Lighting up the dark
My occasional involvement with San Anselmo Press started in late 2019 when former MTRCB colleague Noel del Prado asked me to join him and another prospective editor, Emman Velasco, to put together a book of poems in support of Leni Robredo’s candidacy. Together with fellow Atenean Marvin Aceron as publisher, we came up 100 Pink Poems Para kay Leni. Exceeding all expectations, the bestseller ran nine editions of 4,500 copies.
At the launching of the follow-up anthology Lugaw ni Leni, Pink Parol, KKK, Kakampinks, Atbp. edited by National Artist for Literature Virgilio Almario, he suggested starting a new regular literary publication, maybe a quarterly journal. As Aceron wrote in his first editorial for that new venture, “The poet Marne Kilates suggested we call it ‘Santelmo,’ the familiar local term for St. Elmo’s Fire. We were encouraged that evening as the big names in Philippine letters came to celebrate a renaissance in patriotic writing in support of Vice President Leni Robredo. Then, May 9, 2022 happened. … Robredo called for a ‘Pasasalamat’ rally at the Ateneo grounds and announced her plans to create an expansive NGO network founded on the pink movement. Santelmo: Liwanag sa Dilim became not just an idea but an imperative.”
Our call for submission drew 230 responses. Coming out on June 30, 2022, the first issue had 63 writers and 4 artists offering essays, poems, stories and artworks on the theme of Faith, Hope, and Rebirth. Elmer Borlongan provided the cover art. Almario’s lead-off essay was titled “Kahit Patuloy ang Pagbulusok ng Demakrasya…” Newly-proclaimed National Artist for Literature Gémino Abad book-ended the issue with “Why Write At All?”—stressing that “A country is only as good as her people’s memory.” Among the contributors who would repeat in future issues were poets Alyza Taguilaso, Simeon Dumdum Jr., Juaniyo Arcellana, Joel Vega, Christine Lao, Elvie Victonette Razon-Gonzalez, Vim Nadera, Dakila Cutab, and prose writers R. Torres Pandan and Abdon Balde Jr.
Issue No. 2, with cover artwork by NA Ryan Cayabyab, was launched on Sept. 21, 2022 at Leni’s Museo ng Pag-asa. Contributors read their works on the theme of Deceit, Disinformation and the Big Lie. It had a feature interview of composer-singer Nica del Rosario, and a special focus on translation involving poets Almario, Kilates, Merlie Alunan, Alice Sun-Cua and Gene Alcantara. With his “Subversion for Septuagenarians,” Butch Dalisay led other essayists that included Xiao Chua (in Filipino), Antonio Montalvan II, Edward Cabagnot and Mike Alcarazen. Poets included Mookie Katigbak-Lacuesta, Joel Toledo, Ramil Digal Gulle, Adrian Crisostomo Ho, Anne Carly Abad, Danton Remoto, Edgar Calabia Samar, Enrique Villasis and Paul Alcoseba Castillo.
Santelmo 3 dated January 2023 had cover art by Celeste Lecaroz. It led off with excerpts from R. Torres Pandan’s Palanca-winning novel, also Lakambini Sitoy’s. Essays on the future came from Jose Victor Torres, Howie Severino, Resti Santiago, and this writer, while short fiction had Angelo Lacuesta, Dean Francis Alfar, and Che Sarigumba. An interview with South Africa-based poet Jim Pascual Agustin joined tributes to the poetry of the late Richard Gappi and Erickson Acosta. From the art features by Agnes Arellano, Jay Bautista on DengCoy Miel, and on ManilaBang 2022, a striking sculpture by Arellano lit up the back cover.
Issue No. 4 for March 2023 had no theme. Cover art was by Maxine Syjuco, from among her artworks in the inside pages that she herself wrote about. Other artists featured were Ross Capili and Alex Sibug, with Capili also on the back cover. Among the fresh contributors were Erwin Castillo, Felipe de Leon Jr., Cristina Pantoja Hidalgo, Alma Anonas-Carpio and Romulo Baquiran Jr. for prose, and for poetry, Luisa Igloria, Ramon Sunico, Mike Coroza, DM Reyes, Mikael de Lara Co, Charlie Samuya Veric, Niccolo Rocamora Vitug, Johanna Carissa Fernandez, Joti Tabula, RR Cagalingan, Homer Novicio, and Fil-Ams Aileen Cassinetto and Wilfredo Pascual Sanchez.
Santelmo 5 for June 2023 eventually sold out. Billed as “The Justice Issue,” it had a still incarcerated Leila de Lima on the cover, with artwork by Mel Vera Cruz, a prominent community artist in San Francisco. First launched on July 8 without the participation of the former senator, it was relaunched at Blue Rocket Cafe-Bar in QC on December 2 when she regained her freedom. She spoke gratefully: “To see one’s own story documented, especially within a publication focused on justice, is a humbling yet stirring experience.”
Joining in the cry for justice were poets Aloy Polintan, Ronald Araña Atilano, Ronel Osias, and with essays, Priscilla Supnet Macansantos, Antonio Montalvan II, Joel Pablo Salud, Zena Bernardo, and Juaniyo Arcellana. Bullit Marquez had a photo essay. Art features by Ian Rosales Casocot highlighted the works of his fellow Dumagueteños Cristina Taniguchi for painting and Hersley Ven-Casero for photography. Poet Trish Shishikura also shared her photographs, while short fiction came from Marguerite de Leon, Carlos Cortes, Danton Remoto, and Zosimo Quibilan Jr.
Issue No. 6 for September 2003 featured Kislap-Diwa 2023, as conceived by Almario and Sen. Loren Legarda—pairing off a dozen poets in Filipino with the following visual artists whose works were put on display at the National Museum of Anthropology on August 12: Celeste Lecaroz, Egay Talusan Fernandez, Mark Justiniani, Paul Eric Roca, Fil Delacruz, Manuel Baldemor, Virgilio “Pandy” Aviado, Kora Dandan-Albano, Manny Garibay, Toym Imao, Salvador Ching, and Alfredo Esquillo Jr. Roca’s painting of the flying “buraq” was chosen for the cover.
Their partner poets were, respectively: Agatha Palencia-Bagares, RR Cagalingan, Enrique Villasis, Mikael de Lara Co, Nicholas Pichay, Noel Romero del Prado, Fidel Rillo Jr., Aldrin Pentero, Joti Tabula, Vim Nadera, Michael Coroza and Edgar Calabia Samar.
Essayists included Wilfredo Nolledo and AA Patawaran, while art essays were by Carlomar Arcangel Daoana and Gerardo Jimenez. Karl de Mesa had a photo essay.
Santelmo 7, billed as the Health, Wellness, & Literature Issue for December 2023, had a well-attended launch at Blue Rocket on January 27. Most of the essays, short fiction and poems were written by doctors invited by Joti Tabula. Major highlights are Jon Altomonte’s exposition on his own art (which also edify the front and back covers), and Kublai Millan sharing his feature on “Mindanao Art in Glitch.”
Poet Edbert Darwin Casten has joined the board of editors, while MK Segundo and Alex Sibug have designed the issues. Gay Ace Domingo supervises distribution. Copies are available via Shopee and from select bookstores, with a yearly subscription at P1,000.
Due out in March is Santelmo 8, with the theme of Food/Culinary Culture. It has quite a lineup of writers, poets and artists, more names that can be dropped in the future to add to over 300 notable bylines so far that testify to Santelmo’s continuing incandescence.
Oh, and the 10th edition of the Pink Poems will be released sometime this year.