Hail be to love!

The Valentine’s Week schedule for a group of Singaporean poets, writers and publishers has been finalized. It’s the second straight year that such a delegation comes over to Manila for a week of literary readings in universities and nightspots, as well as discussions with Manila poets.

Last year the foursome of Felix Cheung, Heng Siok Tian, Alvin Pang and Aaron Lee had the fortune of having their January visit coincide with the tumultuous and eventually euphoric events that spelled EDSA Dos. That visit also resulted in an accord with their counterparts to work together on a thematic poetry collection.

The result is Love Gathers All: The Philippines-Singapore Anthology of Love Poetry, co-published by Ethos Books and Anvil Publishing, Inc. The handsome, 208-page collection, featuring 93 Singaporean and Filipino poets on the theme of love – romantic, erotic, platonic, familial and spiritual – will see its premier launch in Singapore on Feb. 1.

Representing the Filipino contributors in that launch will be Noelle Q. de Jesus, the daughter of the distinguished journalist-editor Melinda Quintos de Jesus, and whose poem "Reader" starts off the book, and Nadine Sarreal, a co-editor of Our Own Voice cyber zine, and daughter of Giraffe Books publisher Gloria Rodriquez.

They will be joined by our expat artists Ludwig Ilio, Dengcoy Miel, Paul Eric Rosa, Christian Inton and Noel Rosales, whose distinctive illustrations, together with those of Singaporean artists tchi (!) and Namiko Chan Takahashi, lend marvelous graphic support for the sub-thematic, cadenced flow of over 120 poems.

Of course our Ambassador to the Lion City, Jesus I. Yabes, will lead the guests in that launching. Together with Singaporean Ambassador to Manila Jacky Foo, he had graciously offered a Foreword to the collection.

"If memory serves, this is the first anthology by poets, both Filipino and Singaporean, living – and indeed, as the poems will show, thriving – on the universal theme of love.

"Having been raised in the shadow of a revered father (Author’s Note: The literary critic and historian Leopoldo Yabes.) who devoted his lifetime to the study of Philippine literature in English, I must admit this collection is a highly poignant and laudable undertaking between the members of the Philippine Literary Arts Council and their esteemed counterparts in Singapore – a bilateral expression by lyric scribes from two ASEAN nations, of their musings, their dreams and their inner passions on this most timeless of topics.

"A short historical note: The initial visit by four vibrant Singaporean poets to Manila in January 2001 was reciprocated by a return trip to the Lion City by six equally vibrant Filipino writers (Cirilo F. Bautista, Ophelia A. Dimalanta, Erlinda Enriquez Panlilio, Ramon C. Sunico, Ricardo M. de Ungria and Alfred A. Yuson) during the Singapore Writers’ Festival in September. Their readings and discussions at various places in both cities were rewarded with enthusiastic interaction from their audiences. If only to highlight these events, this anthology is more than worth the considerable effort to publish it as it opens up new opportunities to enhance mutual consciousness and appreciation for one another’s diverse and rich culture.

"Finally, it is worth noting that those behind this literary bouquet, Love Gathers All, could not have chosen a more appropriate title. In a sense, and especially during these times of uncertainty, this group of poets and artists rally all of us, including this anthology’s readers, to heed love’s call and be gathered in understanding and respect.

"Ave amor. Hail be to love!"

A counterpart Foreword is written by Jacky Foo, Singaporean Ambassador to Manila:

"Congratulations on the launch of this first ever joint publication by Singaporean and Filipino poets. This exciting and groundbreaking collaboration opens another new dimension in the growing cultural exchange between Singapore and the Philippines.

"When I hosted a reading of some of these Singaporean and Philippine poets in January 2001, it was quite evident that they had found new soul mates. Although their styles were distinct, their themes were not too different. As they pointed out themselves, their understanding of each other would never be the same again, all because of poetry. It made them see just that little more of each other.

"The Philippines and Singapore are close neighbors. And as with all neighbors, we need to open up more channels of communication. Poetry is one such channel. With this book, these poets hope to reach a wider Singaporean and Filipino audience. I wish them success as they open up new vistas for us to look at each other."

