Dumaguete’s growing literary identity reached Manila as The Gentlest City Imagined, an anthology celebrating the city's designation as a UNESCO Creative City of Literature, was launched during the Manila International Book Fair. The Dumaguete City of Literature shared photos from the book's Manila launch, held on September 13, 2026, on the final day of the book fair. The anthology is edited by Dumaguete writer Ian Rosales Casocot and published by Vibal Foundation. The book brings together literary works centered on Dumaguete City and Negros Oriental, offering readers another way to discover the places, memories, people, and experiences that have shaped the region's literary character.
A Book About Dumaguete Through Literature
Titled The Gentlest City Imagined: An Anthology of Literary Works About Dumaguete City and Negros Oriental, the collection gathers creative works connected to Dumaguete and the province. The anthology was previously launched in Dumaguete on July 17 during the 6200 BookFest, before its Manila presentation at the Manila International Book Fair. Philippine STAR described the 482-page collection as a milestone publication celebrating the literary spirit of Dumaguete. Rather than presenting Dumaguete simply through photographs or historical information, the anthology explores the city and Negros Oriental through literature.
Its pages bring together works that reflect how writers have imagined the city and province across different periods and literary forms.
Celebrating Dumaguete’s UNESCO Literary Identity
The anthology takes on particular significance following Dumaguete's designation as a UNESCO Creative City of Literature in 2025. According to Philippine STAR, the collection was created as part of the city's continuing literary activities following the UNESCO recognition. Writer Ian Rosales Casocot, who edited the anthology, also played a role in preparing Dumaguete's UNESCO dossier. The anthology therefore becomes more than a collection of literary works. It serves as a record of how Dumaguete and Negros Oriental have been represented and remembered through writing.
Ian Rosales Casocot Brings the Collection to Manila
At the Manila launch, Ian Rosales Casocot represented the anthology as editor and one of Dumaguete's contemporary literary voices. The photos shared by Dumaguete City of Literature show Casocot speaking during the event, joining a discussion with guests, and presenting the book to attendees. The Manila launch also gave the anthology an opportunity to reach readers, writers, and book enthusiasts beyond Dumaguete.
For a book centered on a city known for its literary community, bringing the collection to the country's capital adds another chapter to its journey.
