UP Tacloban, NCCA Gather 500 Young Writers for Pagsaribo han Panuratan 2026 National Youth Literary Festival

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ARTS AND HUMANITIES

23 June 2026

The University of the Philippines Tacloban, through its Division of Humanities and in partnership with the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA), brought together around 500 young writers, scholars, students, and literary practitioners from across the country for the Pagsaribo han Panuratan 2026 National Youth Literary Festival (NYLF) on 17–19 June 2026.

The festival opened with remarks from Dr. Patricia B. Arinto, Acting Chancellor of UP Tacloban, and Dr. Edgar Calabia Samar, head of the NCCA’s National Committee on Literary Arts. Professor Emeritus Merlie Alunan, 2025 Royal Society of Literature International Writer, gave the keynote message. The opening program was followed by Tsika-Lit: Conversations on Literary Production, Translation, and History, a roundtable discussion featuring writers Christian Benitez, Michael Carlo Villas, and Voltaire Oyzon and moderated by Asst. Prof. Efmer Agustin. The first day concluded with a welcome dinner and cultural showcase featuring performances by Kenneth Alvin Cinco, Paolo Ay-ay, Gio Plameran, the Leyte Kalipayan Dance Company, and the Daraygon Dance Company.

On the second day festival attendees joined workshops on writing poetry (led by Dr. Edgar Calabia Samar), writing fiction (led by Kaisa Aquino), writing nonfiction (led by Dr. Jhoanna Lynn Cruz), and writing for children (led by Firie Jill Ramos). Participants also joined a zine making workshop at the UP Tacloban Library and explored a book mobile at the Leyte-Samar Heritage Center. In the afternoon, the celebration of Philippine literature continued with Buklad: A Reading Community Book Talk Series featuring writers Kristian Sendon Cordero, Christian Jill R. Benitez, Michael Carlo C. Villas, Edgar Calabia Samar, Jhoanna Lynn B. Cruz, Kaisa R. Aquino, and Firie Jill Ramos, with Jenilyn V. Garcia serving as moderator.

Pagsaribo han Panuratan concluded on 19 June 2026 with a closing program where participants expressed their commitment to sustaining, enriching, and transforming Philippine literature as emerging writers and cultural workers.

NYLF 2026 was also UP Tacloban’s contribution to the Alab ng Puso: UP Public Service Day celebration in commemoration of the 118th founding anniversary of the University of the Philippines.

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