A YOUNG high schooler pens a story and sees it published for the first time in his school paper. “It was a little story about sunflowers, and why they followed the sun,” he recalled. Two decades later, that same storyteller stands among the literary elite as a Hall of Fame inductee in the Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature.
With 11 Palanca awards to his name, including his recent win for Pagkapit sa Hangin, a one-act play in Filipino, Joshua Lim So’s journey reflects the transformative power of art and persistence.
Encouraged by his sister Jocy, an educator and former columnist at SunStar Davao, So’s passion for literature blossomed early. “She would read books to me, and that got me hooked on literature,” he shared, crediting his sister’s influence as the foundation of his literary passion.
By the age of 19, So’s work had already gained recognition in Philippine Speculative Fiction Vol. 2. His story Feasting surprised even him with its success: “It was cited in an international anthology, discussed in a book published by Routledge, and so on. I still randomly meet people who tell me they’ve read the story in class—college and high school.”
Falling in love with playwriting
Despite his early success in fiction, theater became So’s true calling. “Eventually I fell in love with playwriting and how the written text is transformed by the ephemeral quality of performance. I’ve mainly been a playwright after graduating from DLSU,” he explained.
His artistic growth was influenced by stalwarts like Rolando Tinio, Edward Albee, Bienvenido Noriega Jr., and Harold Pinter. Malou Jacob, a renowned playwright and then a professor at DLSU, gave him his first major break.
“She judged a university-wide 10-minute playwriting contest, and that’s how I first met her,” So recounted. “Months later, I braved her office and asked her to read a new play I wrote. She warmly accepted my work and even set a meeting to give her comments. That play eventually received a Palanca for a one-act play in English. She wasn’t a judge for that, but I still credit her for giving me that even bigger break.”
Identity-based themes
As a proud Dabawenyo, So’s works are deeply intertwined with the socio-political landscape of Davao City. “Questions of power, violence, doublethink and gaslighting, class, and being othered. Questions of the oppressed and oppressors. Things of that nature,” he shared. These themes form the core of his storytelling, delving into societal dynamics and the complexities of identity."
His literary journey was also shaped by mentors and influences. “What made me want to read Philippine literature was Rosario Cruz Lucero, when she served as a panelist in the Malate Literary Folio writing workshop. What pushed me to write in Filipino was the Writers Pool of PETA, headed by Tim Dacanay, and included late members Manny Pambid and J. Dennis Teodosio. To write in Filipino, I had to read works in Filipino, and Luna Sicat Cleto’s Makinilyang Altar was the first book I read from cover to cover. Ambagal ko pang magbasa no’n (It took me a while to read in Filipino back then), even if I knew how to speak the language because the visual registry of the Filipino words was untrained. There was a lag in how the words registered their sound and meaning in my head.”
Though he admitted to reading English faster due to his educational background, So shared his ongoing progress. “But I’m much improved now, and I’ve been reading works in Filipino since,” he added. “When tasked to find a play for Harlequin Theater Guild, I also came across Rolando Tinio’s ‘May Katwiran ang Katwiran at iba pang Dula’, which had a profound impact on my writing.”
Art of storytelling
So’s extensive body of work includes celebrated pieces like Joe Cool: Aplikante, Tungkol kay Angela, and the Syquia plays. Reflecting on these works, he said: “I wouldn’t consider them favorites, but they get brought up more often than others for their reasons. Joe Cool: Aplikante is the most requested and staged work of mine. I wrote the first draft of Tungkol Kay Angela in 2010. Set in the future, I envisioned the Philippines under a new totalitarian rule. The characters, living under intense paranoia and grief, begin gaslighting each other and fighting over the supremacy of their narrative."
“The Syquia plays, on the other hand, are the most nuts of my works to receive the prize. I’m probably most proud of those latter plays because I didn’t expect anyone would understand them.”
His latest Palanca-winning piece, Pagkapit sa Hangin, showcases his distinctive approach to storytelling. In his ‘playwright’s note’ on Instagram, he wrote: “Hango man ito sa tunay na buhay, marami akong binago nung isinulat ko ang dula. Kathang-isip ang mga tauhan, wala akong pinagbasihang personalidad sa aking research, at, higit sa lahat, hindi ko layon ang husgahan ang mga kabílang sa insidente (Although it is based on real life, I changed a lot of details when I wrote the play. The characters are fictional, I didn’t base them on any personalities from my research, and, most importantly, I didn’t intend to judge those involved in the incident)."
He recounted the inspiration for the play: “Noong Agosto 2021, kasagsagan ng COVID-19 delta wave, hindi dumating ang delivery ng oxygen tanks sa isang ospital sa isla. Sa desperasyong makatipid sa hangin, hininaan ng ilang health workers ang oxygen ng mga pasyenteng sigurado silang mamamatay na. Napatanong ako kung bakit ang bilis ng pagdedesisyon—para daw kasing giyera nun. Walang panahon mag-isip, aksyon agad. Lagpas 24 oras na silang gising, at takot silang magprotesta bilang empleyado ng gobyerno. Ang kabalintunaan, ang layon ng paghina sa hangin ay makaligtas ng mas maraming buhay (In August 2021, during the peak of the COVID-19 delta wave, oxygen tank deliveries to a hospital on an island were delayed. In desperation, some health workers reduced the oxygen supply for patients they believed wouldn’t survive, hoping to save more lives)."
Words of wisdom
So offered advice to budding writers: “Awards do not make a writer. Many incredible Filipino writers have never won a Palanca. Just focus on your work, perspective, and craft, and challenge yourself by not thinking you’re always right. Doubt can be a compelling thing in art practice. A healthy amount, of course.”
He also emphasized the importance of self-awareness. “None of us share the same conditions and privileges. We have different interests, dispositions, energies, burdens, and responsibilities. You have to find what suits you best. It’s hard to give concrete advice beyond generalities like reading more and appreciating art because what works for me might not work for you.”
So admitted the craft comes with challenges. “There are too many hurdles, past and present. When a hurdle comes along, I try to see it as an opportunity rather than a setback. It’s a lifelong practice because I don’t always respond to disappointment ideally.”
For Joshua Lim So, the journey doesn’t end with his induction into the Palanca Hall of Fame. With a mind brimming with ideas and an unwavering passion for storytelling, he continues to inspire dreamers and writers alike. KBP