Rational Insanity
Stepping aside
This week, I would like to offer my space for somebody who deserves it, a brand new Palanca Awardee, and a sterling writer and staunch supporter of local literature. Instead of saying something for this week, let me just step aside for a while and allow my dear friend, Marcel to take the limelight, the way he should. This column space, after all, is dedicated to local literaturists, readers of local literaturists, writers, and readers of local writers, so take it away Marz!
That Palanca Moment
By: Marcel L. Milliam
Two years ago, your rationally insane author Bryan Mari Argos won his very first Palanca Award. He was all bubbly and ecstatic but being the grounded guy that he was, he was very humble in his triumph. Seeing him bubble over and gush forth, I pushed him to write his "Palanca Piece". Not wanting to sound like a braggadocio, he had second thoughts, but I prodded him to own up and not sell himself short. This year, I too, got that first ever Palanca Moment, and of course, he returned the prodding, so here I am, writing a piece for a column that is not even mine to start with.
This year is a very good year for me and my literary attempts. Despite the many devastating things that came my way, God indeed knows how to smooth things over, and really smooth things over, He does! January found me being adjudged as Co-winner of the prestigious and international Meritage Press Global Poetry Competition, and my entry made records as the first non-English poem to win in the said competition. I was giddy and humbled to find my name among literary greats and multi-awarded and well published writers such as Joel Toledo, Luisa Igloria, and with my co-winner Naya Valdelleon winning her second Meritage Press Award. To receive praises from the judge, Eric Gamalinda, who himself, is one of the best Filipino writers, leaves one bursting with pride, and weak in the knees with exhilaration. As the Psalm goes, my cup overflows since the Master Scribe wasn't done with pouring forth his blessings upon this humble servant. The morning of August 6, 2008 was a day of hysteria as I got hold of a parcel from Manila! The letter congratulated me for having won 3rd Prize in the Maikling Kwento sa Hiligaynon in the 58th Don Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature and enjoining me to attend the awards night on September 1st at the Rigodon Ballroom of The Peninsula Manila. Alanis Morisette's song started playing in the background as I floated to the high heavens! The Palanca Awards after all, is considered a 'rite of passage' signifying the coming of age of a Filipino writer. It is the most prestigious awards giving body in Philippine literature, and is even considered by many as the Philippine equivalent of the Pulitzer Prize. The distinction couldn't have come at a better time for me and indeed, life has a funny way of helping you out when everything's gone wrong and everything blows up in your face, says Alanis! As Bryan did two years ago, let me then, in turn, offer my heartfelt gratitude to the people who have been there for me and therefore, deserve a little piece of the parchment paper conferred by the Palanca for my story.
My gratitude goes foremost, to the Master Scribe, up above and beyond the skies, below the seas and all around. My endless gratitude and praise to You, Palanca or none. To be blessed and cursed with the gift of writing is in itself, reason enough for gratitude to You. All these for Your greater glory JECK! To my family who made me realize that there is 'fun' in dysfunctional! Mama Excel, Papa Lipid, broodlings Boots, Jinky, Bopet, Mikay, Makoy and Shane. To the Palanca Awards Committee, thank you for the recognition. Endless gratitude to all my mentors, in-workshop and out, for honing my skills and making me write and endure it all. To the Father of Contemporary Hiligaynon Literature, Dr. Leoncio Deriada, my writing tatay, for evoking, sharpening and lauding the "aswang" in me. Dr. Cirilo Bautista, Dr. Marjorie Evasco, Dr. Shirley Lua, and Dr. Zeny