Filipino Friday

Filipino Book Bloggers unite! See them wield power and influence at the 32nd Manila International Book Fair via the First Filipino Reader Conference. Here are details of the event from the blog -

Filipino Readers Make It Social!
The 1st Filipino Reader Conference
When: September 14, 2011, Wednesday, 1-6 PM (during MIBF)
Where: SMX Mall of Asia, Meeting Room 2

Objectives:
1. to provide support, instruction, and social time for book club members and book bloggers
2. to celebrate readers and reading in the Philippines
3. to promote a closer connection between readers and writers and/or publishers

Carloe Javier is the keynote speaker. Pinoy Book Bloggers (PBB) like Tarie Sabido and Charles Tan, to mention a few, are panelists.

In line with the event, the PBB's are creating noise in the blogosphere by memes, blogs and social media, of course. To start off, there's Filipino Friday where in book bloggers blog about the topic of the week. Officially, Filipino Friday is a weekly meme used by Filipino Book Bloggers to discuss more about book they read, the events and happenings that affect the world of literature. For now, as a part of an upcoming event, we are using this meme to promote the upcoming The Filipino Reader Convention on September 14 and to promote the Filipino Readers.

I'm not sure if I can go to the ReaderCon so I'll simply blog my reading habits and book choices along with the PBBs. Visit the Filipino Friday website for a list of meme topics till 14 September, 2011.

I was six years old when I read my name on the list of accepted applicants of grade one pupils. I knew then that I will be reading for life. It helped that my mother read to me as a child and that she brought home a lot of books for me to read. She did not buy them in bookstores. She borrowed them from the library. At the time, I considered it a privilege -- getting my books from the library. Ang yabang ko!

I was the only girl in class who knew Dr. Seuss and that there existed animals as big as buildings, as wide as mountains and as fierce as a pack of hyenas by the hundreds. I was friends with Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys. I idolized Judy Blume and hated myself for not understanding Asimov's sci-fi world. I put down Bradburry in my teens to devour Sweet Valley High and the classic Newberry's. In college, I discovered Filipino writers and children's books by Filipino writers. There were so many things to know; so many things to see; so many things to experience from a book written and made by another human being who is just like me in so many ways.

Now, I know better. Having access to books and libraries is not a privilege but a right.

Now, I know better. Books, reading and libraries are a culture. It is not exclusive to one nation or elite groups of peoples.

Now, I know better. Reading is power. And those who can wield that power even has the greater responsibility to share it and empower others!

Till next Filipino Friday.

Picture! Picture!

Philippine Blog Awards: One Blogging Nation

Winners of the Philippine Blog Awards (PBA) were announced last October 9, 2009 at the PETA Theater in Quezon City. This goes for Luzon blogs and bloggers only. There is a scheduled announcement of winners for the Visayas and Mindanao regions. With the theme, One Blogging Nation, the PBA aimed to cover and unify the Filipino Blogging Community.

Going through the list of winners this year, I was pleasantly surprised to find Jim Paredes' Writing On Air come out as the winner for Best Personal Blog. I love his writing and his reflections on life, parenting, music, art and culture. Since redesigning my personal blog early this year, I have not gotten back to putting the old blogroll. As for the Best Filipiniana Blog, Dennis Villegas beat out my personal favorite for the award. But no matter, there's still next year.

As an added info, Juned Sunido, true blue blogger and Filipino blog mover is part of the board and organizing committee of the PBA 2009. He is also a licensed librarian.

Dr. Dina Joana Ocamo, Outstanding Teacher and Filipina

A pleasant news from the education sector! The Metrobank Outsanding Teachers (MOT) of 2009 were announced last 8 August 2009. Among the ten teacher awardees, nine came from the public school system.

From the tertiary level, it was Dr. Dina Ocampo of the Reading Department of UP Diliman who was given this prestigious award. Teacher Dina, as she is fondly called in the UP Reading community was conferred another award last 2007. She was one of the Ten Outstanding Women of the Nation for Service awardee for her groundbreaking work and research on dyslexia. Teacher Dina's research on multilingual teaching won her the MOT this year.

Teacher Dina is founder of Wordlab, a school for dyslexic and special learners. She is also the Vice President of the Philippine Board On Books for Young People (PBBY).

