The Philippines for Beginners: Book Recommendations

I was recently asked to make some book recommendations. The books, preferably available in bookstores and "easily digestible," were to answer the question: What should I read if I want to learn more about the Philippines and Philippine culture?

Smile, Cebu Pacific's inflight magazine, is probably one of the most widely-circulated (if not most widely-read) magazines in the Philippines AND I had long wondered why the few books featured in its pages were mostly foreign books, so even though my mom was in the hospital when the request came and I was quite busy at work, I set aside some time thinking about which books about the Philippines would be helpful for foreigners and Filipinos alike.

Below is the introduction I sent (which was not published huhu), as well as the full text of the article. You can download "The Philippines for Beginners," the entire June 2015 issue, and even previous issues on the Smile website.

THE PHILIPPINES FOR BEGINNERS
These recommendations from book historian and librarian Dr Vernon R Totanes are sure to add to your knowledge of the nation

"What’s the best history book on the Philippines?" That's a question I usually get asked when people find out that my PhD dissertation was on the history of the Filipino history book. My answer is often another question—"What are you interested in?"—because there is no book that is suitable for all readers, and scholarly monographs or school textbooks are not necessarily appropriate for the needs of those who wish to know more about Filipinos and the Philippines.

1 Learn Tagalog — the fun way
ALAMAT NG AMPALAYA BY AUGIE RIVERA
The song "Bahay Kubo" enumerates the many vegetables grown in neighborhood gardens with one exception — ampalaya (bitter gourd). The omission inspired this children's book. The Tagalog and English texts are sure to prove useful for those aiming to study one or both languages.

2 Get to know a national hero
RIZAL WITHOUT THE OVERCOAT BY AMBETH R OCAMPO
Jose Rizal, considered the national hero of the Philippines, was more man than Superman. This book uses humor and interesting trivia to (re)introduce Rizal as a mere mortal who loved women, was stingy with money and liked to eat tuyo for breakfast.

3 Be one with the locals
PACIFIC RIMS: BEERMEN BALLIN’ IN FLIP-FLOPS AND THE PHILIPPINES' UNLIKELY LOVE AFFAIR WITH BASKETBALL BY RAFE BARTHOLOMEW
Ever wondered why Filipinos — most of whom aren't that tall — love basketball? Find the answer in this book, which the author has described as his love letter to the Philippines.

4 Appreciate the nation's cuisine
MEMORIES OF PHILIPPINE KITCHENS BY AMY BESA AND ROMY DOROTAN
Learn how to cook lumpiang Shanghai, adobo and kinilaw and get better acquainted with the origins of Philippine cuisine with this cookbook by the duo behind Purple Yam. It features stunning photographs, too.

i DR VERNON R TOTANES, LICENSED LIBRARIAN AND BOOK HISTORIAN, IS THE DIRECTOR OF THE RIZAL LIBRARY, ATENEO DE MANILA UNIVERSITY. HE BLOGS AT FILIPINOLIBRARIAN.BLOGSPOT.COM

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Library vs Internet?

The photo above shows Gino (Daniel Padilla), right, as he asks King Anand (Albert Martinez) for permission to use the latter's library: "...pwede ko ho bang gamitin yung library? Kasi po sa Internet, baka may ma-miss po ko eh." (May I use the library? Because on the Internet, I might miss something.)

Gino's statement is actually debatable when taken out of context, but it's good to see that a character in a teleserye, the most popular form of Philippine culture today, is acknowledging the library as a reliable source of information, which does not often happen in Filipino movies and television shows (where the library is frequently merely a setting for humorous happenings, scary sequences, or erotic encounters).

You can watch this 2 November 2012 episode of "Princess and I" (along with current and previous episodes of other ABS-CBN shows) for free on iwantv (registration required). The quote may be heard in the scene that begins at 7:34. The line is spoken at 8:10.

Thanks to Elvie Lapuz for the heads up =)

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Filipinos in Canada: Disturbing Invisibility

Filipinos in Canada: Disturbing Invisibility
Edited by Roland Sintos Coloma, Bonnie McElhinny, Ethel Tungohan, John Paul C. Catungal, and Lisa M. Davidson
Toronto: University of Toronto Press

The book is available in hardcover and paperback on Amazon.ca and the University of Toronto Press website.

Composed of papers presented at “Spectres of In/Visibility: Filipina/o Lives in Canada” in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, on 23 October 2009 (plus a few more added after the conference), this book is the first academic publication to bring together the works of Filipino, Canadian, and Filipino-Canadian scholars about the experiences of Filipinos in Canada.

[Disclosure: One of its chapters, "Borrowing Privileges: Tagalog, Filipinos, and the Toronto Public Library," is a paper I wrote not because it was directly related to the dissertation I was writing at that time, but because I wanted the field of library and information science (LIS) represented in this groundbreaking work.]

Below are some of the articles about the book and its launching that have appeared in print and online, followed by the press release about the book, and its table of contents.

"Prof. Roland Sintos Coloma on disrupting invisibility of Filipino-Canadians" by Dyan Ruiz
"Big crowd welcomes book on Filipinos" by Hermie Garcia
"Academia and Activism" by Ethel Tungohan
"The invisible Pinoy" by Joe Rivera


Filipinos in Canada: Disturbing Invisibility

The Philippines became Canada’s largest source of short- and long-term migrants in 2010, surpassing China and India, both of which are more than ten times larger. The fourth-largest racialized minority group in the country, the Filipino community is frequently understood by such figures as the victimized nanny, the selfless nurse, and the gangster youth. On one hand, these narratives concentrate attention, in narrow and stereotypical ways, on critical issues. On the other, they render other problems facing Filipino communities invisible.

This landmark book, the first wide-ranging edited collection on Filipinos in Canada, explores gender, migration and labour, youth spaces and subjectivities, representation and community resistance to certain representations. Looking at these from the vantage points of anthropology, cultural studies, education, geography, history, information science, literature, political science, sociology, and women and gender studies, Filipinos in Canada provides a strong foundation for future work in this area.


