Rhyme and reason behind first national poetry day

Poetry took its deserved spotlight on 22 November as writers, artists, cultural workers, cultural institutions, literary groups, and schools celebrated the very first National Poetry Day, or
Pambansang Araw ng Pagtula, in the Philippines.

The celebration was highlighted by a poetry reading/performance marathon, combining a virtual program through the platform Zoom and a live one, from 1 to 4:30 p.m. at the Hardin ng Ekspresyon (Garden of Expressions), one of the two courtyards at Manila Metropolitan Theater, the newly rehabilitated Art Deco landmark in the Philippine capital.

Poets from all over the country read their works, live and prerecorded, and presented video interpretations of their poems through Zoom, in different languages of the Philippines such as Filipino, English, Ilocano, Central Bikolano, Akeanon, Hiligaynon, and Cebuano.

The participating poets included Vim Nadera, Ariel Sotero Tabag, Leonardo D. Tejano, R.B. Abiva, Anna Liza M. Gaspar, Adrian Pete Medina Pregonir, Gil S. Montinola, Kid Orit, Agatha Palencia-Bagares, Tresia Siplante Traqueña, Cristobal Alipio, Beverly Wico Siy, Rosmon Tuazon, Ben Aguilar, James Prudenciado, Abdon Balde, Jr., Ambrocio Escalante Pascua, Maria Milagros Dumdum, Simeon Dumdum, Jr., Romulo P. Baquiran, Jr., Candle L. Egg (Gerald Galindez), Kristian Sendon Cordero, Jed Nikolle Harme, Aurea Paz, John Dave B. Pacheco, Xaña Angel Eve Apolinar, Melona Mascarinas, Erol Merquita Urom, Ria Valdez, Jhoanna Lynn B. Cruz, NME Valdez, Mark Angeles, Ana Maria Bacudio, and Hannah Adtoon Leceña.

Lawyer Marvin Aceron, executive publisher of San Anselmo Publications, main organizer of the program, in his onsite program opening remarks said the impetus for National Poetry Day was someone asking if there is a special day for poetry in the Philippines. This led to the first celebration, a simple affair. He promised to fine-tune the programs for future celebrations.

Aceron said some schools were watching the program, which is very heartening because arts and humanities subjects are increasingly being pulled out of the curricula by many schools, and instead compulsory military training is being promoted and imposed.

Some schools also created activities for National Poetry Day. At PHINMA University of Iloilo in Iloilo City, students participated in an on-the-spot poetry writing contest with the theme "Ginintuang Bersa; Pagbibigay Pugay kay Huseng Batute."

Huseng Batute is the pen name of iconic, early 20th-century Tagalog poet Jose Corazon de Jesus, hailed as the Hari ng Balagtasan and whose birth date was chosen as the date for National Poetry Day.

"Para sa akin, si Corazon o Huseng Batute (ang alyas niya biláng kolumnista) ang pinakadakilang makata ng nakaraang siglo. Siyá ang pinakapopular na makata ng bayan sa bungad ng ika-20 siglo at hanggang mamatay siyá noong 26 Mayo 1932. Nása rurok siya ng katanyagan nang mamatay. Walâ nang makatang nakamána sa kaniyang popularidad hanggang ngayon (For me, Corazon or Huseng Batute [his alias as a columnist] is the greatest poet of the past century. He was the most popular poet of the country at the start of the 20th century until he died on 26 May 1932. He was at the peak of his fame when he died. No poet has attained the height of his popularity until now)," wrote National Artist for literature Virgilio S. Almario in an entry, "Ang Madla sa Pagtula," for his online column, "Sari-Samot," written on 14 November and posted on the Filipino Ngayon Facebook page on 18 November.

The revered poet and professor, who in 2015 institutionalized the celebration of National Literature Month every April, spearheaded National Poetry Day.

