THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE NATIONAL BOOK

URL: http://nbdb.gov.ph/index.php
National Book Development Board
NBDB_PHIL
nbdb_phil
THE OFFICIAL
PUBLICATION OF THE
NATIONAL BOOK
DEVELOPMENT BOARD
VOL.19t NO.1 t2015
G
THIS ISSUE’S ARTISTS
We asked artist, Borg
Sinaban to give us a
cover that represents the
vitality and variety of the
country’s book industry,
one alive with great stories
in a wide variety of genres.
We asked for a central
image representing
the Philippines, with a
lot of different elements
popping out, and Borg did
not disappoint.
MINA V. ESGUERRA is a
contemporary romance author. She runs
the workshop series, Author at Once
(for those interested in self-publishing)
and online classes like #romanceclass
(for aspiring romance novelists). Read
more of her publishing experiments and
projects at minavesguerra.com.
is an illustrator and a visual
development artist. He is a
member of Studio Salimbal
(salimbalcomics.com), a
comic book studio from the
Philippines. He is an active
member of Ang Ilustrador
ng Kabataan (Ang INK) since
2013.
ELBERT OR (interiors)
is an award-winning
creator of all-ages comics,
including BAKEMONO
HIGH, MANOSAUR, and the
webcomic HOMEYCOMB:
A MARRIED LIFE, which
he co-created with wife
Lorra Elena. He teaches
Fine Arts in Ateneo de
Manila University, and
is a member of Studio
Salimbal and a co-founder
of PUSHPIN VISUALS.
S
GUEST
CONTENTS
LIST
THIS ISSUE’S WRITERS:
BORG SINABAN (cover)
STAFF BOX
G
C
contributors
GUEST LIST
HONEY DE PERALTA refuses to count how
many books she has on her shelves, on her phone,
or on her Kindle that she hasn’t read yet. But she is
pretty sure they are legion. The situation wasn’t as
bad when she was a high school English teacher, but
it got progressively worse when she started working
in publishing. She traces the start of the uncontrollable
number of e-books she has on her stint as general
manager of an ebook publishing company, Flipside.
On some weekends, Honey finds time to work on the
Filipino ReaderCon, her other baby. And when Honey isn’t doing any of those things, she
melds her interests in publishing, education, and technology as the Learning Systems
Manager of Rex Digital Publishing.
EDITORIAL TEAM
Editor
PAOLO CHIKIAMCO
Art Director KATHERINE BERCASIO
Managing Editors CAMILLE MARTINEZ
DEBORAH NIETO
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TARIE SABIDO is the Chair of the Philippine Board
on Books for Young People (PBBY), an English teacher,
and has judged for the 2009 Children’s and Young
Adult Bloggers’ Literary Awards (CYBILS) and the 2010
National Children’s Book Awards. She blogs about
literature for the young and young at heart at her blogs
Into the Wardrobe and Asia in the Heart, World on the
Mind.
BOOKWATCH is the official publication of
the National Book Development Board. It is
not for sale. All rights reserved. No article or
visual material may be reproduced or altered
without permission from the authors and
artists. NBDB retains the sole printing rights
of the journal. However, the journal may be
freely copied digitally and shared. Copyright
of the commissioned and solicited articles
and visuals are owned by the NBDB until
publication, whereupon copyright reverts back
to the authors and artists. For inquiries please
call 570-6198 or 697-1804.
BOOKWATCH
Vol 19. No.1
2015
2 GUEST LIST
Contributors
MAIN STORIES
15 The Philippine Book Industry:
A Surplus of Stories
Financing the Future
Childhood’s Canvas
Rule of Romance
4 MESSAGES
from the Chairman and
the Executive Director
NBDB GOES GLOBAL
21 New Delhi World Book Fair
22 KL Trade and Copyright Center Delegation
5
THE 33RD NATIONAL BOOK AWARDS
The notable inclusion of ebooks brought
a few changes to the rules of the NBAs
definition of “books”
6 A COMMUNITY BOUND BY BOOKS
Philippine International Literary Festival
and Book Industry Summit
INTERVIEWS:
Nida Ramirez (Aklatan)
Honey de Peralta (Filipino ReaderCon)
9 Winners of the Filipino
READERS’ CHOICE AWARDS 2014
SPECIAL FEATURES
23 ARTISTS SHOWCASE
38 Women Writing Women
CREATORS’ RIGHTS
46 Copyright. So What?
48 Miranda Warnings and Creator Protection
NEWS
50 Kapihan sessions:
Dumaguete and Davao
Bikol Book Fair
52
Obituaries
11 Selected Statistics
and BESTSELLERS LISTS
53 Selected Recently Released
and Upcoming Titles
12 KOMIKS Moving Forward
58
Announcements
14 THE 1ST BULILIT FESTIVAL
59
Alab Panitikan Kalendaryo
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3
A
M
AWARDS
MESSAGES
A closer look
at our vision
Print is alive
and kicking!
I
n the Philippines, the book industry shows no signs of
slowing down. Last year, a total of 7,825 book titles
were released in the country, an increase from 2013.
Alongside the paper & pulp renaissance, many Filipinos
have resorted to online channels to in order to publish
content. The strength of the Filipino writing community
on Wattpad is verified by the ten million Filipino users
who visit the website every month. This proves that the
Philippines is a slumbering leviathan of content that can
only be roused by a competitive book industry.
This extensive issue of Bookwatch reports on the
most important happenings in the industry during the
past year. This volume includes updates on NBDB’s
tenacious efforts towards stimulating industry growth,
announcements regarding the new rules on registration
and accreditation, and the rules for the 34th National
Book Awards. In addition, this issue also includes
interviews with content creators from the Philippine
comics industry, commentaries on copyright and creator
protection, a showcase of the work of exceptional Filipino
artists.
We thank you for your continued support of NBDB
and our many initiatives. We hope that this issue of
Bookwatch will ease your mind about the state of
reading and authorship in the country. Here’s to a more
prosperous 2015!
Flor Marie Sta. Romana-Cruz
Chair
We have said again and again that
NBDB’s vision is to build “a culture of
reading and authorship” and to grow the
Philippine “book publishing industry towards
a globally competitive position.”
While becoming globally competitive is
more or less a quantifiable goal, “building
a culture of reading and authorship” may
perhaps be harder to grasp.
Despite our vaunted literacy rate, many
continue to argue that we are not yet a
mature society when it comes to reading
and publishing. The downward trend in
the production and sales of locally produced books somewhat reaffirms this. But,
as pointed out by an inspiring and highly informative article in this issue, “Surplus
of Stories,” reading and writing in the Philippines continue to thrive and exceed
expectations, especially when viewed in emerging platforms such as Wattpad and
in particular genres such as Comics.
Filipinos love to read. We know this as a fact. Online and print book clubs
continue to emerge and expand. The Filipino ReaderCon and its Readers’ Choice
Awards are testaments to this. Wattpad estimates the number of stories or content
files uploaded by Filipinos has reached approximately ten million, with 305,000
users uploading content in January of this year alone, a stunning figure.
Somehow there’s a divide, or a wrench stuck somewhere, in the way we
perceive our capacity to read and produce literature. We need to define this gap
(or identify the “chokepoint” in how we perceive ourselves as readers) to embody
a context which allows us to correctly quantify our success as a reading and
publishing society. I think this is what NBDB’s job is all about this year.
But first, we need information, hard numbers and facts, beyond macroeconomic
indicators. We must also develop a healthier regard for our own capacities to read
and create literature. Our regions outside Manila continue to surprise with new
stories, as we discovered during our Kapihan and Booklatan sessions in Laoag,
Dumaguete, and Davao.
There is a need to strengthen our content hubs and find a way to make the
publishing value chain work for everyone, no matter where these hubs, or writers
and publishers, are located in the country.
I can imagine a future when Cebuano books are read by Bikolanos. Bikolano
literature read by Ilocanos. Filipino stories read by Germans, Malaysians, Americans,
and so on and so forth. Can we make this happen in the next five years?
Why not? We’re already taking bolder steps. This year, for instance, will mark
the debut of the Philippines in international book fairs and copyright conferences
as a unified collective. The Kuala Lumpur Trade and Copyright Center will host at
least eight Philippine publishers and content creators this April. Our next stop is the
Frankfurt Book Fair in October this year.
We thus invite you to read through all the pages of this new issue of Bookwatch
and to join us at the NBDB in our upcoming programs.
Graciela Mendoza-Cayton
Executive Director
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The 33rd installment of the annual National Book
Awards (NBA), co-administered by the Manila
Critics Circle and the National Book
Development Board, took place last year. 2014
brought a few changes to the rules of the
NBA, most notably the inclusion of
e-books in the definition of “books”
that may be submitted in each
category, as well as the addition of
three new categories -- Translation,
History & Journalism, and Food.
A total of one hundred sixtyone (161) entries were submitted
this year, sixty-one (61) of which
were chosen as finalists. This year,
nineteen (19) experts in their fields
were selected by the NBDB to be
the members of the Prescreening Committee and the Board
of Judges for National Book Awards. After two rounds of
judging in August and October, twenty-one (21)
awards and six (6) special prizes were given
at the awarding ceremonies, which took
place on November 22 at the Marble
Hall, Museum of the Filipino People,
National Museum, Ermita, Manila
to coincide with the celebration
of Philippine Book Development
Month. In addition to a monetary
award, winners also received
a new trophy for the NBAs
designed by multi-awarded artist
and sculptor, Pete Jimenez.
K
NATIONAL BOO
AWARDS
Winners of the
33rd National Book Awards
JUAN C. LAYA PRIZE FOR BEST NOVEL IN A
PHILIPPINE LANGUAGE Ang Banal na Aklat
ng mga Kumag, by Allan N. Derain, Anvil
Publishing, Inc.
JUAN C. LAYA PRIZE FOR BEST NOVEL IN A
FOREIGN LANGUAGE Fish-Hair Woman, by
Merlinda Bobis, Anvil Publishing, Inc.
BEST BOOK OF SHORT FICTION IN FILIPINO
Sa Himaymay ng Puso at iba pang Kuwento, by
Macario Pineda, Ateneo de Manila University
Press.
CIRILO F. BAUTISTA PRIZE FOR BEST BOOK OF
SHORT FICTION IN ENGLISH Now, Then, and
Elsewhen, by Nikki Alfar, University of Santo
Tomas Publishing House.
BEST ANTHOLOGY IN ENGLISH Manila Noir, edited
by Jessica Hagedorn, Anvil Publishing, Inc.
BEST ANTHOLOGY IN BIKOL Hagong: Mga
Osipon, edited by Paz Verdades M. Santos and
H. Francisco V. Peñones Jr., Ateneo de Naga
University Press.
BEST BOOK OF NON-FICTION IN FILIPINO
LANGUAGE Anim na Sabado ng Beyblade at
iba pang Sanaysay, by Ferdinand Pisigan Jarin,
Visprint Inc.
BEST BOOK OF NON-FICTION IN ENGLISH
Mona Lisa: A Portrait from the Memoirs of a
Grandmother, by Celine Beatrice Fabie, Mona
Lisa Publication.
BEST BOOK OF POETRY IN FILIPINO
Labi, by Kristian Sendon Cordero, Ateneo de
Manila University Press.
PHILIPPINE LITERARY ARTS COUNCIL PRIZE FOR
BEST BOOK OF POETRY IN ENGLISH m’mry
wire, by Ricardo M. de Ungria, University of
Santo Tomas Publishing House.
BEST BOOK OF POETRY IN BIKOL Canticos: Apat
na Boses, by K.S. Cordero, University of Santo
Tomas Publishing House.
BEST BOOK OF GRAPHIC LITERATURE IN FILIPINO
PilandoKomiks Isyu 2: Mga Pagsubok ng
Karagatan, by Borg Sinaban, Adarna House,
Inc.
BEST BOOK OF GRAPHIC LITERATURE IN ENGLISH
The Dark Colony Book I: Mikey Recio & The
Secret of the Demon Dungeon, by Budjette
Tan, Bow Guerrero, and J. B. Tapia, Visprint Inc.
BEST TRANSLATED BOOK
Doros asín mga Anghél: Translations in Bikol
of John Donne’s Holy Sonnets and Selected
Works, translated by Victor Dennis T. Nierva,
Ateneo de Naga University Press.
ALFONSO T. ONGPIN PRIZE FOR BEST BOOK
ON ART
Balay Ukit: Tropical Architecture in Pre-WWII
Filipino Houses, by Maria Virginia Yap Morales,
Anvil Publishing, Inc.
ELFREN S. CRUZ PRIZE FOR BEST BOOK IN THE
SOCIAL SCIENCES
Tapping Ink, Tattooing Identities: Tradition
and Modernity in Contemporary Kalinga
Society, North Luzon, Philippines, by Analyn
V. Salvador-Amores, The University of the
Philippines Press.
BEST BOOK IN HISTORY AND JOURNALISM
Story Book: Essays on the History of the Book in
the Philippines, by Patricia May B. Jurilla, Anvil
Publishing, Inc.
BEST BOOK ON FOOD Milk Pigs & Violet Gold:
Philippine Cookery, by Bryan Koh, Holy Angel
University Press.
BEST BOOK IN SCIENCE
Science Philippines: Essays on Science by
Filipinos, Volume II, edited by Gisela P. PadillaConcepcion, The University of the Philippines
Press.
BEST DESIGN Made of Gold, by Cid Reyes,
designed by Aman Santos, Metrobank
Foundation.
PUBLISHER OF THE YEAR Anvil Publishing, Inc.
BACKGROUND
ince 1982, the Manila Critics Circle has
held the National Book Awards to honor
and acknowledge the best books written,
designed, and published in the Philippines. Since
2008, the Manila Critics Circle has partnered with
the National Book Development Board as coadministrators for the Awards, which encompass
over twenty categories, as well as citations
(outstanding achievement in special categories)
and special awards (outstanding publishers or
publishing projects).
There are two (2) divisions in the National
Book Awards: Literary and Non-Literary. The
categories in the Literary Division are fiction
(novels and short stories), nonfiction prose,
anthology, literary criticism/literary history, poetry,
and graphic literature in three (3) languages,
namely: English, Filipino and one regional
language, which for 2014 was Bikol. Translation
is also included in the Literary division and covers
books that are translated to a Philippine language,
English, or Spanish. The categories in the NonLiterary Division are art, professions, science,
social sciences, history and journalism, leisure,
and food. Each title submitted for the NBA is
nominated by its publisher for a specific category.
In addition to the particular categories under which
they are nominated, all entries are eligible for the
Design category. Calls for submissions were sent
to all relevant registered entities with the NBDB, as
well as posted publicly on social media.
The National Book Awards aims to (a)
Encourage the authorship, production and
distribution of quality books; (b) Promote public
awareness of the best books the country has to
offer; (c) Recognize the creative works and talents
of Filipino authors and publishers; and (d) Raise
the standards of the book publishing industry.
S
70-/0tBOOKWATCH
5
R
Report
5th
PILF-BIS
A COMMUNITY
BOUND BY
BOOKS
Industry stakeholders and events join forces in the
Philippine International Literary
5th Festival and Book Industry Summit
The 5th Philippine
International Literary
Festival and Book Industry
Summit (PILF-BIS), the centerpiece
of the Philippine Book Development
Month, was held by the National Book
Development Board (NBDB) from
November 12 to November 14 last year
at the Bayanihan Center in Pasig City.
The shift in nomenclature also marked a
shift in the focus of the event, as it moved
away from being solely a literary festival
toward a summit among the stakeholders
in the Philippine book industry, to better
discuss, as a community, issues that were
brought up at the local/regional levels. In
line with this evolution, last year’s PILFBIS also integrated two separate industry
events that brought greater participation
and engagement from Philippine
publishers and Philippine readers. These
events were the Filipino Reader Con and
the Aklatan Book Fair, with both serving
as the NBDB’s partners for PILF-BIS,
alongside Yabang Pinoy.
Aklatan, a project of Visprint Inc.,
is the only book fair in the country that
is exclusive to Philippine publishers and
books created by Filipinos. Aklatan in
2014 involved publisher booths at the
PILF-BIS venue for the entire three days,
6 BOOKWATCHt70-/0
including booths from the following
groups: Anvil Publishing; Buqo; De
La Salle University Press; Flipside
Publishing; High Chair; Meganon
Comics; OMF Literature; Romance
Class of Mina Esguerra; UST Publishing
House; Visprint; the Youth & Beauty
Brigade; New Day Publisher and Precious
Pages Corp. The Filipino ReaderCon
is an annual gathering of book lovers,
bloggers, and other reading advocates, in
order to celebrate the love for the printed
(or digitized) word and provide support
for the growing community of Filipino
readers. The Filipino ReaderCon is also
the host of the Filipino Readers’ Choice
Awards, an initiative of the Filipino Book
Bloggers Group, which uses a mix of
judges and popular voting to recognize
outstanding books in more than a dozen
categories. The holding of the PILF-BIS
at the Bayanihan Center, the home of
the Komikon, right before the comics
convention itself, was also an intentional
alignment, with book discussions for the
Filipino ReaderCon spilling over to the
day of the Komikon.
The three-day festival and summit,
with the theme “The Pressing Issue”
emphasizing the imminent ASEAN
Integration, gathered almost
everyone in the industry—authors,
editors, translators, comics creators,
illustrators, book designers, printers,
publishers, teachers, librarians, book
sellers, readers, and policy makers—to
exchange experiences, best practices,
and insights that may contribute
towards strengthening the Philippine
book industry and making it globally
competitive.
The event opened with NBDB
Chair Neni Sta. Romana Cruz’s annual
State of the Book Industry Address. The
NBDB chair lamented the fact that the
country produces only 6,000 titles a
year, a fraction compared to Indonesia’s
12,000 or Thailand’s 13,000. However,
she took heart in the statistics that
revealed that the country has no shortage
of readers, with 88% of Filipinos aged
18 and above enjoying reading. In the
spirit of the event’s function as a meeting
of the minds among stakeholders in the
industry, the speech was followed by
reactions from a panel which represented
various sectors in the publishing world.
Adarna House’s Emelina Almario equated
a country’s development to the number
of books published. The Philippine
Librarians Association’s Elizabeth Peralejo
saw the need to make books more
accessible, especially to public school
students. Author Paolo Chikiamco
emphasized that there had to be an
acknowledgment of the shift away from
the traditional gatekeepers of publishing,
and said that the support that new
creators require involves help navigating
the plethora of choices they are now
faced with, in the form of institutions
and programs that nurture talent and
protect creators from those who might
exploit them. Read Philippines’ Aimee
Lorraine Keh-Lee asked an important
question: why are readers and their
contributions not mentioned as often as
that of publishers or creators?
The rest of the first day was spent
discussing the business of book
publishing, with topics such as licensing,
multimedia platforms, classrooms of
the future, traditional and alternative
publishing models, book distribution
models, error-free publishing, marketing
for books, academic presses, and
e-publishing trends. Among the speakers
were industry practitioners from abroad:
Eric Huang, Development Director at
Made in Me, a digital agency in London
specializing in children’s entertainment
and brand development; Linda Tan
Lingard, managing parter of Yusof Gajah
Lingard Literary Agency in Malaysia;
Robin Hemley, director of the Writing
Program at Yale-NUS College in
Singapore; and Noelle de Jesus, a Filipino
writer and editor based in Singapore.
The second day of PILF-BIS focused
on the craft of content creation. Subjects
ranged from a talk about writing as
a career, the author in the publishing
value chain, marketing and branding for
authors, title acquisition, rights selling,
translation, genre writing, the editing
process, graphic literature, awards and
grants, development contracts, and book
design. There was also a free copyright
consultation forum for authors who had
concerns regarding contracts and other
rights issues. The second day ended with
a business matching session between
The Appeal of AKLATAN
7ITHTHE!KLATAN"OOK&AIRBEHINDUSWESPOKETO.IDA2AMIREZ
Publishing Manager of Visprint, Inc., about the event and its significance.
Q
A
Can you tell us about why Aklatan was
created, and what your goals were for
the book fair?
We wanted to create a reader-centric
book-selling event that brought local
publishers (and their readers) together. We
were keenly aware that Filipinos read, that the
demand was there, but that they read mostly
international authors. Our lofty goal was to
exhibit and to make Filipino-authored books
more accessible outside bookstores, on a
platform more familiar than online shops/malls.
What role do book fairs play in the
industry?
Book fairs are avenues for visibility and
interaction. More than selling books,
Aklatan allows us to talk to our readers directly.
We’re interested in more than just feedback-we’re interested in critique. We wanted to
know what books they were reading, what
books they expect from us, and what kind of
books they haven’t read yet. Because most of
our readers already actively look for Filipinowritten/Philippine-published books, we also
wanted to appeal to non-readers (or at least
readers who do not yet look for local books).
One way to do that is to make a lot of noise.
We’d like to establish as many strong, open
channels of communication as possible. Aside
from producers and consumers, book fairs also
bring publishers and distributors together.
Q
A
Q
A
Q
A
Do fairs such as these help in terms of
sales and awareness?
We rely on the annual Komikon to launch new
books and we use book launches to promote
new authors. Book fairs provide a similar service.
What was the initial reaction to the
creation of an All Filipino Book Fair?
Attendees were enthusiastic, especially
about the program, but readers and Aklatan
participating publishers gave the same comment:
it wasn’t enough, not everyone was represented.
What have the post-event reactions been from
other publishers? From the readers?
Publishers wanted to improve the structure of the
event and to refine our goals. Aklatan was part of
PILF-BIS in 2014 because we are reader-centric
instead of being focused on the industry. Last
year, we were able to focus on interacting with
readers in an informal, casual setting, instead
of trying to entertain them with a program or a
panel discussion.
You’ve held Aklatan once as a standalone, single day event, and then last year
as an ongoing market during the Philippine
International Literary Festival and Book
Industry Summit. What lessons have you
learned from the past two years of running
the event?
s)TSBESTTOHOLDTHEEVENTONAWEEKEND
s2EADERSARECONSTANTLYONTHELOOKOUTFOR
local book events, and as long as the venue and
authors, literary agents, publishers,
media, and booksellers.
The third day was devoted to the
Filipino ReaderCon, centered around the
theme of “Readers Turned Writers,” an
acknowledgment of the engagement of
readers with the written word through
the means of their own writing, whether
via fan work or original creations,
whether published traditionally or
through one of many self-publishing
options. The sessions discussed crossing
over from consumer to content creator,
reading programs, the need for diverse
books, contemporary Filipino literature
in curricula, literature as advocacy, fan
fiction, and book clubs, with book
discussions -- hosted by the major
Filipino book clubs -- occurring the next
day. The third day of the PILF-BIS was
capped by the award ceremony for the
3rd Filipino Readers’ Choice Awards.
schedule works for them, they are more than
willing to attend and participate.
s/RGANIZERSSHOULDDECIDEWHETHERTHE
event is for the readers, the writers or the
factors of the industry, and FOCUS all the
activities and sessions on that goal. I prefer
that AKLATAN be more for the readers, as
initially intended, because I feel that we should
target that need. It would benefit the business,
the writers and the industry. I aim to make an
event that would annually be anticipated by the
market, as much as they do the MIBF.
What’s next for Aklatan?
Find regional contacts to establish
an Aklatan event every few months
in different provinces/regions. The more
publishers, the better. Publishers need to
be united in this effort. If we really want the
readers to be aware of not just the popular
and commercial books, we need to bring our
books to them. If we want the bookstores to
RECOGNIZETHEVALUEOFTHELOCALBOOKSTHE
readers should be fully aware of these books,
to the point that they would demand these
books to be on the shelves.
