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Loonanons in the Literary Arts
(Incomplete list. Everyone is encouraged to submit names of those who are worthy of mention in this list.)

Fidelino P. Coritico - gold medalist, Tirol-Borja Balak and Pakigpulong Contests 1983-1984; gold medalist, intercollege/university "balak" contests, 1985-1986; gold medalist, Bohol "pakigpulong" and "balak" contests, 1984-1985; trainer of gold, silver and bronze medalists, "balak" contests, 1984-1987; author, Hugpong sa Mga Balak ni Dong Fidel; scriptwriter and director, Pig-ot  drama presentations; columnist, Bohol Inquirer, 2002-2006; editor-in-chief, The Quill, national publication of the Philippine League of Secretaries to the Sangunians (PLEASES, Inc.). 

Jonathan Castil Ingcol - writer of "balak" and English poetry

Emmanuel ‘Eman’ Agapito F. Lacaba + - considered the only poet warrior of the Philippines and a genius while studying at the Ateneo de Manila University.  The book Six Young Filipino Martyrs states, “Not many poets are given the honor of becoming martyrs for their country. In the Philippines there are only two: Jose Rizal and a disciple he never knew." That disciple is Eman, son of Jose Monreal Lacaba, a Loonanon. The Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) confers the Gawad Eman Lacaba to young poets.  Eman wrote the lyrics of “Awit ni Kuala”, the song sung by Lolita Rodriguez in the classic Lino Brocka film masterpiece "Tinimbang Ka Ngunit Kulang". He also composed new revolutionary lyrics in Cebuano for some well–known folk songs.  Eman and his brother Jose 'Pete' F. Lacaba Jr. were accorded the distinction of being among the top 100 Filipinos in culture. Only one other Boholano, national artist Napoleon Veloso Abueva, a relative of the Veloso clan of Loon, made it to the prestigious list.

Jose ‘Pete’ F. Lacaba Jr. - brother of Emmanuel ‘Eman’ Agapito F. Lacaba and former member of the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board. Pete is a poet, editor and scriptwriter of some of Lino Brocka’s memorable films.  He is currently the executive editor of Yes! magazine.

Joaquin "Ngids" Ligumbres - 94-year-old writer of "balak" and Spanish poetry

Dr.Justiniano Lopez Seroy - developmental poet and professor of the Visayas State University.

Jose "Jojo" Z. Lugo - stage actor, writer of "balak", and director of the annual "drama" in Napo.  Following in the footsteps of his father Simeon ("Dingkay"), Jojo has been directing the stage plays in Napo for almost 20 years now. After reading his "balak" entitled "Luha sa Payag", Job Pagusara, an awardee poet conducting a literary arts workshop in Loon in 1999, commented that Jojo is a potential Palanca winner in Visayan poetry.  Sponsored by the Cultural Center of the Philippines, the workshop called Tanghal-Tula was participated in by the town's budding writers and poets. Some of its graduates became writers and poets of note - Rene Eune Ponte, Jonathan Castil Ingcol, Reigh P. Monreal, etc. 

Reynald Romea Luminarias - US-based writer of "balak" and English poetry; graduate of the UP Writers Workshop. Reynald started his writing career at the Bohol School of Arts and Trades (now CVSCAFT - Tagbilaran) where he was school paper editor.  After graduating on top of his class he enrolled in Architecture at the University of the Philippines where he continued his pursuits in both visual and literary arts. While still a college student, his poems were published in widely circulated magazines and included in anthologies.  Genetics must have played a big role in Reynald's artistic ability.  His grandfather Bernardo Romea and uncle Justino Romea were both excellent writers of Visayan drama and "balak" as well as English poetry. Likewise, his mother, Teodosia Romea, spoke flawless English, having been trained to become a bookworm and good communicator by her father.

Melchor P. Monreal Sr. + - orator, poet and writer of winning "balak"; scriptwriter and director of “drama” plays in his native Basdacu; author, "Pamalaye", a play about marriage and its many stages following local tradition.

Reynaldo P. Monreal - journalist, and writer of news and feature articles; writer of "balak" and Binisaya translations of scripts for stage plays; vice chairman, Literature Division, Bohol Arts and Cultural Heritage (BACH) Council; coordinator and member, Bahandianong Arte Halad sa Namat-ang Dagang (Bahandi-Loon); research editor; cultural events scriptwriter; past editor of a local weekly; author of "Sugilanon sa Ubi", a narrative poem on the story of the purple root crop called kinampay around which revolves some of the highlights of the annual Ubifest of Bohol; translated some works produced for stage (i.e., "Ang Labing Ambungan sa Tanang Nalumos sa Tibuok Kalibutan", from Teresa Lorena Jopson’s "Ang Pinakamakisig sa mga Nalunod sa Buong Daigdig", an adaptation of Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s "The Handsomest Drowned Man in the World"; "Ang Pos-opis", from Rabindranath Tagore's The Post Office; "Karaang Balay", from Alfred R. Valenzona's one-act play "Lumang Bahay"; and "Pamahayag Ngadto sa Kabatan-onang Pilipino", from Jose Rizal’s “To the Filipino Youth”. His most recent work is a script for the play “Tawag sa Bantayan”, which highlights the lives of people during the time of banditry in the country and revolves on the history and significance of watchtowers. It was staged during the launching of Punta Cruz as an eco-cultural destination.   

Clovis L. Nazareno + - multi-awarded short-story and "balak" writer, newspaper columnist, three-time Palanca awardee in English poetry, and graduate of both the UP Writers Workshop and the ASEAN Writers Workshop. His poems are featured in many magazines and anthologies.  A poem of his that describes Loon's public plaza is included in "Writing Home" which also features 18 other writers.  He was also ranked among the top forty short story writers in a writing competition sponsored by Asiaweek.  Among his works are "Bohol's Tarsier Population" and "The Cortes Swamp".

Rene Eune "Coycoy" P. Ponte - writer of "balak" and English poetry; winner, 2003 Carlos P. Garcia Memorial Awards for Literature; recipient, Editor's Choice Award, International Library of Poetry and poetry.com; fellow, Silliman Writers Workshop; past editor of a local weekly; chairman of the Literary Division of the Bohol Arts and Cultural Heritage (Bach) Council. Coycoy started as a songwriter and evolved into one of Bohol's most prolific writers of "balak" and English poetry.  A pioneer of the Bohol Writers Workshop, he tried painting and graphic arts including T-shirt designing. Artdom, his Loon-based printing shop, became a training ground for young artists and attracted quite a number of clients. He still writes poems while writing a column for Sunday Post. 

Maria Asuncion M. Robles - Larido - This daughter of Gregorio Robles and Demetria Monreal was an operetta star at the Saint Joseph College, now Holy Spirit School, where she finished a degree in Education.  A retired public school teacher, she has produced quite a lot of literary works, mostly poems, stories, declamation pieces, speeches, and scripts for "pastores", coronation pageants, graduation playlets, and dance-dramas.

Godofredo Roperos - one of Cebu’s most respected writers and columnists.

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