đź“·Dr. Epitacio Ramos Tongohan a.k.a. Doc PenPen Bugtong Takipsilim
Medical doctor and pathologist turned poet Epitacio Ramos Tongohan, is actively campaigning for the Philippines to be declared as the “Poetry Heart of the World,” and urging Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s administration to issue an executive order to make it official.
Tongohan, also known as Doc PenPen Bugtong Takipsilim was known for his unique brand and style of visual poetry said that to realize this “vision,” his international poetry group, Pentasi B World Friendship Poetry will gather more than 1,000 poets from different countries in Manila this year, to attend the what he calls “the grandest gathering of poet laureates in the 21st century,” this year.
According to Tongohan, the declaration of the Philippines as the “Poetry Heart of the World” is critical to further develop not only the local tourism and literary industry but also to put the country at the helm of what he calls a “literary and social revolution,” that will eventually change the world.
As a poet, Tongohan captured the interest of literary circles globally when he began traveling and promoting his visual poetry which he called Pentasi B Poems. The late critic, journalist, and one of the literary pillars of modern Filipino literature, Prof. Rogelio L. Ordoñez said that Tongohan deserves to be called the Father of Modern Visual Poetry.
Doc PenPen, as his friends and colleagues in local and international literary circles fondly him, described his visual poetry as “multilingual, multimodal, multi-angular, multisensorial and multidimensional,” where he used his skill as a medical doctor and thinker to inject subliminal message that can positively affect the reader’s mind, body, and soul. All of his poems reflect his group’s philosophy: “No Colors, No Races, All Colors, All Races, All Loves Embraces.” The word “loves,” according to Tongohan, describes all kinds of love that a human being can feel and give to one another. Meaning that it is a kind of love that transcends borders—be it race, language, or creed.
Because of his unique visual poetry, more than 100 poet organizations in 23 countries have given Tongohan the title “Father of Visual Poetry,” since 2013.  On the other hand, local and international poets attending the India World Poetree Festival in 2017, conferred him the title “King of Visual Poetry.”
Meanwhile, former Press Undersecretary Edwin M. Cordevilla said that he supports Tongohan’s vision of having the Philippines declared as the Poetry Heart of the World.
“Poetry stands as a unique continent, what Doc Penpen refers to as the “eighth continent,” a realm of boundless creativity and expression. It is his fervent dream and vision to make the Philippines the heart of this continent, or in his own words, “the poetry heart of the world.” Why not? The Philippines, with its diverse and vibrant literary tradition, is a treasure trove of poetic talent and creativity. From the ancient oral traditions of the indigenous tribes to the modern works of contemporary poets, the Filipino people have a deep-rooted connection to poetry that spans generations,” Cordevilla said.  (NOEL SALES BARCELONA)