Part I
Difference and Recognition

Chapter 1
Spectres of In/visibility: Filipina/o Labour, Culture, and Youth in Canada
Bonnie McElhinny (University of Toronto), Lisa M. Davidson (University of Toronto), John Paul C. Catungal (University of Toronto), Ethel Tungohan (University of Toronto), and Roland Sintos Coloma (University of Toronto)

Chapter 2
Filipino Canadians in the Twenty-First Century: The Politics of Recognition in a Transnational Affect Economy
Eleanor Ty (Wilfrid Laurier University)

Chapter 3
Filipino Immigrants in the Toronto Labour Market: Towards a Qualitative Understanding of Deprofessionalization
Philip F. Kelly (York University), Mila Astorga-Garcia (Community Alliance for Social Justice), Enrico F. Esguerra (Community Alliance for Social Justice), and the Community Alliance for Social Justice, Toronto

My Folks
Carlo Sayo (Sinag Bayan (Light of the Nation) Cultural Arts Collective) and Jean Marc Daga (SIKLAB Ontario)

Part II
Gender, Migration, and Labour

SCRAP
Reuben Sarumugam (Magkaisa Centre) and Bryan Taguba

Chapter 4
The Recruitment of Philippine-trained Healthcare Professionals to Canada in the 1960s
Valerie G. Damasco (University of Toronto)

Chapter 5
The Rites of Passage of Filipinas in Canada: Two Migration Cohorts
Josephine Eric (Migrant Workers Family Resource Centre)

Chapter 6
(Res)sentiment and Practices of Hope: The Labours of Filipina Live-in Caregivers in Filipino Canadian Families
Lisa M. Davidson

Chapter 7
Debunking Notions of Migrant “Victimhood”: A Critical Assessment of Temporary Labour Migration Programs and Filipina Migrant Activism in Canada
Ethel Tungohan (University of Toronto)

Chapter 8
Toronto Filipino Businesses, Ethnic Identity, and Place Making in the Diaspora
Cesar Polvorosa, Jr. (York University)

Chapter 9
Between Society and Individual, Structure and Agency, Optimism and Pessimism: New Directions for Philippine Diasporic and Transnational Studies
Leonora C. Angeles (University of British Columbia )

Part III
Representation and Its Discontents

Balikbayan Express
Celia Correa (University of Toronto)

Chapter 10
Meet Me in Toronto: The Re-Exhibition of Artifacts from the 1904 Louisiana Purchase Exposition at the Royal Ontario Museum
Bonnie McElhinny

Chapter 11
From the Pearl of the Orient to Uptown: A Collaborative Arts-Based Inquiry with Filipino Youth Activists in Montréal
Marissa Largo (University of Toronto)

Chapter 12
Borrowing Privileges: Tagalog, Filipinos, and the Toronto Public Library
Vernon R. Totanes (University of Toronto)

Chapter 13
Abject Beings: Filipina/os in Canadian Historical Narrations
Roland Sintos Coloma

Chapter 14
Between the Sheets
Geraldine Pratt (University of British Columbia)

Part IV
Youth Spaces and Subjectivities

Colour Correction
Eric Tigley (Youth Education through Interactive Arts)

Chapter 15
Scales of Violence from the Body to the Globe: Slain Filipino Youth in Canadian Cities
John Paul C. Catungal

Chapter 16
Kapisanan: Resignifying Diasporic Post/colonial Art and Artists
Christine Balmes (University of Toronto)

Chapter 17
Educated Minorities: The Experiences of Filipino Canadian University Students
Maureen Grace Mendoza

Chapter 18
“Mas Maputi Ako sa ‘yo” (“I’m lighter than you”): The Spatial Politics of Intrarracial Colorism among Filipina/o Youth in the Greater Toronto Area
Conely de Leon (York University)

Chapter 19
The Social Construction of “Filipino Studies”: Youth Spaces and Subjectivities
Jeffrey P. Aguinaldo (Wilfrid Laurier University)

Part V
Afterword

Chapter 20
Contemplating New Spaces in Canadian Studies
Minelle Mahtani (University of Toronto) and David Roberts (University of Toronto)

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The Aswang Phenomenon

Happy Halloween!

The Aswang Phenomenon is the first in-depth documentary regarding the aswang myth - discovering where manifestations of the creature came from and how they evolved and embedded themselves in Filipino society. Learn how Filipinos have been transformed by the myth and are now evolving the aswang to fit into their developing cultural identity.

The YouTube video above features the full 77-minute documentary, not just a few minutes. If you would like to obtain a free copy of the DVD for your library, please email your mailing address (with information about your institution) to info-at-aswangmovie-dot-com.

The documentary is written and directed by Jordan Clark and features Maricel Soriano and Peque Gallaga.

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The History of Reading - 50% off

"Filipino Blogs as Evidence of Reading and Reception," a revised version of a conference paper I delivered at the 2009 SHARP conference in Toronto, has been published in the third volume of The History of Reading: Methods, Strategies, Tactics.

Copies of the 3 volumes of The History of Reading (London: Palgrave Macmillan, 2011) will be sold at a 50% discount at the book launch in London on Tuesday, 25 October 2011. If you happen to be in London and would like to attend, send me an email at von-dot-totanes-at-gmail-dot-com. There may still be time to get you on the guest list.

If you are based in the Philippines (or anywhere "outside Australasia & North America"), you can also avail of the 50% discount, provided you order directly from Palgrave Macmillan before 31 December 2011 using the flyer below. Note that only individuals may avail of the discount. So if you would like to order the books for your library, I suggest you ask your "Friends of the Library" group—or any generous friend—to order the books and donate it to the library.

The History of Reading - 50% off

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Before Ever After by Samantha Sotto

Before Ever After by Samantha Sotto is a journey to—spoiler alert (hehe)—“happily ever after.” It takes readers from a train station in Spain to a non-castle in England to a tropical island in the Philippines to “where Shelley is.” Shelley is the wife of Max, who died three years ago as they were talking on the phone when a bomb exploded in front of him in Madrid’s Metro. For those who prefer Robert Ludlum and Tom Clancy—as I do—over Danielle Steel and Nora Roberts, this disaster is practically all the “action” that takes place in Sotto’s first novel. But despite the absence of conspiracy theories or terrorist plots, the book is a page-turner, mainly due to a question that compels Shelley to abandon her mourning and travel halfway across the world with Paolo, a man who claims to be the thirtysomething grandson of her late, thirtysomething husband: Who is the man in a two-month-old photo (from a blog!)—wearing the pendant she gave Max—who looks remarkably like her husband?

