Colegio de San Lorenzo

Congressional Ave., Quezon City

COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES

An Author Dependent Interpretation of “Kung ang Tula ay Pwedeng

Pambili ng Lalake (If Poems Could Buy Men)” by Jhon Iremil
Teodoro via Historical-Biographical Approach

A literary paper presented to

The Faculty of the College of Arts and Sciences
Languages Department
in partial fulfillment
for the requirements of the course,
Philippine Literature in English

prepared by
Maria Fe De Chavez and Jayson C. Clutario
3BA-N

September 26, 2018

 I. Backgrounders
A. Author

John Iremil Teodoro

Born November 14, 1973 in Maybato Norte, San Jose de

Buenavista, Antique, Philippines is a filipino writer and one to be a leading
pioneer in Philippine gay literature.
Born to a middle-class family in Antique province, Teodoro gained early
recognition as a creative writer since his college years. He writes in four
languages, namely English, Filipino, Hiligaynon and Kinaray-a. He is a
member of the Alon Collective and the Tabig/Hubon Manunulat Antique.
Many of his literary works have been published some of the country's leading
journals, magazines and newspapers. He is a five-time awardee of the
Palanca Awards and has published countless books of fiction and poetry. He
obtained his bachelor's degree in biology from the University of San Agustin
in Iloilo City and completed a master's degree in creative writing from the
De La Salle University-Manila with high distinction where he is currently
pursuing a PhD in Literature.

His full-length play Belasyon, which dramatizes the country's diaspora, was
staged at the Cultural Center of the Philippines in 2003 as part of the
University of San Agustin Centennial Commission's activities. In 2004, he
was recognized as one of the Outstanding Augustinians of the Century for
his lifetime achievement in culture and the arts. His poetry book Kung ang
Tula ay Pwedeng Pambili ng Lalake (If Poems Could Buy Men) was
shortlisted for the 2006 Manila Critics Circle National Book Award.

On February 20, 2008, Unang Ulan ng Mayo (The First Rain of May) was
premiered by the De La Salle University - Harlequin Theatre Guild at the
Tanghalang Huseng Batute, Cultural Center of the Philippines. On October 9,
10 and 11, 2008, the play was re-staged by the guild at the College of Saint
Benilde, School of Design and Arts, Black Box. In the same year, his essay
collection Pagmumuni-muni at Pagtatalak ng Sirenang Nagpapanggap na
Prinsesa (Thoughts and Angry Ramblings of a Siren Pretending to be a
Princess) won the Manila Critics Circle National Book Award for creative non-
fiction whereas shortly after, he was bestowed the Bugal kang Anitique
(Pride of Antique) Award for Culture and the Arts from the Antique Provincial
Government.

B. Literary Perce

Interview wordpress
Paano mo tinitingnan bilang mahalagang ambag ng panitikan sa
kabuuan ang mga kuwentong may kinalaman sa mga usapin ng
sexualidad at pagiging personal, halimbawa ang koleksiyon mo ng
maikling kuwenro sa librong Anghel sang Capiz at Kung ang Tula ay
Pwedeng Pambili ng Lalaki?
Teodoro: Paulit-ulit ko ngang nababasa at naririnig mula sa iniidolo kong si
J. Neil C. Garcia ang kasabihang, “What is personal is political.” Paniniwala
naman talaga ito ng mga feminista at ng mga mulat na bading na
manunulat. Kaya hindi ako takot na magsulat tungkol sa sarili kong mga
karanasan.
Bagamat isang personal ang pakikipagtalik para sa isang bading, isa rin
itong panlipunan na uri ng seksuwalidad sapagkat apektado ito control
mechanism ng homophobic na lipunan. Sa pamamagitan ng literatura at iba
pang uri ng sining, lagi’t laging pampubliko ang pakikipagtalik sapagkat
harapang paglaban ito sa ipokritong lipunan na ayon pa sa mga feministang
Pranses ay may ideolohiyang “compulsory heterosexuality.” Kaya kung
marami mang tsupaan sa mga tulang bading sa bansa, ito ay dahil
binubuwag o hinahamon nito ang pag-iisip na sa pagitan lamang dapat ng
babae at lalaki ang pakikipagdyug-dyugan.

