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Vladimeir B. Gonzales
ISSUE EDITOR
Dx MACHINA 1
PHILIPPINE LITERATURE
IN THE TIME OF COVID-19
Vladimeir B. Gonzales
ISSUE EDITOR
Vladimeir B. Gonzales
Issue Editor
Albert Raqueño
Layout and Cover Artist
Rogene A. Gonzales
Arvin Abejo Mangohig
Copy Editors
LIKHAAN:
THE UP INSTITUTE
OF CREATIVE WRITING
Room 3200, Pavilion 3
Palma Hall, Roxas Street
UP Diliman, Quezon City
Telephone
8981-8500, loc. 2116, 2117, 2417
Rolando B. Tolentino
Director
Email
icw.upd@up.edu.ph
Vladimeir B. Gonzales
Deputy Director Facebook
facebook.com/panitikan.ph
Advisers facebook.com/upicw
National Artist for Literature Virgilio S. Almario
National Artist for Literature Bienvenido L. Lumbera Twitter
National Artist for Theater Amelia Lapeña-Bonifacio @PanitikanPH
University Professor Emeritus Gémino H. Abad @LIKHAAN
Professor Emeritus Cristina Pantoja Hidalgo
Fellows
Professor Emeritus Jose Y. Dalisay Jr.
Professor J. Neil C. Garcia
Professor Jun Cruz Reyes
Professor Victor Emmanuel Carmelo D. Nadera Jr.
Professor Romulo P. Baquiran Jr.
Professor Luna Sicat Cleto
Professor Eugene Y. Evasco
Charlson L. Ong
Associates
Professor Ramon G. Guillermo
Professor Anna Felicia C. Sanchez
Staff
Ronnie C. Amuyot
Arlene A. Andresio
Gloria C. Evangelista
Manolet V. Ferrer
Bookkeeper
Ma. Karen S. Pablo
Nilalaman | Table of Contents
vii
viii Dx Machina 1: Philippine Literature in the Time of COVID-19
Pag-uugat at Pagsasanga
Pakikipagbuno sa Anyo
Paghahanap ng Paliwanag
Pagsusuri sa Uri
Pag-aklas sa Pagwawakas
1
2 Dx Machina 1: Philippine Literature in the Time of COVID-19
Life in Wuhan
3 February 2020
A day or two before the lockdown, there was an order from the
government requiring all people to wear face masks for protection.
The Chinese people, especially the younger ones, have rushed
to buy theirs, either in stores or online through Taobao (淘宝).
Masks went “sold out” quickly. Good thing I have my own masks
for protection from pollution, especially when the Wuhan sky
becomes very hazy. I also competed with others buying my own
supply from Taobao before supplies ran out.
When the lockdown began, many stores and establishments
near my university closed—the shopping malls and the food chains.
Food deliveries or 外卖 (waimai) were limited. Eventually, we were
told it is best not to buy from food delivery because we are not
sure about the source. Thankfully, although three days after the
lockdown, I was told the school canteen is open and food can be
bought there. For my security, I already bought food (mostly snacks
and instant noodles) from the nearest supermarket before going to
the canteen.
On the 26th, the regulations became stricter as private vehicles
were also prohibited from going out in the streets unless it was
essential. I guess by this time, everyone already had a sense of the
seriousness of the problem. What is inspiring, however, are the
messages you see in Chinese social media. Images and messages
that say “武汉加油” (wuhan jiayou) or “Wuhan, come on!” cheer
the people to have high spirits and encourage everyone amid this
unfortunate event that happened within the new year holiday.
As the news was picked up by the international media, not to
mention having been asked by friends from the press about the
situation here, many of my family and friends in the Philippines
and elsewhere started sending messages asking about my condition
here in Wuhan. Nobody wanted this to happen. I appreciate those
who sent messages, even those very early in the morning or very
late at night.
4 Dx Machina 1: Philippine Literature in the Time of COVID-19
Lockdown
27 February 2020
was supposed to be open for the duration of the holiday, even if the
city was locked down because of the coronavirus.
I was happy because the other canteen was located on the
east side of the university (my dorm is located on the west side).
This means that I will be able to reach my daily target of 10,000
steps. Although I must mention this: walking from my dorm to that
canteen would take roughly half an hour and another half hour on
my way back.
Two days later, there was an announcement that the school will
also close the east side canteen. Instead, they will deliver the food
to our dormitories. I heaved a sigh of relief. I do not need to walk
for an hour to get lunch and dinner. But, of course, I will not be
able to meet my step requirements for the day.
Before returning to my dorm that day, I decided to go to the
school supermarket to buy some grocery items, which I needed for
the week. Some stores were already closed, and the nearest large-
scale supermarket is still quite a distance. Little did I know that was
the last time I will be able to go outside the dorm building.
Since 2 February 2020, I have been locked inside our dorm
building. This was to ensure that we will not be exposed to possible
carriers of the virus. The “lockdown” was not officially announced
and, if you ask me, it shocked me that we can no longer go out. In
fact, I tried to go out that day only to be told by the dorm guard
about the status, which by then was already obvious to me, and the
doors were chained.
It made sense to me why the food for breakfast, lunch, and
dinner will be delivered. At specific times, we have to go to the
dorm lobby to get our food. We also get free face masks, free
handwashing soap, and a free thermometer. From day 1, we were
told to regularly report our body temperature and self-monitor for
possible symptoms.
6 Dx Machina 1: Philippine Literature in the Time of COVID-19
Every day was an ordinary day. There was nothing much to do.
At first, I took advantage of the lockdown to watch some series and
movies on Netflix. I also read books and continue writing some of
my papers. I played games on my phone. I talked to people. But as
the days spent in the room count longer, and with the uncertainty
enveloping this situation, I start to wonder what will happen next
to me. As a peripatetic person, I cannot imagine myself confined in
a space like my room!
So I spend twenty-three hours of my day inside the room. The
other one hour to go down to get food three times and up to return
to my room. I live alone. As a doctoral student, I get a place to myself.
Most of my friends who are not a lot and are also international
students have returned to their countries. My Chinese friends
have returned to their homes. Even if they are in Wuhan, there is
no way they can come to the campus as public transportation has
been suspended and the dormitories closed to nonresidents. As
much as possible, group gatherings are discouraged as everyone is
a potential carrier.
Later, I decided to volunteer to handle the food service since
there was not enough personnel to help to serve food for breakfast,
lunch, and dinner in our dorm. So far, I enjoy doing it, and it is a
useful way of spending my time. I get to talk to and interact with
people and help them get their food.
