Photo by Meljohn Tatel


KALIWANG PANIG NA, AY KANAN PALAN

Sa pagmartsa makahulugan an pagkapareho-pareho kan pagbagsak kan too o walang bitis. Makahulugan an pagkapot kan badil o espada. Sa pahina kan satuyang kasaysayan, sa tunay na giyera o ralabanan, an pagmartsa paagi tanganing magkaigwa nin disiplina an mga suldados, paagi tanganing magin saro an paghiro kan pag-aatake, magin sarong bungkaras an lusob sa kaiwal. Alagad bako an pagmartsa sana an importante kundi an katapusan kan pagmartsa. Ano an obheto kan siring na gawi kun an siring na tradisyon mayo naman kahulugan apwera sa onra o tropeyo na pigbabandera kan mga eskwelahan. Sa syudad kan iriga, dakula ining onrang marahay, an manggana sa military parade asin nagkakaigwa pang parada sa mga kipot na tinampo duman kun maiuli an mga tropeyo. Nagdedeklara pa an president nin special holiday. Naglalaban-laban an duwang unibersidad duman na pigpapadalagan kan duwang magkaribal na pamilya. Sa modernong panahon na nag-aapod an kinaban nin pagdiskarga kan mga nukleyar na bomba, an parada military na arog kan nangyayari satuya, sarong malinaw na dai pagkaaram asin pakiiaaram kun ano man nanggad an satuyang mga opinyon sa pang-kinaban na isyung arog kaini.

Ngonyan na pigtutukoy ini bilang sarong isyu sa pagselebrar niyato kan debosyon sa Birhen, orog na mahihiling an dai kalinawan na posisyon kan kompormisong ginigibo kan duwang ibong na lado kan lokal na simbahan asin kan lokal na gobyerno. Daing malinaw na posisyon nin huli ta an gabos pag-aareglo sana mapa-simbahan man ini o lokal na gobyerno. An duwang nangungurog na tore nin poder sa satuyang rehiyon. Pigtukoy ko na ini sa pira kong sinurat na an komersalisasyon, kanya-kanyang interpretasyon, relihiyon ini para sa iba, asin an relihiyon saro man na sagradong komersalisasyon na may bendisyon kan sinasabing tradisyon. Alagad, edad medya an siring na panahon. Bako ini an panahon kan mga obispo asin padi na an gubing ginigibong relikwaryo nin huli sa kabanalan. Panahon ini kan obispong may mga sadiring tubuhan.

An military parade an sarong isyu na nadangog ta sa mga nakaaging semana orog na kan mag-isyu nin pahayag an Bicol Association of Catholic Schools (BACS) na dai na ini madayon sa nasabing okasyon nin huli na mismo sa pangapodan kan lokal na simbahan na siyasaton an maninigong pagsagawi kan debosyon sa Birhen, debosyon na nakatalaan na magigin tolong gatos na taon na 2010. Malinaw an sinasabi kan BACS, dai na ini madayon nin huli sa saindang paghiras sa pangapodan kan paghorop-horop asin nahihiling ninda na an parada siring kan military parade daing malinaw o mayo man ining koneksyon sa pagdebosyon ki Ina. Huri na daa an siring na pahayag, naiuli na si tropeyo, nagselebrar naman. Gabos na nagkabururat. Alagad, kun arog kaan an argumento laban sa BACS, dai na ini kita mabusol, dai na kita mahiro.

Alagad, iba man an nagluluwas na bersyon ngonyan kan mga nagtutulod pa man giraray kan nasabing aktibidad. Na ini ilalaog pa man giraray sa okasyon kan debosyon, mantang mayo ining malinaw na pahayag o pagpapaliwanag sa kampo kan simbahan asin kan mga nagtutulod kan nasabing aktibidad. Ginibong boluntaryo an pagbali. Asin ini na an puon kan pagruro kan military parade. Dai man nanggad tulos-tulos ining mahahali orog na ta igwang dakulang na nakikinabang digdi. Siisay an makakapahali kan piyestang daing patron, kun nagkakaigwa nin kwarta sa pabayle, sa pamisa?

