New center for Bikol literature formed

Bicol Mail

There’s a new haven for Bikol writers in this city which prides itself as the center of the arts, culture and literature in the region.

City Mayor John G. Bongat, upon consultation with Naga-based personalities in Bicol arts and literature, issued Executive Order No. 2012-004 creating the “Harong kan Literatura asin mga Tataramon Bikolnon,” or HLTB.

The executive order highlights the promotion of culture and the arts as a priority of Mayor Bongat’s administration, pursuant to its “Maogmang Naga” vision that seeks to create “a vibrant city of history, music, culture and the arts.”

The HLTB to be located at Raul S. Roco Library within the City Hall compound seeks to:

a)      promote the development of Bikol literature in its various forms, including but not limited to, poetry, fiction, drama, and essay, as well as translations;

b)      serve as repository of all works, published or unpublished, by Bikol or non-Bikol writers on or about Bikol, regardless of language, form and format;

c)      support the documentation, publication and distribution of new literary activities, and;

d)      spearhead programs, projects and activities that will promote literacy and develop a culture of reading in local communities of the Bicol Region.

With the mayor himself as honorary chairman, the HLTB will be manned by six representatives elected from the ranks of local Bikol writers and their organizations. The city vice mayor, the city planning and development coordinator, the head of the city publication and external relations office, and the library will serve as ex-oficio members.

The HLTB will also pursue partnership as key strategy to realize its goals. It will coordinate with the National Commission for Culture and Arts (NCCA) in accessing grants and funding assistance from said institution, as well as other national and international organizations dedicated to the promotion of arts and culture.