Authors & Books

Fr. Dennis G. Tamayo, CMF is a Filipino Claretian Missionary Priest under the Fr. Rhoel Gallardo Province of the Congregation of Missionary Sons of the Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Claretian Missionaries). He was ordained to the priesthood on July 16, 2004. Prior to ordination, he began his mission in January 2003 among the Bajaus in Maluso, Basilan, Philippines, serving as Assistant Director, and later Director, of the Claret Samal Foundation, Inc. until April 2011. During this time, he initiated a Bajau-English-Tagalog word compilation to aid in cultural preservation and education.

In 2012, Fr. Dennis was recognized as one of the five finalists in the Exemplary Individual Award (Visayas and Mindanao category) at the 5th Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Triennial Awards for his dedicated work with the Bajaus, the most vulnerable Indigenous Peoples in Mindanao. From April 2011 to April 2018, he served as Executive Director of the Claretian Communications Foundation, Inc. (CCFI), overseeing its publishing ministry. He co-authored Faithlink: Guide for Classroom Prayer Encounters in 2013 and contributed to the Bible Diary in 2015.

Elected as Provincial Econome of the Claretian Missionaries-Fr. Rhoel Gallardo Province in 2016 and re-elected in 2019, he completed his term in January 2025. In April 2023, he returned as Executive Director of CCFI until May 2025 and continues to serve on its Board of Directors.

On May 3, 2025, Fr. Dennis was appointed parish priest of the Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish in Quezon City, Philippines. Alongside his pastoral responsibilities, he remains active in giving retreats and recollections, reflecting his ongoing commitment to spiritual formation and missionary service.

Yvette Tan is one of the Philippines’ most celebrated horror writers. Aside from short fiction collections in English and Tagalog, she’s written a feature film that received nationwide release and co-written a libretto for a ballet that was performed by Ballet Philippines on the main stage of the Cultural Center of the Philippines. She was the official scribe of the Manila Biennale in 2018 and her story was the companion piece to the artwork that adorned the Philippine pavilion in the 2021 Frankfurt Book Fair. She co-hosted Trese After Dark, the behind-the-scenes companion to the Netflix hit anime Trese. She was a creative consultant for a Filipino game inspired by the country’s mythical creatures and the collection Seek Ye Whore and Other Stories was nominated for the 41st National Book Awards. Her works have been translated into Spanish, Czech, Hungarian, and French. Read more about her at yvettetan.com.

Budjette Tan supposedly grew up in a haunted house and was told to sleep early because there were aswang monsters outside their bedroom window. Who would’ve known that these stories would later influence and inspire him to write the comic book Trese, co-created with artist Kajo Baldisimo.

Their comic book is a three-time winner of Best Graphic Literature of the Year in the Philippine National Book Awards. (2009, 2011, 2012)

Trese is now published and distributed globally by Ablaze and is available in English, French, Italian, German, and Portugeuse.

In 2021, Netflix launched the anime adaptation of Trese and was in their Top 10 shows for a month.

Budjette was a co-editor for Alamat Comics, The Lost Journal of Alejandro Pardo: Creatures and Beasts of Philippine Folklore and SOUND: A Comic Book Anthology (co-edited with Charis Locke, published by Difference Engine).

He now works in Denmark as one of the creative leads in the LEGO Agency. He lives there with his wife and son, far away from any aswang – or so they think!

(By the way, his name is pronounced “budget” but please don’t ask him any questions about finance.)

Claude Tayag (born 1956 in Angeles City, Pampanga) is a polymath who has pursued multiple careers. He is an accomplished painter, wood sculptor, furniture designer and manufacturer, an award-winning kusinero (chef), a best-selling book author, a columnist for the Philippine Star, and a TV host. He also opened two restaurants, Balé Dutung and Downtown 1956 Café, both located in the city of his birth. His food writings have produced two books. Food Tour is a collection of his essays in the Philippine Star, peppered liberally with his drawings and recipes (Anvil Publishing, 2007). With his wife Mary Ann Quioc, he co-authored the best-selling culinary travel guidebook Linamnam – Eating One’s Way Around the Philippines (Anvil Publishing, 2007). And, he was one of six chefs who co-authored Kulinarya – A Guidebook to Philippine Cuisine and was also its food stylist. In 2019, he hosted “Chasing Flavors” in the Metro Channel. The show was given the Gawad TANGLAW (Tagapuring mga Akademisyan ng Aninong Gumagalaw) Jury Award that year for Cultural Development and Sustainability.

