About | Santiago Villafania
Santiago Villafania is a bilingual Filipino poet who writes in English and in his native language of Pangasinan. Born in Tuliao, Sta. Barbara, Pangasinan on 31 January 1971, Villafania graduated with a degree of Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Pangasinan in 1991.
Villafania advocates for the resurgence of Pangasinan as a literary language. His works in the vernacular are some of the most representative, if not among the few that comprise that Pangasinan contemporary literary body. In his first book Balikas na Caboloan (Verses from Caboloan), the Pangasinan anlong resurfaces asserting its tradition amidst intersecting and pollinating genres and literary influences. His book of poems, Malagilion: Sonnets tan Villanelles, is an attempt to open the propylaea of literary renaissance in Pangasinan. This second book by Pangasinan’s leading poet today is impressive in both form and substance. Villafania has created 300 sonnets and 50 villanelles in his own language that attempt to reflect the primacy of native culture and return the poet to the central stage of social life.
Some of his poems have appeared in local and international print and web publications: Balon Silew, Sunday Punch, Philippines Free Press, Philippine Graphic, ANI, UNDER THE STORM: An Anthology of Contemporary Philippine Poetry, Crowns and Oranges: Works by Young Philippine Poets, Philippine Panorama, Manila Times / Sunday Magazine, Magnapoets, Poezia | ANUL XIV Nr. 4(50), Literary Apprentice, Taj Mahal Review, The Heron’s Nest, HaikuHut’s Short Stuff, Ygdrasil, Crimson Feet, In Our Own Words 1 & 2, Picolata Review, MindFire, etc. His poetry collection in Pangasinan language Balikas na Caboloan is among the works published by the National Commission for the Culture and the Arts (NCCA) under its UBOD New Authors Series (2005).
His works have also been translated into Spanish, Italian, Hindi, and Arabic. His unpublished book of poems ‘Murtami’ was translated into Hindi entitled ‘Premanjali’ and was released in the New Delhi World Book Fair in 2013.
Villafania is one of the 11 Outstanding Pangasinenses conferred with the 2010 Asna Award for the Arts and Culture (Literature) during the first Agew na Pangasinan and also the 430th Foundation Anniversary of the province on 5 April 2010. His book, Malagilion was recognized by the National Book Development Board and Manila Critics Circle as Finalist for Best Book of Poetry in the 27th National Book Award. He is a member of the Philippine PEN and currently writes a literature and culture weekly column for the Sunday Punch.
Villafania advocates for the resurgence of Pangasinan as a literary language. His works in the vernacular are some of the most representative, if not among the few that comprise that Pangasinan contemporary literary body. In his first book Balikas na Caboloan (Verses from Caboloan), the Pangasinan anlong resurfaces asserting its tradition amidst intersecting and pollinating genres and literary influences. His book of poems, Malagilion: Sonnets tan Villanelles, is an attempt to open the propylaea of literary renaissance in Pangasinan. This second book by Pangasinan’s leading poet today is impressive in both form and substance. Villafania has created 300 sonnets and 50 villanelles in his own language that attempt to reflect the primacy of native culture and return the poet to the central stage of social life.
Some of his poems have appeared in local and international print and web publications: Balon Silew, Sunday Punch, Philippines Free Press, Philippine Graphic, ANI, UNDER THE STORM: An Anthology of Contemporary Philippine Poetry, Crowns and Oranges: Works by Young Philippine Poets, Philippine Panorama, Manila Times / Sunday Magazine, Magnapoets, Poezia | ANUL XIV Nr. 4(50), Literary Apprentice, Taj Mahal Review, The Heron’s Nest, HaikuHut’s Short Stuff, Ygdrasil, Crimson Feet, In Our Own Words 1 & 2, Picolata Review, MindFire, etc. His poetry collection in Pangasinan language Balikas na Caboloan is among the works published by the National Commission for the Culture and the Arts (NCCA) under its UBOD New Authors Series (2005).
His works have also been translated into Spanish, Italian, Hindi, and Arabic. His unpublished book of poems ‘Murtami’ was translated into Hindi entitled ‘Premanjali’ and was released in the New Delhi World Book Fair in 2013.
Villafania is one of the 11 Outstanding Pangasinenses conferred with the 2010 Asna Award for the Arts and Culture (Literature) during the first Agew na Pangasinan and also the 430th Foundation Anniversary of the province on 5 April 2010. His book, Malagilion was recognized by the National Book Development Board and Manila Critics Circle as Finalist for Best Book of Poetry in the 27th National Book Award. He is a member of the Philippine PEN and currently writes a literature and culture weekly column for the Sunday Punch.
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