22nd San Agustin Writers Workshop now open for applications

The Fray Luis de Leon Creative Writing Institute of the University of San Agustin (USA) College of Liberal Arts, Sciences and Education (CLASE) is now accepting applications for ten writing fellowships to the 22nd San Agustin Writers Workshop (SAWW) to be held in person at the Fray Luis de Leon Learning Commons, Learning Resource Center, University of San Agustin on January 19-21, 2026.

The workshop welcomes original creative works in the following genres: short story, poetry, creative nonfiction, and one-act play. Literary works may be in Hiligaynon, Kinaray-a, Filipino, or English.

The fellowships are open principally to writers in or from Western Visayas. As in the past, one to two slots may be awarded to applicants who are not from Western Visayas, but no travel subsidy will be provided to them.

All qualified fellows will be provided with group hotel accommodation and meals during the workshop. They will each be given a minimal allowance to cover incidental expenses.

The workshop panel is composed of Palanca-award-winning writers and critics, namely, John Iremil Teodoro, Isidoro M. Cruz, Noel G. de Leon, Dulce Maria V. Deriada, Early Sol A. Gadong, and Elvie Victonette B. Razon-Gonzalez.

S.E.A. Write Awardee John Iremil Teodoro, Ph.D. is the founding workshop director. This year’s workshop director is Noel G. de Leon. May Anne T. Jaro, Ph.D., serves as project director. Isidoro M. Cruz, Ph.D., recipient of the 2025 Gawad Pambansang Alagad ni Balagtas for Literary Criticism in English, serves as deputy project director. In charge of the secretariat is Jose Anthony Gerard V. Muyco. The annual workshop is conducted by CLASE under the supervision of Dean Nenelyn D. de la Fuente, Ph.D.

Applicants must fill out the online Application Form and upload electronic files of the following in the official SAWW link: https://forms.gle/gFUbLpukZudZVrd17

1. one original manuscript which may either be one short story, a collection of five poems (with a collection title), one creative nonfiction, or one one-act play—written in Hiligaynon, Kinaray-a, Filipino, or English.
2. signed application letter (in pdf format) addressed to the Workshop Director;
3. curriculum vitae (pdf), including a scanned colored 2” x 2” picture, landline/cellphone number, and email address;
4. letter of recommendation (pdf) from a faculty member or school official or any established writer in the region; and
5. only for minors: parent/guardian’s signed letter of consent (pdf) allowing applicant to attend the workshop.

The manuscript must be encoded as a Word file (letter size, Times New Roman, 12 points, double-spaced).

Only one submission per author is allowed, regardless of genre and language.

Only complete and compliant applications will be considered for the fellowships.

Former fellows are no longer eligible to apply.

Applicants whose work used artificial intelligence will be blacklisted.

The deadline for application is December 1, 2025. The selected applicants will be informed by email before the end of the year and be requested to confirm their participation. The final list of writing fellows will be announced online on January 1, 2026.

For inquiries, kindly email the Project Director at san.agustin.writers.workshop.2026@gmail.com, with the subject title “SAWW 2026: [topic].”