4th Tugade Iluko Literary Awards Program On Going

     The program at the 4th floor of the Palacio de Laoag along Vintar Road started a little bit late. The usual Filipino way of not keeping time. It is now 10 minutes to 11:am. Dr. Alegria Tan of MMSU and Nakem Conferences Philippines is giving a welcome address in lieu of Juan S.P.Hidalgo, Jr. who earlier informed Linda Tugade that he was going to Rosales, Pangasinan today, September 29, and would not be attending the affair. JSPH, Jr. is a perennial candidate for National Artist. Timpuyog dagiti Mannurat iti Iluko iti Filipinas and Nakem Conferences could nominate him.

     Book author Herdy La. Yumul and his Mariano Marcos Memorial State University students come into the venue. The usual greeting and acknowledgement. Come the top winner in both the short story and poetry categories Iluko writer Joel Manuel and his high school student writers, who are, he says, stage actors (Ilokano komedia).   Mrs. Elizabeth Madarang Raquel, Ilocos Norte Gumil stalwart,  and two other officials of Dep-Ed Ilocos Norte have just entered  the venue. Properly acknowledged by the emcee, a DJ of an FM station in Laoag. It's now 11:30 AM. The message of T. Gabriel Tugade, from San Francisco, CA being read by his sister Linda. The arrival of 2nd prize-winner Fe Malucay-Galvez with husband and a baby girl and probably a 4-year sister in tow. Other winners entered the venue-- poetry winner Daniel Nesperos of San Nicolas, Ilocos Norte and 5th placer of the short story category Danilo Antalan and non-winners Renato Taylan of Bacarra, Mario Tejada of Piddig, Oswald Valiente of Currimao and Timpuyog dagiti Mannurat iti Iluko iti Filipinas Placido.

    Dr. Edwin Antonio, straight from the Laoag International Airport from Basilan arrives by his lonesome. He tells the blogger about the Indigenous People's Day to be celebrated in Bulacan on Nov. 26-28.

     T. Gabriel Tugade is monitoring the event from California. He calls the blogger now and then. Here's his email message: It is truly an Ilokano-literary cultural milestone. The day will be remembered. It will be a part of our history--especially the TMI Global history. You made it happen. Dios-ti-agngina.

     Dr. Dedicacion Agatep-Reyes calls Linda. She expresses regrets because, according to her, she forgets this day she and her husband, the late Gov. Godofredo Reyes, will be receiving the Dagiti Teddek ti Kultura ken Literatura Iluko Award that the US-based Tugade Foundation and TMIF are bestowing on her. The blogger trusts Dr. Dedicacion who in February 2009 told the former something about the patta (unfinished house) of the writers that still stands today on a lot in Suso, not far away from their house.

   Just received a text message from Hermie Viloria of Vigan asking" Sinno ti namalakad ken ni Jose Bragado a bangonenna ti balay ti Gumil? " Pedro Bucaneg awardee in Hermie.

     Intermission:  renditions of Ilokano songs ("No Duaduaem Pay", "Naraniag a Bulan", kpy.) by Aweng Chorus Group composed of young high school students of Marcos town. Makapaseggar ti kinalaingda nga agkanta.

     Giving of checks and certificates to the winners of the 4th Tugade Iluko Literary Awards.
     Singing of the traditional birthday song "Padapadakam" in honor of the birthday celebrant, T. Gabriel Tugade, president and CEO of the Tugade Foundation. 
     The blogger delivers the closing remarks. He tells his audience that TIMF is building the Timpuyog Journal as the best Ilokano-English magazine in the Amianan, if not in the entire Philippines.

The first Iluko novel in book form, antedating Hidalgo's "Bituen ti Rosales' was published. Tugade's novel was serialized in Bannawag. It was also those times that Julian's Casa Fernandez and Tabin's Pakpakawan Berde, were published in the Ilokano magazine.