Senator Loren Legarda hailed the University of the Philippines (UP) Visayas and UP Press launch of the 13 olumes of the Sugidanon (epics) of Panay and seven books by Panay authors as a defining achievement in preserving indigenous heritage and strengthening regional scholarship.

Organized by UP Visayas and UP Press, the launch was held on June 30 at the Performing Arts Hall MACH, UP Visayas in Iloilo City.

The event celebrated the publication of works that safeguard the nation’s cultural heritage, literature, and scholarship, honoring translators, scholars, and cultural workers whose dedication preserved the oral traditions of the Panay Bukidnon community and transformed them into published volumes.

“The publication of the 13 volumes of the Sugidanon of Panay is an important achievement in the preservation of our nation's cultural heritage. These epics are our literary treasures. They are living repositories of our ancestors' worldview, values, histories, and imagination,” Legarda said in a statement.

The Sugidanon series, with Dr. Alicia Magos serving as chief researcher and senior translator, together with research associate Anna Razel Limoso Ramirez, features the chants of Federico “Tuohan” Caballero, Romulo “Amang Bacy” Caballero, Leopoldo “Paino” Caballero, and Teresita “Abyaran” Caballero Castor. The thirteen volumes include Tikum Kadlum, Amburukay, Derikaryong Pada, Pahagunong, Kalampay, Singanayan, Balanakon, Humadapnon (Tarangban), Humadapnon (Pagbalukat ka Biday), Humadapnon (Hungaw), Humadapnon (Ginlawan), Alayaw, and Nagbuhis. These works preserve narratives of heroism, spirituality, and community life, ensuring their survival for future generations.

The launch also showcased seven UP Press titles authored by Panay authors, reflecting the vibrancy of regional scholarship and literature. These include Ang Kalye nga Wala sing Kamatayon: The Palanca Award Winning Short Stories of Leoncio P. Deriada edited by Dulce Maria V. Deriada; In the Womb of the Earth and Other Stories: Self Translation from Hiligaynon into English by Dr. Alice Tan Gonzales; Benjamin by Angel Magahum, translated into Filipino by John E. Barrios and Fennie Mae T. Tanangonan; Lugar Lang: Mga Tula by Jaku Mata; The Warrior and the Giant by Bryan Mari Argos; Ang Itim na Orkidyas ng Isla Boracay: Mga Kuwento by Genevieve L. Asenjo; and Indi Natun Kinahanglan kang Duro nga Tinaga sa Atun Tunga (Hindi Natin Kailangan ng Maraming Salita sa Ating Pagitan): Mga Tula sa Kinaray-a and Filipino also by Genevieve L. Asenjo.

“I would also like to take note and commend the launch of seven new UP Press books by Panay authors, which reflects the vibrancy of regional scholarship and the richness of Philippine literature," said the lady senator.

"By bringing these voices to a wider audience, UP Press and UP Visayas fulfill the vital role of our universities as centers of learning, culture, memory, and critical thought,” Legarda noted.

“As author and principal sponsor of Republic Act (RA) No. 11961 or the Cultural Mapping Law, and as a daughter of Panay myself, I am so proud and glad with how far we have come,” she added.

The four-term senator also cited her collaborations with UP Visayas that produced landmark cultural inventories and publications such as the 132 volumes from Panay, Guimaras, and Negros Occidental; the Duna, Kinaiya, kag Paranublion cultural inventory of Antique in 2022; the Panay Guimaras Cultural Inventories; Panagway: The Ati in the Narratives and the Archives; Badbad: Untangling Archived Knowledges on Panay Bukidnon Life and Culture, Pagdahu ka Surundon: A Reference Book on the Traditional Knowledge Systems of Panay and Guimaras.

The event stood as both a celebration and a testament to the richness of regional scholarship, said Legarda.

Legarda says these publications should inspire more Filipinos “to rediscover the wealth of our languages, oral traditions, and regional literatures,” affirming that the nation’s identity is expressed through many voices and narratives that emerge from its islands.