Source of photo - cathychronicles.blogspot.com

An Open Letter to Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao

As of writing, news of Manny Pacquiao's win against Marco Antonio Barrera has crawled the Internet and the Pinoy Blogosphere. This is something I expected, so I'm not surprised. I wonder now what Pacman will do next. And I'm not pertaining to his boxing career, but to his extra-curricular activities. Aside from movies, music, a host of endorsements under his belt would he be thinking of an advocacy to pursue in the future?

The late great Gabriel "Flash" Elorde put up a training center for aspiring young boxers though news of its success or failure has not caught the attention of media. Would Pacquiao venture into something like this? Or would he seriously think of trying his luck in politics (again). Heaven forbid.

So, I'm writing the "Pambansang Kamao" an open letter. I'm not really expecting anything from this but, who knows? Hope springs eternal.

Dear Manny,

Congratulations sayo, aking kababayan!

Your win against Barrerra sealed your future as the boxing great of this generation. Your ascent to boxing supremacy is a product of hard work and perseverance from many trials. Truly, you have earned it - the belt, the rewards, the fame and the fans. At the height of your boxing career, I will not be surprised if you move up and continue sweeping crowns and coins (lots of it!). What's good about all these fortune coming your way is your desire to give back, to help others.

Your political bid as representative for the city of Genaral Santos is proof of your willingness to make a much bigger and deeper impact in the lives of your countrymen. Of course, others have thought differently, but to me, I take it as your way of making a difference. You have proven that in the boxing arena. You just can't wait to try your hands at public service.

But you see, you can help your "kababayans" as you are.

I don't really know what help you're thinking of right now so you can give back to your fellow Filipinos, but I am hoping it is something that will empower and inspire them to better their lives. Perhaps a boxing gym for boxing aspirants. Maybe a scholarship for those who want to finish their education. Or maybe put up a business for the unemployed. And because I'm a librarian, I suggest that you support a community library that will help in the literacy develoment of people in General Santos.

It is really all up to you, Manny. I only hope that whatever charity or advocacy you intend to pursue in the future, it would be for the benefit of the masses - for them to discover their own power and potentials; for them to realize their dreams no matter how simple.

All the best for you, Manny!

Yours,

Zarah C. Gagatiga
School Librarian & Literacy Advocate

Sawikaan 2007 & Buwan ng Wika

Celebration of the Buwan ng Wika was to open last August 15, 2007 in our school. Typhoon Egay and a series of "no classes" days moved the remembrance of its historical and cultural relevance in the community on August 31, 2007. The GS LRC has of course, prepared activities for the unit with storytelling sessions, film viewing and trivia contests.

It is during this time of the school year when Filipiniana books are disturbed from their silence in the shelves. Filipino and Tagalog become, all of a sudden, langauge stars to students who'd rather speak English or Taglish, a combination of both Tagalog and English language. While many traditional educators raise eyebrows to this mixture of langauge, it can not be denied that the assimilation of English words into hard core Filipino is ever present, and, inevitable. Our language is very much alive, and so is English. The result has actually prompted columnist Mike Tan to coin a new term for this mix - Finglish.

His article today is an interesting observation at how our langauge has morphed over time. Economics, changing contexts, cultural revolutions, etc., motivates and usher such changes. All this he reflects upon the announcement of the winners in the Word of the Year in the Sawikaan 2007. Miskol was granted the first place, followed by runner ups, roro and Friendster.

For more information on Sawikaan 2007, go here.

Migrating

I am not leaving the country for greener pastures. Not now. Not yet. I have, however, migrated from the Old Blogger to the New Blogger. What is so special about it? Let's just say that technology, like everything else in life, changes. My response to change, as far as my blogs are concerned, is to go with the flow and see how things will pick up from there.

I am enjoying the New Blogger, mind you.

For one, I found the new Blogger easier to navigate. The interface is smoother and it allows a blogger to label each posts. While most blogger I know have switched or upgraded, I found some interesting blogs by Filipino Librarians around blogosphere.

I have mentioned about PLAI STRLC's blog sometime last year and it gave me a sense of good things to come in terms of blogging and Philippine Librarianship. Today, I visited the blog of PLAI Cagayan Valley Region . I am particularly pleased because, I trace my roots in Catagaman, Tuguegarao. It would be interesting to visit and touch base with librarians there.

It gives me more reason to plan a trip back home.