is a miniature of the
Philippines.

What do I recommend?
I should say lots of literature. If more of us would read and read, we
would easily become transcendental voters. Reading enhances mental
discipline, critical thinking and helps develop the conscience.

And so please read my
poem printed in Home Life’s October 2007 issue (albeit with the usual
typographical errors). Let me reprint the correct version here:

ISANG GABING GANITO

Kagagapas na parang
ang maitim na langit.

Patid na gintong kuwintas
ang mga bituin.

Nakatarak na yatab
ang buwan sa punit

na ulap na may bumalong
na dagta ng pulang tala

at gumuhit na bahid
ng pulang bulalakaw.

Hindi ko pa antipara
ang rehas.

It was such a delight when a group of graduating nursing students led by Kate Amaranto invited me for a chat about the writing life. It turned out that it was for their Philippine Literature class at Naga College Foundation where their teacher, Mr. Joward Diocos
required them to interview Bikol writers. Now this is something great
because I refuse to believe that getting into the so-called Nursing Syndrome
necessitates a cessation of cerebral synaptic sparks for anything
artistic or regionalist. After-all, one can still be a nurse and still
have interest in the literary arts, making sure to visit bookstores,
museums and libraries after taking hold of that much-coveted UK or US
Visa. And should I say that it is cool that NCF is really into the
literary and dramatic arts, even caring to have their future nurses
interview Bikol-based writers before they jet set to unknown lands and
subject their cultural identity to various contortions and hybridities.

As they say, from
womb to tomb—there is the nurse. That is why I emphasized to them the
need to immerse into literature and know the core of the human soul.
The written word leaves an architectural imprint to history and human
existence as it struggles to co-write the universe, approximating the
interplay between matter and spirit. Reading a poem for instance, is
like breathing the air right from the nostrils of generations after
generations of humanity—past to future. As poetry is simply recycled
breathing space.

Literature as they
say will make you more human as hospitals would tend to dehumanize. And
considering that it is almost the gateway to and from life, this speaks
of humanity’s need for rational detachment when witnessing such a
personal and emotional experience like death. But then literature will
make life and the tragedy of it (like the recent Glorietta bombing)
bearable. Great fiction for instance, is not meant to obscure reason
and scientific thinking but augments it. Getting into the bottom of a
narrative will not make a nurse panic at the sight of a bleeding body
but will make him or her play the part of the healthcare front liner in
some grand plot that is life.

We conducted the
interview at Beanbag and for my part, I shared how it is to be a young
writer (who used to be a pre-med geek) in this part of the planet. As
requested, I gave them copies of my works, all the while considering
their background. So apart from letting them have my podcasts via USB,
I showed them some of my clinical stuffs, sort of convincing them that
it could be done. Yes, nurses can write too and create their niche.

So I heard their report was well-appreciated, exempting them from the
final exams. Now they can focus more on their hospital rounds. Keeping
my fingers crossed that they really will read literature when they are
free (and no fundamentalist would see it wise to blow up another mall
and fill the ER), for the meantime, I will enjoy the Parker pen that they gave me. Another for my collection.

http://www.hagbayon.wordpress.com

Was away during the Peñafrancia Fiesta.
Here I am claiming to be a Bikol writer and I can’t even be there for
Ina on her feast day. Not to mention that I made a promise back in ‘O3
that I would never again miss it. I wanted to personally ask for
permission, to visit her before I leave. But next thing I knew, I was
already on a bus. I forgot.

And I got sick in
Manila. And believe me, it’s a place you can’t afford to get sick in.
Complaining of runny-nose with watery mucous and fever, I was diagnosed
of a viral infection. Manila Doctors  Hospital is high-tech and topnotch but comes with a price tag.

I went on a soiree with Esmi that day. Checked on the National  Museum and went for a stroll in Intramuros. We heard mass at the San Agustin Church, it was a wedding too. Come sleeping time, I was burning with fever and trembling with chill.

Cause and effect?