By the second week of February, which is also the second
week of the dorm lockdown, the school has started arranging
for the opening of the spring semester but using all available
online platforms. For this term, I am taking four major classes
(research methods, comparative politics, local government, and
contemporary China) and a required course on Chinese history
and culture for international students. Finally, there was something
to do other than those things I usually do.
Jan Robert R. Go 7
Number 93
10 April 2020
Two days ago, 8 April, the entry and exit points of Wuhan were
opened. This included the major roads leading to the city and the
three main train stations (Wuhan, Hankou, and Wuchang). There
was a lot of propping up that happened before that day, which
included a daily countdown, as people’s anticipation and excitement
piled up. In short, after more than two months of closing its doors
to the greater China, Wuhan is ready to welcome people back in
the city.
As many would have guessed, nothing is precisely “back to
normal” in Wuhan. With fears of another wave of infection, the
regulations during the lockdown were only relaxed, and only those
certified to be healthy and cleared by authorities to move around
can move around, albeit limited movement.
Even my contacts from the mainstream media in the Philippines
are excited to ask me about what is happening here in Wuhan that
they ask once again for me to grant them interviews. Unfortunately,
there is nothing much I can tell for now. My situation today is better.
Jan Robert R. Go 9
The food shops in the south gate area of my university, which include my go-to
Lanzhou lamian (兰州拉面) place are still closed. Basically, going out is all about
stretching muscles and getting some sunshine.
No exit: Even with the lifting of the lockdown, we are only allowed to move and
walk within the university campus. Only the school canteen and the supermarket
are open. Blue fences block the entry and exit points.
Jan Robert R. Go 11
The semester will end in the last week of June, and there is no
word when the school will reopen. In other cities and provinces,
there are already scheduled reopening dates, which fall mid-May.
As I mentioned in my previous posts, with the situation now, even
the defense of theses and dissertations will also be conducted
online using either QQ or Tencent Meeting applications.
On the first day, I went around the campus to take pictures.
Unfortunately, the blooming time has lapsed. I was not able to see
this year’s flowering season and all trees are now very green. On a
positive note, it was good to walk around the campus and under
the trees.
Even if we are already allowed to go out of the dormitory, we
can only move and walk within the campus. The campus gates are
closed, and blue fences are blocking the pedestrian and vehicle
entrances. Only authorized vehicles are allowed to enter in
designated gates.
When going out of the building, the dormitory guards or shifu
(师傅) looks at a list of students and ticks the column of going out
外出, time out 时间, coming in 进来, time in 时间. Students who go
beyond the time will not be allowed to go out the following day.
On day 1, it took a long time to register to go out and come in since
they ask for room and student numbers. Now, they have devised a
way to identify students: each student is assigned a number. I am
number 93.
2020, Philippines
12
Marikit Tara Alto Uychoco 13
Chinese eyes, and tanks were rolling up and down the avenue while
people held each other in fear. The Chinese knew that as long as
they had the National Capital Region, they controlled everything.
It was the third phase of their invasion. The first phase was
occupation—their businesses, their money, the actual physical
presence of Chinese soldiers as fake employees, the Chinese
monitoring the country from their bases on artificial islands. The
second phase was chaos—delivered by the Coronavirus, which
made it possible to lock people in their homes while they prepared.
And the third was this—actual boots on the ground.
Andy flicked on the television. The TV set showed the Philippine
president and his cabinet. Behind them were a line of generals and
the Philippine flag, the Chinese flag right beside him. The President
spoke, his face visibly sicker and older than it was before he was
elected, “Our Chinese friends are here to help us fight the virus and
the terrorists in the city. They are here to ensure discipline—kayo
kasi—if only you were good citizens, we wouldn’t have to resort to
these measures. It pains me to do this, but I have no other choice.”
Andy wished she could deal them with one fatal blow. The
adrenaline that filled her when she sparred in the gym roared in
her ears, and she wished she could choke someone out to solve the
shit that they were in. Instead, Andy gritted her teeth as she shut
down her social media accounts. Go lightly, she said to herself, find
the flow, work the angles. Don’t let the fear get to you, don’t force anything
to submission. Let the moment come and then attack. It was a familiar
litany, something that had helped her whenever she would train
jiujitsu.
Social media was a lifeline, but she knew it would be the death
of her. She cut up her sim card and set aside her smart phone. She
did everything automatically. Pick only the practical clothes. Pack your
bags. Delete files on the computer. She knew that if she didn’t act now,
there would be no future.
14 Dx Machina 1: Philippine Literature in the Time of COVID-19
She had met Mark in Palawan a year ago. She had emerged
from the ocean that morning, doing field research for an old client,
Limahong Industries. One of the perks of the job was an all-expense
paid trip in a classy resort, and she was concentrating on breakfast
when Mark sat at her table overlooking the shore. He introduced
himself and cut to the chase, while she stared at him in amazement.
16 Dx Machina 1: Philippine Literature in the Time of COVID-19
“In 2020, there will be a virus from China, and it will spread
to the rest of the world. At first, we would believe them, that it
came from some bats in the Chinese market, a Coronavirus, but
eventually the truth will come out. It is a Chinese biological weapon
meant to disrupt the world and change the balance of power. There
will be a huge pandemic whose reach will be far and wide, and the
world will stop,” he said fiercely.
He took a deep breath and he continued, “During this time,
Chinese forces will prepare to take over the world and Russia will
be by her side. Once they’re done with everything, the world powers
will be Russia in the West and China in the East. The United States
will fall, and the United Nations, and all others, will bow down
before the communist regime.”
She was tempted to set security on him, but the objects in
his hand stopped her. He gave her a folded note and her father’s
watch—a Christmas gift she had given her father—the watch she
had placed on his wrist the day they had buried him.
“He was a good man,” Mark told her, “a smart man. Without
him, we never would have gone as far in the technology. An agent
went back to the past to consult with him, and he gave us this . . .”
Her father was a quantum physicist, and some people called him
the Grandfather of Time Travel. His theories were ground-breaking,
but there was never enough money to test their application.
“Everything that your father told you was true, including
the possibilities of time travel,” Mark told her. “We only got the
calculations right recently, and built the time machine . . . especially
since there didn’t seem to be anything else the agency could do but
use time travel to change history. With time travel, there are infinite
possibilities, but so far, we’ve been ramming our heads against a
wall and keep getting the same results,” he told her.
Marikit Tara Alto Uychoco 17
“Don’t look now, but it looks like we’re being followed,” Mark
said to her.
“Time for a detour.” He steered the car sharply to the right. He
parked in front of a seedy night club, and they got out of the car.
Once they entered the club, Andy was surprised to see bikini-clad
women gyrating without face masks on stage, dancing frenetically
to the deafening music. Men were drinking bottles of beer as if there
was no quarantine, no chance of infection. No social distancing here,
she thought, as a handful of women lap-danced on their foreign
clients. Mark pulled her to a table, and she was glad she had injected
herself with the vaccine as men breathed heavily at her and leered.
