GERONIMO TAGATAC

My publisher Vibal, the other contributors of How I Became a Writer 2, and I are deeply saddened at the passing of Geronimo Tagatac on September 23, 2026. This was a shock to me. As editor of the anthology How I Became a Writer 2, I was trying (these past days) to reach Geronimo to send a copy of the book, which includes his personal essay about his journey to becoming a writer. I share this in my blog, as a way of honoring Geronimo. I did not have the chance to meet him, but we had brief conversations via email. I asked him about his trips to other places, seeking his travel advice at time, just admiring his photographs on other occasions. I had also read his writings online, which I admired, and which is why I included in the collection of writers that I edited.  May he rest in peace.

***

Geronimo Tagatac’s father was from Ilocos Norte. His mother was a Russian Jew. Geronimo has been a Special Forces soldier, a legislative consultant, a dishwasher, cook, folksinger, computer system planner, a modern and jazz dancer and a roofer. His short fiction has appeared in Writers Forum, The Northwest Review, Alternatives Magazine, Orion Magazine, The Clackamas Literary Review and The Chautauqua Literary Review. He’s received fellowships from Oregon Literary Arts and Fishtrap. “Summer of the Aswang,” received the 2017 Timberline Award for short fiction. His first book of short fiction, The Weight of the Sun, was a 2007 Oregon Literary Arts finalist.
***

A TWISTED PATH TO BECOMING A WRITER

COPYRIGHT 2026 BY GERONIMO TAGATAC 

 

THERE HAVE BEEN MANY STRANDS to my life that have gone in so many directions. They eventually converged to make me a writer.

            I grew up surrounded by stories. My earliest memories are of the stories my father told of his boyhood in Baay, a lakeside place in Ilocos Norte, and of his ship’s journey as a nineteen-year-old to America. One night, as my father and I stood at the edge of a field and looked up at the stars, he told me about when the ship put in at Hong Kong, and he said that he couldn’t tell where the city lights ended and the star-filled sky began. He told me the story of the bamboo grove at the edge of his family’s village where, on some still nights, the bamboo bent as though pushed by a strong wind. It was where, during the Japanese occupation, Filipino guerillas had slaughtered a Japanese army patrol and dumped their bodies.

Cecilia Brainard at the MIBF26 for Book Launch and Book Signings

 

front l-r: Marites Vitug, Cecilia Brainard, Alma Miclat Cruz, Ceres Doyo, Jose Victor Torres;

back l-r: Joem Antonio, Wendell Capili, Gelo Lopez, Fr. Jay Miranda, Charlie Veric

Cecilia Manguerra Brainard was at the Manila International Book Fair 2026 at SMX Convention Center Manila on Saturday September 12, 2026, to sign copies of her books published by the UST Publishing house: When the Rainbow Goddess Wept, Magdalena, The Newspaper Widow, her Selected Short Stories, and Growing Up Filipino 3.  

She also launched the anthology she edited, How I Became a Writer 2: Essays by Filipino Writers, on Saturday, September 12, 2026, 5 pm at the MIBF, Vibal booth (Booth Nos. 189–193 and 204–209, Aisles K & L) Manila International Book Fair 2026 at SMX Convention Center Manila. (You can find the book at Vibal Bookshop, Lazada, Vibal; in the US contact palhbooksatgmaildotcom.)

Contributors present were: Joachim Emilio Antonio, Ceres P Doyo Alma Cruz Miclat , Jose Victor Torres , Jesus Jay M Miranda Jr. , Charlie Samuya Veric, Randy Valiente , Marites Danguilan Vitug .

Contributors who did not make it are: Gene Alcantara, Rene Ciria Cruz, Claire Betita de Guzman, Susan Evangelista, Luis Francia, Myles Garcia, Cristina Pantoja Hidalgo, Marra Pl. Lanot +, Elizabeth Lalorga, Vicente Rafael +, Ige Ramos, Danton Remoto, Brian Roley, Geronimo Tagatac, Grace Talusan, and Jessica Zafra.

The following link has the Introduction to the anthology and other information:

https://cbrainard.blogspot.com/2026/08/book-launches-for-how-i-became-writer-2.html

The following FB link has the book trailer of How I Became a Writer 2:

https://fb.watch/v/82q1boZfh/

Here are some pictures of the Book Launch and the Book Signing at UST booths. I'll be adding pictures, so please check back.

 

  

l-r: Wendell Capili, Gelo Lopez, Cecilia Brainard, Ceres Doyo, Marites Vitug, Randy Valiente

 

 

 

  

Cecilia (left foreground) with l-r: Carlos Zialcita, Oscar Penaranda, and their family

l-r: Cecilia Brainard, Gelo Lopez

 

 

 

l-r: Cecilia Brainard, Jordan Santos

l-r: Wendell Capilo, Alma Miclat, Cecilia Brainard, Gelo Lopez, Guest, Guest, Ceres Doyo, Father Miranda, Randy Valiente, Marites Vitug, Chalie Veric  

 

l-r: Cecilia Brainard and Rio Brigino-Lim

 

L-r: Ditas Arambulo Antenor, Cecilia Brainard, Charlie Samuya Veric 

 

L-r: Anthony Balisi, Gelo Lopez, Cecilia Brainard, Charlie Samuya Veric 

 