Oo nga’t karamihan sa mga tula ko sa librong Kung ang Tula ay Pwedeng

Pambili ng Lalaki ay batay sa sarili kong mga karanasan. Pero may mga tula
rin dito na base sa karanasan ng ibang mga bading. Kahit na personal ang
mga tulang ito, naiuugnay ito sa karanasan ng iba pang mga bading.
Nauugnay rin ito sa kasaysayan ng bansa, mga kasaysayan na nakaugat sa
mga partikular na lunan halimba ng Metro Manila, ng Lungsod Iloilo, ng
Lungsod Baguio, at ng Palawan. Mga lugar na pinuntahan at tinirhan ko.
Ang limang kuwento naman sa Anghel sang Capiz ay mga kuwentong
produkto ng aking imahinasyon. Kaunti lamang ang mga personal kong
karanasan sa librong ito. Mga kuwento ito ng mga bading na karakter at ng
lipunang ginagalawan nila. Personal lamang ang mga kuwentong ito dahil
personal na paniniwala ko ang kung anuman ang isinusulong ng mga
kuwentong ito pagdating sa buhay bading.
The fact that nasulat ko ang mga kuwentong ito ng pag-iibigan ng dalawang
lalaki, bagamat hindi perpekto kasi wala naman talagang perpekto sa tunay
na buhay, ay sapat na itong kontribusyon upang maihayag ang isang bagay
na pilit itinatago ng ipokrito nating lipunan. Naisulat ko na ang mga kuwento
ng pag-ibig na ito, e, di nandiyan na.

Books/Awards

Kung ang Tula ay Pwedeng Pambili ng Lalaki: Mga Tula

Hasang: Mga Kuwento Ng Pag-Ibig
Maybato, Iloilo, Taft Avenue, Baguio, Puerto
Ang Imahen ng Filipino sa Sining
Pagdakëp sa Iláhas: Koleksiyon ng mga Bagong Akda sa Kinaray-a
Pagbalik sang Babaylan: Antolohiya ng mga Maikling Kuwento sa
Hiligaynon
Awards, Grant, and Fellowship
2011
Fellow, 50th U.P. National Writers Workshop
University of the Philippines Likhaan Institute of Creative Writing

2009
Co-winner, Best Screenplay for the indie film “Wanted: Border”
Fifth Cinema One Originals (2009)
ABS-CBN

2008
Golden Harvest Awardee
 (One of the 50 Outstanding Anthonians)
St. Anthony’s College Golden Jubilee

2008
Busalian Award for Kinaray-a Writing
Busalian Foundation and St. Anthony’s College

2008
Fellow, All-Visayas U.P. Centennial Creative Writing Workshop
Sponsored by U.P.V. Tacloban and the
National Commission for Culture and the Arts
November 30-December 6, 2008

2008
Winner, National Book Award for Creative Nonfiction
Manila Critics Circle and the National Book Development Board
(for book of essays Pagmumuni-muni at Pagtatalak ng Sirenang
Nagpapanggap na Prinsesa)

2008
Bugal kang Antique Award for Culture and the Arts
A life-time achievement award from the Antique Provincial
Government

2006
Finalist, National Book Award for Poetry
Manila Critics Circle
(for poetry book Kung ang Tula ay Pwedeng Pambili ng Lalaki)