“There they go,” Mark murmured as two Chinese men slipped
into the night club. “They’re a certain type,” he said, as they started
inspecting the club, “you learn to recognize the Chinese agents
after a while.” The agents were built like bodybuilders and wore
dark clothing, moving like military men with their straight backs
and measured pace.
The agents yanked them from the table, and Andy was ready
when her feet hit the floor. Using the momentum the man had used
to pull her, she shifted her weight and threw him to the ground.
When he fell face down, she wrapped her legs around his back and
circled her arms around his beefy neck. She set up a rear naked
choke as he stood, carrying her weight, her tight dress hiking
dangerously up her thighs, her legs tightening like a vise around
his waist. She heard wolf whistles as he struggled to break free,
flailing in the middle of the club, but she held on and tightened
the choke with her biceps. After a few more seconds, he crumpled,
unconscious.
She saw Mark trading blows with the other Chinese agent. She
sprinted toward the agent and jumped forward, her momentum
Marikit Tara Alto Uychoco 21
throwing her forward harder and faster as she kicked his solar
plexus. He weaved backward, and Mark dealt the blow that knocked
him to the ground. Mark pulled her back and they ran toward the
car, scattered applause bursting in the air.
They sped their way toward the opposite direction. Andy felt
her blood sing, exhilarated as she whooped into the cold rush of
air. Mark grinned in the darkness, and for a moment, Andy felt the
earth stop, until it stuttered and whirred forward again.
When they finally got to the motel, the masked receptionist
nodded them on. She inhaled sharply when they entered the small
room. Instead of the tawdry room she had expected, the room was
filled with glass and steel. There were multiple screens and knobs all
over, and the closest thing she could compare it to was an intensive
care unit, complete with a single bed and tent.
Mark pulled her into his arms. She sank into the inevitable fall,
an object surrendering to gravity. She felt like melted butter as he
sank his head for a kiss, and time stopped for a while.
“We have no time . . .” Mark groaned, “You have to go now,” Mark
said to her.
“The calculations should be right,” he grimaced, as he turned
toward the giant computer, making sure the destination was set to
January 8, 2018. “You’ll have to go first. It’s single travel every time.
Remember, you go to China and get to Limahong Industries. I’m
going to need another agent to help me jump after you, and I don’t
know when he’s coming,” he looked at his watch, “I told him not to
be late, the fucker.”
She tried to calm her racing heart. After a few minutes, she
nodded and knew that he was right. They had hours to talk about
the plan. Get to 2018. Get a flight to China. Get to Limahong
Industries and destroy the virus.
22 Dx Machina 1: Philippine Literature in the Time of COVID-19
seedy as it was the last time she was here, but instead of the masked
receptionist, there was a bored teenager who took her room key.
She walked to the end of the street toward McDonald’s. With
all the strangeness of everything happening to her, she was grateful
that it looked wonderfully, blandly, the same. She ordered pancakes
and a cup of coffee.
So, this is what it’s like to be a time traveler . . . Acting normal
when things weren’t. All these people eating with their friends
and family had no idea this would be a distant memory. People
would be isolated from each other for months, and starvation and
poverty would overcome many of them before the pandemic was
over. Hundreds of thousands would die. She closed her eyes as she
sipped her coffee. It was 2018, and she had to act like everything
around her wasn’t heaven.
After breakfast, she left to look for a cab. There were a dozen
outside McDonald’s, and she was pretty sure she could get one to
bring her to the airport. She stepped into the first one at the taxi
bay and was surprised when she saw the driver.
“Karl?”
“Hello, sweets. Limahong sends its regards.” She was startled to
see that Karl was much older, with the wrinkles on his face and his
snow white hair.
She turned to leave, but the doors were locked.
“You never know when to leave something alone, sweets,” Karl
told her. Chinese agents from either side entered the cab, and she
felt the cold steel nub of a gun on her gut. “Trust me, we’ve thought
of all the possibilities. I had no choice.”
She swallowed fear down as she cried out, “Why are you doing
this?”
24 Dx Machina 1: Philippine Literature in the Time of COVID-19
Dear City,
I am writing to you on a whim, to tell you that the situation is already out of hand.
The air outside is thick and heavy, our breaths are calculated, our days numbered,
numbers, decreasing, depleting. It is only a matter of time until
the wildfire has died out, and the crickets have stopped singing.
The thieves will reap the bullets they have sown in our infertile soil
The animals have escaped captivity, now roaming free in the metropolitan jungle.
Chaotic, yes. Prophetic even. An ostrich runs on two frail, too frail legs. The ost-
rich is a prophet taking it to the streets. It screams, so scream back. Ostrich. Oste-
rich. It is only a matter of time until
26
Raphael Salise 27
for simon
i am overcomplicating things
but perhaps—
if we had met sooner
we would not be the same as we are
if we had met later
we would not be the same as we were
29
30 Dx Machina 1: Philippine Literature in the Time of COVID-19
niya tungkol dito. Lalo akong natataranta kasi mukhang ang tatanga
ng mga tao sa gobyerno ngayon. Ang gulo ng mga pronouncement
nila. Parang di sila nag-uusap at kaniya-kaniyang katangahan
lang ang pinaiiral. Halimbawa, kahapon may nag-anunsiyo na
magpapatupad ng curfew mula alas-otso ng gabi hanggang alas-
singko ng madaling-araw. Maraming umalma sa social media dahil
iligal ito kung walang ordinansa ang local government. Hayun,
binawi ang curfew. Baka next week na raw kung may mga ordinansa
na.
Sa presscon ni Duterte hinggil sa pag-lockdown ng Metro
Manila noong Huwebes ng gabi, parang nanginginig na ako sa
pangamba. Nagpapanik na ako sa aking isipan. Kung ganito kalabo
at kagulo ang announcement ng presidente, saan ako kakapit
bilang natatarantang mamamayan? Para akong hostage ng isang
buang na presidente. Hindi nakakatulong sa pagpapakalma ko sa
sarili na katabi ni Duterte sina Senador Bong Go at Presidential
Spokesperson Salvador Panelo. Tinitingnan ko ang mga mukha
ng mga gabinete habang nagra-ramble ang presidente. Iyong
mga mukhang matino, mapagkatiwalaan at makapitan ko sana sa
panahong ito tulad nina Francisco Duque III, Bernadette Roman-
Puyat, Silvestre H. Bello III, at Karlo Alexie Nograles na pogi in
person (nakasákay ko siya sa eroplano papuntang Davao noong
Pebrero 27). Hindi ba nila napapansin na wala nang kuwentang
magsalita ang presidente? Ayaw ko sanang magkumpara pero bakit
kapag pinapanood ko ang mga presscon nina Prime Minister Lee
Hsien Loong ng Singapore at Prime Minister Justin Trudeau ng
Canada, ang linaw nilang magsalita at very reassuring?