Part of my soiree gave me the chance to look into the exhibits at the CCP just before the Ani 33 launch
last Friday, September 14. I also spent some time at the library. The
program for Ani 33 allowed for public readings of some excerpts from Luis Gatmaitan, Nestor Lucena, Santiago Villafania and Raul Funilas. Bayang Barrios
also rendered us one of her environmental songs. Too bad that the
open-mic portion came in time with the cocktails. I was the first one
called-up to read but had second thoughts because almost everybody left
their seats for some food, ensconcing themselves in different areas and
corners of the wide spaced CCP Ramp. I was afraid that nobody would
listen to the readers and as the first one in line; I would get the
first taste. I was right. And so for my next poem, I read aloud a Bikol
work—without translation.

I also spent some
time in Imus, trying to recuperate from fever. I actually celebrated my
birthday there, my Esmi coming over for a visit. We went to Pizza Hut
in Robinson’s Imus. Earlier during my visit, we went to Delicious Restaurant in Binondo and indulged in authentic Chinese cuisine. What a way to compensate for the feast I missed here in Naga!

I was also one of the judges for this year’s Premio Tomas Arejola para sa Literaturang Bikolnon.
Too bad I missed the awards night last Wednesday, September 19. It was
held at the Holy Rosary Minor Seminary, and I heard, was well-attended
by government officials, civil society, artists, writers and cultural
workers. Congratulations to all the category winners and finalists.

Cited in the essay
category are: “Ringgaw nin Imahinasyon, Kawat sa Pagtukdo” by Judith
Balares-Salamat of Pili, Camarines Sur” and “An Dalan nin Pakikisumaro”
by Adrian V. Remodo of Lagonoy, Camarines Sur. The category grand prize
went to Judith Balares-Salamat.

The finalists for the
fiction category are: “Abaniko” by Marissa Reorizo-Casillan of Naga
City and “An Kris” by Irene L. Taniegra of Pili, Camarines Sur. No
category grand prize for fiction.

The ten poetry
collections cited this year are as follows: “Ini, an mga buhay ta” by
Jaime Jesus Borlagdan of Tabaco City; “Tinalbong ko su Tibabong” by
Ryan B. de los Reyes of Baao, Camarines Sur; “Mga Tigsik” by Aida B.
Cirujales of Naga City; “Agbay a Oras Sana” by Eurely P. Arroyo of
Buhi, Camarines Sur; “Paradakop kan Pangiturugan” by Marissa
Reorizo-Casillan of Naga City; “Hapiyap kan Kalangitan” by Jerico
Rebadeo of Calabanga, Camarines Sur; “Rawitdawit Haleng Camaligan” by
Jhonald A. Caballero of Camaligan, Camarines Sur; “Sa Banal asin sa Mga
Tampalasan” by Adrian V. Remodo of Lagonoy, Camarines Sur: “Lagatak sa
Riles kan Tren”by Christine P. Cordez of Milaor, Camarines Sur; and
“Antisipasyon asin iba pang mga rawitdawit” by Victor Dennis T. Nierva
of San Fernando, Camarines Sur.

Jaime Jesus Borlagdan and Victor Dennis Nierva tied for the grand prize, poetry category.

The title of Writer of the Year went to Judith Balares-Salamat.

Congrats also to the other members of the Board of Judges, Kristian Cordero and Jo Bisuña, for pulling off the difficult task of coming up with category winners and Writer of the Year after much deliberation.

Congrats also to the Arejola Foundaion for getting the judges’ nod for Naga City’s Mayoral Awards for Literature. Way to go!

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 projects. This is also true for
literary activities. Being a melting pot of Philippine cultures, it
pays to visit the NCR from time to time and meet with Manila-based and
other visiting regional writers. This way, we can enter into some kind
of a dialogue and avoid cultural and intellectual stagnation.

One opportunity to mingle with other writers was during the launch of ‘Latay sa Isipan: Mga Bagong Tulang Filipino’ published by the UST Press.
It was released along with other titles produced by the UST Press in
its aim to catch up with its quota of 40 titles a year, making up at
least 400 titles by 2011. Now they ought to be lauded for this
enterprise since the Press is also open for literary titles.

