To celebrate the Andres Bonifacio sesquicentennial and as an important part of its annual convention, the Unyon ng mga Manunulat sa Pilipinas (Umpil) will hold the “Andres Bonifacio As Writer Conference for Teachers” on Aug. 29-31  at the Leong Hall Auditorium, Ateneo de Manila University, Loyola Heights, Quezon City.

Guest of honor is scholar and sociologist Randolf S. David.

Respected scholars will deliver papers on the aesthetics, theory and praxis, and the influence of Andres Bonifacio’s works during the 1896 Revolution and its aftermath. The main objective of the conference is to put to the fore Bonifacio’s image as organic intellectual and correct misconceptions which are the root causes of his marginalized position in Philippine literary history.

Critics and scholars who will lead panel discussions include Ateneo de Manila’s Oscar Campomanes, Ma. Luisa Torres Reyes, Jayson P. Jacobo and Edgar Samar; University of the Philippine’s Roland B. Tolentino, Ramon Guillermo, and Luna Sicat-Cleto; and De La Salle University’s Shirley Lua and Jose Victor Torres.

Veteran educators will demo-teach on Bonifacio’s poems and prose works, such as Danilo Francisco M. Reyes (AdMU); Ferdie Lopez (University of Santo Tomas); and Mr. Salvador Biglaen (Miriam College).

On Aug. 31, the annual Umpil members convention will feature the Writers Forum and the Gawad Pambansang Alagad ni Balagtas, Gawad Paz Marquez Benitez, and Gawad Pedro Bucaneg.

Gawad Balagtas is awarded to living Filipino writers who have contributed outstanding works in any language currently used in the Philippines, Gawad Benitez to oustanding literature teachers, and Gawad Bucaneg to consistently productive literary organizations. All the previous recipients of the Gawads are invited to attend the whole-day event.

Poet and Umpil executive board member Fidel Rillo as well as other writers/practitioners will be the resource persons for the Writers Forum called “May Protesta Pa Ba Sa Pagsulat?” (Does Protest Still Count  in Literature?).

Supporting the event are the Ateneo Institute for Literary Arts and Practices, Kagawaran ng Filipino, and School of Humanities of the Ateneo de Manila University; Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino, Commission on Higher Education, and Department of Education.

Call Eva Cadiz at 09178453721 or e-mail conference director and UMPIL secretary general Michael M. Coroza at [email protected] or [email protected].