Ilocano writers, unchecked by the coronavirus pandemic, will participate in a two-day literary workshop starting April 24 through virtual teleconferencing as part of GUMIL Filipinas participation in this year’s National Literature Month.
The workshop, Anvil in English, was originally scheduled for last month, which was supposed to be hosted by Apayao State College in San Isidro, Apayao, but did not push through because of the lockdown imposed by the national Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases.
Pasnaan is the lone workshop for those writing in Ilokano undertaken by GUMIL Filipinas, the national association of Ilokano Writers at home and abroad, with the collaboration of the Manila-based National Commission for Culture and the Arts.
According to Neyo Valdez, workshop director, the fellows to the Pasnaan 10 are:
Poetry: Jurelle Cortez of Candon City; Deo Ramos; Clarence V. Agpuldo of Apayao; and Geraldine Baysa of Apayao; Bong Bong Agregado of Vintar Ilocos Norte; Deo Ramos of Bangued, Abra
Poetry for Children: Rosie Castro of Urdaneta City; and Allan Gobrin of Apayao; Melecia Bascos of Urdaneta City, Pangasinan.
Fiction: Gladys Mae Alejandro of Banna, Ilocos Norte; Marcelio Francisco Santos of Salcedo, Ilocos Sur.
Short Story for Children: Melinda Bacani of Urdaneta City; and Essay: Wilmer Laaguen of Gregorio del Pilar, Ilocos Sur.
Workshop officials said Rene Boy Abiva, prize-winning poet, will be awarded Outstanding Fellow for Pasnaan 9 during the weekend workshop.
Invited lecturers are Cles Rambaud (poetry for children), Ariel Tabag (fiction), Anna Liza Gaspar (short story for children), Junley Lazaga (creative nonfiction), and Abiva (how to write poetry).
The lecturers will serve as panelists who will be joined by Juan Asuncion, Joel Manuel, Daniel Nesperos, Estela Bisquera-Guerrero and Ria Rebolledo.