Winning poets, writers, and books

Congratulations to the winners of the Maningning Miclat Poetry Awards handed out last Thursday: Mikael de Lara Co for the English Division, Enrique Villasis for the Filipino and Pan Weili for the Chinese.

Our friend Kael Co, an Ateneo graduate, Fellow at the National Writers Workshop in Dumaguete, and member of the late lamented (hopefully resurrected) Los Chupacabraz band, continues to reap awards for his excellent poetry in both English and Filipino.

He also won the Miclat Poetry Grand Prize for English the last time out, in 2009, as the contest alternates annually between poetry and painting (to honor multi-genre artist Maningning Miclat). So it was a successful title defense for him, heh heh. A hat trick he can’t accomplish, however, as he will be over the age limit of 28 the next time out. Which is just as well, to make way for younger poets.

In 2007, Kael won the Palanca First Prize in English, and the following year, the Palanca First Prize in Filipino. Quite a feat. He’s also won third prize in the Philippines Free Press poetry contest.

All of these distinctions confirm that he’s one of our foremost young poets, together with his buddy and bandmate Joel Toledo (now enjoying the International Writing Program in Iowa City), who has also dominated poetry contests over recent years.

It says something crystal clear: that these two guys have admirably focused on their craft and the steady evolution of their poetry, rather than submit to the easy temptation of poseur-manship by way of regurgitating critical theory; read gobbledygook for the most part.

Thank goodness the better number of our young, youngish, up-and-coming poets subscribe to the same view. Pinoy poetry is thus not only alive and well, but has been constantly dynamic  as may be seen in the following representative poem from Mikael Co’s winning entry, titled “What Passes for Answers” (he has four poems with the same title in the collection, which itself bears the same title: a puzzler for prospective editors and literary anthologists):     

“Where will this path lead? Already/ the crickets are stirring awake./ By a hollow log a foot/ of snakeskin glints, freshly-shed/ and half-lit. Restless owl/ hooting from the canopy,/ do you mistake my footsteps/ for some small animal scampering?/ Wild fruit hanging from a branch,/ I hunger. If the forest will trust me/ with one of its many ripe/ hearts, can my tongue/ be traded for another secret/ sweetness? If only the moon/ would show itself, if even/ the faintest light would appear./ But that which steadies movement/ lies in the ear. What passes for radiance/ in this shadowbound space/ is the song of a river/ flowing not far from here.”

Congratulations, too, to the finalists for the 30th National Book Awards that will be given by the National Book Development Board and Manila Critics Circle at the Marble Hall, National Museum of the Philippines, Padre Burgos St., Manila, at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, November 12. Here’s the list:

In the Literary Division, Fiction Category  Blue Angel, White Shadow: A Novel by Charlson Ong (University of Santo Tomas Publishing House); Below The Crying Mountain by Criselda Yabes (The University of the Philippines Press); Gun Dealer’s Daughter by Gina Apostol (Anvil Publishing, Inc.); and Lumbay ng Dila by Genevieve L. Asenjo (C&E Publishing, Inc.).

In the Nonfiction Prose Category  Sagad sa Buto: Hospital Diary at Iba Pang Sanaysay by Romulo P. Baquiran, Jr. (UST Publishing House); Sarena’s Story: The Loss of a Kingdom by Criselda Yabes (UP Press); and Builder of Bridges: The Rudy Cuenca Story by Jose Dalisay, Jr. and Antonette Reyes (Anvil).

In the Poetry Category  Bulaklak sa Tubig: Mga Tula ng Pag-ibig at Himagsik (Flowers in Water: Poems on Love and Revolt) by Maria Josephine “Joi” Barrios and translated by Mark Pangilinan (Anvil); Care of Light: New Poems and Found by Gemino H. Abad (Anvil); Everyday Things by Fidelito C. Cortes (UST Publishing House); and If I Write You This Poem, Will You Make It Fly : (a book of birds and verse forms) by Simeon Dumdum, Jr. (Ateneo de Manila University Press).

Literary Criticism / Literary History  Gitnang Uring Fantasya At Materyal Na Kahirapan Sa Neoliberalismo: Politikal Na Kritisismo Ng Kulturang Popular by Rolando B. Tolentino (UST Publishing House); Imagination’s Way: Essays Critical and Personal by Gémino H. Abad (UST Publishing House); and Banaag at Sikat: Metakritisismo at Antolohiya by Maria Luisa Torres Reyes (National Commission for Culture and the Arts).

In the Non-Literary Division, Art Category  The Life and Art of Botong Francisco by D. M. Reyes, Alice G. Guillermo, Roberto G. Paulino and Ino M. Manalo, edited by Patrick D. Flores (Vibal Foundation, Inc.); and The Urian Anthology 1990-1999 by Nicanor G. Tiongson (UP Press and Film Development Council of the Philippines).

Professions Category  Law for Art’s Sake: An Introduction to Legal Gobbledygook by J. Sedfrey S. Santiago (AdMU Press).

Science Category  Watersheds Sheltering Life by Grace Roxas and edited by Ces Rodriguez (Wide Angle Media, Inc.).

