UP Cebu Creative Writing Program

ʙᴏᴏᴋ ʟᴀᴜɴᴄʜ ᴀʟᴇʀᴛ!

Join us next week on Thursday, May 7, 9:45 AM at the Performing Arts Hall of UP Cebu for the book launch of 𝙅𝙖𝙢𝙞𝙘𝙤 𝘽𝙤𝙮𝙨 by 𝙏𝙤𝙣 𝘿𝙖𝙥𝙤𝙨𝙖𝙡𝙖.

Published by UP Press under The Philippine Translators Series, this poetry collection explores the world of the barkada, of men navigating the heavy pressures of being “macho”.

The book launch is featured as a plenary session at the 6th DukiTuki UP Cebu Communication Program Research Forum 2026, and will include an author’s talk, a literary reading, a Q&A session, and a book signing. 𝙅𝙖𝙢𝙞𝙘𝙤 𝘽𝙤𝙮𝙨 is Asst. Prof. Ton Daposala’s second book.

Limited copies of the book will be available for purchase at a discounted price.

“Daposala’s sophomore book, Jamico Boys, beautifully weaves words together, creating a tagay of rum-like verses. Each poem is a sip of intoxicating emotions as he delves deep into the complexities of childhood, friendship, self-discovery, love, and life.”

- R. Joseph Dazo

Share your poems with us at the Babaye sa Balak 2 literary event! Everyone is welcome to read their works at the open mic session. 🎤

𝐁𝐀𝐁𝐀𝐘𝐄 𝐒𝐀 𝐁𝐀𝐋𝐀𝐊 𝐑𝐄𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐍𝐒 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐀𝐏𝐑𝐈𝐋 𝟐𝟗! 💜

In celebration of National Literature Month, TINTA - UP Cebu, in collaboration with UP Cebu Creative Writing Program, Bathalad Sugbo, WILA Women in Literary Arts - Cebu, Inc., and Youth Claim - UP Cebu proudly presents 𝐁𝐚𝐛𝐚𝐲𝐞 𝐒𝐚 𝐁𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐤 𝟐!

Catch us on April 29, 2026 (Wednesday) from 4:00 PM – 5:30 PM at UP Cebu Lawak Sinehan! This is FREE and open to the public!

Let’s come together in poetry and power. Stay tuned for more exciting updates!

𝐁𝐀𝐁𝐀𝐘𝐄 𝐒𝐀 𝐁𝐀𝐋𝐀𝐊 𝐑𝐄𝐓𝐔𝐑𝐍𝐒 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐀𝐏𝐑𝐈𝐋 𝟐𝟗! 💜

In celebration of National Literature Month, TINTA - UP Cebu, in collaboration with UP Cebu Creative Writing Program, Bathalad Sugbo, WILA Women in Literary Arts - Cebu, Inc., and Youth Claim - UP Cebu proudly presents 𝐁𝐚𝐛𝐚𝐲𝐞 𝐒𝐚 𝐁𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐤 𝟐!

Catch us on April 29, 2026 (Wednesday) from 4:00 PM – 5:30 PM at UP Cebu Lawak Sinehan! This is FREE and open to the public!

Let’s come together in poetry and power. Stay tuned for more exciting updates!

𝙲𝚎𝚋𝚞-𝚋𝚊𝚜𝚎𝚍 𝚠𝚛𝚒𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚜 𝚐𝚊𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚕𝚒𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚊𝚛𝚢 𝚌𝚘𝚗𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚜𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝚊𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝙲𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚟𝚎 𝚆𝚛𝚒𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝙿𝚛𝚘𝚐𝚛𝚊𝚖’𝚜 𝙵𝚘𝚛𝚞𝚖 𝚘𝚗 𝙵𝚒𝚌𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝙵𝚘𝚛𝚞𝚖 𝚘𝚗 𝙿𝚘𝚎𝚝𝚛𝚢 ✍🏼

Organized as part of the program’s Pundok Katitikan flagship event for National Literature Month, the two forums facilitated engaging discussions on the writer’s role in society and the relevance of writing in today’s sociopolitical climate. The writers also tackled poetics, talking about their development as writers, significant influences, and approaches to the craft.

Highlights from the Forum on Fiction, paneled by authors CD Borden, Januar Yap, and Danton Remoto, include rich insights on editing, publishing, finding one’s voice, and maturing as a writer. The forum was moderated by the writer Nicolo Nasol.

Meanwhile, in the Forum on Poetry, writers Ton Daposala, shane carreon, and Mark Andy Pedere exchanged ideas regarding regional identity and the role of language in the development of one’s literary consciousness. The forum was moderated by BA Communication student writer Mark Aaron Collera.

As for the audience, some asked tips on world-building and dealing with writer’s block.

The forums were attended by members of the UP Cebu community, with guests from the student literary organizations of Cebu Normal University and the University of Cebu, as well as members of writers’ groups Bathalad Sugbo and Women in Literary Arts and faculty members from the Department of Education and Southwestern University.

We thank everyone who spent the afternoon in conversation with us. See you at the next Pundok!

𝙼𝚎𝚎𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚠𝚛𝚒𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚜 𝚠𝚑𝚘 𝚠𝚒𝚕𝚕 𝚜𝚙𝚎𝚊𝚔 𝚊𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝙿𝚞𝚗𝚍𝚘𝚔 𝙺𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚝𝚒𝚔𝚊𝚗: 𝙲𝚘𝚗𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚜𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗𝚜 𝚊𝚋𝚘𝚞𝚝 𝙲𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚟𝚎 𝚆𝚛𝚒𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐’𝚜 𝙵𝚘𝚛𝚞𝚖 𝚘𝚗 𝙿𝚘𝚎𝚝𝚛𝚢.

Happening this April 21 at 3:30 PM at the UP Cebu Lawak Sinehan.

Join the conversation! Register through this link: https://tinyurl.com/PundokKatitikanConversation.

The forum is free and open to the public. Limited seats only.

In celebration of National Literature Month, the UP Cebu Creative Writing Program’s Pundok Katitikan brings together local writers to share their perspectives about the art of writing today.

Join the conversation this April 21! More details soon.

“Ang pagsulat, kay pag-pagawas og ginhawa,” says Dr. Desiree Balota, adding that it is important to write in one’s own language to get in touch with oneself.

Read this feature article about our recently concluded event to get to know more about Pundok Katitikan and the Creative Writing Program. ✍🏼

UP Cebu’s ‘Pundok Katitikan’ returns to the literary landscape For the first time since 2023, the UP Cebu’s Creative Writing Program brought back its flagship literary lecture series, “Pundok Katitikan.”