QA
Q
A
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7
A
W
READERCON
WINNERS
their works to other readers. All of this
and more—I just think it’s fantastic that
the local industry is finally acknowledging
the power of readers.
Now entering its fifth year,
the Filipino ReaderCon is the
country’s premier general readerfocused event. ReaderCon Head Honey
de Peralta looks back at four conventions
worth of reader-fuelled celebration.
What have you learned about
Filipino readers in your five years of
spearheading the ReaderCon?
Well, I’ve learned that if you give
readers a chance to get together to find
fellow readers and talk about their love
for reading, you’re going to get a lot of
takers. I’ve learned that there are tons
of Filipino readers. They read different
kinds of things, and they all want to be
acknowledged. And they bristle at the idea
that other people don’t think Filipinos
read.
I also learned that Filipino readers
are very generous people. The Fiipino
ReaderCon and Readers’ Choice Awards
are organized and run by volunteers who
do it for the love of reading. No one
gets anything out of it, except maybe a
book, which everyone who attends the
ReaderCon gets anyway. But we do it
because maybe we need it and we love it.
In terms of what readers want and/or
how they read, what has changed over
the past five years?
Well, aside from the obvious, which
is Wattpad, I’m not sure whether what’s
8 BOOKWATCHt70-/0
changed is what Filipinos read or only
that I’ve discovered many different types
of reading communities since we started
the Filipino ReaderCon. What I’d like
to emphasize, though, is how I think the
role of readers has changed in the last five
years.
The year before we launched the
ReaderCon—2010--I remember going
to a literary event and wondering where
the sessions for readers were. The only
representation you had from readers were
the writers themselves, or teachers, or
publishers. There was really no cohort
of readers in these events. Although the
readers were the target market, they didn’t
really have a voice to influence what
publishers or authors did.
But now, look at what readers can
do! (Of course, due in no small part to
the Internet and social media.) There
are now many book bloggers and online
book clubs that engage with local authors:
they invite authorsto their discussions,
hold online discussions with them, tag
them when they review an author’s book,
etc. You have fan communities centered
around a book or author. You have
bookstores bringing in more authors for
book signings and inviting power readers
(e.g., book bloggers) first. You have readers
who will contact publishers to look for
a book or its sequel, and publishers will
respond to that. You have publishers and
authors who rely on readers to champion
What kind of feedback have you received
about the ReadeCon from readers? From
publishers? From authors?
We’ve always been fortunate to get a
lot of enthusiasm from readers, publishers,
and authors for the ReaderCon. Speaking
as an organizer, I know it’s not all that easy
to put together an event like this on one’s
free time (which is often non-existent),
so there are a lot of kinks every year. But
most of the feedback we get every year
is, “When’s the next one?” or “This is so
cool!” I have been fortunate to get the
support of publishers, who really want
to connect with their readers. We have
authors who come back year after year,
as speakers, facilitators, or just plain
attendees. And we have the book bloggers
and book clubs who are already a staple
presence at the ReaderCon.
All of this is not to say that we don’t
have a lot of things to work on. We
actually crave more feedback because, as a
volunteer-run event, we think we can give
the greatest value if we know what readers
want to see or want to happen during the
ReaderCon.
What do you think is the ReaderCon’s
role in the book industry/community?
From the beginning, one of the
ReaderCon’s objectives has been “to
promote a closer connection between
readers and writers and/or publishers.”
When we launched the Filipino
Readers’ Choice Awards in our second
year, we added the following objective:
“acknowledge beloved Filipino books
through the Readers’ Choice Book
Awards.” I think it’s these two objectives
of the ReaderCon that speak about our
intended role in the book industry, and
that is basically to invigorate it and keep
on invigorating it: help the industry
see who the readers are and see what
they want. Encourage engagement
across these different stakeholders, given
that the publishers and writers are the
creators, but the ones who’ll consume
the books, who will complete the entire
cycle, are the readers. Award our favorite
books and encourage other readers or
even non-readers to pick them up.
If people or organizations want to get
invovled with the ReaderCon, what
can they do and whom should they
contact?
If you want to volunteer for the next
Filipino ReaderCon in Nov. 2015, or if
you have a suggested activity or panel
for it, or if you want to sponsor it (we’re
cheap. We’re happy with books), please
contact us through the following:
Email: [email protected]
Website: https://filipinoreadercon.
wordpress.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/
&IL2EADER#ON
Twitter: @pinoyreadercon
What’s next for the ReaderCon in
2015? [Plugging time]
This year is going to be the Filipino
ReaderCon’s 5th year, and we’re very
excited! We want to make this a
grand celebration of Filipino readers
of different stripes, so we’re inviting
different reading communities, book
fandoms, book clubs, and teachers who
love reading to get involved so we can
hold an event where every reader is
welcome. Let’s show everyone the power
of readers!
WINNERS OF THE
Filipino
Readers’ Choice
Awards 2014
Here are the winners of the FRCAs for 2014, alongside descriptions
of each winner from the respective panels of judges.
FICTION IN ENGLISH
True to its purpose, a book should reflect
the world we live in. With its lyrical
narrative, this book engages its reader by
reflecting on the people, their culture,
and principles. It effortlessly weaved both
love and agony. A story in tune with the
Filipino heart and spirit.
WINNER: Gitarista by Reev Robledo
(self-published)
Fiction in Filipino
This book’s marvelous use of the Filipino
language, its grasp for combining different
stories and spinning it as the author’s own
makes this work stand out. A classic.
WINNER: Ang Banal na Aklat ng mga Kumag by Allan Derain (Cacho Pub)
ROMANCE IN ENGLISH
This book has good chemistry between
its characters and a nice dramatic
build-up that ultimately makes for an
adorable, kilig-inducing romance. Told
in a simple manner, the love story could
charm a Filipino reader through its sweet
little moments. The ingenious idea of
incorporating blogging goes to show how
powerful social media is in sending a
message of love, and the essence of travel
makes the reading experience all the more
enjoyable.
WINNER: All’s Fair in Blog and War by
Chrissie Peria (Self-Published)
ROMANCE IN FILIPINO
Mas masaya at masarap basahin ang
kwento ng isang female lead character
ng isang romance novel kung siya ay
nagiisip at may sariling paninindigan.
Hindi kinakailangang damsel in distress
ang drama palagi ng isang female lead
character sa romance novels. Dapat pang
patatagin ang imahe ng kababaihan sa
Pinoy Romance Novels at sinumulan ito
70-/0tBOOKWATCH
9
S
W
WINNERS
SELECTED
LIST
Selected Statistics and Bestsellers Lists
(Bookwatch April 2015)
ng manunulat sa kanyang character na
marami pang pwedeng gawin at makamit
bilang hero or lead character ng serye.
Naghihintay ang mga mambabasa ng
Veakaria sa muling pagsibol ni Isadora.
WINNER: Awit ng Veakaria (Book 2):
Isadora, Ang Huling Tunay na Birhen
ng Lamia by Vanessa (Precious Pages
Corporation)
FICTION ANTHOLOGY
This book showcases the darkest side of
Manila. As an anthology, it succeeded in
gathering the children of this mythical
metropolis in order to tell stories
borne from the shadows. 14 mosquito
bites, some only sting but most may
paralyze you. It does not make Manila a
resounding place of terror, but proves that
reality is creepier than your make-believe
horror.
WINNER: Manila Noir edited by Jessica
Hagedorn (Anvil)
YOUNG ADULT FICTION
Among all the three books that were
presented to us The Despicable Guy was
the one that made us laugh out loud,
giggle and swoon. We loved how the two
leads were able to mingle with each other
through an uncouth demeanor because we
could already sense a spark between the
two. The budding romance took a long
time to bloom because it was supposedly
a friendly relationship where you are to
be at arms length but once a flame sparks
it will ignite. This is our favorite type of
romance, from starring daggers to the
last kiss. It was never about the first, the
last will mean the most. The Despicable
Guy is an uberfun book and you’ll be
smiling through every snarky comment.
10 BOOKWATCHt70-/0
It was truly memorable! We’d strongly
recommend this to many young readers,
it’ll turn that frown upside down. We
assure you.
WINNER: The Despicable Guy by Leng De
Chavez (Summit/Pop Fiction)
straightforward writing style were effective
in communicating his message to the
readers, which actually makes the book an
interesting read.
WINNER: Lovestruck: Sexy Edition by
Ronald Molmisa (OMF)
CHILDREN’S PICTURE BOOK
This book is more attractive and creative
and because it’s a true story.
WINNER: Princess Lea: The Life and Story
of Lea Salonga by Yvette Fernandez,
illustrated by Nicole Lim (Dream Big
Books)
HUMOR
The tales told in this book are nothing
unheard of, nor are the thoughts and
feelings about the stories the author tells,
but what makes this collection of essays
hit close to home is its sincerity and
downright honesty masked by witticism.
This book not just brings out its own
brand of wit but it also shows the humor
in the bittersweet.
WINNER: Parang Kayo Pero Hindi by
Noreen Capili (Anvil)
COMICS & GRAPHIC NOVELS
Sa pamamagitan ng napaka-Filipinong
estilo at sensibilidad, naipapakita ng
librong ito ang iba’t ibang uri ng karanasan
at ineengganyo ang mga mambabasa na
pag-isipan ang kanilang buhay. Tiyak na
maaaliw at may mapupulot ang sinumang
babasa nito.
WINNER: Kikomachine Komix Blg. 9 by
Manix Abrera (Visprint)
POETRY
Not only is it socially relevant, it does not
alienate Filipino readers who are not usual
poetry readers.
WINNER: Musings of a Filipino Fighter by
Malyari Lucban (Dagitab Publishing)
FOOD & COOKBOOK
It was a unanimous decision among the
three judges. This book’s creativity in
layout, photography, and meaningful
story telling are far more superior than
the other nominees thus making it the
most engaging book in this category. This
cookbook exemplifies passion, love, care,
dedication, and hardwork. It was a treat
reading it.
WINNER: Dessert Comes First by Lori
Baltazar (Sketchbooks)
INSPIRATIONAL / RELIGIOUS
This book does not only thoroughly
discuss the vital issues on love,
sexuality, and relationships, but also
uplifts individuals facing these types of
problems by providing valuable pieces
of advice that are consistently grounded
on Christian faith and practicality.
Furthermore, the author’s language and
NONFICTION
This book delivers what it promises in
the title. Reading the lives of the famous
people featured in this book stirred
something in us: to move and to do our
part as citizens of this country.
WINNER: 60 Minutes: Interviews with
People Who Inspire by Ivy Mendoza /
Manila Bulletin (Anvil).
Fully Booked
List of Bestselling local titles from
December 2014 to January 2015:
1. Project Mom: Our Natural
Approach To Motherhood by
"IANCA!RANETA%LIZALDE
2. Si by Bob Ong.
3. The Genius Of The Poor by
Thomas Graham.
4. Paano Ba ‘To?! by Bianca
'ONZALEZ
0HILIPPINE4ATLER"EST2ESTAURANTS
2014
4HE0URPOSE$RIVEN,IFEBY2ICK
Warren.
7. The Mythology Class by Arnold
Arre.
8. Project: First Home by John
Aguilar.
9. Best Of The Best Philippines
10. Altar Of Secrets: Sex, Politics, And
Money In The Philippine Catholic
#HURCHBY!RIES2UFO
National Book Store
Bestselling Philippine publications
as of February 2015, based on
signs posted at National Book Store
branches.
1. Stupid is Forever
by Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santago.
2. Dear Alex, Break na Kami,
Paano?!
,OVE#ATHERINEBY!LEX'ONZAGA
3TYLIZEDBY,IZ5Y
4. Make Your Nanay Proud introduction by Boy Abunda.
5. Paano Ba To?! How to Survive
'ROWING5PBY"IANCA'ONZALEZ
6. 2015 Eat Out Now! 232
2ESTAURANTS7E,OVEBY!LICIA3Y
7. Si by Bob Ong.
8. Is Your Love Tank Empty? How to
Solve The Biggest Problem Of Your
,IFEBY"O3ANCHEZ
9. Linamnam: Eating One’s Way
Around the Philippines (Second
Edition) by Claude Tayag & Mary
Ann Quioc.
10. Go Negosyo: 50 Entrepreneurs of
Passion by Joey Concepcion.
Flipreads/Flipside
List of Bestselling local titles on
Flipreads.com from November
2014 to January 2015:
ST s4AKBO:OMBIE4AKBOBY5:
Eliserio.
ND s#/--0RACTICAL3PEECH
Fundamentals.
s4HE5LTIMATE,EARNING'UIDE
TO.URSING2EVIEWBY#ARL
Balita.
RD s"LUE!NGEL7HITE3HADOWBY
Charlson Ong.
s,OVESTRUCK3AKIT%DITIONBY
2ONALD-OLMISA
s-AKING9OUR-ONEY7ORK
by Francisco Colayco.
s/UTPOURING4YPHOON9OLANDA
2ELIEF!NTHOLOGYBY$EAN
Francis Alfar (Editor).
s0HILIPPINE3PECULATIVE&ICTION
Volume 9
by Andrew Drilon, Charles Tan
(Editors) .
s7EALTH7ITHIN9OUR2EACHBY
Francisco Colayco.
Precious Pages Bookstore
Bestselling publications in February
2015, unranked.
-ARRY-E/N4UESDAY2OSE4AN
4HE3HADOWOF(IS3MILE2OSE4AN
2EMEMBER9ESTERDAY-ARICAR$IZON
-Y%X-Y0RETEND7IFE2ACE$IZON
5. Moymoy Lulumboy: Ang Batang
Aswang, Segundo Matias, Jr.
6. He’s Into Her (Season Two, Book
Nine), maxinejiji
7. Anonymous, Gypsy Esguerra
Wattpad
Most viewed Filipino-authored stories of 2014
(regardless of when the story was created):
1. Perfect Haters by Queen Mela (megladiolus).
2. The Good Girl’s Revenge by Tina Lata (blue_
maiden).
3. Teen Clash [Boys vs. Girls] by Ai (iDangs).
4. Forgotten Memories 2 by mechanic_lady.
5. The Boy Next Door by Mia (ScribblerMia).
6. Teen Clash 2: Battle between Heart and Mind
by Ai (iDangs).
7. Marrying Mr. Arrogant by Feí (FeiFrozenFire).
8. Girlfriend For Hire by YamYamniJae (YamYam28).
9. My Husband is a Mafia Boss by Yana
(YanaJin).
10. The Four Bad Boys And Me by Tina Lata
(blue_maiden).
Most popular Filipino authors (usernames only) on
Wattpad, as per their follower count as of March
6, 2015:
1.
HaveYouSeenThisGirL - 649,750 followers.
2.
alyloony - 483,416 followers.
3.
alesana_Marie - 371,160 followers.
4.
jonaxx - 345,842 followers.
5.
forgotenglimmer - 332,098 followers.
6.
beeyotch - 306,376 followers.
7.
aril_daine - 298,877 followers.
8.
marcelosantosi - 297,475 followers.
9.
Girlinlove - 260,859 followers.
10. BlackLily - 253,047 followers.
Buqo
Top ten bestsellers by volume on Buqo for
January and February 2015:
1. Abby – An Intimate Escape
by Jay Tablante.
2. The Jinri Experience 2 by Jay Tablante
3. Vixenation (DKT Philippines).
4. Good Housekeeping Fast & Easy Volume 10
(Good Housekeeping Philippines).
5. StyLIZed: Liz Uy’s Ten Style Essentials
by Liz Uy.
6. Girlfriend for Hire: Part 2 by Yam-Yam28.
7. Mistakenly Meant For You Part 1 by pajama_
addict.
8. Only A Kiss by Ines Bautista-Yao.
9. The Bet by Kimberly Joy Villanueva.
10. Mistakenly Meant For You Part 2 by pajama_
addict.
70-/0tBOOKWATCH
11
K
KOMIKS
Komiks
Moving
Forward
“Everyone seems to be surprised
that we’ve lasted this long.” That
seems to be the consensus among
the organizers of the Komikon -- Ariel
Atienza, Lei Muncal, Lyndon Gregorio,
Syeri Baet - Zamar, Jon Zamar -- when
asked about the what ways the country’s
leading Philippine comics convention has
surpassed their expectations. Ten years,
they say, seems to have passed in the blink
of an eye.
“Our goal was to create a venue where
comic creators, publishers, retailers and
comic book fans could come together,”
they state in an email. “Primarily, [the
Komikon exists] to give independent
comic book creators a place to sell their
work, since they do not have the capacity
to mass produce and distribute their
works. In short [the Komikon is] our own
event highlighting comics, their creators,
and the fans. We’re happy to say that we
have achieved our goals, and more.”
At the time that the first Komikon
was held on Ocotber 21, 2004, it was
practically unheard of to have a convention
12 BOOKWATCHt70-/0
Ten years since its inception,
is a pillar
of the new Philippine comics
industry.
focused primarily on Filipino-created
comics, or komiks. In 2004, komiks were
sold at conventions or events created for
the toys, games, or cosplay communities.
While a handful were available at retail
outlets, only a very limited number
were available in book stores, or the rare
comic book store. Most of the komiks
produced at the time were self-published,
photocopied books, and there was a clear
divide in terms of production value as
between komiks and the foreign graphic
novels sold in the country.
Nowadays, while many self-published
komiks retain the form of photocopied
ashcans, there are an increasing number
of hardbound and paperback graphic
novels that would not look out of place
next to the latest volumes from the
powerhouse international publishers such
as Marvel, DC, or Image. In part, this is
due to increased interest from traditional
publishers such as Visprint, Black Ink,
and the new Anino imprint. But selfpublishing creators and small studios such
as Meganon Comics and Frances Luna III
have also upped the print quality of their
titles, often re-releasing single issues in
high quality trades or omnibus collections.
The greater investment in print quality
and even merchandise may be due to
the increased competition at Komikon
as publishers and independent creators
launch a staggering array of different
titles at every convention. With prices
for comics ranging from twenty pesos
for a single issue to over a thousand for a
hardbound volume, and the sheer number
of titles and creators to choose from,
readers have had to become more selective
about what they buy at a convention.
The Komikon has played a central
role in the growth of the komiks industry,
and has been a witness to its resurgence.
“We have seen the evolution of comic
book prints from photocopied singles to
trade paperback books,” the organizers
write, “and the Komikon has encouraged
local comic book conventions in regional
parts of the country.” The Komikon has
represented the Philippines in international
conventions, and has consistently urged
publishers to produce local graphic novels.
(The organizers have themselves published
the Sulyap line of compilations to act
as samplers of komiks content.) One of
the most powerful arguments for the
marketability of Philippine graphic novels
are the Komikon conventions themselves
and the crowds they draw. There were less
than a thousand participants in the first
convention in 2004. Today, the Komikon’s
three separate conventions each draw
approximately two and a half thousand
participants.
But as much as the komiks landscape
has changed in the past ten years, it is clear
that the industry is still evolving, and will
continue to do so. Some of these changes
will be accidental -- due to a reservation
issue, for the first time since 2009 there
will be no Summer Komikon this year.
Instead, the Indieket on August 15 will be
a larger event, and the main Komikon in
November will be Komikon’s first two day
event, from the 14th to the 15th. Other
changes are coming about as a result of the
desires of creators, such as a push toward
enabling komiks creation to serve as a
viable means of livelihood (see the “New
Ket on the Block” sidebar).
“The industry will continue to expand
and evolve as long as new creators appear,
Best Comic Character: Bruho Barbero
(created by Rommel “Omeng” Estanislao).
Best Cover: Kubori Kikiam 8 by Michael
David and Robi Villagracia.
Best Webcomic: Liga ni Likeman by Rasel
Reyes.
Best Comic Strip Compilation: Kikomachine
by Manix Abrera.
Best International Artist: Stephen Segovia.
Best Cartoonist: Rommel “Omeng”
Estanislao.
Comic Aid Award: Joanah Tinio (100 Araw
ng Komiks Facebook Page; Buhay Indie
Komiks blog).
Best Serialized Comic Book (Grassroots
Category): Alphario: The World Connection
by Solomon Lim & Stryler Hoong.
Best Graphic Novel / Anthology (Grassroots
Category): Fhate Comics.
Best Serialized Comic Book: Dragondbreed
by Mara Cornelia Damaso and Elmer
Damaso.
Best Graphic Novel: Trese: Book of Murders
by Budjette Tan and Kajo Baldisimo.
Best Comic Creator/s: Mara Cornelia
Damaso and Elmer Damaso.
Komiks Legend Award: (Special award, not
subject to voting.) Francisco V. Coching.
THE NEW ‘KET ON THE BLOCK
While there will be no
Summer Komikon in 2015,
komiks fans can look forward
to a new comic convention, the
Filipino Komiks Market (KOMIKET),
organized by a few familiar names
in the industry: Jon Zamar, JP
Palabon, Tepai Pascual, Mark
Navarro and Paolo Herras. The
Komiket will have two events this year, the pre-launch
convention taking place on April 5, from 9 AM to 7
PM at Elements Centris, along EDSA, corner Quezon
Avenue. A second event will take place on October 3 at
the same venue. We spoke to the organizers about the
new convention, and the local comic industry.
Tell us a bit about who you, the organizers of the
Komiket, are. What experience and expertise do
you bring to this new convention? The 1st Filipino
Komiks Market or KOMIKET is created by a group of
komiks enthusiasts from different areas of komiks
production: authors; editors; printers; publishers; event
organizers—we are all komiks creators.
Our mission is: to cultivate, promote and recognize
local talent in Philippine Komiks; to discover new
creators and readers; and to provide opportunities to
connect creators to publishers. Our vision is to help
uplift the komiks community into a komiks industry—
one where creators can live on a sustainable livelihood
through their art.
How long have you been planning this convention?
Was there a specific impetus that made you decide
to start it this year? There were always plans for
dream projects last year, but everything fell into place
this January. With no Summer Komikon in 2015, we
K
WINNERS: Komikon Readers’
Choice Awards 2014
thought it was the right time to
launch the Komiket and fill in the
gap. The goal is to complement
all the other komiks events. We
are a very small community and
there is always space for new
komiks events for our readers
and creators.
What do you see as the essence of Komiket? What
sets you apart from other conventions, comics and
otherwise?
Komiket believes in artist-entrepreneurship. There are
so many good komiks that deserve a wider readership.
We encourage komiks creators to reach out to a wider
audience, whether they self-publish or get picked
up by a publisher when they are ready. It is key to a
sustainable livelihood.
KOMIKS
and more avenues of exposure become
available,” state the Komikon organizers.
“Komikon will continue to be a venue for
creators, as long as we are able. If the time
arrives when we are no longer around, we
hope that the Komikon was able to spark
the reinvigoration of our local comics
industry, and we hope that others can push
things forward even further.”
What’s the most difficult or the most risky thing
about starting a new comic convention? How do
you deal with that? Like everything new, the most
difficult thing is building everything from the ground up.
That’s why we are so grateful to all those supporting
Komiket on its first year, whether you’re an exhibitor,
a reader or a sponsor. We will definitely never forget
everyone who will be a part of it.
For you event in April, do you have anything
specific in store? (Any books launching, creators
who have committed to getting a table, etc.) The
amount of support has been very encouraging. Manix
Abrera and Gerry Alanguilan will be there. Mainstream
Komiks Publishers like Anino will be launching
their new titles and Visprint already confirmed their
attendance. To name a few komiks groups, Frances
Luna III, Fhate, Point Zero, Section Six and Meganon
Comics will be there. And expect new faces too, like
Animotion, the organization of Animation students from
College of St. Benilde.
