ARIEL SOTELO TABAG

ARIEL SOTELO TABAG (born August 16, 1978), is an Ilokano fictionist, poet, editor, and translator. He has received awards for his Ilokano literary works. He is the author of Karapote (collection of Ilokano short stories), Ay, Ni Reberen! (novel in Ilokano), Panangarakup iti Ipus ti Layap (collection of Ilokano poetry), Kapessat ti Bagis (novel in Ilokano), and Panangsapul iti Puraw a Kabalio (novel in Ilokano). He has also translated in Filipino: Samtoy, an anthology of Ilokano short stories, two dramas of Mena Pecson Crisologo, and the Ilokano epic Biag ni Lam-ang (The Life of Lam-ang). He works as Editorial Staff of Bannawag, the Ilokano literary magazine.

As a musician, he plays bass guitar for Ilokano band Manong Diego (formerly Samtoy). With Mighty C. Rasing, another Ilokano writer-musician, they started Danirock, a poetry performance with rock music.

Life
Tabag was born on 16 August 1978 in Villa, Santa Teresita, Cagayan, Philippines. He finished his AB Philosophy (1999) cum laude at the Our Lady of the Angels Franciscan Seminary.

His parents are Artemio Tactac Tabag and Violeta Palor Sotelo, both descendants of Ilokano families from the Ilocos.

He married Norielyn Carena Cullar of Calapan City, Mindoro, a social worker of San Beda College. They have two children: Anib Miguel (b. 2005), and Saniata Noriel (b. 2006).

Tabag edits the poetry section of Bannawag, the leading Ilokano weekly magazine. He has served as lecturer and panelist to seminars and workshops organized by the GUMIL Filipinas, the association of Ilokano writers in the Philippines and abroad. He has co-edited several anthologies published by the Tagnawa Series of GUMIL Filipinas. He co-founded Pasnaan, the Ilokano writers workshop. He served as secretariat to the Premio Duque. He currently lives in Quezon City.


Works
Karapote ken Dadduma Pay a Sarita (Short Story Collection, 2011)
Ay, Ni Reberen (Novel, 2013)
Panangarakup iti Ipus ti Layap (Poetry Collection, 2016)
Kapessat ti Bagis (Novel, 2016)
Panangsapul iti Puraw a Kabalio (Novel, 2017)

TranslationsSamtoy, Ang Aming Kuwento (Shory Story Anthology, 2011)
Don Calixtofano Mano At Natakneng A Panagsalisal (Two Dramas of Mena Pecson Crisologo, 2014)
Ang Buhay ni Lam-ang (Epic of Pedro Bucaneg, in-progress)
Mga Binhi ng Kidlat (Novel of Cles B. Rambaud, in-progress)
Kalooban Ang Siyang Saksi (Novel of Juan S.P. Hidalgo, Jr., in-progress)

Awards
Palanca 
Talaang Ginto-Gantimpalang Collantes, KWF
NCCA
RFAAFIL
ALVIYA AMMAFLA
ATILA
SABALI
COVLAA