It’s only fitting that Amb. Foo will host the premier launch of the anthology in Manila, at 6 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 10, a day after the Singaporean delegation arrives. The group includes poets Kirpal Singh and Aaron Lee, Straits Times arts columnist Ong Sor Fern, and Winnifred Wong and May Ng of Ethos Books.

A special feature included in the vol-ume is a bookmark with quotes from the twin Forewords, plus a graphic rendition of the Arnth Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo Orchid that was presented to our President in her last visit to Singapore.

Among the Filipino poets represented in the collection are locals Gémino H. Abad, Cesar Ruiz Aquino, Ronald Baytan, Cirilo F. Bautista, Rofel G. Brion, Justine Camacho, Jose Wendell P. Capili, Carlomar Arcangel Daoana, Vicente Soria de Veyra, Ricardo M. de Ungria, Ophelia Alcantara Dimalanta, Simeon Dumdum Jr., Liwanag Gallaga, Jeneen R. Garcia, Felino S. Garcia Jr., J. Neil Garcia, Christine F. Godinez-Ortega, Ramil Digal Gulle, Marne L. Kilates, John Labella, Jaime An Lim, Francis Macansantos, Fran Ng, Erlinda Enriquez Panlilio, Danton Remoto, Angelo V. Suarez, Alice M. Sun-cua, Ramon C. Sunico, Anthony L. Tan, Rowena Torrevillas, Ernesto Superal Yee and Alfred A. Yuson.

Then there’s considerable representation of our poets based abroad. We’ve already mentioned Nadine Sarreal and Noelle Q. de Jesus, both of whom are based in Singapore. There’s also Neal Imperial who sent his contribution from Jakarta. Pitching in from the United States are Fil-Am poets Luis Cabalquinto, Sofiya Colette Cabalquinto, G. B. Calleja, Luis H. Francia, Eric Gamalinda, Remé-Antonia Grefalda, Luisa A. Igloria, Mike Maniquiz, Lani T. Montreal, Rene J. Navarro, Jon Marcelino Pineda and Eileen Tabios.

A day after the launch at North Forbes in Makati, the Singaporean group starts their reading tour of university campuses. At 4:30 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 11, the School of Humanities and the Art Gallery of the Ateneo de Manila University will host the launch/reading of Love Gathers All at the Ateneo Art Gallery. Fr. Leo Garcia, S.J., Dean of the School of Humanities, will deliver remarks before the reading that will also feature Ateneo poets included in the collection: Rofel Brion, Justine Camacho, John Labella, Fran Ng, Danton Remoto, and a crusty old part-time prof with the English Department.

On Tuesday, Feb. 12, Dr. Cristina Pantoja Hidalgo and the Likhaan: UP Creative Writing Center will take its turn at hosting our visitors at the Francisco Arcellana Reading Center at the Faculty Center, starting at 4 p.m. Expected to join the reading and mini-launch are university poets Jimmy Abad, Wendell Capili, Neil Garcia, Erlinda Panlilio, and UP Mindanao Chancellor Ricky de Ungria if he manages to make it all the way from Davao City.

On Wednesday, Feb. 13, Dr. Ophelia A. Dimalanta launches a new book as well as a CD of writings by members of the Creative Writing and Studies Center of the University of Santo Tomas (UST). Typically, she has graciously consented to introduce our Singapore visitors to the audience during the affair that starts at 5 p.m. Copies of LGA will also be made available for signing by contributors, among them the UST poets-alumnae Cirilo Bautista, Carlomar Daoana, Ophie Dimalanta, Ramil Digal Gulle, Angelo Suarez and Alice Sun-Cua.

Venues outside of campuses for the serial launchings and readings include the spanking new Amoeba CD and Book Store at Eastwood City, where we’re likely to proceed for an 8 p.m. outing after the Ateneo activity on Feb. 11. Another option is a special Wednesday, Valentine’s Eve, late-night reading at Sanctum in Intramuros. But we still have to get confirmation from our poet-friends Triccia David and Asli Aslanian.