📷Dr. Epitacio Ramos Tongohan
Dr. Epitacio Ramos Tongohan has been nominated for the Order of National Artists for Literature by the Tanay Municipal Government for recognition of his contribution to the development of visual poetry. Tongohan, also known as Doc PenPen Bugtong Takipsilim in local and international literary circles, was conferred the title “Father and King of Visual Poetry” by different organizations here and abroad.
The Tanay Municipal Council enacted Municipal Resolution No. 43, formally endorsing his nomination for the National Artist for Literature, and reaffirming his title as Father and King of Visual Poetry. The said resolution also noted his contribution to developing local literature and culture.
Tongohan, a medical doctor and pathologist by profession, has been active in the local and international poetry scene since the early 2000s and has received respect from his colleagues in China, India, Ghana, Turkey, Italy, Morocco, Canada, and the US because of his unique visual poetry, which he called “Pentasi B poetry.”
As a cultural worker, Tongohan has been actively campaigning, through his international group, Pentasi B World Friendship Poetry, to have the Philippines declared as the “poetry heart of the world,” to bolster the local tourism and culture industry.
Meanwhile, Tongohan received Asia’s Most Esteemed and Most Beloved Visual Poet of the Year Award at the 9th Asia-Pacific Luminaré Awards, held at The Heritage Hotel Manila on July 28, 2024. (NOEL SALES BARCELONA)
