Danilo Reyes, Gawad Pambansang Alagad ni Balagtas 2023

The School of Humanities is happy for the news that Danilo Reyes, Assistant Professor, of the Department of English is one of this year's recipients of the Gawad Pambansang Alagad ni Balagtas, given by the Unyon ng mga Manunulat sa Pilipinas (UMPIL). Reyes is receiving the award in poetry.

The Gawad Pambansang Alagad ni Balagtas is "given to writers for their distinctive body of work in whatever Philippine language and for their contribution to the development of Filipino literature" (ipinagkakaloob sa mga manunulat para sa kanilang katangi-tanging obra sa anumang wika sa Filipinas at ambag sa pagpapaunlad ng panitikang Filipino).

Reyes is the author of a collection of poems entitled Promising Lights, shortlisted for the National Book Award in 1999. He is a regular panelist at writers workshops from Silliman to Diliman, and is himself a product of the Silliman National Writers Workshop when it was headed by Edith Tiempo, National Artist. Since joining the faculty of the Filipino Department in 1989, he has contributed much to the artistic and cultural life of the then School of Arts and Sciences and now Loyola Schools. Among other things, he was the force behind the establishment of the Dean's Awards in Literature, now the Loyola Schools Awards for the Arts, and the Ateneo Institute of Literary Arts and Practices.

Congratulations are in order.