Noong Huwebes mga alas-tres pa lamang ng hapon ay kumakalat
na sa Messenger ang resolusyon hinggil sa Metro Manila lockdown
ng Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Disease (IATF).
Nagbi-breaking news na rin na 6:30 ng gabi magsasalita ang pangulo.
John Iremil Teodoro 31
Marami pa ring tao at mahaba ang mga pila. Buti na lang sa kalapit
na 7-Eleven ay halos walang tao. Doon ako bumili ng anim na latang
sardinas at ilang instant noodles.
Alas-kuwatro ng madaling-araw kahapon ay nagising na ako
at naghanda ng mga gamit na dadalhin sa Pasig. Bukod sa mga
maruming damit at mga grocery item, inayos ko rin ang mga gamit
ko sa mga klase tulad ng syllabi, class records, at mga papel na
kailangang i-tsek. Czech Republic na lang sa Pasig!
Nagkape muna ako at pinanood ang balita sa TV. Pagla-lockdown
pa rin ng Metro Manila ang laman ng mga balita. “Community
quarantine” na ang ginagamit ng gobyerno para siguro damage
control sa pagpapanik ng mga tao sa “lockdown” at sa mistulang
martial law na pagpapatupad nito. Utak pulbura kasi talaga si
Duterte.
Bago mag-alas-siyete, nakasakay na ako sa Grab papuntang
Pasig. Akala ng driver papunta akong airport. May tatlong pasahero
na raw siyang nagpahatid sa airport at “tinatakasan” ang lockdown.
Sabi ko sa kaniya, uwi lang ako sa bahay namin sa Pasig. Wala pang
alas-otso nasa Pasig na ako. Kapansin-pansin na punô na ng mga
de-lata ang platera namin. Punô na rin ang maliit na lagayan ng
bigas.
Nagpaalam ako kay Sunshine na bibili lang ako ng isda sa
talipapa na pang-ulam sa agahan. Siksikan na sa talipapa. Pero
normal lang iyon. Sa mga bangketa lang kasi ang mga nagtitinda.
Bumili ako ng isang kilo ng hiniwang tuna at isang malaking pusit
na mahigit kalahating kilo ang timbang. Medyo may kamahalan
ang mga ito pero dedma na. Baka next week wala nang mabiling
isda. Bumili rin ako ng isang kilong baboy. Ilalagay lang sa freezer.
Aadobohin ko sakaling wala nang mabili sa talipapa. May nadaanan
akong kariton ng ponkan. Bumili ako ng isang dosena. Ala-New
Year ang peg.
34 Dx Machina 1: Philippine Literature in the Time of COVID-19
Bilib ako sa sarili ko, natiis ko ang pagpila. In fact, parang ini-
enjoy ko pa nga. Hindi ako nagsusuplada. Siguro dahil dalawang
linggo na akong nakakulong sa bahay. Itong pagpunta ko sa Mercury
ang pinakamalayong napuntahan ko since mag-community
quarantine.
Sa bakod na chicken wire ng isang bakanteng lote sa tabi
ng Mercury ay may nagakambëd na alugbating mukhang
nakakalimutang diligan palagi. Kalahating-buháy kasi at kalahating-
lanta. Pero may mga buto ito. Kulay-murado ang hinog na buto
ng alugbati. At sa isang sanga napansin ko ang maliit na rosang
bulaklak. Kay rikit tingnan! Kinunan ko ito ng larawan. Isang
munting kasiyahan ng kaluluwang bagot na sa pagpila.
Medyo mainit na ang sikat ng araw at nangangawit na ang mga
tuhod ko sa pagtayo. Ang aleng kasunod ko, reklamo nang reklamo
na ang bagal naman daw ng galaw ng pila. Pero dedma ako. Di ako
nag-react sa sinabi niya. Tiningnan ko ang relo ko, mahigit isang
oras na akong pumipila.
Salamat sa Diyos at kumpleto ang mga gamot na kailangan ko sa
branch na iyon ng Mercury. Naubusan nga lang sila ng Enervon-C
kayâ ibang brand na lang ng multivitamins ang binili ko. Wala pa rin
silang stock ng face mask at alcohol.
Mainit na ang sikat ng araw nang lisanin ko ang sentro ng
Rosario. Nagpayong na ako. Sarado ang geyt ng Rosario Church.
Sarado rin ang mga bangko. Sa isang bangko medyo mahaba ang
pila sa ATM. Buti na lang di ko kailangan ng cash dahil umuubra
naman ang debit card ko sa Mercury.
Huminto uli ako sa harap ng namumulaklak na akasya. Sabi
ko sa sarili ko, susulat ako ng tula tungkol dito. Ayon kay Yasunari
Kawabata (nakalimutan ko na kung saang akda niya), ang papel ng
manunulat ay ang hanapin ang kagandahan sa mga ordinaryong
bagay at pangyayari at magsulat tungkol dito upang maibahagi ang
magandang karanasan sa mga mambabasa.
40 Dx Machina 1: Philippine Literature in the Time of COVID-19
[Abril 9, 2020
Huwebes Santo
8:25 n.u.
Rosario, Pasig]
PANDEMIC
48
Paul Rico C. de Lara 49
PANAHON NG QUARANTINE
AYUDA
KURBA O TUWID
51
52 Dx Machina 1: Philippine Literature in the Time of COVID-19
DASAL
PASADA
Nakikita mo sila
Panlilimos ang kinikita
Dati rati sa manibela
Nakasandig dangal nila
PIL’AS BANGIN
(Sa Ilongo)
i.
ii.
iii.
Di na ugong-makina,
naririnig n’ya t’wina.
Atungal ng bituka
at hikbi ng asawa.
55
56 Dx Machina 1: Philippine Literature in the Time of COVID-19
iv.
v.
vi.
vii.
viii.
PINABAYAAN
Estranghero sa akin
ng mapanglaw na mata,
ang ikinabagabag.
ng kaligtasan,
sa lusog ng katawan,
at muling iniwan.
Mark Anthony S. Salvador 59
AYUDA
sumuway sa atas
para sumuway?
at maghintay sa kawalang-katiyakan?
itong katinuan
ang dahan-dahan
niyang sinusugatan.
