Three Mindanao-based writers—Alter P. Hofileña from Davao City, Aimee Faunillan-Abella from Cagayan de Oro, and Jennie P. Arado from Koronadal City—have been accepted as fellows for the 63rd Silliman University National Writers Workshop (SUNWW), set to take place from June 9 to 20 at Silliman University. Hofileña, recognized for his poetry, has had works published in Dagmay and the Philippine Graphic and was previously a special workshop mentee at the 58th SUNWW. Abella, a poet and essayist, has been published in Voice & Verse Poetry Magazine and was a fellow at the 31st Iligan National Writers Workshop in 2024. Arado, known for her children’s book Dako nga Yahong sang Batchoy, won the 2018 South Cotabato Children’s Story Writing Workshop and the 2021 Best Children’s Book at the Mindanao ASEAN Literary Festival Book Awards. All three fellows have strong academic backgrounds, with Hofileña teaching at UP Mindanao, Abella as a former graduate research fellow and faculty member, and Arado as a former college instructor and lecturer. Arado also owns Alitaptap Bookshop in Koronadal City, which has been instrumental in fostering local literary movements. (Yas D. Ocampo/MindaNews)
