We’re delighted to welcome twelve (12) remarkable writers to the 9th Amelia Lapeña-Bonifacio Writers Workshop.
The 9th ALBWW seeks works and texts that provide experimentation in the form and content of conventional genres, incorporating newer realities of the everyday use of individuated technologies, algorithms in the dissemination of information–even when fake–as social construction of truth for targeted demographics in citizen-formation, rise of populist leaders that are pro-one percent and yet massively voted by those they chose to further disenfranchise, and so too, the rise of rightist ideology and its consequence, among many, the vilification of the Left, activist, revolutionaries. By political, the works and texts address identity or historical issues: class, LGBTQIA++/SOGIE, race, ethnicity, religion, generation, sector (workers, peasants, middle class, religious, youth, etc.), neoliberalism and communism, among others. By experimental, the form and content innovates on traditional genres, incorporates newer platforms and affects of information dissemination or older and wiser use of traditional and indigenous forms and knowledges.
The 9th ALBWW seeks works and texts with a fresh use of the old unchanged concerns in our sad republic, integrity in the purposive harnessing of newer social realities and awareness, and vigor in the commitment to continue the writing and struggle for what is just and right for the greater majority of our people: making counter-citizenship claims both in the writer’s use of form and content in the crafting of their work, and in the work’s relevance in the present through its heightened commitment to shared political causes and stakes with readers and citizens.
𝐌𝐞𝐞𝐭 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐟𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰𝐬:
1. Rhanydell Bien Baysa — English — Poetry — Baguio — Tongtongan Ti Umili-Cordillera Peoples Alliance (TTU-CPA), Ubbog Cordillera Writers
Rhanydell Bien Baysa is a Baguio-based cultural and development worker who writes in English, Filipino, and Ilocano. He was a fellow at the 2023 Cordillera Creative Writing Workshop. His critical and creative works have appeared in Cha: An Asian Literary Journal (Hong Kong), Quarterly Literary Review Singapore, Eunoia Review (Singapore), TLDTD, Bulawan: Literary Journal of Northern Mindanao, Pyrotechnic Poetry, and Kinaiya (Philippines), among other spaces.
2. Adelle Liezl Chua — Filipino — Fiction — Quezon City
Nagtuturo ng peryodismo sa UP Diliman si Adelle Chua, habang nagsusulat ng mga opinion at feature article para sa print at online media. Kasalukuyan rin siyang kumukuha ng doktorado sa Malikhaing Pagsulat sa UP. Naninirahan siya sa Quezon City.
Humuhugot si Adelle sa mga personal niyang danas at sa mga napagmamasdan at nasasaksihan para sa kanyang panitikan. Ang masalimuot kasi para sa ilan ay maaring tingnan bilang makulay at malalim ng iba.
3. Jayson Visperas Fajardo — Filipino and Englsh — Novel — Pampanga
Si Jaffy o Jayson Visperas Fajardo ay ipinanganak sa Pangasinan mula sa pamilyang Kapampangan at Bicolano. Kasalukuyan siyang nagtatrabaho sa Quezon City bilang monitoring and evaluation (M & E) officer at project coordinator para sa mga proyektong may kinalaman sa karapatang pantao. Noong 2020, inilathala ang kaniyang aklat pambata na Atsu ne i Eng-eng (Nandiyan na si Eng-eng) ng Chikiting Books. Noong 2023, inilathala ng Balangay Books ang kaniyang eksperimental na akdang 26: dagli diagrams. Mahilig siyang magbasa, lalo na ng mga akda mula sa mga Pilipinong manunulat. Siya ay aktibong miyembro ng Pinoy Reads Pinoy Books (PRPB), na isang book club mula sa iba’t ibang sektor.
4. Wendrei Brent Orquiola — Filipino — Fiction — Diliman
Si Wendrei Brent Orquiola ay manunulat, mamemelikula, at manggagawang kultural.
