Thursday, February 6, 2025

Where I Talk About Our New Series, the Disaster Ready Kids at Read Pinoy on Radyo Magasin

Wednesday, February 5, 2025

The 2024 PBBY Salanga Grand Prize Winner: Eric Ruiz Roxas

Get to know Mr. Eric Ruiz Roxas! He is the grand prize winner of the 2024 PBBY Salanga Prize for the story, Monina's Many Moles.

Eric Ruiz Roxas is a forty-year-old kidlit and LGBTQIA+ writer born and based in Pulilan, Bulacan. He won #RevPit in 2021, #WeNeedDiverseBooks in 2023, and The Philippine Board on Books for Young People Salanga Grand Prize in 2024, and he was also a finalist at the 38th Romeo Forbes Children's Story Writing Competition. His debut picture book WHAT MAKES A FAMILY will be published by Lantana Publishing in fall 2026. 


1. What inspired you to create the concept of the Mole Fairy and its connection to talents in Monina's story?  

I'm a proud 90's kid! I grew up watching films and shows with lots of fantasy and magic: Disney films like The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, and Aladdin, cartoon series such as The Uncanny X-men and Magic Knight Rayearth, and Filipino morning shows like Hiraya Manawari. 

But I'm also a proud Bulakenyo! I was born and raised surrounded by Filipino superstitions like believing that the placement of a mole on a person's body indicates their talents, quirks, luck, or sometimes misfortune. 

Monina's Many Moles, the Mole Fairy in particular, is the result of me melding fantasy and magic with Filipino superstition. 

 

2. Monina's journey highlights the role of self-confidence and support from loved ones. How important was it for you to showcase the relationship between Monina and her nanay in helping her overcome her insecurities?

 It was very important, because at its core, Monina's Many Moles isn't just a story about finding one's true self but also family. 

 A beauty contestant was once asked, “What role did your family play for you as a candidate of Binibining Pilipinas?"

 And though her answer was thought of by many as too simple and funny, “Well, my family’s role for me is... My family… Oh my god... My family is the most important persons in my life. Thank you," to me, it was charming, unpretentious, and spoke of a value we Filipinos all share—a lesson I hope I was able to highlight in Monina's Many Moles and one I pray will resonate with young readers: that our family is important, and with their love and support, we can do anything. 



3. The story touches on the theme of inner strength and self-belief. What message do you hope young readers take away from Monina's transformation?

 Katy Perry said it best. 

 "'Cause there's a spark in you. You just gotta ignite the light

And let it shine

Just own the night

Like the Fourth of July

'Cause baby, you're a firework!"

 To my young readers, know that you are special, you are worthy, you are blessed and loved, and you are gifted with boundless talents meant to be shared with the world. 

 

4. How did you develop Monina's character, particularly her shyness and insecurities, to make her relatable to readers?

It was easy! I had my now five-year-old niece Lucila Isle as my cheat code. 

Lucila Isle embodies the character of Monina in so many ways. Like Monina, Isle is brilliant and talented but sometimes is also needing a bit of encouragement to overcome her shyness. 

 She can be her introvert-Roblox-playing-book-reading self one day, but, with a little push, be a sassy-hip-swaying-Little-Miss-Intrams princess the next.

 

5. What inspired the creative twist of Monina’s nanay using a marker instead of magic, and how does this reflect the story's core message?

 I'm a sucker for plot twists, hijinks, cliffhangers, and unexpected endings. I like them in the movies I watch, the books I read, and most especially the stories I write.

 But in Monina's Many Moles, I used the marker not only for its element of surprise but also for its symbolism for things children, even us adults, rely on to be confident—things that eventually tarnish or fade and lose value in time, like an expensive cellphone, a fancy dress, a pair of brand new sneakers, medals, awards, or even a gazillion likes on Facebook.

To know more about the Salanga Prize, go to the official website of the Philippine Board on Books for Young People. 

Publishers, seize the opportunity to acquire "Monina's Many Moles," the award-winning 2024 PBBY Salanga Prize story by Eric Ruiz Roxas (pen name Benjamin Orion). This enchanting story blends Filipino cultural superstitions with fantasy, celebrating self-confidence, family, and inner strength. Bid now to bring this unique, culturally rich tale to local and global audience and inspire young readers everywhere.

Tuesday, February 4, 2025

The Lighthouse Diary #68: Biñan Day and Griffin Games 2025

The city of Biñan celebrates several significant milestones this month: its 15th Cityhood Anniversary on February 2, its 80th Liberation Day from Japanese occupation on February 3, and its 278th Foundation Day on February 4. In commemoration of these historical events, the Biñan LGU has organized various activities for the residents, and classes in schools are suspended throughout the city. Meanwhile, we are gathering at school to participate in our annual Griffin Games.

