Andrea D. Lim, from General Santos City, is currently working as an editor for a publishing company in Cebu City while taking her master’s degree in literature at the University of San Carlos, Cebu City. She was a fellow for poetry in the 24th Iligan National Writers Workshop (2017). She is also the former editor in chief of the Weekly Sillimanian, the official student publication of Silliman University, Dumaguete City.

David Jayson Oquendo, from Polomolok, South Cotabato, has just graduated with a degree of electrical engineering from Mindanao State University in General Santos City. He is a former editor in chief of Bagwis, the official student publication.

Emmylou Shayne Layog is a fresh graduate from the University of the Philippines–Mindanao with a degree in creative writing. She currently resides in General Santos City.

Hiyasmin Gabriela Espejo was a writing major at the University of the Philippines–Mindanao and was a fellow for play at the 2010 Davao Writers Workshop.

Generoso Opulencia is a retired professor of Notre Dame of Marbel University. His poem “Regarding Flowers from La Trinidad” won the second prize in the 1999 poetry contest of Home Life magazine, and his poem “To a Son Learning the Art of Cooking” won the first prize in 2000 in the same competition.

Genory Vanz S. Alfasain (popularly known as Yadu Karu) took Bachelor of Arts in English at Mindanao State University GenSan. He is an advocacy blogger, writing various stories on sustainable tourism, current events, among others. He was a fellow to the 2016 Davao Writers Workshop. He is also an independent filmmaker whose first short film “Bé” won Best Film (Sarangani Shorts Category) in the 2013 SalaMindanaw Asian Film Festival held at General Santos City. His second short film “Jamir” was nominated for Best Film in the 2014 Mindanao Film Festival held at Davao City.

Gilbert Yap Tan is a professor at Mindanao State University in General Santos City and a resource person and evaluator for schools press conferences and campus journalism. He was also a fellow for fiction in the 1989 Silliman University National Writers Workshop.

Jade Mark B. Capiñanes earned his bachelor’s degree in English at Mindanao State University in General Santos City. He was a fellow for essay at the 2016 Davao Writers Workshop and the 2017 University of Santo Tomas National Writers Workshop.

Jermaine Dela Cruz is an AB English graduate of Mindanao State University in General Santos City. She now works for a fashion magazine and as a content provider at Brigada Mass Media Corporation.

John Dominic L. Arellano is a certified public accountant and a passionate reader. He was born in Norala, South Cotabato, and raised in Tacurong City, Sultan Kudarat. He currently resides in Koronadal City, South Cotabato.

Karlo Antonio Galay David is a fourth-generation Kidapawanon. He has an AB in English from Ateneo de Davao University and a master’s degree in creative writing from Silliman University. He has a Nick Joaquin Literary Award for fiction and a Palanca Award for one-act play. Of mixed Tagalog, Ilocano, and Bul-anon blood but of Mindanao settler heritage, he writes about Kidapawan in English and in the unique hybrid Filipino spoken in Davao City and parts of Cotabato Region.

Kloyde A. Caday is a faculty member of the Department of English Language and Literature at the University of Southern Mindanao in Kabacan, Cotabato Province. He was a fellow for creative nonfiction at the 2016 Davao Writers Workshop and for poetry at the 2014 Ateneo de Davao University Summer Writers Workshop.

Kristine Ong Muslim is the author of eight books of fiction and poetry: Age of Blight, Butterfly Dream, Meditations of a Beast, Black Arcadia, Lifeboat, Grim Series, We Bury the Landscape, and A Roomful of Machines. Her short story collection, Age of Blight, was one of the best books of 2016 according to the Chicago Review of Books, while her poetry collection, Grim Series, was included in the preliminary ballot of the Horror Writers Association’s 2012 Bram Stoker Award for Poetry and was twice nominated for the Science Fiction Poetry Association’s Elgin Award. Born in Kidapawan City, Cotabato Province, she grew up and continues to live in a rural town in Maguindanao.

Lance Isidore Catedral is completing his residency training in Internal Medicine at the University of the Philippines–Philippine General Hospital. He also has a degree in Molecular Biology and Biotechnology from UP–Diliman. He was born and raised in Koronadal City. Since 2004, he has been blogging at bottledbrain.com. His interests include Christianity, literature, and medicine.

Leo Dominic Padua is Administrative Assistant II at National Labor Relations Commission. He finished his bachelor’s degree at Notre Dame of Marbel University in Koronadal City, South Cotabato.

Mark Sherwin Castronuevo Bayanito is a BA Political Science graduate from University of the Philippines–Diliman. He is Ilocano (albeit non-speaking) by blood, raised in General Santos City, and lives in Quezon City. He is primarily interested in the complexities of identity and urban life.

Marie-Luise Coroza Calvero is a composer from General Santos. She is currently pursuing a master’s degree in Film Music at the Institut für Neue Musik (Institute of New Music) of the Staatliche Hochschule für Musik (State Conservatory of Music) in Freiburg, Germany under composer and film music expert Cornelius Schwehr. In her spare time, she reads books, writes poetry and short stories, does freelance work as a music arranger, and teaches piano and music theory to children.

Mariz Leona is a fourth year AB English student at Mindanao State University in General Santos City. She is from Lambayong, Sultan Kudarat.

Mary Ann Ordinario is an award-winning author of books for children from Kidapawan. She owns ABC Educational Development Center, the oldest publishing house of children’s books outside of Metro Manila.

Michael John C. Otanes was born and raised in General Santos City, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in English at Mindanao State University. He writes poetry and short fiction, some of which have been published in various online literary magazines.

Noel Pingoy is a proud graduate of Notre Dame of Marbel University and of Davao Medical School Foundation. He finished residency in internal medicine and fellowships in hematology and in medical oncology at the University of the Philippines–Philippine General Hospital. He also completed courses at St. Christopher’s Hospice and at Harvard Medical School Center for Palliative Care to be able to understand and nurture patients and their families during the end-of-life trajectories of illness. He is a fellow for creative nonfiction at the 2006 National Writers Workshop in Dumaguete City. He believes his exposure to the humanities allows him to survive the rather toxic (and oftentimes depressing) clinical practice in General Santos City and Koronadal City, South Cotabato.

Paul Randy P. Gumanao hails from Kidapawan City, Cotabato Province, and teaches chemistry at Philippine Science High School–SOCCSKSARGEN Region Campus. He was a fellow for poetry at the 2009 Davao Writers Workshop, and 2010 IYAS National Creative Writing Workshop. He is a former editor in chief of Atenews, the official student publication of Ateneo de Davao University, and is currently finishing his MS in Chemistry from the same university.

Rossel M. Audencial is an AB English graduate of Mindanao State University in General Santos City.  She now teaches in the university and serves as the adviser of Bagwis, the student publication. She finished a master’s degree from Notre Dame of Marbel University in Koronadal City, South Cotabato.

Saquina Karla C. Guiam has been published in the Rising Phoenix Review, Scrittura Magazine, Suffragette City, Dulcet Quarterly, The Fem Lit Mag, Glass: A Journal of Poetry, and others. She graduated from Mindanao State University in General Santos City with a bachelor’s degree in English and is currently studying for her master’s degree in Ateneo de Davao University. She is the Roots nonfiction editor at Rambutan Literary, an online journal showcasing literature and art from Southeast Asians all over the world, and the social media manager of Umbel & Panicle, a new literary journal inspired by plants and all things botanical.

Sharmin Tanael is a Bachelor of Elementary Education student at Notre Dame of Marbel University in Koronadal City, South Cotabato. She is from Lake Sebu, South Cotabato.