Siya ay mag-aaral ng BA Malikhaing Pagsulat sa UP Diliman, dating miyembro ng Kultura Section ng Philippine Collegian, at nagsilbing Tagapangulo ng Alay Sining KAL at Kalihim ng UP Cineastes’ Studio. Naging fellow rin siya para sa sanaysay sa ika-17 Palihang Rogelio Sicat. Mababasa ang kaniyang eksperimental na akda sa pinakabagong isyu ng Agos Journal.
5. Lance Romulus S. Dayrit — Filipino — Poetry— Pangasinan — Kinaiya Kolektib
Mag-aaral ng BA Philippine Studies sa UP Diliman si Lance Romulus Dayrit. Itinanghal siya bilang Makata ng Taon (Ingles) sa ika-11 na Gawad Digmaang Rosas at nagtamo ng Ikatlong Gantimpala sa Gawad Monico Atienza. Napabilang siya sa mga kalahok ng Ikatlo at Ikaapat na Saling Panitik: Bienvenido Lumbera Seminar-Palihan sa Pagsasalin at at fellow sa SALINAN 2024 na inorganisa ng Propesyonal na Asosasyon ng mga Tagapagtaguyod ng Salin (PATAS) at Pambansang Samahan sa Linggwistika at Literaturang Filipino (PSLLF). Naging fellow din siya sa ika-16 na Palihang Rogelio Sicat at sa Virgin Labfest 19 Writing Fellowship Program. Mababasa ang kaniyang mga akda sa Life UPdates ng Likhaan: UP Institute of Creative Writing, Kalazine, Tapuzine Publikasyong Iglap ng Surian ng Sining, Entrada Journal, Manlilikha, at Kinaiya: Antolohiya ng mga Makabagong Tinig mula sa LGBTQIA++. Nagsasalin siya ng mga tulang Palestino bilang pakikiisa laban sa imperyalismo at settler-kolonyalismo.
6. Rj Ledesma — English — Poetry — Negros
RJ Ledesma is a community journalist and editor based in Negros Island, Philippines. He leads Paghimutad, an alternative media outfit focused on human rights and grassroots storytelling, and serves as the regional coordinator of the Altermidya Network. In 2016, he was a fellow at the 55th Silliman University Writers Workshop. He co-founded SPIT, a Negros-based small press that supports local, experimental literature through zines and workshops.
7. Charles Julian Gollayan — Filipino — Hypertext, One Act Play — Isabela — Siklab Philippine Indigenous Youth Network
Charles Gollayan is an Ibanag Cabagan writer from Isabela. Currently studying in University of the Philippines Diliman with the degree of Malikhaing Pagsulat, he is a product of numerous national workshops including Palihang Rogelio Sicat, iligan National Writing Workshop, Sunday Club National Writing Workshop (Cebu), and Paradox Speculative Fiction Writing Workshop. His works can be found in Kinaiya, Katitikan, Agos, and TLDTD. His interests revolve around indigenous studies and Cagayan Valley studies.
8. Benj Gabun Sumabat — English— Poetry — Cagayan — Translingual, non-binary, PWD writer
Benj Gabun Sumabat is a trilingual Ilokano poet and essayist from Cagayan and Ifugao. As a PWD (Psychosocial disability) and non-binary writer, their works often explore themes of belonging/unbelonging, permanence/impermanence, personal/colonial trauma, disability politics, and queer poetry. They are currently a senior in Bachelor of Arts in Creative Writing in UP Diliman.
Their works have appeared in New York University The Greene Street Review, Dagmay Literary Journal, Polyglot Magazine, Bannawag Magazine, Everything is Urgent, The Blacklight magazine of University of Chicago, TLTD Journal for Filipino Poets, and elsewhere. As a former writer-in-residence of Alfredo F. Tadiar Library in La Union, they are currently exploring the field of Blue Humanities and the deep and often uncharted connection of water and human bodies.
