LIRA & Vibal Foundation Launch 2nd of 4 Poetry Chapbooks

Our official press release. For those interested in getting copies, please read the last paragraph :)

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LIRA & Vibal Foundation Launch 2nd of 4 Poetry Chapbooks

The celebrated Filipino poetry group Linangan sa Imahen, Retorika, at Anyo (LIRA) launched the second of its four poetry chapbooks for 2010 on September 21 at the Conspiracy Garden Café in Quezon City.

Titled “Iláng” and edited by award-winning poet Jerry B. Gracio, the second LIRA chapbook for the year features twenty-five poems from Giancarlo Lauro C. Abrahan V, Mariane A.R.T. Abuan, Mel G. Boquiren, Joselito Delos Reyes, Noel Fortun, Mikael Gallego, Ezzard R. Gilbang, Phillip Kimpo Jr., Erwin C. Lareza, Claire Madarang, Francisco Monteseña, Deborah Rosalind D. Nieto, Renato Santillan, Lee G. Sepe, Rem Tanauan, Michael Jude C. Tumamac, and Enrique Villasis.

The chapbook was published by Vibal Foundation, the socio-cultural development arm of Vibal Publishing House, Inc., and Aklat LIRA, the publishing imprint of one of the country’s major literary organizations.

The poetry chapbook series is one of the projects for LIRA’s year-long 25th anniversary celebrations. The first chapbook, titled “Lámang” was edited by Edgar Calabia Samar, while the next two chapbooks, edited by Enrico C. Torralba and Ronaldo Carcamo, respectively, will be launched in the next two months.

The four chapbooks serve as appetizers for the launch of a new book featuring the works of LIRA poets, especially those by its new generation, to be launched in December and also published by Vibal Foundation. The anthology is edited by the founder of LIRA, National Artist for Literature Virgilio S. Almario (a.k.a. Rio Alma). Assisting him are Rebecca T. Añonuevo, Roberto T. Añonuevo, Romulo Baquiran Jr., Michael M. Coroza, and Victor Emmanuel Carmelo D. Nadera Jr.

The chapbook launch coincided with the opening of the “Salit Sining: Wordsmiths Turned Visual Artists II” exhibit, featuring the works of eight LIRA poets. The first and second chapbooks were also launched as e-books by Vibal Foundation’s digital publishing imprint, Vee Press, at the 31st Manila International Book Fair along with over a hundred new e-book titles.

Copies of the second chapbook, “Iláng,” are available for free to public libraries and educational institutions while supplies last. Interested parties may make arrangements for pick-up by emailing the LIRA Chapbook Coordinators at folios@liraonline.org.