ADNU Pays Tribute to National Artist F. Sionil Jose

In celebration of the annual Philippine Arts Festival, world-renowned Filipino novelist Francisco Sionil Jose was given a special tribute in a simple yet elegant program dubbed as ‘Pagpupugay kay Francisco Sionil Jose’ last Thursday, February 28, at the Arrupe Convention Hall of Ateneo de Naga University. Jose is widely known for his Rosales Saga, a series of six novels set in his hometown of Rosales, Pangasinan. In these novels, he rewrote history by giving emphasis on characters not given importance in history books.

‘Pagpupugay kay Francisco Sionil Jose’ was graced by its project head, Likhaan Director V.E. Carmelo D. Nadera Jr. who presented the background of the month-long event. Also present in the program were premier critics of Bikol literature, U.P. Professor Emeritus Ma. Lilia Realubit, and Dr. Paz Verdades Santos.  AdNU-based Teatro Dignos, with Dr. Cyril Conde and Prof. Leonora Bregala, also presented an interpretation of a Bikol usipon.  AdNU College of Arts and Science Dean, Dr. Lydia Goingo and Department of Literature and Language Studies (DLLS) Chair, Dr. Bernadette Dayan also delivered their respective messages welcoming the National Artist. The multi-awarded Tanghalang Pilipino, the resident theatre company of the Cultural Center of the Philippines, performed an adaptation of Jose’s work in the musical play ‘Pragres,’ a story of Marina Salcedo, a government clerk from the province in the Martial Law years who went to Manila to check on her promotion only to find out the debauched and fraudulent ways of the bureaucracy.

In the program, F. Sionil Jose delivered a lecture entitled ‘Literature as Memory, as Ethics,’ where he stressed the importance of literature and culture in nation-building. He related his personal experiences of writing fiction as a manner of social involvement, as well as how his own personal ordeals became rich materials for his literary works.  In his lecture, Jose also related how his stories were also expressions of protest against social establishments especially during the Marcos administration. 

The event was the final leg of the nationwide ‘Pagpupugay sa mga Pambansang Alagad ng Sining’ which aimed to make National Artists and their works closer to the reading public. ‘Pagpupugay’ this year began in Cebu City (Feb 6) where poet, critic, and teacher Dr. Edith Tiempo was honored, followed by the tribute to another poet and critic, Prof. Virgilio Almario in Iloilo City (Feb 13). Poet, librettist and critic Dr. Bienvenido Lumbera was given honor in Laoag City (Feb 20), while fictionist Dr. Alejandro Roces was paid tribute in his home city of Makati (Feb 20). ‘Pagpupugay’ is a flagship program of the National Comission for Culture and the Arts initiated by Likhaan: University of the Philippines Institute of Creative Writing and the Filipinas Institute of Translation.  ‘Pagpupugay’ in AdNU was realized through the leadership of DLLS headed by its chair, Dr. Dayan, and Media Studies faculty member Victor Dennis T. Nierva, who is a member of the national team for ‘Pagpupugay’ and concurrently point-person for Naga.