Fellows to the 2015 Davao Writers Workshop

Events by | October 7, 2015

dww logoThe Davao Writers Guild is pleased to announce the names of fellows to the 2015 Davao Writers Workshop, to be held October 27-31, 2015:

For fiction: Belle Dominique T. Sunga (Davao City), Jeany Mae Macalam (Manolo Fortich, Bukidnon), Akiko Jane Cortel (Naawan, Misamis Oriental), Czarina Lanes (Davao City), and Jeopril Jane Pableo (Digos City).

For the essay and play, respectively: Ma. Jocedel A. Zulita (Davao City) and Norman Ralph Isla (General Santos City)

For poetry: Stella Acosta (Davao City), Ram C. Manlatican (Davao City), Genica Mijares (Davao City), Mike Ariel P. Plaza (Butuan City), Saquina Karla Guiam (General Santos City), and Krishna Zarate (Davao City).

The panelists this year are Dr. Macario D. Tiu, Jhoanna Lynn Cruz, Nino Soria de Veyra, John Bengan, and special guest writer Dr. Rosario Cruz-Lucero. Workshop Director is Julian dela Cerna, assisted by Dom Cimafranca.

Fellows, panelists, staff, and guests of the 2014 Davao Writers Workshop
Fellows, panelists, staff, and guests of the 2014 Davao Writers Workshop

The 2015 Davao Writers Workshop is organized by the Davao Writers Guild in cooperation with the National Commission for Culture & the Arts (NCCA) and the University of the Philippines Mindanao, and will be held at Lispher Inn, Matina, Davao City.

Opening ceremony on October 27 will be at 9:30 AM, and the following days of the workshop will start with a craft lecture from each panelist, the topics of which will be announced later. The sessions are open to those interested to listen and meet the writers.

Myths of the Taklubos

Fiction by | October 4, 2015

  1. The crow pecked the bamboo, and Kurukusog came out. The crow pecked another bamboo, and Mahinayhinay came out. Kurukusog and Mahinayhinay gazed around them and were terrified of the things that they could not explain, which were almost everything. Their fear grew even worse when their union caused Mahinayhinay’s belly to swell and a smaller version of them came out between her legs. They named the baby Abathalgad.

While raining one day, a thunder cracked through the air. Mahinayhinay pulled the baby to herself and took refuge under Kurukusog’s arm. Kurukusog noticed that the baby had burped. He told Mahinayhinay, “Fear not, my love. Abathalgad must have caused the thunder.” Mahinayhinay doubted Kurukusog’s observation, but she was comforted.

When the rain stopped and a rainbow appeared in the sky, Mahinayhinay noticed that the baby had smiled. “Indeed,” she told Kurukusog, “Abathalgad must have something to do with what’s happening around us.”

They began to associate everything with whatever Abathalgad was doing, and they were eventually convinced that the baby had power over the world and over them. They worshipped him, and they lived their life according to what they believed was Abathalgad’s will.

Continue reading Myths of the Taklubos

No take off

Poetry by | October 4, 2015

Kung ang sadya ay matayog na paglipad
Kasingtaas na sana ng agilang malaya
lumalanghap sa halimuyak ng biyaya.
Ngunit pasanin lang talaga sa kanya’y nagdadala
Kaya ‘di maisulong kahit kaunting distansiya
Ang mga gulong na nasa putik ay nakabaon na ng dekada
Matagal na sana nalasap sarap ng himpapawid
Wala na sanang pawis ang tutuyuin ng hangin
Ngunit piloto’y lumalala ang pagsisinungaling
Na napili lang dahil sa tamis ng dila.
Damit ay kasing-kulay ng tanghaling ulap o kay pino
Tuloy bagsak parati ang lipad ng ating eroplano.
Kaya si Pepe tila’y hanggang pangarap na lang
ang pagsakay sa sasakyang patungong kaunlaran
Sapagkat walang makuhang matuwid magmaneho
Sa sakayang kay tagal ng dinasalang sana’y magbago.

—
Salle is a part-time college instructor and full time government employee.

Forward Reaction

Poetry by | October 4, 2015

My windpipe is chockful of smoke
Straining to utter words to woo
Neurons swimming in alcohol
To fool myself that I’m with you

Exasperated; waiting for when
Oxytocin in lieu of nicotine
Dominates my body and brain
And love satisfies, not deride

There is one I seek, from whose love
I will wholeheartedly suffocate
She will not fiddle nor balance
But overwhelm the chemicals in me

She is the catalyst I need
To join, aid, and to complete me

—
Gari Jamero is a BS Biology Student from Xavier University – Ateneo de Cagayan and Producer-Director of The Xavier Film Society.

distraught

Poetry by | October 4, 2015

Symmetrical distant
Glowing illuminant
Invisible yet seen
with closed eyes
Maroon apparel
Hands left parallel
Never to meet
Vanity in subtle
Self depreciating ways
Always the one to like
Droopy eyes and
Cigarette scent
You are his desire

—
Loy is a student at UP Mindanao.

The Bangkok Masseur

Nonfiction by | September 20, 2015

1.
Celebrated on the 2nd weekend of April, Songkran is a three-day holiday befitting Bangkok, the city of rivers and waterways. The city returns to its true form: children with blue and red water rifles counterflow the gray pedestrian logic of the streets, laughter bubbles from the streaming alleys, jets of water crisscross and cloud the scrapers spiked to the earth. For many foreign gay men, the holidays are exciting opportunities to flirt with locals and fellow tourists. Siam Square becomes an open playground. The dynamics of Silom are a different case: wet the cute ones with your colorful phallic object, aim true, and do not forget to smear each other’s faces with white chalk dust. These are blessings. Bless the body with the element of rebirth.

