Albina Fernandez's 'Eleven' launch today
MANILA, Philippines - Albina Peczon Fernandez again highlights the wit and color of Kapampangan culture in her latest book Eleven — Riverrun and Ten More Short Stories, which will be launched today, Dec. 3, 2 p.m., by the University of the Philippines (UP) Committee on Linkages and the Holy Angel University in a Kapampangan literary event at the Claro M. Recto Hall of the Bulwagang Rizal, UP Campus in Diliman.
Billed as “Pamanipun karing batu para king edipisyu/Pagtitipon ng mga bato para sa edipisyo/Gathering the stones for the edifice,” the event will include the unveiling of an exhibit on Kapampangan writers and writings to be highlighted by the launch of Fernandez’ Eleven.
The Fernandez book launch and exhibit is the latest of activities lined up by the UP Committee on Linkages formed by concerned faculty members of the Department of English and Comparative Literature (DECL) and the Departamento ng Filipino at Panitikan ng Pilipinas (DFPP) of the College of Arts and Letters in line with the vision outlined by UP president Alfredo Pascual to place UP in the forefront of national development efforts through the academic excellence of its faculty, students, researchers and staff members.
Fernandez, widow of the late UP College of Law professor Perfecto Fernandez, was scheduled to launch Eleven last Nov.11 but had to postpone due to the untimely death in his sleep of one of her sons, lawyer Cristobal Fernandez, earlier that week.
Fernandez started her writing career early in 1956 when her story, “The House on Misericordia Street” won the First Prize in the Short Story Writing Contest organized by NVM Gonzales. In the same year she was elected a member of the UP Writers’ Club which she served as secretary-treasurer in 1957-58. She subsequently obtained an AB in English in 1957, Master in Industrial Relations in 1980, and a Ph. D. in Philippine Studies in 1996 from the University of the Philippines-Diliman.
During the Centennial celebration of the founding of the Department of English and Comparative Literature this year she was recognized by her alma mater for her writings on women’s studies and short stories. Joining the Departamento ng Filipino at Panitikan ng Pilipinas in 1980 as a substitute instructor, she retired as full professor in 2001.
