The Philippine Center of the International PEN (Poets & Playwrights, Essayists, Novelists) will hold its 60th national conference on Nov. 21-22 at the fourth floor of the Buenaventura Garcia Paredes, OP Building (or UST Alumni Center) of the University of Santo Tomas, Manila.
Theme of the conference is “Reaffirming the Writer’s Commitment to Truth and Freedom.”
Keynote address on Nov. 21 will be delivered by screenplay writer, filmmaker and scholar Clodualdo Del Mundo, Jr.
The Jose Rizal Lecture on Nov. 22 will be delivered by Ombudsman and former Supreme Court Associate Justice Conchita Carpio Morales.
National Artists for Literature F, Sionil Jose and Bienvenido Lumbera will give inspirational remarks.
The first panel session will have writers remembering the establishment of the Philippine PEN in 1957 and its development across the decades. To be moderated by Charlson Ong, the discussion will feature Rony Diaz, Elmer Ordoñez, Virginia Moreno, and Cristina Pantoja Hidalgo.
The following three panels will have poetry, fiction and drama (stage and film) practitioners tackling the congress theme:
Poetry: Santiago Villafania, H. Francisco Penones, Jr., Alfred “Krip” Yuson, Rebecca Añonuevo, Ericson Acosta
Fiction: Maria L.M. Fres-Felix, Glenn Diaz, VJ Campilan, Allan Derain, Joselito delos Reyes
Drama/Film: Joshua Lim So, Rogelio Braga, Alberto “Treb” Monteras II, Layeta Bucoy
In the general book launching to be moderated by Karina Bolasco, featured books are Dada Felix’s “Crimetime: Inspector SJ Tuason Case Files”; Derain’s “May Tiktik sa Bubong, May Sigbin sa Silong: Antolohiya”; Diaz’s “The Quiet Ones”; Lumbera’s “Critical Theory”; and Yuson & Gémino H. Abad’s “Bloodlust: Philippine Protest Poetry (From Marcos to Duterte).”
A special panel to be moderated by Inquirer Arts editor Lito Zulueta on Nov. 22, “Tales from the War Zone: Voices of Marawi,” will feature Mindanao writers Maimona Magayoong, Diandra-Ditma Macarambon, German Gervacio, Sorhaila Latip-Yusoph.
Patrons of the 2017 PEN Congress are former senator Edgardo Angara, Clifford Chance Foundation, De La Salle University Bienvenido N. Santos Creative Writing Center, Galerie Joaquin, Saul Hofileña, PEN International, Philippine Soong Ching Ling Foundation, Ricardo Soler, SM, Solidaridad Bookstore, Swedish International Development Agency, University of Santo Tomas, and UST Varsitarian.
The PEN Congress is open to the public.
E-mail philippinepen@yahoo.com.