With a passion for teaching and writing, Jerome M. Hipolito (HS 2005) continues to inspire young minds through his advocacy on Bikol Literature.
Concerned with the limited numbers of Bikolano writers who write in Bikol, Jerome — a teacher, writer, and literacy advocate — intends to contribute in sustaining Bikol Literature by providing writing workshops for young Bikolano writers. Jerome is a member of Bikol literary organizations such as Kabulig-Bikol and Parasurat Bikolnon and has initiated writing workshops like the CBSUA (Central Bicol State University of Agriculture) Writers’ Workshop and the San Miguel Bay Area Writers’ Workshop to teach young writers and preserve Bikol literature.
In his high school days, Jerome was a student leader. He was an active student and editor of literary works for An Maogmang Lugar, the official literary publication of Ateneo de Naga University Junior High School. “My love for literature started in high school when I became a part of An Maogmang Lugar. Yung mga kuwentong kababalaghan at mga kuwentong nakakatawa made me start loving Bikol literature.” His love for Bikol literature developed as he grew and moved to college. Eventually, he organized local workshops.
Back in 2014, Jerome was accepted as a fellow for the 12th Ateneo National Writers’ Workshop (ANWW) at the Ateneo de Manila University. When he returned home, he decided to copy the structure of the workshop and localize it. With it, Jerome managed to institute various writing workshops and started his purpose. He was able to establish the CBSUA Writers’ Workshop and help organize the Saringsing National Writers’ Workshop by the Parasurat Bikolnon, of which Jerome happens to be one of the founding members.
“Marami na kasing nagsusulat ng mga English texts pero kakaunti pa lang ang nagsusulat sa Bikol kagaya ng novels, poetry, at short story.” So he decided to help in developing writers who would write in the Bikol language. “Gusto kasi namin na mas mabuhay pa ang Bikol literature. Gusto namin may mga secondary lines sa’min kasi we’re getting older, so we also want to train the next line of Bikol writers.”
Jerome believes that the Bikol language is not getting the recognition it deserves. He says students would not often use Bikol in written and verbal conversations. “We have to acknowledge Bikol not only as a language of the street, but we also have to raise the standards of Bikol. We should integrate Bikol literature, language, culture in the academe so that students will realize that Bikol can also be used in academic and intellectual discussions, not only in the market or in the streets.” He claims that there’s a stigma in the Bikol language that keeps students from considering using Bikol in writing and speaking.
The impact of literature, for Jerome, is something that is not tangible. It is the power of the human mind and the human heart. “Usually kasi in the academe, we make a separation of the mind and the heart. But as a writer-teacher, I have to make sure that my mind is powered by the heart, so I’m able to come up with good characters for our stories and produce good students in the future.”
A part of Jerome’s advocacy is being a teacher. “Teaching is not really a work for me eh. It’s more of a happy pill. I teach because I find happiness in doing it. It becomes second nature.” For him, teaching is already part of his life. “I remember the former principal of Ateneo addressing the faculty, saying ‘we don’t teach to live, but we live to teach’ during assemblies.” Inspired by his High School Principal’s message, Jerome plans to live and continue living so he could continue teaching.
Jerome encourages young people to have a meek heart saying, “One thing I want to tell the youth is that they have to have a meek heart so that they can understand everything that is happening especially what’s happening now.” He motivates young people to read. “Kasi it’s in reading that we’re able to know the solutions to a lot of problems that we’re encountering. Iba lang seguro yung pagkaka-deliver, iba lang yung problem, but the spirit of how to solve problems are in the books.”
As a writer, a heart on fire for Jerome is a big heart. “A writer has to have a big heart so that he’s able to understand the interior motivation of his characters and be able to develop lovable, memorable, and beautiful characters.”
Interviewers and Writers: Panch Adrian Bacsain and Elaine Nicole Guevarra
Layout: Serg Sales and Guia Balid
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Campus Ministry Office 