The 59th Philippine PEN National Conference will be on Nov. 21-22, at Verdure, 5/F, Henry Sy Sr. Hall of De la Salle University (DLSU), Manila.

Theme is “Change: Perils and Possibilities.”

Keynote address on Nov. 21 is by veteran journalist and biographer Nelson Navarro.

The traditional José Rizal Lecture on Nov. 22 will be by Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio of the Supreme Court.

Speakers include Francisco Peñones Jr., Christine Godinez Ortega, Santiago Villafania, chancellor Sukarno Tanggol of Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology, and Jonathan Malaya of PDP-Laban Federalism Institute; Lourd de Veyra, Charlson Ong, L. Mixkaela Villalon, Alvin Yapan, Karina Bolasco, Angelo “Sarge” Lacuesta, Paulo Reyes, Zeno Denolo, Yol Jamendang, Saul Hofilena and Dada Felix.

Sponsors include the Philippine Soong Ching Ling Foundation, SM, Rizal Commercial Banking Corp., University of the Philippines, DLSU Bienvenido N. Santos Creative Writing Center, Solidaridad Bookshop, Galerie Joaquin and UST The Varsitarian.

The Philippine PEN is the local center of the International PEN (Poets & Playwrights, Essayists, Novelists), the international group of writers upholding creativity and freedom of expression. Nobel laureate and recent Manila visitor Mario Vargas Llosa is a former president of the International PEN.

The founder of the Philippine PEN is National Artist for Literature F. Sionil Jose.

Conference is open to the public.

Call 2541068.