ON Sunday, 13 April 2008, local historian Jose V. Barrameda -- known to friends as JoBar ----will launch his book on the Tangcong Vaca Guerilla Unit military operations against the Japanese occupying forces in Camarines Sur during the Second World War. The book is written by JoBar, who takes pride in being a native of Naga City, on a grant from the National Historical Institute.

        This book is the highlight of the cultural and historical initiatives of local writers from the province of Camarines Sur for the month of April this year. Though it was published in 2007, it never was launched, the importance of this piece of work having escaped the attention of local institutions tasked by the Local Government Code to be the guardians of cultural treasures.

        Early on, in January, Pusoanon, a book of Bikol poems with English translations by Kristian Sendon Cordero of Iriga City was launched.. Cordero is a member of the faculty of instruction of the Ateneo de Naga University. The launching took place in the Fernando Ritchie Hall of the AdeNU.

        In March another book of Bikol poems, Gibsaw sa Salakab by Bernardo Miguel Olayon Aguay, Jr. was launched at the Holy Rosary Minor Seminary. Aguay is a member of the faculty of instruction of the Universidad de Sta. Isabel and has his roots in Calabanga, Camarines Sur.

        Most likely by May, another book, Veil of Martyrs, written by Dr. Danilo Madrid Gerona, will come out of the press and be launched in Naga City It is a book that gives a fresh narrative about the Quince Martires de ’96 de Camarines Sur. If in reading the JoBar account on the activities of the Tangcong Vaca Guerilla Unit, we are in for doses of substantial and substantive surprises, Gerona’s Veil of Martyrs will certainly not do less.

        If this monthly output of local writers and historians is maintained, there is no doubt that the slim Bikoliana collection that we have today will have shelves upon shelves filled up in a couple of years.

        The resurgence of interest in Bikol writing ---- be it creative in the Bikol dialect or historical --- did not happen in July last year when Mayor Jesse M. Robredo delivered his State of the City Report (SoCR) or in the first weeks of 2008. The books of Jose V. Barrameda, Kristian S. Cordero, Bernardo Miguel O. Aguay and Danilo M. Gerona had to count years before they could be written. And those years when these writers were laboring to organize the data they had gathered and to give sense in them with a logical and chronological narrative--- more often than not they did not get the comfort and support from people and local institutions that had the opportunity to do so and the concern to get themselves involved as patrons or sponsors in the production of these books.

        It is not surprising then that the launching of these books is not held in the presence or under the auspices of the local government units, but within the walls of educational institutions. This speaks very loudly and strongly about where the heart and the support of government institutions are, in matters of local historico-cultural research and creative writing.

        It is then a shame, to say the least, that local government units which do not give any importance to cultural research and to creative writing --- who would prefer naming their more important structures after persons from other regions and not after the natives who showed extraordinary deeds in moments when country and city called for their much-needed participation --- would be given a place of much honor when cultural affairs such as book-launching activities are made.

        In truth, they are there just to hitch a free ride to an unearned seat of honor and an undeserved recognition.