By Juan Escandor Jr. . IRIGA CITY — This young Bicolano writer is preoccupied with death but he said that this unusual thought that lingers in his mind drives him to write literary pieces, which eventually earned awards and recognitions. Kristian Sendon Cordero , 23, poet and fictionist, confessed he feels he’ll die at the age of 40, and assuming he has some 17 years more to live, he wanted to be more productive by creating works that would contribute to Bicol literature. . Awards . Cordero’s short story entitled “Langaw” won second prize in the category of short fiction in Filipino in this year’s Palanca Award. It is a dark tale of a poor, abused girl whose sufferings ended tragically by the railroad where she died after being raped by several men. . He said he wanted to make a statement on violence against women to make people aware of the creeping problem that victimized many helpless girls and women. . “I cannot forget my aunt who died a violent death in the hands of her husband,” ...
AGNUS PRESS RELEASES FIRST BOOK BY VETERAN BIKOL POET . Prize-winning writer and Ford Foundation scholar H. Francisco V. Peñones will finally launch his first-ever title. Under a new Publishing Firm, the Agnus Press, RAGANG RINARANGA will showcase 52 Iriganon poems along with their English translations. . Also a distinguished visual and performance artist, Peñones was a UP National Writers Workshop fellow for Bikol poetry. His works have appeared in Asiaweek, Ani, Mantala, HomeLife, Hingowa, Bangraw, Salugsog sa Sulog and other important publications and journals. He runs a column for the Bikol Reporter and edits its Bikol poetry section. He has won the Pedro Sabido Award for Creative Writing, Sumagang Award, Catholic Mass Media Award and the Premio Tomas Arejola para sa Literaturang Bikolnon. . Launchings will be held on August 10, 2pm at the Iriga City Hall and on August 11, 6pm at Lolo's Bar, Avenue Square, Naga City.
CONTRIBUTIONS are now accepted for The New Anthology of Poetry in the Bikol Languages. Contributions shall be unpublished poems exploring the theme "Bikolnón na agimadmád (Bikol consciousness)"—memories, experiences, realities, images, and other aspects of being a Bikolano. Contributions shall be in any of the Bikol languages, with corresponding translations in English. Editors however, shall have the discretion to edit translations. Each contributor may submit one to three entries; and a short bionote. The anthology will be edited by Kristian S. Cordero, Marne L. Kilates, and Victor Dennis T. Nierva.
Comments