BY LIBAY LINSANGAN CANTOR



At the Tulaan sa Tren 2 launch by the National Book Development Board (NBDB) weeks ago, we heard a sampling of the poems featured in this special project from both the celebrity readers and the poets themselves.

Like we mentioned last week, this project—aiming to bring Philippine literature closer to more people—has three components:

the printed poems displayed inside the LRT 2 train route, a book collection of the featured poems entitled Off The Beaten Track, and an audio recording of the poems read by celebrity readers who advocate reading. The recording you could hear on the train as they play it in the speakers. I’m not sure where they sell the book, though; it’s best to contact NBDB for this information.

This year also had a different component—a poetry-writing contest. The winners in the English category are Raymond Falgui (first), Louella Suque (second) and Raymund Reyes (third). For the Filipino category, the winners are Joselito delos Reyes (first), Gexter Ocampo Lacambra (second), Abdon Balde Jr. (third), Danilo Diaz and Kristian Cordero (runners-up). Their poems are also featured in the collection.

During the launch, the editors who chose the poems were present: poet-professor Gémino Abad, National Artist Bienvenido Lumbera and Krip Yuson. They asked poets to submit works that pertained to traveling of any kind, and we heard a sampling of that in the poetry reading included in the program. Yuson jumpstarted the session by reading Victor Peñaranda’s contribution entitled Quivered Calm. The rest of the readers read their own contributions. Ralph Galan read his tribute/homage to Ezra Pound entitled In a Metro by the Station while Balde Jr. read his winning poem aptly titled Tren, Tren, Tren! Joel Toledo read his poem Softness which, he said, did not focus so much on the physical voyage but dealt more with being conflicted in coming home.
Mikael de Lara Co read his contribution entitled “Matapos Matanggap ang Mensahe ng Isang Kaibigang Makata,” and he shared how excited he was upon learning that his “crush” Romnick Sarmenta was the celebrity reader who recorded his poem.

Besides Sarmenta, the other celebrity readers are actresses Harlene Bautista and Chin-Chin Gutierrez; broadcast journalists Christina Bersola Babao, Julius Babao, Lyn Ching-Pascual and Rhea Santos; TV hosts-singers Nikki Gil and JM Rodriguez; Pinoy Big Brother teen star Robi Domingo; and ballerina Lisa Macuja Elizalde. Some of these readers were also part of the first Tulaan sa Tren project. Too bad none of them appeared during the launch. It would have been great to hear them recite the poems live.

Other poets featured in this project are Axel Pinpin, Marra Pl. Lanot, Vim Nadera, Mookie Katigbak, Jhoanna Lynn Cruz, Ricardo de Ungria, Marjorie Evasco, Angelo Suarez, Neil Garcia, Edgar Maranan and Isabela Banzon, Jim Pascual Agustin, Rebecca Añonuevo, Juaniyo Arcellana, Mes Arguelles, Kash Avena, Joi Barrios, Manuel Bautista, Teo Baylen, Michael Coroza, Alwynn Javier, Jose Lacaba, Marie La Viña, Benigno Ramos, Anna Bernaldo Romulo, Patrick Rosal, Ivy Rosales, Joel Salud, Epifanio San Juan Jr., Ildefonso Santos, Andrea Teran, Rowena Tiempo Torrevillas and Cesare Syjuco. There are also classic works from Jose Corazon de Jesus and Amado V. Hernandez.

It’s really great to discover and learn that efforts like this project exist. I hope they continue to have more of these in the future.

Comments? Suggestions? E-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . She is also at libaycantor.multiply.com.