What specific needs of comics creators does
the Komiket address? What specific needs of
the readers? Komiket gives creators additional
opportunities to sell their komiks, meet new readers
and hopefully get picked up by publishers. Komiket
gives readers another venue to get these hard-to-find
komiks that are only available in komiks events. The
Komiket’s home will be in Elements Centris, a seven
minute walk from the Quezon Avenue station of the
MRT.
What do you think is the state of the komiks
industry in the Philippines today? What are its
strengths and weaknesses? One of the strengths of
the komiks community is the many voices, the many
moods and tones of komiks created. It’s still in a very
pure state. Despite the many different styles and types
of stories, we can all co-exist peacefully and respect
each other’s works. Every Filipino Komiks experience
is unique, and that’s what makes our community great.
That’s why if you attend any komiks event, there will
definitely be at least one comic book you’ll like, and
you’ll certainly come back for more.
You mentioned that one of the goals of the Komiket
is to allow creators to connect with publishers.
How will Komiket achieve this? In the Easter
Komiket, we’ll be launching the different Komiket
activities for our September Komiket that will help
us on our mission to get one step closer to a more
sustainable komiks community.
Anything else about the Komiket that you’d like to
mention? Please come and support the Filipino Komiks
creators at the Easter Komiket on April 5 at Elements
Centris (EDSA cor. Quezon Avenue). Gates open
at 10AM and close at 8PM. See you at the Komiket!
70-/0tBOOKWATCH
13
B
BULILIT
FEST
The 1st BULILIT FESTIVAL
The 1st BuliLit Festival was a whole-day
conference that focused on the role of books
in children’s literacy held from November 24 to
28, 2014 at La Salle Greenhills. The conference,
which was organized by the Philippine Board
on Books for Young People (PBBY), the National
Book Development Board (NBDB), and Save the
Children Foundation in partnership with Prudence
Foundation and First Read, gathered noted experts
on education and early childhood literacy, as well
as local publishers, educators, and authors in order
to promote the creation of more age-appropriate
and culturally sensitive reading materials for Filipino
children.
The conference featured a diverse line up
of panelists: Neni Sta. Romana Cruz (NBDB), Ani
14 BOOKWATCHt70-/0
Almario (Adarna), and Joseph O’Reilly (Save the
Children UK) for “Start Them Young: The Role
of Developing Children’s Lifelong Yearning for
Learning”; Bunny Vivero and Ompong Remegio for
“More Than Words: The Making of a Picture Book”;
Eugene Evasco, Dr. Luis Gatmaitan, and Beverly
Siy for a panel on “When Writers Meet Readers:
Involving the Reader in the Process”, Dr. Carmen
Bonoan (Reach Out and Read) and Ryce Cortez (The
Learning Library) for “Choosing the Right Books
For Kids”; Neni Sta. Romana-Cruz for “Cultivating
Children’s Creativity at home and in the classroom”;
Troy Lacasama for “Building a Community of
Bookworms: Setting Up a Community Library”.
Ruben de Jesus, Tarie Sabido, and Rayvi Sunico
moderated these parallel sessions.
The event also featured talks directed
specifically towards young audiences. BuliLit Talk
featured students Rafa Varela and Amihan Ramos
who addressed fellow youngsters about books
that get them hooked and what they look for when
choosing their next reads. Yeah, Write! featured
award-winning writer Beverly Siy who delivered a
kid-friendly lecture on the do’s and don’ts of writing.
Publishers also took part in the Festival by
participating in the accompanying book fair. Adarna
House, Anvil Publishing, Lampara Publishing,
OMF Literature, and Visprint showcased their
best children’s content to a flock excited young
readers. A total of 130 students, teachers, and other
stakeholders took part in this pioneering event.
Surplus
of Stories
Content is King. We’ve heard it
all before. The phrase comes from
the title given by Bill Gates to
one of his essays, where Gates predicted
that those who used the Internet to deliver
information and entertainment would
be the ones to profit the most from the
(then) new medium. Gates wrote this in
1996, and since then the phrase “Content
is King” has been repurposed so often into
a buzzword that its context is often lost,
but it’s ubiquitous precisely because it has
a central truth that translates well beyond
its original context. It certainly holds true
in the publishing industry -- while much
attention has been given to the tensions
in publishing brought about by changes
in technology, methodology, and reader
expectation, it’s what is found between the
covers (or after the cover page, digitally
speaking) that can inspire, educate, and
turn a group of words into a beloved
best-seller. While many factors go into
the success of a book, the most important
remains to be the content, the text, the
story.
And the Philippines, perhaps now more
than ever before, is a land of stories.
An Industry with History
The Philippines has a long history of
stories and literature. The performance
of verbal art and oral tradition has been
central to our indigenous communities
from time immemorial, and continues
to hold sway in areas today. The Ifugao
perform ritual myth in two parts, one the
narrative proper or bukad, and the second,
the tulad, where the journey of the gods
is “traced” by naming the regions in the
human world where the narrative in the
bukad is re-actualized -- where the narrative
of the myth was mirrored in events in
history -- creating a parallel between the
story and real life. The affinity of Filipinos
for reading and writing was already a
matter of note by the year 1604, and long
before that the Hanunoo were inscribing
their poetry on bamboo tubes.
Today, the publishing institutions
and traditional mechanisms of the
book industry face challenges both old
and new. There are approximately two
hundred publishers registered with the
National Book Development Board of the
Philippines (NBDB), or approximately
four hundred if you include publishers
16 BOOKWATCHt70-/0
registered with entities other than the
NBDB, such as the Book Development
Association of the Philippines. The largest
are general publishers that release books in
any genre that seems to have a market, at
times through different imprints. There are
sixty printers registered with the NBDB and
eight hundred with the Printing Industries
Association of the Philippines, but with
the advent of digital publishing, there are
also approximately twenty-three publishers
developing digital content, and several that
only publish in the digital format.
A recent report on the economic
impact of Copyright Based Industries
(CBI) in the country, an update to
the World Intellectual Property Office
study in 2006, states that the publishing
industry, when taken together with the
press, accounted for 88.32 billion pesos
in income in 2010. The amount shows
an increase in absolute terms, even as
the percentage that press and literature
contributed to the national Gross Domestic
Product went down from 2.13 percent
in 1999 to 0.98 in 2010. However, the
figures in the report did not take into
account electronic media in measuring the
contribution of CBIs to the GDP, a sizeable
omission given the scope of Philippine
engagement with the Internet.
The report revealed a high demand for
books in the Philippines. Among the stated
copyright-based products in the report,
book consumption had the largest average
total nominal expenditure of PHP 338.40,
larger than 2003’s average total nominal
expenditure of PHP 213.00. However,
this local demand was sated primarily with
foreign books, not local books: the press
and literature entities, as a category, were
net importers in 2010, importing 82.41
million US dollars worth of items while
only exporting 6.70 million US dollars
worth.
While this state of affairs can be a result
of any number of causes, a lack of content
is decidedly not one of them. How can it
be, when the authors of the Philippines are
legion?
Authors Without Borders
The number of Filipino authors
continues to grow with each passing year,
at a rate and in a manner that makes it
difficult to document accurately. As of this
writing, writers that are officially registered
with national and regional organizations,
including the children’s book illustrators
and artists who are active members of the
Ilustrador ng Kabataan (INK - the largest
and oldest organization of children’s book
illustrators), number just over a hundred.
However, this figure represents but a small
part of the growing community of creators
in the country, many of whom are active
in areas outside the gaze of traditional
institutions, self-publishing at conventions
or doing so digitally, through blogs or
portals such as Wattpad.
Statistics from Wattpad are particularly
indicative of the true and vigorous state of
authorship in the country. The Philippines
is Wattpad’s second largest market, after the
United States, although even that doesn’t
tell the whole story. The Philippines is
actually number one in the world when it
comes to the number of registrations per
capita, according to email correspondence
with Maria Hall, Wattpad’s International
Manger in charge of Filipino content. In
the Philippines, 47 people out of 1,000
per capita have registered on Wattpad,
which far outstrips any other country,
including the United States. According
to Wattpad’s data, there were around five
million Filipinos who used Wattpad in
January of this year. Half of Wattpad’s total
users appear to be under thirty years old
and skew female at a ratio of 3:1. Of these
users, in the first month of 2015 alone,
three hundred and five thousand uploaded
content to Wattpad, with the most popular
genres being Romance and Fanfiction.
Wattpad estimates that the number of
stories/content uploaded to Wattpad by
Filipinos is in the realm of ten million,
second only to the United States. As of the
end of January, there have already been
six hundred thousand uploads from the
Philippines for this year.
The fact that traditional publishers have
been snatching up popular stories from
Wattpad -- unofficial estimates put the
number of web-to-traditionally-published
books to be in excess of three hundred
-- or signing the authors of these stories
to exclusive deals, speaks to the greater
power that readers have begun to wield
in the Philippine book industry. In some
instances, the effect is even more direct,
as fan communities nowadays encourage
readers to create content of their own,
whether it be fan fiction or original stories.
As the statistics show, the Filipino
Wattpad community is enormous
and still growing, and there is an
active NaNoWriMo (National Novel
Writing Month) community in the
country as well. The number of NaNo
participants officially “homed” in the
Philippines has risen by more than
two hundred percent since 2008,
with more than one hundred fortyfive crossing the fifty-thousand word
mark on their novel in 2014, to “win”
NaNo.
Another positive indicator can be
found in the state of comics creation
in the Philippines, particularly
in Metro Manila, where the local
comics industry has grown enough
to sustain multiple conventions
focused on Philippine-made comics,
both traditionally published and
independently released. (See the
article, “Komiks Moving Forward.”)
While no central comics association
exists, the Indie Komiks Manila group
on Facebook, which counts many
prominent Filipino creators of original
content as its members, numbers close
to seven hundred individuals.
Stories Will Find a Way
The way that the Philippine comics
industry has grown, in spite of a lack
of institutional support, is an example
of how creators of certain types of
content have found a way to reach
their audience regardless of the inability
or insufficiency of the traditional
publishing infrastructure. Some say
that the strength of the Philippine book
industry lies in its pool of creators, and
its weaknesses lie in, well, everything
else -- the segments that take place
after creation. While that statement
is true in many instances, there are
categories of books that have thrived by
cultivating a community, playing to the
strengths of their genre/specializations
(or a massive captive audience in
the case of Educational books), and
finding a way around the chokepoints
of the industry. Among these are the
Education, Romance, and Children’s
Literature categories, each of which
illustrate in their own way the strengths
of Philippine books and creators.
Samuel Taylor Coleridge once called
children ideal readers, possessing
“that willing suspension of disbelief for the
moment, which constitutes poetic faith.”
Catering to that faith in the Philippines
are nine companies and organizations
that actively publish children’s books:
Adarna House; Anvil Publishing, Inc.; the
Bookmark, Inc.; the Center for Art, New
Ventures and Sustainable Development
(CANVAS); Dream Big Books (Summit
Books); Hiyas (OMF Literature); Lampara
Books; LG&M Chikiting Books (Vibal
Publishing House, Inc.); and Tahanan
Books. Together they publish an average
of fifty to eighty books a year, from board
books to picture books, middle grade books
to young adult titles. The majority of the
books published are standard picture books
for children aged six to nine, and the main
market is the school market and parents
looking to supplement their children’s
formal education.
Filipino children’s books are designed to
be both entertaining and educational. The
National Children’s Book Awards (NCBA)
evaluate Filipino children’s books as both
cultural and physical objects, and its catalog
of winners is an easy introduction to the best
of the industry, beautifully illustrated books
that present educational content in creative
ways.
Even the most basic titles -- counting
books, alphabet books, and “first words”
books -- must attempt refreshing twists
in order to be serious contenders for the
awards. An example is one of the 2010
NCBA winners, Tagu-Taguan by Jomike
Tejido, which teaches the necessary skill of
rote counting backwards through a game of
hide and seek with insects.
Also treasured are books that help
communicate Filipino culture and history
to the young, books that tell the inspiring
stories of historical figures, heroes, and
celebrities. One of the 2014 NCBA winners,
Ngumiti si Andoy written by Xi Zuq and
illustrated by Dominic Agsaway, is a picture
book that makes revolutionary leader Andres
Bonifacio more relatable to children. The
Secret is in the Soil (2012 winner) written
by Gidget Roceles Jimenez and Flor Gozon
Tarriela and illustrated by Liza Flores, is an
example of books that mix interesting facts,
practical tips, and fun activities.
Many Philippine picture books pass on
values or explore issues through very touching
or very funny stories, such as Just Add Dirt
(2010 winner), written by Becky Bravo and
illustrated by Jason Moss. This story is about
a boy who grows a vegetable garden on his
body and is a hilarious take on good hygiene.
A great number of these books are bilingual
– with the Filipino and English versions of
the text on the same spread or double-page
spread – and help develop the literacy skills of
children in both languages. A great number
also include notes to parents and teachers,
glossaries, and/or activity pages. However,
the very best of Filipino children’s books do
not sound academic or preachy. They win the
hearts of children through their stories and
illustrations.
Filipino publishers know that teachers,
school administrators, librarians, parents (and
others looking to buy gifts), and charitable
organizations have very tight budgets and
want more value for their money, and
efforts are made to keep prices affordable.
Wider distribution is both the dream and
challenge of the Philippine children’s book
industry. Children in the Philippines need
much better access to books through better
and more public libraries, school libraries,
and bookstores - especially underprivileged
children and children in the provinces. All
the publishers generously donate books to
underprivileged children. CANVAS, for
example, has a campaign to give away one
million of their gorgeous picture books to
one million children in hospitals, public
schools, and underprivileged communities
To reach children outside the Philippines,
some of the publishers provide international
shipping, but most are introducing Filipino
children’s literature to the world through
ebooks and apps. Adarna, Anvil, Dream Big
Books, Hiyas, and LG&M Chikiting Books
70-/0tBOOKWATCH
17
Surplus
of Stories
offer e-book versions of some of their
titles. Adarna has also developed exciting
app versions for a few of their titles. New
groups like Halo Halo World provide
While content for education
is not primarily about stories,
the educational book industry is not
only essential to the book industry as
a whole, but also has its own story to
tell. Educational publishing is the most
profitable publishing segment in the
Philippines, and it is the largest publishing
segment in the country. In the private
basic education (K-12) sector alone,
roughly 18.7M textbooks were sold.
And although there is currently no hard
data that can validate the following, we
can safely assume that the public school
market size is much bigger, given that of
the 25.8M students enrolled from preschool to secondary education, 22.8M (or
88%) belong to the public school system.
(Data from Philippine Statistics Authority
– National Statistical Coordination Board.)
Of the four hundred publishers
registered with the NBDB and other
organizations, around one hundred nine
of them are educational publishers who
serve the school system. Traditionally,
there are four large publishers who get
the lion’s share of the private school
basic education market: Diwa Learning
Systems, Phoenix Publishing, Rex
Publishing, and Vibal Publishing.
They, and many of the other private
school textbook publishers, also provide
textbooks for the public schools.
A majority of Philippine textbook
content is original and written by local
authors -- the industry is one of the chief
exceptions to the characterization of the
book industry as net importers. Only a
fraction of textbooks sold in the basic
education market are licensed content or
18 BOOKWATCHt70-/0
digital-only publishing and share children’s
stories for free online. The fact that the
children’s book industry has been quicker
than their contemporaries in exploring
digital avenues is a testament to the alacrity
of children’s book publishers, and their
dedication to the most important, most
ideal of readers.
reprints from international publishers,
such as McGraw-Hill, Pearson, and
Cengage. It’s a different story, though, for
tertiary education, as most schools and
students get their content from foreign
published titles.
In 2011, the Department of
Education released the new K-12
Education Curriculum, which mandated
the shifting of Philippine education from
a 10-year basic education curriculum
to a Kindergarten plus 12 year basic
ed. curriculum. With the addition of
Grades 11 & 12, students will be able to
choose tracks that match their aptitude
and interest. These tracks cover academic
(e.g., Humanities, Business, and STEM
strands), sports, arts & design, and
technical-vocational. Given the different
tracks and strands, therefore, an estimated
sixty-five (65) subjects will be added to
the curriculum, and these 65 new subjects
for senior high school will be needing new
material. Publishers are working to meet
the demand for new material for school
year 2016-2017, when these new grade
levels will finally be implemented.
Most Filipino textbooks today are
standards-based and reflect a backward
design methodology, owing to the
required alignment to the current K-12
curriculum. Much of the content design is
still influenced by tenets of Understanding
by Design, a framework put forth by
Grant Wiggins and Jay MacTighe, which
espouses the identification of the end goals
first and end tasks prior to identifying the
knowledge, skills, and activities to be used
in a lesson or unit. Therefore, textbooks
might carry terms such as “Essential
Questions” or “Essential Understandings”
and “Performance Tasks,” or a variation
thereof, such as the KPUP (Knowledge,
Process, Understanding, Performance/
Product) assessment framework being
used by Department of Education today.
The belief is that true understanding
comes not just from regurgitating
knowledge taught, but actual application
of that knowledge to a relevant real-world
task. This makes for more interesting
textbook content that seeks to frame
knowledge and skills taught within an
authentic task that learners are facing or
will face in the world.
The education industry is also a
major factor for Filipinos’ exposure to
e-books. In 2011, several Filipino basic
education schools started implementing
one-to-one computing solutions, so they
demanded e-book versions of textbooks
from publishers. At that time, there were
very few or virtually no ebook editions of
Philippine textbooks. With the demand in
the market, educational publishers started
having their print books converted in
the different ebook formats, particularly
PDF or EPUB. These e-textbooks were
then distributed via different means to the
schools who wanted ebook versions.
Four years down the line, the
publishers have converted many of their
titles into ebook versions, given that
there is a year-on-year growth of ebook
adoption among Philippine schools.
Almost all of these e-textbooks, though,
are not available in the usual ebook retail
stores -- local or foreign -- as the businessto-business model of textbook selling
and distribution is still maintained for
e-textbooks.
The next stage for textbook publishers,
however, is looking at how to adapt their
materials to meet the needs of Filipino
learners today. Whether that’s with the
print textbooks or ebooks or content in
another form, what is beyond doubt is
that Filipinos will continue spending the
most for educational content.
Romance rules,
in the Philippines.
For readers and publishers of romance
in the Filipino language, they’ve always
known this. “Tagalog romance” is a staple
in bookstores, convenience stores, every
place where books are sold. Priced under
an American dollar per paperback and
with up to fifty new titles being released
in a month, this was enough to supply
what fans of the genre demanded. On the
other hand, for years, readers of romance
in English have had to rely on foreign
books to get their romance fix. It was not
long ago that only a handful of Philippine
authors produced English romance books,
contributing to an annual industry-wide
output of less than ten new titles.
This is no longer the case. We’re seeing
more of everything in the romance genre,
from both Tagalog and English books, to
the benefit of readers and authors.
More of the stories we love
In 2014, a romantic movie called
“She’s Dating the Gangster” became a
box-office hit. It had been adapted from
a bestselling book, by author Bianca
Bernardino. The story began as a serial
posted on a forum called Creative Corner,
and eventually Wattpad, where users could
post and read free stories. In the same
year, the traditionally-published version
of Wattpad hit “Diary ng Panget”, by
author “HaveYouSeenThisGirl” (Wattpad
username), sold reportedly over 100,000
copies, after getting millions of views
when it was online and free.
The Internet and social media changed
romance publishing in the Philippines,
in much the same way it changed New
York publishing’s bigger players. Digital
had to become part of the strategy, and
also the source of new content. “Wattpad
sensations” became publishing darlings,
and traditional Philippine publishers
quickly opened up new imprints to
acquire these stories.
With titles like “Operation: Break
the Casanova’s Heart” (“alyloony”),
“Heartless” (“jonaxx”), and “My Facebook
Boyfriend...For Real?” (A.B. Castueras),
it’s clear that romance dominated the
virtual shelves as well. Many of these
stories were written in Filipino or
“Taglish” (a conversational combination
of both Tagalog and English, in varying
proportions).
More opportunities
for authors
For writers of romance in English,
who were not as actively sought by
traditional publishers in the Philippines
as their Taglish/Filipino counterparts,
exciting options emerged.
The Internet was where Filipino
romance authors found an eager
international audience for their work,
particularly when traditional Philippine
publishers were skeptical that there
would be a local market. Louisse Carreon
and Kim Villanueva (“fallenbabybubu”
and “Ilurvbooks” on Wattpad) wrote
their US-setting teen romances for a
global audience, who didn’t know until
years later that the authors were college
students in the Philippines. Prolific author
Marian Tee writes her extremely popular
Greek billionaire-, “shifter” wolves-, and
motorcycle club-themed romances from
various cafes in Metro Manila. She has
since made the New York Times and USA
Today bestseller lists, and helps Filipinos
write and publish romance books that can
be just as enthusiastically received in other
countries.
Kate Evangelista writes Young Adult
and New Adult romance and is working
non-exclusively with at least three US
publishers. She’s spoken about her
publishing path and encourages authors to
explore their dream publishing scenario,
because being located in the Philippines is
not the challenge it used to be. “With the
publishing world continuing to evolve, the
enthusiasm of Filipino writers is definitely
a plus,” she says. Her upcoming novel
“No Love Allowed” will be published by
Swoon Reads (an imprint of Macmillan).
Romance books in English featuring
Filipino characters and settings are
a challenge to pitch to international
publishers, and for those who wrote them,
self-publishing via Amazon was a quick
way to test the market and find readers.
The #RomanceClass online classes have
resulted in more than 50 romance in
English titles being digitally published
to date, most are listed in the online
catalogue romanceclass.co.vu.
It is important to note that deciding
to self-publish first has not kept authors
from working with print publishers.
“Indie” titles like “Save the Cake” (Stella
Torres) and “Vintage Love” (Agay Llanera)
will be released by traditional publisher
Visprint in 2015. Anvil Publishing’s new
imprint Spark Books has started out as a
partnership with indie romance authors,
releasing print editions of their digital
best-sellers.
More readers in more
locations
The size of the audience for romance
stories in the Philippines, and written by
Filipinos, can no longer be questioned,
not when a single Wattpad romance story
can get four million views, and a single
print book can sell over 50,000 copies in
a few months, and thousands show up
for romance author signings. The term
“Filipino romance novel” is evolving, and
the next logical step is to reach readers
70-/0tBOOKWATCH
19
G
Surplus
of Stories
beyond the archipelago. Where else can
these books go?
They’re already going to Filipino
communities overseas, through print and
digital channels. Book blogger Dianne
(oopsireadabookagain.blogspot.com)
organizes “blog tours” for Filipino books.
It’s a common promotional method used
by US publishers, but in the Philippines,
she’s one of only a few. Despite this, she
sees a lot of online support for Filipinoauthored books. “I think Filipino writers
can definitely tap the worldwide reading
market especially with self-publishing
paving the way for anyone to put up their
work.”
There is also a demand for the books
in the diaspora. “The books are very
popular in Hong Kong and Singapore,”
shares Segundo Matias, publisher of
Tagalog romance titles through his
company Precious Hearts Romances.
It’s a significant source of entertainment
for Filipinos who are unable to watch
television or have access to stories in their
own language.
Filipino romance authors who own
rights to their books are beginning to
discover the interest in translating and
reprinting their books in other countries.
GOING
GLOBAL
Libraries using digital book systems like
Overdrive can and already have ordered
copies of Filipino romance books.
Acquiring the books and sending them
to romance readers all over the world is
becoming easier.
What’s left is for the Filipino author
to write more. And they are. “Love and
romance are universal,” book blogger
Dianne says. “Filipino writers can
definitely compete.”
