A Book Launch Befitting the Premio Zobel

CEBU, Philippines - Peninsulares and insulares – just about every prominent family was represented at Georgina Padilla y Zobel’s book launching.

But so did Filipinos and mestizos and lots of prominent Filipino writers attend the presentation of Premio Zobel awardee Antonio Abad’s book La Oveja de Nathan (Nathan’s Sheep).

Lourdes Castrillo Brillantes translated the piece into English, so that side-by-side, the original Spanish version and its English translation are presented in the book. The novel, which Georgina calls “the Filipino equivalent of ‘War and Peace,’” symbolizes a Filipino’s journey toward understanding historical events – the Spanish regime, the coming of the Americans, and how he begins to see the Philippines metaphorized as a lamb lovingly nurtured by Spain, juxtaposed against American imperialism which deprives the poor Filipinos of their Spanish heritage.

“The book embodies qualities of the typical Filipino: honest, brave, unassuming and hardworking,” according to Georgina.

Short, enlightening talks were delivered by Lourdes Castrillo Brillantes, the author’s son Gemino “Jimmy” Abad, and by Georgina, whose full name is Doña Georgina Padilla y Zobel de Mac-Crohon, decked out in an embroidered jusi baro’t saya by Tesoro’s.

A stirring video produced by Gaspar Vibal told of the Zobel family, the Premio Zobel introduced by Don Enrique Zobel in 1920 to keep the Spanish language alive, and how Georgina’s parents, Doña Gloria Zobel de Ayala de Padilla and Don Ricardo Padilla y Satrustegui carried the tradition forward. Annually, a winning novel in Spanish would be picked from sometimes as many as 90 entries, to be awarded the Premio Zobel. Today, Georgina keeps the torch burning with her grandfather, Don Enrique Zobel’s favorite novel, La Oveja de Nathan.

Antonio Abad was twice a winner of the Premio Zobel. Among other awardees were the Orosa family (Sixto, Dr. Severina Luna Orosa, and Rosalinda), Guillermo Gomez Rivera whose grandfather, Guillermo Gomez Wyndham, was also a Premio Zobel awardee, Lina Obieta Sevilla, Leon Ma. Guerrero, Ambassador Juan Rocha, Father Jose Arcilla, S.J., and Lourdes Castrillo Brillantes.

Among the Cebuano awardees of Premio Zobel are Governor Buenaventura Rodriguez, Dr. Ines Villa, Vicente Padriga, Jose Maria del Mar and Napoleon Rama.

The Ayala Museum was all decked out from ceiling to pillars with bamboo stalks and large green leaves, decorated by Al Caronan.

Jamon Ibérico de Bellota – bellota are sweet corns, the only diet that specially raised pigs are allowed to have – and other Spanish delicacies all laid out in huge clam shells (taklobo), were catered by La Tasca.

Publication of the book received a partial grant from the Spanish Cultural Cooperation and the Spanish Embassy under the aegis of former Spanish ambassador to the Philippines Excmo. Don Luis Arias. (Orendain & Associates) (FREEMAN)