In the April 2021 issue of the Philippines Graphic, around the 17th death anniversary of Nick Joaquin, the outlet’s esteemed literary editor Marra PL. Lanot penned a poignant tribute to her hero.
‘Have you ever basked in the presence of your idol?’ Lanot writes to open her piece, titled ‘Nick Joaquin: The twilight years.’
What follows is a moving chronicle of her friendship with the late National Artist for Literature, a titan turned close friend. She recounts submitting a poem to him at the Free Press as a nervous young writer, exploring metro spots ‘where music is all’ when they grew closer, and her son Kris weeping during Joaquin’s necrological service at the Cultural Center of the Philippines, where friends honored the man she considers ‘the greatest Filipino writer in English.’
Lanot, of course, was also quite the wordsmith in her own right. An award-winning poet, essayist, and journalist, she published articles and columns in newspapers and magazines, and translated poems from English and Filipino into Spanish, just as her own poems have been translated and published abroad into foreign languages. She most recently served as the literary editor of the Philippines Graphic Reader, the companion literary magazine of the Philippines Graphic.
On August 16, Lanot wrote 30. She was 82.
Though the literary community mourns her passing, a fittingly poetic full-circle moment unfolded at the 2026 Nick Joaquin Literary Awards (NJLA). Years after writing that heartfelt tribute to her literary idol, Lanot was herself honored at the very event dedicated to his memory.
‘I know in my heart that Marra is here with us tonight,’ said T. Anthony C. Cabangon, publisher of Philippines Graphic and the BusinessMirror, during the 2026 NJLA at the Luxent Hotel in Quezon City on August 27. ‘We offer the Nick Joaquin Literary Awards for you, Marra. Like the phoenix that rises above death and destruction, we rise and persist in spreading the written words of our literary writers to the Filipino people for generations to come.’
‘Poet, editor, writer… witch’
Much of the 2026 NJLA night of celebration was dedicated to the memorial tribute for Lanot. Her close friends and family took turns on stage to share their fondest memory with the beloved writer, who was described as a good friend and important figure for many writing careers.
‘She made you feel like your voice actually mattered,’ said Charo Joaquin-Villegas, niece of Nick Joaquin and a close family friend to Lanot. ‘Her legacy isn’t in what she wrote-it’s in all of us. She helped find our voice. Thank you, Marra.’
Charo’s husband, Bing, also reflected on Lanot’s life. He read Nick Joaquin’s foreword to her book, Déjà vu and Other Essays, where she was famously described as ‘a babaylan in kimona and Levi’s.’ Meanwhile, José María Fons Guardiola, Cultural Head of Instituto Cervantes de Manila, read a Spanish poem written by Lanot.
Veteran journalist Ceres Doyo and award-winning writer Neni Sta. Romana paid tributes as well, along with Sol Juvida, Rochit Tañedo, Paulynn Sicam, Joel Saracho, and Beverly ‘Bebang’ Sy. Also part of the fold were Philip Paraan, Seymour Barros Sanchez, Satur Ocampo, Gemma Nemenzo, Bobby Malay, and Dr. Jose Wendel Capili.
During his speech earlier in the evening, Cabangon announced the appointment of Susan Lara as the new literary editor of the Philippines Graphic Reader. Also the chair of the 2026 NJLA panel of judges, Lara paid homage to Lanot, whom she fondly called ‘the original witch.’
‘If you ever had the pleasure of receiving an email from her, you could not have failed to take note of her email handle-brujaja-spelled with a ‘J.’ That said a lot of things about her. She called herself ‘witch,’ and wore the title with pride. She could laugh at herself, and she embraced the Spanish language alongside English and Filipino.’
Lara noted that Lanot ‘grew up surrounded by words and music’-born to a writer-astrologer and a music teacher-and how she loved playing the piano, watching films, gardening, collecting stamps, swimming, ballroom dancing, and Elvis Presley.
The two first met in the ’80s, when Lanot and her husband, poet Pete Lacaba, gave a reading at the UP Faculty Center. From then on, their paths crossed at countless poetry events.
‘Her poetry achieved that balance where form and content perfectly matched-structure amplifying meaning, never sacrificing one for the other,’ Lara said. ‘Beyond her writing, she nurtured literature as editor: Philippines Graphic from 1998 to 2003; Mirror Weekly from 1995 to 1999; and Philippines Graphic Reader, from 2022 up to her last day on Earth.’
Lara also emphasized Lanot’s role in helping shape the NJLA, where the former had been judging since 2017, and the latter serving as a ‘guiding presence.’ It was July 24 when the last two spoke, Lara shared. They were deliberating the Poet of the Year award for the 2026 NJLA, and Lanot was asked to break a tie.
‘Marra, although already struggling to breathe, chose the poet who, to quote her, has ‘mastered the use of words with visual impact and depth of meaning.’ Even in frailty, her clarity and devotion to literature shone,’ Lara said. ‘Thank you, and bye for now, Marra-poet, editor, friend… witch. Thank you.’
Three-time NJLA Poet of the Year
Aside from the tribute to Lanot, the 2026 NJLA carried on its mission to recognize today’s exemplary Filipino literary writers with trophies, plaques, and cash prizes.
This year’s big winner was once again F. Jordan Carnice for his piece, ‘Three Poems Before 2025.’ It’s the Silliman University alumnus’ third time to win the prestigious award, following back-to-back victories in 2024 and 2023.
Meanwhile, winning first place in the Short Story Category was Jude Ortega for ‘The Decision,’ followed by Richard Giye’s ‘The Quiet Animal’ and Elvie Victonette B. Razon-Gonzales’ ‘Deliverance.’
The 2026 NJLA coincided with the 99th year of the Philippines Graphic, which serves as the ‘longest-running printed magazine of national circulation that provides relevant news and features and promotes Philippine literature.’ In 1990, the outlet was revived under the vision of publisher Ambassador Antonio L. Cabangon Chua and editor-in-chief National Artist for Literature Nick Joaquin.
‘For 36 years, the revived Philippines Graphic has helped in promoting and popularizing Philippine literature in English in the country,’ said Philippines Graphic president Benjamin V. Ramos. ‘In 2022, we decided to fine-tune this support by creating a dedicated magazine for short stories and poems written by new and veteran Filipino writers, which became the Philippines Graphic Reader.’
‘In consultation with Marra, we looped the precious works found in the Graphic Reader with the NJLA,’ he added. ‘Every published short story and poem became an entry to the NJLA. We did this to cement the relation between the art of writing and being recognized for writing.’
Thus, honored at this year’s NJLA were 81 Graphic Salute Awardees, whose short stories and poems saw the light of print in the Philippines Graphic Reader.
Meanwhile, the City of Sto. Tomas, Batangas, was conferred the LGU Champion for 2026 Award, accepted by Vice Mayor Catherine Jaurigue-Perez, while Biñan City, Laguna, was given the LGU Champion Award, accepted by Vice Mayor Dada Reyes. The recognitions were introduced in 2024 as part of the NJLA-Local Government Unit (LGU) Advocacy for English and Literature Project that seeks to ensure that the works of Filipino poets and short fictionists reach the youth.
‘Next year, the Philippines Graphic is one hundred years old,’ Ramos said. ‘Strong, solid, and true, the Graphic-with the Cabangon family- will continue to nurture the best and the brightest in Philippine literature in English.’