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The 2014 National Book Development Trust Fund grantees were awarded the first tranche of their grant (P100,00.00
each) during a ceremony March 13, 2015 at the Roof deck of Prestige Tower, F. Ortigas Jr Road, Ortigas Center, Pasig City. From Left to Right:
Executive Director Graciela Mendoza-Cayton, Grace Quiton-Domingo, Darwin J. Absari, Rosario I. Tañedo, and Chair Flor Marie Sta. Romana-Cruz
NBDB forges global ties, opens doors
to New Delhi World Book Fair
Philippine authors and
publishers have something new
and exciting to look forward to,
now that the National Book Development
Board (NBDB) has established ties with
India’s National Book Trust for an author
exchange program and both countries’
participation in their respective book fairs.
The National Book Trust, NBDB’s
counterpart agency in India, organizes the
New Delhi World Book Fair (NDWBF),
one of the largest and longest-running
book fairs in the world. Held yearly for
the past 41 years, the NDWBF attracts
thousands of participants and now rivals
the Frankfurt Book Fair in popularity and
scale.
Through a memorandum of agreement
soon to be forged by both government
agencies, Philippine publishing players
will now have a chance to participate
in the New Delhi Fair, aside from
participating in the National Book Trust’s
various exchange programs for writers and
book developers.
“This is a great opportunity for our
authors and publishers, as India is the
third biggest market in the world for
English publications,” said NBDB Board
Chair Flor Marie “Neni” Sta. RomanaCruz.
According to the National Book Trust,
the Indian subcontinent has nearly 12,000
publishers, making it one the most active
publishing markets in the globe. In the
past years, the NDWBF attracted an
average of a thousand exhibitors and a
million visitors.
Globalocal in New Delhi
Aside from forging ties with the
National Book Trust India, the NBDB
also attended the ‘Globalocal Forum for
Content’ held in New Delhi last February
12 and 13.
Now on its fifth year, Globalocal
is an exclusive forum geared toward
the strengthening the network among
publishing industry stakeholders from all
over the world. Since its launch in 2009,
it has evolved into an exclusive businessto-business (B2B) platform featuring
publishing experts and various networking
opportunities.
Representing the Philippines at
the forum, NBDB Executive Director
Graciela Mendoza-Cayton attended
various business matching sessions,
orientations, and workshops to bring the
country closer to emerging publishing
markets and opportunities overseas.
“We attended a total of 18 business
matching meetings,” said MendozaCayton, “as well as various orientation
sessions and workshops on new digital
publishing platforms.”
“Through this event,” she added,
“NBDB has established ties with a good
number of international publishers and
service providers who are interested
to do business with their Philippine
counterparts. We will open calls very soon
to match interested local authors and
publishers with these businesses in India.”
New ties with Malaysia
On top of all these new ties with
Indian publishers and businesses,
20 BOOKWATCHt70-/0
70-/0tBOOKWATCH
21
Kota Buku delegates meet Philippine
publishers for international KL book fair
the NBDB has also explored various
opportunities for local publishers in the
ASEAN market.
“We also met with Indonesian and
Malaysian delegates to discuss our mutual
participation in our respective book fairs
in 2016,” said Mendoza-Cayton. “We
are participating in the upcoming Kuala
Lumpur Trade and Copyright Centre
2015 scheduled this April, and they
are participating in our annual Manila
International Book Fair in September,
as well as our Philippine Book Industry
Summit.”
Moreover, Kota Buku and the
Malaysian Book Council are keen to
enter into a formal tie-up with the
NBDB with the following points of
agreement: exchange program for authors
and publishers; publishing academy
partnership: authorship, design, and
publishing courses that they will bring
to the Philippines and vice versa; link up
with Kota Buku (Book City) as a nonexclusive partner in promoting and selling
content from the Philippines; and a link
up of websites and web-based catalogs.
“We will continue to explore new and
emerging global programs for our local
authors, publishers, and everyone involved
in book development in the Philippines,”
said Sta. Romana-Cruz. “As such, we
invite everyone in our local book industry
to actively participate in upcoming NBDB
events to know more about these new
opportunities that are available to them.”
For more information about NBDB’s
programs, please visit www.nbdb.gov.ph.
22 BOOKWATCHt70-/0
A R T I S T S
SHOWCASE
Delegates from Kota Buku—one of Malaysia’s
leading agencies for book development—
recently visited Manila to invite Philippine
publishers to participate in the Kuala Lumpur Trade
& Copyright Centre (KLTCC) 2015, which will be
held on April 18-20 at the Seri Pacific Hotel.
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A R T I S T S
S H O W C A S E
A R T I S T S
S H O W C A S E
ALYSSA LARISSE J. DE ASIS
sALYSSADEASIS YAHOOCOMsBEHANCENETALYSSADEASIS
ALDY C. AGUIRRE sALON GMAILCOMsALDYWALKSTUMBLRCOM
ABIGAIL L. DELA CRUZ
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ANGELA TAGUIANGsANGELATAG GMAILCOMsANGELATAGCOM
S H O W C A S E
ARADE LOUISE P. VILLENAsARADEVILLENA GMAILCOM
BENEDICT REYNA
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A R T I S T S
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S H O W C A S E
BRENT SABAS
sBRENTSABAS YAHOOCOMsBEHANCENETBRENTSABAS
CHARLENE VILLAMOR
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A R T I S T S
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CRISTINA CHUAsCHUACRISTINAROSE GMAILCOMsCEEARRCHUATUMBLRCOM
EARL JOHN DELA CRUZsEJDC GMAILCOM
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A R T I S T S
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GEL RELOVA
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JAMIE BAUZAsJAMIEBAUZACOMsWAVE JAMIEBAUZACOM
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JEMUEL T. BERNALDEZ
sJEMBERNALDEZ GMAILCOMsYOSILOGTUMBLRCOM
JERICHO T. MORAL
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KAY ARANZANSO
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TEPAI PASCUAL
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37
F
FEATURE
OMEN
WRITING
WOMEN
Stories from breast cancer patients, survivors,
and their families
On December 11, 2014, the NBDB, in cooperation
with the Philippine Foundation for Breast Care, Inc.,
sponsored a writing workshop called Women Writing
Women, moderated by Chingbee Cruz, for breast cancer
patients and survivors. Held at the Breast Care Center, OPD
East Avenue Medical Center, the workshop was part of the 2014
Annual 18-Day Campaign to End Violence Against Women
and Children (VAWC). It was attended by twenty-one women,
many of whom were either undergoing or had completed
treatment for different stages of breast cancer. A few participants
BONIE MONCAL ANG PAGKABIGLA
Forty-nine years old ako nang na-diagnose
at naoperahan sa suso. Isang araw nung
Marso 2013, nagpa-medical ako upang ako
ay makaalis ulit ng bansa. Bukod sa x-ray, pap
smear, at dental, nasabay na ang mammogram.
Na-hold ako pagdating sa mammogram result.
Sumangguni ako sa doktor na agad-agad
sinabing meron akong Stage 2A breast cancer
at kailangang tanggalin ang kanang suso.
Nabigla ako at di matanggap ang sinabi ng
doktor. Iyak ako nang iyak sasobrang depresyon
at panghihinayang sa oportunidad na dapat ko
pa sanang ma-enjoy sa aking buhay. Umabot ng
isang buwan bago ako bumalik sa ospital upang
kausapin ang aking surgeon sa EAMC. May
23, 2014 nang pumasok ako sa EAMC para sa
operasyon at kinabukasan, nung araw ng aking
operasyon, ay nagdasal na lang ako. Sabi ko sa
aking sarili, heto na, wala na akong magagawa
kundi magpaopera.
Dumaan ako sa 6 cycles ng chemotherapy
at 30 days ng radiotherapy. Nagpa-checkup
after one month, at ngayon ay every 3 months
na. May mga gamot na kailangang inumin
araw-araw. Marami akong nahingan ng tulong
tulad ng DSWD, PCSO at mga doktor, nurses,
38 BOOKWATCHt70-/0
were children of breast cancer patients or survivors. The
workshop, which focused on issues related to women’s bodies,
included a discussion of texts by Filipino authors and strategies
for writing short personal essays.
During the workshop, the participants shared their
experiences as girls growing up in different parts of the
Philippines and as women dealing with the many challenges
posed by breast cancer. They laughed and wept; they traded
anecdotes and advice; they cheered and comforted each other.
They wrote their experiences down.These are their stories.
at officers ng EAMC. Panay sa ospital ang buhay
ko, subalit nang makakilala ako ngmga tagasuso [Breast Care Center] ay nagbago ang lahat.
Masaya dito at wala kaming dull moment kapag
magkakasama.
ANG MALAYANG HINAHARAP
Five years old ako nag-umpisang mawili sa
laro. Seven years old na at laro pa rin nang laro,
halos walang katapusang paglalaro. Teka muna?
Twelve years old na ako, naglalaro pa rin? Me
kakaiba sa dibdib ko. Ano kaya ito? Tanong ko
kay Nanay, “Me bukol na po?” Sagot ni Nanay,
“Ay naku, anak, simbolo ’yang ikaw ay isa nang
babaeng ganap. Mag-ingat ka na at siguro
kailangan magsando ka na, lalo na ’pag papasok
sa school.”
Hay, heto na siya, pormang-porma na.
Di na maitatago. Di ko rin naman masyadong
pinahalagahan ang dibdib ko. Namuhay akong
masigla, walang inaalala, kung boobs lang ang
pag-uusapan.
Hindi ko alam na ang susong ito ang pupukaw
sa buong pagkatao ko. Ito ang naging pagsubok sa
hinaharap ko. Sa kanang bahagi ng dibdib ko, may
lamang tumubo. Nung una, iniyakan ko nang labis
ang balita. Hiningi ko sa Diyos, huwag mo akong
pababayaan sa laban ko.
Kaagad napawi ang lungkot, pag-aalala, at
takot ko sa susong nawala. Sa tulong ng Diyos,
nalampasan ko ang pasubok. Nawala man ang
aking suso’y may malaya namang mararating
sa hinaharap—ang pag-asang mabuhay nang
normal. Ang tanging naiwan sa aking katawan ay
pilat na laging nagpapaalala sa aking walang sugat
na di naghihilom.
Anuman ang laban sa buhay, maging matatag
at huwag susuko. Hindi nagtapos ang buhay ko sa
breast cancer. Dito ko nakita ang mga taong tunay
at tapat na nagmamahal sa akin. Dito ko nakilala
ang mga nagmamalasakit sa akin. Salamat sa
susong nawala. Naging daan ito sa community na
meron ako ngayon.
Dumaan ako sa 6 cycles ng
chemotheraphy at 30 days ng
radiotherapy. Nagpa-checkup after one
month, at ngayon ay every 3 months na.
May mga gamot na kailangang inumin
araw-araw. Marami akong nahingan
ng tulong tulad ng DSWD, PCSO at mga
doktor, nurses, at officers ng EAMC.
70-/0tBOOKWATCH
39
F
FEATURE
EMIE PARREÑO
ANG PAKIKIBAKA KO SA SAKIT NA CANCER
Ang pagkakaroon ng cancer ay hindi madaling tanggapin, ngunit nang maranasan ko ito
ay walang takot ko itong hinarap. October last year nang makapa ko ang bukol sa aking dibdib.
Hindi ko masabi sa aking asawa nung una, ngunit napagtanto ko na di ako makatwiran kung
ito ay itatago ko sa kanya. Makalipas ang ilang linggo, tinawag ko sa banyo ang aking asawa.
Sinabi ko na may ipahihipo ako sa kanya. Nang mahipo niya ito, dali-dali niya akong kinumbinsing
magpakunsulta sa doctor. Kinabukasan, pumunta ako sa Bernardino Hospital. Sumailalim ako sa
ultrasound at ayon sa doctor na sumuri sa akin, kailangang tanggalin ang bukol upang i-biopsy.
Ang resulta ay positibo ako para sa stage 2 cancer. Kailangang tanggalin ang kaliwang bahagi ng
aking dibdib.
Maraming tanong ang sumagi agad sa aking isipan. Una na dito ay kung saan ako hahagilap
ng panggastos para sa aking operasyon. Hindi ko kasama ang aking asawa nang makuha ko ang
resulta ng biopsy. Hinintay ko muna siyang makauwi nang matiwasay sa aming tahanan galing sa
opisina. Nung matutulog na kami, kinumusta niya ang resulta at sinabi ko ang detalye. Nagbitiw
siya ng katanungan sa Panginoon. Sa dinami-dami daw, bakit ako pa? Isa lang ang sinabi ko sa
kanya: ito ay regalo ng Panginoon sa amin kaya dapat naming tanggapin at sikaping malampasan
ang pagsubok sa aming buhay.
Hanggang ngayon ay kapit-bisig pa rin kaming sumusuong sabawat pagsubok na dumarating
sa aming buhay. Naniniwala akong dahil sa pagmamahal na ibinibigay sa akin ng aking asawa’t
anak, at sa tulong na rin ng ating Panginoong Diyos na lumikha sa atin, malalampasan ko ang sakit
na cancer.
AIDA A. LLAVE
MY JOURNEY, MY LIFE, MY CANCER
STORY
As far as I recall, my breast cancer story
started when I was a teenager, about 13 years
old. It was the age when I had my first menstrual
period. After the first period, I did not menstruate
for about six months. My mother told me I was
going through “layag.” She explained that it was
natural to miss some periods after the very first
one because my body was still adjusting to a new
biological process. I went on without any care
about it until the following year, when I noticed a
lump in my right armpit and felt a little pain. It was
reddish and quite solid. My mother brought me to a
doctor and I was given pain reliever and antibiotics.
The doctor told me I had hormonal imbalance. I
took the medication for about a year, until the lump
was no longer there and I was declared cleared.
During my college years, I continued to have
problems with my menstrual cycle. I missed
periods for a month or two and had painful periods
or what we call dysmenorrhea. When I married at
the age of 24 and got pregnant, my dysmenorrhea
disappeared. I had my last pregnancy at the
age of 33 and had a normal life—no breast
lumps or dysmenorrhea. I was not in the habit
of checking my breasts for any lumps, which I
realize I should have done more often. One day in
2012, I accidentally touched a small lump on my
right breast. I immediately saw my gynecologist.
She suggested a breast mammogram. The
mammogram result said it was a fibrocystic mass,
and when I went for a breast ultrasound, the result
was the same. My surgeon suggested that I have
the mass extracted, but since I didn’t feel any pain
at all, I waited three years until I decided for it to be
removed.
Throughout those three years, I had a
monthly ultrasound of my breast to monitor
the size of the lump. Although it did not grow
40 BOOKWATCHt70-/0
drastically, a slight increase in size prompted my
doctor to recommend extraction. The specimen
was biopsied and it was benign. I was told to have
an ultrasound every six months. But being so busy
and having not felt anything in the operated area,
I seemed to care less about it.
One day in February 2014, I was struck by fear
when I again accidentally touched a very noticeable
solid lump in the same area where the first lump
was extracted. It took me two months before I
went to see my gynecologist as I was focused on
my husband’s hemodialysis. I seemed to forget to
care about myself. When my gynecologist checked
the lump, she suggested operation. In May, I had
the lump removed and biopsied. I was diagnosed
with ductal carcinoma, invasive. I underwent a
mastectomy the following month.
I was alone when my surgeon first broke the
bad news to me. Hindi ko na naintindihan lahat ng
mga sinasabi ng doctor sa akin. What was very
clear in my mind was I kept telling myself, “Lord,
palakasin mo lang ako. Give me the strength to
accept everything. I need the strength.” Hindi
ko naramdaman ang takot. Hindi ko alam ang
naramdaman ko.
My family and friends are very supportive of
me.
Hindi ko na naintindihan lahat
ng mga sinasabi ng doctor sa akin.
What was very clear in my mind was I
kept telling myself, “Lord, palakasin
mo lang ako. Give me the strength
to accept everything. I need the
strength.”
EMELITA P. CRUZ
Nang malaman kong may breast
cancer ako, parang gumuho ang mundo
ko. Takot na maiwan ko ang aking pamilya
at maubos ang konti naming pundar.
Nagdasal ako at humingi ng guidance sa
Panginoon para matanggap at lumaban.
Kinausap ako ng asawa ko at sabi niya’y
lalabanan namin ito. Gusto pa daw niyang
magsama kami ng mahabang panahon.
Binalikan ko lahat ng blessings na bigay
sa akin ng Diyos. Sabi ko, suso lang ito,
marami pang dahilan para mabuhay.
Gusto kong gamitin ang breast cancer
ko para maging inspirasyon sa mga tao.
Huwag matakot sa breast cancer. Bilang
babae, naging malakas ako sa pinagdaanan
kong laban. Hinihikayat ko ang mga
kababaihan na magpa-checkup ng
kanilang sarili at ingatan ang kanilang mga
katawan. Salamat kay mister, mga anak,
at pamilya dahil hindi nila ako iniwan sa
aking pakikipaglaban sa stage 2B breast
cancer.
CYNTHIA DOBLES CANLAS
CANCER—A DEATH SENTENCE?
Mahirap magtrabaho sa abroad dahil malayo ako sa aking
asawa at mga anak.Walang gabi na hindi ako umiyak dahil
sa lungkot. Sa sobrang lungkot ko ay hindi ko namalayang
bumabagsak na pala ang aking katawan dahil sa pagod,
depression, at kung anu-ano pang alalahanin sa buhay.
NELLIE C. PERALTA
Ako po si Nellie C. Peralta, 43 years old, nakatira sa Quirino Province.
May dalawa akong anak, si Kimberly at si KC. Nung May 10, 2012, ako ay
nag-abroad sa Kuwait bilang domestic helper. Mababait ang aking mga
employer at maganda ang aking trabaho. Na-assign ako sa kitchen, kung
saan naghahanda ako ng pagkain para sa buong pamilya.
Mahirap magtrabaho sa abroad dahil malayo ako sa aking asawa at
mga anak.Walang gabi na hindi ako umiyak dahil sa lungkot. Sa sobrang
lungkot ko ay hindi ko namalayang bumabagsak na pala ang aking katawan
dahil sa pagod, depression, at kung anu-ano pang alalahanin sa buhay.
Isang araw, sa sobrang pagod ay nahilo ako at nagsuka. Sumakit ang
aking dibdib at likod. Pina-checkup ako. Maraming lab test na ginawa sa
akin at ang findings ay may breast cancer ako, malignant at kailangan
operahan. Pinauwi ako sa Pilipinas at inoperahan sa East Avenue Medical
Center. Stage 3A ako nang maoperahan nung October 29, 2012. Pagkatapos
ng operasyon,may 8 cycles ng chemotherapy. Natapos ko ito noong July
2013, at sumunod ang radiotherapy noong September 2013.
Sa ngayon ay under surveillance na po ako. Sa tulong ng ating
Panginoong Diyos, buhay pa ako at malakas. Ang inspirasyon ko po ay ang
aking mga mahal sa buhay, ang aking asawa, mga anak, at mga kaibigang
laging nandiyan para sumuporta sa akin. Hangad kong madagdagan pa ang
aking hiram na buhay para makapaglingkod at makasama pa ang aking mga
mahal sa buhay.
CANDELARIA G. PAMINTUAN
June 2008 ko nakapa ang maliit na bukol sa
kaliwang dibdib ko. Pina-checkup ko at may pinagawang
ultrasound at mammogram. Lumabas sa resulta na cystic
lang tapos may niresetang gamot. After 3 months, balik
raw ako sa doktor.
Lumipas ang panahon nang hindi ko napapansing
lumaki pala ang bukol. Sobrang busy ko sa work kaya
napabayaan ko ang sarili ko. Nang bumalik ako sa doktor,
pina-biopsy ako. Malignant ang resulta. Iyak ako nang
iyak. Hindi ko matanggap na malala na pala ang sakit ko.
Nang lumakas ang loob ko, nagtanong ako sa kapitbahay
kong doktor kung may kilala ba siyang doktor sa East
Avenue Medical Center.
November 2008 ako inoperahan. Tinanggal ang kaliwa
kong dibdib. Pagkalipas ng isang buwan, pinapunta ako sa
Breast Care Center sa East Avenue Medical Center, kung
saan ginawa ang 6 cycles ng chemotherapy. Mula January
to July 2009 ang chemo. Sumunod naman ang 30 days ng
radiation therapy nung September 2009.
Regular akong nagpapa-checkup at may 5 years para
mag-take ng oral chemo. Heto na’t magandang resulta,
cancer-free na ako.
Huwag mawalan ng pag-asa. Lagi lang manalig sa taas.
Si Lord ang nagbigay ng instrumento para magamot ako.
Binigay niya ang Breast Care Center.
Maraming nagsasabi na kung cancer ang
iyong sakit, malamang sa hindi ay nalalapit ka na
sa hukay. May taning na ang buhay—isa, dalawa, o
tatlong buwan na lang ang ilalagi mo sa mundong
ibabaw. Iyon din ang aking paniniwala noong una
sa kadahilanang ang aking ina at tiya ay nawala
dahil sa sakit na ito. Sa kaso ng aking ina, buwan
lang ang naitagal niya mula sa operasyon at iba
pang proseso na ginawa sa kanya.
Nang mabasa ko ang resulta ng biopsy at
malamang ako ay may cancer—“unfiltrating ductal
carcinoma”—nanahimik ako nang ilang araw bago
ko sinabi sa dalawa kong anak at hipag. Medyo
naiyak ako nang magsabi dahil naalala ko ang
aking ina at ang napakabilis na mga pangyayari
sa kanya.
Ito ang pangatlong dagok sa aking buhay.
Una, ang pagkawala ng aking ina noong ako ay
dalaga pa. Pangalawa, ang pagkamatay ng aking
asawa. Pangatlo, ako na ang may karamdaman. Sa
tulong ng Panginoong Lumikha, nabigyan ako ng
lakas ng loob at katatagan upang ang pagsubok
ay aking makayanan. Dumaan ako sa operasyon,
chemotherapy, radiation, at iba pa. Sinuportahan rin
ako ng aking kapatid, at mga dasal ng kamag-anak
at mga kaibigan.
May mga pagbabago sa katawan, sa lifestyle,
at sa pagkain dala ng cancer. Higit sa lahat,
malaki ang pagbabago ko spiritually. Nakatulong
ang positive outlook in life kaya ngayon ako ay
buhay pa. Pitong taon na ang lumipas mula nang
magsimula ang aking journey at aking napagtanto
na cancer is not a death sentence.
70-/0tBOOKWATCH
41
F
FEATURE
LALAINE M. MANLANGIT
SUSO KONG NAWALA,
BALEWALA PALA
Forty-seven years old ako nang malaman kong
may bukol ako sa kanang suso. Naliligo ako, at
habang naghihilod ng buong katawan ay nakapa
ko ang bukol. Natakot ako pero binalewala ko lang
ito. Hindi ko sinabi agad sa mga anak ko at asawa
dahil natatakot ako. Nasa lahi kasi namin ang breast
cancer. Ito ang ikinamatay ng ate ko at mga tiyahin
ko.
Isang umaga , may napanood akong palabas sa
TV na ang topic ay breast cancer. Lalo akong natakot.
Tatlong buwan na ang nakalipas mula nung makapa
ko ang bukol. Nagsabi na ako sa mister at mga anak
ko. Nag-decide na akong magpa-checkup. Sa breast
ultrasound, nakitang may multiple na bukol ako sa
parehong suso kaya agad pinatanggal ang bukol at
pina-biopsy. Stage 2B breast cancer ang diagnosis.
Nag-iiyak ako. Pakiramdam ko ay isang taon na lang
akong mabubuhay. Ang daming mga kung anu-anong
bagay ang nasa isipan ko. Takot na takot akong
nagpasyang magpa-opera.
