help this year's edition of the iligan national writers workshop

For the first time after 14 years, the NCCA will not support the Iligan National Writers Workshop because of a technicality: the proponents failed to meet the August 31 deadline. Perhaps an oversight on the organizers’ part, but, the failure to meet the deadline was anchored on the presumption that the Iligan workshop, already institutionalized by the NCCA together with the U.P. and Silliman workshops, did not have to go through the process of an Open Grants competition.

The situation frustrated the organizers and panellists and was a letdown for the many aspiring writers who expected the workshop to be an opportunity to hone their craft.

After unsuccessfully appealing the NCCA decision, I tried to convince my peers during a meeting of the NCCA Committee on Literary Arts that the mandate to develop writing in this country was not ours but government’s through the NCCA. If the NCCA did not wish to support our advocacies, why stress ourselves in forcing the issue? After all, scratching off the program will be the country’s loss, not ours. I tried to convince my peers to consider Commissioner Ricky de Ungria’s suggestion to postpone the workshop to next year but meet the deadline for proposals.

But the tenacity and relentlessness of a Christine Godinez-Ortega and her company refused postponement and moved the proverbial heaven-and-earth to realize this year’s workshop.

Writers and friends have come to the rescue willing to spend personal funds for transport, board and accommodations. Personal funds have been pledged to support the fellows and the workshop’s operations. There may not be enough resources from our donors for support, but one thing is certain: the workshop will push through on May 24-28.

I have joined her advocacy and appeal, and will donate my services gratis and perhaps, if personal resources allow, sponsor a fellow or two.

Attached here is her letter of appeal for support. This advocacy is contagious. I hope it infects your spirit too. Please help writing and our writers.


STEVEN P.C. FERNANDEZ, DFA
Member, NCCA Committee on Literary Arts


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Please email Christine Godinez-Ortega at cgodinezortega@gmail.com if you can help. Any help, any amount is welcome in order for the INWW to be realized once more this year. The following have pledged their support to fund the travel, board and lodging of a writing fellow from their respective schools, regions and organizations for the duration of the INWW: Phil Harold L. Mercurio and Voltaire Oyzon, Hope Sabanpan Yu,Elsa Victoria Martinez Coscolluela, Leoncio P. Deriada, Carlo Arejola, Ricardo Jorge S. Caluen, Maria C. Buenafe, Chari Cruz Lucero, Servando Halili, Rebecca Anonuevo, Glenn Sevilla Mas, and John Iremil Teodoro.

The INWW will likewise ask for representatives and funding support from the following institutions: Ateneo de Manila University c/o Christine S. Bellen, Ateneo de Davao University c/o Macario Tiu, Ateneo de Cagayan-Xavier University c/o Hobart P. Savior, University of Santo Tomas c/o Lito Zulueta, and Capitol University c/o Atty. Jun Juarez.

The panelists and keynote speaker have likewise pledged to spend their own transportation, board and lodging, and, they are, like the staff, giving their services for free: Chari Cruz Lucero, Macario Tiu, Merlie M. Alunan, Leoncio P. Deriada, Karl Gaspar, Victor N. Sugbo, Lawrence Ypil, Carlo Arejola, and Steven Fernandez.

[post originally taken from Ian Rosales Casocot]