Krip's Critical Comments

Alfred Yuson’s thoughts on the National Artist for Literature deliberations for this year, which he wrote down in his Philippine Star column last Monday, has irked quite a number of (mostly UP-based) creative writers in Filipino. Some of them, most notably Joi Barrios, even wrote him (or the newspaper) letters criticizing his criticism of Bienvenido Lumbera, who’s currently enjoying the lead over Cirilo Bautista in the deliberations. Clearly, here’s another mini-controversy in the making.

I only know Bautista and Lumbera by reputation, so I really can’t judge which one deserves the National Artist title more. But from what I've heard I can say that both men have accomplished much for Philippine literature. That said, Bautista is better known as a poet (his The Trilogy of Saint Lazarus has been praised as a landmark work) while people know Lumbera, an icon for his scholarly work in Philippine literature in Filipino, more as a literary critic.

In any case, politicking has always been present in these deliberations.

FYI, the following are the rest of the National Artist for Literature nominees for this year: Antonio Realce Berango, Linda Ty Casper, Clodualdo del Mundo Sr., Ophelia Alcantara Dimalanta, Gilda Cordero Fernando, Lazaro Francisco, Juan S.P. Hidalgo, Jr., Lucila Hosillos, Magdalena Jalandoni, Genoveva Edroza Matute, Buenaventura Medina, Jr., Carmen Guerrero Nakpil, Kerima Polotan, Francisco "Soc" Rodrigo, Rogelio Sicat, Azucena Grajo Uranza, and Rene Villanueva.

My first reaction after seeing this list: Where is Gregorio Brillantes?

Personally, I would love to see Villanueva become a National Artist, but I know that will not happen this year. That being the case, I would be very pleased if the Holy Trinity of Postwar Philippine Short Fiction in English—Brillantes, Fernando and Polotan—get that honor. And if they were still alive, Bienvenido N. Santos, Estrella D. Alfon, and Rogelio Sicat would surely be National Artists by now.

(Muchos gracias to the Decongestant owner for the links. Ü)