In photo (L-R): Niles
Jordan Breis, Jerome Hipolito, Grand Prize Winners of the 1st Premyo Valledor Awards; Victorio C. Valledor, Benefactor
of Contest; Kristian Sendon Cordero, Deputy Director of Ateneo de Naga
University Press; Dr. Noel R. Volante, Chair of Ateneo de Naga Center
for Arts and Culture.
As the Philippines
celebrates Buwan ng Wika this month, it’s but timely that the Commission on the
Filipino language is dedicating this year’s theme to honoring the various
indigenous languages of the county as an important part of nation building. In
Bicol, for instance, its own languages are kept as spicy and alive as ever by
its thriving literary community and by a recently concluded 1st Premyo
Victorio C. Valledor for Bikol Novel.
Despite the diversity of
its geography-based dialects, the Bicol writing community is alive and has been
prolific with various works, translations, even books—thanks to the efforts of
institutions like the Ateneo de Naga University Press, and havens like the
Savage Mind bookshop ran by Kristian Sendon Cordero (who also happens to
be the Deputy Director of Ateneo de Naga University Press).
The awarding ceremony of
the 1st Premyo Valledor Award for Bicol Novel happened in April with two
declared winners each receiving a trophy and the Php50,000 cash prize. Niles
Jordan Breis won for “Kalatraban Sa Alkawaraan” and Jerome Hipolito for
“Dyurnal Entries.” And by this time, production for the two novels are underway
in time for Breis’s and Hipolito’s book launches and tours in the province.
Spaking on behalf of the
Ateneo de Naga University Press, which organized the contest, Cordero noted the
main concerns of setting up the maiden literary competition: “Getting the
entries became our top challenge because this was something new; but we were up
to the greater challenge of how to bring the idea across the community—the
writers, teachers, and other members of the local literary scene.
Understandably, it was tough selecting which novels would win that’s why we
ended up declaring two winners. The good thing now is that people now recognize
that contest like the Premyo Valledor Awards exists.”
Corero, a prized
literary contest winner himself, notes that the contest is a gamechanger. “We
have this notion that the highest literary awards are always given to English
and Filipino works. Some people even have reservations about using a regional
language because they think using the vernacular, especially using so-called
obscene words, could result in narratives that are too close for comfort. But
when you write in a language you have to penetrate through its wall. You are
allowed to speak your truth. I’m glad that the board of judges and organizers
had an open mind about the works submitted by the novelists.”
H related that the
current collection of Bicol literary works popular among Filipinos are still
the classics of past generations, most of which consist of folk literature such
as songs, epic poems, and legends; and added that these are stories handed down
to the young generation by their parents, grandparents, and ancestors.
“We want to proceed with
a sense of something new. Participating writers may create according to their
own style and whatever Bicol language they are most comfortable in. This way,
the Bicol novel becomes new. This is how we will proceed in enriching the Bicol
languages. I don’t believe that a language dies, I think it just progresses and
flourishes.
Co-winner Jerome
Hipolito echoed the same sentiment of pride that the literary contest brings:
“Winning the First Valledor, more than anything else, is a challenge for me to
further hone my craft and write more novels that tell stories of the Bikolnon.
It is also an invitation to inspire budding writers to write novels about and
in Bikol.”
To other novels included
in the shortlist were “Alunsina Kan Dagat” by Marvin Davila Aguino and “An
Huring Panuga,” co-authored by Arthur Justine P. Alemania and Roxanne E.
Berido.
The contest’s benefactor
and namesake, Vic Valledor, is an insurance industry vanguard, business
leader, philanthropist, Lockton Philippines president, and a true son of Bicol
(tracing his roots in Catanduanes).
“The success of the
first Premyo Valledor awards is proof that Bikol literature is truly vibrant
and diverse,” Valledor pointed out. “There is really a need to encourage our
local writers to embrace its richness by writing not just their grandparents’
and parents’ stories but their own narratives as well. This is how Bicol
literature will flourish and continue in its heritage.”
The award’s panel of
judges included Valledor; National Book Development Board Chairperson Neni
Sta. Romana Cruz; accomplished film educator and critic Tito Valiente;
prized literary writer and 1998 Southeast Asia Writer Award winner Marne
Kilates; and poet, translator, visual artist and Southern Luzon
representative for the National Committee of Literary Arts of NCCA Frank V.
Peñones Jr.
The 2nd Premyo Valledor
literary contest is accepting entries until January 2020, with the announcement
of winners and awarding to be held in April. For more details, check https://www.facebook.com/adnupress/.
