Santiago Villafania | Vox Pangasinense

diurnal . poetry . news . writerature

Saturday, August 11, 2007

Letter of Nomination to the Order of National Artist

The National Artist Secretariat
Office of the Deputy Executive Director
National Commission for Culture and the Arts
633 General Luna Street, Intramuros
1000 Manila

The National Artist Secretariat:

We are hereby nominating Cirilo F. Bautista as National Artist for Literature.

Dr. Cirilo F. Bautista, described as a genius in language and imagination by National Artist for Literature (1973) Jose Garcia Villa, is a prolific poet, fictionist, essayist, literary critic and theorist, columnist and educator.

His published books include: The Cave and Other Poems (1968), The Archipelago (1970), Charts (1973), Telex Moon (1981), Sugat ng Salita (1985), Stories (1990), Breaking Signs (1990), Kirot ng Kataga (1995), Words and Battlefields: A Theoria On The Poem (1998), Sunlight On Broken Stones (2000), The Estrella D. Alfon Anthology Vol. I - Short Stories (2000), The Trilogy of Saint Lazarus (2001), Bullets and Roses: The Poetry of Amado V. Hernandez / A Bilingual Edition (translated Into English and with a Critical Introduction) (2002), Tinik sa Dila: Isang Katipunan ng mga Tula (2003) and Galaw ng Asoge (2004).

His works have been reprinted in Romania, Bulgaria, the United States, Hong Kong, China, Holland, Germany, and Malaysia. His epic poem Sunlight on Broken Stones won First Prize in the Epic Category of the Literary Contest sponsored by the National Centennial Commission in 1998.

We, the undersigned, respectfully recommend that you invest his contribution to Philippine literature with the acknowledged grandeur of the National Artist for Literature.

Thank you for your consideration of this nomination.

Labels: letter, national artist, nomination

permaLink | 0 comments

A Tao 道 Sign

Santiago B. Villafania is a Pangasinan poet based in Cavite/Manila, Philippines. Some of his poems have appeared in local and international print and web publications. He advocates for the development, preservation and the revival of Pangasinan as a literary language. He is currently an adjunct faculty member at Emilio Aguinaldo College. » more

search

publications

Pinabli tan arum ni'ran Anlong (2nd Ed.)

"The publication of Malagilion: Sonnets tan Villanelles by Santiago B. Villafania should be a source of rejoicing for readers of regional literatures. This second book by Pangasinan’s leading poet today is impressive in both form and substance. Villafania has created 300 sonnets and 50 villanelles in his own language that attempt to reflect the primacy of native culture and return the poet to the central stage of social life." – A Boost to Pangasinan Literature from Breaking Signs by Cirilo F. Bautista (Philippine Panorama, 16 Dec. 2007, pp.25-26)

"Sa kanyang pangalawang aklat na Malagilion, nangahas na naman siya (Villafania) na gumimbal sa pamamagitan ng kanyang Sonnets tan Villanelles upang ilibing sa limot ang aking pag-usisa't pag-urirat kung paano na ang panitikang Pangasinan." – Victor Emmanuel Carmelo Nadera, Jr., Tagapangulo, Unyon ng mga Manunulat sa Pilipinas

"Villafania is not only a visionary poet, he is a linguistic philosopher who codifies the origin of language and culture, dissects the myths and the common beliefs of the people against the urban legends, juxtaposes the literary tradition against the modern influences by dialectically infusing them in his poetic revelation of truth." – Poetic Revelation in Language and Culture by Danny C. Sillada (Manila Bulletin, 12 May 2008, pp. F1-F2)

"Sumusunod si Sonny Villafania sa landas na hinawan ng mga manunulat sa Pangasinan na nauna sa kanya. Sa kanyang paglalakbay, hinahawan din niya ang bagong mga landas na maaaring sundin ng susunod na mga manunulat sa wikang Pangasinan. Subalit hindi lamang para sa mga taga-Pangasinan ang kasalukuyang akda. Ito rin ay panawagan sa mga manunulat sa ibang mga wika sa Pilipinas upang patuloy na pagyamanin ang kanilang panitikan at pagsulat. Kung walang mga lokal na panitikan ay hindi magiging posible ang tunay na panitikang pambansa. Kung hindi matatag at malusog ang lokal na mga wika, hindi rin magiging matatag ang wikang pambansa." – Dr. Ricardo Ma. Nolasco, Tagapangulo, Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino (KWF).

Photos: Book Launching at the Pearl Manila Hotel, 5 Feb. 2008

Palikuer: Say Basa ed Anlong nen Santiago Villafania nen Renato Santillan

“Santiago Villafania’s Balikas ed Caboloan certainly has reinvigorated the anlong tradition of Pangasinan that for a long period of time suffered silence from the hands of writers more attuned to English writing. Characteristically anacbanua, Villafania’s poetry echoes his predecessors and presages a promising era for young writers in Pangasinan.” – Dr. Marot Nelmida-Flores