9. Sievney Klyze G. Quidet — English and Cebuano — Poetry — Cebu — member of Sunday Club, member of Bathalad Sugbo, moderator of HULMA: the USC SHS Creative Writing Club
Sievney Klyze G. Quidet released her solo chapbook of poetry and creative nonfiction, ‘cherry-pickin’’ with Lost Books Cebu. A faculty member and Masters in Literature student at the University of San Carlos, she is the proud moderator of HULMA: the USC SHS Creative Writing Club. Sievney is also a member of Sunday Club. She was a fellow of Bathalad Sugbo Creative Writing Workshop (2025), Women’s Writing (2024), Sunday Club (2023), Cebu Young Writers’ Studio (2017), and Bidlisiw (2016). Her poetry was on the Cebu LitFest Folios (2016, 2017), Hangtod (2017), Palabi Sa Gibati (2016, 2017), Bukambibig: Poetry Folio of Spoken Word Philippines (2017), and the Carolinian Poet (2021). Her fiction was on the Katitikan Literary Journal of the Philippine South (2021), and Departures & Arrivals (2022). Nowadays she writes creative nonfiction for the HULMA folios (2023, 2024), and the second volume of Libulan: Binisayang Antolohiya sa Katitikang Queer. | @theflipgothic on Instagram.
10. Joseph Eli Occeño — English— Poetry— NCR — ACT Philippines (Member)
Joseph Eli Occeño is a poet and a full-time community organizer for the Alliance of Concerned Teachers. He graduated magna cum laude with a degree in Culture and Arts Education from the Philippine Normal University, where he became the first from his program to serve as Editor-in-Chief of The Torch. He was also the recipient of the Gawad Graciano Lopez Jaena—the highest award at PNU Manila for excellence in campus journalism. He was also recognized in Future Forward Magazine by Republic Asia as one of 50 campus journalists fighting censorship and disinformation.
He previously taught at the National Teachers College before fully committing to organizing in the education sector. His works appear in The Metro Manila Review, HaluHalo Journal, Manila Today, and Pinoy Weekly, with forthcoming work in HaluHalo Journal’s Legend Anthology of Southeast Asian Poets. Occeño has also created and distributed zines through BLTX and advocates for unionization among educators and people-centered art.
11. Victoria Mae D. Cuevas — Filipino— Fiction— Rizal
Tubong Rodriguez Rizal, si Victoria Mae D. Cuevas ay isang dalawampu’t taong gulang na manunulat sa Filipino at Ingles. Nakapagtapos siya sa Philippine High School for the Arts sa ilalim ng kursong Creative Writing. Habang nakatira sa bundok ng Makiling noong junior at senior high school, nakapaglimbag siya ng ilang mga tula, maikling kwento, at artikulo sa Voice & Verse Poetry Magazine, GABRIELA Santa Cruz’s Abante Babae! Zine, UPLB Pride Series 5, The Basement Issue 3, at iba pa. Karamihan ng kaniyang mga likha ay tumatalon mula sa gumagalaw na imahe at teksto. Bukod sa pagsusulat, minsan na rin siyang nakipag-kolaborasyon sa Sining Panteatro bilang aktres at playwright.
Kasalukuyan niyang ipinagpapatuloy ang pag-aaral ng Malikhaing Pagsulat sa Unibersidad ng Pilipinas. Interesado siya ngayon sa psychoanalysis at queer studies.
12. Patrice Noan R. Rosales — Filipino — Fiction — Laguna— Agriculture
Patrice Noan R. Rosales is a BA Creative Writing undergraduate student from the University of the Philippines Diliman. She specializes in poetry, creative nonfiction, and fiction. Hailing from Los Baños, Laguna, she is keen on exploring local color such as political and environmental themes present in the Special Science and Nature City of the country. Moreover, her identity as a queer woman influences her work. Topics like who is the 21st Feminist and gender-based violence are some of her preoccupations. When she is not writing, she is likely sleeping.
Mainit na pagbati! May your work lead to paths unchartered and futures yet to be imagined!