Bring back poetry

In an earlier "Sari-Samot" entry, "Isang Tanging Araw Para sa Pagtula," posted on the Filipino Ngayon Facebook page on 10 November, he provided a quick survey of Filipino poetic forms and the role of poetry in Philippine history and society.

"Napakahalaga ng tula sa ating kasaysayan. Bakâ táyo lang ang may kasaysayan ng panahon ng pagpapalayà na pinangunahan ng mga bayaning makata. Mula kay Balagtas, ang landas ng ating paglayà ay hinawan ng pagtula nina Plaridel, Rizal, Bonifacio, at Jacinto (Poetry is very important in our history. Perhaps, only we have a history of freedom movement led by poet-heroes. From Balagtas, the path to freedom was forged by the poetry of Plaridel, Rizal, Bonifacio, and Jacinto)," he said.

In "Ang Madla sa Pagtula," Almario said, "Isang masaklap na katotohanan na nawalan ng madla ang tula nitóng nakaraang siglo. Ang analisis ng akademya, nalípat kasí ang pagkagiliw ng madla sa brodkast at pelikula. Ngunit bakit nangyári iyon, samantálang hanggang noong 1930s ay superstar ang mga makata sa mga pagdiriwang, pinanonood ang balagtasan, at binabása ang mga kolum na patulâ sa peryodiko? (It is a sad truth that poetry has disappeared from people's lives in the past century. The analysis by the academe is that the enjoyment for poetry was transferred to broadcast and films. Why did that happen when, until the 1930s, poets were superstars at events, people watched poetry jousts, and poetry was read in newspaper columns?)"

Thus, the slogan, "Ibalik ang tula sa puso ng madla" (Bring poetry back to people's hearts), was bannered in the celebration.

"Makinig tayo, manood! Baka hindi lang natin namamalayan ngayon ang pagtulang magbabalik ng ating puso sa aliw at katuturan ng nilikha ng ating mga makata (Let's listen, watch! Perhaps, we don't realize now the poetry that will bring our hearts back to the delight and meanings created by poets)," Almario enthused.

Huseng Batute's works in book

For National Poetry Day and De Jesus's 128th birth anniversary, San Anselmo Publications launched the book Mga Piling Tula ni Jose Corazon de Jesus, edited by Almario, and made the e-book version free for downloading on that day.

At the live program, poet and singer Michael M. Coroza performed two of De Jesus' "Ang Pagbabalik" and "Kahit Saan." The traditional Tagalog poetic joust/debate, called balagtasan, was also featured through the performances of Fernando P. Macatantan, Alex Santos, Melandro Pascual and Jujie Genevie Bulos of the Barasoain Kalinangan Ensemble from Malolos, Bulacan, and The Makatàs, a trio of poets composed of Roy Cagalingan, Karl Isaac Santos, and Dakila Cutab. The contemporary spoken word was also featured with the performance of Mark Ghosn of the popular Ampalaya Monologues.

Songs, considered as poems set to music, were also part of the program from the traditional (the Tagalog kundiman performance by Miko Coroza at Haraya Coroza) and the modern (nu metal with rap performance by Buko Joe Perez).

The live program closed with National Artist for Literature Gemino H. Abad, who said that the celebration's slogan was a "fantastic expression" and that the priority of the government, which is supported by people's taxes, is education, other than addressing poverty.

"Mahina tayo sa (We are weak when it comes to) education," he sighed. "Basta, this government…anyway, never mind."

He read his exemplary "I Teach My Child"—"And so./I teach my child/To survive./I begin with our words,/The simple words first/That last."

The Philippines is the latest part of the world to have a special date to celebrate poetry. A National Poetry Day has been celebrated in the United Kingdom every first Thursday of October since 1994, and National Poetry Month is held in the United States every April since 1996. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization or UNESCO leads the celebration of World Poetry Day every 21 March since 1999, putting a spotlight on one of the oldest, most treasured and highly regarded artistic forms of creativity and expression of humanity.