8 writers to receive Gawad Pambansang Alagad ni Balagtas awards

Eight writers will be honored with the Gawad Pambansang Alagad ni Balagtas this year for their contributions to the development of Philippine letters in any language, the Unyon ng mga Manunulat sa Pilipinas (UMPIL) announced in a statement Monday.

UMPIL will bestow the awards during its national conference, which will be held from Aug. 28 to 30 at the University of the Philippines' College of Mass Communication Auditorium in Diliman, Quezon City. The awarding ceremony will be held on the last day.

The recipients are: Victor Peñaranda (Poetry in English), Eli R. Guieb (Kathang Filipino), Luis Francia (Essay in English), Steven Patrick Fernandez (Dula sa Filipino), Querubin D. Fernandez, Jr. (Tulang Kapampangan), Nilo P. Pamonag (Tula at Kathang Hiligaynon), Lamberto G. Ceballos (Tula at Kathang Cebuano), and Lorenzo G. Tabin (Tula at Kathang Ilocano).

In addition, Regina Garcia Groyon of the University of St. La Salle-Bacolod will receive the Gawad Paz Marquez Benitez for outstanding literature teaching, while the Gawad Pedro Bucaneg for outstanding literary organization will be given to Sumakwelan Iloilo, a Hiligaynon writers' association.

The theme of the conference this year is “Ang Rehiyonal na Panitikan Bilang Pambansang Panitikan,” with the event “address[ing] issues on the construct of the national literature from the literatures of the region, and the concept of the Asian in Philippine literature.” — BM, GMA News