Sandaan at Isang Gabi’t Araw
Paul Alcoseba Castillo
DOBLE KARA
60
Paul Alcoseba Castillo 61
MAÑANITA
Laging nasa
sa pagdiriwang
dahil mabibigo
na mabilang
nag-abot ng pagbati
at pumpon ng rosas
magkakalat sa akalang
na hindi mahuhuli
nang pangwakas na
ANIBERSARYO
rising in jags
and spikes. We disperse.
by infectious
minute. The air skims
on tangent against
our skin. Refusing
64
Rodrigo dela Peña Jr. 65
Multiple Choice
A checkpoint is a node
The homeless
Swab Test
“These days I sometimes catch myself wishing to get the virus—in this way,
at least the debilitating uncertainty would be over.” —Slavoj Žižek
HINAGPIS NG HINLALATO
Hiwa-hiwalay na hilakbot
hingal na himno
ng himpak na hiyaw
hibik na hilahid
sa higanteng hilhil
hilabong hilahil
hibong humihimas
sa himalang hilagpos
hibang na hinhin
hinaharang sa hinala
hinihimok na ihimlay ang hiyaw
hinawan ng himatong
ang nangagsi-hinamad
hindi pa naghihimulmol
ang himala
68
Genevieve Soriano Aguinaldo 69
ULTIMO ULAM
YEMA SA YUNGIB
yupapa at yayat
sa yukoleleng yakyak
ng yakal na yurak
yapak ng yamuan
yutyot na yumakap
sa yamot na yutà
yamutmot na yaman
yupyupang yumabong
Kailangang mag-defrost,
Lubayan ang mantika,
Doblehin ang banlaw sa buhok,
At hinay-hinay. Muli:
Hinay-
Hinay.
Ika’y kaiga-igaya
Ngunit ugaliing magsepilyo—Ano ba!
71
72 Dx Machina 1: Philippine Literature in the Time of COVID-19
Amoy pulbura.
Na aalingasaw mula sa kung saan.
Dadami ang ingay ng mabibigat na paa.
Mapapabalikwas ang isa, dalawa, tatlo,
hanggang sa hindi mabilang na mga
74
Isay Embérga Sinfuego 75
Makaririnig ng putok,
sigaw, sunod-sunod na sigaw
hanggang sa marindi ang tainga
na parang papalit-palit na sirang plaka,
ay hindi matatahimik, makatutulog,
makahihinga sa hagulgol ng inhustisya.
Darating ang panahon,
babaon—ang bawat daliri at kukong
sinisiksikan ng dumi at dugo, sa lalamunan ng mga
mapagpanggap na huwad.
Darating ang panahon ng paglimot sa iyo,
ng mga bisitang palihim kang dinalaw,
ngunit hindi ang mga alaala ng iyong pagkawala.
Duwag!
Duwag ang alingawngaw ng mga putok
na kakatok sa hatinggabi.
Gigisingin ang pinakamapayapa mong pagtulog,
ang sansaglit mong pagpikit.
Kasabay ng sunod-sunod na bala at basyo,
ng mga armado na di kilala.
Di matatapos ang gabi,
na maghihirap ang paghinga.
Dahil alam ng lahat na
76 Dx Machina 1: Philippine Literature in the Time of COVID-19
Dahil sila,
ang mga bisitang
hindi mo dapat patuluyin.
Silang nagsisayaw sa saliw ng banal
na kamatayan ay unti-unting
hahabulin ng mga aninong
walang mukha; walang mata;
ni boses, hininga, at kaluluwa.
Bala sa bala.
Talim sa talim.
Hukay sa kabilang buhay.
Isay Embérga Sinfuego 77
pagtarak ng punyal?
pagbaril sa sintido?
pagdukot sa mata?
pagpigil ng hininga?
pagbaon nang buhay—
sa kanilang katawan,
hanggang sa magsawa,
ang pobreng wala nang awa.
bag raid series1
Cris R. Lanzaderas
1.
bag raid kay Police Lt. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar, head ng Joint Task Force Corona
Virus Shield a
self-defense.
kung titingnan natin ito
kung hinayaang makabunot
ito, kung naputukan
madidisgrasya itong ating pulis.
we all can say, this is—
my personal opinion.
di natin pinangungunahan
ang imbestigasyon
given the circumstances. I would have
done the same
during the same situation,
1. Serye ng mga tulang hinango sa pahayag ng mga susing taong may kaugnayan sa
pagkamatay ni Winston Ragos, isang dating sundalong pinatay dahil sa paglabag sa
quarantine protocols. Pinaghinalaang may dalang armas sa kanyang sling bag subalit
sa pagsisiyasat ay mga ID, larawan, at papel na may mga numero lamang ang laman
nito.
a. Ang buong pahayag ni Eleazar ay mababasa sa https://news.abs-cbn.com/
news/04/23/20/cop-killing-ex-soldier-qc-self-defense-coronavirus-checkpoint.
78
Cris R. Lanzaderas 79
baril.
parang sine.
iilag-ilag ka,
tatumbling-tumbling.
ayaw mag-react, sumunod.
anong gagawin mo?
approach,
challenge.
It’s very easy to criticize the police,
pero kayo ang lumagay sa position namin.
It was a judgment call,
do you think you have to check first?
We know our—
responsibility, accountability.
We have to implement
this.
80 Dx Machina 1: Philippine Literature in the Time of COVID-19
2.
The Criminal Investigation and Detection Unit of QCPD has taken over
the investigation of the case.
P/MSgt Florendo was the only person in the best position to make that
judgment call, better than any observer, viewer and opinionated analyst
with 20/20 hindsight. Had he erred in his judgement, he could possibly
be the cadaver in the body bag instead. If that happened then he would
have failed in performing his duty to enforce the law
3.
so wala po
wag po.
83
84 Dx Machina 1: Philippine Literature in the Time of COVID-19
“Sa susunod naman mag Live kau mas madami kaung masabi na
tagalog hays.”
Mga Talâ
10.
UP Subol Society, “Mga Piling Terminolohiya Kaugnay
ng COVID-19: Isinalin sa Pangasinan,” Facebook, Marso
21, 2020, https://www.facebook.com/UPSubol/photos
/a.413485175443957/2805847952874322.
11. UP Subol Society, “Mga Piling Terminolohiya Kaugnay
ng COVID-19: Isinalin sa Ilokano,” Facebook, Marso
23, 2020, https://www.facebook.com/UPSubol/photos
/a.413485175443957/2810305795761871.
12. Ang klasipikasyon ay ibinatay sa Terminology: A Practical Approach ni
Robert Dubuc (Linguatech 1997). Bagaman sa simula ng paglilista,
wala namang isinaalang-alang pang pag-uulit sa salita. Ngunit nang
makabuo na ng tatlumpu ay doon lumitaw ang iba-ibang uri ng
salita na sumusuporta sa paglalarawan ng aklat na ito.
