UMPIL ANNUAL CONVENTION: AUGUST 23-25

UMPIL WILL HOLD IN AUGUST ITS ANNUAL CONVENTION AND THE COLONIAL LITERATURE REVALUATION CONFERENCE FOR TEACHERS

As a significant part of its annual convention, the Unyon ng mga Manunulat sa Pilipinas (UMPIL) will hold the Colonial Literature Revaluation Conference for Teachers on 23-25 August 2012 at the Silangan Hall, Cultural Center of the Philippines, Pasay City.

Guest of honor is National Artist for Literature Virgilio S. Almario.

On 23-24 August (Thurs-Frid), respected scholars will deliver papers on the colonial (Spanish period) literature like the pasyon, awit/korido (metrical romances), komedya, and the proto-novels (Urbana at Felisa, Tandang Bacio Macunat etc.). Each one is  assigned a particular literary genre and is expected to give new insights on the subject. Fr. Jose Mario Francisco, S.J. (Ateneo de Manila University) tackles the pasyon, Dr. Nicanor Tiongson (UP Diliman) the komedya, Dr. Edgar Samar (AdMU) the korido “Ibong Adarna”, Prof. Louie Jon Sanchez (AdMU) the awit “Florante at Laura,” Dr. Jason P. Jacobo (AdMU) the epistolary “Urbana at Felisa” and Dr. Jerry C. Respeto (AdMU) the narrative “Tandang Bacio Macunat.” To further inspire the teachers explore methods of teaching these texts, veteran educators will demo-teach on the poetic and prose forms, namely Prof. Danilo Francisco M. Reyes (AdMU) and Prof. Ferdie Lopez (University of Santo Tomas).

On 27 August, the annual UMPIL members convention features the Writers Forum and and the Gawad Pambansang Alagad ni Balagtas, Gawad Paz Marquez Benitez, and Gawad Pedro Bucaneg. Gawad Balagtas is awarded to living Filipino writers who have contributed outstanding works in any language currently used in the Philippines, Gawad Benitez to oustanding literature teachers, and Gawad Bucaneg to consistently productive literary organizations. All the previous recipients of the Gawads are invited to attend this whole-day event.

Writers Chris Millado (drama), Carlos Piocos (poetry), and Eli Guieb (fiction) will be the resource persons for the Writers Forum called “Pakikipagtuos sa Halimaw: Ang Pagharap ng Manunulat sa mga Bagong Anyo ng Kolonyalismo” (Facing the Monster: How Writers Deal With the New Forms of Colonization).

The event is made possible by the support of Cultural Center of the Philippines, the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and the Department of Education (DepEd).

UMPIL members, teachers, and other interested parties are encouraged to attend the conference as well as the convention.

For details, text Ms Eva Cadiz at 09178453721 or email the conference director and UMPIL Secretary General Michael M. Coroza at mcoroza@ateneo.edu.