Inoperahan ako noong January 29, 2013 sa East
Avenue Medical Center. Tinanggal ang kanang suso
ko tapos nagpa-chemo, radiation. Tuloy-tuloy ang
pagpapagamot ko. Habang ako’y nagpapagaling,
inoobserbahan ko lang ang asawa ko kung
magbabago ba siya dahil sa nangyari sa akin. Pero
sa awa ng Diyos ay lalo pa kaming napamahal sa
isa’t isa at pati sa mga anak ko. Iniingatan nila ako.
Nakikita ko ang suporta ng pamilya ko. Kay laking
pasalamat ko sa Diyos. Sa ngayon, heto, malakas na
ako.
JOSIE O. SAÑOZA
Noong March 2013, napansin kong bukol
ako sa suso na biglang lumalaki kaya nagpa-check
up ako sa East Avenue. Pina-surgery ako tapos
biopsy. Malignant ang resulta.
Pumutok ang bukol, dumugo, hanggang
umimpis na siya. May nanatiling sugat at may
limang buwan nang hindi gumagaling. Bumalik
ulit ako sa doktor kasi mabaho na rin ang sugat
kahit anong gawin kong linis. Ang sabi ng doktor
kailangan na raw akong operahan. Pinabalik ako,
binigyan ng clearance, pina-laboratory.November
19, 2013 ako naoperahan tapos bumalik ako ng
December 16 para magpa-checkup. February
ako nagsimulang mag-chemotherapy. Stage 3B
breast cancer ang diagnosis ko kaya nag-chemo
ako ng 8 cycles. Natapos ang pang-walong chemo
ko noong June 17, 2014. Kinailangan ko ring
magpa-radiation ng 30 days. Nagsimula noong
September 15 at natapos noong November 19.
Isang taon rin ang aking pagpapagamot.
Salamat po kay Lord at natapos at naligtas
ako sa mga nangyari sa akin.
42 BOOKWATCHt70-/0
HELEN G. DIONEDO
PAANO AKO LUMABAN SA CANCER
Sa school na
pinagtatrabahuhan ko,
tatlong teachers ang
nagkaroon din ng breast
cancer. Sabi nila sa akin
ako daw ang idol nila sa
lakas ng loob kasi nakita
nila kung paano ko hinarap
ang sakit na cancer.
Isang araw, habang nagbibihis ako papasok ng opisina,
nakita kong may umuusbong na bukol sa taas ng suso
ko. Pinatingnan ko ito sa doktor na pamangkin ng asawa
ko. Sinabi niyang dapat tanggalin ang maliit na bukol at
ipa-biopsy. Ang dumating na resulta ay invasive ductal
carcinoma. Base sa biopsy, tinanggal ang suso ko, pati 10
lymph nodes. Negative naman lahat.
Ni-refer ako ng doktor sa isang oncologist sa East
Avenue Medical Center kung saan dumaan ako sa 6 months
ng chemotherapy. Habang dumaraan ako sa chemo, tuloy pa
rin ako sa pagtrabaho as accountant sa Sorsogon National
High School. Nagbibiyahe ako mula Bicol hanggang East Avenue sa Quezon City. Nakaya ko ito.
Tinanong ko ang oncologist ko kung ilang taon na lang ang buhay ko. Sabi niya nang pabiro
na aabot pa ako ng 100 years kung susunod ako sa doktor. Tuloy-tuloy ang gamot ng 5 taon
pagkatapos ng chemo. Lumipas ang panahon at natigil ko ang pag-inom ng gamot. Ang asawa ko
naman ang nagkasakit at inalagaan ko siya. Kinalimutan ko ang sarili ko hanggang namatay ang
asawa ko. After 11 years, may nakapa ulit ako sa kili-kili ko. Pinatanggal ko ang bukol. Recurrence
ng cancer ang resulta. Balik ako Breast Care sa East Avenue at tuloy ang gamutan dahil may
konting tama ang dalawang ribs sa dibdib. Sa tulong ng dasal ng pamilya, kaibigan, andito pa rin
ako, still kicking.
Sa school na pinagtatrabahuhan ko, tatlong teachers ang nagkaroon din ng breast cancer.
Sabi nila sa akin ako daw ang idol nila sa lakas ng loob kasi nakita nila kung paano ko hinarap ang
sakit na cancer.
ROSARIO M. MANALAYSAY
Fifteen years old ako nang
magkaroon ako ng suso. Hindi ako
masyadong aware kasi medyo boyish
ako nung bata pa ako. Hindi ako
masyadong nakikinig sa nanay ko.
Lagi akong nakahubad kasi mga
trabahong lalaki ang gustong gusto
kong gawin. Mahilig akong humuli
ng isda, sumama sa pagtatambak
ng pilapil, at kung anu-ano pang
trabahong panlalaki.
Siguro nung magdesisyon akong
magpakababae, mga 17 years old
na ako. Doon ko lang naisip ang
kahalagahan ng suso ko. Naisip
kong balang araw mag-aasawa ako
at kailangan ng mga magiging
anak ko ang aking suso para sa
pangunahin nilang pagkain sa
paglabas nila sa liwanag.
Nang magkasakit naman
ako ng breast cancer, hindi ko na
kailangang matakot dahil malalaki
na ang aking mga anak. Siguro yung
takot ay para sa sarili ko na lang
dahil nga sa sakit na dinadaanan
ko. Taong 2011 ako na-diagnose.
Stage 3A nung una, kaso mabilis
na kumalat sa mga buto ko kaya
ang sabi ng oncologist ay stage 4
na raw ako. Syempre ang unang
rumehistro sa akin ay malapit na
akong mamatay. Nag-6 sessions
ako ng chemotherapy at in God’s
grace naging ok ako. Kaya lang,
nung 2013 umulit ang cancer.
Nagkabukol ako sa atay kaya
ongoing ulit ang chemotherapy
ko. Ganun pa man, kahit nasa late
stage na ako, andun pa rin ang
pag-asang malalampasan ko ito in
Jesus’s name. Alam kong lagi siyang
andyan para sa akin, para sa aming
patuloy lumalaban sa sakit na ito.
Kasama ko sa pagsubok na ito ang
aking pamilyang nagmamahal sa
akin. Gayon rin ang mga kaibigan
at kapwa pasyenteng para ko na ring
mga kapatid. Kalakasan iyon para sa
akin mula sa Diyos!
Lalo pang dumami ang pamilya
ko dahil sa breast cancer na ito. Sa
Breast Care Center, ang babait ng
mga nurse, staff, at doktor. Salamat
sa mabuting Diyos na palaging may
paraan sa lahat ng pangangailangan
ko. Hindi ako pinapabayaan
ng Panginoon, lalo na ngayong
ongoing pa rin ang chemotherapy
ko. Hindi ako mayaman pero
nakakaraos ako sa tulong ng ating
Panginoong Diyos!
FIEL C. OLIVO
A STORY OF MY LIFE
At the age of 12 ako unang nagkaroon
ng malisya sa katawan. Boyish ako noon,
mahilig makipaglaro sa mga lalaki dahil
puro kami babae.
Naglalambaras ako sa paaralan namin
noon nang may isang lalaking classmate
na biglang sumilip sa blusa ko. Sabi niya,
“ay may dede ka na.” Sinilip ko ang blusa
ko at tiningnan ang sinasabi niya. Agad
namula ang aking pisngi at nagtatakbo
akong pauwi.
Sa bahay, tinanong ko ang nanay ko
kung pwede na akong mag-bra. Ang sabi
niya sa akin, lady sando lang muna. Mula
noon, nagkaroon ako ng malisya. Hindi
na ako lumalabas ng bahay na hindi nakalady sando. Nadagdagan pa ang malisya at
takot nang umuwi ang ate kong umiiyak
dahil tinukso daw siya sa paaralan na may
baong papaya. Malalaki kasi ang suso ng
mga ate ko.
Natakot ako na pati ako ay tutuksuhin
kung maging malaki ang suso ko, gaya
ng mga ate ko. Itinago ko ang dibdib ko.
Natulog akong nakadapa. Sa isip ko, hindi
lalaki ang suso ko kapag ganon ang ginawa
ko.
High school na ako nang mainggit ako
sa katabi kong malaki ang dibdib. Yung
crush ko kasi ay nagkagusto sa kanya dahil
raw malaki ang suso niya. Parang nagsisi
tuloy ako na iniipit ko dati ang suso ko
upang hindi lumaki.
Pansamantalang nakalimutan ko ang
usaping suso nang ako ay may trabaho
na. Napunta naman ang attention ko sa
pagpapaganda. Nagsimula ako bilang
sekretarya sa RPN-9. Thirteen years rin
GLORIA S. BEDENIZA
MY CANCER STORY
Sa pagkamulat ko sa mundo, wala na
akong kinagisnang ama. Namayapa siya sa edad
na 38 dahil sa sakit na cancer. Walo kaming
magkakapatid. Ako ang bunso at nasa sinapupunan
pa ako nang mawala si ama.
Ang ina ko ang bumuhay at mag-isang
tumaguyod sa aming lahat. Kahit balik-balikan ako
ng mag-asawang Intsik at gusto akong ampunin,
hindi pumayag ang aking ina na may mawalay sa
mga anak niya. Naglabada siya at nagtinda. Nang
mamayapa ang aking ina dahil sa sakit sa puso,
malalaki na kami at may mga sarili nang pamilya.
Tatlo ang anak ko, dalawang lalaki at isang
babae. Nang magkaroon ako ng cancer sa suso
High school na ako nang mainggit
ako sa katabi kong malaki ang dibdib.
Yung crush ko kasi ay nagkagusto sa
kanya dahil raw malaki ang suso niya.
Parang nagsisi tuloy ako na iniipit ko
dati ang suso ko upang hindi lumaki.
akong nagtagal doon. Nag-umpisa ako
bilang sekretarya, nalipat ng departamento
at naging video researcher, at minsan ay
floor director sa Production and Public
Affairs. Dito ko nakilala ang partner ko sa
buhay. Meron na siyang unang asawa at
may dalawang anak, pero I want to make
it clear na hindi po ako ang dahilan ng
kanilang paghihiwalay. Hindi nagtagal at
natuklasang anak pala siya ng kaibigan ng
tatay ko. Kapwang umayaw sa relasyon
namin ang mga tatay namin para hindi
masira ang pagkakaibigan nila.
Hindi kami sumuko at pinaglaban
namin ang aming pag-iibigan. Natanggap
naman kami ng aming mga magulang at
nagkaroon kami ng apat na anak.
At the age of 36, noong year 2011,
na-diagnose ako with breast cancer at
stage 3A na ito. Sabi ko, maaaring sanhi
ito ng mga chemicals na ginagamit
ko sa pagpapaganda. Dahil sa nature
ng trabaho ko, gusto kong lagi akong
maganda sa paningin ng ibang tao at lalo
na sa partner ko sa buhay. Unti-unting
nalagas ang buhok, kilay, at pilik-mata
ko sanhi ng chemotherapy. Ayaw ko na
ngang tumingin sa salamin dahil tingin
ko’y pangit na ako, pero minahal pa rin
ako ng partner ko.
Nang malaman kong may cancer ako,
halo-halo ang aking naramdaman. Natakot
akong mamamatay ako kaagad at iiwan
ang aking mga anak na hindi pa handang
mamuhay na walang ina. Takot rin akong
iwanan ako ng partner ko dahil hindi ko
na maibibigay ang pangangailangan niya
physically. Umabot sa puntong sinabihan
ko ang partner ko na maghiwalay na kami
at humanap na siya ng iba. Ganun pa
man, hindi ako iniwan ng mahal ko. Doon
ko napatunayan kung gaano niya ako
kamahal.
Lahat ng pangangailangan ko sa
pagpapagamot ay ibinibigay niya.
Hanggang ngayon ay patuloy at
matagumpay kaming nagsasama for 15
years na, kapiling ang aming mababait na
mga anak.
Maging ang aking mga kapatid at
kamag-anak ay hindi ako pinabayaan.
Lahat sila ay nagtutulong-tulong upang
mabuo ang kakailanganin ko upang
matustusan ang aking pagpapagamot.
Hindi na ako pinayagan ng partner
kong magtrabaho dahil gusto niyang
i-spend ko ang aking oras sa aming mga
anak. Binigyan ko rin ng oras ang lalo
pang pagkilala sa Panginoon, dahil alam
kong ang Diyos lang ang tunay na gagabay
sa akin. Lagi kong isinasaisip ang pangako
ng Diyos sa atin. Sa Jeremiah 29:11: “For I
know the plans I have for you, declares the
Lord, plans to prosper you and not harm
you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
Dahil sa pangakong ito ng Diyos, mas
lumakas ang loob ko na makakasama ko
pa ang aking mga anak hanggang sa sila ay
maging handa.
Hindi ako nagpapakita ng takot sa mga anak ko at asawa. Tibay at tatag ang nakikita
nila, pero minsan, kapag mag-isa ako sa kwarto, doon ako naluluha. Mga kaibigan,
kapatid, at pamilya ang laging nagpapasaya sa akin at nagpapalakas ng loob.
noong taong 2012, para akong binagsakan ng
mabigat na bagay sa katauhan ko. Naoperahan ako
at natanggalan ng kanang suso.
Hindi ako nagpapakita ng takot sa mga anak
ko at asawa. Tibay at tatag ang nakikita nila, pero
minsan, kapag mag-isa ako sa kwarto, doon ako
naluluha. Mga kaibigan, kapatid, at pamilya ang
laging nagpapasaya sa akin at nagpapalakas
ng loob. Naging mas malapit ako sa Panginoon
at laging nagpapasalamat sa lakas na binibigay
niya. Sa kasalukuyan, patuloy pa rin ako sa
pagpapagamot. Nung nakaraang kaarawan ko,
dinalaw ako ng aking mga kaibigan kahit sinabi
kong wala akong maihahanda dahil nagpapagamot
ako. Nasorpresa ako dahil sila ang may mga
dalang handa. Nag-bonding kami maghapon. Sa
dinaraanan kong pagsubok sa buhay, mas nagiging
malapit sa akin ang pamilya, kapatid, at mga tunay
na kaibigan.
70-/0tBOOKWATCH
43
F
FEATURE
REVA SAN GABRIEL
AKO AT ANG KANSER
Inabot ako ng isang taon mula nung
makapa ko ang maliit na bukol
sa aking suso bago ako pumunta
sa doktor. Nung una, hindi ako
nag-alala sa nakapa ko, pero nang
maramdaman kong lumalaki na ito at
kumikirot na, doon ako natakot.
Maraming uri ng kanser sa
lipunan. Ako ay napapabilang sa
mga may sakit na breast cancer. Nadiagnose ako noong Oct. 4, 2013.
Inabot ako ng isang taon mula
nung makapa ko ang maliit na bukol
sa aking suso bago ako pumunta sa
doktor. Nung una, hindi ako nag-alala sa nakapa ko, pero nang maramdaman
kong lumalaki na ito at kumikirot na, doon ako natakot. Pagpunta ko sa doktor,
pinagawa agad sa akin ang mammogram, ultrasound, at biopsy.Malignant ang
resulta. Stage 3. Sa East Avenue Medical Center ako nagpagamot at naoperahan.
Balo na ako nang magkasakit ako. Mga anak ko na lang ang sumusuporta
sa akin. Nang malaman kong may breast cancer ako, ang unang ginawa ko ay
lumapit kay Lord. Humingi ako ng awa at tulong na palakasin ang aking loob.
Sabi ng mga anak ko, i-embrace ko na raw ito. Siguro nga kaya kami masaya
at normal pa rin ang mga ginagawa ay dahil tanggap na namin ang ang aking
kalagayan.
Isang taon na akong lumalaban sa sakit na kanser. Lalaban at lalaban
hanggang matalo ang sakit na ito.
REBECCA C. VERGARA
MY STORY
Noong 2010, nadiskubre ng kapatid ko na siya ay may uterine cancer, stage
4. Nasa ibang bansa siya nakabase kaya ang aming means of communication ay
Skype lang. Sa aming magkakapatid, bukod tanging ako lang ang hindi umiyak
sa aming pag-uusap. Sabi ng asawa ko huwag daw akong iiyak kasi hindi daw
yun makakatulong. Nagkaisa ang buong pamilya naming ipanalangin ang aking
kapatid. Humingi kami ng awa at tulong sa Panginoong Hesus na dugtungan
pa ang kanyang buhay, lalo na’t may dalawa siyang anak at 10 years old lang
ang bunso niya. Nagbigay kami sa kanya ng oras para makipagkuwentuhan.
Kahit na in pain siya, sige pa rin ang kuwentuhan namin at natatapos kami sa
pananalangin.
Dumating ang panahong ako naman ang nagkasakit ng breast cancer.
Napakabuti ng Panginoon kasi iyon pala ang dahilan kung bakit nursing ang
kinuha ng kapatid ko at pagpasa niya sa board exam ay napasok siya kung saan
puro breast cancer ang mga pasyente. Kung aking titingnan ang pangyayari, may
plano ang Panginoon sa mangyayari sa aking buhay. Nakakatuwa kasi kung dati,
ako ang nagpapalakas sa kapatid ko sa pamamagitan ng mga salitang makakauplift, biglang siya naman ang nagpapalakas sa akin hanggang sa naoperahan
ako noong Nobyembre 16, 2011 at nag-chemo noong December 2011. Dumating
ang araw na nagpapaalam na ang kapatid ko at binawian siya ng buhay noong
December 26, 2011. Naging malungkot ang Pasko at Bagong Taon ng buong
pamilya.
Ako naman ay patuloy sa aking chemo treatment at blessed ako na sa lahat
ng laban ko sa sakit ko ay mas lalong nakikita ko ang buong-buong suporta ng
aking asawa. Hindi niya ako iniwan at ganun din ang aking mga anak, pamilya,
at mga kapatidsa Panginoon. Doon ko napatunayan ang sumpaan naming magasawa sa harap ng pari na in sickness and in health. Hindi ako iniwan ng aking
asawa, lalo na during my chemo days. Nung mag-start akong makalbo, siya
mismo ang nagkalbo sa akin at kinakalbo rin niya ang ulo niya. Ang saya-saya
namin at panay pa ang picture-taking niya. Ganun katindi ang suporta niya sa akin.
Humingi ako ng tawad sa Panginoon sa lahat ng aking kasalanan laban sa
kanya. Mula noon mas lalo kaming naging close ang aking pamilya.
44 BOOKWATCHt70-/0
ADELAIDA PICARDAL
MY CANCER STORY
Isang araw, nakapa kong may
bukol ako sa suso. Takot ang aking
naramdaman sapagkat ang alam
ko, kapag may bukol, may cancer.
Nagpakonsulta agad ako sa doktor.
Sinabi sa aking kailangan tanggalin sa
lalong madaling panahon kasi kapag
kinakapa niya ang suso ko ay nasasaktan
ako. Wala na akong magawa kung hindi
magpatanggal na. Noong sinabi sa akin
ng doktor na may cancer ako, tinanong
ko siya kung kailan ako mamamatay.
Sabi ng doktor ko, matagal pa, huwag
kang mag-alala. Nabuhayan ako ng
loob. Patuloy ang pagpapagamot
hanggang sa pagpapa-chemo. Mga 6
na beses of radiation, bone scan, at sa
tulong ng ating Panginoon ay gumaling
ako. Pitong taon na akong survivor.
ALFREDA R. CEA
Noong unang sinabi sa akin ng doktor na may
cancer ako, hindi ko siya pinansin. Inulit niya
nang pasigaw ang balita at pasigaw rin ang sagot
ko sa kanya. “Oo nga ho, may cancer ako!” Medyo
nagulat siya at ang sabi na lang niya, “O, ano ang
ating gagawin?” “Uuwi na lang po ako,” sagot ko.
Umuwi ako nang wala sa sarili at pagdating ng
bahay, wala akong nadatnan na tao. Nagsolo lang
ako at kinausap ang Diyos. Lord, sabi ko, kukunin
mo na po ako? Gusto kopang makasama ang pamilya
ko pero ikaw pa rin ang masusunod. Ipapaubaya
ko ang buhay ko sa iyo.Pero mabait talaga si Lord.
Pinagbigyan niya akong mabuhay. Eight years
na akong survivor. Tama pala ang sinasabing
blessing kapag may cancer ka dahil marami ang
nagmamahal sa iyo. Ang mga anak ko at pati ang
asawa ko, mas minamahal ako nang labis ngayon.
Sabi pa ng asawa ko, hindi raw siya mabubuhay
nang wala ako. Ang sarap ang pakiramdam
ko. Salamat sa Diyos dahil ngayon, ako’y isang
good example sa aming lugar dahil ako raw ang
nagbibigay lakas sa kanila upang harapin ang mga
problema sa asawa o sa mga anak nila. Kung may
sakit ang mga anak nila, ako ang naggagamot
sa pamamagitan ng hilot. Ito ang misyon ko,
ang magligtas ng buhay. Kahit naka-confine na
sa ospital, pinupuntahan ko pa rin para hilutin.
Salamat muli sa Diyos.
AILEEN P. ANTOLIN
SI MALAKAS AY BABAE
I am more than breasts and body. Babae
ako, may suso man o wala. Napatunayan ko ang
katotohanang ito nung unang araw na natuklasan
kong may kanser ang nanay ko. Itinago niya sa
akin, sa amin, nang apat na taon, marahil dala na
rin ng takot. Isang araw, habang nagbabakasyon
siya at ang aking tatay sa amin, naabutan ko
siyang nagbibihis at doon ko nakita ang bukol sa
kanyang suso. Isa akong nurse bagamat hindi
ako nakapag-practice ng aking profession. Nang
makita ang bukol, alam ko agad na hindi maganda
ang magiging diagnosis kapag sinuri ito. Sabi ng
nanay ko, hindi naman raw masakit, pero sa itsura
pa lang ng bukol alam kong tiniis niya ang kirot.
Malaki ang bukol, parang ulo ng isang bagong
silang na sanggol. Hinawakan ko ito na para bang
mababawasan ng haplos ko ang anumang kirot
na dinulot nito sa katawan at isipan ng nanay ko.
Matigas iyong bukol, at parang sinasabi niyang
hindi niyo ako mapapaalis dito, teritoryo ko ito.
Nakadikit siya nang mahigpit sa dibdib nang nanay
ko. Kahit yumuyuko si nanay ay hindi man lang ito
sumusunod sa batak ng gravity.
Lahat ng kaalaman at pinag-aralan ko sa
nursing school ay parang bulang nawala nang
makita ko ang mismong nanay ko na may kanser.
Sumagi sa aking isipan na itinago ng aking nanay
ang dinaramdam niya dahil nangagamba siyang
maging dahilan iyon upang tuluyan nang guguho
ang pamilyang kanyang siniskap mabuo. Sariwa
pa ang sugat ng pagtataksil ng tatay ko. May
isang bahagi ng pagkatao kong nagsasabing may
kinalaman ang pangyayaring iyon sa paghina ng
katawan ng nanay ko. Pero hindi iyon ang isyu
ngayon kaya ibinalik ko muna ang kaisipang iyon
sa kasuluk-sulukan ng isip ko. Saka na. Sa ngayon,
heto ang dapat mauna, si nanay muna.
Fast forward sa araw nang lumabas ang
resulta ng biopsy. Bakit nga ba kahit alam ko nang
may kanser ang nanay ko ay kinakabog pa rin ang
dibdib ko? May isang bahagi pa rin ng isip kong
nagsasabing sana hindi iyon ang resulta. Nanatili
akong nakatayo kahit umiiyak. Ayokong manghina
dahil alam kong sa akin humuhugot ng lakas
ang nanay ko. Pinalalakas ko ang loob niya dahil
pakiramdam ko, unti-unting mauupos ang pag-asa
ko. Nanay ko ito. Kanser. Parang magugunaw ang
mundo. May sapat ba kaming pera? Malalampasan
ba ni nanay ang proseso ng paggamot na gagawin
sa kanya? Kakayanin ba niya? Naisip ko, sana’y
nag-abroad na lang ako para maibibigay ko
ang pinakamagandang treatment sa nanay ko.