L-r: Mitos Ming Suson, Cecilia Brainard 

L-r: Pacita Agoncillo Sode, Cecilia Brainard, Kingsley Side Medalla

UST Publishing House Book Signing

check back for more pictures

Read also:

Book Launches for How I Became a Writer 2

         Perspectives in the Arts and Humatiies Asia - Dr. Charlie Veric Interviws Cecilia Brainard 

Writing Amid the Babel of Books by Vicente L Rafael - included in How I Became a Writer 2

I Became a Writer by Marra Pl. Lanot - included in How I Became a Writer 2 

Book Review of How I Became a Writer: Essays by Filipino and Filipino American Writers by Elfren S. Cruz  

#mibf26

#booksphilippines

#ManilaInternationalBookFair

A Look at Junglegate in the Philippine Literary Scene, by Cecilia Brainard

 

Frankie and Tessie Jose with Cecilia Brainard at their Solidaridad Bookshop when run by them.

A LOOK AT JUNGLEGATE IN THE PHILIPPINE LITERARY SCENE

Cecilia Manguerra Brainard

DURING MY LONG FLIGHT back to California, I thought about the Junglegate scandal that erupted in the Philippine Literary Scene when I was there in September. The term "Junglegate" refers to the scandal that followed the cancelling of Krip Yuson's novel (the title has Jungle in it), by Exploding Galaxies following revelations and protests over his alleged sexual misconduct and acknowledged plagiarism. These 2 facts were known by older writers but not known by the younger ones until now. The younger writers were the ones who clamored that his novel not be replatformed.

There were other things that occurred; one of which was a Facebook post by Butch Dalisay, a good friend of Yuson, about how many books would remain in his library if he threw away books written by "people who, sometime or other, were accused of moral turpitude, political incorrectness, sexual misconduct, poor parenting, drunkenness, drug use, slovenliness, animal cruelty, greed, arrogance, general insufferability, or some such debility of spirit and behavior.." Dalisay's statement excacerbated the controvery and angered the younger writers.

The issue, the young writers insisted was not so much Art vs Artist, but that Yuson and his novel did not deserve the honor of being republished. In fact, I agree that the Art Vs Artist was a distraction.

Soon after, stories about sexual misconduct that occurred in the Philippine literary scene, many of them in the Siliman Dumaguete workshops, surfaced. The names of other writers who reportedly took advantage of younger writers, surfaced or were hinted at. Me Too stories by three writers appeared, and here I mention them with great respect and admiration for their courage: Gian Lao, Irene Sarmiento, and Marguerite Alcazaren De Leon. I have shared their accounts in my FB page.

I had heard of other victims and witnesseses but who were afraid to go public, even on an anonymous basis.

I thought about all these and more and felt really sorry for the current state of the Philippine literary scene, where it's dog-eat-dog; writers using other writers; writers trying to monopolize power, and "sharing" only with their proteges and friends, and mentors taking advantage of the younger writers. It's horrible really; and the more aware I was of the problem, the more I "saw" manifestations of the power-brokering in a few hands.

Bienvenido "Ben" Santos and Cecilia Brainard

I experienced a more gracious time with mentors like Lina Espina Moore, Ben Santos, Frankie Jose, as well as NVM Gonzalez and Resil Mojares and other senior writers. Contact with them was productive and cordial and fun.

I want to be optimistic and believe that the establishment writers may realize that this junglegate system needs to change; and if not, I have faith that the younger writers who made this "revolution" happen, will change things.

So be it.

NVM Gonzalez and Cecilia Brainard

l-r: Michael Cullinane, Resil Mojares, Cecilia Brainard

Cecilia Brainard and Lina Espina Moore

Sources: 

re Yuson plagiarism -- https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/sports/content/217125/famed-writer-krip-yuson-apologizes-for-plagiarism/story/

Re Yuson plagiarism --

https://globalvoices.org/2011/05/29/philippines-novelist-mired-in-plagiarism-controversy/?fbclid=IwdGRjcAUaqGBjbGNrBRqoVnBkb2YFZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQMMzUwNjg1NTMxNzI4AAEe-9xpLchSxYtTGFGNBS5f3h8TtmFRwoifTtWHmyYqE7jBvYE-KS4EQOONHQg_aem_4x9EumxHc_MFk9_3KkQOVg

Re Yuson alleged sexual misconduct and more 

https://www.rappler.com/people/artists/alfred-krip-yuson-book-republishing-controversy/?fbclid=IwdGRjcAUaqKNjbGNrBRqoknBkb2YFZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQMMzUwNjg1NTMxNzI4AAEeMyj9JXFKxxquQAhH7T3Ah5CHUsFlY6TlTTyDKEW3KoXIu1_3xN1wmb0N8m0_aem_AoW4hu521kxVlf_rbOX3cg

Re Art vs Artist 

https://www.esquiremag.ph/long-reads/notes-and-essays/opinion-separating-art-from-the-artist-a7165-20260910-dyn

Tags: Philippine books, Philippine literature, Filipino writers, Filipino books

Read also:

Book Launches for How I Became a Writer 2

         Perspectives in the Arts and Humatiies Asia - Dr. Charlie Veric Interviws Cecilia Brainard 

Writing Amid the Babel of Books by Vicente L Rafael - included in How I Became a Writer 2

I Became a Writer by Marra Pl. Lanot - included in How I Became a Writer 2 

Book Review of How I Became a Writer: Essays by Filipino and Filipino American Writers by Elfren S. Cruz