Being included in the
‘Latay sa Isipan’ anthology was great only that Bicol-based writers
seemed to have failed to take-up much space in the collection contrary
to my earlier presumption. Poets Jaime Jesus Borlagdan, Jose Jason L. Chancoco and Kristian S. Cordero
only had one representative poem to their name while the others have at
most five. And Carlo A. Arejola was removed from the anthology due to
age disqualification (after being told that he was included in the
roster). I was also expecting more from the young poets that frequent
the poetry pages of the Philippine Panorama. But then later on, we learned that it was Allan Popa who actually picked the poems in the collection and not Cirilo F. Bautista himself.

As if to complement the irony of the previous event, I found a copy of ‘Sawi: Funny Essays, Stories and Poems on All Kinds of Heartbreaks’
at the UP Press booth for Milflores Publishing, Inc. I am included in
the said anthology and still waiting for my complimentary copy. I have
already written the editors and I hope to receive it soon. You see, it
is heartbreaking to be buying your own printed poem when in fact you
ought to be paid for it. If not for KWF Chief Dr. Ricardo Nolasco who
bought it for me (I was not so liquid), I would not have a copy of the
collection.

But then again,
brokenhearted or not, every reader should buy a copy of ‘Sawi’ as
edited by Ada J. Loredo, BJ A. Patino and Rica Bolipata-Santos. Writers
of note are Gemino H. Abad, Christine S. Bellen, Nikki Alfar, Jaime Jesus Borlagdan, Catherine Candano, Libay Linsangan Cantor, Ian Rosales Casocot, Jaime Dasca Doble, Luisa A. Igloria,
Arvin Abejo Mangohig, Bernice Roldan, Elyrah Loyola Salanga, Joseph
Salazar, Enrico C. Torralba, Edgar Calabia Samar, Naya S. Valdellon and
many more.

The awarding rites
for the Gawad Komisyon 2007 pushed through for all the other divisions
except Pangasinan and Bikol. As Santiago Villafania would lament, the
Pangasinan writers are on the verge of extinction. That is why they
just held a conference on Pangasinan Cultural Studies and the same
project will be held in Legaspi come December, this time for Bikol
studies. The KWF will announce a call for papers for the conference.
All of the essays submitted for the Gawad Komisyon Bikol will
automatically be considered and the awards for the short-fiction
category will be given during the said symposium.

I also attended ‘Pistang Panitik’,
a lecture-forum on the body of works of our living National Artists for
Literature. The lectures will serve as guide in reading and gauging the
significance of the writings of Bienvenido L. Lumbera, F. Sionil Jose,
Virgilio S. Almario, Alejandro R. Roces and Edith L. Tiempo. I was only
able to attend Lumbera and Sionil’s day but it was worth my visit. J.
Neil Garcia’s reading of Sionil’s ambivalent stand on Americanization
and Nationalism further made the latter a more interesting postcolonial
writer. As expected, the same postmodern and hybridist criticism were
employed by Garcia (as he used it for Rio Alma). One important note was
Sionil’s clear perception of nationalism as somewhat dangerous because
of its romanticized state—being that it was still a case of a dominant
upper-class joining in for the revolution at the last hour. As Franz
Fanon once warned us, nationalism only breeds imperialism.

Truly, it was a feast
of the written word. Not to mention that I also chanced upon the
National Book Awards at the World Trade Center. And I know that soon,
we will have local versions of the award—or better yet, the Manila
Critics Circle should better open its roster for critics in the
regional languages.

http://www.hagbayon.wordpress.com

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 Filipino authors, we have lesser
incentives for our writers..

Truly, we do not even see authors
being featured on TV during primetime news. We are yet to see the Palanca Awards being featured in TV Patrol. Only Cecile Guidote-Alvarez’ NBN program made a run on the latest Talaang Ginto and Gawad Soc Rodrigo in Malacañang last April. We are
lucky here in Bicol because our local ABS-CBN, particularly the Bikol Espesyal: Oragon Na! would
sometime focus its lens on literary activities.

