The journalist Teodoro Alcuitas, one of the co-editors of Magdaragat: An Anthology of Filipino-Canadian Writing (Coromorant Books, 2023), discusses the collection with Joseph Planta.

Magdaragat: An Anthology of Filipino-Canadian Writing edited by Teodoro Alcuitas, C.E. Gatchalian, and Patria Rivera (Cormorant Books, 2023). Click to buy this book from Amazon.ca: Magdaragat

Text of the introduction by Joseph Planta:

I am Planta: On the Line, in Vancouver, British Columbia, at TheCommentary.ca.

It has always been my intent to have each of the three editors of Magdaragat on this program, devoting three shows to this important collection. I even told Teodoro Alcuitas that back in August when we had lunch. And soon after I got an uncorrected PDF of the collection. So, it’s a collection I’d read since the end of summer, and have thought about a great deal, even after buying a copy three weeks ago, and re-reading it. I taped an interview with Chris Gatchalian two weeks ago, that was posted a week ago. The interview now, with Ted was taped this past Sunday afternoon, and unfortunately having been offline for most of the day, I’d not seen the posts on social media by Shirley Camia, a contributor to this anthology. In her statement, she says her contribution to the book was cut in half. She narrates discussions she’s had with Chris, and Cormorant Books’s publisher Marc Cote. Had I seen Ms. Camia’s statement, as well as the Instagram post from six days earlier, by another contributor Yves Lamson, I certainly would have brought it up in the interview with Ted, or at least have given him the time and space to address Ms. Camia’s statement. As you’ll hear, I tell Ted that I have admired him for his work as a journalist and respected the many courageous stands he’s taken over the years. I am disappointed though that Ted didn’t see fit to mention this prior to our taping, or even during, nor did he do so on the CBC’s Early Edition, which he appeared on Monday morning. As well, the editors and/or Cormorant Books have not made any public statement responding to Shirley Camia’s post. Though I just saw, late last night, a video in a post by another contributor to the collection on Instagram of Chris addressing the situation at an event Tuesday night here in Vancouver. I was scheduled to tape an interview with Patria Rivera yesterday, and when I called her, she said I had caught her at a bad time, and that she wasn’t prepared for the interview, which had been booked over ten days ago. I told Patria yesterday, and repeat here, that she is welcome on the program in the future, and she need simply email and we can reschedule. Please welcome to the Planta: On the Line program, Teodoro Alcuitas; Mr. Alcuitas, good morning.

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