Brown Child: The Best of the Faigao Poetry and Fiction (1984-2012)

CEBU, Philippines - The Brown Child launch, a collection of poetry and fiction, was a launch like no other, one afternoon, at the Ayala Activity Center. Literary greats in the community were seen mingling with guests, poets, and artist such as Atty. Simeon Dumdum, Jr., Dr. Resil Mojares, Dr. Linda Alburo, Erma Cuizon,Impresario Hendri Go, Bob Lim, Madrilena de la Cerna, among others.

The launch began with guests being serenaded by local talents Michael Allen Pio Catubay and Therese Marie Villarante. Then, USC Press Manager Jose Bersales Jr. and Cebuano Studies Center's former director Dr. Erlinda Kintanar-Alburo gave their opening remarks. Meanwhile, current Cebuano Studies Center Director, Dr. Hope Sabanpan Yu, invited everyone to submit their entries for this year's Cornelio Faigao workshop in May.

What followed was a short and sweet reading by the following poets in English and Cebuano: Marlinda Angbetic Tan (Praxis of Motherhood), Haidee Emmie Palapar (Samad), Karla Quimsing (Alang Kang Juliet), Ernesto Lariosa (Paghitumpawak ni Rosa sa Pait-Laang Sa Gugma), and Lamberto Ceballos (Krisis).

Published by USC Press and Cebuano Studies Center, the book contains the best selections from the annual three-day Faigao Writers' Workshop, drawing writers from all over the Visayas region, and even internationally such as Nigeria. The workshop, in its 29th year of existence, is the second longest running workshop in the country, next to the Silliman Writer's Workshop.

I remember  when I was in college I attended my first creative writing workshop. It was an all female Cornelio Faigao workshop held in Tap-tap hills in 1995. From there, a couple of us were sent to the UP Writer's Workshop in Tacloban, October that year. Creative writing workshops to me, are fun, exciting yet nerve-wracking at the same time. While it was great to meet other writers and poets, the experience of having your poem critiqued in front of so many others was definitely a "butterflies-in-your-stomach" moment. But I will forever treasure the bonds formed, the lessons learned, and the literary output produced and polished. Indeed, to have one's work included—and published— in a Faigao workshop is no ordinary feat.

For those interested to join the 2014 Cornelio Faigao workshop, you may submit your entries to or contact:

Cebuano Studies Center,

 Josef Baumgartner - LRC Building,

University of San Carlos

Nasipit, Talamban 6000 Cebu City Philippines.

Telephone:  (6332) 406-6079

Website:www.usc.edu.ph (FREEMAN)