During the orientation of the fellows for the 9th Amelia Lapeña Bonifacio Writers Workshop, ICW staff PB Marana drew attention to the symbolic signifiance of the workshop taking place one week before the anniversary of the 1972 Martial Law declaration. The workshop’s avant theme of “Politikal-Experimental na Texto” was reckoned with, as fellows and panelists expressed their cautious interest, excitement, and apprehensions regarding the radical possibilities that exist between the political and the experimental.

Afterwards, the fellows and panelists went on a walking tour of UP Los Banos, themed “Sites of Struggles and Resistance” and led by Mr. Mark Magtibay.

This was followed by a roundtable discussion, “The National and Global Crises,” with panelists Laurence Marvin Castillo and Rolando Tolentino, moderated by Vladimeir Gonzales. While the panelists discussed pressing socio-political crises of difficulties of art-making in the face of redtagging and other forms of state repression. 

Day 1 ended with the gala show viewing of “O, Pag-ibig na Makapangyarihan” by Bonifacio Ilagan at DL Umali Hall, University of the Philippines Los Baños.