In line with the celebration of National Arts Month, the Sarangani Writers League (SWL) conducted “TAGUBTOB: Gabi ng Pagliyab ng Likhang Sining ng Sarangan” held on February 18, 2023, at R Café, Alabel, Sarangani Province.
It aimed to highlight the importance of literary arts in the province.
“We organized Tagubtob as part of the annual celebration of National Arts Month. There are seven flares of art, and one of them is literary arts, which I believe to be one of the most overlooked art forms in today's time,” SWL Chairperson Carlou Barroca Espedillon said.
“As the Chairperson of the Sarangani Writers League, it is the advocacy of our organization to put our province on the map of the local literary scene. We also made it a mission to give a platform for our aspiring authors and to promote reading to our youth. As we cultivate Sarangani's literary arts, we can contribute to revitalizing the province's art scene.”
The event began with the oath-taking ceremony of new SWL officers – including Espedillon as chairperson, John Dave Pacheco as Vice Chairperson, Kyle Cherifaith Bago as Secretary, Xyra Jo Apolinar as Treasurer, and Xaña Angel Eve Apolinar as Public Relations Officer.
As the previous chairperson, Xaña presented SWL's accomplishments and its impact in Sarangani over the previous years.
A brief interview session with SWL Co-founder/adviser MJ Tumamac and SOX Writers Collective (SWC) OIC Chairperson John Dominic Arellano on the literary scene in Sarangani and the region was also held. Genory Vanz Alfasain, also co-founder/adviser of SWL, moderated the discussion.
The second section featured spoken word performances by SWL members, invited poets and guests.
“If other places such as Tacurong City can establish a culture of support for various forms of arts, I am sure that Sarangani Province can do so as well. We, the members of SWL, would love to be a part of it,” he said.
There are seven flares of art: Architecture and Allied Arts, Cinema, Dance, Dramatic Arts, Music, Visual Arts, and Literary Arts. SWL advocates for the cultivation of the province's literary arts and aspiring authors, as well as the talent of the Sarangan youth in various art forms.
Tagubtob was in collaboration with Sangguniang Kabataan of Alabel and R Café.
The celebration's theme for this year is "ANI NG SINING, BUNGA NG GALING," which aims to immerse Filipinos in diverse cultural expressions and celebrate the bountiful harvest from the Filipino imagination.
Presidential Proclamation No. 683, s. 1991 declared February of every year as National Arts Month to celebrate artistic excellence and pay tribute to the uniqueness and diversity of Filipino heritage and culture. (Genory Vanz Alfasain/SWL, contributor)
