UMPIL to hold Writers Congress, Gawad Balagtas awards rites at CCP on April 27, 2019

The Unyon ng mga Manunulat sa Pilipinas (UMPIL), the Writers Union of the Philippines, will hold the 45th Annual National Writers Congress and the 32nd Gawad Pambansang Alagad ni Francisco Balagtas on April 27, 2019, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., at the Silangan Hall, Cultural Center of the Philippines, Pasay City.

This event is co-presented with the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP), and marks the end of this year’s National Literature Month festivities.

It is generously supported by the Philippine Soong Ching Ling Foundation and the Federation of Filipino Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry.

The National Writers Congress, with its theme "Panitikan, Galíng, at Ginhawa," (Literature, Healing, and Wellness), opens in the morning with a keynote by Prof. Felipe M. de Leon Jr., former chair of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA).

The lecture is to be followed by two writers fora by respected writers and academicians—on "Galíng" by Noel Pingoy, John Labella, and Victor Emmanuel Carmelo Nadera Jr.; and on "Ginhawa" by Sylvia Claudio, Sooey Valencia, and Michael Carlo Villas.

In the afternoon, UMPIL will give out its three annual institutional awards—the Gawad Francisco Balagtas for lifetime achievement in the literary arts; Gawad Paz Marquez Benitez for lifetime achievement in literature education; and Gawad Pedro Bucaneg, an achievement award for outstanding literary organizations.

This year's recipients of the Gawad Balagtas are Godehardo Calleja (Poetry in Bikolnon); Grace Chong (Children's Literature in English); Dinah Roma (Poetry in English); Alice Sun-Cua (Essay in English); Gina Marissa Tagasa (Teleplay in Filipino); Ester Tapia (Poetry in Cebuano); and Luna Sicat-Cleto (Fiction in Filipino).

Receiving this year's Gawad Marquez Benitez is University of the Philippines Cebu Professor Lilia Tio. Meanwhile, Bathalad Sugbo or Bathalan-ong Halad sa Dagang, Inc. (Cebu) will receive the Gawad Bucaneg.

The event is free and open to the public. To register, email UMPIL Secretary General Dr. John Iremil Teodoro at john.iremil.teodoro@dlsu.edu.ph.

Press release from UMPIL