Nasasabotan ko an BACS sa mahuyong pagsunod kaini sa pangapodan kan institusyonal na simbahan na siyasaton an debosyon sa Mahal na Birhen asin an dai kaini pagbali puon ngonyan na taon, malinaw na kapahayagan kan saindang kapamasolan, asin kan saindang epipanya sa bagay na ini. Kapamasolan na sa halawig na panahon na nagbali sinda sa paradang ini. Epipanya, na an tradisyonal na parada dai naman kahulugan sa debosyon kan Ina o dai man nanggad na kahulugan o koneksyon puon pa sa puon. Alagad bako gabos sa simbahan man o minsan an lokal na gobyerno an nalinawan sa bagay na ini. May nagsasabing an pagtugot na ginibo kan simbahan na ini ilaog sa mga aldaw kan pagdebosyon, sarong kapahayagan kan pulitika nin kompormiso sa satuyang rona. Na an parehong tore nin poder, an simbahan asin gobyerno mayong malinaw na pagsabot sa isyu, asin an gabos nagigin paagi sana tanganing plantsahon an dai pagkasinabotan.

Ngonyan, an minaluwas na hapot, iyo na, kun andam daw an simbahan na dagos-dagos na akoon an pagdara sa mga tawo sa pagbalyo nin kaisipan tungkol sa debosyon na bako na sanang pagsasadiri kan unibersal, katolikong Romanong simbahan, kundi igwa na ining identidad na himo kan mga Bikolnon. Na sa kapabayaan niyato na padalaganon an gabos kan mga poder, pigsaralak-salak ninda an mga okasyon, an relihiyoso sa bakong mas-gayong relihiyiso tanganing an gabos na ini pakinabangan kan duwang nangungurog na institusyon. Na garo baga an nahihiling ko na sistema kaidto, si bakong gayong relihiyoso, tugot na magpakasasa sa mga majorettes kan parada. Asin si mga gurang na asin madali nang mautsan duman sa katedral. Pigtugot an pagsaralak-salak na ini na mayong malinaw na mandato sa tawo, gikan man ini sa simbahan o sa gobyernong minapaampon sa parehong simbahan. Kaya mayong malinaw na pagbanga sa kabanalan asin kadustaan sa bagay na ini. Halo-halo kumbaga.

Sa sarong osipon ni Carlos Aureus, pigladawan niya an Naga bilang lugar nin mga santa asin tsimosa. Daraga ining nakikibayle magdamlag asin minasimba sa enot na misa kan sunod na aldaw tanganing pamibian an mga santa nin kabinian. Ano baya an mangyayari sa paradang ini? Siisay an nagpapasaluib sa Birhen sa ngaran nin pirak?

Sa sakuya bako ining oras tanganing magtinulduan kita, nangyari na iyan. Bako man ining oras tanganing an gabos matapos sa mga surat nin reklamasyon asin kompormiso. Panahon ini na makihiras kita sa pagbilog nin mga panibagong paagi nin pagsasabuhay, pagpadalagan kan panahon. Kun tutugotan pa daw niyato na an mga aki niyatong magdara nin mga kahoy na badil asin magpagubing nin mga mahal na sul-ot na minsan sa sarong taon sana ipaparada? Panahon man ini na siyasaton an debosyon kun ini magigin depende sana sa interpretasyon kan mga sinasabing may inadalan sa teolohiya na nakagubing nin sutana? Panahon ini nin pag-atid-atid.

Ano an pinagkaiba nin mga tawong nakasutana na nagboboya sa mga tawong nagpaparada asin nakasulot nin patig?

Kun malilinawan niyato an mga kasimbagan sa hapot na ini, dai kita mababaralanggado, minsan kadakul na tingog an satuyang madadangog. Ano man an gigibohon niyato kun an pastor dai na masabotan kun ‘kanan o kaliwang panig na’ o an alkade asin an gabos sa lokal na gobyerno mga military personnel sana man kan komandanteng pastor? Kaipuhan ta nin bagong pagmartsa para sa banwaan na ini.

