MANILA, Philippines: The literary community is in mourning as they bid farewell to Santiago B. Villafania, a bilingual poet who dedicated his life to promoting the language and literature of his native Pangasinan province. At the age of 53, Villafania unexpectedly passed away due to cardiac arrest at the Nazareth General Hospital in Dagupan City early on Monday.
Villafania’s eldest daughter, Wenna Louise Villafania Aquino, shared the news of his passing on his Facebook account. Writers and poets took to social media to express their shock and sadness, as well as their gratitude for his contributions. The Philippine Center of International PEN, a writers’ group where Villafania served as vice president, released a statement praising him as a “champion of the language of his native Pangasinan.” They acknowledged his deep love for his culture and language, which resonated not only among fellow Filipinos but also across the world. His poems have been translated into several languages and have been read in many global settings.
Mark Angeles, a poet, referred to Villafania as a “great bard brother and mentor,” while fictionist Maryanne Moll recognized him as a “very important writer.” Alma Anonas-Carpio, an author and editor, acknowledged his role in bringing light to the world by championing Pangasinan and fellow writers.
Glenn Sevilla Mas, a playwright and professor, shared that Villafania was immensely proud of his mother tongue and consistently found ways to champion it. Whether through his books, poetry performances, literary festivals, or conferences, he always sought opportunities to uplift writers who wrote in Pangasinan. Mas expressed that Villafania’s passing is a significant loss to literature, particularly to the literary community of Pangasinan.
Villafania was born on January 31, 1971, in Tuliao village, Santa Barbara town, Pangasinan. He completed his bachelor’s degree in English at the University of Pangasinan in 1991 but later shifted his focus to writing in his mother tongue in 2000.
Throughout his career, Villafania published six poetry collections, including “Balikas ng Caboloan” (Verses from Caboloan) (2005) and “Malagilion: Sonnets tan Villenelles” (Malagilion: Sonnets and Villenelles) (2006), which was a finalist in the Best Book of Poetry category at the 2007 National Book Awards. Other notable works include “Pinabli and Other Poems” and “Bonsaic Verses” (both 2012), “Ghazalia: Maralus ya Ayat” (Ghazalia: Immaculate Desire) (2013), and “As I Tango” (2016).
Villafania’s poems have been featured in prestigious literary journals such as the Cultural Center of the Philippines’ (CCP) Ani, as well as the Philippines Free Press, Philippines Graphic, and Sunday Times magazines. Some of his works have also been translated into Arabic, Hindi, Italian, and Spanish.
Beyond his poetry, Villafania contributed to the Balon Silew literary magazine and had a column in the Sunday Punch provincial newspaper. The CCP Encyclopedia of Philippine Art recognized his poetry as a continuation of the romantic tradition that characterized early ‘anacbanua’ (native literati) writings after World War 2. They described Villafania’s verses as sentimental and nostalgic, reestablishing the significance of Pangasinan language, culture, and identity within national and global discourses.
Villafania’s contributions were recognized with various awards, including the Asna Award for Culture and the Arts from the provincial government in 2010, Writer of the Year Award from Ulupan in 2004, and the Award of Merit from the Association of Writers and Authors for Regional Development in 2005. In 2006, he won the Gawad Tamayo competition organized by the Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino (Commission on the Filipino Language) for his poem “Esaes ed Kareenan” (Whispers in Silence).
Villafania’s wake is being held at his home in Buenlag village, Mangaldan town, as his loved ones and the literary community come together to pay their respects. His burial is scheduled for Sunday, March 3.
Villafania’s untimely passing leaves a void in the literary world, but his legacy as a champion of Pangasinan language and literature will continue to inspire writers and poets for generations to come.
Source: The Manila Times
