Their favorite books, our favorite essays

MANILA, Philippines - You know you have quite a history already when you forget just how many times you have actually done something.  This was the case for the awarding of My Favorite Book Contest 2009 — a partnership between STAR, National Book Store and Globe Telecom — held recently at Enchanté in Oakwood Premier, the newest restaurant of chef Jessie Sincioco.

The night before the awards, I was writing the program and introduction of winners when our columnist and speaker Krip Yuson texted Lifestyle editor Millet Mananquil and me, asking which batch and year the winners belong to.

I said ninth, and asked Krip, who has been with us as judge and speaker since the first year, “Can you believe we’ve held nine awards?”

It seemed only a couple of years ago when we held the first Favorite Book awards — including the year we spun it into “If My Life Were a Book” — at the back section of National Book Store in Shangri-La Plaza Mall and we had barbecue and pancit for merienda after the program. Then Globe Telecom became a partner, to the delight of winners, who received not just cash and NBS gift certificates, but also Globe Handyphones starting that year.

Then came the year when Tita Virgie Ramos of Gift Gate transformed the awards into a deliciously elegant event held at Rockwell Power Plant Mall with Gaita Fores during a sumptuous buffet, with Young Star columnist Reggie Belmonte singing, and a string quartet playing.

Anyway, it turns out that 2009 was the seventh year, producing the seventh batch of winners. The awards seem to get bigger and better each year with new faces gracing the luncheon. As with last year (at Le Souffle in Rockwell Center), this year’s buffet lunch by chef Jessie — which included her famous sea bass teriyaki, vegetable risotto, and roast beef — was excellent.  

We were also lucky to have National Artist F. Sionil Jose speak at the program. We never tire of hearing our bosses and guests talk about books and the art of reading: NBS founder Nanay Socorro Ramos, STAR editor in chief Isaac Belmonte, columnists Butch Dalisay and Krip Yuson. STAR president and CEO Miguel Belmonte asked not to be called on to speak, which prompted Isaac to complain about Miguel enjoying the lunch while he had to go up on the stage to speak. This year, however, we missed the presence of NBS vice president for purchasing Cecilia Ramos-Licauco who was on a working trip to China, on whose behalf NBS Foundation chair Trina Licauco-Alindogan spoke. It was good to hear from Yolly Crisanto, Globe Telecom head of corporate communications, and PR head Menchie Cruz. Like last year, emcees Tim Yap and Reggie Belmonte kept the affair fun. 

The mood was light and people’s love of books was the one thing that connected this diverse group of winners, guests and staffers. As one winner in 2007 pointed out: No one in that room would last long without books.

Then and now, the entries throughout the year were about books from different genres and the winners from different backgrounds. In 2007, the grand-prize winner was a paraplegic who traveled with his family by sea on a hospital bed to be at the awarding program in Power Plant Mall; we’ve also had a former RTC judge, an award-winning poet and playwright, several Palanca winners, a seminarian, an entrepreneur, high school and college students, professors, and NGO workers.

And the books in the winning essays? Oh, name it, we’ve had an entry — or multiple entries — written about it through the years. Every time I open an entry, half of me expects a book by Paulo Coelho or the Bible, but thankfully, lately, people seem to be reading quite a lot of local titles and graphic novels, too.

Here are 2009’s winning essayists:

Grand prize winner: Joel E. Abelinde, who wrote about Fyodor Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment. Joel studied philosophy at St. Louis University in Baguio City and now works as the communications coordinator of Children International Manila, a non-government organization providing health and education support to poor children and their families. Joel won P50,000, half in cash and half in National Book Store gift certificates, and a Globe Handyphone.

Second-prize winner: Emerson Bengco, who wrote about Rene Villanueva’s Personal: Mga Sanaysay sa Lupalop ng Gunita. He is a freelance writer and vice president for local broadcast of the Subic Bay Press Corps. He won an honorable mention award in the 2007 PBBY for his children’s story Ang Makulay na Makina ni Tito Mona. He won P30,000, half in cash and half in NBC GCs, and a Globe Handyphone.

Third-prize winner: Manuel Garcia Calleja, who wrote about On Writing by Stephen King. Manuel worked as a PR writer, an advertising copywriter, account executive, and he has also tried his hand in the printing business. He won P20,000, half in cash and half in NBC GCs, and a Globe Handyphone.

The five honorable mention winners got P5,000 in cash from STAR, P5,000 NBS gift certificates, and a Globe Handyphone:

Jillian Joyce Ong Tan wrote an essay on William Faulkner’s As I Lay Dying. Jillian is a sophomore at Ateneo de Manila University studying management and English literature.

Madeline Romero wrote about Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafisi. Madeline works for a development project that operates in poor and remote rural areas in Mindanao.

Fulton V. Acosta wrote about the book The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz. He is a lawyer, husband and father.

Mark Andreo Badiola Montesines wrote an essay on Anne Rice’s Christ the Lord: Out of Egypt. Mark is a preschool teacher at World International School-East.

May de los Santos wrote about Douglas Coupland’s Life After God. She is a producer for the public affairs department of GMA 7.

So, yes, we have just awarded our seventh batch of winners. Now if we can just remember that until next year’s awarding…