John Iremil Teodoro
Encyclopedia
John Iremil E. Teodoro is a Filipino
writer
, university professor and freelance journalist. He is also a multi-awarded poet
and playwright
, one of the country's leading pioneers in gay literature and the most published author in the Karay-a
dialect to date.
Born to a middle class family in the province of Antique, Teodoro gained early recognition as a highly-prized and well-published writer during his college years. Among his first distinctions were the Literature Grant of the Cultural Center of the Philippines and Gawad Ka Amado in 1993 for his early attempts in Filipino poetry. His first full-length play in Filipino Ang Unang Ulan ng Mayo (The First Rain of May) won 2nd Place at the 1997 Don Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature. He obtained his bachelor's degree in Biology from the University of San Agustin
in Iloilo City
. He also holds a master's degree in Creative Writing from the De La Salle University
-Manila where he graduated with high distinction.
He later worked as a journalist for the Bandillo ng Palawan-Edisiong Filipino in Puerto Princesa City
, a controversial publication devoted to the advocacy of environmental concerns in the province of Palawan
. In 2001, he returned to his alma mater to work as an assistant professor in literature at the University of San Agustin where he would later become the founding coordinator of the Fray Luis de Leon Creative Writing Institute, Managing Director of the USA Publishing House and moderator of the student publications. He also initiated the establishment of the San Agustin Writers Workshop with the intention of propagating the welfare of creative writing
among young writers in Western Visayas
.
His full-length play Belasyon, which dramatizes the country's migratory diaspora was staged at the Cultural Center of the Philippines in 2003 as part of the USA Centennial Commission activities. In 2004, he was recognized as one of the Outstanding Augustinians of the Century for his lifetime achievement in culture and the arts. He writes in four tongues, namely in English
, Filipino
, Hiligaynon
and Karay-a
. He is a member of the Alon Collective and the Tabig/Hubon Manunulat Antique. He is a five-time awardee of the prestigious Palanca Awards
and has published five books of poetry. Many of his literary works have been published some of the country's leading journals, magazines and newspapers. His poetry book Kung ang Tula ay Pwedeng Pambili ng Lalake (If Poems Could Buy Men) has been shortlisted at the 2007 Manila Critics Circle National Book Award.
On February 20, 2008, Unang Ulan ng Mayo (The First Rain of May) was premiered by the De La Salle University - Harlequin Theatre Guild at the Tanghalang Huseng Batute, Cultural Center of the Philippines. On October 9, 10 and 11, 2008, the play was restaged by the guild at the College of Saint Benilde, School of Design and Arts, Black Box.
Filipino people
The Filipino people or Filipinos are an Austronesian ethnic group native to the islands of the Philippines. There are about 92 million Filipinos in the Philippines, and about 11 million living outside the Philippines ....
writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
, university professor and freelance journalist. He is also a multi-awarded poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
and playwright
Playwright
A playwright, also called a dramatist, is a person who writes plays.The term is not a variant spelling of "playwrite", but something quite distinct: the word wright is an archaic English term for a craftsman or builder...
, one of the country's leading pioneers in gay literature and the most published author in the Karay-a
Karay-a
The Karay-a, are part of the wider Visayan ethnolinguistic group, which constitute the largest Filipino ethnolinguistic group. The name of this group was derived from the word iraya, which means "upstream". Karay-a people speak Kinaray-a language...
dialect to date.
Born to a middle class family in the province of Antique, Teodoro gained early recognition as a highly-prized and well-published writer during his college years. Among his first distinctions were the Literature Grant of the Cultural Center of the Philippines and Gawad Ka Amado in 1993 for his early attempts in Filipino poetry. His first full-length play in Filipino Ang Unang Ulan ng Mayo (The First Rain of May) won 2nd Place at the 1997 Don Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature. He obtained his bachelor's degree in Biology from the University of San Agustin
University of San Agustin
The University of San Agustin is a private Catholic university in Iloilo City, Philippines, the first in Western Visayas.-History:Augustinian friars from Spain belonging to the Province of the Most Holy Name of Jesus of the Philippines founded the University of San Agustin on July 15, 1904. They...
in Iloilo City
Iloilo City
The City of Iloilo is a highly urbanized city in the Philippines and the capital city of Iloilo province. It is the regional center of the Western Visayas, as well as the center of the Iloilo-Guimaras Metropolitan Area...
