Photos from Melvin de la Serna’s Facebook page
Visayan short story writer Teodulfo A. Naranjo is turning 80 this year and he has one wish: to read more stories by Antique’s young writers.
“Gusto ko magsulat ang mga bata para may mabasa ako (I want young people to write so there;s something I can read),” he said after he received his “Antiqueño Award” from the Rotary Club of Antique last Saturday in a dignified ceremony at Villa del Carmen in San Jose, Antique.
He said he is concerned about the younger generation “nga ang interes ay puro lang cellphone (who are more preoccupied with cellphones)”
“Antiqueño Ako” award.
Another “Antiqueño Award” recipient, research scientist Dr. Romeo D. Caturao also has his eye on young people saying he wants to see more of them go into research.
The awardee for Arts is Glenn Sevilla Mas whose works have been performed at the world stage- at the Cultural Center of the Philippines, Callan Theater and the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C, the Black Box Theatre in Shanghai, China and has acted at the Tanghalang Ateneo and at the Theatre du Rond-Point in Paris, France, to name a few.
But wherever Mas is, he proudly declares, “Antiqueño Ako.”
I was honored to also be a recipient of the Award as Outstanding Journalist.
This is the 10th year of the Antiqueño Ako Awards (known as AAA) which is given, “in recognition of outstanding Antiqueños who embody Rotary’s motto of “Service above Self.”
This year’s theme is “Making a difference.”
“This flagship project aims to recognize our outstanding province-mates, people who have accomplished much and who will serve as our inspiration and source of empowerment,” said Dr. Melvin de la Serna, AAA Chair for this year.
Excerpts from the tribute to awardees:
Naranjo’s life story is as colorful as the stories he wrote. Fondly called Polding by his family and friends, he was born to a simple farming family of eight children in Piapi I, Hamtic, and Antique. He said that because of poverty, he was able to finish only high school education from Antique National School in 1959. He was a member of the school’s publication, The Madia-as. His wife is the former Eugenia Santillan. They were blessed with seven children who are all professionals, and eight grandchildren.
“One would be amazed at the volumes of local magazines stored in his home containing his writings. He would gaze with fondness recalling the stories of life he wrote. One would realize that these are worthy of emulation, and hopefully will inspire the future generation to discover their journalism talent and to relive the forgotten art of short story writing in the local dialect.”
Dr. Caturao dedicated his award to his parents who never had the opportunities he had in life.
Dr. Caturao is one of the pioneering experts comprising the Editorial Board of Philippine Journal of Agricultural Economics. He earned his Doctor of Science Marine Ecology, major in Marine Chemistry and Statistical Modeling (Free University of Brussels) with a scholarship grant from the International Relations for Research and Development from the government of Belgium.
Last September, he won an awards as an “Outstanding International Researcher 2017” when he presented his paper to the International Conference on Agricultural Research for Sustainable Development and International Training Workshop on Author Impact through citations and Utilization for his paper on milkfish larvae.
His name has been published in International Directory of Experts and Expertise in Marine Ecology, Premiere Edition of the American Biographical Institute, Inc., Raleigh North Carolina 27662, USA, in 2005.
Currently, he is the Dean of the College of Fisheries and Director for Research, Extension Continuing Education and Training Services of the University of Antique, Tario-Lim Memorail Campus, Tibiao, Antique.
During the awarding ceremony, I asked Glenn if he again won in this year’s Palanca Literary Writing Competition and he said, “No.” He served as one of the judges in the drama categories.
Aside from Palanca, Mas is also a judge in the Writers’ Prize of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts.
Mas is a 2015 Asian Cultural Council fellow who was recently based in New York to immerse in theatre and to observe teaching practices of American universities offering theatre and playwriting programs. He is also a 2003 Ford Foundation International Fellow who has an MFA in Playwriting from the Catholic University of America in Washington, DC (2006).
As we applaud in Antique, “Kruuhay!”
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