The answer is gradually revealed over the course of a long flight from London to Manila. In between Shelley’s conversations with Paolo on the plane are a series of flashbacks to the unusual guided tour of Europe where she met Max five years earlier, and where past events—both obscure and well-known—are introduced in the course of the journey, as well as even more flashbacks that take readers to the storming of the Bastille in 1789, as well as the eruption of Vesuvius in AD 79.

If this were a movie (and I certainly hope it becomes one), it would probably be compared with The Time Traveler’s Wife and Eat, Pray, Love—both based on bestselling books, incidentally—because of its preoccupation with love lasting through time, as well as the culinary and travel motifs (plus Catholic guilt!) that are an integral part of the novel’s structure and appeal. I enjoy watching romantic films, but tend to regret seeing them on the way out of the theater. (Why? Because I always end up asking, “When will it happen to me?”) This was not something, however, that I felt as I finished reading Before Ever After. Aside from the fact that Sotto sustains interest in the mystery of Max’s identity throughout all the journeys back in time, there is so much in her book that can be used as a basis for spiritual reflection on the meaning of life that I couldn’t help but do a little reflecting myself. At the same time, there are also many laugh-out-loud moments that make it difficult to classify this novel, notwithstanding its title, as merely a romantic one. Here’s a passage that is somewhere between spiritual and funny (actually, closer to deliciously bawdy) that illustrates why I liked the book so much:

Buttons. They were wonderful things, Shelley thought. In the twenty-plus years that she had been pushing them in and out of holes, it was only now that she realized what they were actually for. They heightened anticipation in a way no zipper could hope to match.

Shelley was about to have sex with Max for the very first time, except the phone rang (“Hello? Maximus Coitus Interruptus speaking”) and they learned that someone in their tour group had just suffered a heart attack. What happens afterward not only raises even more questions about Max, but also challenges readers to consider the difference between sadness and mourning, and the inevitability of death… and life.

There are unresolved questions, of course, but as with the age-old question regarding the chicken and the egg (i.e., Which came first?), it doesn’t really matter. In case it’s not clear yet, I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to be entertained and doesn't mind being provoked to think about the really important things =)


Disclosure: I am not in the habit of reviewing books, but I was asked if I’d be interested in receiving an advance reading copy, and I said “yes.” If I didn’t like it, I reasoned, I’d just beg off writing about it in my blog. Except I did like it and finished it—in less than twenty-four hours—during a breakfast that involved consuming three scrambled eggs. (To those who have read the book, this was purely an accident and had no connection to the book’s ending.) The author is married to a former classmate of mine, but it must be said that her husband and I were neither close friends nor mortal enemies, and that I have never actually met his wife. I thought it would be a good idea to review the work of a Filipina, whose first novel is being published by Random House in New York. Other Filipinos—a few anyway—have had their books published by American publishers throughout the twentieth century, but this is the first one I’ve encountered that is not pushing a political agenda (but there is a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it message about the environment) and treats its subject the way life should be lived: with generous doses of wit and humor.

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Book Development Month 2009

"Galing Pinoy, Basahin!" is the theme of this year's celebration of Philippine Book Development Month (PBDM). The Tagalog word "galing" may be pronounced two ways and has two different meanings. The first may be translated as "talent," while the second, "from." Thus, the theme could be "Read Pinoy Talent!" or "Read [Books] From Pinoys!" There's more information about the different activities being held, including the awarding ceremonies for the National Book Awards, on the website of the National Book Development Board (NBDB).

But actually, PBDM is not the only thing happening in November. Long before PBDM was moved from June to November to coincide with National Book Week (NBW), it was already Library and Information Services Month (LISM). Unlike PBDM, however, there doesn't really seem to be any central location where information about NBW or LISM can be found easily. The National Library's website has been down more than it's been up since I first thought of becoming a librarian in 2002, and while the fact that it has a wiki is encouraging, it doesn't really provide much useful information beyond address, contact numbers and library hours. Is it really that hard to get a website to work or update a wiki? The Quezon City Public Library, in contrast, provides a list of events for all its branches, branch locations with maps, and even regular newsletters.

Other events taking place in November are the following:

National Conference, Philippine Association of Academic and Research Librarians - Pasig City, 11-13 November 2009

National Conference, Reading Association of the Philippines - Dagupan City, Pangasinan, 12-14 November 2009 [postponed]

National Congress, Philippine Librarians Association - Pasay City, 25-27 November 2009

It seems rather odd that while the sponsor of the first event actually has its own website and wiki, information about the event is circulating only via email, and so questions get asked and requests are made over and over again. The sponsors of the other two events, meanwhile, do not even seem to have their own websites, and details are just disseminated through the kindness of interested parties.

This post was really just supposed to be an announcement about important events taking place in November, but I just couldn't help letting out some of the disappointment I'm feeling about the way these events are being publicized. NBDB has gotten much savvier at promoting its activities since I first blogged about its website, but all the others seem to be pretty much where they were before. Finally, there's what I wrote last year in Book Development Month 2008: "It is rather unfortunate, however, that there does not seem to be much evidence of synergy or cooperation between the different groups behind PBDM and NBW/LISM." Not much, it seems, has changed since then.

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Vilma Santos, In My Life and Librarians

I was finally able to watch In My Life, in which Vilma Santos plays a librarian, and about which I've already blogged in "'Losyang' Librarian?" Perhaps the significance of this film to Filipino librarians may be seen in the fact that my post has already attracted 32 comments, a number which very few of my posts about Filipino librarians have ever reached.

This post will not really be a review of the film, but I do have to say that In My Life, though it is the usual sigawan-iyakan-sampalan (shouting-crying-slapping) Filipino film, was not quite as formulaic as others I've seen in the past. The most striking non-formulaic element was the no-big-deal treatment of the homosexual relationship between the character played by Santos' real-life son, Luis Manzano, and his boyfriend, portrayed by John Lloyd Cruz. There is some tension, of course, that arises because of their relationship, but the film itself is not primarily about the mother coping with her son's sexual orientation.