Bagong Talahulugan
Ella Jane Hermonio
TERORISTA
te•ro•rís•ta pangngalan
Halimbawa:
102
Ella Jane Hermonio 103
Tingnan din:
Pulitika — mula ang kapangyarihan sa mamamayan; pero may
naghahari-harian
Tákot — huwag magpasindak
PRANGKISA
prang•kí•sa pangngalan
Halimbawa:
Tingnan din:
Karapatan — dapat ibinibigay nang walang kundisyon; pero
ninanakaw
Buwaya — sila
PUGOT
pú•got pandiwa
pu•gót pang-uri
Halimbawa:
Tingnan din:
106
Tilde Acuña 107
Unbox, unfold:
Gouf atbp
Tilde Acuña 111
Unbox, unfold:
Gouf atbp
112 Dx Machina 1: Philippine Literature in the Time of COVID-19
The NERV:
Eva Unit-01
Tilde Acuña 115
Anti-IATField:
Eva Unit-00
116 Dx Machina 1: Philippine Literature in the Time of COVID-19
Ilang Bandai model kits ang mabibili ng 15B? Ilang gadget para
sa online classes? Ano pa bang ibang tumbasan? Sabi ng post sa
IG, labing-isang araw raw ang sangmilyong segundo at tatlumpu’t
dalawang taon ang sambilyon. Baka nga hindi na model kit kundi
aktuwal na Gundam na ang makomisyon upang ipagtanggol ang
ating teritoryo. Tinatawag na “candy toys” ang linyang FW Gundam
Converge (FWGC). Baka raw para makabawas ng tax dahil Bandai
gum ang ibinebenta at “freebie” lang ang FWGC kits. SD o “super-
deformed” ang mga ito; ibig sabihin, mas malaki ang ulo kaysa
katawan: pormula ng proporsyong “cute.” FGWC lang ang mula sa
uniberso ng Gundam na nasa set ng mga rebyung ito, dahil nasa
ibang set ang mas sikat na mga linya ng Bandai: SDCS (SD cross
silhouette) na mas malaki kaysa FWGC, High Grade (HG) 1/144
scale, Real Grade (RG) 1/144, Non-Grade (NG) 1/100, at Master
Grade (MG) 1/100; hindi tulad ng FWGC na halos handa na para
i-display matapos bilihin dahil halos buo na, lahat ng nabanggit
na scaled model kit ay kailangan i-assemble. Humigit-kumulang
lima lang ang bahagi ng buong FGWC (parang pagluto at pagkain
ng adobo o sinigang upang ipamalas ang Pinoy pride), at daan
hanggang libo ang bahaging bumubuo sa scaled model kit (parang
masalimuot na destruksiyon-konstruksiyon ng nasyong Pilipino).
Tilde Acuña 117
122
Save Our Schools Network 123
Pangiyak ki!
134
Ronnie E. Baticulon 135
• Una, manggamot
• Pangalawa, magturo
• Pangatlo, manaliksik
• Pang-apat, mamuno
• At panlima, magtaguyod
Today’s headlines
Ostrich
Mayang simbahan
Collateral damage
Adobo
142
Christine V. Lao 143
Corpus delicti
The men said their neighbors all saw what had happened
The women all said they missed my aunt
The children, the dogs, the asphalt knew
who stopped them along the highway.
It’s happened before, they said to me
The bodies were never found.
147
148 Dx Machina 1: Philippine Literature in the Time of COVID-19
“Kape?”
“Sige, salamat.”
Tatayo na si May nang hawakan ni Fiona ang braso niya. Ngayon
na lang ulit niya naramdaman ang mga daliri ng asawa. “Ako na ang
magtitimpla. Iihi rin kasi ako,” sabi nito.
Alam ni May na hindi iihi si Fiona kundi aakyat sa second floor.
Bubuksan ni Fiona ang aparador ng anak para kunin ang paborito
nitong damit-pambahay, ilalatag ito sa higaan, at tahimik na
tatabihan. Walang hikbi na maririnig si May, pero alam niyang hindi
payapa ang asawa. Ito ang bagay na hindi niya kayang gawin. Ni
hindi niya kayang pasukin ang kuwarto ni Jessica. Natatakot siyang
maligaw sa disyerto ng mga alaala at tuluyang hindi makabalik.
“Pagtapos nu’n,” pagpapatuloy ng nasa telebisyon, “total
blackout. Hindi ko alam kung paano ako nakauwi. Kuwento sa’kin
ng girlfriend ko pa no’n, na asawa ko na ngayon (sadly), na sinayawan
ko raw ang bawat poste ng ilaw na nadaanan namin pauwi. Sabi ko,
‘may iba bang nakakita sa’kin?’ Sagot niya, ‘Wala naman. Ako lang.
Ang taong hindi dapat makakita nu’n in the first place. Muntik na
kitang hiwalayan.’ ” Nagtawanan ang mga tao. “Ngayong binabalikan
ko ang nangyari, sabi ko sa sarili ko, not bad, not fucking bad at
all. Hindi naman nakakahiya ang ginawa ko kumpara sa pagsayaw
ng budots on national TV. Tama ba, Senator Revilla? Langyang
campaign ad ’yan. Genius. To be frank, I was half-expecting Senator
Lito Lapid na mag-baby shark dance sa ad niya as a rebuttal.”
Hagalpakan ulit ang audience. Tumayo ang dalawang senador para
mag-apir, halos mapunit ang panga nila sa kahahalakhak.
Dinig ni May ang lahat ng nangyayari sa kusina. Ang lagutok
ng binuksang kalan. Ang pagbangga ng kutsara sa tasa. Ganito rin
katalas ang pandinig niya noong na-confine si Jessica nang ilang araw
sa ospital. Left sided pleurar effusion. Pneumonia ang diagnosis.
Malinaw na sa kanya, bago pa man sabihin ng doktor, na kailangang
150 Dx Machina 1: Philippine Literature in the Time of COVID-19
GranMa is? Anong Gran Matador Brandy? Mali! It’s Gran Marcos
Brandy, baby! Sa sobrang tindi ng censorship, wala akong maalala!”
Kita sa camera ang mga nagtatawanang anak ni Ferdinand Marcos.
Tumawa rin ang comic, saka sumundot ng: “Akala ko ba ayaw na
ayaw mo sa mga Reds, Senator Bato? E bakit pulang-pula ang
mukha mo? Iwas ka muna sa salamin baka tortyurin ka ng sarili mo
tapos bigla ka na lang mawala.” Naibuga ng nagluluhang senador
ang tubig na iniinom niya.
Bumalik si Fiona sa sala at inilapag ang mga umaasong kape sa
mesa.
“Remember these?”
