“Escribi Chavacano, Conversa Chabacano” by Mark Matthew D.S. Viñas (Don Matthew Enriquez Delos Santos)

Congratulations once again to all the talented poets selected in the first Bien Chabacano Poetry Writing Contest!

Your beautiful words will soon live on paper, not only as literature, but as a meaningful contribution to keeping the Chabacano language alive and thriving for future generations.

We are thrilled to announce that the anthology Voces del Alma: Sombra y Luz is now in its final stages of preparation and will be released very soon. More details, including the official launch date and how to get your copy, will be shared in the coming weeks.

Sharing the Winning Poems

Starting today, we will begin sharing some of the winning entries from the contest as we count down to the book’s release.We open this series with one of the standout pieces from the anthology:

“Escribi Chavacano, Conversa Chabacano” by Mark Matthew D.S. Viñas (Don Matthew Enriquez Delos Santos)

This heartfelt poem is a beautiful tribute to Chabacano as a living language, one that continues to flourish through stories, poems, conversations, and the dedicated efforts of its speakers and writers.

Through vivid references to poems, essays, fables, and the wisdom passed down by elders, the poet reminds us that Chabacano remains vibrant when it is actively written, spoken, and shared with others. The title itself is particularly meaningful, as it intentionally uses both “Chavacano” and “Chabacano”, the two accepted spellings of the language, highlighting not only the importance of preservation, but also the richness and diversity within its written tradition.

Editorial Note:

The poem shared here reflects the author’s original title, Escribi Chavacano, Conversa Chabacano. During the editorial process, some entries underwent minor revisions for consistency and formatting. As a result, there may be small differences between the version shared online and the final version that appears in the printed anthology.