White Memorial, Filipino orthopedic nurse Peter Solis Nery of 4North was inducted into the Don Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature Hall of Fame in an awarding ceremony held at The Peninsula Manila hotel in Makati City on Sept 1. Nery becomes the 23rd inductee into the 2012 Palanca Hall of Fame—an exclusive and much-sought after honor given those who have received five first prizes in the contest’s many categories. The 43-year-old Nery, a native of Iloilo province, earned the honor after clinching the top prize in the Poetry for Children in English category for his collection “Punctuation,” which he dedicated to “young writers trying to separate sentences and phrases.” He also won second prize in the Filipino division of that category for his collection “Sa Mundo ng mga Kulisap.” Nery’s “Punctuation” victory is his fifth first-place win, fulfilling the requirement for inclusion in the Hall of Fame. His previous first-placing works are his Hiligaynon short stories “Lirio” (1998), “Candido” (2007), and “Donato Bugtot” (2011), as well as his English full-length play “The Passion of Jovita Fuentes” (2008).

His other winning works are the Hiligaynon short stories “Ang Pangayaw” (third prize, 2000) and “Ang Kapid” (second prize, 2006); the English one-act play “The Wide Ionian Sea” (third prize, 2010); the English children’s poetry collection “The Shape of Happiness” (second prize, 2011); and the English full-length play “If the Shoe Fits (Or, The Five Men Imelda Marcos Meets in Heaven) (second prize, 2011). Peter’s Hall of Fame induction is one of the most coveted in Philippine literature and he is the first nurse to receive the award. Congratulations, Peter!

The poem below titled “If the Comma Were a Color,” opens “Punctuation,” the collection that won Nery the top prize and Hall of Fame:

 

If the comma were a color,

I bet it would be green

Like growing grass

Or sprouting leaves,

Or rolling hills,

Or the Sierra Madre

Mountain range,

Because commas

Make sentences grow,

And grow,

And grow.

 

© Sara Rubalcava-Beck & Stat: September 27, 2012

For most love stories, those that are set in the time of vacations and colorful festivals almost always seem to have that backdrop and atmosphere of a light-comic pop movie, complete with colorful costumes and the festivities of the affair.

But Gugma sa Panahon Sang Bakunawa is more than just your average love story. Writer and director Peter Solis Nery explores themes of morality, economic success, and the struggle to find the balance between the two surprisingly opposing factors in the backdrop of a fictitious festival.

“I’ve always wanted to make a film about any of our colorful festivals, something like a movie to promote Philippine tourism,” says Peter.

Delving deeper into the story, one finds that the main struggle here is between the loss of morals brought on by the Bakunawa Festival (which, apparently, was a festival invented by lead character Matt’s grandmother) and the fact that it has also become a source of employment and success for the people in Isla Pulang Pasayan.

In Gugma sa Panahon Sang Bakunawa, we find Matt, a struggling musician who goes back to his hometown. There he meets a girl by the beach, Dulce Amor, whom he falls in love with. Their love story is set against the colorful Bakunawa Festival.

As Nery’s first full-length 109-minute feature film, Gugma sa Panahon Sang Bakunawa is in the Hiligaynon language with English subtitles. It has seen both local and international audiences, and both parties have received the film with open arms and positive praise. Continue reading “Love in the time of a festival”

 

HALL of Famer and 23rd Palanca awardee Peter Solis Nery unveiled four new books at a simple book launching held at Al dente Restaurant last September 4, 2012.

The books that were revealed were entitled “If the shoe fits, or the five men Imelda Marcos meets in Heaven”; “Cory, Full of Grace”, “100 Erotic Sonnets from the Hiligaynon” and the movie novelization of “Love in the Time of the Bakunawa”.

“Love at the Time of the Bakunawa” novel is the expanded form of the movie. According to Nery the original story underwent a transformation from story format to screenplay in Filipino, screenplay in English and finally screenplay in Hiligaynon. The only difference from the screenplay to the book is that the book gives the readers more access to the characters and their thoughts; something that you cannot do in a movie.

Nery decided to expand the film into a novel as he feels that the movie’s story is such a strong material and should be made available to people who want to learn more about the story. “True, Palanca entries need craft and sophistication but I am all for communication, for simple expression, that you can read and enjoy.”