One big challenge is to write even without contests.
Writers ought to be given prizes because they are writing, and not write so that
they will be given prizes. The deadline for the Bikol division of Gawad Komisyon 2007 sponsored by the Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino has
recently been given indefinite extension due to lack of entries. Now the Bikol
writer needs to make-up for this neglect. We should look at the Tausug writers
who made a staggering turn-out of hundreds of entries.

Or perhaps the notion that we have more Bikol poets than fictionists or
essayists is correct. The Gawad opened only the short-fiction and essay category for the
Bikol division. And lets us also consider the upcoming Tagalog poetry anthology
by Cirilo F. Bautista to be launched
on August 30, 3pm at the

World

. Bikolnons are
expected to take-up much space in the collection. No less than the assistant
editor himself, Allan Popa, is a
Bikolnon along with Carlo A. Arejola,
Jaime Jesus B. Borlagdan, Jose Jason L. Chancoco and Kristian S. Cordero; whose poems will
also see print in the said book.

Now if Filipinos do not like to buy books with a single
author, maybe his/her communal nature coupled with ‘pakyawan’ culture would
prefer an anthology. The more names, the better. Or perhaps publishing via the
literary sections of various magazines and newspapers would be the easiest way
to reach one’s audience via the so-called ‘literary bangketa’. A poem safely
tucked in the pages of Philippine
Panorama could fly as second-class mail and land in the magazine/newspaper
stands of

Mindanao

, and even crawl its way to
the front right there in Basilan or Jolo.

Let me reprint here my latest Bikol poem published in the August 12-18 issue of the Bikol Reporter (All Rights Reserved)

MINAPOON SA
PALIBOT AN PAGLALANG

Minapoon sa palibot an paglalang
Arog baga

kan

pagtaram kaning uran.
Dangogon ta: Ining paros nakurahaw
Nin emosyon

kan

panahon na dalisay.

Kan

mayo pang minaabot na dayuhan
Na nagsakop poon bukid astang
pampang.

Alagad an satong birtud minasanib.

Kan

an dila

kan

poeta minalangoy
Sa salog

kan

sadiri n’yang tataramon.

Kan

an langkaw kaning kalag asin dunong
Tinatangad bilang kusog nin
Oragon.

Alagad an satong birtud minasanib.

Kan

pigmukna ining nasyong Filipinas

Kan

kikilat na nagkilyab haling luwas.
Kinuryente an puso ta asin kalag.
An hawak ta asin isip
nagsiribwag.

Alagad an satong birtud minasanib.

Taong-lipod an poetang
nagdadangog
Sa pag-awit

kan

kadlagan asin bulod.
Kun an banwa sa dayuhan
minasulog,
An boses n’ya sa may Sulong
minaanod.
Talinghagang Ingles, Bikol o
Tagalog,
Sa papel man o sa bayle kaning
duros,
Minatadyok sa may s’yudad garo
pandok

Kan

santelmong dai dakop kaning kamot.

K

un kaya an satong birtud minasanib

Minapoon sa palibot an paglalang.
An pagsulit

kan

memorya

kan

kagabsan

Kan

poeta sarong ritwal na eternal.

http://www.hagbayon.wordpress.com

Just arrived from a
visit to Cavite and Metro-Manila. I came to check on my uncle and
cousin in Imus and send-off my cousin Tots, a seafarer, to his ship in
Europe. I also visited writer-friends, and more importantly, my Esmi.
It was also a chance for me to check out the Cinemalaya 2007 at the Cultural Center of the Philippines.
I was also there to buy new DVD for our videoke and battery for our
Sharp camera phone and open the line of the LG camera phone of my aunt.

Although I have
stayed for a long time in Manila, it is still easy for me to get
disoriented in its complicated gridlock of traffic and pollution. I
have been living here in Bicol for quite sometime. And here, almost
always, I just walk my way and get to places. There, moving about can
get really expensive. You will need food and transportation allowance.
And soon enough, there is a risk that a friend might just stick a knife
or gun unto you and ask for money.

