MARIANO L. KILATES (known as Marne by his family and friends) passed away at the age of 71 on July 20, announced the largest organization of Filipino writers, Unyon ng mga Manunulat sa Pilipinas (UMPIL), in a statement.
“Marubdob na hinihiling sa sambayanang Filipino ang taimtim na panalangin para sa kaniyang ganap na ikapapayapa at lubos na mapag-ukulan nawa ng nararapat na pagpapahalaga ang kaniyang di-mumunting ambag sa lawas ng Pambansang Panitikan ng Filipinas,” it said.
(We sincerely request that the Filipino people fervently pray for his peace and that his considerable contribution to Philippine literature be given full due appreciation.)
Mr. Kilates, a poet, translator, and editor, had a career in writing that spanned more than three decades. This includes six volumes of poems, including Children of the Snarl in 1987 and Mostly in Monsoon Weather in 2007. He regularly published his poems on social media, and on his own website, marnek2.wixsite.com/marneskripts.
His body of work as a prolific translator encompassed Filipino and Bikol poetry and prose translated into English. These translations are of works by fellow poets Virgilio S. Almario, Rogelio Mangahas, Bienvenido L. Lumbera, Fidel Rillo, Victor Dennis Nierva, and Kristian Sendon Cordero, among others.
Mr. Almario said in a Facebook post that with Mr. Kilates’ passing, the Philippines “has lost a creative and patriotic literary voice.”
Mr. Kilates was born in Daraga, Albay, and his home province influenced a large part of his work. He received the Most Outstanding Albayano for Literary Arts award in 2014. Albay 2nd District Representative Joey Salceda mourned his passing in a statement, which described him as a “guiding light to Albay in our ethnographic efforts.”
He obtained his bachelor’s degree in English at the Divine Word College in Legazpi City in 1976. He was a fellow of the University of the Philippines National Writers Workshop in 1984 and the Silliman University National Writers Workshop in 1987.
The many accolades he earned for his work include the SEAWrite Award, the Gawad Pambansang Alagad ni Balagtas from UMPIL, a Carlos Palanca Memorial Award for Literature, and the Manila Critics Circle’s National Book Award for Poetry, Poet of the Year at the Nick Joaquin Literary Awards, and the Bulawanan na Bikolnon Award from the Ateneo de Naga University.
Mr. Kilates’ wake is being held at Chapel 7 in Heritage Park, Taguig City. A mass will be held on July 23 at 3 p.m. Funeral details will be announced. — BL Lacsamana
