UP Diliman Faculty Follies 2009

(thanks to kate dy and yayo yambao for the pictures)

i promised myself i won't do the follies this year, but i'm glad i changed my mind. i'm a sucker for happy headdresses, and this year's costume made me very, very happy. thanks should go to the creative team headed by prof. jeff giron of the department of art studies who came up with foam headdresses of the characters from the computer game, plants versus zombies.


this is me in our dressing room practicing my sunflower face in front of the mirror.


me with my favorite zombie, fernando, an exchange professor from the department of european languages. to his left is prof. schedar jocson of the department of filipino and philippine literature. next to schedar is jeff giron.


the flowers. me with the old ladies of my home department, the department of english and comparative literature--dr. adel. lucero, our department chair; prof. divina diokno; and dr. chit abayan.


the department of english and comparative literature contingent.


the happy costumed "plants" and schedar posing with our creator, jeff.


last minute choreography changes. i love, love, love the theater arts students who helped us with the choreography, direction, and makeup. these guys kick ass.


the plants with the zombies and the rest of the cast during the break between shows.


me and prof. yayo yambao, a zombie, of the department of art studies sharing carrot cake we bought at chocolate kiss during the break between shows.


at the rehearsal for the finale on the university theater stage about an hour before the start of the first show. at the foreground is prof. errol agustin of the department of european languages as she-wolf. it was he who convinced me to join the follies.


at the end of the second show. up diliman chancellor sergio cao, who also performed at the follies, is the guy in glasses on the right foreground. beside him is college of arts and letters dean elena mirano still wearing her christmas flower face paint.

UP Writers Night 2009

Christmas is always something to look forward to in UP Diliman. And Christmas on campus is not complete without the annual UP Writers Night organized by the Likhaan: UP Institute of Creative Writing (UP ICW). This year’s celebration for writers and literature enthusiasts will be held on December 11, 2009, from 5:00 to 10:00 p.m. at Balay Kalinaw.

UP Writers Night coordinator, Dr. Mario Miclat, Dean of the UP Asian Center and UP ICW Associate, says the celebration signals the return to the more laidback and low-key gatherings of the 90’s. The decision was made in keeping with the series of calamities that has hit the nation in 2009.

UP Writers Night’s activities for this year include a forum on the best first books of 2007 and 2008, a journal launch, a book donation drive launch, performances by writers and musicians, and an open mic.

The celebration begins with the Madrigal-Gonzalez Best First Book Award forum at Balay Kalinaw Conference Room C at 5:00 p.m. The forum will honor the four best books published in 2007 and 2008 by first time book authors. These are The El Bimbo Variations by Adam David, The Proxy Eros by Mookie Katigbak, Girl Trouble by Alan Navarra, and Antisipasyon by Victor Dennis T. Nierva. The forum will be participated in by the panel of judges composed of UP Professor Neil Garcia, DLSU Professor David, Bayot, and award-winning poet Angelo Suarez.

At 7:00 p.m. the celebration moves to the second floor of Balay Kalinaw for the Madrigal-Gonzalez Best First Book Award ceremony. This year’s winner is Adam David for The El Bimbo Variations. David will receive a plaque and a cash prize of P50,000.00 from the Madrigal-Gonzalez family. Best-selling author Vlad Gonzales will perform a selection from David’s winning book.

Likhaan Journal 3 will be launched after the awarding. Likhaan Journal is the refereed journal of contemporary Philippine literature of the UP ICW. Dr. Cristina Pantoja Hidalgo, UP Vice President for Public Affairs and UP ICW Fellow, edited this year’s volume. The contributors are Mikael Co, Kristian Cordero, Carlomar Daoana, Karl De Mesa, Chuckberry Pascual, Zosimo Quibilan Jr., Rica Santos, Joel Toledo, Edgardo Maranan, Ana Maria Harper, Dustin Celestino, Frank Cimatu, Joi Barrios, Vlad Gonzales, Butch Guerrero, Sharon Pangilinan, Jun Cruz Reyes, Rommel Rodriguez, Ricardo de Ungria, Eugene Evasco, and National Artist for Literature Bienvenido Lumbera. Likhaan Journal 3 is published by the UP ICW and comes out once a year. Previous editors are Jose Y. Dalisay Jr. and National Artist for Literature Virgilio S. Almario.