Love at First Sight
Wislawa Szymborska

Both are convinced
that a sudden surge of emotion
bound them together.
Beautiful is such a certainty,
but uncertainty is more beautiful.

Because they didn't know each other
earlier, they suppose that
nothing was happening between them.
What of the streets, stairways and corridors
where they could have passed each other long ago?

I'd like to ask them
whether they remember-- perhaps
in a revolving door
ever being face to face?
an "excuse me" in a crowd
or a voice "wrong number"
in the receiver.
But I know their answer:
no, they don't remember.

They'd be greatly astonished
to learn that for a long time
chance had been playing with them.

Not yet wholly ready
to transform into fate for them
it approached them, then backed off,
stood in their way
and, suppressing a giggle,
jumped to the side.

There were signs, signals:
but what of it if they were illegible.
Perhaps three years ago,
or last Tuesday
did a certain leaflet fly
from shoulder to shoulder?

There was something lost and picked up.
Who knows but what it was a ball
in the bushes of childhood.

There were doorknobs and bells
on which earlier
touch piled on touch.
Bags beside each other in the luggage room.
Perhaps they had the same dream on a certain night,
suddenly erased after waking.

Every beginning
is but a continuation,
and the book of events
is never more than half open.

-translated by Walter Whipple

MALIGAYANG KAARAWAN RIZAL

This is one of my favorite photos of Jose Rizal,
my good friend Karola Klier took this shot
when together with a Filipino and a German student,
we visited Heidelberg with the purpose of
seeing the place where Rizal stayed and to pick some
of those wild flowers immortalized in Rizal's elegiac poetry.

Maligayang kaarawan, Rizal.

Sinong May Picture kasama sina Pacquaio at Lito Atienza?

Kuha ito sa TABOAN: The Philippine International Writers Festival. Eh, madaling kaladkarin si Sir Jimmy magphoto-ops.

Gemino Abad wins Feronia Prize in Italy

One of the Philippines foremost contemporary poets and critics is set to be awarded Italy’s most coveted literary achievement in the Foreign Author category, the “Prize Premio Feronia - Città di Fiano 2009. for his work In Ordinary Time” Gémino H. Abad will be conferred the distinction during the Nomination Ceremony on July 11, 2009 at the Castle of Fiano Romano, an historic place just outside Rome.

Below is the letter sent to Mr. Abad by the Committe President of the Prize Premio Feronia - Città di Fiano 2009, Filippo Bettini.

Dear Professor Gémino H. Abad,

“We are particularly proud to inform you that our Committee has awarded you the Prize Premio Feronia - Città di Fiano 2009, for the section ‘Foreign Author.’ “The Prize, first created 16 years ago, has an antagonistic character as compared to other major literary awards in our Country, that are tightly bound to marketing strategies of dominant publishing houses. As an example, all official meetings of our Committee are open-door to guarantee the maximum of integrity.

“The winners of previous editions of Feronia Prize - section ‘Foreign Author’ - are: Günter Grass, Adonis and Natan Zach (ex-aequo), Leroi Jones, John M. Coetzee, Alfonso Sastre, Predrag Matvejevic, Michel Butor, Ismail Kadaré, Gao Xingjian, Roberto Fernández Retamar, Mahmud Darwish, Yvonne Vera, Dubravka Ugresic, Saadi Yousef, Kunwar Narain, Muhammad Bennis, Agotha Kristof. “The Prize will be conferred to you during the Nomination Ceremony which will be held on July 11, 2009 at the Castle of Fiano Romano, an historic place just outside Rome. The amount of the Prize is 3,600 euros and it is subject to the restriction that you must be present in person at the Nomination Ceremony to receive it. I know, however, that during the same days you will be also invited to attend the Italian Festival ‘Mediterranea’ in Rome.

