The LaSallianLast April 28 and 29, the National Book Development Board (NBDB) held the 7th Philippine International Literary Festival at the QCX Quezon City Memorial Circle as part of the celebration of National Literature Month. With the unifying theme Against Forgetting, delegates and festival-goers conversed with respected authors and burgeoning contemporary Filipino writers. The program was…
Headed by a triumphant processional by the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra and the Philippine Madrigal Singers, the Gabi ng Parangal Para sa mga Pambansang Alagad ng Sining ng 2009 at 2014 kicked off a night full of celebration and festivities. Various theatre actors, musicians, artists, and other luminaries of Philippine culture gathered to honor nine National…
When first promised paradise sometime last year by the newest kid on the festival block, music fans were wary. But last Saturday, April 9, the gates to the Promised Land were opened at Aseana City, and those same fans found themselves at Paradise International Music Festival. The summer heat coupled with dust galore made for…
I make my way along the narrow and portion of Kalaw in Ermita towards a small structure, tucked away, made up of massive slabs of perfectly squared tiled blocks. It looks out of place among the other sights on the street—topless young boys flinging their slippers at each other, other young children begging for alms.…
In the disorienting chaos that is Manila on a Saturday afternoon, we found ourselves somewhere along the intersection of Dos Castillas Street and Laong Laan Road. Hidden behind high-rise billboards and a crisp red and white Chowking signage is the famed Dangwa flower market, where the jeepney fumes eventually vanish into the refreshing scent of…
“Painting is silent poetry, and poetry is painting that speaks.” – Plutarch The audience at Natividad Fajardo-Rosario Gonzales auditorium was silent last November 13, when DLSU Writer’s Guild organized Reverie: Lost in Words, an event that showcased Filipino spoken word poets both individually and in groups. Everyone’s gaze was transfixed on the stage. No one dared…
The Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) opened its doors for its inaugural literature festival, Performatura, last November 6, 7, and 8. To enter, no fee was required—only the donation of a book, be it fresh and glossy or old and battered. With the goal of exploring intertextuality, the event created a place where the…
Two years ago, Iz Lacson dreamt of forming a group where artists could freely share their works without fear of artistic hierarchy. Inviting four of his colleagues, they formed a group where this dream could become a reality. The group believed that every artist, amateur or adept, was gifted with their own style that they…
As you entered the convention hall, you witnessed a sight like a hall of champions. Black carpets covered the floor. Vibrant hues of lights glimmered through the matted darkness. A big screen stood at one end of the hall, showing scenes of a fallen star destroyer buried in a vast desert, in tune with the…
The Manila International Book Fair (MIBF), now on its 36th edition, has become somewhat of a pilgrimage for Filipino lit lovers and bookworms. Known for its bargain prices, with discount rates as high as 90% off, and sightings of local and international authors, the MIBF has become an annual staple for those looking to satiate…
