IN CELEBRATION of National Literature Month, Unyon ng Manunulat sa Pilipinas (Umpil) will hold its National Writers Congress on April 30, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., at the Faura Hall AVR, Ateneo de Manila University, Quezon City.
Congress theme is “A Nation in Translation.” Keynote lecture is by dramatist and translator Paul Dumol, who teaches literature, philosophy and history at University of Asia and the Pacific. Dumol’s book “The Manila Synod of 1852: The Draft of its Handbook for Confessors” (Ateneo de Manila University Press) won the National Book Award for Translation from the Manila Critics Circle and National Book Development Board.
Featured in the panel on translation are poet Kristian Sendon Cordero, Chinese-Filipino writer Joaquin Sy, and Danton Remoto of Radio Singko 92.3 FM.
To receive the Gawad Alagad ni Francisco Balagtas, a lifetime achievement award for literary writing, are Maria Josephine “Joi” Barrios-Leblanc (poetry in Filipino)l Victor Sugbo (poetry in English and Waray); Macario Tiu (fiction in English and Cebuano); Nicolas Pichay (drama in Filipino); Tito Valiente (essay in English); Resurrecion Hidalgo (fiction in Hiligaynon); Wilmer Joseph Tria, SJ (essay in Bikol and Translation); and Susie Tan (essay in Chinese).
To receive Gawad Paz Marquez Benitez for achievement in literature education, is poet Christine Godinez-Ortega, long-time director of the Iligan National Writers Workshop, and professor of literature at Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology.
To receive Gawad Pedro Bucaneg for literary organizations is the Chinese-Filipino Literary Society.
Congress is supported by Kagawaran ng Filipino, School of Humanities, Ateneo de Manila. Komisyon ng Wikang Filipino and National Commission for Culture and the Arts.
Congress is open to the public.
E-mail mcoroza@ateneo.edu.