My companions simply wanted see how Bangkok would dissolve in its wet and wild carnivalesque of a basin on a Songkran weekend. I shared their excitement too, but there was an equally important goal for this trip.

When the story is not finished, return to the place.

Continue reading The Bangkok Masseur

The 3rd Satur P. Apoyon Short Story Fiction Contest

Events by | September 16, 2015

Fiction story writers who are residents of Mindanao are invited to compete in the 3rd Satur P. Apoyon Tigi sa Mubong Sugilanong Binisaya. A contestant is allowed only one (1) entry. The story should be original (written by the contestant, in Bisaya/Binisaya), unpublished (not yet printed), and must not have won any awards or used as thesis or workshop material. The printed story must be from ten to twenty pages only (printed using Times New Roman font size 12 points on Letter-size paper with paragraphs printed in double-space).

Send entry to: The Public Relations Officer, Administration Bldg., U.P. Mindanao, Mintal, Davao City 8022. The entry envelope should contain: three copies of the story; a separate paper signed by the contestant stating that he/she is the author and that the story has not been published, awarded, or used as thesis or workshop material; and the contestant’s mailing address, e-mail, and cellular phone number.

An electronic copy of the entry in Rich Text Format (RTF) should be sent by email to: davaowritersguild-at-yahoo-dot-com-dot-ph (davaowritersguild@yahoo.com.ph).

Non-compliant entries will be disqualified. The criteria are: Language (25%), Technique (25%), Relevance (25%), and Overall Impact (25%). Cash prizes are: P5,000.00; P3,000.00; and P2,000.00, with corresponding Certificates of Award. Winners will be notified. The decision of the judges is final. The deadline for submission is 09 November 2015. This contest is organized by the Davao Writers Guild.

Sa Tula Tayo Nagsimula

Poetry by | September 13, 2015

Sa tula tayo nagsimula
Kaya nung nawala ka,
Ayokong ayokong makabasa ng Pablo Neruda
Oo, alam ko
Bestseller si Lang Leav
Pero please,
Pakitago na lang yung kopya
Sa tula tayo nagsimula
Kaya nung nawala ka,
Nangako ako:
Hinding hindi ako magsusulat ng tungkol sa’yo
Ngayon lang
Isang gabi ay niyaya mo akong makinig sa mga makata
Isang gabing tulad nito
Isang mikropono, isang entablado
Lubos akong namangha kung paanong dumadaloy
Na parang tubig ang mga salita
Mga piyesang naisasaulo
Nang simula hanggang dulo
Hanggang sa walang alinlangang bagsak ng mga kinatha
At kumpas ng mga kamay sa kawalan
Habang pinapanood ko sila, natanong ko ang sarili:
Nauubos nga ba ang sakit kapag pinakawalan ang mga salita?
O hindi kaya’t
Ang bawat katagang bibitiwan ay magmistulang
Panggatong sa apoy ng mga alaalang
Hindi mamatay-matay-matay-matay?
Umalingawngaw ang kanilang mga tinig sa bulwagan
At sa pagitan ng palakpakan at hiyawan,
Walang-imik tayong nakinig
Habang isa-isa nilang binuksan ang mga baon na kahon
Dala nila ang mga pira-pirasong puso,
Ang mga ligaw na bala na tumagos sa mga nabaling buto
Mga luhang inipon sa mga garapon
na hanggang ngayon, hindi pa rin magawang itapon
Noon, bahagi tayo ng madla, ng mga ipinauubaya
Sa mga makata na banggitin ang mga hindi natin kayang sabihin
Tulad ng dalagang nasa sulok na walang magawa
kundi panoorin ang kamay na gumagapang sa balikat ng kaniyang kaibigan
Kaibigan.
Higit pala sa kaibigan.
Tulad ng binatang may mga matang nagsasabing “Gusto kita”
Ngunit ‘di man lang mahawakan ang mga kamay na kanina pang bukas
May mga bulong na nagbabadyang halik
Hindi kayang tawirin
Ang sagradong espasyong namamagitan sa dilim
Tulad ng mga mas pinipiling ilapat ang mga labi
sa lamig ng bote ng beer:
hinahayaang tangayin ng alak ang mga ‘di kayang sambitin
“Ako na lang. Ako na lang.”
At sa bawat paglagok, itutulak
lulunurin pababa ng lalamunan
ang mga katotohanan
Noon, bahagi tayo ng madla
At tulad nila, sa ating munting sulok,
bumuo rin tayo ng sariling tula
Isang tulang kabisado ang bawat linya
tulad ng mga guhit sa iyong palad
na noon ay madalas kong hawak
‘Di ko man lang namalayan na
ang mga binuo mong makulay na panaginip
ay kathang-isip lang pala
Sa huli, ako ang kapeng tinikman
at iniwan na nanlamig sa hapag
At ikaw ang kandilang nagpasyang bawiin ang sariling apoy
Tulad ng kulog na ‘di kayang habulin ang harurot ng kidlat,
‘di nasabayan ng mabagal kong mata
ang kumpas ng iyong mahika
Namalikmata.
Kumurap makalawa.
At sa pagdilat ko,
naglaho ka.
Kung paanong isang tao ay
sinuyo at iniwan,
pinakilig at kinalimutan,
bumulusok ang ating kuwento
kumaripas pababa nang walang preno
at nang walang babala,
biglang huminto
Tapos na pala.
Pero heto ako:
Bumabalik pa rin sa tula
Kahit na ayokong maalala na
Dito tayo nagsimula

—
Kiara Rioferio is a Human Resources Specialist with a degree in Psychology from Ateneo de Davao University. She spent her formative years in Las Pinas City but now calls Davao City home. This piece was performed at August 30’s Lit7rgy: Seven Seers at the Red Rooster rooftop bar along MacArthur Highway.