French. Workshop peeps like Sir Mel Cichon, Tiya'y Ramonita Pico, Manang Isabel Sebullen and Inday Gen Asenjo of The 1st Fray Luis De Leon Creative Writing Workshop of the University of San Agustin. To Ma'am Merlie Alunan and Ma'am Corazon Almerino of the 2nd Panagsugat Creative Writing Workshop of the University of the Philippines Vis-Min. To Sir German Gervacio, Sir Jaime Ann-Lim and Sir Vince Groyon of the 12th Iligan National Writers Workshop of the Mindanao State University, Iligan. To Dr. Elsie Coscolluela, Mamu Regina Groyon, Dr. Glo Fuentes, Ma'am Susan Lara, and Dr. Tony Tan of the 7th IYAS National Creative Writing Workshop of the University of St. La Salle Bacolod. Workshop co-fellows and great writer friends, Virgillio Rivas, Rosandrei Landigon, Avi Malonzo, Voltaire Oyzon, Jason Chanchoco, Vlad Gonzales, sibling tandem Doug and Kathy Candano, Anna Villanueva, Igor De la Pena, Yoshi So and poet friend Felino Garcia Jr. "Dagyang Pulong" and "Yanggaw: The Capiz Writer's Circle kindred, Dr. Rodelen Paccial, Rey Salem, Prof. John Barrios, Fabienne Paderes, Toto Insoy, Thanks to my non-writer/Muggle friends and "fans", Ellie Aristorenas, Mike Pinto, Dember Libo-on, Alvi Atutubo, Harry Salcedo and wife Apple, Jason Alipao, and Dawn Zaldivar. To friends and believers in the whole collective consciousness, thank you so much and my apologies if I forgot to mention your names!
Special thanks to Heiress Charm Pama, my gracious "hostess" (pun intended) in Manila. Kabay pa nga kada tuig na ni day para maka lamyerda naman ta liwat sa lugar nga damu alog! Not to be forgotten is my ever loved and most admired writing mother, Her Royal Highness, Princess of the Literary Seas, Prof. John Iremil E. Teodoro, for the warm heart, warmer hugs, and warmest love, soul to soul, writer to writer, poet to poet. I'm proud to be your "daughson" and I love you, iloy! Thanks ever so much to my literary agent/soul-pen bud/first reader/staunchest critic/cheer-leader and fellow Capiznon Palanca Awardee Mr. Bryan Mari Argos; let us always write in truth tatats! When they said that writing is the loneliest profession and craft in the world, I feel smug! Sorry sila tanan! May ka tandem ko ya! Kung si tatay Leo pa, dynamic duo sang duha ka aswang sang Capiz! Dapat next year dungan na ta makuha Palanca!
My thanks, of course, extend and go without saying, to you, dear readers, who took time to peruse such personal ramblings. You might be wondering why there is no "special someone" to whom I share the triumph with; my personal muse of sorts. Truth of the matter is, there is no one, as of the moment. Part of the dream I always had of my Palanca moment is attending the Awards Night, with that "one true thing" in tow as my special guest for the night, or, in writers' lingo, my Palanca 'plus one' since winners are allowed to bring one guest to the awards night. As a result, I have given my word to many a 'used-to-be significant' other, that should I win the Palanca, they would have that singular honor to be my 'plus one' for the night. Too bad, none of them stayed long enough to see me achieve this. So, as a final note, I dedicate and share this triumph to all the past loves (damu-damo gid ya?) of my life – all of you whom I thought was "THE ONE"! each in turn, but never all together; once then, my heart's and Palanca's 'plus one'. What the heart has once felt, it will always own, so they say. Thank you for making me feel how it is to love, be loved, be betrayed, loose love, and hope anew; for the unparalleled happiness and the glorious pain of it all. After all, as mother John always says, 'relish the pain. It is good for our writing and it makes our poetry beautiful!' Allow me then, in all boldness, to make a vow, once more, to you, who is much awaited, and is yet to come; I promise that you will be my 'plus one' when I receive my next Palanca! What the heck is taking you so long to find me? Hehehe. To all and sundry, madamo gid nga salamat kag mabuhay ang panulatan, labi na gid ang panulatan sa Hiligaynon! Only this suffices: Thank You!