By Gabriela Baron
A poet from San Mateo, Rizal was hailed as “Gintong Makata ng 2023” by poetry group TulasalitaanPH.
Pauline Pabilonia was awarded “Gintong Makata” during TulasatillanPH’s Guni-Gunita Poetry Slam, Stage Play, and Film Viewing at the Human Rights and People Empowerment Center on Sept. 16.
Pabilonia graduated with a degree of Bachelor Arts in English at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines.
She is a spoken word artist and member of the Tadhana Collective since 2016.
Among her works are “Ako ‘Yung Tipo ng Babae”, “Victory Liner”, and “Ang Hele Para sa mga Ampon”.
Meanwhile, Jose Alfonso Sacdalan from Dasmariñas bagged the second prize, while John Mark Tiquia from Manila received the third prize.
Joe Stone and John Verline Santos received special awards.
Edbert Darwin Casten, one of the founders of TulasalitaanPH, said the awarding and event will happen yearly.
“Taon-taon may gagawaran ng Gintong Makata,” Casten added.
Casten also said the group is also planning to hold poetry workshops.
-ag