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The Dumaguete Literary Festival returns with more fun events, bringing together writers, readers, creatives, and art lovers as the Negros Oriental capital bids to become a UNESCO Creative City of Literature
The Duma LitFest is back!
After a successful debut last year, the Dumaguete Literary Festival returns for a weekend of celebration of local arts and literature from April 3 to 6 at the Arts and Design Collective Dumaguete along EJ Blanco Drive.
The second edition of the literary fest will center on the theme, “Towards a City of Literature,” as Dumaguete aims to be a UNESCO Creative City of Literature, further fulfilling its identity as a City of Stories and a hotbed for literature in the Philippines.
The event, which is also a celebration of the National Literature Month and the 76th Anniversary of the Dumaguete Charter, features panel discussions, book readings, workshops, art performances, screenings, and a bazaar featuring independent bookshops, zine makers, printing presses, and other creative works.
Promoting the city’s rich literary tapestry, here’s everything you need to know about the Duma LitFest 2025:
Star-studded guests
The Duma LitFest will be graced by some of the most prominent names in the Philippine literary scene.
National Artist for Literature Resil B. Mojares will lead a talk on “What Makes a Creative City of Literature?” in Dumaguete, starting Friday, April 4, before taking on panel discussions on Saturday, April 5, at Buglas Isla Cafe about the history of literature in the country, along with meet-and-greet sessions.
Ambeth Ocampo will then speak on the present and future of literature on Sunday, April 6, before a special book signing session on Monday morning at the LibrAria Books at 58 EJ Blanco.
Fictionist and professor Jose “Butch” Dalisay Jr., poet-novelists Danton Remoto and Timothy Montes, and RomanceClass founder Mina V. Esguerra will also be in the weekend-long event as numerous panel discussions were scattered throughout the city.
Timely topics
Literary lovers can learn more about some timely and interesting topics to be discussed in the panel discussions.
There’s “Literature Outside of the Institutions,” which will be led by Balitaw practitioner Enriquita Alcaide, Palanca awardee for Cebu fiction Richel Dorotan, and broadcaster Anthony Maginsay. The talk aims to honor literature beyond the four walls of a classroom.
There will also be talks on poetry, the genre’s biggest flaws for new generations, and its unconventionality led by poets Jam Pascual, Alfonso Manalastas, Wanggo Gallaga, Angela Gabrielle Fabunan, Vince Agcaoili, and F. Jordan Carnice.
Food writer Ige Ramos, together with Mohammed Malik and Renz Torres will also explore cuisine as literature in “Kaon-Kaon: Writing About Food.”
Additionally, Binisaya authors CD Borden, Richel Dorotan, and Serafin Plotria Jr. join panels on regional writing and the role of native language in creative expression.
There will also be panel discussions on artificial intelligence (AI), the future of literature, speculative historical fiction, LGBTQ+ writing, publishing pathways, and community-rooted literary work, among others.
Fostering the next generation
Aside from panel discussions from industry pillars, there will also be storytelling and screenings for kids to help nurture the next generation of literary artists.
Designed to encourage young people to read, the festival offers “ChikitingLit,” which will provide storytelling and movie screenings for young readers in Dumaguete. It will also offer hands-on workshops for kids looking to explore their literary paths.
Authors and educators Grace Gaston-Dousel, Chinky F. Paculanang, Merlo C. Fuentes, and Edgar Calabia Samar will lead the talk on love of reading and the role of literature in education for parents and teachers alike.
There will also be book launches, including Here and Now by Geraldine Solon, Follower of the Seasons by Oscar Peñaranda, and A Practical Guide to Sigbin Keeping by Mitos Suson and Darwin Price.
The Duma LitFest is a collaboration among the Buglas Writers Club, LibrAria Books, and the Edilberto and Edith Tiempo Creative Writing Center. – Rappler.com
