The 55th edition of the SU National Writers Workshop is slated to start on May 9-27 at the Rose Lamb Sobrepeña Writers Village in Camp Look-out, Valencia and in Dumaguete City.
Ten writers from all over the Philippines have been accepted as workshop fellows. They are Catherine Regina Hanopol Borlaza of Lipa City (UP—Diliman), RJ Ledesma of Bacolod City (University of St. La Salle), and David Lao of Davao City (Ateneo de Davao University) for poetry; Veronica Vega of Dumaguete City (Silliman University), Marianne Freya Nono of Parañaque City (University of Santo Tomas), Christian Ray Buendia of Laguna (UP—Los Baños), and Arnel Murga of Iloilo City (UP—Miag-ao) for fiction; and John Patrick Allanegui of Manila (Ateneo de Manila University), Christine Faith Gumalal and Bernice Cabildo, both of Cagayan de Oro City (Xavier University), for creative non-fiction.
Three alternates have also been chosen: Beatrice Adeline Tulagan of Quezon City (Kalayaan College) for poetry; Tanya Cruz of Quezon City (UST) for fiction; and Nina Unlay of Quezon City (ADMU) for creative non-fiction. Jesulito Kuan of Cebu City (Silliman University) has also been invited to sit as special workshop mentee.
The panel of writers/critics for this year includes Director-in-Residence Ricardo de Ungria, resident writer Cesar Ruiz Aquino, and regular panelists Marjorie Evasco, Susan Lara, Gemino Abad, and Alfred Yuson. They will be joined by guest panelists Jose Peñaranda, Kimi Tuvera, Simeon Dumdum Jr., and Criselda Yabes, and international panelists Sumana Roy from India, and Prashani Rambukwella from Sri Lanka.
The workshop, which traditionally lasts for three weeks, is the oldest creative writing workshop of its kind in Asia. It was founded in 1962 by S.E.A. Write Awardee Edilberto K. Tiempo and National Artist Edith L. Tiempo, and was recently given the Tanging Parangal in the Gawad CCP Para sa Sining by the Cultural Center of the Philippines.
For more information about events during the workshop, please email Workshop coordinator Lady Flor Partosa at silliman.cwc@gmail.com or call the Department of English & Literature at (035) 422-6002 loc. 520. (Edilberto & Edith Tiempo Creative Writing Center)