In addition, we are watching a historical documentary titled Aninong Puti Sa Pulang Araw: The Rogelio Ligaya Lim-aco Story (Binan City Cultural Historical Arts and Tourism Office, 2016). Rogelio Ligaya Lim-aco is celebrated as a local hero in Biñan; he served as mayor during the Japanese occupation and led the charge against Japanese soldiers during the war. You can watch the video using the following link: Watch the Documentary.



It is essential to approach this historical video with sensitivity and nuance. Therefore, DHOS encourages us to process the material in class or with students in safe and inclusive spaces. 
Below are some tips on how to develop meaningful discourse, conversations, and dialogue:
  1. Set the Context
    • Acknowledge that historical narratives are shaped by perspectives, and media from different eras often reflect the biases or propaganda of their time.
    • Explain that war narratives tend to depict one side as heroes and the other as villains, but history is more complex than that.
    • Clarify that not all Japanese people supported the war—many civilians suffered greatly, and there was even resistance within Japan itself.
  2. Encourage Critical Viewing (Use OPVL)
    • Ask students to analyze the video as a historical document rather than merely as a story. Guide them to consider:
      • Who created the video?
      • What is its purpose?
      • What biases might it contain?
      • How does it compare to other perspectives on the war?
    • If possible, provide a contrasting perspective—for example, accounts from Japanese civilians, soldiers, or historians.
  3. Facilitate a Discussion After Watching
    • Open a discussion about how different nations remember World War II and how this shapes national identity.
    • Emphasize that no nationality is inherently good or bad; war was a result of political and military decisions rather than an entire people’s character.
    • Invite students to reflect on how history is told and by whom, encouraging empathy and a broader understanding of historical events.
  4. Support Our Students of Japanese Descent or Nationality
    • Privately check in with your Japanese students afterward to see how they feel.
    • Reassure them that studying history does not mean blaming or judging modern-day people for past events.
    • If they are uncomfortable, provide alternative ways to engage—for example, by analyzing primary sources or reading narratives and research from multiple viewpoints about the war (visit the BA Library).
  5. Connect to the Present
    • Highlight that Japan and other countries have worked toward peace and reconciliation since WWII.
    • Discuss how we can learn from history to prevent future conflicts rather than focusing solely on past divisions.
Today, we celebrate the rich history of Biñan. We engage in friendly games and healthy competition through the Griffin Games, while also creating open, safe, and inclusive spaces for students to critically and compassionately engage with history and the world.

Monday, February 3, 2025

The Lighthouse Diary #67: Expanding Our World: Reflections on World Languages and Literature Week 2025

Joel Donato Ching Jacob aka Cup
During this year’s World Languages and Literature Week, we, at the BA Library had the privilege of hosting three remarkable authors namely, Joel Donato Ching Jacob, Robin Sebilono and Artie Cabezas who shared not only their books but also their writing journeys and the literary works that have shaped their thinking. Each talk, spanning 30 to 40 minutes, became more than just a discussion of craft and the writing life —it was an invitation to step beyond the familiar borders of language and thought.

Thinking of a way to introduce the Book Talk and Author Visit activity, I was reminded of Ludwig Wittgenstein’s words: “The limits of my language mean the limits of my world.” It’s a striking idea—that our ability to understand, to imagine, even to dream, is shaped by the words we have at our disposal. And so, I used this idea to bring in our students' consciousness into the sessions. Our students, through these author talks, experienced a challenge and opportunity to expand the limits of their worlds.

Joel Donato Ching Jacob, whose middle-grade novels, Wing of the Locust and Orphan Price,  are set in an imagined pre-colonial city in Laguna province, spoke about the importance of learning sight words. He emphasized how reading books of all kinds—especially those that genuinely interest us—contributes to vocabulary growth and comprehension.

Robin visits BA!
Robin Sebolino, author of Vassals of the Valley, delved into his purpose for writing. A passionate historian at heart, Robin finds both comfort and contemplation in writing fiction. His talk underscored how storytelling becomes a way of making sense of history, giving voice to the past while engaging with the present.

Lastly, Artie Cabezas presented his portfolio of sequential art, leading us to explore the power of visual narratives in non-literary texts and other media. His talk became even more resonant when he shared works that reflect his advocacies—gender identity, representation of people with disabilities, and creating spaces for the marginalized.


What worlds opened up! Language is not just about communication; it is the foundation of how we interpret and engage with the world. And when we encounter writers who challenge and inspire us to see differently, who introduce us to narratives outside our own, we grow. Our students didn’t just listen to authors—they widened their own worlds.


We will always be proud of our Griffin and Virtus et Ars Awardee!

I hope these conversations linger in their minds, urging them to read more, to write more, and to embrace the vast possibilities that language—and literature—offer.

Friday, January 31, 2025

World Languages and Literature Week: Literature Inspired Food Basket

World Langauges and Literature Week: Extending Writing and Reading Haiku

 

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