SPUD National Literature Month 2018

For the past three years, the National Literature Month celebration is slowly reaching out to the  different regions in the Philippines. It is also starting to gain appreciation among different institutions and civic organizations. Different literary organizations and educational institutions have expressed their interest in how they can take part in and contribute to the celebration.

In Dumaguete, Bais and the whole Negros Oriental is popular with Literary artists and their works in local and international publication.St. Paul University in Dumaguete celebrate with activities like Balagatan and the Rizal Class Mi Último Adiós Presentation (English; “My Last Farewell”) is a poem written by Philippine national hero Dr. José Rizal on the eve of his execution .

Lets met some of our icon artists from the island of Negros we only heard their name thru books , journal and online reviews let start with Msgr. Rodolfo Escalon Villanueva native of Bais City (known as the writer Renato E. Madrid ) is a priest of the archdiocese of Cebu and is perhaps more famous in the Visayas as a composer of liturgical music and plays both in English and Cebuano. His higher studies led to a Master’s in English at the University of Sto. Tomas as well as a Master’s in Music at the State University in Moncato, Minnesota, apart from his Philosophy and Theology at the San Carlos Seminary in Cebu. Apart from his famous liturgical works which include choral compositions, masses, musical drama and a three-movement piece for pipe organ, his published literary works include Devil Wings (1997); Mass for the Death of an Enemy(2000); and Southern Harvest (1996). His awards include numerous Palancas and a National Book Award from the Manila Critics Circle. He was a former resident professor of Music and English at San Carlos Seminary College, has taught at the Silliman University school of music,St. Paul University Dumaguete, the University of San Carlos graduate school, and is a lifetime visiting faculty at the Dipolog and Dumaguete Seminaries.

Another group of people worth mentioning is Rosario Fe Saavedra and Dr. Edilberto Kaindong Tiempo since the 1960s two of the household names in teaching Literature in this University City.Saavedra a famous pianist,music ,humanites, Spanish language and literature teacher is a well-loved mentor by Paulinian while Dr. Ed. and his wife, Edith L. Tiempo, organized the Silliman University Writers' Workshop with establishing "a tradition in excellence in creative writing and the teaching of literacy craft which continues to this day.

The youngest literary artist I would mention is Simon Anton Nino Diego Galera Baena a native of Bais City spends most of his time on the road with his wife, Xandy. His poems are Featured in the local and international literary  journal James Franco Review, Off the Coast, After the Pause, Eastlit, Mascara Literary Review, The Blue Hour Magazine, Philippines Free Press,The Bitter Oleander, Osiris, SkidRow Penthouse, U City Review, and Glass: A Journal of Poetry. Catamaran Literary Reader, Cider Press Review, Osiris, Saltfront, and elsewhere. My chapbook, The Blood Is Within The Architecture will be out this month, or this year. Published by PAWN. According to him Poetry has always been there, in the camp fires of primitive men. Poetry, I think, is the beginning of literature

Literature is always part of our human development from the primitive years to the modern day world.People always express their words thru Poetry and Literature.

Penn T. Larena