2012 BEST ILUKO POEM

     Senior citizen Marlene C. Tolentino of Batac city, Ilocos Norte won the biggest money of her Ilokano writing life when she bagged the first prize in the first edition of the  Severino and Eufemia Lacar Commemorative Award in Iluko Poetry. The cash money of P10,000 was presented to her by Mr. Francisco Lacar, one of the siblings of the Lacars, sponsors of the annual writing contest, during the Cultural Night in the 5th TMIF International Iluko Literary Conference held at the Mariano Marcos State University, Laoag Campus, last May 24-26. All the siblings except Fr. Sylvio and Juanita, who now live in Australia and Canada, were there at the College of Teacher Excellence where the event was held. The other winners were Hawaii-based Amado Yoro and Jorge Placido. Judges were Dr. Vicente Bonoan, a poet in his own right and vice-president of Data Center College and former university dean  Dr. Greg Amano.
     Francisco told the blogger that the contest would go on and on for as long as the Lacars were in the world, the purpose of which was to keep alive the Ilokano legacy of their parents.
     Big names of Iluko poetry ignored the contest despite the fact that almost all of them were sent the rules of the pasalip that gives the biggest prizes in regional poetry competitions.