Rapper and poet Gloc-9 — born Aristotle Pollisco — is launching Makata Sa Pinas, a series of seven poetry chapbooks, at the Philippine Book Festival in SM Megamall on March 12, 5PM to 7PM. Admission is free.
The project, produced with small press Everything’s Fine, grows out of a simple idea: slimmer, more focused volumes rather than a single collected work. What began as a format preference became a full reexamination of Gloc-9’s 28-year discography, with each chapbook shaped around recurring themes in his music.
The first three are personal. Pagkatao traces his roots in Binangonan, Rizal, and his formation as a poet. Pangarap follows his dreams of becoming a rapper and songwriter — and what achieving them ultimately meant. Pursigi is about the discipline and clarity that ambition demands.
The middle two turn outward. Pagibig covers love in all its forms — familial, romantic, and the kind that falls apart. Komunidad gives voice to the everyday people of local neighborhoods: the ones we talk to, care for, and barely notice.
The final two are political. Lipunan reflects on the society Filipinos have quietly built through the values they keep and discard. Bayan tells the stories of the nation’s struggling majority — perspectives that rarely surface in mainstream songwriting.
Gloc-9 previously published the poetry collection Akin Lang Naman with ABS-CBN Publishing in 2017. Makata Sa Pinas is his most ambitious literary undertaking yet.
The launch is at Megatrade Hall, 5th Level, SM Megamall, on March 12, 2026, from 5PM to 7PM.
