Administration Conference Hall— The University, through the initiative of its President Edgar G. Cue and his executive assistant, Atty. Dublin G. Okoren- Facullo, in collaboration with Team Alagwaโa four-member group of writers, artists, and creatives from UP Diliman, Quezon City, and UP Los Baรฑos, Lagunaโis conducting a four-day training workshop on poetry writing, zine-making, and self-publishing for students and faculty members.
Team Alagwa aims to promote and popularize visual and literary arts through championing the use of inexpensive and accessible media for creative expression.
The first day featured the following activities: Opening Book Talk, Introduction to Poetry, Elements of Poetry and Figurative language, and Writing Process, Styles and Aesthetics. The second and third days will focus on workshops on writing and zine-making as well as self-publishing, after a short discussion about Cordillera Literature by Dr. Jonnelle D. Fagsao, a faculty member of the School of Teacher Education, Bontoc Campus.
The team includes the following artists:
LEAN BORLONGAN is a multi-awarded poet-fictionist and author of three volumes of poetry (Sansaglit, Sa Ibang Katawan, and Pasakalye) and a collection of short stories (Emi). He holds a Master’s Degree in Malikhaing Pagsulat from the University of the Philippines in Diliman, where he is also completing his Doctorate program. Lean was conferred the National Book Award: Best Book of Poetry in Filipino by the Manila Critic’s Circle for his book, Pasakalye, in 2023, and the National Commission for Culture and the Arts’ 2023 Gawad Bienvenido Lumbera Awards Grand Prize for his short fiction, Qtl.
TEDDY GRIARTE ESPELA is the author of The Broken Places (Ateneo de Naga University, 2022), a debut poetry collection selected as finalist for Best Book of Poetry in English at the 41st National Book Awards. His book is also set to be translated to Spanish for publication and distribution in Barcelona. Teddy is currently working on his English and Filipino poetry manuscripts, a Cambodia memoir, and short fiction anthology.
ALLAN JOHN A. ANDRES took up BA Sociology at UPLB. His selected poems and essays in Filipino have secured him awards and recognitions, including the Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards, the National Historical Institute’s Mananaysay ng Taon, and the Komisyon ng Wikang Filipino’s Talaang Ginto: Makata ng Taon.
BETH PARROCHA is a graphic designer and children’s book illustrator. Her works have received awards and recognitions, both local (from the Manila Critic’s Circle National Book Awards, Gintong Aklat Awards, and National Children’s Book Awards) and abroad (including the Noma Concour in Japan, the Yahoo Asia Awards, and the grand prize from the Asian Festival of Children’s Content – AFCC in Singapore). Beth is a graduate of UP Diliman and a founding member of Ang Ilustrador ng Kabataan (Ang INK), the largest and longest-existing group of children’s book illustrators in the Philippines.
They were joined by a guest poet, Mr. Aris Remollino. Selected works from the team, including published books, illustrations, and other creative outputs, are available for exhibit at the Administration Conference Hall from April 21, 2025 to April 24, 2025, during regular office hours.
The training was also a joint initiative with the Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs and the Gender and Development Office, further emphasizing the University’s commitment to inclusive and interdisciplinary creative development.
Said training will run until 24 April 2025.