“100 Erotic Sonnets in Hiligaynon” was written before his departure to the States in 2006 and was published as “100 Erotic Sonnets from Hiligaynon” about two years ago. But if one is wondering if he will publish the Hiligaynon format, Nery shared he has plans.

He also states that he is the type who will “publish on demand,” “That means no trees are cut until people would want to buy the book. So when there are orders amu lang na ko mag-print sang book.” He also added that the books also come in Kindle format.

But that’s not all, the five-time Palanca awardee revealed the launching of his own foundation named the Peter Solis Nery Foundation for Literature and the Arts.

Such a milestone may as well be considered as the highlight of Peter Solis Nery’s career.

 

© Karen Bernadette Vergara & The Daily Guardian: September 8, 2012

Peter Solis Nery becomes the 23rd inductee into the 2012 Palanca Hall of Fame—an exclusive and much-sought after honor given those who have received five first prizes in the contest’s many categories. Nery is very special honoree on these three counts:

First, he is the first nurse to receive the award—although only second to 2005’s Luis P Gatmaitan, MD, to come from the medical profession;

Second, he is the first Visayan writer to receive the award for winning three golds in the Short Story in Hiligaynon category—although only second to 2003’s Reynaldo A Duque, who did the same feat for Maikling Kuwento in Iluko; and,

Third, he is the first US-based Filipino multi-book author to have received the award—although only third to 1995’s Ruth Elynia S Mabanglo, who is Manoa, HI-based; 1996’s Ma Luisa A Igloria, who is Norfolk, VI-based; and, 2000’s Edgardo B Maranan, who was London-based from 1993 to 2006.

Thus, right after having registered at the anteroom, I immediately asked around for the night’s special honoree and  there he was,  Peter, in bright electric pink outfit nobody could miss—hurried and harried for three quick answers. Here are Peter’s revelations:

 

“I worked hard for it!’’ 

And if that answer seemed like just any other OFW who had to earn green bucks overseas for one’s family, something short of melodramatic then I have to prick your bubble—because it turned out to be an understatement! Peter fielded 15 entries to this year’s contest and was able to clinch  two: one second prize for “Sa Mundo ng mga Kulisap’’ in Tulang Pambata,  and one first prize for “Punctuation’’ in Poetry for Children, which elevated him to the 2012 Hall of Fame.

“I started joining the contest in 1997, when the Hiligaynon Short Story category was opened. And it was in 2008 when I started joining the English categories.’’

Just as an aside, hearing the poem set read by poet Marjorie Evasco, I wouldn’t want to have Punctuation end at all—if I were a child and if black weren’t my favorite color—and wished the poem set be available as on CD or as an audiobook, if not online!

 

“Getting second seems not like winning at all!’’

The statement may not come as a surprise for someone who says he isn’t very confident about his English but is definitely bent on winning.  In 2008, Nery won gold for the full-length play “The Passion of Jovita Fuentes’’ in the English division.

“If I were to leave Filipinos a legacy, I’d like to think it would be Five Men and Imelda Marcos… Because it adds to the rich lore that surrounds the Madame.’’

“If the Shoe Fits, or The Five Men Imelda Marcos Meets in Heaven,’’ which won first prize in the Full-Length Play category in the 2011 Palanca, is now available as an 8.5×5.5 paperback from CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform.

Born and raised in Dumangas, Iloilo,  Nery has 11 Palancas to date and 15 books—including, among many others, 100 Erotic Sonnets from the Hiligaynon, The Passion of Jovita Fuentes, The Prince of Ngoyngoy, Rain as Gentle as Tears, Fantasia, and A Loneliness Greater than Love.

For one so prolific and—I’d assume—already widely read having been published many times over, why would one wish to err, limit one’s market to a few but discerning readers and to students of literature? Many would safely take just one and relax.

“Books are meant for communicating. They’re much simpler compared to writing contest pieces. Writing is more elaborate and artistic.’’

His Hall of Fame brief concluded with the following description: “Multidisciplined Nery currently works as an orthopedics staff nurse/safety champion at the White Memorial Medical Center in Los Angeles, CA, where he was honored with the Daisy Award for Extraordinary Nurses.