Social Sciences Category  La Casa De Dios: The Legacy of Filipino-Hispanic Churches in the Philippines by Fr. Rene B. Javellana, SJ with Fr. Pedro G. Galende OSA, Fr. Jose Femilou Gutay, OFM, Regalado Trota Jose, Benito J. Legarda, Jr. and Fr. Emilio Edgardo A. Quilatan, OAR (Ortigas Foundation, Inc.); Mondo Marcos: Writings on Martial Law and the Marcos Babies by Frank Cimatu and Rolando B. Tolentino (Anvil); Figuring Catholicism: An Ethnohistory of the Santo Niño de Cebu by Julius J. Bautista (AdMU Press); and Sanghiyang Sa Mundo Ng Internet by Rhoderick Nuncio (Vibal Foundation, Inc.).

Lifetime Achievement for Literature awardee Gilda Cordero Fernando

Leisure Category  Celebrations: A Culinary Feast from the Roces-Reyes Table by Karla Prieto Delgado, Gianna Reyes Montinola, Cristina Roces-Garcia, Ginny Roces-de Guzman, Sylvia Roces-Montilla and Vicky Veloso-Barrera (Anvil Publishing, Inc.); and Is It Hot In Here or Is It Me?: RJ Ledesma’s Imaginary Guide to Flirting, Body Language, and Pick-up Artists by RJ Ledesma (Anvil).

Design Category  Tawid: The Living Treasures of Ilocos Sur by Norma A. Respicio, Ma. Lourdes I. Ingel, Jeffrey James C. Ligero and Marie Kristine R. Gonzales, book designed by Felix Mago Miguel, (Sanicua Publication); To Give and Not to Count the Cost: Ateneans Inspiring Ateneans 1859-2009 by Rodolfo P. Ang, Nancy Pe-Rodrigo and Maricor E. Baytion, book designed by Felix Mago Miguel (AdMU Press); Watersheds Sheltering Life by Grace Roxas and edited by Ces Rodriguez, book designed by Jon P. Ave (Wide Angle Media Inc.); and where the children are by Gizela M. Gonzalez, book designed by Katrina Palomo Garcia (ArtPostAsia Inc.).

Becoming an NBA finalist is honor enough, we must stress. By the way, contrary to lingering misperceptions, this writer is no longer involved in the process, which the NBDB has supervised over the past few years, in coordination with the Manila Critics Circle, which finally granted yours truly more than just a leave of absence sometime back. Last year I was invited to be part of a panel of judges for a particular category. But no one can judge on consecutive years, says NBDB’s bossing Andrea Pasion-Flores, so I can only root for certain titles, and maybe kibitz raucously at the awards rites.

Congratulations are also in order for our friend Ramoncito Cruz for his consistent efforts in producing first-class coffee-table volumes. The latest from Mediawise Communications Inc. / MUSE Books is Veritas, Integritas, Justitia  all about the excellence of legal education offered by the Ateneo Law School.

The launching of the 300-page coffee-table book, written by students of the Ateneo Law School and veteran journalists, with Fr. Joaquin G. Bernas, SJ and Dean Cesar L. Villanueva as co-publishers, served as the highlight of the school’s 75th anniversary.

Through hundreds of images and elegantly written stories, the book traces “the genesis of a legacy by the Society of Jesus.” Stirring photographs document the sorry days when the war razed the original Padre Faura campus, as well as the struggle for the restoration of democracy that manifested the spirit of the students and faculty of the Ateneo Law School.

“Many other images touch the heart,” outgoing Ateneo de Manila University president and Fr. Bienvenido F. Nebres, SJ, writes in the Foreword. He adds that he is grateful for the many articles on legal luminaries and heroes like Chief Justice Claudio Teehankee Sr., Evelio Javier Jr., and Bobby Gana, as well as “the many other leaders and icons who have made Ateneo Law School the great school that it is today.”

In his Introduction, Fr. Joaquin G. Bernas, SJ, writes that the book captures the law school’s contribution to nation-building.

“Its graduating students regularly reap the highest percentage of passing in the national Bar Examinations. Many alumni are highly respected in law practice, in the world of legislation, in local and national executive positions. More and more alumni are being appointed to the various levels of the judiciary including the Supreme Court.”

Indeed, Chief Justice Renato S. Corona, also contributes an article extolling the many virtues of studying law the Ateneo way.

The book is distributed by the Ateneo Law School and AdMU Press, and is available at Fully Booked outlets. For more information about Veritas, Integritas, Justitia, visit http://law.ateneo.edu, e-mail law@aps.ateneo.edu, or contact Leila Lim at 899-7697.

Lastly, congratulations to our beloved lifetime friend and idol Gilda Cordero Fernando for the PruLife / Philippines Graphic Lifetime Achievement Award for Literature, which she received on September 22 at the Manila Hotel’s Maynilad Ballroom on the occasion of the 2011 Nick Joaquin Literary Awards.

Those awards were for the most outstanding short stories that appeared over the past year in Philippines Graphic weekly magazine, which Susan Lara, Charlson Ong and I judged. 

Congratulations to 1st Prize winner Thomas David Chavez, 2nd Prize winner Shane Carreon (of the 2011 Silliman University National Writers Workshop), and 3rd Prize winner Alex Almario.

Oh, and congratulations to Ricardo M. de Ungria and Alfred A. Yuson for having been selected to represent our country in the 2nd Iranian and World Poets Congress to be held in Tehran from Oct. 7 to 14. My buddy Ricky and I look forward to reading our poetry in Tehran and Shiraz, together with some 35 other poets from all over the world.