Dalawang pulang hair clip. Pero parang diyamante ang mga ito
kung tingnan ni May.
“Ipapasuot ko ’to sa kanya pagbalik n’ya, wala s’yang magagawa.”
Tumawa si Fiona.
Kinuha ni May ang nasa palad ng asawa. Naisip niya ang unang
araw na umuwi sila kasama si Jessica. Suot ng bata ang mga ito.
“Marami pa ’kong nahalungkat. Wanna see them?”
“No.” Ibinigay niya sa asawa ang pang-ipit. Okay ang paisa-isa,
pero nakakalunod kapag nagsabay-sabay ang alaala.
“Nu’ng 7th birthday niya. Sa Baguio.”
“Bakit mo inayos ’yung kuwarto no’ng bata?” Walang nagawa si
May kundi tingnan ang larawan. “Baka di na n’ya makita ang mga
gamit n’ya dahil iba na ang ayos.”
“Gusto ni Jessica, maaliwalas. Malinis.”
“Ayaw n’yang pinakikialaman ang mga gamit n’ya.”
“Mas ayaw niya sa kuwartong maalikabok.”
Natigilan si May nang maisip na ubos na panigurado ang baong
antihistamine ng anak.
152 Dx Machina 1: Philippine Literature in the Time of COVID-19
lahat masaya, sports lang. Pero kung ako biruin niya putangina baka
patayin ko siya.”
Tumawa ang lahat.
“I’m kidding, of course. Baka may sabihin na naman ang iba
d’yan. Like what I’ve said on previous occasions, there will be
no suspension of the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus. No
violations of human—”
Sumalpok ang tasa ng matapang na kape eksakto sa ilong ng
pangulo. Ni hindi nagkalamat ang tasa, pero nabasa ang telebisyon
at nagkabitak ito na hugis sapot ng gagamba. Parang rehas ang
maraming-maraming linya ng bahaghari na tumabon sa mukha ng
presidente. Mula sa labas, makikita ang isa-isang pagbukas ng mga
ilaw sa loob ng bahay, at maririnig ang pag-iyak ng mag-asawang
sabay na nilalapnos ng liwanag.
Angel Locsin
Steno Padilla
157
158 Dx Machina 1: Philippine Literature in the Time of COVID-19
“Paano mo nalaman?”
“S’ya rin kaya ang namigay ng ayuda sa barangay namin
kaninang umaga. Uso s’ya ngayon kaya ’wag ka nang mabigla. Halos
lahat yata ng mayor sa buong Pilipinas e umorder ng Angel Locsin
online para tumulong sa pamimigay ng ayuda sa nasasakupan nila.
Sa sobrang taas ng demand, nag-crash pa noong isang araw ’yung
site ng Shopee. Buti na lang kamo, naglabas din ang Lazada ng
kanilang Angel Locsin.”
“Na-check mo na kung magkano?”
“Oo. May kamahalan pero kaya naman kung babawas nang
konti sa ipon. Umorder na nga ako kahapon at baka magkaubusan.
May bali-balita pa sa Facebook at Twitter na baka raw i-ban ng
presidente ang pagbebenta dahil masyadong sumisikat si Angel
Locsin. Natatabunan na raw ’yung efforts ng national government
para sa mahihirap na Pilipino at sa mga frontliner.”
“Iba-ban? Tanginang ’yan. Competition ba ang pagtulong sa
mga Pilipino? At anong efforts ang tinutukoy n’ya? ’Yung delayed
na hazard pay sa mga doktor at nurse? ’Yung SAP na hindi pa rin
natatanggap ng mga jeepney driver? Ang dami-dami na ngang
nawalan ng trabaho, ang daming nagugutom dahil sa haba ng
lockdown, tapos may panahon pa silang mainggit at ipagbawal si
Angel Locsin?”
“Mismo.”
Hindi ko na nakuha pang magpaalam kay Bogli. Agad kong
tinapos ang aming pag-uusap at humarap sa aking laptop para
humanap ng Angel Locsin sa Shopee o Lazada. Pareho lang ang
presyo. Tama nga ang best friend ko—may kamahalan ang isang
Angel Locsin, ngunit makakaya naman kung magtitipid ako ngayon
hanggang sa susunod na suweldo. Isa pa, puwedeng cash on delivery
ang pagbabayad. Labinlimang araw ang karaniwang itinatagal bago
dumating ang delivery, ngunit dahil sa taas ng demand, aabutin na
160 Dx Machina 1: Philippine Literature in the Time of COVID-19
“Bingi ka ba?”
“Hinde. Anong ibig mong sabihin na mas okay pa sa totoong
girlfriend?”
“Ano ba sa tingin mo?”
Bilang hindi pa ako nagkaka-girlfriend sa tanang buhay ko, hindi
ko agad nabatid kung ano ang ibig ipahiwatig ni Bogli. Ngunit hindi
naman nagtagal at lumiwanag sa aking isip kung ano ang tinutukoy
ng aking best friend. Tila nagbukas ang pinto ng langit at mula roon
ay lumitaw ang iba’t ibang anghel na taglay ang di-matingkalang
kapangyarihan. Isang himalang maituturing ang aking natuklasan,
bagay na lalong nakapagpalala sa aking pananabik.
“Pre?”
Sa tindi ng mga imaheng lumalangoy sa aking isip ay halos
malimutan ko ang kausap na kaibigan sa kabilang linya. Hindi ko
na alam kung nakailang tawag siya sa akin bago ako nagising sa
pananaginip nang gising.
“Pre! Buhay ka pa?”
“Ha? Sorry, nawala ako. Mahina signal dito sa kuwarto.”
“Sige na, pre. Mukang full charge na ’yung Angel Locsin ko.
Mapapalaban na naman ako nito.”
Hindi ko na nagawa pang makapagpaalam kay Bogli sa bigla
niyang pagbaba ng tawag. Natulala na lamang ako sa screen ng aking
smartphone habang nililirip ang natapos na pag-uusap naming
magkaibigan. Noon lamang sumagi sa aking isip ang mga posibilidad
ng isang Angel Locsin. Kung nagawa niyang magbanyuhay mula sa
pagiging artista patungo sa pagiging isang pilantropo at aktibista,
ano ang makahahadlang upang maging iba pa siyang bagay? Haraya
lamang ang hanggahan.
Isang araw bago ang pagdating ni Angel Locsin sa aking piling,
nagpasya akong lumiban sa trabaho upang maglinis ng buong
Steno Padilla 165
Wakas.