“After all, the Palanca is the standard by which Filipino writers are measured…. This is where you get peer approval and recognition.’’

Explore the peer-approved, world-renowned Nery—who has degrees in Biology, Nursing, Education, and Philosophy—more at www.petersolisnery.com!

 

© Camilo M. Villanueva, Jr. & Manila Bulletin: September 7, 2012

LOS ANGELES-BASED Filipino orthopedic nurse Peter Solis Nery was inducted into the Don Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature Hall of Fame in an awarding ceremony held at The Peninsula Manila hotel in Makati City on Saturday night.

The 43-year-old Nery, a native of Iloilo province, earned the honor after clinching the top prize in the Poetry for Children in English category for his collection “Punctuation”, which he dedicated to “young writers trying to separate sentences and phrases.” He also won second prize in the Filipino division of that category for his collection “Sa Mundo ng mga Kulisap.”

Nery’s “Punctuation” victory is his fifth first-place win, fulfilling the requirement for inclusion in the Hall of Fame. His previous first-placing works are his Hiligaynon short stories “Lirio” (1998), “Candido” (2007), and “Donato Bugtot” (2011), as well as his English full-length play “The Passion of Jovita Fuentes” (2008).

His other winning works are the Hiligaynon short stories “Ang Pangayaw” (third prize, 2000) and “Ang Kapid” (second prize, 2006); the English one-act play “The Wide Ionian Sea” (third prize, 2010); the English children’s poetry collection “The Shape of Happiness” (second prize, 2011); and the English full-length play “If the Shoe Fits (Or, The Five Men Imelda Marcos Meets in Heaven) (second prize, 2011).

Nery is the 23rd person inducted into the Hall of Fame. Previous inductees include the late National Artist for Literature and Theater Rolando Tinio; acclaimed screenwriter-director Jun Lana; Man Asian Literary Prize finalists Dr. Jose “Butch” Dalisay Jr. and Alfred “Krip” Yuson; and Dr. Isagani R. Cruz, president of The Manila Times College.

Yuson and Cruz, joined by fellow Hall of Fame honorees Manuel Buising, Reynaldo Duque, Dr. Eugene Evasco, Dr. Luis Gatmaitan, and Edgardo Maranan, helped Carlos Palanca Foundation Director General Sylvia Palanca-Quirino and Carlos Palanca 4th present a silver plaque to Nery in recognition of his latest achievement during the ceremony.

Asked about his induction, Nery expressed satisfaction for “having achieved what I [had] set out to do,” as well as the need to prove himself more to justify his inclusion.

Honored

The ceremony’s guest of honor, Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez Jr., was presented with the Dangal ng Lahi award by Quirino and Palanca. In his speech, Jimenez extolled his department’s efforts to promote the country through its campaign “It’s More Fun in the Philippines”, and expressed interest in acquiring books for the agency’s events.

In her speech, Quirino noted that many creative writers have deepened their love of country and offered their time and talent “by writing how it is to be Filipino, and by submitting their entries to our annual contest.”

“Whether a writer wins or loses in a contest is of no great moment, really. It is a win-win process when one commits his thoughts, insights, imagination, and commentary on paper. That is what the Filipino writer does, whether he wins a Palanca prize or not,” she said.

Quirino also announced her foundation’s forthcoming publication of a series of books—“I Did It—So Can You!”—that celebrates Filipinos from modest backgrounds who achieved great success in their chosen fields, as well as the establishment of the Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards Research Facility in Alabang, Muntinlupa City.

Other highlights of the ceremony include a poetry reading of Nery’s “Punctuation” poems, performed by poet Marjorie Evasco and stage actor Miguel Faustmann, and actors Robert Seña and Candy Pangilinan performing an excerpt of Joshua Lim So’s “Joe Cool: Aplikante”, which won first prize in the One-act Play in Filipino category.

Established in 1950 in honor of Carlos Palanca Sr., the Palanca Awards aims to help develop Philippine literature by providing incentives to creative writers to craft their best works, and be a treasury for such works. It is often dubbed the Philippine version of the United States’ Pulitzer Prize.

© Alvin I. Dacanay & Manila Times: September 3, 2012