Tayag also had the distinction of hosting and introducing sisig to another TV personality, the late Anthony Bourdain. He is also a veteran of the Foreign Service Institute’s gastro-diplomacy mission. In May 2012, he represented the country in the “Memphis in May Festival.” In May 2016, the Philippine Embassy in Wahington, DC fielded Tayag at the Embassy Chefs Challenge besting 25 other chefs from different countries, winning the People’s Choice Award with his entry Bringhe, a fiesta rice dish using heirloom rice from the Cordilleras and other Philippine products. In November 2018, he represented the country in the Korean-ASEAN Rice Festival in Seoul, Korea. He lives in Balé Dutung with his wife Mary Ann and son Nico. Diners at the by-reservation-only private-dining restaurant, will find them serving a sumptuous Filipino spread in a two-hour, six- to eight-course meal. Balé Dutung has been consistently voted by bloggers as one of the Philippines’ top five restaurants since 2007. In 2021, it was included in Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants’s “Essence of Asia” – establishments that represent “the spirit of Asian gastronomy.”
He has been a guest speaker at the Philippine Booth at the Frankfurter Buchmesse twice: October 2019 with a lecture and cooking demo/tasting for his Linamnam book; and in October 2023, with a lecture, book signing and Adobo Event Party for his The Ultimate Filipno Adobo book.

Ergoe Tinio is an editor, translator, and writer of children’s literature and poetry. She is the co-creator of Salusalo para kay Kuya and Hanapin ang Sagot: Ano ang Batas Militar?, both of which received the National Children’s Book Awards. She is the Editor in Chief of CANVAS (Center for Art, New Ventures & Sustainable Development), working with the creative community to produce books for donation under the One Million Books for One Million Filipino Children Campaign.

A food security advocate and activist, Ergoe also channels her bookish energy into learning and writing about peasant rights and land struggles. She lives in Quezon City with her husband and their cat, Siopao.

Renato Clarete Tranquilino is a Filipino-Australian IT professional passionate about sci-fi fantasy films and storytelling. When he’s not immersed in the digital realm, he enjoys playing League of Legends—Renato dreams of traveling the world and visiting places inspired by science fiction and urban fantasy novels.

Renato embarked on his writing journey in 2019. Since then, he has authored seven books, including his latest novel, “The Culling in Proxima.” He has two more books slated for release at FBM2025. Renato is honored to be representing Philippine science fiction at the Frankfurt Book Festival 2024 as a grantee of the NBDB and NCCA.

Katrina Tuvera has written two novels and a short story collection, and co-edited two anthologies of Philippine literature. Her latest work is Volume 3 of A History of the University of the Philippines (2024, University of the Philippines Press), which she co-authored. She is a professorial lecturer at De La Salle University, and has worked as a writer and editor for projects of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Asian Development Bank, and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

Randy Valiente is a comic book writer and artist who has illustrated for local and international publications, including Twilight Zone, Vampirella, Army of Darkness, and Re-Animator.

He is the curator of the travelling exhibit Komiks: Sining Biswal (Isandaang Taon ng Komiks sa Pilipinas) and a board member of the International Board on Books for Young People Philippines. He is also an editor-at-large at Vibal Publications, where he handles the publications and reprints of famous classic Filipino komiks.

Randy has received numerous awards including the 2020 Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) Grants, 2020 National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) Writer’s Prize, and Gawad Tanglaw 2020, to name a few. His latest graphic novel Sining Killing published by Komiket won the 2024 National Book Award for Best Graphic Novel in Filipino.

Nicole Arianne S. Velasquez is a Senior Editor at Anvil Publishing, where she has played a key role in developing best-selling fiction and nonfiction titles, as well as managing translation rights acquisition and sales over the past three years. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Communication Arts from the University of the Philippines Tacloban and previously worked in events marketing and advertising before transitioning into publishing. In addition to her full-time role, she works as a freelance editor for international publishers and self-published authors, leading cross-cultural editorial teams, creating marketing content, and guiding book ideation and development.

Jane Vergara is the author of the Breaking the Scroll trilogy and the poignant novel The Gap Between Forever, which showcases her range as a storyteller. With 25 years of professional experience, she is the Chief Information Officer of a leading Philippine thrift bank. A Certified Public Accountant and Certified Internal Auditor, Jane also pursues painting, sketching, and writing, embodying a harmonious blend of analytical precision and creative passion.

Ronald II Verzo is the publisher behind Isang Balangay Media Productions (Balangay Books), a publishing house he envisioned as a platform for empowering local and grassroots literature, readership, and publishing. Under his leadership, Balangay Books won the Gintong Aklat Award for Best Independent Publisher in 2024 and has received multiple Philippine National Book Awards, Madrigal-Gonzales Best First Book Awards, and the Filipino Readers’ Choice Awards. The press is also a founding member of The Indie Publishers Collab PH, a collective of small presses across the Philippines.

Beyond publishing, Verzo has played a significant role in the literary community. He served as the editor of Lita: Poems on Women, which won the Filipino Reader’s Choice Award for Best Book of Poetry in 2012. He also co-translated John Green’s novel Paper Towns into Filipino. His poetry-memoir, May Hindi Maalalang Mga Pangalan, was recently published as part of Aklat Ulagad’s Signap Series. Additionally, he co-founded the Cavite Young Writers Association and led the organization as its president for its first seven years.