“This letter represents the official invitation for you in order to attend the Ceremony and the other ancillary meetings we are organizing to promote you and your activity in our Country. Obviously the Prize will take care of your travel expenses and of your stay in Italy… “We strongly trust that your visit to Italy and your participation to the Nomination Ceremony will be a major event for our organization and for our Country. We really hope to have you in Italy on July.
“With best regards,

Filippo Bettini, President of the Committee.”

Gémino H. Abad hails from Cebu. He earned his B.A. English from the University of the Philippines in 1964 and Ph.D. in English literature from the University of Chicago in 1970. He served the University of the Philippines in various capacities: as Secretary of the University, Secretary of the Board of Regents, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Director of the U.P. Institute of Creative Writing. For many years, he also taught English, comparative literature and creative writing at U.P. Diliman.

Abad co-founded the Philippine Literary Arts Council (PLAC) which published Caracoa, a poetry journal in English. His other works include Fugitive Emphasis (poems, 1973); In Another Light (poems and critical essays, 1976); A Formal Approach to Lyric Poetry (critical theory, 1978); The Space Between (poems and critical essays, 1985); Poems and Parables (1988); Index to Filipino Poetry in English, 1905-1950 (with Edna Zapanta Manlapaz, 1988) and State of Play (letter-essays and parables, 1990). He edited landmark anthologies of Filipino poetry in English, among them Man of Earth (1989), A Native Clearing (1993) and A Habit of Shores: Filipino Poetry and Verse from English, ’60s to the ’90s (1999). The University of the Philippines has elevated Abad to the rank of University Professor, the highest academic rank awarded by the university to an exemplary faculty member.

He currently sits on the Board of Advisers of the U.P. Institute of Creative Writing and teaches creative writing as Emeritus University Professor at the College of Arts and Letters, U.P. Diliman.

from www.panitikan.com.ph

URAN, URAN, TA DAI KA NAGPAPAARAM

Haloy ko nang pigtulaan an uran. Siguro ngani an enot na ekperinsya kan sakuyang hawak iyo an pagkarigos sa uran. Pigpukawan ako kaidtong tubig, an buros kaini, an hapihap sa kublit, an tanog sa atop. Buhay-buhay an kinaban kun minauran. Giromdom ko si hiling kan sarong babayi katong nag-agi mantang nagkarigos ako sa uran. Huba. Kaidto ko enot na namati kun paano an abutan nin supog mantang namamati si oagmahan na dara kan paglinig kan tubig sa hawak. May mga panahon na pigtugutan akong magkarigos, may mga panahon na pigbawalan ako, siring na pigbawalan man ako na magparabarag-barag sa irarom kan saldang ta nakakapadakul daang kuto. Kadakul na bawal sa pagkainaki ko, mantang an kinaban man sarong kakawat na nag-aalok nin paglapiga sa kalantandan, pagralamagan sa bulod, paggiro asin pagnamit kan mga layas na prutas. An kinaban ko kaidto, kinaban nin pagtugot, nagpapasabot na maboot.

Sa pagpadangat ko kan uran, orog na balaog an pag-abot, kan mga bagyo, ini si enot kong pag-isip kaidto. Masiram magturog, (magparapalatog mantang kugos an malumhok na kayong inulna), kadakul man na kakanon an nagluluwas sa harong ni kapitan, rasyon na de-lata asin an panirang muya kong kakano— batag na nilalaagan sardinas asin guta. Dai pang klase nin huli ta nagin danaw na oma, lubog an eskwelahan asin nakakapaha an baha. Nag-aalok parati nin paglubto. Instant swimming pool asin pwede pang mag-upog nin mga sira. May orkestra nin palaka pagbabangi mantang may mga osipon na pigpapaturog kami sa paurutrong pag-usip. Pula an telebisyon mantang an radyo, nagkikiri-kisi sana. Alagad yaon man an tigbaw sa pagkakarigos sa baha, gatol sa kublit na karibay. Ini an uran, an bagyo bago ako nagdakula o bago nagdakula an kinaban para sakuya. Bago an uran digdi sa dakulang syudad.

