Three new authors in Eastern Visayas launches poetry books

By NEIL D. LOPIDO
August 20, 2010

TACLOBAN CITY – Three new authors from Eastern Visayas launched their first-ever poetry book written in Waray language held at Escaler Hall, Ateneo de Manila University last August 12, 2010.

(From L-R) Phil Harold L. Mercurio of Northwest Samar State University, Calbayog City; Janis Claire B. Salvacion of the National Maritime Polytechnic, Tacloban City, and Leonilo D. Lopido of the Philippine Information Agency, Tacloban City, handling their first-ever poetry book. The three new authors from Eastern Visayas received their copies together with 11 others during the launching of the Ubod New Authors Series II held at the Ateneo de Manila University, August 12. PIA-8)

These young new authors are: Leonilo D. Lopido from Villahermosa, Dolores, Eastern Samar, who is now working at the Philippine Information Agency in Tacloban City; Phil Harold L. Mercurio from Brgy. Trinidad, Calbayog City and a teacher of Northwest Samar State University, Calbayog City; and Janis Claire B. Salvacion from V&G, Tacloban City, a researcher of the National Maritime Polytechnic, Tacloban City.

A collection of siday (poems) with English translations on selected pieces, the three books are entitled, ”Ha Salog ug iba pa nga mga Siday,” by Lopido and “Ayaw Pagpudla an Tuog ug iba pa nga mga Siday,” by Mercurio both edited by Timothy R. Montes and “Siso Sakradang ug iba pa nga mga Siday han Taguangkan,” by Salvacion edited by Merlie M. Alunan.

Dr. Victor N. Sugbo, NCLA Regional Coordinator, who was also present during the launching, was proud as three new authors have emerged and added the poetry books in Eastern Visayas.

The new books to include 11 other authors nationwide in the different Philippine languages (poems and short stories), are part of the Ubod New Authors Series II project published through the Ateneo Institute of Literary Arts and Practices (AILAP) with the grant given by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and the National Committee on Literary Arts (NCLA). The first series of the book was published in 2005.

For his part, the ever thankful Dr. Ricardo M. de Ungria, NCCA-NCLA chairperson, said that this series saw imagination of the new authors throughout the archipelago. (PIA-8)