Ilokano scribes meet in Apayao

By Freddie Lazaro

LUNA, Apayao – At least 200 Ilokano writers and journalists in the country and from abroad are attending the 51st annual convention of the Gumil Filipinas, the Ilocano Writers Association in the Philippines and Overseas, at the Apayao Eco-Tourism and Sports Complex here.

The two-day convention, and language and literary seminar workshop. dubbed as Dap-ayan 2019, ended April 28.

“Our GUMIL Filipinas annual convention is our commitment in connection to the observance of the National Literature Month as mandated by the Presidential Proclamation No. 968 issued in 2015,” Vilmer Viloria, Gumil president, said.

“Gumil Filipinas had always been supportive to the observance to the National Literature Month lead by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and the Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino (KWF), both headed by Virgilio S. Almario, and the the National Book Development Board (NBDB) chaired Flor Marie Santa Romana-Cruz,” Viloria said.

Among the prominent Ilokano literary writers and journalists honed and discovered by the Gumil Filipinas are Bannawag managing editor Cles Rambaud, multi-awarded writers/journalists Honor Cabie Blanco, Dionisio Bulong, Johnny Hidalgo, Linda Lingbaoan, Reynaldo Duque and Godofredo Reyes.