It must also be said that the movie is not about librarians. The scenes that show Santos as a librarian in a library come and go in five minutes, probably less. Very little is said about her occupation later in the film. Perhaps the most prominent reference to her being a librarian—which most viewers probably missed—was when she actually shushed her co-workers at a restaurant.

I can understand why the director and her co-writers thought it might be appropriate to have Santos play a librarian. After all, if Santos is shown as a stereotypical librarian at the beginning—i.e., organized, conservatively-dressed, cranky—then it will be much easier to show how she has evolved into a more relaxed, fashionable, and happier person at the end of the film. While I agree that such a portrayal perpetuates the librarian stereotype, it must be remembered that stereotypes exist because they are reinforced by what exists.

Some Filipino librarians insist that librarians have changed or that there are no losyang (unglamorous) librarians, but I honestly wonder whether they are in denial or merely confusing the word some with all. Not all librarians, of course, are losyang, but I have met more than enough Filipino librarians—i.e., organized, conservatively-dressed, cranky—to know that the filmmakers were not inventing a non-existent librarian.

Having said that, I do have a problem with how this librarian, who was shown as having an assistant and was important enough to have a salesman try to get her approval, could later turn into a helpless employee working odd jobs. Whatever the stereotype may be, someone who becomes head librarian at a school will, at the very least, know that she should try getting an entry-level job at a library or a similar environment before she seeks work in a restaurant where she doesn't even know the names of the dishes being prepared.

But overall, I liked the film. I watched it primarily because the lead was a librarian, which I don't think has ever happened in a Filipino film before, but I could not help but get drawn into and be moved by the situations that the characters found themselves in. Not everything, of course, felt authentic but certain scenes were quite recognizable because I had actually witnessed or experienced some of them... in my life =)

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Wet Books: Do's and Don'ts

Did your books get wet? Here are some tips from the PAARL yahoogroup:

DO NOT

* open or close books
* separate single sheets
* press water out of wet books - the paper is too fragile when wet
* wipe off mud or dirt
* remove book covers or separate materials
* disturb wet file boxes, prints, drawings or photographs

"Such handling may result in extensive and irreparable damage to materials that otherwise might be salvaged" (Peter Waters)

DO

* stand books on their heads (or use support to keep them standing)
* interleave absorbent paper every 50 pages (toilet/tissue, paper towels, or blotting paper will do; just replace every now and then)
* use fan to keep air circulating, never expose books to dry under the sun
* keep temperature below 65 degrees F (approx. 18 degrees C)
* when completely dry, lay books flat but not stacked together

Books should be sorted out based on the amount of salvage work needed, as well as level of priority. It is generally more efficient to work on the least damaged than on the wettest materials.

If the book is only damp, it can stand upright with covers and pages fanned in a cool, dry place to air dry. Use electric fans to increase air circulation, but fans should not be directly positioned on the books. If the book is wet, it will probably need to be cleaned before being dried. Use either running water or a cycling process with about 4-8 wash basins filled with water for closed books. Don't use a brush; use a sponge to clean. And books should not be rubbed. The water should be doing almost all of the cleaning.

The above guidelines are intended as an initial response to the disaster. More and detailed treatment methods may be required depending on the severity of the damage. When planning the recovery, it's important to keep in mind that often there is no one "best solution"; instead, several different methods may be the answer.

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In My Life Screenings in Canada

Reviews of In My Life have already begun appearing in newspapers and blogs. While most mention that Vilma Santos plays a librarian, very few actually comment on it except to say that she's strict. Fortunately, there's "They’re called the net generation librarians" by Ronald Lim (Manila Bulletin, 19 September 2009), which I hope will be read by a few people who watched In My Life (and not just because my name is mentioned!).

Unfortunately, it will take a few weeks before I get to watch the film here. There will be a premiere in Toronto, but I won't be around because I'll be in Ann Arbor, MI, conducting research in connection with the fellowship grant I received. Besides, it's too expensive! Anyway, below are the schedules for the premieres and regular screenings in Canada:

Premiere

October 3
Calgary, AB
Calgary Telus Convention Centre

October 4
Toronto, ON
Queen Elizabeth Theatre, CNE Grounds

Regular Screening

Ontario
October 9-22: Scarborough Town Center
October 16-22: Square One, Mississauga

Quebec
October 9-15: Plaza Cote des Neiges

British Columbia
October 10-11: Denman Theaters

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"Losyang" Librarian?

In My Life, which stars Vilma Santos as a librarian, opens on September 16 and, predictably enough, articles about the film are beginning to appear. In "Direk Olive's 'In My Life' is bold and fresh," by Walden Sadiri (Manila Bulletin, 2009), its director Olive Lamasan is quoted as saying that she helped Santos "rehearse how a librarian walks and looks 'losyang.'" If this were an article for a scholarly journal, I suppose some questions that could be asked are: Is there such a thing as a "librarian walk"? Are all librarians losyang (Tagalog slang for unglamorous)? But it probably isn't fair to ask such questions of an article that only seeks to promote the release of a soon-to-be shown film.

I think it's important to remember that Lamasan is talking about a specific character in a particular film. And that it would be a mistake to focus only on this one phrase in the 20-paragraph article or judge the entire movie based on how the librarian is portrayed. I don't think there was any intention to characterize ALL librarians as losyang. But we also cannot deny that this stereotypical librarian exists. I look at the photo above and remember that more than a few librarians I've met dress exactly that way. Should the director perhaps have made sure that all kinds of librarians were represented in her film? It's not her responsibility to do so and that's not really how movies are made.

