Dumaguete City continues to remember the writers who helped shape its identity as a center for Philippine literature. Among them is Edilberto K. Tiempo, a novelist, fiction writer, literary critic, and educator whose work and teaching became closely connected with the city's literary community. On September 19, 2026, the Dumaguete City of Literature marked the 30th death anniversary of Edilberto K. Tiempo, who died in September 1996. The commemoration highlighted his continuing place in Dumaguete's literary history.
A Writer Closely Connected to Dumaguete
Born in 1913, Edilberto K. Tiempo eventually made Dumaguete and Silliman University an important part of his academic and literary life. According to Silliman University, Tiempo earned his M.F.A. from the University of Iowa and Ph.D. in English from the University of Denver. He later returned to the Philippines with his wife, writer and poet Edith L. Tiempo, and together they established the Silliman National Writers Workshop in 1962. His connection with Silliman University extended beyond writing. He served in several academic positions, including department chair, graduate school dean, vice-president for academic affairs, and writer-in-residence.
The Silliman National Writers Workshop
One of Edilberto Tiempo's most lasting contributions to Dumaguete's literary community was his work with the Silliman National Writers Workshop. Founded by Edilberto and Edith Tiempo, the workshop became an important venue for writers to develop their creative work and engage with literary criticism. Silliman University continues to recognize the Tiempos as the founders of the workshop. The workshop's continuing presence has helped strengthen Dumaguete's reputation as a literary city and a gathering place for Filipino writers.
For generations of writers, the Tiempos' work at Silliman provided opportunities to study writing, discuss literature, and develop their craft.
A Novelist and Literary Critic
Edilberto Tiempo's literary career covered fiction and criticism. Silliman University lists among his works Cry Slaughter, To Be Free, More Than Conquerors, and Cracked Mirror, as well as collections such as A Stream at Dalton Pass and Other Stories, Snake Twin and Other Stories, and Literary Criticism in the Philippines and Other Essays. His novel More Than Conquerors used the resistance movement during World War II as part of its setting and became one of his recognized works. His final novel, Farah, was published posthumously in 2001. Beyond his own books, Tiempo was also known for his role as a teacher and literary mentor, particularly through the writers' workshop in Dumaguete.
