Let’s save our hearts

Saving the Earth: The Philippine Experience, 4^th edition (ISBN 971-868-6134), edited by Cecile C.A. Balgos, published by PCIJ, available at the Filipinas Heritage Library’s bookshop Libros Filipinos for P170.

At the heart of the Philippines is Marinduque. This heart-shaped island located in the MIMAROPA region, famous for its Moriones Festival, made international news when 1.5 million cubic meters of toxic mine tailings spilled out of Marcopper’s Tapian Pit down to the rivers and into Laylay Bay. It was the worst mining disaster in the country. The toxic sludge brought flash floods smothering villages and killing livestock. It contaminated drinking water and caused long term environmental damage. The 27-kilometer Boac River, choked with mine tailings, ceased to give shelter to marine life and was eventually declared dead.

This is just one of the many environment reports published by the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ) and compiled in the book Saving the Earth: The Philippine Experience. For the ancient Greeks, Gaia is Mother Earth, the goddess who gives and nurtures life. In this issue, we feature Filipino women climbers who are also ardent environmentalists; top women illustrators whose gentle hands breathes life to children’s books; and Get Caught Reading campaign endorser Miriam Quiambao.

We are honored to have penman Butch Dalisay encouraging young writers to see the fantastic in the ordinary; and science fiction and fantasy writer Neil Gaiman writing on the importance of imagination and creativity.

Indeed it will take a lot of creativity and imagination to attain development while maintaining environmental health. Let us do our part in saving Mother Earth for saving her means saving our hearts and, ultimately, our lives.

(First published in BOOKWATCH, January - March 2008.)

Frontline Leadership

Frontline Leadership: Stories of 5 Local Chief Executives

By the Ateneo School of Government and the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung

Quezon City: ASoG and KAS, 2007. Php 250. ISBN 978-971-92495-2-8

Government is best seen and experienced at the local level. Local government is the front line in the battle to serve the people. Before citizens give their assessment of the national leadership, they first look at how each local chief executive performs and delivers the goods to their constituents.

“Frontline Leadership” features the stories and best practices of local leaders in the real-time management of the local government. Written by several authors, the local executives were presented with their achievements, idiosyncrasies, mistakes, and difficulties to serve the common good. The book painted realistic pictures of Naga City Mayor Jesse M. Robredo, San Fernando City Mayor Mary Jane C. Ortega, Bulacan Governor Josie M. de la Cruz, Surigao del Norte Governor Robert Lyndon Barbers, and an anonymous lady governor in the Visayas.

Ateneo School of Government associate dean and the book’s project director Dr. Dennis T. Gonzalez states in the book’s Afterword, “Our country needs more members of the political and economic elite who will exercise ethical and effective leadership, even at the expense of their family interests, to enable the many families mired in poverty to lift themselves, to equalize opportunity to political and economic advancement, and to strengthen democratic institutions and the political party system.”

Current and future local chief executives can learn much from the hands-on experiences of these leaders. The examples of these fellow Filipinos show that hope for a better Philippines is alive. We should all work hand in hand and pray for more leaders like them in the frontlines of service.

Frontline Leadership is available at both the Rockwell and Loyola Heights offices of the Ateneo School of Government. For inquiries please call 899-7691 loc. 2401/2 or 426-5998, 426-6001 local 4643.

(First published in BOOKWATCH, January - March 2008.)

The National Book Awards

(Source: Souvenir Program for the 27^th NBA)

Every year since 1982, the Circle has given the National Book Awards to the best books written, designed and published in the Philippines. In addition, the Circle also gives Special Awards to outstanding publishers or publishing projects and Citations for outstanding achievement in special categories. In 1995 and 1996, the awarding ceremonies were telecast over PTV-4. No book written or edited by a member is eligible to win a National Book Award; instead, the Circle gives Members’ Awards to its members who publish books. Trophies for past awards have been designed and donated by Eduardo Castrillo (1981-83), Agnes Arellano (1984-87), Cesare and Jean Marie Syjuco (1989-91), Edgar Doctor (1992), Gino Gonzalez (1993-95), National Artist Napoleon Abueva (1996-99), and Tito Sanchez (2006). This year, the trophies are by young sculptor Glenn Cagandahan.

Early in 2008, the Manila Critics Circle entered into a Memorandum of Agreement with the National Book Development Board (NBDB) to institutionalize the National Book Awards to better honor Philippine publishers and authors.

The move ensures that the yearly awards will continue to recognize the creative works of our talented authors and publishers for many years to come. Beginning with this year’s National Book Awards, both the NBDB and MCC hope to organize more prestigious yearly tributes to those who dedicate their lives to producing quality books that Filipinos could all be proud of.

Kuwentong Kutsero, Kuwentong Pilipino

Kuwentong Kutsero ni Epifanio G. Matute.

Quezon City: University of the Philippines Press, 1995. ISBN 971-542-141-5

Mabibili sa Powerbooks at sa Libros Filipinos Bookshop sa halagang Php300. Kahapon (5 Disyembre) bumisita ako sa UP Press Bookstore, Balay Kalinaw, Dagohoy St., UP Diliman, merong book sale at mabibili ang Kuwentong Kutsero sa halagang Php100! Bili na!

(Winner, 1996 National Book Award for Drama.)

Nagiging ganap lamang ang aking gabi matapos akong mapahalakhak habang nagbabasa ng Kuwentong Kutsero. Ibang aliw ang dulot ng mga kabalbalan ni Teban, ang kutsero sa himpapawid at ng maingay na pamilya Doblecarrera.

Isinulat ni Epifanio G. Matute para sa radyo, tanghalan, telebisyon, at pelikula, satirikal na inilalarawan ng Kuwentong Kutsero ang buhay Pinoy noong mga taon makalipas ang ikalawang digmaang pandaigdig. Kabit-kabit ang patutsada sa mga usapin noon tulad ng buhul-buhol na trapik, lubak-lubak na kalye, magastos at palpak na pamahalaan, mga kandidatong puno ng matatamis na pangako, at relihiyong payat sa gawa.

Malaon ng nawala sa ating mga lansangan ang mga kutsero subalit nananatili ang mga kuwento ng buhay, mga kuwento ng Pilipino. Ang bawat aklat ay kuwento ayon sa mga mata ng may-akda. Sa isyung ito, bisitahin ang mga aklat na nagwagi sa ika-26 National Book Awards. Narito ang kuwento ng mga hinaharap ng sector ng Academic Publishing. Mababasa rin ang kuwento ni Karylle, ang bagong tagapagtaguyod ng Get Caught Reading Campaign.

Halina’t magbasa at nang maaliw ng mga aklat na naglalaman ng mga kuwentong Pilipino!

(First published in BOOKWATCH, October-December 2007.)