Sa dami ng pinagdaanan niya para maitaguyod
kaming magkakapatid, dapat sa St. Luke’s siya
magpagamot. Pero hindi ako mayaman. Sapat lang
ang kakayahan namin. At kahit na mayaman ako,
hindi ko mabibili ang buhay ng nanay ko.
Ang mga sumunod na araw ang binuno
namin sa pagkonsulta sa doctor, sa pag-ayos ng
operasyon, sa pag-asikaso ng mga papeles para
makahingi kami ng tulong sa PCSO at sa iba’t
ibang ahensyang tumutulong sa mga kababaihang
may kanser sa suso. Sa ilang buwang pagsama
ko kay nanay, nakita ko ang iba’t ibang mukha ng
kahirapan, ang kanser ng kababaihan. Nagkaroon
ako ng puso para sa mga nangangailangan.
Nakita ko ang kakulangan, at natuklasan ko ang
isang panawagan. Nalaman kong may magagawa
ako, may maidadagdag ako. Ang sakit na marahil
ay magiging sanhi ng kamatayan ng nanay ko
ang siyang bumubuhay sa puso ko araw-araw.
Nagkaroon ako ng kabuluhan sa buhay sa gitna
nang kawalan ng pag-asa.
Limang taon na ang nakalilipas. Survivor na
si nanay. Limang taon na rin akong pinayayaman
ng karansan ko sa foundation para sa mga may
kanser sa suso. Limang taon na akong nakikiiyak,
nakikisaya, nakiki-celebrate, nakikibahagi sa
libo-libong kababaihan. Kung saan-saan na ako
nakarating, kung sinu-sino na ang nakausap. Iisa
lang ang mensahe ko. May kabuluhan ang buhay
ko dahil babae ako. Hindi sa suso nakasalalay ang
pagkababae ko. Hindi ako mahinang kasarian. I am
not the lesser sex. Meron akong kalakasang taglay
kahit sa gitna nang pinakamalaking pagsubok ng
buhay. Dahil sa ako’y babae, at ako’y may suso,
hindi ako ligtas sa kanser. Pero hindi ako natatakot
kasi naiintindihan ko na ang kalakasan ko—ito ay
nasa pagkababae ko.
Cancer doesn’t ruin families. It is a
challenge or a test, and if your family
survives it, there’s an overflowing of
blessings that will come into your lives
and make your family stronger.
ANGELIQUE PARREÑO (17 YEARS OLD)
A LETTER FOR MAMA (INSPIRED BY MY MAMA’S CANCER STORY)
“Cancer”: any malignant growth or tumor caused by abnormal and uncontrolled cell
division. It may spread to other parts of the body through the lymphatic system or the
bloodstream.” (definition from the World Wide Web)
Cancer changed our lives. In October 2013, we received the shocking news. My
mama was diagnosed with breast cancer. At first, we all broke down, especially me,
since I’m an unica hija. Knowing that my mama had a life-threatening disease, I couldn’t
stop asking the question, “Will my mama die?” The word acceptance was far from my
mind.
When my mama underwent the operation to have her left breast removed, I wasn’t
by her side. I was in the school, but I was anxious the whole time. Fortunately, she
survived the first stage. The next stage was chemotherapy, which made her suffer even
more, but this time, I was there to support her. I saw my mama cry because of pain and
pity herself because of the hair loss. But the thing is, she never gave up, she fought
courageously.
A year has already passed and she’s still fighting the daily battle of her life.
Nevertheless, we’re here to support, comfort, and love her.
ALL I WANT TO SAY TO MAMA IS THAT…
Ma, I love you! I may not be the perfect daughter you want me to be, but one thing
is for sure, I won’t let go of you! No, not now… Thanks for your love and support. Now
I realize it’s my turn to take care of you. At first I thought cancer would be the thing that
would separate us fromeach other, and that cancer is the worst thing that happened
us, but once again I was wrong. Cancer is the most wonderful blessing that God has
showered upon our family. Cancer doesn’t ruin families. It is a challenge or a test, and if
your family survives it, there’s an overflowing of blessings that will come into your lives
and make your family stronger. Cancer will make your faith in God more solid than ever.
God will not give you a challenge you could not bear. Just have faith in Him and He will
help you in your darkest time. Again, Ma, I love you!
70-/0tBOOKWATCH
45
R
CREATORS’
RIGHTS
t
s
r
to
o
ge t
th
u
a
young
There are many, free,
authoritative resources on
copyright and creators’ rights, if
one knows where to look. This presumes,
of course, that one is aware of the concept
of copyright in the first place, and
interested in how to protect it.
Increasingly, however, it’s becoming
difficult to presume that all new writers
care about copyright.
In earlier times, this would be a given.
It’s why many of these resources, though
46 BOOKWATCHt70-/0
o
H
ow
rra
e
by
Mina V. Esgu
ca
re
.
t
h
g
i
r
y
p
o
C
?
t
a
h
w
So
well-intentioned, simply do not address
the fundamental question that some new
authors are asking: “So what? Why care
about copyright?”
I stumbled upon this attitude when I
became active in the Wattpad community,
and began to interact with young authors
who were posting stories and amassing a
following, perhaps without realizing the
value of what they were doing. The advice
column I started has gone on to get over
200,000 views, and over 1,000 comments,
in one year. I’ve used my Wattpad column
to facilitate these discussions between
the writers, and lawyers, publishers and
IP experts. The sustained interest in my
column, and the recurring questions I get
from authors -- particularly those college
age and younger -- make it clear to me
that we cannot get by on old assumptions.
Copyright needs to be explained to
the young, and in a better way, an updated
way. There is a need to do more than just
list the legal aspects of “economic rights”
and “moral rights” -- these rights must be
made relevant to them in a tangible way.
Just as when writing books we must know
our audience, effective copyright advice
will take into account where new writers
are coming from. From my experience,
these are some things to consider:
Many young/new writers don’t
realize that they could already
be publishing.
Maybe they’re not getting paid
yet, but they’re posting their thoughts,
opinions, art, stories online. The work
is time-stamped, archived in multiple
locations, and viewed by an audience
of potentially millions. Someone is
probably already making money off this
work, from the site host taking in ads, to
various other sponsorships that exclude
the author. And yet that author has built
a platform, successfully marketed his or
her work, and yes, already has copyright.
There is a prevailing impression among
young authors that their work is not
protected until it has been registered -- or,
more insidious, that their work, being
online and not printed, is not yet worth
registering.
Beyond copyright,
we need to explain to
authors the full range
of rights they now
have control over,
and might be giving
up -- that copyright
goes far beyond
merely printing and
selling a text. They
may not want to give
those other rights up
as easily, but may be
unaware that they are
already doing so.
Many young/new writers think
if they’re not in it for the money,
copyright doesn’t matter.
I’ve attempted to explain copyright
in terms of economic rights before, and
have more than once been faced with
the dreaded, “So what?” Because it is
entirely possible that they are doing this
for love. Someone with this mindset may
be vulnerable to giving up copyright
completely, forever, in exchange for
something they value more than money:
the “dream” of seeing their name on a
book spine, placed prominently on a
bookstore shelf. Whatever the reason
they might choose, I have often said that
ultimately the decision belongs to the
author -- but that decision must, for the
sake of fairness, be an informed decision.
For instance, it is useful to remind them
that copyright’s “death plus 50 years”
duration means that the value of a story
does not need to show itself immediately,
that it can emerge in their children’s
generation and still be of use, but if they
give away their copyright, that potential
too is lost.
Many young/new writers
care about the future of their
creations.
One may be tempted from the above
to think that many young or new authors
do not value their creations, but this is
not true. It is just that when copyright
is framed as a way to earn, authors
often couldn’t care less -- but when it is
described as a case of ownership and care
for the characters and world that they
created, this resonates more. What does
giving up copyright mean for the authors?
Can they write more stories using the
same characters? Can they write sequels?
Will sequels be expected of them, or
can the new rights owner continue the
story and hire someone else to write it?
Can movies be made where the character
appears but is substantially altered?
Beyond copyright, we need to explain to
authors the full range of rights they now
have control over, and might be giving up
-- that copyright goes far beyond merely
printing and selling a text. They may not
want to give those other rights up as easily,
but may be unaware that they are already
doing so.
Unpublished, in the traditional sense,
does not mean powerless. A young author
who is honing her skills online may
already be a skilled marketer, a community
builder, and a digital publishing pioneer.
It’s unfortunate that the knowledge of
copyright is coming late, and that there is
as yet no official, institutionalized manner
by which authors may be so educated
(but this may not be the case for long
-- see “Miranda Warnings and Creator
Protection”). Once writers understand
what it means to protect their own
creations, that this has artistic and not just
economic aspects, they’ll be more vigilant
about IP violations. The welfare of their
created worlds, their written thoughts -that is the currency which matters to them.
Best to inform them early, on wrong
information before they make decisions
based on the wrong information. Before
they make decisions that damage or
destroy their love for their art.
Mina V. Esguerra is a romance
author. She also posts publishing and
writing advice on Wattpad. Visit
wattpad.com/MinaVE.
70-/0tBOOKWATCH
47
R
CREATORS’
RIGHTS
“You have the right to remain
silent.” This is a phrase that’s
been made familiar to most by
way of the ubiquitous police procedurals
and dramas, both Philippine and
American. The Miranda Rights, as the
series of warnings are sometimes called,
require that a person under investigation
be informed of his rights, among others,
to silence and to (in our jurisdiction)
competent and independent counsel.
They exist in order to strike a balance
48 BOOKWATCHt70-/0
between the suspect and the police, since
the power of the police may pressure a
suspect into saying things he/she may
not otherwise intend. The reading of
the rights gives the suspect a respite and
a reminder, in order to better consider
the rights that he/she has, and to make
an informed decision on how to use or
waive those rights.
It’s understandable why one would
think that this has nothing to do with
copyright -- but start thinking of
publishers/licensors as the police, and
creators as suspects, within the context
of contractual negotiations. In today’s
connected and content-hungry world,
where young creators are putting their
work out in public -- and attracting the
interest of licensors -- before they have
even graduated from college (or even
high school), the inequality of power and
information between new creators and
licensors has never been greater. (See the
article “Copyright. So What?”) The fact
that information on copyright is available
on the Internet does not by itself
eliminate this disparity, as it can require
a guide to navigate the vast amounts of
information on the Web, and separate
what is true and relevant from the rest.
That not all licensors will seek to
take advantage of this inequality is no
excuse to ignore that it exists, and that
some have in fact abused it. Considering
that those most vulnerable to abuse are
new writers and young writers makes the
situation all the more untenable, as few
things would sabotage the future cultural
heritage of the country as would the
disenfranchisement of our literary and
cultural future.
The State, for its part, has realized
that it has an obligation to level the
playing field between licensors -- not
uncommonly corporate entities with
access to lawyers / legal teams -- and
individual creators. A bill proposing a
“Creator’s Protection Act”(H.B.5557)
has recently been filed in the House
of Representatives by Congresswoman
Emmeline Y. Aglipay in response “to
entities that seek to take advantage of
the increase in new creators by enticing
them to enter into contracts which prove
detrimental to the creators in the longterm.” As a suspect must be informed of
certain rights before any confession made
becomes admissible in Court, so does this
bill create a list of items that a contract
must contain, before any assignment or
transfer of copyright is deemed valid.
Whether or not the bill will pass into
law is still uncertain, but if its provisions
are indeed beneficial to the rights of
creators, perhaps the creative industries,
particularly the publishing industry,
should adopt the same, or a similar set
of guidelines, as a voluntary set of best
practices. To this end, relevant portions
of the “Creator’s Protection Act” are
listed below. But even if there are those
who do not agree with these provisions in
their entirety, it is clear that the current
status quo leaves new writers far too
vulnerable to exploitation. The following
provisions are included in the hope that
they at least start a conversation with
regard to how the publishing industry
can best ensure a bright and self-sufficient
future for writers in the country.
EXCERPTS FROM THE PROPOSED
“CREATOR’S PROTECTION ACT” (H.B.5557)
SECTION. Copyright Transfer Pre-Requisites. - No transfer, assignment,
or license of copyright shall be valid, if the contract does not contain, in a language
understood by the author:
(a) The Copyright Primer Clause in Section 6 of this Act;
(b) A term, or if the assignment is in perpetuity, the contract must state the same
explicitly;
(c) As an annex, the full text of the Copyright Primer in Section 5 of this Act;
The author must have been in knowing possession of a physical or digital copy of the
contract for at least forty-eight (48) hours before he or she can validly sign the contract and
consent to the transfer/assignment of copyright.
None of the abovementioned pre-requisites may be waived.
SECTION. Copyright Primer. - The following are some of the major rights that belong to
the creator or author of a work under the Intellectual Property Code, and they remain with
the creator/author until the creator/author assigns or transfers all or a part of these rights to
another person by way of a written contract or by force of law:
(1) The Right to Reproduce - The right to make a copy of the work.
(2) The Right to Transform - This right includes acts such as adaptation, translation,
dramatization, and abridgment.
(3) The Right to Distribute - The right to transfer ownership of the work or copies of the
same.
(4) The Right to Rent
(5) The Right to Public Display of the Work
(6) The Right to Public Performance of the Work
(7) The Right to Communicate the Work to the Public
Each of the abovementioned rights may be transferred as a whole to another person or
entity, or in part, and may be qualified with regard to language, territory, exclusivity, format,
term, or contingency. (An author may limit the right to reproduce his or her work to the
Philippines alone, for instance, or limit the right to show to a period of ten days.)
The author is also entitled to Moral Rights, which include the following:
(1) To require that the authorship of the works be attributed to him/her, in particular, the
right that his/her name, as far as practicable, be indicated in a prominent way on the
copies, and in connection with the public use of his/her work;
(2) To make any alterations of his/her work prior to, or to withhold it from publication;
(3) To object to any distortion, mutilation or other modification of, or other derogatory
action in relation to, his/her work which would be prejudicial to his/her honor or
reputation; and
(4) To restrain the use of his/her name with respect to any work not of his/her own
creation or in a distorted version of his work.
SECTION. Copyright Primer Clause. - Every transfer or assignment of copyright
shall contain the following provision, in a language understood by the author, as a separate
and stand-alone provision, verbatim; provided, that the terms in brackets are substituted by
the terms used in the actual contract:
“In compliance with the Creator Protection Act, the [Transferee] hereby warrants that the
[Author] has been appraised of [his/her] rights under the Intellectual Property Code, that the
[Author] has read the Copyright Primer annexed to this [Agreement], and that the [Author]
understands these rights and has been in knowing possession of a physical or digital copy
of this [Agreement] for at least forty-eight (48) hours before [he/she] has signed the same.
A breach of this warranty shall render this [Agreement] null and void.”
70-/0tBOOKWATCH
49
K
KAPIHAN
Kapihan Sessions:
DUMAGETE and DAVAO
In pursuit of its mandate, the NBDB must regularly touch
base with stakeholders in the industry. The Kapihan is a
series of conversations initiated by NBDB with the goal of
fostering a more engaged community of publishing professionals
in the country. To encourage dialogue and the exchange of ideas,
NBDB hosted a total of thirteen Kapihan Sessions to consult and
advise creators, publishers, readers, teachers, librarians, and other
stakeholders, often with regard to specific issues relating to content
creation, copyright protection, building readers, the publishing
industry supply, and the ASEAN economic integration in 2015.
Some Kapihan Sessions were focused not on specific issues but
instead sought feedback from different localities, in an effort to
come to a better understanding of the particular needs and issues
of stakeholders in areas outside of Metro Manila.
This article highlights two such sessions, one in Dumagete, and
one in Davao.
Kapihan sa
Davao
During a visit taking place on December
15 to 20 of last year, the NBDB held a
series of Kapihan sessions with various
active players in the Davao publishing
scene. Each session catered to a
specific group of stakeholders, serving
to introduce the NBDB’s services and
programs and, more importantly, to
hear the specific needs and prevailing
concerns of each group.
The Kapihan session held on the
morning of December 16 was for
authors, with both established and
aspiring writers discussing not only
issues in the Davao literary scene, but
also more general concerns such as the
accessibility of books and sustainability
of activities for indigenous communities
in Mindanao. Among the authors who
participated in the first Kapihan were
Tita Lacambra-Ayala, Maria Morales,
and Ricardo de Ungria. The roundtable
discussion with authors was followed
by a Kapihan session with publishers,
printers, and booksellers including the
Ateneo de Davao University Press, FSP
Paulines Publishing Co., Imageworld
Digital Printing, King Printers Davao Inc.,
Midtown Printing, and SwitoTwins, Inc.
The back-to-back Kapihan sessions
that took place in the morning and
afternoon of December 18 were for
librarians and reading groups/book
clubs respectively. Librarians from
Brokenshire College, Davao City Library,
Holy Cross of Davao College, University
of Mindanao, and UP Mindanao actively
shared their opinions about the existing
opportunities and challenges in their
50 BOOKWATCHt70-/0
Kapihan sa Dumagete
NBDB representatives were at Silliman University at
Dumagete, well-known for the Silliman University National
Writers Workshop, on December 11 and 12 in order to consult
with members of the Dumagete book industry, as well as
disseminate information regarding the NBDB’s various projects
and programs. Among those present during the sessions
were Lorna T. Yso (Library Director, Silliman University Library),
Gima G. Cornelia (Clerk IV-OIC, Dumaguete City Public Library),
Lucrecia Averia (Chief Librarian, St. Paul University, Dumaguete)
Bron Teves (co-owner, Byblos Library) and Queenie Guibao
(coordinator, RockEd Dumaguete).
The participants in the Kapihan Session discussed
initiuatives to promote reading and improve local publishing and
distribution in Dumagete, many of which emphasized the role
that libraries can and do play in promoting reading. Suggestions
were given concerning the ways by which the NBDB and the
local government could assist the projects of libraries and
reading centers, particularly with regard to the expansion
of Filipiniana materials. Other programs being planned in
Dumagete include the creation of more reading materials in the
mother tongue, digitization, and development of more comics
and graphic novels which are very popular in the region.
Bicol Book Fair
respective libraries and communities.
During the afternoon session, a
discussion with over a dozen members
of different book clubs/reading
groups capped the NBDB’s Davao
Kapihan Sessions. Among the groups
represented were Pulong, Salem, The
Readers Council, UP Literary Society,
and Young Davao Writers.
Flanked between the Kapihan
session days was NBDB’s brief visit to
the Davao City Library on February 17.
A research was done to acquire a list of
local titles housed in the library—found
in the section named Dabaweñana.
This is through Booklatan sa Bayan, one
of NBDB’s programs, which features
a series of seminars and workshops
especially tailored for every community
it visits. The quarterly program will
come to Davao within the second
quarter of 2015. In the past, Booklatan
sa Bayan has visited Valenzuela,
Malabon, Makati, Iloilo, and Tacloban.
The Bikol Book Fair took place last year from
November 24-25. A project of Ateneo de Naga
University in partnership with National Book
Development Board, Ateneo College Reading Center,
Ateneo Center for Arts and Culture and the University
Library, it was a venue for the exchange of ideas
amongst writers, aspiring writers, and readers while
promoting local literature and books. Speakers such as
Kristian Cordero, Jay Salvosa, Carlos O. Aureus, Adrian
Remodo, Dr. Paz Verdades Santos, Tito Valiente and
Fr. Wilmer Tria helped attract more than five hundred
people to the event on each day.
Allan Derain poses
for a picture with Fr.
Wilmer Tria after his
discussion and book
signing of Ang Banal
na Aklat ng mga
Kumag
Ateneo de Naga University (AdNU) students
support their University Press’ published works.
AdNU Press Director,
Fr. Wilmer Tria,
discusses book
translation.
70-/0tBOOKWATCH
51
U
O
UPCOMING
RELEASES
OBITUARIES
Selected Recently Released
and
Upcoming Titles
*Release dates are estimates only and cover art may not be final.
Obituaries
VISPRINT
Alvin Capino
(1950-2014)
Journalist and columnist Alvin Matthew
Donnie Ramirez
Palmes Capino died at 64.
(1941-2014)
Capino was a columnist at Manila
Standard Today and lead anchor of
a radio program on DWIZ. He also
worked as a commentator at radio
networks DZRH, DWWW, and Radio
Veritas, and was a columnist as well at
Philippine Free Press and Today.
Columnist Donnie Ramirez died at 73 on
(1955-2014)
Romance novel writer Martha Cecilia died at 59 on December
Mother of Filipino Folklore Damiana Eugenio
8, 2014 in Meycauyan, Bulacan. A bachelor’s degree holder from the UP
College of Education (cum laude), Eugenio
took her masteral studies in English Literature
at Mount Holyoke College Massachusetts. She
earned her doctoral degree from the
University of California in Los Angeles,
United States. She was honored with the
title Professor Emeritus by the University of the
Philippines Diliman.
Eugenio is acclaimed for her anthologies of
Filipino myths, epics, folktales, and proverbs.
Among her awards are: Ina ng Folklor ng
Pilipinas, from the U.P. Folklorists, Inc. and
the U.P. Folklore Studies Program (1986);
Professional Achievement Award in the
Humanities (Folklore Studies), from the
U.P. Alumni Association (1987); National
Book Award for Literary History, for Awit at
Corrido, from the Manila Critics Circle (1988);
Achievement Award in the Humanities,
from the Philippine National Science Society
(1989); Catholic Mass Media Award, Best
Book in English, for Philippine Folk Literature:
The Folktales (1990); 1991 Philippine Board
on Books for Young People Life Achievement
Award; Gawad CCP Para sa Sining (Cultural
Research) (1992); Gawad ng Pambansang
Alagad ni Balagtas, from the Unyon ng mga
Manunulat sa Pilipinas (1993); and a citation
for Philippine Folk Literature Series, from the
Manila Critics Circle (1995)
Eugenio, a Professor Emeritus, was honored by
UP Diliman with a celebration titled “Parangal
kay Dening: Ina ng Folklore: The Legacy of
DamianaLigon Eugenio, Ph.D,” which had
testimonials from her colleagues and readings
from her works. 52 BOOKWATCHt70-/0
Jose Y. Dalisay, Jr.
Ramirez was a Lifestyle society
columnist for Metro Magazine. He
also worked for the Manila Chronicle
and Philippine Daily Inquirer. He was
also a PR and advertising executive. (1921-2014)
died at 93 on October 10, 2014.
A Man Called Tet: The
Biography of Congressman
Enrique “Tet” Garcia, Jr.
April 8, 2014.
Martha Cecilia
Damiana L. Eugenio
ANVIL
Martha Cecilia was the pen name of Maribeth dela Cruz,
mother of four, and two of her children have also gone on
toe become writers under the pen names JP Adrian and
Tsina Cajayon. Cecilia was a best-selling author of romance
pocketbook novels, many of which have been adapted
and serialized by ABS-CBN through the Precious Hearts
Romances Presents series.
Si
Our Darkest Hours
Naermyth 2: Revelations
Ang “SI” ay kuwento ng pag-ibig,
hindi romansa; at pagmamahal,
hindi relasyon; Tungkol ito
sa kakayahan, pagkakataon,
pananagutan, at karapatan
nating lahat na magmahal.
RELEASE: January.