Ronaldo Vivo is the author of the Dreamland Trilogy—Ang Kapangyarihang Higit sa Ating Lahat (The Power Above Us All), Ang Bangin sa Ilalim ng Ating mga Paa (The Abyss Beneath Our Feet), and Ang Suklam sa Ating Naaagnas na Balat (The Loathe Within Our Rotting Flesh). His debut novel was a finalist for the Madrigal-Gonzales First Book Award. He is also a recipient of the Gawad Bienvenido Lumbera for short fiction and the National Book Award for Best Book of Short Fiction in Filipino. As a musician, he operates Sound Carpentry Recordings, which releases music on cassette, CD, and vinyl for worldwide distribution. He also serves as the drummer for bands such as Basalt Shrine, Abanglupa, The Insektlife Cycle, and Dagtum, among others. He is also an award-winning filmmaker whose short films have been screened in festivals and cinemas in the Philippines and overseas.

Cindy Wong is the founder of 8Letters Bookstore & Publishing, a dynamic publishing house based in the Philippines. With a deep passion for literature and storytelling, she has dedicated her career to fostering a vibrant literary community and promoting sustainable publishing practices. She understands and empathizes with writers from the Philippines, which inspired her to establish the 8Circles community. This platform now includes thousands of writers and readers, encouraging collaboration and engagement in the literary world.
A well-traveled individual, Cindy is one of the few Filipinos to have journeyed to Antarctica. Her diverse experiences enrich her perspective on storytelling and the importance of representing various narratives.
As a mother of two boys, Cindy skillfully balances her professional and personal life. Her experiences as a parent further motivate her commitment to creating opportunities for emerging voices in literature, ensuring that stories from all walks of life are shared.
Under her leadership, 8Letters has transformed from a small book curator to a significant player in the publishing industry, featuring over 400 titles from authors across the Philippine archipelago. The company’s innovative print-on-demand model prioritizes sustainability while making literature accessible to a wider audience.
Cindy Wong’s vision and dedication continue to drive her mission of championing quality literature and building a supportive community for writers and readers alike.

Tanya Yuson is a founding partner and Chief Creative Development officer of BASE Entertainment, a studio based out of Jakarta and Singapore that develops, finances, produces and distributes content for the Indonesian market, as well as for the international market. She is the Executive Producer and writer for the Netflix Original Anime Series Trese, Prime Video’s Comedy Island for the Philippine and Indonesian version, and co-showrunner (Executive Producer and Head Writer) for Cigarette Girl, Indonesia’s first Netflix Original Series, which debuted at the Busan International Film Festival and won Best-Miniseries at the 2024 Seoul International Drama Awards.

Currently, BASE has a slate of projects in varying stages of development and pre-production, including a slate of movies that are co-productions with CJ Entertainment and Ivanhoe, the first of which is Joko Anwar’s film Impetigore, which had its world premiere at Sundance in 2020 and won the top prize at the Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival in South Korea. Aside from Trese, BASE also has its live-action series Quarantine Tales on Netflix, as well as the films Respati, My Annoying Brother, and The Adventures of Sherina 2. Prior to founding BASE, Tanya spent 14 years in New York and Los Angeles where she worked in development for studios such as New Line Cinema and The Walt Disney Company. She then went on to be a producer and an executive at Millar Gough Ink, a production company whose principals were Al Gough and Miles Millar, where she worked on company projects such as Smallville for TV and feature films such as The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor, Hannah Montana: The Movie and I Am Number Four, to name a few. Tanya was also a consultant for the Dino de Laurentiis company in Los Angeles.

Alaric “Anygma” Yuson is the Founder and CEO of the world famous, and most viewed, FlipTop Battle League, as well as the independent HipHop label, Uprising Records Philippines.

FlipTop is the premiere Filipino Rap Battle League and has been popularly credited for the resurgence, prevalence, and domination of local HipHop as a culture and genre. Founded in 2010, FlipTop has elevated an often misunderstood niche artform into an unparalleled nationwide cultural phenomenon. Comprised of the country’s top 200 active battle rappers, FlipTop has made household names of its biggest stars and has provided a platform for many artists to pursue their HipHop careers full time.

Uprising Records Philippines is a grass-roots HipHop label that has managed to support over 30 of the scene’s most known and unique HipHop artists from all over Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, through self-produced events, tours, album launches, as well as dominating in the hyper-competitive world of modern battle rap. UPRISING has earned its reputation of doing without trends and hype by mostly relying on the sheer quality and vision of its output, with over 30 albums released under its belt.

Jessica Zafra has published a novel, The Age of Umbrage, three short story collections, and the Twisted series of books on travel and popular culture. She has presented television shows and web series, hosted radio talk shows, and written and produced feature films. Her second novel is being adapted for film.