The 51st edition of the Silliman University National Writers Workshop is slated to start on 30 April 2012 at the Rose Lamb Sobrepeña Writers Village in Camp Look-out, Valencia, Negros Oriental.
Eleven writers from all over the Philippines have been accepted as fellows for the workshop, including CD Borden (University of San Carlos) and Deborah Rosalind Nieto (University of Sto. Tomas) for poetry; Michael Aaron Gomez (Silliman University), Thomas David Chavez (Philippine Normal University), Michelle Abigail Tiu Tan (Ateneo de Manila University), Christian Tablazon (University of the Philippines—Diliman), Timothy James Dimacali (UP Diliman), and Ma. Vida Frances Cruz (ADMU) for fiction; Hazel Meghan Hamile (UP Mindanao) and Zendy Victoria Sue Valencia (UST) for creative non-fiction; and Karlo Antonio David (Ateneo de Davao University) for drama.
The panel of writers/critics for this year includes Director-in-Residence Rowena Tiempo Torrevillas, Dumaguete-based writers Bobby Flores Villasis, Myrna Peña-Reyes, and César Ruí¬z Aquino; and guest panelists Susan Lara, DM Reyes, Anthony Tan, Alfred Yuson, and Gémino H. Abad.
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 Ediberto K. Tiempo and National Artist Edith L. Tiempo. It celebrated its golden anniversary in 2011, a year which also marked the passing of Dr. Edith Tiempo.
This year, the workshop is co-sponsored by the Embassy of the United States of America in Manila. Guests from the Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Embassy include Regional English Language Officer Maria Carina Dungao, Public Affairs Officer Robin Diallo, Cultural Affairs Officer Alan Holst, and Cultural Affairs Specialist Tony Perez.
Diallo is slated to give a presentation on “Classroom Teaching” at the American Studies and Research Center of the Robert and Metta Silliman Library on May 3. Dungao will also give a presentation on “Classroom Dynamics” on the same date. Holst, meanwhile, will give a lecture on “Literature and Film” on May 16, also at the Silliman Library
For more information about forthcoming events during the workshop, please email Workshop Coordinator Dr. Evelyn Mascuñana at [email protected] or call the Department of English and Literature at (035) 422-6002 loc. 520.
