The Iyas National Writers’ Workshop of the University of St. La Salle, Bacolod City, has selected 15 fellows for 2014, out of 79 applicants nationwide.
Fellows for fiction (in English) are Gian Carla Agbisit, Rolly Jude Ortega and Rodolfo Eduardo Santiago; (in Filipino) Marvin Einstein Mejaro; (in Cebuano) Vitaliano Aton Jr.; (in Hiligaynon) Meryl Panuncio; and (in Kinaray-a) Mark Joseph Torrechilla.
Fellow for drama in Filipino is Christa de la Cruz.
Fellows for poetry (in English) are Christian Jil Benitez, Allen Faw Samsuya and Michael Villas; (in Filipino) Allan Lenard Ocampo and Paolo Miguel Tiausas; and (in Cebuano) Jessrel Gilbuena and Jeffrey Javier.
Iyas will interface with the Kritika National Workshop on Art and Cultural Criticism sponsored by the Bienvenido N. Santos Creative Writing Center (BNSCWC) of De La Salle University and National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA).
The interface activities include an introduction to Negrense culture through trips around Bacolod, and to nearby Talisay, Silay, and Victorias cities to see cultural and environmental landmarks like the “Earth Chapel.”
Iyas workshop director is Marjorie Evasco. Panelists are Rebecca Añonuevo, Genevieve Asenjo, Grace Monte de Ramos, Danilo M. Reyes and John Iremil Teodoro. Iyas founder and project director Elsie Coscolluela also sits in the panel.
Iyas is sponsored by the BNSCWC and NCCA, and will be held April 20-26 at the Balay Kalinungan Complex of the University of St. La Salle, Bacolod City.
