The recent three-day Dumaguete Literary Festival has been a success. Local writers and movers of literature freely exchanged views with literary luminaries from Dumaguete itself and from elsewhere.
Thanks to Prof. Ian Rosales Casocot, his friends, and their supporters such as DTI-Negros Oriental and the City government of Dumaguete—they made it happen. The festival was yet another step toward making Dumaguete a UNESCO City of Literature.
I think rightly so. Dumaguete has been, and continues to be a gushing wellspring of excellent writers who made marks in the community and beyond. Many have had roots in local schools that have long valued good writing and vibrant literary arts.
Some names come to mind: Ediberto and Edith Tiempo, and daughter Rowena Tiempo-Torevillas. Resil Mojares. Vicente Sinco. Ricaredo Demetillo. Rodrigo and Dolores Féria. Kerima Polotan. Aida Rivera Ford. Cesar Jalandoni Amigo. Domini Torrevillas and brother, Lemuel Torrevillas. Leoncio Deriada. Marj Evasco. Grace Monte de Ramos. Artemio Tadena. T. Valentino Sitoy. Cesar Aquino. Anthony Tan. Christine Godiñez-Ortega. Jose V. Montebon Jr. Claro Ceniza. Teodoro Cortes. Bobby Flores Villasis. Elsa Martinez Coscolluela. David C. Martinez. Myrna Peña Reyes-Sweet. Merlie Alunan. Butch Macansantos. Ceres Pioquinto. Lina Sagaral-Reyes. Lakambini Sitoy. Timothy R. Montes. F. Jordan Carnice. Justin Jose Bulado. Hope Tinambacan. Arkay Timonera. Belen Calingacion. Dessa Quesada-Palm. Lyde Sison Villanueva. Mike Gomez. Mary Rose Lamb Sobrepeña.
And many more, which is my loss to fail to mention them, including the hundred others who started their writing crafts in Silliman’s famed National Writers Workshop, and which regularly draws giants and big names in Philippine literature.
Together, they brought lasting legacies of good literature to the City, and to many other places and institutions in the Philippines and beyond.
Three writers—Edith Tiempo, Eddie Romero, and Resil Mojares—have been bestowed the Order of National Artist by the Republic of the Philippines.
So, yes! May Dumaguete become the first ever UNESCO City of Literature in the Philippines!
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Dr. Ben S. Malayang III is the former president of Silliman University.
Author’s email: beniiim@icloud.com
