BIGAON

by: Ish Fabicon

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Cirilo F. Bautista a professor at De Salle University and a Palanca Memorial awardee for poetry listed the top ten short stories in English written by Pinoy writers. Here are Bautista's choices:


1. "Dead Stars" by Paz Marquez Benitez
2. "Zita" by Arturo B. Rotor
3. "Harvest" by Loreto Paras Sulit
4. "How My Brother Leon Brought Home a Wife" by Manuel B. Arguilla
5. "Three Generations" by Nick Joaquin
6."The Day the Dancers Came" by Bienvenido N. Santos
7."Servant Girl" by Estrella Alfon
8. "The Visitation of the Gods" by Gilda Cordero Fernando
9. "Faith, Love, Time and Dr. Lazaro," by Gregorio G. Brillantes
10. "The Undiscovered Country" by Luis V. Teodoro Jr.

Bautista says he based his list on his "many years of teaching Philippine literature in English on the collegiate level. My students' reactions to and evaluation of the stories, our discussion of their weak and strong points, and their impact on the students' perception of cultural values - these were the main criteria for the selection of the stories. The numbers in this list do not indicate the order of their excellence, but something about their time of publication."

I wonder how many among the Silak readers have read Bautista's choices. Personally, I love Benitez' "Dead Stars" and Arguilla’s "How My Brother Leon Brought Home a Wife." Many writers may disagree with Bautista's choices. However, it is significant to note that - after reading the stories - the reader is given a dose of how Pinoy writing in English evolved from influences of American literature to "finding" a focus on the more subtle nuances of short story writing.

o0o

Is there a need for a similar list of Asi writing in poetry? Are the poems we had read or have read evolved from the influences of American prose and poetry? The late Prof. Gabriel Fabella Sr. attempted in 1957 an anthology of Asi writers in an unpublished typewritten collection of poems written by Cleto Forjes, C. Faigao, Lorenzo Fojas, Eusebio Ferriol Luistro, Diogracias Fetalino, Ildefonso Musico, Rufo Faigao, to mention only a few.

These Asi poems were written during the middle 20's to the late 30's. In his introduction, Prof. Fabella seem to imply that these poems are representative of the "golden age" of Asi writing in Banton. However, most of the Asi poems tend to model the poetic styles of known American poets as taught in Philippine public schools during that period - notably Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.

What is the future of Asi poetry? In the many souvenir programs and "literary" sections that were included in these publications, the Asi poems still carry an "excess baggage" of Longfellow. This writer believes that the Asi poem in free verse, if I were to quote, Jose Garcia Villa, can be "slender as a bell" or as "musical as the sea gull." The late Ildefonso Musico probably had this in mind when he wrote in 1937, "Isag Sa Gab-i:"

" Isag sa gab-i,
kung ka mga bitoon
ay nagsisigay sa kalangitan
.....
kong ka dupoy-dupoy
nak hangin sa kagab -ihon
ay nagpapanghayhay sa nga kakahuyan,
ak mapaanha sa imo....."

What beautiful imagery written in pure Bantoanon! In tribute to Manong Ponsong Musico, I wrote this in 1994:

"ngasing nak pasko,
ak ahugoton kinang mga bitoon
sa langit.
atuhogon
ag ibali-og rahang imo li-og,
ak ahimaymayon
kaling napu-puot
nak mga mayabtong
nak nguyob.
ak mahaboy it tulang
nagaalimbukar,
nagkakayarkar!"

Nick Joaquin in his essay, "A Heritage of Smallness" puts to task our Pinoy identity, "Society for the Filipino is a small rowboat: the barangay. Geography for the Filipino is a small locality: the barrio. History for the Filipino is a small vague saying: matanda pa kay Mahoma; noon pang peacetime. Enterprise for the Filipino is a small stall: the sari-sari. Industry and production for the Filipino are the small immediate scratchings of each day: isang kahig, isang tuka. And commerce for the Filipino is the very small degree of retail: the tingi."

What about our own Bantoanon identity? I leave that to our readers to think seriously on the profoundness of Nick Joaquin's essay as it touches a nerve on the Bantoanon islander.

o0o

The ongoing SEC registration of RDL-CLEAR an acronym for Romblon Discussion List - Cultural, Livelihood and Educational Assistance for Romblon, might have pioneered a new spirit of sanrokan and volunteerism in the province of Romblon.

RDL-CLEAR is a cyberchild nourished by expats in the U.S., Canada and subscribers in Southeast Asia and the Philippines. Promoting computer literacy and reforestation in the province are two gems worth the support of the local community and its leadership. Success will be measured by the commitment of those who have opted that making a difference on the lives of the underprivileged in Romblon is spiritually and virtually:-) rewarding.



Help light up the new generation’s search for his roots.

Mga Pinalanggang Kasimanwa,

We are now collecting hanrumanan items including photographs of old Banton or prominent Bantoanons for the planned museum and books, manuscripts, newsletters, documents and other similar items about Banton or Bantoanons, or authored/written by Bantoanons for the Asi library within the museum.

If you have any of these items, we would appreciate if you can donate them to the museum. As an incentive, your

name will appear in your donated item asit is displayed. Your name will also appear in the general list of donors.

For your donations, please get in touch with any of the following:

  1. Ms. Perla F. Fruelda
    Banton, Romblon
  2. Mr. Rodil F. Fadri
    Lot 2A, Blk 5, Rafael St.
    BF Resort Village
    Las Pinas City, Tel. 873-99-35
  3. SILAK

Maramong Salamat.

UGAT-FAIGAO, Rufo-Bonifacia Clan

Volume II No 4