Kan an uran nagin nang katakod kan mga eksena sa pelikulang may piglulubong, o kaya may naghahadokan na duwang tawo, nagin naman bihira si pagkarigos ko sa uran. Nagkahelang na ako, napakol asin natakot sa bagyo. Dai na sana ako nagtuturog kundi natabang na sa paggakod kan mga bintana, pag-alsa kan mga sako nin bagas, (kun may naani bago naluntot) asin napila sa rasyon kan nagbabahang bulgur asin sardinas sa panahon nin bagyo. May mga gadan nang tawong kaibahan an baha asin natutupag na an bulod na pigkakawatan mi. Inanod pati su gurang na puon kan balaigang na minabunga kun Abril. An mahamis na Abril!

Dakul pang uran an nag-abot, nagbanlaw, naglamos sa kinaban. Burubalyo na an pangaran kan bagyo. Nagin na ining lalaki, babayote, asin kapangaran minsan kan enot kong pagkamoot. Dakul na an dinadara kan uran, mga baretang makangirhat asin naghihiwas an mga pangpang kan dagat. Nagigin tubig na an kinaban. Nilalamos an mga pangiturogan kan tawo. Dawa ngani dakul na an abiso asin patanid sa pag-abot kan bagyo o kan uran, may mga imahe pa man giraray na ibinabalik ini sa panahon kan sakuyang pagkainaki. Pirming mapungaw an uran. Sa bagong isyu kan ezine na pigpapakarhay kan Bikonon na si Marne Kilates, mahihiling an pirang rawitdawit tungkol sa uran, sa paggiromdom kan mga panahon na ini. Bisitahon an nasabing ezine.
(Magduman sa links ko asin maglaog sa RAWITDAWIT y RETRATO)

Asin ngonyan na yaon na ako sa dakulang syudad, may nag-aapod sakuya nin pagkarigos. Alagad iba an uran digdi, marigsok sa kublit na dara kan polusyon. Iba man an alisngaw na dara kan konkretong kinaban. Dai akong payong na dara, dai man dahon nin batag na pwedeng ipandong, asin minsan ngani, surusuan an mga bilding digdi, dai ako basta makakasiob.

the jump

photo by karola klier.

books from jimple borlagdan and john barrios

Jimple Borlagdan, one of the most prolific among the contemporary Bikol poets is set to launch his book QUE LUGAR ESTE SA SADIRING BANWA, this coming June 22, 2009. Part of this collection won in the 2006 Premio Tomas Arejola para sa Literaturang Bikolnon. Magduman sa syudad nin Tabaco, kita maghoron-horon.

Another fictionist-friend from Aklan sent me a copy of his book of stories. John requested me to write a blurb for this award-winning collection. Now available in Filipino, the stories of John promises a new blaze in the illumined terrain, that is Philippine Literature.

NCCA Writers' Prize Now Open!

The National Commission for Culture and the Arts announces that the NCCA Writers’ Prize is now open for application by Filipino writers.

The NCCA Writers’ Prize a biennial grant awarded to five (5) writers, one for each of the following categories: Poetry (Ilocano language), Novel (Filipino language), Essay (Kapampangan language), and Drama (Cebuano language/Bicolano language). The grant, in the amount of TWO HUNDRED FIFTY THOUSAND PESOS gross, will assist the Grantee during the writing stage of the project. The grant is good for one year, after which a manuscript of the writing project will be submitted to the NCCA for possible publication or staging.

The NCCA, in line with its mission to “encourage the continuing development of a pluralistic culture by the people themselves,” will be creating the opportunity to have a direct hand in the development of Filipino literature. With the grant, the NCCA Writers’ Prize winners will be freed from the demands of their work and shall be able to focus on the writing of the project for one year.

ELIGIBILITY

The grant is open to all Filipino writers, of legal age, except to the officers and members of the NCCA Secretariat and the incumbent Executive Council Members of the NCCA Committee on Literary Arts and Committee on Dramatic Arts.

