Marjorie Evasco is busy with book projects, writing her poetry, while attending to her academic functions at De La Salle. She has written two books of poems, both winning the National Book Awards, co-edited a women-poets anthology, and an oral history, which were also award-winners. Dr. Marj has received various writing residencies and grants, including the Rockefeller Foundation writing residency in Villa Serbelloni in Bellagio, Italy and the International Writers’ Retreat residency in Hawthornden Castle in Midlothian, Scotland. She finished her Ph.D. in Literature at De La Salle University, where she is a full professor at the Department of Literature, and has also held the Julia Vargas professorial chair for Philippine Literature.
Kristian Dalao was a fellow in the 2007 National Writers Workshop in Dumaguete City has completed the MFA Creative Writing program of De La Salle University. He finished his bachelor’s degree in English at Far Eastern University. Apart from being a poet, Krisitan writes us that he “has been a xerox machine operator, delivery boy, school bus driver, cybercafe attendant and ESL tutor among others. He is presently considering putting up a rent-a-friend business.”
Victor Peñaranda, after long assignments in Bhutan and Macedonia for development work, is back in the country it seems for good, with his wife Jo. They recently moved to the lakeside town of Bai, Laguna, south Manila, and are currently collaborating on a book on Jose Rizal. A man of many interests, Bimboy (as he is known to friends) has edited the defunct broadsheet New Age and literary magazine called Ermita, with friend, Alfred A. Yuson. He has won the Palanca and the Philippines Free Press Awards, and his first book, Voyage in Dry Season, was selected for the Manila Critics Circle’s National Book Award in 1996. At present, he is just awaiting the printing of his second book of poems by Anvil.
Pasckie Pascua, journalist, poet, and cook, is the occasional event organizer and founder of the wandering cultural program, the “Traveling Bonfires” in the his relatively new chosen home, the U.S. of A. A prolific blogger and Netizen, he writes in his blog and Facebook profiles that “As of summer (leading to autumn) of 2009, I am a default-resident of Western North Carolina—although friends and enemies identify me with Manila and Baguio City in the Philippines, New York City, Long Beach (California), and Asheville (North Carolina).” We watched a bit of Pasckie and had some beer with him when he was a younger poet in Quezon City.
Joel Toledo continues to host the longest running poetry-reading event, the Happy Mondays Poetry Nights at Mag:Net Cafe and Gallery on Katipunan Avenue, which has just finished its 54th installment (the readings are held every first and third Monday of the month). Holding a Master’s degree in creative writing (poetry) from the University of the Philippines, where he graduated with degrees in English and Journalism, Joel teaches literature at Miriam College. He has won the prestigious Bridport Prize from the U.K., and recently launched his second book of poems, The Long Lost Startle (UP Press, 2009), which became a finalist for the 2009 National Book Awards.
Myrna Peña-Reyes obtained her MFA in creative writing the University of Oregon where she met her husband, poet William “Bill” T. Sweet. She taught college in Eugene for several years, operated a bookshop, and wrote her poetry, before coming home with Bill to Dumaguete for good. One of our finest poets in English, Myrna is the author of the poetry collections, Almost Home: Poems (University of the Philippines Press, 2003; re-issue, 2004), and The River Singing Stone (Anvil, 1994). She taught literature and creative writing at her alma mater, the Silliman University, and sits at the panel of its famous workshop.
Robin Lim is a grandmother, poet, and midwife. Following in the tradition of her own Filipino lola, Vicenta Munar Lim, a hilot, she sits at the doorway between life and death, gently tearing and biting angel’s wings. Lim lives with her musician husband and eight gifted children in the traditional village of Nyuh Kuning, Ubud, Bali. In 2006 Lim was given the Alexander Langer International Peace Award. In September 2009 Robin's novel, Butterfly People was released by Anvil Publishing at the Manila International Book Fair.
Rodolfo "Rod" Samonte, our cover photographer, is a master of the macro shot. A painter, printmaker, photographer, and digital artist, he has shown his work in 19 solo exhibitions and numerous group shows in the Philippines, the U.S., Europe, and South America. He is a resident of Burbank, California, having migrated there after he had well established his name in Manila.
Rio Alma, who has written some 25 books of poetry and literary history and criticism, all in Filipino, was named to the Order of National Artist for Literature in 2003.
