‘Gagambeks’ book launch, ASEAN lit symposium to close August

A book launch and a symposium on literature in the ASEAN region are two of the literary events happening in August as Buwan ng Wika draws to a close.

'Gagambeks'

"Gagambeks at mga Kuwentong Waratpad," by author Mark Angeles, will be launched at the University of the Philippines' College of Mass Communication on August 27.

Angeles, the Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino's Mananaysay ng Taon and a regular contributor for GMA News Online, was a writer-in-residence at the prestigious Iowa Writers' Workshop's International Writing Program in 2013. His previous books include "Patikim", "Emotero", and "Threesome."

"Gagambeks" features the "bromance" of Angelo Ballesteros, his childhood friend Coco Martin, and his hostage taker Enrique Gil. Other stories in the book center on such diverse topics as unionism, assassination, caregiving, kidney selling, suicide, agimat and the Katipunan, and child labor.

Performers and speakers at the book launch will include Earl John Orio, Romeo Alvarez Jr., Jonathan Geronimo, Aaron Asis, Ram Hernandez, Murphy Red, Maki de la Rosa, Ferdinand Jarin, Adam David, Ronaldo Vivo Jr. and UNGAZPress, Dr. Reuel Aguila, and Kyra Ballesteros.

The program, organized by Visprint, Inc. and Kataga, will be followed by a book signing.

ASEAN Literary Symposium

The ASEAN Literary Symposium, happening from August 26 to 28 at the Ateneo de Manila University's Escaler Hall, will bring together writers and scholars from the member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations "to respond to the needs and challenges of regional integration, and locate the place of literature and literary education in Southeast Asia."

The symposium is organized by the Unyon ng mga Manunulat sa Pilipinas (UMPIL) with the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino (KWF), and ADMU's Department of Filipino.

Speakers include Melani Budianta (Indonesia), Trisilpa Boonkachorn (Thailand), Athithouthay Chatouphonexay (Laos), Nor Faridah Binti Abdul Manaf (Malaysia), and Rebecca T. Añonuevo (Philippines).

Events include a panel on translation and its importance in ASEAN literary education, to be conducted by Marne Kilates, Mario Miclat, and D.M. Reyes.

The symposium is open to the public. To sign up, email convenor Michael M. Coroza at mcoroza@ateneo.edu or head of secretariat Louie Jon A. Sanchez at lsanchez@ateneo.edu. — BM, GMA News