Librarians can probably condemn the movie and/or call for a boycott, but what will that accomplish? I think it's much better to take this opportunity to say that, yes, there is an existing stereotype, but there are so many different kinds of librarians AND promote what these librarians are doing that do not fit the stereotype. The reason the image of the losyang librarian persists is that people do not see any other kind of librarian in media. This is the reason I always identify myself as a librarian AND started putting my photo on my blog. If we do not present alternative images of librarians, there is no way the stereotype will be replaced. I've said it before and I'll say it again:

We can't just leave it to others to tell the people who we are; that's why the stereotypes about librarians continue to flourish. We have to be the ones to go out there and tell people who we are. It's not enough to complain about inaccurate images of librarians; we must be able to present alternative, positive images in movies, books and, yes, blogs =)

An article entitled "It's hip to be a librarian" appeared in the same newspaper last month. A few weeks before that, the influence of Reynaldo G. Alejandro as a librarian on a young boy was specifically mentioned by the grown journalist who benefited from his guidance. It is my hope that more journalists will consider doing more stories about non-stereotypical librarians on TV and in print. And that librarians will be more conscious about promoting their profession as well.

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Dinig Sana Kita (If I Knew What You Said)

The last time I reviewed a film that I saw at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), I wrote that, "Maybe next year, with more money, I'll be able to watch more movies, including non-Filipino ones." Well, that was three years ago, when I saw Kubrador and Twilight Dancers. I still don't have enough money to watch more than the two Filipino films at TIFF this year (and I'm still thinking real hard about watching Independencia), but I'm very happy that I saw If I Knew What You Said at its international premiere.

I had heard good things about the film from my friends who saw it in the Philippines, and the description on the TIFF website—"When we consider independent Filipino cinema, we tend to think of hand-held cameras rattling through the slums. That's why Mike Escareal Sandejas's If I Knew What You Said is such a breath of fresh air"—reminded me that while I liked both of the previous TIFF films (one more than the other), they were actually both rather depressing, and I'm really not the type who likes depressing films =)

Anyway, what I really liked about this film was that it's different in so many ways. There is, of course, the story. "Boy meets girl" is probably the oldest story in the world (remember Adam and Eve? LOL!), but I've never seen one where the boy, Kiko (Rome Mallari), is deaf AND breakdances. The girl, Niña (Zoe Sandejas), is a rocker and a troublemaker (or is that redundant?), which is not so unusual, but when you put that together with the boy's situation, the fact that they even meet is really extraordinary. And no, they did not first set eyes on each other across a crowded concert hall. It happened at a police station. Go figure.

But more than the story, there's the treatment. It's very restrained. Unlike most Filipino dramas, this one has none of the usual sigawan-iyakan-sampalan (shouting-crying-slapping) scenes that are to the Philippines what song-and-dance numbers in Bollywood films must be to India. For instance, just when I expected Niña's father—whose face is never shown—to start slapping her around, the door closed and... fade out.

Then again, it is appropriate that silence is much more prominent in this film... except that there's more of it on the rocker's side. Kiko's scenes, in fact, are the ones that tend to have more sound in them. And by sound, I don't mean dialogue. Kiko's biggest scene—and the most affecting—had no words, but the images and the sound of music made words unnecessary. Another big scene did have words, but the images and the sound of silence were shatteringly effective in conveying the magnitude of what had occurred. That perhaps is all I should say about that scene in case you haven't seen the film =)

Then there's the use of sign language. It's not in-your-face, where one character says, "This is the sign for..." The few important signed words in the film—friend, dad, mom, sorry—were introduced so naturally that when the payoffs arrived, it did not really occur to me to think that the writer had been setting up the audience for future scenes. I found it really ironic that I thought I had an edge over the non-Tagalog speakers in the audience because I could understand the dialogue and read the English subtitles. But when entire conversations were carried out with no dialogue (sometimes with no subtitles at all), it really brought home the meaning—in more ways than one—of "actions speak louder than words."

The film also helped me understand the world of the deaf a little bit more, without feeling as if I attended a session on political correctness. Some of it was funny, like when some deaf students noisily sneaked out of their dorm, not realizing that they were lucky no one was around to hear the racket they were making. The rest of it was not funny, like people automatically assuming that just because a person is deaf that s/he can't read, write, dance, and even "hear" music. The last one was ingeniously illustrated in several ways in the film, but the most memorable for me were the scenes in which Kiko was shown nailing pieces of wood to the walls of his room. It didn't really make much sense until he started playing the music and "listened" to the vibrations it made in his wood-covered space.

Finally, I really appreciated the not-so-common perspective on the Philippines that the film shares with non-Filipinos. As I jokingly told the director, all those scenes in Baguio might just lead Canadians to think that we have winter in the Philippines. But more importantly, without denying the reality of poverty or corruption (there was a hint of bribery), the film presents the Philippines as a place where people speak English, not everyone lives in the slums or the beach, and not everything is political, violent or sexual, which is the image usually presented by Filipino films that make it to international festivals.

If I have any complaints at all, it's about the subtitles, which were not always accurate or grammatically correct even when the dialogue was already in English. I also brought this up in connection with Kubrador and Twilight Dancers and it is understandable considering the constraints the filmmakers have to work with. But in this case, the title's translation is an added problem for me. Dinig sana kita is literally the Tagalog phrase for "I wish I could hear you," and I can understand that it isn't really catchy, but why not "If I could hear you"? "If I knew what you said" seems to imply that the film is about "knowing" and "saying," but it's really more about, at least to me, "hearing."

For more information, as well as Twitter updates, see the official website and an interview with the director.

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Vilma Santos — "Librarian"

Vilma Santos plays a stereotypical librarian in In My Life, which will begin its run in the Philippines on September 16. Santos describes her character as "“irascible and rather comic—isang masungit na librarian who feels na hindi siya mahal ng mundo [a cranky librarian who feels the world doesn't love her]."

Shirley, the character played by Santos, apparently has two distinct facets – the traditional and old-fashioned librarian and the modern and transformed one in New York City. According to Santos, "The old Shirley doesn’t like computers. She doesn’t even like her library computerized." Her eventual transformation, courtesy of her gay son and his partner, seems to imply a correlation between her acceptance of her son's lifestyle and the new technology she learns to embrace.

I will reserve judgment on the impact her portrayal might have on the image of Filipino librarians until after I've seen the movie, but the trailer below looks very promising.

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Book Development Month 2008

Click on the poster to read the schedule of activities.