Notes on the Contributors
TILDE ACUÑA
Si Tilde (Arbeen R. Acuña), amateur snapbuilder at coursepacker,
ay nagtuturo ng mga kurso sa panitikan, malikhaing pagsulat, at
Philippine studies sa Departamento ng Filipino at Panitikan ng
Pilipinas, kung saan siya nagtapos ng MA Araling Pilipino. May mga
piksyon siya sa Kritika Kultura, Likhaan, at ilang antolohiyang inilathala
ng UP Press.
169
170 Dx Machina 1: Philippine Literature in the Time of COVID-19
RONNIE E. BATICULON
Ronnie E. Baticulon is associate professor in Anatomy at the University
of the Philippines College of Medicine and attending pediatric
neurosurgeon at the Philippine General Hospital. He was a fellow
for creative nonfiction at the 58th UP National Writers Workshop in
Baguio. His first book of essays, Some Days You Can’t Save Them All, was
published by the University of the Philippines Press. You can follow
him on Twitter @ronibats.
JESAME DILAG-DOMINGO
Si Jesame Dilag-Domingo ay mag-aaral ng MA Araling Pilipino sa ilalim
ng Departamento ng Filipino at Panitikan ng Pilipinas (DFPP) sa UP
Diliman. Siya ay kasalukuyang University Research Associate (URA)
at manggagawa ng Opisina ng Gradwadong Aralin ng Kolehiyo ng
Arte at Literatura, UP Diliman. Siya ay manunulat at mananaliksik
na naktuon sa lingguwistikong etnograpiya ng Filipinas, wika,
antropolohiya (wika, kultura, at paniniwala sa preserbasyon ng
pagkain), leksikograpiya, semantiks, at MTBMLE.
VALENTINE DULA
Nagtapos si Valentine Dula ng kursong AB English sa Polytechnic
University of the Philippines. Lumabas ang iba niyang akda sa Entrada,
isang literary journal ng PUP Center for Creative Writing. Kasalukuyan
siyang kumukuha ng MA Malikhaing Pagsulat sa UP Diliman.
JAN ROBERT R. GO
Jan Robert R. Go is an assistant professor of political theory at the
Department of Political Science, University of the Philippines Diliman.
He is currently on study leave for his doctoral studies in political
theory at the Central China Normal University in Wuhan, China.
He has written and researched on decentralization and devolution,
local politics, and new institutionalism in political science. He is also
interested in the nature of political power, grassroots democracy,
non-Western political theory, and contemporary Chinese politics.
172 Dx Machina 1: Philippine Literature in the Time of COVID-19
CRIS R. LANZADERAS
Si Cris R. Lanzaderas ay isang guro sa UP Rural High School. Kasalukuyang
tagapag-ugnay (subject area coordinator) ng Departamento ng
Filipino at nagtuturo ng wika, panitikan, at malikhaing pagsulat.
CHRISTINE V. LAO
Christine Veloso Lao is an Assistant Professor of the Department of English
and Comparative Literature, College of Arts and Letters, University of
the Philippines Diliman. She is currently working on a PhD in creative
writing (poetry) at the same university. Her research areas include
law and literature, children’s picturebooks, and women’s writing. Her
chapbook, Musical Chairs, was a finalist of the 2019 Madrigal Gonzalez
Best First Book Award.
EILENE G. NARVAEZ
Si Eilene G. Narvaez ay isang guro, mananaliksik, editor, at tagasalin
sa wikang Filipino. Kasalukuyan siyang assistant professor sa
Departamento ng Filipino at Panitikan ng Pilipinas, Kolehiyo ng Arte
at Literatura, Unibersidad ng Pilipinas Diliman. Nagtapos siya ng BA
Araling Pilipino (2004) at MA Filipino: Wika (2014), at kandidato sa PhD
Filipino (Pagsasalin). Kasapi siya ng Filipinas Institute of Translation
(FIT), na isa sa pinakamatandang organisasyon sa pagsasalin sa
Filipinas. Katuwang na editor siya ng UP Diksiyonaryong Filipino (2010)
at Diksiyonaryong Adarna (2015), at awtor ng Sawikaan: Isang Dekada ng
Pagpili ng Salita ng Taon (KWF, 2015). Pagkaraan ng unang linggo ng ECQ,
Notes on the Contributors 173
STENO PADILLA
Si Steno Padilla ay isang manunulat mula sa Baliwag, Bulacan. Nagwagi
siya ng dalawang magkasunod na Lampara Prize for Young Adult
Literature noong 2017 at 2018 para sa kanyang mga nobelang
pangkabataan. Naging fellow rin siya sa iba’t ibang palihan: 1st
National LGBTQ Writers Workshop (tula), 2nd Amelia Lapeña-
Bonifacio Writers Workshop (maikling kuwento), at 6th Cordillera
Creative Writing Workshop (maikling kuwento). Siya ay nagtapos ng
kursong journalism sa UP Diliman at kasalukuyang associate editor sa
isang healthcare publication.
RAPHAEL SALISE
Raphael Salise is a Creative Writing student from the University of the
Philippines Mindanao. He likes to read poems, fiction, and essays
by Filipino authors as he someday aspires to become successful
like them. His works have appeared in Banaag Diwa, Dagmay, and
Philippines Graphic.
ISAY EMBÉRGA SINFUEGO
Nasa ikatlong taon si Isay Embérga Sinfuego sa kursong BA Philippine
Studies sa UP Diliman. Naging head dramaturg ng UP Repertory
Company taong 2019–2020 at kasalukuyang direktor ng Komite ng
Edukasyon at Pananasiksik sa UP Sikap.
Notes on the Contributors 175
177
Tungkol sa Issue Editor
179
180 Dx Machina 1: Philippine Literature in the Time of COVID-19
ang orihinal niyang dulang Si Nelson, ang Nanay, ang Pancit Canton
para sa Short and Sweet Manila Festival (2015), ang We Choose to
Go to the Moon para sa Fringe Manila International Arts Festival
(2016), at ang Arkanghel sa Maccrotel bilang bahagi ng paglulunsad
ng Nomina Nuda Gallery (2018). Makikita ang kanyang mga sulatin
at larawan sa kanyang website na vladgonzales.net.
FEATURING WORKS BY:
Tilde Acuña
Dennis Andrew S. Aguinaldo
Genevieve Soriano Aguinaldo
Ronnie E. Baticulon
Paul Alcoseba Castillo
Paul Rico C. de Lara
Rodrigo dela Peña Jr.
Jesame Dilag-Domingo
Valentine Dula
Jan Robert R. Go
Ella Jane Hermonio
Cris R. Lanzaderas
Christine V. Lao
Eilene G. Narvaez
Steno Padilla
Raphael Salise
Mark Anthony S. Salvador
Save Our Schools Network
Isay Embérga Sinfuego
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Cover Art and Design:ISSUE EDITOR
Albert Raqueño