by Ian S. Embradura, OPI
This year’s 22nd Iligan National Writers Workshop (INWW) awarded seven writing fellows the Jimmy Y. Balacuit Literary Award during the closing program at the Elena Tower Inn on May 29, 2015.
Dean Rosalinda C. Balacuit, former Dean of the MSU-IIT College of Engineering and widow of the late Dr. Jimmy Y. Balacuit, former Vice Chancellor for Research and Extension handed out the certificates and cash awards to the prize-winning writing fellows: Poetry – First Prize: Adonis R. Enricuso – Haya sa Coffee Shop; Honorable mentions: Mark Joseph N. Rafal for “Kung di’ Mo Man Randam ang Lukso ng Dugo”; and Jetrho C. Monares for “Huring”; for the Excerpt of Novel – First Prize: Amado Anthony G. Mendoza III for “Movovug: Isang Diksyunaryo” and Honorable mention: Ana Felisa E. Lorenzo for Memories of a Forgotten War.
In the Short Story, the First Prize went to Jondy M. Arpilleda for Bunok and Honorable mention went to Danilo Niño R. Calalang for Ang Anarkista; and, for the One-Act Play, the First Prize went to Maynard G. Manansala for Dalawang Gabi.
During the closing program, other highlights included the launching of the Proceedings of the 21st INWW entitled “To Voice My Own” edited by Christine Godinez-Ortega and published by the OPI, MSU-IIT and certificates were given to the recipients of writing fellowships: Manuel E. Buenafe Writing Fellow Nur-Saleha D. Dadayan of the Mindanao State University Integrated Laboratory School, Marawi City; the Ricardo Jorge S. Caluen Writing Fellow – Angelito G. Nambatac of Iligan City; and the Boy Abunda Writing Fellow –Kenneth Alvin L. Cinco of Tacloban City’s Leyte Normal University.
Guests who handed out the certificates to the above writing fellows were Ms. Beverly Faith Talpis Tanggol and Dr. Mary Joyce Z. Guinto Sali, Secretary to the MSUS Board of Regents.
The Iligan National Writers Workshop is an annual event hosted by the MSU-IIT with funding from the Office of the Chancellor’s Office of Publication and Information and the National Commission for Culture and Arts.
It accepted 18 writing fellows from Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao with a teaching staff of nine panelists: Tim Tomlinson, President and Co-Founder of the New York Writers Workshop; J. Neil C. Garcia, UP Press Director; John Iremil Teodoro of Miriam College; Vic Sugbo, retired professor of UP College Tacloban; Macario D. Tiu of the Ateneo de Davao University; Erlinda Kintanar Alburo, former Director fo the Cebuano Studies Center of the University of San Carlos; and the resident panellists, Steven Patrick Fernandez, German V. Gervacio, and Christine Godinez-Ortega, the Workshop Director.
The opening program, held at the MSU-IIT Mini-theater was graced by Chancellor Sukarno D. Tanggol welcoming the guests and in showing support for the literary arts. The Integrated Performing Arts Guild (IPAG) also helped celebrate the event that left the panelists and writing fellows awed by the performance. Moreover, poet, author and critic J. Neil Garcia, an alumnus of the first INWW in 1994, gave his keynote lecture on the literary uses of mythology.
The workshop’s sessions were held alternately at the MSU-IIT Boardroom, Elena Tower Inn, and the Macaraeg-Macapagal Ancestral House.
The ethno-linguistic diversity of this workshop is what makes it a truly national one. The INWW has become an avenue, not just for the growth of young talents and further enhancement of the craft of the published writers but also for the enrichment of language, literature, and culture.
Topics : INWW Iligan National Writers Workshop