Thankfully, I was able to negotiate my way around the place. First stop was the Mall of Asia
where we ate and roamed around. It was there where I was able to open
the line of my aunt’s LG camera phone. You see, it was sent to us
(along with my Nokia) by my cousin Anne from the United States. I could
not find an able technician here in Bicol but there, it took them only
about 15 minutes to finish the job.

I also attended a lecture on digital engineering by George Palmer,
an American, right there at the CCP as part of the Cinemalaya festival.
He focused on the duties of a digital engineer as tech support during
filmmaking. It was well-attended by cinematographers, writers and
producers. By the look of things, digital films will not only be the
way to go for indie filmmakers, I think it’s also the way of the
future. The lecture was made possible by Sony.

Afterwards, I went to
my girlfriend’s office in Makati. While waiting for her, I found this
decent but cheap restaurant where they serve beer. It was just in front
of their building. Next thing I knew, I was already gulping a couple of
San Mig light. I was thirsty, Makati disoriented me again that I almost
got lost. The smell of beer annoyed her to no end as we were to watch Harry Potter in a nearby cinema. Lesson learned: Esmi first before beer.

Meeting with poet Cirilo F. Bautista has been part of my Manila tradition. And so there I was, along with Pangasinense writer-friend Sonny Villafania
at Burger King-Kanlaon waiting for the Master. He did arrive shortly
with his usual blue Honda CRV and treated us for merienda, big burgers
and coffee. We talked about our projects and the writing life. It was
cool that he shared anecdotes about himself and other writers. Did you
know that he keeps his trophies and awards in their upper and lower
comfort rooms? And that he is allergic to beer? His father used to
scold him thinking that the he was drunk just because the allergic
reaction caused skin rashes and redness.

As usual, the Master
gave us lots of books. Perhaps those stuffs were sent to him as
complimentary copies from publishers so that he can write about it in
his Breaking Signs column in Philippine Panorama. Too bad I forgot Pili
nuts, he wanted some. He also expressed disappointment because I forgot
to greet him on his birthday. He never fails to greet me whenever I
celebrate mine.

We stayed in there
for about three hours, just talking about literature. It is no secret
that our group nominated him for National Artist, and we will repeat
the process. Far from being a recluse, Cirilo F. Bautista loves to talk
about writing in front of younger writers. He also goes out often,
perhaps observing people at the marketplace. It is a known fact that he
is the household cook and gardener.

But above all, it was
my Esmi that I missed the most. And so I spent more time with her. A
writer cannot live without a muse, and I have found mine.

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Tinkling rimes and syllables will resound with staccato beats of rain as the Lolo’s Bar hosts this month’s OragonRepublic.Com Writer’s Night on Thursday, July 19 at 6pm. Bikol poets reeking with alcoholic tigsik and rawitdawit
will once again strut their wares, claiming their rightful place at the
center of Naga City’s club scene, the Avenue Square, along Magsaysay
Road.

Set to perform are among the finest voices of Bikol literature such as Frank Peñones Jr., Kristian Cordero, Rizaldy Manrique,
Sonny Sendon, Jocelyn Bisuña, Carlo Arejola, Honesto Pesimo, Estelito
Jacob, Araceli Delgado, Dennis Gonzaga, Edgar Ramores, Aida Cirujales,
Issa Casillan, Ramon Olaño and Gerry Rubio. Walk-in participants are
also encouraged to come up and share their poems or music during the
open-mike portion.

The rawitdawit
is primordially an oral art and must be delivered in ether. We know
this even from the ‘Sompongan’ days of the earlier Bikol poets. That is
why OragonRepublic.Com is seeking to bring back the poet-audience
dialectic as an important modality in espousing literary culture in the
region.

The event is organized by Fer Basbas, Sheila Basbas and Jose Jason L. Chancoco. For more information please visit http://www.oragonrepublic.com

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