Regional writers shine in Taboan awards

MANILA, Philippines - To honor outstanding writers in the three regions of the Visayas, the National Committee on Literary Arts (NCLA) honored 13 outstanding writers in the first Taboan literary awards during the 2nd Philippine International Writers Festival held in Cebu recently. 

Recipients of the award were Magdalena Gonzaga, Estrella Alfon, Lina Espina-Moore, Edilberto Tiempo, Temistokles Adlawan, Rene Estella Amper, Erlinda Alburo, Merlie Alunan, Gumer Rafanan, Leoncio Deriada, Gremer Chan Reyes, Monsignor Rodolfo Villanueva (pen name Renato Madrid), and Resil Mojares.  

Taboan, which means “assembly, congress or meeting place,” brings together writers who have been recipients, directly or indirectly, of grants and awards from the National Commission for Culture and the Arts, said Ricardo de Ungria, head of the NCLA. 

The awards were “given to local literary artists of the first rank who have not only written well but who have also done yeoman’s work in pushing the frontiers of writing in the region,” Ungria said. 

“At last, the local literary genius that remained regionally appreciated, then slowly relegated to oblivion, will now be put in the spotlight,” said the Freeman’s Marlinda Angbetic Tan, Taboan 2010 festival director.

“Through this long-overdue accolade of local writers, we hope to entice young readers to be aware of their works, especially in the major Visayan languages,” Tan said. – Nathalie Tomada