Pen and Ink - China Chronicles

I was in Mt. Makiling Laguna in 1993 for a Poetry Grant by the Cultural Center of the Philippines. Together with colleagues from the University of San Agustin Mirror Poetry Guild (John Iremil Teodoro, Joenar Pueblo, Isidoro Cruz, Joseph Espino, my best friend Edward Divinagracia just to name a few) and other poets from UPV and other Iloilo universities, our poems were literally sliced into pieces, the contents spilled out and scrutinized one by one, word for word under the expert tutelage of our wise mentor Dr. Leoncio Deriada. His priceless assessment of every work and his technical attention to literary detail carved out deep impressions on our craft and made us even more powerful writers. All of us had to go through some sort of “baptismal by fire”. Even the best and most seasoned among us were no exception. Everyone had their taste of the bitterest critique on their work.

After about a week in the misty curvaceous peaks of Maria Makiling, we were given half a day to write new poems on any language - English, New Filipino, Hiligaynon, Kinaray-a, Akeanon, etcetera, as entries to a small competition among ourselves. Here’s an entry of mine that won the co-1st Prize in New Filipino.

New Filipino Poetry dwells on the premise that Tagalog as the base of our national language should integrate words from the other Philippine languages, particularly Cebuano and Hiligaynon as they are spoken by a predominant two-thirds of the population. A poet of non-Tagalog breeding has the sanction to experiment and articulate Filipino in his own innate way, like the way his heart might beat or skip at every emotion, or how his tongue might flick to utter words when he’s surprised. The more natural and relevant the equivalent words to him the more powerful the effect on his readers. This novel form of Filipino Poetry is the brainchild of Dr. Deriada and honed to perfection by one of our country’s foremost feminist writers, Palanca Awardee John Iremil Teodoro.

BUNDOK

Madugay ko ring

Ginustong tahakin

Ang tuktok ng Makiling.

Kaya’t nang maabot ko ito

Nagambala ang mga ibon

Sa tunog ng aking halakhak.

Ako’y napabuntung-hininga

Sa ganda ng mga islang

Nagtatampisaw sa kumikislap na tubig.

Nang ako’y mapatingin sa ibaba

Napansin ko

Ang nagliliitang mga barong-barong

Sa tiilan ng bundok,

Ang talipapa’t simbahan,

Ang mga sasakyang

Nagparang langgam.

Naalala ko tuloy

Ang mga batang lansangan,

Ang mga iskwater,

Ang mga pulubi sa simbahan.

Kumanta ang nagsibalikang mga ibon.

Ako’y nagnaog

Bitbit ang isang supot

Ng mga bagong pangarap.

- JCT, Mt. Makiling Laguna, 1993

Here is a copy of an email I sent to Vice Mayor Jed Mabilog of Iloilo City dated May 30, 2008 concerning a few planning issues in the city.

Hi again,

Forgive my bluntness last night, I didn’t realize I was talking to the Vice-Mayor. Yeah maybe we did or didn’t meet before, it doesn’t matter. You’re an Ilonggo and a Jaycee, that’s two things in common between us. I hurriedly read some articles from the web about you after I received your reply, and I must say I’m impressed.

Anyway, I’m based in China (Suzhou, Shanghai, Chengdu) and have been here 6 years as an architect. I’m probably one of those few who’ve seen how fast a country can grow when the government has a strong pro-active system aimed at courting foreign investment. What does China offer that makes it so attractive compared to other Asian countries?: excellent economic infrastructure (roads, telecoms, power, water, transport facilities) at the lowest possible rates; cheap labor; tax breaks for the first 5 or so years of operation; comprehensive planning of economic zones including environmental protection; and relatively strict adherence to the city’s master plan especially in the industrial parks.

As an architect, let me just give you a few thumbnails about Iloilo that can possibly be improved since my fingers are already all over the keyboard:

1. We need concerted effort to set up an agro-industrial or hi-tech park accessible by land, air & sea with which to channel big-time outside investment, and of course a good honest administrator to run it;

2. The old airport area should be master planned and all new buildings controlled in terms of use and height, even materials and color, not just a hodgepodge like the one we have now called Smallville;

3. Our new airport is excellent but the roadsides from Sta. Barbara to Iloilo City Proper are starting to look like the Central Market, they must be carefully rehabilitated and maybe landscaped. First and last impressions on tourists and investors always last;

4. Our old heritage buildings shouldn’t be demolished just because somebody got hit in the head by a loose moulding and died, they should instead be renovated and maybe converted to museums, NGO / NPO offices, specialty shops and the like;

5. There should be an agency responsible for managing investor visits, a careful program for introducing Iloilo must be in place, with thorough and systematic trips to relevant places and institutions. We also need a decent scale model of Iloilo City as well as the Province of Iloilo at the Provincial Capitol for visual reference;

6. There are no strong tourist destinations in Iloilo City or province that would really compel people to come except probably Boracay nearby and maybe our food and hospitality, so why not develop on that and start looking at a comprehensive plan to turn our diversion roads, riversides and breakwaters into proper parks, pub streets and food avenues Iloilo style;

7. Our relationship with Guimaras Island is largely neglected. If there was a bridge linking the two provinces together it could be the start of a real estate boom between us;

8. We don’t have proper landscaped parks for our children to enjoy, our plazas in front of the churches are so commercialized and so shabby nobody wants to go there.

I guess I’m already abusing your time. I’m just a concerned citizen and I have a hundred issues more if you’re willing to listen, but I think that’s all for now. Thing is, most of these concerns can be handled by a “proper” Planning Bureau, not just an agency whose task is to sign building permits. I think our city is in a big mess right now. You might say it’s still better than other cities in the Philippines and we have no money to do all these things. But you know we don’t need a great big jolt to realize what we’re missing. If Subic Bay and Cebu City could do it why couldn’t we? I’m sure our people have the money and the business acumen; they just need a good strong leader to follow. Speaking of which, that could be you.

Jayceely yours!

John Carlo

This is for all those who can read and speak Hiligaynon.

My poetry mentor Dr. Deriada always reminded me that even though I can easily write in English or Filipino, nothing compares to writing foremost in one’s own native dialect to hone the craft. My stance, he said, would be natural, my tone flawless, as I would be writing in the natural language of my heart and mind.  He was right of course. Around 1993, I started writing in the language of my birth and since then I’ve amassed a significant collection of Hiligaynon poems. For a time I actively participated in Hiligaynon literary conferences and workshops, and even in national poetry competitions sponsored by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA). One of my Hiligaynon favorites is this, a poem which I think is relevant to many of us…

SUYOP BUGA

tuktok sang salsalon
naglaton sa ngipon

mala, madulom
ang bibig sang tagumatayon.

ang anta nga kalayo
nangin ilahas
sa punta sang tudlo.
may gyera
sa lublob nga bahin
sang balatyagon, nakabandera
ang mapait nga asu

malapuyot ang duga
nga napurga
sa preska nga mga kuris
sang baga
kada tulo, isa ka dulot
sang pala sa lunang.

pagtulog sang kalayo
mapahuway ang asu

matimbuok ang abu
sa kada hutik
sang hangin.

- JCT 1993