"Read Pinoy!" is the theme of this year's celebration of Philippine Book Development Month (PBDM), which has been moved from June to November to coincide with National Book Week (NBW). Check out the new, much improved website of the National Book Development Board (NBDB) for more information about BDM. See the PLAI-CVRLC blog for more about the NBW contests on the theme "Ang Batang Palabasa Dalubhasa sa Kultura," which sounds good but doesn't quite make sense in English (The child who reads a lot is an expert on culture). November is also Library and Information Services Month (LISM). For a list of all activities related to LISM, please visit the PLAI-STRLC blog.

It is rather unfortunate, however, that there does not seem to be much evidence of synergy or cooperation between the different groups behind PBDM and NBW/LISM. It is also quite revealing that while the themes of the different activities occasionally use Tagalog words, all the promotional materials are primarily in English, which suggests that the activities are focused on English books and directed to Filipinos who can read English. Not that there's anything wrong with that (this blog, after all, is written in English), but when the adjectives "Philippine" and "National" are used with the word "Book," it implies that books in all Philippine languages—not just English—are part of the activities. Then again, government documents are primarily in English and the medium of instruction in public schools is English. Maybe it's a chicken-or-egg problem. But that's another post altogether.

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Who Would Want to Kill a Librarian?

From "The Collectors" by David Baldacci:

"So you think someone killed him? Who could possibly have a problem with Jonathan? He was a librarian."

"It's not like librarians don't have enemies," Caleb said defensively. "Indeed, I've been around some colleagues who can get pretty mean-spirited after they've had a few glasses of merlot."

She looked at him incredulously. "Yeah, I bet. But no one's going to pop someone because they got fined for an overdue book" (hardbound, p. 197).

It's not the greatest book in the world, but Baldacci's novel reminded me that while I've written about the image of librarians in movies, I haven't done the same for librarians in novels. Let me do something about that now.

If you want a brief overview of what's available, there are "Cool Librarians," which includes the protagonists in two Harlequin romances among the four books it recommends, along with the other fictional and real librarians it features; and "Spectacles - How Pop Culture Views Librarians," which lists four series with librarians as "detectives" among the books it covers in a review of the librarian's image in movies, music, TV, books and comics.

Then there's BiblioMystery, which provides the titles of mysteries in which "books, manuscripts, libraries of any kind, archives, publishing houses, or bookstores occupy a central role, or mysteries in which librarians, archivists, booksellers, etc. are protagonists or antagonists." Its companion site on LibraryThing allows browsers to read reviews, search for specific titles, and look at book covers. Finally, if you're the academic type, there's "Librarians in Fiction: A Discussion" by Christopher Brown-Syed and Charles Barnard Sands, an article that "explores portrayals of librarians in selected works of fiction, notably those involving mystery or detection."

Unfortunately, no similar listings seem to be available online—and most likely, even in print—for librarians in Filipino literature. If you know of any such books, leave a comment below, and maybe we can make our own list.

Just in case you're wondering whether the title of this post has any basis in reality, see "Seattle School Librarian Murdered" by Laura B. Weiss (School Library Journal, 8/3 Aug 2006).

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Deadline for Nominationsfor 2008 National Book Awards

The deadline for submission of nominations for the 2008 National Book Awards is 30 April 2008. Unfortunately, as far as I can tell, this information has not been widely disseminated. I am, therefore, reproducing the guidelines from the Manila Critics Circle (MCC) and the National Book Development Board (NBDB) below.

This is the first time that MCC and NBDB are teaming up, and there are a few things that must be noted:

1. Nominations must be submitted to the Accreditation and Incentives Division of the NBDB.
2. Only books published by NBDB-registered publishers or have ISBNs may be nominated.
3. Only those books with ISBNs may qualify for a National Book Award.

Based on my limited understanding of the guidelines, it seems that a book without an ISBN may be nominated as long as its publisher is registered with NBDB, but it will not be eligible for an award. It seems, therefore, that if you're planning to nominate a book, you better make sure it has an ISBN, otherwise, it will be a wasted effort even if its publisher is registered with the NBDB.

By the way, it seems strange that there is nothing in the guidelines that indicates that the book should have been published between 1 January and 31 December 2007. But I suppose that's what those who drafted the document meant.


National Book Awards

I. General rules

A. The Board of Judges

1. Every year, the Board of Judges (BOJ) of the National Book Awards shall be composed of:

a. Five (5) members of the Manila Critics Circle (MCC) to be designated by MCC; and
b. One (1) judge nominated by the National Book Development Board (NBDB).

2. There will be two divisions: literary and non-literary.

3. There shall be the same members of the BOJ from the MCC for both the literary and non-literary divisions. The NBDB, however, reserves the right to nominate a different judge for each category within any division, depending on the expertise of the chosen judge.

4. Books of members of the MCC are disqualified from winning any award for any category in any division. Likewise, the books of the NBDB-nominated judge shall be disqualified for the category s/he is judging.

5. Each member of the BOJ is entitled to one (1) vote. A vote must be explained verbally during the voting process, taking into consideration factors that determine the quality of the title.

6. A title in all categories of both divisions must be voted upon unanimously by every member of the BOJ to win.

7. Meetings of the BOJ shall be held at the NBDB Conference Room or at any designated place agreed upon beforehand by the members of the BOJ.

8. Minutes of every meeting by the BOJ shall be taken by a member of the NBDB Secretariat, who shall keep the minutes in a confidential file within the premises of the NBDB.

9. The BOJ shall make a list of finalists numbering five (5) titles at most per category, from which the winners of each category are determined. A winner for each category must be determined by September 30, 2008.

B. Submissions

1. A letter nominating the titles, accompanied by an initial two (2) copies of the books, must be submitted to the Accreditation and Incentives Division (AID) of the NBDB at the

2/F National Printing Office Building,
EDSA corner NIA Northside Road,
Diliman, Quezon City 1100

2. Only publishers registered with the NBDB will be allowed to nominate their titles. If the titles are nominated by a literary organization, a university department, or a professional organization, such titles must be published by an NBDB-registered publisher. Only those entities whose main activity is not publishing but publish books from time to time as an auxiliary activity to their main business or activity are exempt from registration requirement; provided, however, their published titles have an ISBN.