MECHANICS

For the 2009 NCCA Writers’ Prize competition, the following shall be the requirements in the submission of entries:

1. Applicants must submit an accomplished application form, available at the NCCA Planning, Policy Formulation, and Programming Division (P/PFPD) or download from the NCCA website: www.ncca.gov.ph, curriculum vitae, and a 3 – 5 page concept paper discussing the rationale and significance of the project, the initial output of the project which shall be submitted in four (4) printed copies along with the concept paper. For 2009, the categories and the expected initial output are:

Category Initial Output

1. Novel – Filipino language First 50 pages
2. Poetry – Ilocano language 10 poems; 1 poem per page
3. Drama – Bicolano language 1 act for a full length drama,
2 1-act plays
4. Drama – Cebuano language 1 act for a full length drama;
2 1-act plays
5. Essay – Kapampangan language 3 chapters or no less than 50 pages


All the sample works shall be in typewritten form. Manuscript and concept paper shall not bear the name of the applicant in any of the pages.

2. Applicants are allowed to apply in only one (1) category.

3. Applications will be evaluated by an Ad Hoc Screening Committee selected by the Committee on Literary Arts and the Committee on Dramatic Arts. There will be three members of the screening committee per category.






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4. The grant will be released in four tranches, with the first tranche to be given during the awards ceremony at the beginning of the writing period and the succeeding tranches upon submission of the following:

2nd tranche - 50% of the writing project
3rd tranche - 75% of the writing project
4th tranche - 100% of the writing project

5. The writing grant is good only for one year. The NCCA will allow a maximum extension of six (6) months only with written justification by the Grantee.

6. Completed manuscript must be submitted in two forms: one (1) printed copy and one (1) electronic copy in MSWord format in a diskette. The project output shall be as follows:

Category Project Output

1. Novel – Filipino language Minimum of 50,000 words
2. Poetry – Ilocano language 30 poems
3. Drama – Bicolano language 2 or more acts for a full-length
drama, 5 1-act plays
4. Drama – Cebuano language 2 or more acts for a full-length
drama; 5 1-act plays
5. Essay – Kapampangan language 12 chapters or no less than
200 pages

7. The grant is non-transferable. All privileges shall be enjoyed by the Grantee himself/herself based on the successful evaluation of the work in progress. A member from the Screening Committee of each category shall be assigned as Reader to evaluate the succeeding materials to be submitted by the Grantee. Upon submission of the positive evaluation of the reader for the second and third tranches, the corresponding amounts shall be released immediately to the Grantee. However, for the fourth tranche, the same will be released only upon completion of evaluation of the completed manuscript by the Reader. Revisions, however, may be recommended by the Reader. Only upon final approval of the completed manuscript shall the final tranche be released to the Grantee.

8. Deadline of submission of application together with the curriculum vitae of applicant and other requirements shall be on October 15, 2009. All applications shall be addressed to:

2009 NCCA WRITERS’ PRIZE Secretariat
Planning, Policy Formulation and Programming Div. –
Institutional Programs
National Commission for Culture and the Arts
NCCA Building, 633 General Luna St.
Intramuros, Manila

Attention: Frances S. Alincastre
Planning Officer III

9. Materials that were not selected shall not be returned anymore.


COPYRIGHT AND OWNERSHIP RIGHT

1. The Grantee hereby grants the NCCA the first option to publish the output of the Grant. The NCCA will have the right to produce or authorize to be produced, for staging, telecasting, broadcasting, or cinema or other forms of exhibition from time to time any output of the writing grant. The NCCA will also be allowed to include the output of the Grant in the NCCA Website. The first option to publish of NCCA expires one year after completion of the Grant.

2. It is understood that the literary material submitted has not been submitted to any other award body or has not received any prize and is not a completed manuscript but a work in progress. Any violation of the guidelines shall mean withdrawal of the grant and any amount paid to the Grantee shall be returned to the NCCA. The award then will be transferred to the person who garnered the second highest vote during the Screening of the materials.

from ncca website.