MANILA HOTEL — In a night celebrating cinematic and cultural excellence, legendary epic poet Edwin Cordevilla hailed the conferment of the FAMAS Prestige Award upon Epitacio P. Tongohan as the definitive “prelude” to his eventual coronation as a National Artist for Literature.
Speaking during the FAMAS Prestige Awards night held on March 30, 2026, Cordevilla—the visionary behind the monumental Ten Thousand Lines Project for World Peace—asserted that Tongohan, widely known by his pen name Doc Penpen, has reached a level of global influence that makes the Philippines’ highest cultural honor an inevitable next step.
“There is no reason the jurors should hesitate,” Cordevilla remarked, citing Tongohan’s unprecedented international footprint.
“Doc Penpen has been honored in Canada, the United States, Italy, and Ghana. His impact transcends borders, uniting the world through the power of the word and the image.”
Cordevilla also pointed to the rare recognition from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who previously honored Tongohan with a personal handwritten poem, officially recognizing him as the “Father and King of Visual Poetry.”
For Cordevilla, a titan in Philippine letters himself, this global validation serves as proof that Tongohan’s work—which masterfully blends the literary with the visual—aligns perfectly with the criteria for the Order of National Artists. He noted that the FAMAS Prestige Award is not just a trophy for the mantel, but a domestic affirmation of a legacy already solidified on the world stage.
As the gala concluded, Cordevilla’s remarks sparked a buzz among attendees, many of whom now see this FAMAS win as the “opening salvo” for a formal selection to the National Artist circle. (Nexus News, Views & Features)