2005
Most Distinguished Alumnus
St. Anthony’s College High School Alumni Association

2005
Third Prize
Short Story in Filipino
 Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature

2004
Third Prize
Short Story in Hiligaynon
Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature

2004
One of the 100 Outstanding Augustinians of the Century
(For Culture and the Arts)
University of San Agustin

2004
Citation of Merit
As moderator of the The Augustinian
Department of Tourism, Region VI

2003
Third Prize
Essay in Filipino
Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature

2002
Third Prize
Short Story in Hiligaynon
Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature

2001
Most Outstanding Alumnus
St. Anthony’s College
San Jose de Buenavista, Antique

2000-2001
Writing Fellow for Filipino Poetry
Bienvenido N. Santos Creative Writing and Research Center
De La Salle University-Manila
 1998
Second Prize
HomeLife Poetry Contest – Filipino Category

1997
Second Prize
Full-length play in Filipino
Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature

1997
Third Prize
Panorama Literary Contest – Poetry Category

1997
Second Prize
HomeLife Poetry Contest – Filipino Category

1995
Fellow for Poetry
Second Iligan National Writers Workshop
Mindanao State University – Iligan Institute of Technology

1994
First Prize for Filipino Category and
First Prize for Hiligaynon Category
National Commission for Culture and the Arts
All-West Visayan Poetry Contest

1994
Third Prize
HomeLife Poetry Contest – Filipino Category

1993
Grantee for Filipino Poetry
Cultural Center of the Philippines Literature Grants
 1992
First Prize
Gawad Ka Amado Para sa Tula

II. Literary Framework

Kung ang tula ay puwedeng pambili The author wrote the poem based on
ng 'sang pogi at seksing lalaki the own experience and his gay
ako ay susulat ng marami friends.

The author of the poem is obviously

Araw-araw ako'y may bibilihin,
pipiliin ko ang masunurin,
'yung nauutusan sa isang tingin.
a gay, unabashedly he is looking for
a man that he could buy using his
poem. He wanted that man to be his
dream man, maybe he needed love
and care on the day he was writing
this poem that’s why he titled his
book (“if a poem could buy a guy”)
“Kung ang Tula ay Pwedeng Pambili
ng Lalaki.”

Syempre ngipin n'yay dapat

kumpleto,
bibilangin ko talaga ito
tulad ng sukat nitong soneto.

Upang kung ako'y kanyang ngitian Since that our

ako ay magsusulat na naman
ng mga tulang naggagandahan.
At muli, ako ay may pambili
ng mga panibagong lalaki.
country accept the same sex
relationship gradually; the author
looking for a perfect guy to give his
happiness and to inspire to wrote
poems.
We think the author is looking for a
perfect guy. Because in this lines the
author is cannot be contended.
 Theme

In the title poem, the author made it clear that for his efforts at poetry he
wants a man who is handsome and sexy and possessing a perfect set of
teeth like his sonnet, if we are to go for the title’s literal translation (“if a
poem could buy a guy”) author wanted love to be that easy. By whatever
translation we abide, the title itself still comes out as very gay and would
make Teodoro’s book a welcome addition to the growing body of gay poetry
in the country.

III. Illuminations from the Text

Our Illuminations from the poem of Mr. Jhon Teodoro is that our society
today is opposite version of Maria clara, most of the lower class gay Filipinos
admiring the man has physically celebrity looked, and how they have an
opportunity to meet admire man otherwise have a sex, when we read a
poem we realized that most of our gay friends are looking for men who
gave a panandaliang sarap “Wampipty” in exchange of money, pangbigas
lang okay na, pang yosi lang okay na, shot muna bago***pa, and the others
are GL or “Ganda Lang” if the slogan of chickboy or Womanizer is parang
nagpapalit lang ng damit, for the gay Filipino version is Anak-anakan sa
araw gatas-gatasan sa gabi these are the trends of Gay Filipinos today, and
we are realized that Mr. Teodoro has a comparison in our friends,

IV. References
"Harvard fellowship for Pinoy scholar Epifanio San Juan".
Philippine Daily Inquirer. https://www.goodreads.com/
https://kalatasliteraryezine.wordpress.com/