3. Nominations without the accompanying initial 2 books will not be considered at all.

4. Only those books with ISBNs may qualify for a National Book Award.

5. The deadline for the submission of all nominations is at noon of April 30, 2008.

6. All books submitted to the NBDB for consideration in the National Book Awards become the property of the NBDB.

C. Announcement of finalists and winners

1. Winners shall be announced only during the awarding ceremonies.

2. All decisions of the BOJ are final.

3. Finalists in all categories will be invited to the awarding ceremonies to be scheduled on a date within Philippine Book Development Month, and at a place to be determined by the NBDB.

II. Literary Titles

A. Nomination and Judging

1. Any publisher registered with the National Book Development Board (NBDB) may nominate a literary title, published in the previous year, by sending a letter of nomination and by submitting an initial two (2) copies of that title for consideration of the judges in the following categories, in English, Filipino, or any other language:

a. Novel;
b. Poetry;
c. Essay;
d. Creative Non-Fiction;
e. Literary Criticism;
f. Short Fiction;
g. Drama;
h. Graphic Novel;
i. Children’s Fiction;
j. Children’s Poetry;
k. Other genres as may be determined by the Board of Judges (BOJ).

2. The NBDB will forward these nominations to a chosen literary organization registered with the National Commission for Culture and Arts (NCCA) for prescreening. Nominated titles for different categories may not necessarily be given to one literary organization. The NBDB reserves the right to choose the literary organizations for each category, subject to the approval of the Chair of the NBDB Governing Board. The literary organizations will be given thirty (30) days from receipt of the nominated titles to come up with a short list.

3. Literary organizations registered with the NCCA may nominate titles to the NBDB, which shall not go through a prescreening process as long as the nomination is signed by the head of the organization.

4. The members of the MCC also reserve the right to nominate titles for the consideration of the BOJ, provided none of the titles nominated by them, or by any publisher, or literary organization, are authored by any member of the MCC. Consequently, any title authored by any member of the MCC is automatically disqualified from winning.

5. Publishers of titles submitted for prescreening and short-listed by these literary organizations, or nominated by the MCC or by a NCCA- registered literary organization, shall be informed in writing that their titles have been short-listed, and shall be required to submit an additional six (6) copies of the books to the NBDB. Non-submission of the required copies will disqualify the title from consideration by the BOJ.

6. The chosen NCCA-registered literary organization shall submit to the NBDB a short list of the nominated titles, judging only the literary merits of the books without going into other aspects of the books, and without ranking them.

7. The literary organizations will be given thirty (30) days from receipt of the books to submit a short list of the titles to the NBDB. Should there be no short list given by the literary organization within the given period, all nominated books will be forwarded to the BOJ, unless otherwise disqualified.

8. The NBDB shall inform the BOJ no later than June 30, 2008, that the books to be the subject of final judging are ready for pick up at the NBDB office.

III. Non-literary Titles

A. Nomination and Judging

1. Any NBDB-registered publisher, professional organization, or university department may nominate a title published in the previous year, by submitting a letter of nomination. Publishers who nominate their titles must also submit two (2) initial copies of that title for consideration of the judges in the following categories:

a. Sciences;
b. Social Sciences;
c. Humanities;
d. Professions;
e. Reference;
f. Other categories as may be determined by the BOJ.

2. Non-literary titles nominated directly by an NBDB-registered publisher shall be submitted by the NBDB to a professional organization or a university department in the field the nominated title belongs to. Such professional organization or university department shall be approved by the Chair of the NBDB’s Governing Board.

3. The professional organization or university department shall short list the titles bearing in mind the following:

a. This prescreening is limited only to judging the soundness of the contents of the book;
b. They are given thirty (30) days to evaluate the book from the time of receipt of the books;
c. Upon passing the prescreening process, the title shall be passed on to the BOJ, for regular judging.

4. A title that has been rejected by the prescreening professional organization or university department shall no longer be submitted to the BOJ for judging. However, the BOJ will be notified in writing by the NBDB Secretariat that such a title was prescreened by a particular organization or university department, and did not pass the pre- screening process.

5. If a short-listed title was nominated by an NBDB-registered publisher, the NBDB shall inform such publisher accordingly, and shall be required to submit an additional six (6) copies to the NBDB for submission to the BOJ.

6. If a title was nominated by a professional organization or university department, the title shall no longer go through a prescreening process. However, the publisher of such title will be informed that its title has been nominated by a professional organization or university department, without naming the organization or department, and such publisher shall be required to submit seven (7) copies of that title for the BOJ: six (6) for the BOJ, and one extra copy for the NBDB library.

7. Professional organizations that submit titles for consideration must also submit a copy of their SEC registration to the NBDB.

8. Submissions by university departments must contain the signature of the head of the department, or an authorized department representative as designated by the dean of the college or the university president.

9. Only titles prescreened by a chosen professional organization or university department, when nominated by a publisher, or directly nominated by a professional organization or a university department may be considered by the BOJ.

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Music and Scholarship

Naku... Kenkoy!
Titik: Romualdo Ramos
Musika: Nicanor Abelardo
Koro: Mary the Queen Children's Choir
Pianista: Raul Navarro

The video above was taken at the book launch for Kolonyal na Patakaran at ang Nagbabagong Kamalayang Pilipino: Musika sa Pampublikong Paaralan sa Pilipinas, 1898–1935 [Colonial Policy and the Changing Filipino Consciousness: Music in Philippine Public Schools, 1898-1935] by Raul C. Navarro.

What I really liked about the whole event was that it was "ecumenical," for lack of a better word, because the author is from the University of the Philippines and the event was held at UP's College of Music, even though the book was published by the Ateneo de Manila University Press. This was emphasized further by the college dean, a La Salle alumnus, who joked that he thought of canceling the book launch when Ateneo's basketball team beat La Salle's (for the second time this year!) the previous night.

But it wasn't really just the unusual lack of academic rivalry at the event that was impressive, it was, in the words of Maricor Baytion, director of the Ateneo Press, the "gift of music and scholarship" displayed by the author Raul Navarro, who not only played the piano for the students who performed on his birthday (!), but also wrote a book that illuminates the important role played by music in the "Americanization" of the Philippines, and the creative ways by which Filipinos resisted colonialization.

