CCP, DLSU hold F. Sionil Jose centennial celebration
The Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) invites the public to join the “F. Sionil Jose Centennial Celebration: Congress, Conference, and Contest,” a series of literary events to commemorate the birth centenary of the late National Artist for Literature.
Free and open to the public, this two-day event will take place on Nov. 27 and Nov. 28, 2024, at The Verdure, 4/F Henry Sy Sr. Hall, De La Salle University (DLSU) in Taft Avenue, Manila.
Jose was known for his five-novel masterwork, the “Rosales Saga.” His literature includes novels, short story collections, poems, and essays, among many others.
His canon is a testimony to the historical wounds of the Philippines, reflecting realities from colonial subjugation, agrarian unrest, repressive regimes, social class conflicts, and natural adversities.
The F. Sionil Jose Centennial Celebration is co-organized by DLSU, the Philippine Center of International PEN, and Solidaridad Enterprises.
It kickstarts with the annual PEN Philippines Congress on Nov. 27, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Titled “Viajero: The Journey of Philippine Fiction,” the congress highlights Jose’s life and work in fiction, and features the many directions our regional stories have been taking.
On the same day, literary expert Jose Dalisay will deliver the Rizal Lecture. For the Free Word segment, there will be an excerpt from Tanghalang Pilipino’s “Balete,” a play based on Jose’s novel “Tree,” adapted for theater by Rody Vera and directed by Chris Millado.
“The Man from Rosales: The F. Sionil Jose Conference” will be held on Nov. 28. The conference will have academic discussions on Jose’s legacy as a fictionist, as well as the challenges and possibilities faced by Philippine fiction today, examining research papers on Jose which have been selected from a call issued earlier in the year.
Lawyer Saul Hofileña Jr. and playwright Vera will serve as keynote speakers. A panel of scholars will present papers that seek to investigate the intellectual legacy of F. Sionil Jose and his work.
The F. Sionil Jose Young Writers Awards, freshly revived by the Jose family, will confer prizes on select young winners. This contest is sponsored by the CCP and facilitated by PEN Philippines.
A special photo exhibit, “Memories: Photographs by F. Sionil Jose,” will showcase a selection of photographs taken by the late National Artist himself, who was a photojournalist and cultural worker in his heyday. The exhibit will be on view on Nov. 27 to Dec. 6 at the DLSU Libraries, 12/F Henry Sy Sr. Hall. Guided tours may be scheduled.
All events are free admission. Non-DLSU visitors must register to secure an entry pass into the campus through bit.ly/FSJ100. The main entrance is: DLSU Gate 2 (North Gate).
Visit fsioniljosecentennial.com or email ccpintertextualdivision@gmail.com.
