“Nagmalitong Yawa” Book Copies and initial book sale proceeds now with the Panay Bukidnon community

A few months after the “Nagmalitong Yawa”  launch, copies of the book have been delivered to the Panay Bukidnon home of Garangan, Iloilo.  Epic Chanters, Rodolfo, Rolando and Romulo Caballero all received their copies. Rowena Cabellero, daughter of Gawad Manlilikha ng Bayan for Epic Chanting Federico Caballero (deceased, 2024), received copies in behalf of the Panay Bukidnon’s School of Living Traditions.

“Ang ganda lalo ng story at ng illustrations.” Rowena shared. (The story and illustrations have gotten even more beautiful.)

The first draft of the book pages was presented in September 2024 in a visit to Barangay Garangan by author Kat Gomez-Limchoc and publisher Gayle Certeza to the epic chanters and community of the Panay Bukidnon. The elders expressed great appreciation that their validation was asked for in how the story was told in the book. They had some notes, and a revised copy of the pages was sent a few weeks later. That then got elder epic chanter, Rodolfo Caballero’s signed validation.

Twenty percent of all book sales have been pledged to be given to support the Panay Bukidnon’s School of Living Traditions that continues to pass down the ancient skills of memorizing and reciting the  beautiful epics that have been told for hundreds of years through the oral tradition. In May 2025, four months after the book launch, P36,000 has been turned over to the community. A monthly pledge to support the Saturday classes for the School of Living Traditions also continues to be given by the “Nagmalitong Yawa” book team.