Palanca winner Brixter Tino opens up on vasectomy journey in his essay 'Ari' 

Brixter Tino, one of the winners of Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature this year, opened up on his vasectomy journey which inspired him to write his award-winning essay "Ari."

In a social media post, Tino shared that he got a vasectomy at the age of 22 because of his genetic conditions that he might pass on to his children.

"Pinili kong hindi na magkaanak. May mga karamdaman ako na maaari kong maisalin kung gugustuhin kong magkaanak. Mayroon akong Marfan syndrome at psoriatic arthritis," he said in his post.

He acknowledged that his decision goes against deep-rooted cultural expectations in a patriarchal Filipino society, where vasectomy is often perceived as a emasculation.

"Ang lipunang Pilipino ay lubhang patriyarkal. Ang tingin sa vasectomy ay kabawasan ng pagkalalaki. Pero sa aking karanasan, nagdulot ito ng paglawig ng Sarili," Tino wrote.

The writer then traced his passion for literature back to his childhood. He wrote his first essay in Grade 3 about General Guillermo Nakar, a hero from his home province of Quezon, which earned him his first P300 from writing.

Reflecting on the power of literature, he described it as a space where uncertainty can be shaped into meaning. 

"May kung anong hiwaga ang panitikan na nagpapahintulot sa atin na hubugin ang kawalan tungo sa isang uniberso ng kahulugan," he wrote.

His Palanca-winning piece "Ari" explored not only the decision to undergo a vasectomy but also the layered emotions, social pressures, and personal reasoning behind it.

The recognition, he said, was both an honor and a practical blessing.

"Maraming salamat sa Palanca sa pagkilala. Lalo na sa prize money na pandagdag sa aking lumolobong gamutan," he ended.

A minor surgical procedure, vasectomy is a form of male birth control that stops sperm from leaving the body.

The Commission on Population and Development (POPCOM) has promoted non-scalpel vasectomy as a form of contraception for men. It is said to be 99.8% effective and only needs to be done once.

One of the most notable Filipino personalities to undergo a vasectomy is Kapuso host Drew Arellano, who had the procedure done last April. He did it shortly after the birth of his fifth child with his wife Iya Villania.

—Jade Veronique Yap/MGP, GMA Integrated News