Rational Insanity
Pulong Binalaybay: An insider's review
All right, I have some apologizing to do – I wasn't able to come up with a column for the past two weeks, but that's because I was terribly busy with things and one of the things that I was so preoccupied with was the Pulong Binalaybay: Poetry Readings and Critical Exchanges which was held at the Museo Iloilo last November 21, 2008, organized by the Capiz Council for Culture and the Arts, Inc. – Yanggaw Writers' Group and the UPV- Sentro ng Wikang Filipino, sponsored by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA).
Technically, I was the project coordinator of the event and my friend, Marcel Milliam, the president of Yanggaw, the NCCA Grantee. Marz did all the preparations for the event while I waited for the funding from the NCCA to be released through the organization's bank account. Everything went perfectly for the event, in fact we had achieved so much that we ended up organizing a regional coordinating center for all creative writers in Region VI. During the event we had several writers come over to deliver their poetry and give a background of their craft. Among those invited were Prof. John Barrios, Prof. Alain Russ Dimzon, Prof. Melchor Cichon, Prof. John Iremil Teodoro, Dr. Rodelyn Pacsial, Emmanuel Lerona, and the great Dr. Leoncio Deriada. Of course I was also one of those in the group, as well as Marz. We all gave short talks about Hiligaynon poetry which the audience gobbled up and digested like hungry kids. Throughout the sessions, poetry was read, comments taken, critical discussions exchanged and minds awakened. We also had a mini performance by the University of San Agustin Little Theater .
All in all, the activity really messed up my already hectic schedule, but it put into place some very important things. For one, it made students aware of the state Hiligaynon Literature is as the moment. It made them appreciate the language more as well as the various creative writing genres dedicated and done in Hiligaynon. The academic portion of the forum focused on the teaching of Hiligaynon to all students from Region VI. More so, Dr. Leo Deriada mentioned that the teaching methodologies for literature are already in place. However, what we need at the moment is Hiligaynon material that we can use during instruction.
Dr. Leo also brought up the growth of Hiligaynon Literature in the region, pointing out that Iloilo , Antique, and Aklan already had a good orga-structure in place to work for this advocacy. According to him, efforts should now begin to move out from these provinces to Capiz, Guimaras, and Bacolod to further strengthen the craft. This resulted in the organization of a regional writers coordinating center which will tentatively hold office in the Ang Panublion Museum in Roxas City . So for you, writers out there who would like to get into this network, please don't hesitate to contact me at (036) 6212-070 or email me at prague58003@lycos.com. The coordinating center will try to centralize operations for all writers in Region VI and serve as the central communication center for writers in our region.
Blessed exhaustion is what Marz calls it – I call it simple – exhaustion; but I guess Marz was right in saying that all the effort and hard work had been worth it, and if we got tired or stressed out by this activity, it was because we gave it our all… Sincerely, we love our local literature, and we will continue working for it.
As of writing, I am in Manila in an internet café for another meeting with another office – I still haven't shaken off the fatigue, but as Marz said, blessed exhaustion – being tired because something really needs to be done, and quick!
Be rational; be insane…every once in a while! TTFN!
I love you all!! Byers!