Winners of the first Filipino Readers’ Choice Awards

After more than a month of nominating, voting and judging, the winners of the Filipino Readers’ Choice Awards were announced during the 2nd Filipino ReaderCon: United We Read, on August 18, 2012 at the Filipinas Heritage Library. In behalf of the Filipino Readers’ Choice Committee, thank you to everyone who nominated, voted, for all the judges who took time out of their busy schedules to read the finalists (and even spend on some of the books!) and for everyone else who supported this entire endeavor. It is our hope that through this award, more Filipinos would pick up these books give more support to local literature. :) Here are the winners:

Children’s Picture Book

But That Won’t Wake Me Up! by Annie and Anelka Lumbao, illustrated by Liza Flores
2010, Adarna House

Citation:

The winning book has the qualities that we look for in a good story book. The title is really catchy and fits the story. The story is very easy to read and understand. And lastly the illustrations are really colorful. We enjo

yed reading the book. The first Filipino Reader’s Choice Award for Children’s Picture Book goes to… But That Won’t Wake Me Up! written by Annie and Anelka Lumbao, illustrated by Liza Flores, and published by Adarna House.

Winners of the Children’s Picture Book category with their kid judge. :)

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Chick Lit

Fairy Tale Fail by Mina V. Esguerra
2010, Self-published

Citation:

Fairy Tale Fail may be a very short tale, but it manages to capture female emotions completely. Whether it’s about pursuing ones passionsor finding love, there’s something each Filipino can relate to. Filled with charming characters, witty dialogue, and a feel-good romance, Fairy Tale Fail takes us on a journey of self-discovery and gives us a glimpse into the life of the modern Filipina.

Mina V. Esguerra with her daughter and Chick Lit category judge, Celina Bacani

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Novel in English

Ilustrado by Miguel Syjuco
2010, published in the Philippines by Anvil

Citation:
“Ilustrado” is not your typical Filipino novel, eschewing carabaos in the fields and sunlight the color of mangoes in favor of epistolary-style metafiction that uncannily mirrors Philippine culture, history and politics.

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Novel in Filipino

Ang Huling Dalagang Bukid at ang Authobiography na Mali by Jun Cruz-Reyes
2011, Anvil

Citation:
Ang pinakamahusay na nobela sa Filipino ay iginagawad sa Ang Huling Dalagang Bukid at ang Authobiography na Mali ni Jun Cruz Reyes dahil sa pagtawíd nito ng isang buháy na nobela ng mga ideya na naghahabi ng matuwid na kamalayang pampersonal at panlipunan. Ang nasabing akda ay tila walang balangkas at nagpapanggap na nobela-nobelahan at tala-talambuhayan. Anu’t anupaman, wagi ito sa pagpapahayag ng progresibong damdamin habang sinisiyasat ang maaari nating iambag para umiral ang mabuting pamayanan, pamahalaan, at pakikipagkapwa-tao, na siyang pangarap nating mga Pilipino.

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Comics / Graphic Novels

Kikomachine Komiks Blg 6 by Manix Abrera
2010, Visprint

Citation:

In picking a winner for the comics/graphic novel category, we decided on Kiko Machine Vol 6 by Manix Abrera because of its appeal to the more general public. It’s very Filipino – everything from the artwork to the situations the characters find themselves in mirrors the life of Filipinos. Picking up one of the volumes of the series, you’re not required to know the back story, as the characters are picked out of our everyday lives. These are the characters we talk about and talk to in our own lives. These are the characters we find in every Kiko Machine book.

Manix Abrera receiving the award for KikoMachine 6.

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Short Story Anthology

Alternative Alamatedited by Paolo Chikiamco
2011, Rocket Kapre and Flipside

Citation:
Alternative Alamat does for Philippine deities what Neil Gaiman’s American Gods did for the lesser-known gods of Europe, Asia and Africa. Readers will find that the gods, goddesses and supernatural beings of the Philippines are as fascinating as those of any other nation’s pantheon. By turns shocking, tragic, even malevolent—the beings featured in this collection of stories are given new shape and form in stories that traverse the past and the present of Filipino culture. If myth is said to form a nation’s collective subconscious, then Alternative Alamat gives Filipino readers a much-needed injection of myths that are truly ours, and truly deserving of more widespread attention. Because of this collection, we’ll never view Filipino mythology the same way again.

Editor Paolo Chikiamco and Charles Tan from Flipside accepting the award

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Essay Anthology

It’s a Mens World by Bebang Siy
2011, Anvil

Citation:

Wala, wala na yata kaming masasabing iba pa tungkol sa antholohiya ng mga sanaysay ni Bebang Siy. Lahat na yata nasabi na ng sangkatauhan tungkol sa It’s a Mens World—literally madugo (magsimula ka ba naman sa kwento tungkol sa mens), impormal (Taglish kung Taglish, walang pake si Ms Bebang), patawa (hindi mo nga al
am kung seryoso pa ba sya or jumo-joke na naman, ewan, nakakaloka).

Pero nahihirapan na ako sa derechong Filipino. Magpapakatotoo na ako at mag-swi-switch na ako sa English. Parang Sprite lang at tumo-Toni Gonzaga lang ako. But instead of “I love you Papa P,” ang isisigaw ko ay, “I love you, Bebang Siy!”

It was never an easy task to pick from the three nominated books, but there’s one thing that Siy’s book did to us judges. We were all disarmed by the author’s unapologetic honesty, superb wit, and unconstrained humor. Siy’s writing is very fresh and unpretentious, ranging from the mundane to the profane, and her narrative style pleasantly unpredictable. Here’s a woman who seems to lead a very uninteresting life, but one who’s managed to make the reader empathize with her by writing scenes from her childhood, her relationships, and her eventual maturity as a woman. One word—award.

Bebang Siy has the most priceless and memorable reaction among all the award winners. :)

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Poetry

Off the Beaten Track: Tulaan sa Tren 2
2010, Vibal and NBDB

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Congratulations to all the winners! Till the next Readers’ Choice Awards!

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Related post:

• Reev Robledo interviews some of the winners of the Filipino Readers’ Choice Awards