The eight stories in this collection
grapple with the different
ways by which humans handle
frustration. They may be ugly,
they may be ruthless, but they
remain dark mirrors of the world
that we live in. And who best to
show us these hidden and darker
selves than the men and women
who have nothing left to lose,
who are trapped in their darkest
hours, and unable to wait for the
coming of the dawn.
RELEASE: February.
Following the events of the
previous novel, Athena finds
herself against an entity far more
malevolent than the Naermyth
or the monster she’s become.
Reality is shattered once again,
revealing the dark truths behind
the creatures she thought were
her enemies and the people she
chose to trust.
RELEASE: May.
Bob Ong
Jose Miguel Arguelles
Karen Francisco
Gagambeks at mga
Kuwentong Waratpad
Mark Angeles
The characters peopling Mark
Angeles’ short story collection
attempt to speak from the
margines of both society and
understanding. The stories are
difficult to read and more difficult
not to. Angeles collects our
harshest, most painful memories,
and recasts them in imaginings
that are vivid, poignant, and
Filipino.
RELEASE: March.
Princess Maryam
Dino Balabo
Abdulmari Asia Imao
(1969-2014)
(1936-2014)
Editor and environmental journalist Dino
National Artist for Visual Arts Abdulmari
Balabo died at 45 on September 1, 2014.
Asia Imao died at 78.
A reporter and editor for Mabuhay, a
weekly regional newspaper in Central
Luzon, Balabo was regarded as a pillar in
community journalism. He worked for
local publications Punto Central Luzon
in Bulacan and Central Luzon Business
Weekly in Pampanga. As a correspondent,
he became a part of Philippine Start
and Pilipino Star Ngayon. He was also
a contributor for GMA News Online,
a radio host for RadyoBulacan’s daily
program on 90.3 FM, and a part-time
instructor at the Bulacan State University.
His awards include the 2006 UNICEF
citation for bird flu reporting and the 2010
Jaime V. Ongpin Journalism Fellowship. While renowned for his works as a
sculptor and painter, Imao was also
a writer, cultural researcher, and
articulator of Philippine Muslim art
and culture. He was also distinguished
as a photographer, ceramist, and
filmmaker. It was in the mid-1960s
when he devoted his time to research
the art and people of Sulu. Among the
works of research that he conducted
were A Documentary Photographic Survey
of the Sulu People for Ateneo,Study
on Sulu Art under a CNI Research
Grant, and A Study of Sulu Tribes with
the UE Research Center for Sciences,
Humanities and Cultural Research.
Eric Cabahug
What happens when 8-year
old Catholic girl, Princess, and
7-year old Muslim girl, Maryam,
meet in an ancestral farm in
Zamboanga? They instantly
bond over their shared love for
dolls and become BFFs over
the course of one summer,
as they learn the value of
family, friendship, and true
faith. “Princess Maryam” is a
children’s story for readers of all
ages, beliefs and persuasions.
RELEASE: March.
Titser Pangkalawakan
Joselito Delos Reyes
Kikomachine Komix Blg.
11:
Mga Kirot Ng Kapalaran
Manix Abrera
The latest in the popular
Kikomachine Komix series.
RELEASE: March
Ang Autografia ng Ibang Lady Gaga
Jack Alvarez
In “Ang Autografia...”, the reader follows an unnamed OFW making
his way through the Middle East and its men. He is assaulted with
news from home--a sick mother and the tension between her and
her two other children, all dependent on their eldest brother abroad.
Through financial struggles, racism, discrimination, and sexual
abuse, Alvarez communicates all the challenges of trying to live
apart from home, trying to make a home.
RELEASE: April.
Narito ang maaangas na hiyas
ng kaalamang hatid sa atin ng
nag-iisang Titser Pangkalawakan
ng social network: Paano mo
mapapaamo ang mabangis na
biyenan? O paano sasabihin
sa nanay mong bagsak ka sa
Calculus? Nang tatlong beses?
Ano ba talaga ang ibig sabihin
ng “sinibak sa pwesto” kapag
nadidinig o nababasa natin ito
sa balita? Lahat ay maaaring
matalsikan ng karunungan.
Lahat ay matututo. Basta’t
mayroon kang damdaming
marunong umibig.
At marunong ding masaktan.
Nasa kamay mo na ang angas
ng Titser Pangkalawakan. Huwag
mo nang bitawan.
RELEASE: April.
His colleagues called him “the pitbull
of Congress”—not without some
affection—knowing that once he had
latched on to a cause, Enrique “Tet”
Garcia Jr. would not let go, no matter the political fallout.
Serving both as congressman and governor of Bataan, Garcia
transformed the province into a national model in such areas
as health, education, and business development. He defended
Bataan’s interests, threatened by opportunistic elements, arguing
on Bataan’s behalf before the Supreme Court even if he had no
law degree. But beyond Bataan, he has addressed national issues,
uncovering a scam that has defrauded the government of untold
billions of pesos, and leading a campaign to give local governments
their due from national revenues. This book is the biography of an
extraordinary public servant. RELEASE: February.
Never Just Friends
Mina V. Esguerra
Lindsay and Jake have loved each other
(as friends) since their senior year in
college, and she made sure they didn’t
become more than that. The guy now
known as Jacob Berkeley, star of a
wildly successful TV show, was always
too much for her.
They’ve kept up this low-maintenance
friendship for years, surviving
graduation, their new careers, her
move to New York City to work as an
environment consultant. But then, days before a big climate change
conference, he shows up, with big news. Jake wants to pick up
what he never managed to finish in college. He wants to save
forests again, work in environmental research—and he wants her.
Don’t fall in love with Jake . . . Why again? RELEASE: January.
Welcome to Envy Park
Mina V. Esguerra
Moira Vasquez is a doer. A planner. A get-up-and-goer. At twentytwo, she left her hometown to work in Singapore, to satisfy a
need to travel as well as to give her savings account a boost.
Five years later and she’s back in Manila, with a shiny new
apartment to her name, but no job, no career, no boyfriend. She
meets Ethan Lorenzo, the quiet hunk of an IT consultant on the ninth
floor of her condo building, and he’s a welcome distraction during
this period of having absolutely nothing going on in her life.
But she has a plan—of course she does—and this is just a short
layover on the way to the next country, the next job, the next big
thing. Or will she be missing out on something great that’s already
there? RELEASE: January.
The Harder We Fall
Mina V. Esguerra
Nicholas is unlike anyone Daria has ever dated, and yet he hasn’t
left her mind since she got her hands on the 23-year-old rugby
player when he took a tumble during the game. But they aren’t
even really dating; a fast fling is all they have time for. He’s heading
to Japan to play pro and is only in town to tie loose ends. She’s
graduating in three weeks, and is only covering his struggling rugby
club to win an internship spot in a documentary that’ll start filming
in Europe. Getting what they want means they don’t get to stay
together. But that doesn’t mean they can’t have fun—as long as
they don’t fall hard. RELEASE: January.
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UPCOMING
RELEASES
VIBAL
Si Kaitlin at ang Game
Machine
kulong sa kaniyang kuwarto si Kaitlin.
agin ng kaniyang mga magulang
ndi na rin naeehersisyo nang sapat
awan. Lahat ng iyan dahil sa pagkababad
sa computer o tablet.
ago ang lahat nang kaniyang nakilala
ng nakapagsasalita at nagdala sa kaniya
hindi niya makalilimutan.
locks herself in her room. Her parents have
her to eat. Her body doesn’t get enough exercise.
ause she’s engrossed in playing the computer or tablet.
changed when she met a talking machine
a place she would never forget.
Fedinand Pisigan Jarin.
Illustrated by Manix
Abrera.
Laging nakakulong sa
kaniyang kuwarto si Kaitlin.
e
Gam
Hirap siyang tawagin ng
lin
Kait
kaniyang mga magulang
tuwing kainan. Hindi na
rin naeehersisyo nang
sapat ang kaniyang
katawan. Lahat ng iyan
dahil sa pagkababad niya
sa paglalaro sa computer o tablet. Ngunit nagbago ang lahat
nang kaniyang nakilala ang isang makinang nakapagsasalita at
nagdala sa kaniya sa isang lugar na hindi niya makalilimutan.
RELEASE: February.
e
hin
Mac
and
Ku
the
we
nt
o ni
/S
to
ry
by
G. Araneta Ave.
cor. Ma. Clara St.
Quezon City
ns
tio
ra
st
Illu
ni /
hit
by
Gu
Si Julie Gandionco at ang Kaniyang Panaderya
Genaro R. Gojo Cruz
Simula pagkabata ay nakagisnan na ni Julie ang paghahanap
ng pagkakakitaan. Sinubukan niya ang iba’t ibang negosyo para
mabigyan ng maginhawang buhay ang kaniyang pamilya. At
hindi siya tumigil magsikap upang mapalago ang panaderyang
patuloy na namamayagpag sa bansa. Julie has been used to
making a living since she was young. She ventured into different
businesses to provide a comfortable life for her family. She didn’t
stop striving to expand the bakeshop that continues to reign in
the country.
RELEASE: April.
Anna in the Town of Partas-Gasto
Anna Liza Gaspar
The town of Partas-Gasto is known for its people who spend
money fast. For its residents, a day doesn’t go by without buying
anything new—except for young, thrifty Anna. She doesn’t buy
things she doesn’t need, and everyone thinks she’s different
and should be taught to spend. But Anna cannot be talked
into spending money on things she wouldn’t use. The little girl
decides to leave the town and look for a place where thrifty
people like her live.
RELEASE: May.
Si Dudong, ang Bago Kong Kaklase / Dudong, My
New Classmate
Ferdinand Pisigan Jarin
Laging pinagtatawanan ng buong klase si Dudong. Kakaiba kasi
ang kaniyang pananalita. Lagi siyang tinutukso ng kaniyang mga
kaklase dahil sa baluktot raw niyang dila. Pero natigil ang lahat
ng ito nang malaman ng klase ang pinagdaanan ni Dudong sa
probinsiyang kaniyang pinanggalingan.
The whole class always laughs at Dudong. This is because he
has a different manner of speaking. His classmates always tease
him because of his twisted tongue. But all these things stopped
when the class learned of what Dudong went through in the
province he came from.
RELEASE: May.
Ate Anna: Kuwento ni Anna Meloto-Wilk
Russell Molina
Nakatira si Rosa sa Gawad Kalinga, isang pamayanang itinayo
ng pamilya ni Ate Anna. Ang pamilyang iyon ang nagbigay ng
pag-asa sa pamilya ni Rosa at sa marami pang mahihirap
na Pilipino. Dahil kay Ate Anna, marami ang nabigyan ng
hanapbuhay, natutong mangalaga sa kalikasan, at nagsumikap
abutin ang mga pangarap.
RELEASE: April.
Creatures at Home
Liwliwa Malabed
There are creatures in my house that only I can see. They come
in different forms on different days. All these creatures scare
me and make me feel unsafe in my own home. How do I drive
them away?
RELEASE: April.
54 BOOKWATCHt70-/0
Nasaan si Nanay?
ATENEO DE NAGA UNIVERSITY PRESS
OMF
Literature, Inc.
#Pag-ibig: Mga Aporismo ng Pagnanasa at
Pagsinta Rolando Tolentino
“Salamat sa Twitter. Heto na yata ang maituturing na pinaka“pop” na gawa ni Roland. Sa mga bite-sized one-liners na ito
may insight, may satori moments, parang mga haiku o koan
pero mas madaling intindihin. Sa Twitter ni Roland, maraming
puwedeng ihambing sa pag-ibig. Para itong kape, mainit na
sabaw, lugaw, o arroz caldo. Para itong Oscar nomination,
midterm exam, pagkain ng Chocnut, book launch, kimchi,
kinilaw, UPCAT, Cinemalaya, X-factor sa showbiz, biyahe sa todos
los santos. Para daw itong Sarah’s sa Krus na Ligas (murang
beer, good company pero mabaho daw ang CR!).
Pero pinaka-winner — at napatawa ako nang malakas —ang
paghahalintulad niya sa naunsiyaming pag-ibig sa sabon na
nahulog sa common shower time ng city jail na panlalake. “Wag
nang tangkaing pulutin pa.” Gusto ko ‘tong i-print sa T-shirt.” - Lourd De Veyra RELEASE: February.
Liwliwa Malabed
Maraming pinagtatanungan si Tong, ngunit walang makasagot
sa kaniyang tanong. Lahat ng kaniyang kinakausap ay tila mailap
kung sumagot. Lagi na lang ipinapasa si Tong sa ibang puwede
niyang lapitan. Bakit nga ba walang makasagot sa kaniyang
katungang “ Nasaan si Nanay?”
RELEASE: May.
Binibining Bettina Bote
Periwinkle Cajuiat
Si Bettina Bote ay puno ng inumin na gustong-gusto ng mga
tao. Kaso lang, kapag nainom na siya, maaari siyang mawala at
ayaw niyang mangyari iyon. Kaya gagawin niya ang lahat para
makatakas. Ano kaya ang mangyayari kay Bettina Bote kapag
naubos na siya?
People like Bettina Bote’s fill. However, when she goes empty, she
will no longer be useful anymore and she doesn’t want something
like that to happen. She will do anything just to escape the fate of
other empty bottles. What will happen to Bettina Bote when her
body becomes empty?
RELEASE: April.
May Gulong na Bahay
Genaro R. Gojo Cruz
Kakaiba ang tirahan ng isang mag-ama sa Binondo. Wala itong
pintuan o mga bintana, at ang bubong nito ay mababa lamang.
Isa rin itong sasakyang nakararating kung saan-saan. Isang araw,
ipinarada saglit ng mag-ama ang kanilang tirahan. Sa kanilang
pagbalik ay wala na ito sa kanilang pinag-iwanan! Muli pa kayang
makikita ng dalawa ang kanilang may gulong na bahay?
There’s an unusual house in Binondo where a father and his son
live. It doesn’t have a door or windows, and its roof hangs low. It’s
also a car that can go anywhere. One day, the father and his son
parked their house for a little while. When they returned, it was
not where they left it! Will the two ever find their wheeled house
again?
RELEASE: April.
Time’s Enchantment and Other Reflections
Marne Kilates
Time’s Enchantment & Other Reflections is award-winning poet
Marne Kilates’ new collection ranging over old and new themes
of his idyllic childhood in the province and the nightmare of his
hometown catching up with the urban mayhem of his adult
life. But each is not without its own seduction: the mystery of
memory, the constant presence of beauty and disorder, but also
the fascination of artistic experience. Thus, the “Fold of piña/
Crinkle of jusi,” or the “cloud in the petal” of the Benguet lily
inevitably clash or kiss with visions of the “Selfie in the mirror”
and “Capital (continuing) to eat our children.” RELEASE: April.
Attitude 101: Mga Dapat
Malaman ng Bawat Leader
(Taglish translation)
John C. Maxwell (translated by
Faith Tamayo)
Leadership guru John C. Maxwell
distills insights and learnings from
his many leadership books into this
short, easy-to-read book on how a
person’s attitude affects not only his
or her personal success, but also
that of his or her team, group, or
organization. Translated into Taglish
to reach more readers, Attitude 101
also shows which attitudes to avoid
and which to cultivate to ensure
success in life.
RELEASE: March.
The Fog: Stories and Poems Luis Cabalquinto
“Luis Cabalquinto is a poet and dandy or anyway was a smartie
when he was still attending writers workshops. ‘The Fog’ is
characteristic of his humor: very dry. Since Cabalquinto is primarily an urbanite, it’s amazing how
acutely he hymns the pastoral, capturing the accent and the atmosphere, locating us firmly in the
boondocks. He has a witty tale to tell -- and though we laugh, the laughter is from shock.” -- Nick
Joaquin
Tate’s Midnight and Other Stories Socorro Federis-Tate
“Socorro Federis-Tate and her literatures in this collection are pressing against many limits of
the English language and the language we use to deal with those outside the ambit of our class.
There are many unsaid in her works, which allow the short stories to work, to borrow again
the words of Khair. There are histories mocked by astute observations that are judging but not
bigoted, charming rather than condescending. At the same time, the writer does not refract
her documentation with uninformed position. She has data and she is utilizing them to bracket
anthropological burdens and fill gaps where sallow emotions and, maybe, didactic postures
threaten to take over. “ - Tito Genova Valiente. RELEASE: May
Si Bob da Blob
Ferdinand Pisigan Jarin
Hilig ni Bob ang pakikipaglaro kasama ang kaniyang mga
kaibigan. Kaya lang, mabilis siyang napapagod mula sa
pakikipagtakbuhan. Hilig din ni Bob ang pagkain ng marami kaya
naman siya ay bilugan. Dahil sa kaniyang katabaan ay tinutukso
siyang Bob da Blob ng kaniyang mga kaibigan.
Bob is fond of playing with his friends. But he easily gets tired
from all the running. He also likes eating plenty, making him round.
Because of his chubbiness, his friends tease him by calling him
Bob da Blob. RELEASE: April.
Tilling Fields, Reports, Repost & Reflections Gabriel Hidalgo Bordado
This is the first book of Gabriel Hidalgo Bordado who started his career as a local journalist and
eventually joined the local government of Naga, serving as Vice Mayor to the late DILG Secretary
Jesse Robredo. The book contains his early poems written during the heights of Martial Law, book
reviews and essays on the Bikol river, and the Penafrancia celebration, to name a few. RELEASE:
May.
Si Lakambakod at ang mga Diwata ng Hardin
Eugene Y. Evasco
Sa tulong ng mga diwata, hinubog ni Lakambakad ang alikabok
upang bumuo ng mga halaman. At dahil sa pagkabighani ni
Bathala ay kaniya itong hinandugan ng limang kahong nagbigay
buhay at ganda sa kanila. Ngunit batid ni Lakambakod na hindi
pa sapat ang mga ito, kaya siya ay naghandog ng isang bagay na
ikinagalit ni Bathala.
RELEASE: May.
Bumabara-bara-bara! (Oyayi Series #1)
Fernando Gonzalez
Sa saglit na pag-ulan sa Isla Oyayi ay dali-daling nagbaha at sa
tubig ay nagpalutang-lutang ang sari-saring basura! Nalaman ng
magkakaibigang Bon Haribon, Dok Pil, Diva Butanding, Tarsiera, at
Tama Raw na nagmumula ang mga basura sa mataas na gusali ni
Kwago Zhibago. Paano kaya sosolusyonan ng mga magkakaibigan
ang pagdami ng mga basurang bumabara-bara-bara? RELEASE:
April.
Tita Mommy
Bong Oris
Regina wonders why everyone congratulates her daddy and Tita
Cecile. She gets confused when they tell her that Tita Cecile will
soon be her mommy. But she already has Mommy Cris who lives
in another country! RELEASE: April. (Tentative.)
Desiderio Asin Iba Pang Patu-Pato Rodel Anosa
The first book of poetry in Ticaonon by poet Rodel Anosa who is also a public school teacher
in Masbate. Anosa was a fellow for Bikol poetry in the 2010 Ateneo de Manila National Writers
Workshop. RELEASE: May.
Self-Improvement 101: Mga
Dapat Malaman ng Bawat
Leader (Taglish translation)
John C. Maxwell (translated by
Beng Alba-Jones)
Translated into contemporary
Taglish to reach more readers, SelfImprovement 101 gleans principles
and insights from the books on
leadership and personal development
by renowned leadership expert John
C. Maxwell and condenses them
in this short, easy-to-read book on
self-improvement -- its importance,
process, rewards, cost, and possible
obstacles.
RELEASE: March.
BLACK INK
Fortune of the Heart
Tonio Tikbalang, Volume 4
Based on the PHR novel Fortune of the Heart by Heart
Yngrid. Hindi naniniwalasa hula si Pierre. Pero nang
bumagsak ang eroplanong sinasakyan ni Pierre at tanging
siya lang ang pasaherong nakaligtas ay naisip ni Pierre na
dapat nga siguro siyang maniwala na kailangan niyang
magpakasal bago pa man sumapit ang kanyang kaarawan.
Ang sabi ng manghuhulak ay Pierre ay nakilala na raw niya
ang babaeng makapagliligtas sa kanya. Ang tanong... sa
daming mga nagging nobya ni Pierre sino sa mga iyon ang
nararapat niyang pakasalan? RELEASE: March.
Ano kaya ang gagawin ng isang enkanto kung malaman
niyang may nagkakagusto sa kanya? Kakausapin nang
maayos o hindi nalang papansinin? Eh, paano naman
kung mabiktima ang mga enkanto ng pambu-bully?
Gaganti ba sila o hahayaan na lang at magtitiis? Alam
natin kung ano ang gagawin ng isang barubal na
tikbalang gaya ni Tonio sa mga ganyang eksena, pero
ano kaya ang gagawin ng isang mahinhin at mahiyaing
sirena na si Sera? Maso-solusyonan kaya ito nang hindi
gumagamit ng kakaibang lakas? RELEASE: March.
Ron Mendoza and Enjelia Villanueva
Jake Vicente
70-/0tBOOKWATCH
55
U
C
UPCOMING
RELEASES
Piko
ANINO COMICS
Si Janus Sílang at ang
Tiyanak ng Tábon
Based on the novel by Edgar Calabia Samar.
Art by Natasha Ringor. Adaptation by Natasha
Ringor and Carl Javier.
Si Janus Silang at ang Tiyanak ng Tabon is an
adaptation do the wildly popular YA novel by
Egay Samar. Janus is a tweener who is addicted
to the computer game TALA. While playing for
a big prize he looks up to find everyone else in
the net cafe dead. Now he must find out what is
happening to him and everyone else who played
the game. RELEASE: April.
Light
Rob Cham
A wordless comic
book from the author
of “Sad Comics for
Dirty Lovers.”
RELEASE: April.
Sixty Six
Russell Molina and Ian
Sta. Maria
A story about the life
of Celestino Cabal the
moment he turned 66.
RELEASE: April.
Ang Subersibo
Adam David and
Mervin Malonzo
An adaptation of Jose
Rizal’s Noli Mi Tangere
and El Filibusterismo.
RELEASE: April.
Josel Nicolas (Editor);
Contributors: Laraine
Gazmen, Adam
David, Josel Nicolas,
Trizha Ko, Rommel
Estanislao, Marlon
Hacla, Apol Sta. Maria,
Julius Villanueva,
Mervin Malonzo, Rob Cham, Karize Uy, Daniela
Go, Joanne Ceasario, Michelle Bacabac,
JP Palabon, Ellezier Ominoreg, Carlorozy
Clemente, Wina Puangco, Danielle Rina, Manix
Abrera, and Bong Redila.
An anthology of children’s comics.
RELEASE: April.
FLIPSIDE PUBLISHING
OTHER PUBLISHERS
Danilo Araña Arao
Kumilos Tayo, Ate! / Kumilos Tayo, Kuya!
Kuro-kuro
Sa tinipon-tipong 40 sanaysay na sinulat mula 2003 hanggang 2011
sa iba’t ibang publikasyon, ang nais ilahad ni Danilo Araña Arao ay
hindi lang mga simpleng opinyon, kundi mga argumentong may
kalakip na ebidensya: mga pagsusuri ng ekonomiya, retorika ng
mga nasa kapangyarihan, at iba pang nagaganap sa ating lipunan.
Sa gayon, ninanais ng may-akda na makatulong ang librong ito sa
mga magbabasa na makapagbuo ng kanilang sariling kuro-kuro
tungkol sa mga hinaharap ng mga mamamayan. RELEASE: (Ebook)
Late February to early March.
