Sorsogon’s Kasanggayahan Fest honors writer-artist in a lecture series

Reynaldo "Tootsie" Jamoralin

SORSOGON CITY, Oct 9 (PIA) – He used to organize the annual Sorsogon Heritage Lecture Series for more than a decade, this year he will be honored and his works will be highlighted in an afternoon of exposition of his meaningful and relevant contributions to enrich Sorsogon’s colorful culture and history. Sorsogon Arts Council (SAC) will once again conduct the annual Sorsogon Heritage Lecture Series in celebration of the Kasanggayahan Festival 2012 as a fitting honor to the man who started it all.

“Dubbed as PAG-ANI: Si Tootsie Nan Saiyang Mga Gibo (HARVEST: Tootsie and His Works), this year’s heritage lecture will focus on the contributions of the late Sorsogon Arts Council (SAC) President Reynaldo Jamoralin in the field of arts, culture and history of Sorsogon,” SAC OIC President Ella Gajo-Jamoralin said. The lecture will be held today, October 10, 2012 at the Governor’s Training Hall, Sorsogon Provincial Capitol at 1PM.

According to Gajo-Jamoralin, five panelists will feature Mr. Jamoralin’s works on specified fields of interest. They are University of the Philippines Professor/Anthropologist Francisco Datar who will focus on Jamoralin’s researches on history, Bicol University Professor and playwright Julio Mendoza who will discuss Jamoralin’s stage plays, Poet and Palanca Awardee Francisco Peñones, Jr. who will highlight Jamoralin’s literary masterpieces, Maria Leny Felix will reminisce Jamoralin’s struggles as an activist and, radio commentator and newsman Ramon Diño will reveal Jamoralin’s commitment as a print and broadcast journalist.

Started in early 1990’s, SAC under the leadership of Jamoralin, launched the lecture series, the first-of-its kind in Sorsogon and probably in Bicol Region to serve as a venue for exposition of studies, researches and seminal papers about Sorsogon’s history and culture. After more than four years bout with paralysis due to stroke, Jamoralin died on March 12, this year at the age of 66. (JJPerez, SAC/PIA Sorsogon)