GUEST EDITOR

Noel Pingoy is a graduate of Notre Dame of Marbel University in Koronadal City, South Cotabato, 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. In 2018, he became a visiting scholar at the Hastings Center. His essay “Becoming a Hematologist” won third prize at the 2002 Don Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature, and he was a fellow for creative nonfiction at the 2006 Silliman University National Writers Workshop. He divides his time between General Santos City and Koronadal City.

CONTRIBUTORS

Lance Isidore Catedral has completed his residency training in internal medicine and is now pursuing his fellowship in medical oncology 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, South Cotabato, and, since 2004, has been blogging at bottledbrain.com. His interests include Christianity, literature, and medicine.

Jean Martinez Fullo is from Lebak, Sultan Kudarat, and earned her Bachelor of Arts in Literature degree at the University of Southeastern Philippines in Davao City.

John Efrael Igot grew up in Magpet, Cotabato Province, and is a graduate of BS in Information Technology from ACLC College of Marbel in Koronadal City, South Cotabato. He is a former editor in chief of the student publication and a member of several writing groups on social media.

An-Nurhaiyden Mangelen hails from Cotabato City and received his bachelor’s degree in creative writing from the University of the Philippines–Mindanao. He was a fellow for creative nonfiction at the 2018 Davao Writers Workshop.

Wilfredo Pascual Jr. is a winner of the Curt Johnson Prose Award for Nonfiction and a runner-up to the Steinberg Essay Prize in the United States. In the Philippines, he has won in the Palanca Award three times and in the Philippines Free Press Literary Awards. He was born in San Jose City, Nueva Ecija, where he has been conducting an annual personal essay writing workshop named after the province for three years now. The Sangguniang Panlungsod of General Santos passed a resolution in 2017 declaring him an adopted son of the city.

Adrian Pete Medina Pregonir is a senior high school student in Banga, South Cotabato. He has been published in Cotabato Literary Journal and Liwayway, and he was a fellow for poetry at the 2018 Davao Writers Workshop. He won third prize in the Kabataan Sanaysay category of the 69th Don Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature (2019).

Dianne May Torres is a freelance writer and editor currently working in Manila but considers Koronadal City, South Cotabato, home.

REGULAR EDITORS

Jude Ortega (Editor in Chief) is the author of the short story collection Seekers of Spirits (UP Press, 2018), which received the Cirilo F. Bautista Prize for Best Book of Short Fiction in English at the 38th National Book Awards. He studied political science at Notre Dame of Marbel University in Koronadal City, South Cotabato, and currently stays most of the time in Isulan, Sultan Kudarat.

David Jayson Oquendo (Editor for Fiction) is from Polomolok, South Cotabato, and works in Davao City as an electrical engineer. He was a fellow for fiction at the 2018 Davao Writers Workshop and is a former editor in chief of the official student publication of Mindanao State University in General Santos City.

Andrea D. Lim (Editor for Poetry) is 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. She was a fellow at the 24th Iligan National Writers Workshop (2017) and is a former editor in chief of the official student publication of Silliman University in Dumaguete City, Negros Oriental. Her family lives in General Santos City.

Paul Randy P. Gumanao (Editor for Poetry) hails from Kidapawan City, Cotabato Province, and teaches chemistry at Philippine Science High School–SOCCSKSARGEN Region Campus in Koronadal City, South Cotabato. He was a fellow for poetry at the 2009 Davao Writers Workshop and the 2010 Iyas National Writers Workshop. He is a former editor in chief of the official student publication of Ateneo de Davao University, where he earned his bachelor’s degree and is finishing his master’s degree in chemistry.

Hazel-Gin Lorenzo Aspera (Editor for Nonfiction) is a registered nurse, artist, and writer. She spent her childhood in Cotabato City and is now based in Cagayan de Oro City. A fellow for literary essay at the 1st Cagayan de Oro Writers Workshop, some of her feature stories appear in the book Peace Journeys: A Collection of Peacebuilding Stories in Mindanao. Currently, she is Associate Director for Communications and Junior Fellow for Literary Essay of Nagkahiusang Magsusulat sa Cagayan de Oro (NAGMAC).

Jennie P. Arado (Editor for Nonfiction) is from Koronadal City, South Cotabato, and currently works for a newspaper in Davao City as editor of the lifestyle section. She earned her BA in English (major in creative writing) from the University of the Philippines–Mindanao and was a fellow for creative nonfiction at the 2016 University of Santo Tomas National Writers Workshop. Her story “Ang Dako nga Yahong sang Batchoy” won the South Cotabato Children’s Story Writing Contest in 2018.

Norman Ralph Isla (Editor for Play) is from Tacurong City, Sultan Kudarat, and a department head at Mindanao State University in General Santos City. He was a fellow for drama at the 2015 Davao Writers Workshop and at the 4th Amelia Lapeña–Bonifacio Writers Workshop (2019). Several of his plays have been staged in General Santos City and South Cotabato.