Surrender to Love
Jessica Larsen
Kung gaano kaganda si Pamela, ganoon din siya kapraktikal:
ang lalaking magiging boyfriend niya, bukod sa gwapo, ay
kinakailangang mayaman. Hinding-hindi siya papatol kay Rio—ubod
man ito ng kagwapuhan, hindi naman niya kayang sustentuhan si
Pam sa sweldo nito bilang taxi driver. Kailangang tapatan ni Pam
ang pinsan niyang si Liberty, na may fiancé na Pranses—eh pa’no
kung agawin na lang ni Pam kay Liberty ang nobyo nito? RELEASE:
March (Ebook).
Dwellers
Eliza Victoria
In the haste of trying to get away from their previous lives, two
young men with the ability to take over other people’s bodies have
chosen brothers Jonah and Louis as their new ‘hosts’. Then they find
out that Jonah and Louis have deep, dark secrets of their own—in
the form of a dead body in the basement. RELEASE: March (Ebook);
published in print by Visprint, Inc. in July 2014.
Ompong Remigio and Bunny Vivero
PUBLISHER: Tahanan
(Board Book) Tahanan has released its first set of board
books for ages 0-4.Teach your toddler simple Filipino
words by acting them out. Mga Ate at Kuya, kilos na
kasabay ni Bunso! Pumalakpak sa pagbigkas ng bawat
pantig!
RELEASE: March.
LUNATIC: A Frances Luna III Collective
Mel Casipit, Kai Castillo, Maika Ezawa, Paolo
Herras, Tepai Pascual, Brent Sabas and Redg
Vicente
PUBLISHER: Frances Luna III
Litong-lito si Loli. Pagkatapos nilang unang magsex ng boyfriend n’yang si John,
may pumatay sa uncle n’ya! Kailangan n’ya tuloy maging detective. Ang mga suspek:
estudyanteng baka hina-harass ng kanyang uncle, kapwa propesor na karibal nito sa
akademya, at isang adventurous na babaeng panay ang hila kay Loli sa kung saan-saan.
Higit sa misteryo ng tunay na identidad ng killer, kailangang malaman ni Loli: phase lang
ba ito, o bisexual ba talaga s’ya? RELEASE: May (Ebook).
56 BOOKWATCHt70-/0
The UP Institute of
Creative Writing (ICW) is
now accepting submissions
(English or Filipino) for the ninth
issue of Likhaan: The Journal
of Contemporary Philippine
Literature.
Short stories ranging from about 12 to 30
pages double-spaced, in 11-12 points Times
Roman, New York, Palatino, Book Antique,
Arial or some such standard font. (A suite of
short prose pieces will be considered.)
A suite of four to seven poems, out of
length limitations as short stories.
Paolo Herras and Tepai Pascual
PUBLISHER: Meganon Comics
The ghost of devoted housewife, Sandy, dutifully waits for
the death of her husband, Joel, so they can move on in
the afterlife together. But when Joel’s time comes, he is
nowhere to be found. Heartbroken, Sandy mourns for her
dead love life and in turn, discovers her ghostly powers.
RELEASE: April.
When Gianna wakes up on a cloud, she is disoriented yet
fascinated. She thinks she’s only dreaming until she gets
a storm of paper planes—”They’re thoughts of people
who remember,” a man on another cloud tells her—each
pleading for her not to leave. The man tells her these
planes are the key to get out of there, and while she thinks
it’s hard to believe, she decides everything is worth trying
if it meant finding her way back home.
RELEASE: February.
Ang Misteryo ng Katana U Z. Eliserio.
LIKHAAN JOURNAL NOW
ACCEPTING SUBMISSIONS
FOR ITS 9th ISSUE
Life Afterlife (Buhay Habangbuhay) Chapter 2
In the second installment of Alen Rio’s Orphan Warrior series, Eric
Skye immediately resumes his training. The fight is far from over.
It won’t be—not as long as Minister Taybor lives. Eric has yet to
come to terms with the idea that many members of the rebel forces
now look to him to lead them against Taybor and his armies. Can he
be the leader they need? Will his thirst for revenge against Taybor
himself fuel him, or will it distract him? RELEASE: May (Ebook).
Matagal nang alam ni Lourdes na kailangan n’yang magbago ng personalidad para
maging karapat-dapat na reyna. Ngayon maglalakbay s’ya bilang pagkumpleto ng
kanyang pagsasanay na maging pinuno. Sa isa sa mga unang bayang kanyang
madadaanan, makikilala n’ya si Anentet. Tulad n’ya, prinsesa rin ito. Tulad n’ya, kailangan
din nitong magbagong-anyo. Pero hindi tulad n’ya, musmos na bata pa lang ito. Kay
Anentet mabubuhay ang pagnanasa ni Lourdes na manatiling s’ya, na maging tapat sa
kanyang sarili imbes na unahin ang kaharian. Pero pwede bang maging malaya ang isang
prinsesa? RELEASE: April (Ebook).
$"--'0346#.*44*0/4
(Long poems will be considered in lieu of a
suite.)
Paper Planes Back Home
Dalawang Prinsesa U Z. Eliserio
Edited for brevity -- full guidelines may be found online.
During the full moon, energies are heightened, releasing
five stories of the deranged, crazy and outright insane
from the Frances Luna III Illustration Firm.
Rebellion
Alen Rio.
CALLS FOR
SUBMISSION
Tara Frejas
Unclaimed (The Master and His
Soul Seer Pet series)
Marian Tee
This is a love story between an innocent girl and a jaded
man, a pet and her Master, and a soul seer who has yet
to realize she’s meant to save the world…and a powerful
vampire who has yet to understand his heart still beats.
RELEASE: May.
Playing Autumn Mina V. Esguerra
PUBLISHER: Bright Girl Books
Haley Reese is going back home to Houston and she’s dreading this trip. She
volunteers as a mentor to young musicians at an annual music festival, and the
longer she’s been doing it, the more she feels like a fraud. Things start looking up
when she shares a plane ride with Oliver Cabrera, music prodigy, rock star, and the
reason why she picked up an instrument in the first place. RELEASE: March.
Literary and personal essays, including
same length limitations as short stories (see
above)
Excerpts from graphic novels, or full, short
graphic stories, for reproduction in black and
white on no more than 10 printed pages, 6”
x 9.” (Excerpts should be accompanied by a
synopsis.)
All submissions must be original and
previously unpublished.
All submissions must be accompanied by a
cover letter (including the author’s contact
information) and a biographical sketch of no
more than one or two short paragraphs.
Submissions may be e-mailed to likhaan.
Editors, Likhaan Journal, UP Institute of
Creative Writing, Rizal Hall, University of the
Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City, 1101.
For submissions sent via e-mail, please
format: [Language], [Genre], [Title], [Author’s
Last Name]. The attachment should either
be a .DOC, .DOCX
Deadline: April 10, 2015.
Writers whose work will be accepted for
publication will receive a substantial cash
payment and a copy of the published
The editors reserve the right to edit any and
all materials accepted for publication.
PHILIPPINE
SPECULATIVE FICTION
VOL. 10
Editors Dean Francis and
Nikki Alfar would love for
you to be a part of this
year’s landmark volume.
First-time authors are more
than welcome to submit.
Submissions must be:
1
must contain strong
elements and/or sensibilities
horror, magic realism,
alternate history, folklore,
superheroes, and/or related
genres and subgenres.
Written in English.
Authored by persons
of Philippine ethnicity
and/or nationality.
Submissions are preferred
to be original and
unpublished, 1,000 words
to 7,500 words, written
for an adult audience.
These preferences can be
overturned by exceptionally
well-written pieces. In the
case of previously-published
work, if accepted, the author
will be expected to secure
permission.
No multiple or simultaneous
submissions.
All submissions
should be in Rich Text
Format and emailed to
23
‘PSF 10 submission’.
Deadline: June 15.
Don’t forget to indicate
your real name in the email!
If you want to write under
a pseudonym, this can
be discussed upon story
acceptance.
If you’d like to write a
cover letter with your brief
bio and publishing history
(if applicable), introduce
We advise authors to avoid
fancy formatting.
Authors of selected stories
will receive PhP500, as
well as digital copies of the
book.
UST LITERARY JOURNAL
CALL FOR CONTRIBUTIONS
for Creative Writing and Literary Studies, is now
photo essays, drawings and sketches.
Works must be previously unpublished. Address
your submissions, in both hard and soft copies,
to the editors, Ralph Semino Galán and Ned
Parfan, c/o UST Center for Creative Writing and
Literary Studies, G/F Benavides Bldg., University
of Santo Tomas, España Blvd., Sampaloc, Manila,
Deadline: May 29.
GREAT PINOY ANTIQUITIES
If you are nostalgic for the bygone days of your
youth, we are inviting you to expound via essays on
the cultural artifacts that made your childhood in
the Philippines great. You can meditate on anything
from what group in the That’s Entertainment you love
best or the dramatic highlights of the Sharon Cuneta
movies. You can even write an essay about places
like the old Fiesta Carnival or the dinosaur playground
section of Luneta Park. Let’s all go back in time and
contribute to Great Pinoy Antiquities, an anthology
of essays on popular distractions back when we were
pouring Magnolia Chocolait from glass bottles.
Send your submissions to davidfosterwalastik@gmail.
com and [email protected] on or before May
31. We encourage the pieces to be written in any
the word “GPA.” - Ken Ishikawa and Adam David
SUSTAINING THE ARCHIPELAGO
Contributions of poems about nature, species,
with these are now welcome in an anthology of
Philippine eco-poetry… An ecopoem must not only
show the relationship among local language, nature,
culture, and human perception, but also investigate
an interrelationship with and among species, and
the writer’s burden of responsibility in transcribing
the natural. Please email your original and published
or unpublished ecopoems to the editor, Rina Garcia
Chua (
heading: Sustaining the Archipelago Submission.
docx> . Email your essay as an attachment and
include a bio-note of 100 to 200 words, institutional
May 15.
70-/0tBOOKWATCH
57
A
A
ANNOUNCEMENT
Call for applications
to the 2015 National
Book Development
Trust Fund
The NBDB is calling for applications for
the National Book Development Trust
Fund (NBDTF) Grant for 2015. Authors
and organizations are invited to submit
at least 25% of their manuscripts
or research works for books. The
chosen works will receive a grant
of P200,000.00 each. Manuscripts/
research works for books should be on
any of the following:
Local History and Culture (written
in Filipino, English, or any Philippine
language)
Traditional Medicine / Integrative
Medicine / Tropical Medicine
Food Science and Technology /
Organic Agriculture / Sustainable
Agriculture / Agritourism
Popular
Science
Deadline for submissions is on
May 31, 2015. To download the
forms and guidelines, please visit
www.nbdb.gov.ph. For queries, please
call Ryan Esteban at 929-3887 or send
an email to [email protected].
1
2
3
4
Call for Nominations: 34th
National Book Awards
T
he National Book Development
Board (NBDB) and the Manila
Critics Circle (MCC) are calling upon all
NBDB-registered publishers to submit
their nominations for the National
Book Awards 2015.
Nominated titles in Filipino and
English published within 2014 are
eligible for the award. As in previous
years, a third language is included
for nominated titles in the Literary
Division. This year, Ilonggo/Hiligaynon
and Kinaray-a books published within
the last three calendar years (20122014) may be submitted. Deadline of
submissions is May 31, 2015.
For the detailed nomination and selection
criteria, please visit www.nbdb.gov.ph. You
may also call Debbie Nieto at 929-3887 or
email [email protected].
58 BOOKWATCHt70-/0
ALAB
PANITIKAN
Inaanyayahan ang lahat ng mga institusyon, organisasyon, at indibidwal sa pagdiriwang ng Buwan
ng Panitikang Filipino 2015 sa darating na 1-30 Abril 2015. Ang Buwan ng Panitikang Filipino ay
pinagtibay ng Proklamasyon Blg. 968, s. 2015, at kapuwa itataguyod ng National Commission for
Culture and the Arts (NCCA), National Book Development Board (NBDB), at Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino (KWF),
katuwang ang mga pampubliko at pampribadong institusyon at organisasyon sa bansa. Para sa unang taon ng
pagdiriwang, isang tagumpay para sa panitikang Filipino ang Proklamasyon Blg. 968 kung kaya ang temang
“Alab Panitikan” ay isang “war cry” tungo sa kaganapan ng lunggating itanghal at suriin ang Panitikang
Filipino bilang mahalagang salik sa pagbuo ng pambansang kamalayan. Dagdag pa, isa din itong paglalaro sa
ekspresyong “I love (Aylab) Panitikan.”
Makilahok sa binubuong kalendaryo ng mga gawain para sa Buwan ng Panitikang Filipino 2015!
BOARD RESOLUTION NO. 01-223
Series of 2015
A RESOLUTION APPROVING THE ANNUAL REGISTRATION OF PERSONS AND ENTERPRISES ENGAGED IN
BOOK PUBLISHING AND THE NEW SCHEDULE OF REIGISTRATION FEES
WHEREAS, the NBDB is mandated to provide direction, stimulate, and improve the book industry, provide
assistance in identified gaps in authorship, distribution, technology, readership, and the library system,
build and coordinate linkages with key sectors to address book industry needs, and promote investments
especially in the regions, to facilitate the growth of the book publishing industry;
KALENDARYO NG MGA GAWAIN:
WHEREAS, Rule VI, Section 1 of Republic Act No. 8047, otherwise known as the “Book Publishing Industry
Development Act”, provides that all persons and enterprises engaged in book publishing and its related
activities shall register with and be accredited by NBDB to avail incentives, assistance and support;
WHEREAS, Rule III Section 2 (b) of the Implementing Rules and Regulations on Registration and
Accreditation by the NBDB of Persons and Enterprises Engaged in Book Publishing and its Related
Activities provides that validity of registration of registration with the NBDB shall be three years and the
individual registrants pay a fee ranging of P300 or P500, whichever is applicable, while the enterprises
pay P1,000.00;
WHEREAS, the Secretariat proposed to make the validity of registration valid for one year instead of the
three years to help NBDB gather data about the stakeholders and to update the book publishing industry
data;
WHEREAS, the Secretariat also suggested to waive the registration fee of individual registrants to
encourage more authors/writers, book illustrators/designers, lay-out artists, book editors, book
translators, and literary agents to register with NBDB;
WHEREAS, in view of the proposed annual registration, the Secretariat finally proposed to reduce the
registration fee of enterprises from P1000.00 for three (3) to an annual fee of P300.00;
WHEREAS, after due deliberation, the Board found said proposals to be reasonable;
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, AS IT IS HEREBY RESOLVED, THE NBDB GOVERNING BOARD
APPROVES, AS IT HAS HEREBY APPROVED, the following: 1) annual registration of all persons and
enterprises engaged in book publishing and its related activities; 2) waiver of registration fee for
individual registrants; and 3) P300.00 annual fee for enterprises. Thus, the new schedule of registration
fees and validity of registration per category are as follows:
CATEGORY
REGISTRATION VALIDITY OF
FEE
REGISTRATION
Author/Writer
(Waived)
1 year
Book Illustrator/Designer
(Waived)
1 year
Lay-out Artist
(Waived)
1 year
Book Importer
P 300.00
1 year
Book Industry Association
P 300.00
1 year
Book and/or Ebook Publisher
P 300.00
1 year
Book Printer
P 300.00
1 year
(Retail/ Wholesale)
P 300.00
1 year
Book Translator
(Waived)
1 year
Book Editor
(Waived)
1 year
Literary Agent
(Waived)
1 year
Manufacturer of
Raw Materials
P 300.00
1 year
Book and/or Ebook Seller
RESOLVED FURTHER, that the foregoing
changes shall take effect fifteen (15) days
from publication in a newspaper of general
circulation.
FINALLY, that copies of this resolution be
forwarded to the Commission on Audit
Resident Auditors and other concerned
government department agencies for their
information, as well as the Executive Director,
the Accounting Unit, stakeholders, and all
concerned for their compliance and guidance.
APPROVED by the NBDB Board of Governors
in its 223rd Regular Board Meeting on 30
January 2015 in Pasig City.
Published in a newspaper of general
circulation on February 12, 2015.
2 Abril:
Araw ni Balagtas
Pandacan, Maynila
DESKRIPSIYON: Maikling
programa at pag-aalay
ng bulaklak sa bantayog
ni Balagtas sa Pandacan,
Maynila.
1 2 3 4
ABRIL
5 Abril
ST&ILIPINO
Komiks Market
(Komiket)
10-11 Abril
1st Baybayin Summit
LUGAR: Lingayen, Pangasinan
ORAS: 8nu-6ng
DESKRIPSIYON: Summit ukol sa
pagsusulong ng paggamit ng
baybayin sa bansa.
6 Abril: Tertulya sa Tula:
Isang Hapon ng mga Makata
ng Taon:
LUGAR: Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino
ORAS: 2nh-5nh
DESKRIPSIYON: Panayam hinggil
sa tula at panitikan kasama ang
mga naging Makata ng Taon ng
KWF. Bukas sa publiko.
11 Abril:
s(IGH&ANTASY9OUNG!DULT
Writing Workshop
LUGAR: Ateneo de Manila
University
DESKRIPSIYON: Workshop sa
pagsulat ng High Fantasy at
Young Adult kasama ang mga
premyadong manunulat ng
Ateneo de Manila University.
5 6 7 8 9 10 11
ORAS: 10nu-8ng
LUGAR: Elements
Centris, EDSA cor.
Quezon Avenue.
14-15 Abril
DESKRIPSIYON: Seminar sa Ortograpiyang
5SWAG&ILIPINO
Pambansa, KWF Manwal sa Masinop na
Bulacan State University
Pagsulat, at Korespondensiya Opisyal.
ORAS: 8nu-5nh
13 Abril
Tertulya sa Tula: Isang Hapon ng mga Makata ng
Taon
16 Abril
Lakbay-Panitik
para kay Emilio
Jacinto
Mahayhay, Laguna
DESKRIPSIYON:
Peregrinasyon ng
mga makataboluntaryo ng
LIRA sa Mahayhay,
Laguna bilang
paggunita sa
kadakilaan ni
Emilio Jacinto.
17-18 Abril
s)KA+UMPERENSIYANG'5-),&ILIPINAS
h!NG0APELNG'UMILIANOSA,IPUNANG)LOKANOv
Lugar: Balay Expo, Cubao, Lungsod Quezon
Deskripsiyon: Kumperensiya ng GUMIL Filipinas, nangungunang
organisasyon ng mga manunulat na Ilokano, para sa kanilang
ika-47 pagtitipon para sa wika at panitikan.
17 Abril
Young Writers Workshop
LUGAR: Bienvenido Santos Creative Writing
Center, De La Salle University
DESKRIPSIYON: Pagtuturo ng pagsulat para
sa kabataan.
s,)2!(!.!LAB0ANITIKAN
LUGAR: Conspiracy Bar, Lungsod Quezon
Poetry reading ng mga makata-boluntaryo ng
Linangan sa Imahen, Retorika, at Anyo (LIRA)
18 Abril
s(IGH&ANTASY9OUNG!DULT
Writing Workshop
Lugar: Ateneo de Manila
University
Deskripsiyon: Workshop sa
pagsulat ng High Fantasy at
Young Adult kasama ang mga
premyadong manunulat mula
sa Ateneo de Manila University.
12 13 14 15 16 17 18
+OMISYONSA7IKANG&ILIPINOsORAS: 2nh-5nh
DESKRIPSIYON: Panayam hinggil sa tula at panitikan
kasama ang mga naging Makata ng Taon ng KWF.
Bukas sa publiko.
20 Abril
21 Abril
s,ITERARY*OURNALISM
s4RADISYONAT-ODERNIDAD
Workshop
Isang Simposyum
25 Abril
23 Abril
Lugar: Manila Times College,
24 Abril
19 Abril
Lugar: Civil Law Auditorium,
(IGH&ANTASY9OUNG!DULT
AK/DA: Araw ng Aklat at
Klasrum Adarna:
Intramuros
Ika-47 Kumperensiya ng
University of Sto. Tomas
Writing Workshop
Copyright
in
SM
Aura
h0AGTUTURONG
Deskripsiyon: Panayam
'5-),&ILIPINASh!NG0APEL
Oras: 3nh-5nh
Lugar: Ateneo de Manila University
Deskripsiyon:
Pangungunahan
.OLIAT&ILI
at workshop sa pagsulat
ng Gumiliano sa Lipunang
Deskripsiyon: Simposyum
Deskripsiyon: Workshop sa pagsulat
ng National Book Development
Ibong Adarna”
ng literary journalism, sa
Ilokano”
hinggil sa tradisyon at
ng High Fantasy at Young Adult
Board ang pagdiriwang ng
Lugar: Lungsod
pangunguna ni Dr. Isagani
Lugar: Balay Expo, Cubao,
kasama ang mga premyadong
Pambansang Araw ng Aklat at
modernidad sa panulaang
Makati
Cruz.
manunulat mula sa Ateneo de
Karapating-sipi.
Lungsod Quezon
Filipino.
Manila University.
Deskripsiyon: Kumperensiya ng s4ERTULYASA4ULA)SANG
GUMIL Filipinas, nangungunang Hapon ng mga Makata
21-23 Abril
24-25 Abril
ng Taon
organisasyon ng mga
Translation Seminar
&OLKON"ADIW)BALOY,EGACYTO0OETRYAND-USIC
manunulat na Ilokano, para sa Lugar: Komisyon sa Wikang
Lugar: West Mindanao State University
Lugar: UP Baguio
kanilang ika-47 pagtitipon para Filipino
Deskripsiyon: Seminar sa pagsasalin, sa pangunguna ng National Committee
Deskripsiyon: Tampok si National Artist Ramon
Oras: 2nh-5nh
sa wika at panitikan.
on Language and Translation ng NCCA.
Santos sa pagtalakay sa “badiw” bilang mahalagang
Deskripsiyon: Panayam
pambansang pamanang pampanitikan at pangkultura
hinggil sa tula at panitikan
mula sa mga Ibaloy.
26 Abril
kasama ang mga naging
&)4N&5.&UN2UNFOR
29-30
Abril
Makata ng Taon ng KWF.
Writers
0AMBANSANG+ONGRESOSA7IKANG&ILIPINONG+!35'5&),
Bukas sa publiko.
Lugar: UP Academic Oval
Lugar: Lungsod Baguio
Sa pangunguna ng
26-30 Abril
Deskripsiyon: Isang linggong kongreso ng Kapisanan ng mga
Filipinas Institute of
IYAS National Writers Workshop
Superbisor at Guro sa Filipino (KASUGUFIL) hinggil sa estado
Translation (FIT) at LIRA.
Lugar: Lungsod Bacolod, Negros Occidental
at plano para sa wikang Filipino.
Deskripsiyon: Isang linggong intensibong workshop para sa pagsulat.
19 20 21 22 23 24 25
26 27 28 29 30
27 Abril
Tertulya sa Tula: Isang Hapon ng
mga Makata ng Taon
Lugar: Komisyon sa Wikang Filipino
Oras: 2nh-5nh
Deskripsiyon: Panayam hinggil sa tula
at panitikan kasama ang mga naging
Makata ng Taon ng KWF. Bukas sa
publiko.
29 Abril
Pambansang Araw ng Gawad sa
+7&4IMPALAK5SWAG$AREPDEP
Lugar: Ilocos, Cebu, Bikol, Marawi
Deskripsiyon: Sabay-sabay na
paggagawad ng Ilocos, Cebu, Bikol, at
Marawi sa mga kabataang nagwagi
sa timpalak ng KWF sa pagsulat ng
tula at maikling kuwento.
30 Abril
KATIG Poetry Reading
Lugar: UP Tacloban at Northwest
Samar State University
Deskripsiyon: Poetry reading ng
mga makata ng Samar at Leyte.
70-/0tBOOKWATCH
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