Pagpupugay 2008: Bringing Literature Closer To The People

 Last year, the UP Institute of Creative Writing and the National Commission in Culture and the Arts brought five National Artists for Literature to their hometowns. Edith Tiempo, Alejandro Roces, Bienvenido Lumbera, F. Sionil Jose and Virgilio Almario were celebrated by the places, towns that shaped their childhood. For this year, Pagpupugay: Pambansang Alagad ng Sining sa Literatura again brings artists closer to the people.

Part of the Ani ng Sining, Pagpupugay is on its second year of promoting literature through lectures and performances. Last year’s audiences were multi-generational, young people making up a significant part of them. Project director Vim Nadera, the force behind its success, was happy to see the National Artists reconnect with the younger generation.

Roces is a nationally-renowned columnist and writer of stories; poet Tiempo is the first and only female National Artist for Literature; Almario, also known as the prolific Rio Alma, is currently the dean of the College of Arts and Letters; Lumbera is arguably the foremost critic the country has ever known and Sionil Jose’s novels are momentous enough to be reviewed by Time Magazine.

For this year, Pagpupugay will bring Dr. Alejandro Roces to Makati City on February 1, 2008; Dr. Edith L. Tiempo to the Marcelo B. Fernan Cebu Press Center, Cebu City on February 7, 2008; Dean Virgilio S. Almario to the U.P. Visayas-IC Campus Auditorium on February 13, 2008; Dr. Bienvenido Lumbera to the Ilocos Norte National Highschool on February 20, 2008 and Francisco Sionil Jose to the Ateneo De Naga on February 28, 2008.

Various performing groups will bring to life the works of these writers: Roces’ Something to Crow About will be presented by Philippine Centre of the UNESCO-ITI under the direction of Frank Rivera; Tiempo’s poems will be interpreted by the Cebu Arts Council; Almario’s poetry will be reworked as a group choral interpretation (sabayang bigkas) under the direction of Joel Laboa; highlights from Lumbera’s Hibik at Himagsik ni Victoria Laktaw will be staged by Dulaang UP and Sionil Jose’s Pragress will be performed by Tanghalang Pilipino of the CCP.

For more details, please contact Eva Garcia-Cadiz at (02) 922-1830 or visit www.panitikan .com.ph.