VISPRINT Inc. will be named Publisher of the Year at the 34th National Book Awards at 5:30 p.m. on Dec. 5 at the Old Senate Session Hall, 3rd Floor, Museum of Fine Arts, National Museum.
Handed out yearly by the Manila Critics Circle (MCC) and the National Book Development Board (NBDB), the National Book Awards recognize the best of the previous year’s locally published books. The 34th National Book Awards feted the best books published in 2014.
The winners were announced Nov. 12 at the NBDB offices in Pasig City by MCC chair Isagani R. Cruz and NBDB chair Flor Marie Sta. Romana Cruz. The winners will receive a cash prize as well as trophies made by artist Lawin Abueva.
Visprint books received five awards, the same number as Anvil Publishing Inc. and Ateneo de Manila University Press. Cruz explained that Visprint received the distinction of Publisher of Year based on its remarkable expansion in titles and its potential for the future. It is Visprint’s first time to be named Publisher of the Year.
Manix Abrera, whose cartoon strip “Kikomachine” appears in the Inquirer, won the award for Graphic Literature (Wordless) for his silent graphic novel “14,” published by Visprint. Former Inquirer Research Department member Eliza Victoria won the award for Novel in English for “Dwellers,” also published by Visprint.
The complete list of winners: Fiction—Novel in English: “Dwellers,” by Eliza Victoria (Visprint Inc.); Fiction—Novel in Filipino: “Janus Silang at ang Tiyanak ng Tabon,” by Edgar Calabia Samar (Adarna House Inc.); Fiction—Short Stories in English: “Wonderlust,” by Nikki Alfar (Anvil Publishing Inc.); Nonfiction in English: “Ramon Obusan, Philippine Folkdance and Me,” by Kanami Namiki (Anvil); Essays in English: “Cherry Blossoms in the Time of Earthquakes and Tsunami,” by Rey Ventura (Ateneo de Manila University Press); Essays in Filipino: “iStatus Nation,” by Joselito delos Reyes (Visprint); Anthology in English: “Agam: Filipino Narratives on Uncertainty and Climate Change,” edited by Regina Abuyuan (Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities); Anthology in Filipino: “Ang Labingtatlong Pasaway,” by Jun Cruz Reyes (Visprint); Literary Criticism/Literary History in English: “The Postcolonial Perverse Vol. 1,” by J. Neil C. Garcia (University of the Philippines Press); Literary Criticism/Literary History in Filipino: “Talab: Mga Sanaysay sa Wika, Panitikan, at Pagtuturo,” by Rebecca T. Añonuevo (Ateneo de Naga University Press);
Poetry in English: “Hidden Codex: Fictive Scriptures,” by José Marte A. Abueg (University of Santo Tomas Publishing House) and “Time’s Enchantment and Other Reflections,” by Marne Kilates (ADNU Press); Poetry in a Philippine Language Except Hiligaynon/Kinaray-a: “Kundiman sa Gitna ng Karimlan,” by E. San Juan (UP Press); Poetry in Hiligaynon/Kinaray-a: “Tikum Kadlum,” by Federico Caballero and Alicia P. Magos (UP Press); Graphic Literature in English: “Rodski Patotski: Ang Dalagang Baby,” by Gerry Alanguilan and Arnold Arre (Meganon Comics Publishing House); Graphic Literature in Filipino: “Tabi Po Vol. 1,” by Mervin Malonzo (Visprint); Graphic Literature (Wordless): “14 (Silent Comics),” by Manix Abrera (Visprint);
Translation: “Manila Synod of 1582: The Draft of Its Handbook for Confessors,” translated by Paul A. Dumol (ADMU Press); Food: “Country Cooking,” by Michaela Fenix (Anvil); Social Sciences: “Rido: Clan Feuding and Conflict Management in Mindanao (Expanded Edition),” edited by Wilfredo Magno Torres III (ADMU Press);
Professions: “The Adventures of a PR Girl,” by Bettina Rodriguez-Olmedo (Anvil); Leisure: “Buti Pa ang Roma, May Bagong Papa,” by Noreen Capili (Anvil); Art: “Journey of a Thousand Shuttles, The Philippine Weave,” by Norma A. Respicio (National Commission for Culture and the Arts); Science: “Birds of Cebu and Bohol Philippines,” by Nilo Arribas Jr., Bobby Kintanar and Raul Benjamin Puentespina (University of San Carlos Press); History: “Sakdalistas’ Struggle for Philippine Independence, 1930-1945,” by Motoe Termai-Wada (ADMU Press); Journalism: “Vantage Point: The Sixth Estate and Other Discoveries,” by Luis Teodoro (UP Press); Language Studies: “Ambagan 2011: Mga Salita mula sa Iba’t Ibang Wika sa Filipinas,” by Michael M. Coroza and Galileo S. Zafra (UP Press);
Design: “Manila Synod of 1582: The Draft of Its Handbook for Confessors,” design by Karl Frederick M. Castro (ADMU Press); Publisher of the Year: Visprint Inc.
Founded in 1981, the MCC is a nonprofit, nonstock organization of professional literary critics and newspaper columnists who believe that Philippine books deserve much more attention than they usually get from business, media and the general public. Membership is strictly by invitation: A unanimous vote is required before anyone is invited to become a member.
Current members are: National Artist for Literature Virgilio S. Almario, National Artist for Literature Cirilo F. Bautista, Dean Francis Alfar, Juaniyo Arcellana, Roger J. Bresnahan, Alma Anonas-Carpio, Isagani R. Cruz, Ruel S. De Vera, Shirley O. Lua, Resil B. Mojares, Danton Remoto, Soledad S. Reyes and Joel Pablo Salud.
In 2008, the MCC entered into an agreement with the NBDB to institutionalize the National Book Awards with the NBDB to better honor Philippine publishers and authors.