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By Romulo P. Baquiran Jr., Contributor
It’s nine thirty in the morning. Outside, a
cool breeze blew lightly, making the pine leaves waver in the bright
sky. In the U-shaped hall, the twelve writing fellows and the
teaching panel sat face-to-face, geared up to listen to the hour’s
presenter. The poet, storyteller, dramatist, or essayist on the hot
seat fidgeted with the microphone or the laptop keyboard a few
seconds before speaking. It’s an almost imperceptible sign of
edginess but the others knew. Anytime soon, she would find herself
on the same spot.
This is a daily scene in the week long 47th UP
National Writers Workshop held at the Igorot Lodge, Camp John Hay,
Baguio City. Sure, it’s a grueling program but the mid-career
writers and their mentors seemed to find jouissance or extreme
pleasure in the exercise. What could be more stirring than see a
talented writer doing very well in her work in progress, and is on
her way toward fulfilling an earlier promise?
The U.P. Institute of Creative Writing (formerly
Creative Writing Center) used to hold the workshop for beginners.
But since the mid-1990s, creative writing programs and workshops
offered in many schools had made the endeavor redundant. An
adjustment was in order. Now the U.P. ICW accepts only writers who
are in mid-career. This means they must have published books, won
awards, or earned a creative writing degree or all of the above.
The talented writing fellows include Roberto Añonuevo,
Frank Cimatu (tula); Nicolas P. Pichay, Rodolfo Lana Jr. (drama);
Abdon Balde, Allan Derain (kuwento); Mookie Katigbak, Vincenz
Serrano (poetry); Rica Bolipta-Santos (creative non-fiction); Luis
Katigbak, Tara FT Sering, and Ian Casocot (fiction). Three of
them—Añonuevo, Pichay, and Lana—are Palanca Hall of Fame
awardees. Most are in the academe, serving as faculty members and
administrators. Others are also editors and readers in the
Dr. Jose Y. Dalisay, workshop director, said
these fellows are not trouble makers. There are no whiners. No one
raised a stink about one being invited while the other had to apply
to get into the workshop. But the fellows did not like the term.
They suggested the term “worry free.” Batch representatives
Pichay and Sering threatened that they will create trouble
elsewhere. They refer the printed page. And for sure, cyberspace.
For many of the fellows, the week was akin to an
extended Zen session. They have to forget many received notions in
creative writing and begin anew. This augur well for the followers
of Philippine literature. They are assured of the readers’
jouissance in the coming works of this batch.
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