More than four centuries of foreign acculturation of the Filipino has effectively woven a cultural matrix that has welded both Spanish and American influences in the Christmas consciousness of present-day Filipinos.
Nanaha sa tumang kalunhaw ug nanalingsing sa tumang kadalisay ang mithi sa pakigbisog nga gitanom ni Titser Chad Booc sa kabanikanhan!
On this gracious occasion wherein we fifteen Awardees are showered with tribute and praises as Creators of Cebuano Literature, no greater feeling cradles us than this surge of grateful joy overflowing from the core of our interiority. Our hearts sing.
From the wellspring of a select corner of the soul, a subjective disturbance — however unwilled it may be — may flow via the aqueduct of verbal expression into the domain of the tongue.
Tita Lacambra Ayala is the Star — a veritable Star. Tala, her signature artist name rhymes perfectly with her singular fame. Her radiance is a rare circumstance in the literary horizon of our nation, seeps into the collective consciousness of all lovers of literature and art.
Nothing can stop now the selfish ambitions of the imperial power
Which the Reptilian Junta and Haribon are loyally implementing—
The most effective way to reap the land’s blessings for the Greedy,
Even if the little creatures be consigned to sink deep in the mud.
Nothing has swelled the heads of the Tres Sawahes more than
Having held such rare authority vested upon them by Bakunawa
To enforce his avaricious adventure of exploiting and utilizing
The fruits of all of Mindasilang’s bounties and natural resources.
Since that memorable day when songs and poesies
Crafted of pain and anger of the Avians were lanced
To the sky which virtually shredded the thick clouds
And floated like ocean waves in the firmament,
They lanced their unisoned voices to the sky where thick
Dark clouds hovered frighteningly over the whole Island!
And by their fiery hearts bored a hole through the gloom
That hitherto veiled the glorious sheen of Justice and Peace.
As expected, the traitorous plot and dirty game
Of the Tres Sawahes was ultimately adopted by
Haribon, as far as he could muster by his critical
Acumen and skills tempered by long political history.