. He also holds a master's degree in Creative Writing from the De La Salle University
De La Salle University
De La Salle University is a private Lasallian university in Malate, Manila, Philippines. It was founded in 1911 by De La Salle Brothers as the De La Salle College in Paco, Manila with Blimond Pierre serving as its first director...
-Manila where he graduated with high distinction.
He later worked as a journalist for the Bandillo ng Palawan-Edisiong Filipino in Puerto Princesa City
Puerto Princesa City
The City of Puerto Princesa is a city located on the western provincial island of Palawan, one of 80 provinces which make up the Philippines...
, a controversial publication devoted to the advocacy of environmental concerns in the province of Palawan
Palawan
Palawan is an island province of the Philippines located in the MIMAROPA region or Region 4. Its capital is Puerto Princesa City, and it is the largest province in the country in terms of total area of jurisdiction. The islands of Palawan stretch from Mindoro in the northeast to Borneo in the...
. In 2001, he returned to his alma mater to work as an assistant professor in literature at the University of San Agustin where he would later become the founding coordinator of the Fray Luis de Leon Creative Writing Institute, Managing Director of the USA Publishing House and moderator of the student publications. He also initiated the establishment of the San Agustin Writers Workshop with the intention of propagating the welfare of creative writing
Creative writing
Creative writing is considered to be any writing, fiction, poetry, or non-fiction, that goes outside the bounds of normal professional, journalistic, academic, and technical forms of literature. Works which fall into this category include novels, epics, short stories, and poems...
among young writers in Western Visayas
Western Visayas
Western Visayas, one of the regions of the Philippines, is designated as Region VI. It consists of six provinces; Aklan, Antique, Negros Occidental, Capiz, Guimaras and Iloilo and 16 cities making it the region with the highest number of cities. Iloilo City is the regional center...
.
His full-length play Belasyon, which dramatizes the country's migratory diaspora was staged at the Cultural Center of the Philippines in 2003 as part of the USA Centennial Commission activities. In 2004, he was recognized as one of the Outstanding Augustinians of the Century for his lifetime achievement in culture and the arts. He writes in four tongues, namely in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, Filipino
Filipino language
This move has drawn much criticism from other regional groups.In 1987, a new constitution introduced many provisions for the language.Article XIV, Section 6, omits any mention of Tagalog as the basis for Filipino, and states that:...
, Hiligaynon
Hiligaynon language
Hiligaynon, often referred to as Ilonggo, is an Austronesian language spoken in the Western Visayas region of the Philippines.Hiligaynon is concentrated in the provinces of Iloilo, Negros Occidental and Capiz but is also spoken in the other provinces of the Panay Island group, including Antique,...
and Karay-a
Karay-a
The Karay-a, are part of the wider Visayan ethnolinguistic group, which constitute the largest Filipino ethnolinguistic group. The name of this group was derived from the word iraya, which means "upstream". Karay-a people speak Kinaray-a language...
. He is a member of the Alon Collective and the Tabig/Hubon Manunulat Antique. He is a five-time awardee of the prestigious Palanca Awards
Palanca Awards
The Palanca Awards or Don Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature is the Philippines' most prestigious and most enduring literary awards and is dubbed as the "Pulitzer Prize" of the Philippines...
and has published five books of poetry. Many of his literary works have been published some of the country's leading journals, magazines and newspapers. His poetry book Kung ang Tula ay Pwedeng Pambili ng Lalake (If Poems Could Buy Men) has been shortlisted at the 2007 Manila Critics Circle National Book Award.
On February 20, 2008, Unang Ulan ng Mayo (The First Rain of May) was premiered by the De La Salle University - Harlequin Theatre Guild at the Tanghalang Huseng Batute, Cultural Center of the Philippines. On October 9, 10 and 11, 2008, the play was restaged by the guild at the College of Saint Benilde, School of Design and Arts, Black Box.