Because of the damage caused by typhoon Ondoy on the libraries of many writers, day care centers and public school libraries, the UP ICW is launching Operation Libreng Libro on UP Writers Night. Dr. Jose Y. Dalisay Jr., UP ICW Director, says, “the book donation drive aims to help rebuild the collections lost to the flood.” Guests are encouraged to bring books and cash donations (for the purchase of books) to the event. The books will be distributed after UP Writers Night.

A series of performances by musicians and writers and an open mic complete the evening. Among the performers are Makiling Ensemble, The Batutes, Los Chupacabras, Cel Flores Coscolluela, Babes Alejo with the Nukluz, Mikael Co, Banaue Miclat, and UP Professor Emeritus and UP ICW Adviser Gemino Abad.

Likhaan Journal 3 and the best first books of 2007 and 2008 honored by the Madrigal-Gonzalez Best First Book Award Forum will be available at the UP Press Bookstore on the ground floor of Balay Kalinaw. The bookstore will remain open for the duration of UP Writers Night to allow Christmas shoppers and guests more time to avail of their year-end discount sale.

Balay Kalinaw is at the corner of Guerrero and Dagohoy Streets in UP Diliman, Quezon City. UP Writers Night is open to the public and admission free. For details, contact the UP ICW Secretariat at (02) 9221830.

Adam David Wins Best First Book Award

The Likhaan: UP Institute of Creative Writing is pleased to announce the winner of the 9th Madrigal Gonzalez Best First Book Award. Adam David’s The El Bimbo Variations, a collection of 99 retellings of the first line from the lyrics of the song “Ang Huling El Bimbo” by the Eraserheads, bested three other finalists to win the prize. The book was published by The Youth & Beauty Brigade in 2008.

Described as "one of the most experimental and avant-garde poets of his generation" (The Routledge Concise History of Southeast Asian Writing in English, 2009), David joins the ranks of Angelo Lacuesta, Elen Sicat, Ma. Felisa Batacan, Luna Sicat-Cleto, Vicente Groyon, Kristian Cordero, Rica Bolipata Santos, and Zosimo Quibilan, Jr., whose first books are winners of the prestigious award. David is a zinester, bookmaker, and freelance writer.

(image courtesy of Adam David)

The El Bimbo Variations, along with finalists The Proxy Eros (Anvil Publishing, 2008) by Mookie Katigbak, Girl Trouble (Visual Print Enterprises, 2007) by Alan Navarra, and Antisipasyon (Goldprint Publishing House, 2007) by Victor Dennis T. Nierva, will be honored in a forum on December 11, 5 pm, at the basement of Balay Kalinaw in UP Diliman. The Madrigal Gonzalez Best First Book Award Forum will feature a discussion of the four best first books in English for 2007 and 2008 and the state of Philippine literature by this year’s panel of judges: UP ICW Fellow and UP Professor J. Neil Garcia, De La Salle University Professor and Literature Department Chairperson David Bayot, and award-winning poet Angelo Suarez. After the forum, the award ceremony will be held at 7 pm at the second floor of Balay Kalinaw. Both events, which are free and open to the public, are part of the annual UP Writers Night.

The Madrigal Gonzalez Best First Book Award is given annually to the writer of the best first book within a two-year period. The award alternates between English and Filipino writers. The winner receives a prize of P50,000.00 from the Madrigal Gonzalez family. A forum usually precedes the award ceremony, which coincides with UP Writers Night. The award is administered by the Likhaan: University of the Philippines Institute of Creative Writing.

For more details, please contact the Likhaan: UP Institute of Creative Writing Secretariat at (02) 922-1830.