The song "Naku... Kenkoy!" is an example of the latter. Navarro writes: "Si Kenkoy ay karikatura ng mga Filipinong sa halip na magmahal sa sariling wika at ipagmalaki ito ay kabaligtaran ang kanilang nararamdaman at ginagawa" [Kenkoy is a caricature of Filipinos who instead of using and promoting their native language, feel and do the opposite]. I did not understand the lyrics while the song was being sung—through no fault of the singers—but it is helpful to read them while listening to the song:

Kahit saan ka naroon,
Sa bayan man o nayon
Ang lagi mong kasalubong
Ay ang maharot na Kenkoy

Hayan siya umuugong,
Ang maluang na pantalon
At hayan parang ulol
Habang daa'y umuungol
Aruy! Naku! Kenkoy!
Hoy! Hey! Sh!

Pati noo'y inahit na
Kilos, lakad ay nag-iba
Habang daa'y kumakanta
Ng Ingles na walang letra

Batiin mo "Kamusta ka?"
At ang sagot tingnan mo ba
"Hey! Tagalog, mi no habla!"
Ay, naku, naku, Kenkoy!

At si Kenkoy ay popular
Sa lahat ng handaan
Ukulele'y tangan-tangan
Handa mo'y inaawitan

Hayan siya sumasayaw
Katawa'y anong gaslaw
Sumasabog and laway
Walang tigil sa pag-ungal
Aruy! Naku! Kenkoy!

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Bookfair 2007: OMF Lit Package

The photos above are of the package I was given by Yna Reyes, publication director of OMF Literature. I'm not quite sure why she gave me the package—maybe she liked my presentation the previous day at the Books Across Southeast Asia conference or maybe because I asked her about their publications later during the day at the Manila International Bookfair—but what I liked most about the package was that it was addressed to:

Vernon Totanes
Filipino Librarian

I suppose she could have put just my name on the package, or my name and the name of the school I'm affiliated with, but I do like the idea that she associated me with my blog. In fact, I'm getting introduced more often as "Filipino Librarian" now than before. Whether that's good or bad remains to be seen =)

Incidentally, if any of you out there still think that blogs are just personal diaries, check out OMF Lit's website, which is actually a very slick blog.

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Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

I was going to start blogging again—maybe even two posts a day!—but my copy of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling just got delivered!

Unlike Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, for which I had to wake up early and line up for two years ago in Manila, all I had to do this time in Toronto was order the new one online—several months ago—and have it delivered on the first day of its release.

Unfortunately, I made some errors in ordering, so I didn't think I'd get it on the first day of release. When the delivery boy arrived, I was actually expecting another book (related to my dissertation), which led to my disappointment because the box was smaller than I thought it would be (meaning that I got the wrong book), and was even wondering why it had been sent in an Amazon box.

Well, I opened the box half-heartedly, saw that Rowling's new book was in it, and knew that everything I planned to do this weekend would have to wait until after I read the whole book.

Enough. I have a book to read =)

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June is Book Development Month

"Love Your Books" is the theme of this year's celebration of Book Development Month (BDM). The National Book Development Board (NBDB), in partnership with the Filipinas Heritage Library (FHL), has lined up a series of lectures and activities. Unfortunately, neither the NBDB nor FHL websites has any information on BDM yet, so I have reproduced the schedule I received from NBDB below. For more details, please call NBDB at 9280048.

Just a few notes: Zarah Gagatiga and Troy Lacsamana, both of whom are well-known children's librarians, will be speakers on "Your Community Library" at FHL in Makati on Monday, June 4. I wish I could be there for May Jurilla's session on "The Book Talks: What Will It Tell?" on June 7. Her dissertation was on "Tagalog Bestsellers and the History of the Book in the Philippines," which is something I'm very interested in.

Incidentally, the billboard above, with the slogan “Open a book, See the world,” shows media personality Lyn Ching-Pascual reading Charlson Ong’s Banyaga, A Song of War. It is part of the NBDB’s efforts to invite more people to get caught reading. The photo was provided by the NBDB.

Here's the schedule of activities:

June 4
Your Community Library By Zarah Gagatiga

A whole day lecture on setting up and sustainability issues of a community library to be held at the Filipinas Heritage Library (FHL).

June 6
A Book is an Event By Ani Almario and Zarah Gagatiga of PBBY

A two-part lecture to equip teachers and librarians with knowledge and skills that will help encourage students to read more often for longer periods of time and improve their comprehension.

June 7
The Book Talks: What Will It Tell?By May Jurilla, Ph.D.

This unique lecture topic depicts the crucial role of book development vis-à-vis nation building.

June 8
NBDB Anniversary

June 14
What Makes a Reading Campaign Work?

This panel discussion will assess the successes and failures of the different reading campaigns vis-à-vis the various considerations and objectives of different agencies, identify gaps and address them.

June 27 – July 1
Portrait of the City Exhibit: The Literary Imagination and the City We Live In

A literary exhibit to be held at the Glorietta Park, this exhibit will feature the places around Metro Manila that have inspired the literary works of local authors.

June 27
Opening and cocktails

June 28
Book Illustration Contest Launch

June 29
Performance Poetry

June 30
Reading short fiction with celebrities, theatrical storytelling

Portrait of the City Tour

To be conducted by Joanna Abrera Del Prado, the Tour begins at the Literary City Exhibit in Glorietta, where participants will get an orientation of the tour before visiting the places themselves.

The exhibit is free of charge but the tour is only five hundred pesos (P500) to cover meals, transportation and materials. Guided tours at the Glorietta Park and the Trinoma Mall are available for classes on June 28 and 29 and on July 5 and 6 at 10:00 AM, 11:00 AM and 2:00 PM.

For more information on the other events, please call the National Book Development Board at 929-3881. To join this tour, call the Filipinas Heritage Library at 892-1801.

July 4-8
Portrait of the City Tour at the Trinoma Mall with daily field trips

This exhibit will feature the places around Metro Manila that have inspired the literary works of local authors.

July 1
Storytelling for children

July 4
Opening ceremonies

July 8
Closing ceremonies with storytelling for kids

Student field trips during the Literary Exhibits at the Glorietta Park and Trinoma Mall are welcome. For more information, call the National Book Development Board at 928-0048.

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